No matter what, the end of the war was something worth celebrating.
However, in stark contrast to the cheerful atmosphere throughout the village, Hinata Hyuga was hiding in her room, anxiously waiting for the Life Simulator's cooldown to end.
The Hidden Cloud envoy would send someone to scout the Hyuga Clan Grounds tonight, and they would make their move tomorrow. Considering the cooldown, this was her last chance to run a simulation.
[In Konoha, Year 54, the Kumogakure envoy arrived, and Father became busier than ever. I found a chance to slip out of the estate again, planning to look for Neji.]
[However, just outside the wall, I spotted a suspicious figure. The person had dark skin and looked very much like someone from the Land of Lightning.]
[Now, I have three choices.]
[1. Shout that there's a spy from an enemy village here.]
[2. Ignore them and keep looking for Neji.]
[3. Do nothing and return to my room immediately.]
"I choose the third option."
[Before the person noticed me, I quietly retreated inside the wall and ran back to my room. I fell into a restless sleep, but the intruder seemed to stop there. Nothing happened all night.]
[At dawn the next day, a new choice appeared before me.]
[1. Look for Kiyonari and Neji to discuss what to do.]
[2. Tell Father about what I saw last night.]
[3. Go with Kiyonari to look for Tsunade.]
The moment the third option appeared, Hinata's eyes lit up, and her anxious feelings eased considerably.
Next, she chose the third option and activated [Specified Simulation], at the cost of increasing the cooldown.
[I decided to look for Hyuga Kiyonari first. After I explained why I'd come, he surprised me by taking me to see Tsunade before I could even get into the details.]
[Then I told her everything I'd seen the night before, and tactfully pointed out that the person might be a member of the Kumogakure envoy. If the matter wasn't handled properly, it could lead to a diplomatic conflict.]
[Before I'd even finished speaking, Tsunade's gaze had turned sharp, and her expression had darkened.]
["This is exactly the kind of thing they'd do, just like last time."]
[Tsunade gave a cold laugh and promised to back me up. She only told me to be careful that night and to make sure Father didn't fall asleep.]
[That evening, I returned to my room according to my usual routine.]
[Soon, the faintest sound of footsteps came from the direction of the window. My palms were slick with cold sweat, but I did my best to stay calm and kept pretending to sleep. At the last possible moment, Father rushed in and subdued the intruder with a single strike.]
[Kumogakure's accusations and threats came as expected. Tsunade condemned the Hidden Cloud's shameless conduct and refused to compromise. Lord Hokage was just as determined to end the war, and all of Konoha was thrown into heated debate.]
[Neither side could sway the other. They argued endlessly, unable to come up with an answer.]
"Phew..."
Hinata let out a small sigh of relief as she read this far.
By now, she understood that not everything had to reach a conclusion. Sometimes, having no conclusion was itself a conclusion. Father was always like that: he might say nothing, but she could understand his position.
This was also the outcome Hinata had hoped to achieve by using [Specified Simulation]. She wanted to find out whether Kumogakure's "threat" was only verbal, or whether they would really start a war.
[However, a Main Branch Elder secretly approached Uncle Hizashi.]
[No one knew what they discussed or what methods the elder used. Perhaps he invoked the Main Family's authority, perhaps the good of the clan, perhaps Neji's future...]
[In any case, by the time Tsunade and Father reached Uncle Hizashi's home, it was already too late.]
[Uncle Hizashi had killed himself. The Caged Bird Seal on his forehead had activated, destroying his Byakugan from within. There was no visible change on the outside.]
[Tsunade clenched her fists so tightly they creaked, but there was nothing she could do now.]
[He was dead, and the debate in Konoha came to an abrupt end.]
Events had once again followed the familiar path. Hinata skimmed through the remaining text, but even by the end of the simulation, she still hadn't gotten a definite answer.
But she thought—no, she decided to gamble.
She would bet that Kumogakure's threat was only a verbal one. She simply couldn't accept any of the outcomes shown in the simulation.
As for what would happen if war really did break out, Hinata couldn't even imagine it.
She turned to look out the window and only then realized how late it was.
The night passed.
"Creak..."
Hinata hadn't slept well the night before.
Even though she knew that person wouldn't make a move tonight, she was still on edge. Perhaps... this was what the books meant when they said, "Ignorance is bliss."
Hinata stood outside Kiyonari Hyuga's home and took a few deep breaths before stepping forward to knock.
From the moment she knocked on this door, everything would change!
The door soon opened, revealing Kiyonari Hyuga. "Hinata? So early... You look pale. What happened?"
"Kiyonari..." Hinata moved a little closer, trying to keep her voice steady. "I want to see Tsunade. I have something... very important to tell her, and I need to tell you too."
"Okay."
Kiyonari was as dependable as ever.
Whenever she asked him for help, he never questioned her reasons. He simply nodded, agreed, and took care of everything.
His quiet reliability made her feel instantly at ease just by standing beside him.
The two of them went to the Senju estate. As expected, Shizune was the one who opened the door.
"Shizune, is Tsunade... I mean, has Lady Tsunade woken up yet?" Kiyonari stumbled over his words. He still wasn't used to calling her that.
"Lady Tsunade had quite a good time drinking last night, but she went to bed early. She's already awake," Shizune said, ushering them inside.
"Wait in the living room for a moment. I'll go let Lady Tsunade know you're here."
A minute passed, then another. Footsteps sounded in the hallway, and the sliding door opened.
Tsunade had clearly just finished bathing. She wore a loose, pale green yukata, its neckline hanging open to reveal a generous expanse of snowy-white skin and deep cleavage. The sash was tied carelessly around her waist. Her long blond hair was still wet against her back, and a few strands clung to the fair skin of her neck as clear droplets fell from their tips.
As soon as she came in, a faint fragrance mingled with the warmth of the steam and drifted toward them.
Shizune hurried after her, holding out a dry towel, her voice full of exasperation. "You should at least dry your hair."
"It's fine, it'll dry soon enough."
Tsunade waved her off without a care and looked straight at the two of them. "Go on. What brings you here so early in the morning?"
Before you continue