Protagonist

The cheers of the day had long since faded, leaving only scattered lights flickering in the wind along the streets.

A dark shadow wove between the eaves like a fish in water, his movements so agile and silent that, were it not for the Kumogakure forehead protector on his head, one would never guess he hailed from that notoriously overbearing village.

He tapped his toes lightly against the roof tiles, vaulted into the estate of Hyuga Hiashi, and crouched outside the window of Hinata Hyuga's room.

He then produced a thin, custom-made iron shim, inserted it into the gap of the window lattice, and gave it a gentle flick.

"Click."

The window latch sprang open at the sound. He held his breath, pushed the window aside, and slipped inside.

The room was filled with a faint scent of lavender. Several scrolls lay on the desk, but the bed was completely empty; the bedding was cold, folded neatly and undisturbed.

Not here?!

His heart hammered violently against his ribs, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He quickly checked the wardrobe and under the bed... nothing. The girl was nowhere to be found.

Damn it! Was the intelligence leaked? Or did she just happen to be out of her room tonight?

He gritted his teeth, his mind racing to weigh his options. Plan A had failed; if he retreated now, this infiltration would have been entirely meaningless.

Therefore, he had no choice but to execute Plan B!

A flash of resolve crossed his eyes. Since he could not capture the target, he would bring the Byakugan to Kumogakure in another way.

He fished a pill from his robes—a poison developed by Kumogakure that left no trace for a coroner to detect after death. Combined with the staged marks on his body, anyone who found his corpse would conclude he had been killed by the Gentle Fist.

He quietly exited Hinata's room, crept along the corridor toward the main house, and arrived outside the living quarters of Hyuga Hiashi.

He sat cross-legged, looking up at the sky, and clutched the pill in his hand.

For the glory of Kumogakure, for the plan of the Raikage... my sacrifice will be worth it.

With a gulp, the pill slid down his throat, and a bitter taste instantly spread through his mouth.

His body began to convulse, and pain washed over him like a tide, but he bit down hard, refusing to let out a sound. His vision began to blur, and breathing became increasingly difficult.

Finally, he slumped against the wall, maintaining a posture that suggested he had been struck down.

"Raikage-sama... my mission... is complete..."

Meanwhile, the missing Hyuga Hiashi and Hinata Hyuga had appeared at the estate of Princess Tsunade.

That afternoon, Princess Tsunade had suddenly announced she was taking on a disciple and would hold a banquet, even sending a special invitation to him. The implications were clear enough.

Princess Tsunade was backing Hyuga Kiyonari.

She was telling him, the clan head, and the rest of the main branch that Kiyonari was her person.

After today, Hyuga Kiyonari's status would undergo a seismic shift. Generally speaking, this was not a situation the main branch wished to see.

But out of personal selfishness, Hyuga Hiashi was happy to see it happen. Regardless, he did not want Hinata to marry an ordinary branch member; if that were to happen, Hinata would surely be constrained by the other main branch members once she became the clan head.

When Fugaku Uchiha arrived with Itachi Uchiha, it drew no small amount of attention. After all, the Uchiha Clan rarely attended such occasions, especially given that they were currently being ostracized by Konoha.

Are they here to use Princess Tsunade's influence to break their deadlock?

Others could not help but think so.

"Clan Head Fugaku, welcome."

Princess Tsunade was also somewhat surprised. She was a member of the Senju Clan, and this was the former ancestral land of the Senju. She hadn't expected the Uchiha to show up uninvited; it seemed they were truly having a difficult time.

"Princess Tsunade, congratulations on taking on such an excellent disciple," Fugaku Uchiha replied with great politeness, then signaled for Itachi to present the gift they had prepared.

There were not many guests in the estate. Only a few in Konoha were qualified to be invited by Princess Tsunade; the others had caught wind of the news and come to pay their respects of their own accord.

After presenting their gift, Fugaku Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha did not mingle or exchange pleasantries like the other guests, but instead found a quiet corner to sit.

They did not welcome the Uchiha, and why would the Uchiha welcome them?

Fugaku Uchiha's expression remained calm as he poured himself a cup of tea, showing no discomfort at the cold stares around him. His gaze drifted across the courtyard and landed on Princess Tsunade.

"Itachi," Fugaku said in a low voice, keeping it quiet enough that only the two of them could hear, "look, that is the protagonist of this banquet."

"I know him, Hyuga Kiyonari. He will surely become an excellent ninja."

"No, I am not talking about him, but Princess Tsunade."

At these words, Itachi was slightly taken aback.

Fugaku continued: "Although I do not know why that child was able to gain Princess Tsunade's favor, compared to her, he does not yet have the qualifications to be the protagonist."

"Even if that child is gifted, he is ultimately just a branch member; his ceiling has already been locked. But Princess Tsunade is holding this banquet with such fanfare, even inviting the heads of every major clan—on the surface, it is to support her disciple, but in reality?"

Itachi was silent for a moment before answering, "I do not know."

"Think about her identity," Fugaku's voice carried a hint of melancholy, "Princess Tsunade, one of the Sannin of Konoha, the granddaughter of the First Hokage. If not for her disagreement with the Third and her subsequent departure, the Fourth Hokage would not have been Namikaze Minato."

"I once thought she would never return, but I did not expect her to not only return but also take on a disciple. The meaning behind this... heh."

Itachi understood: "She wants to become the Fifth Hokage?"

"In all of Konoha, there is no one more suitable to be the Fifth Hokage than her," Fugaku Uchiha sighed deeply.

Once upon a time, Konoha was truly glorious, and the candidates for Hokage back then were all one in a hundred.

"What is the attitude of the Third Hokage?" Itachi Uchiha suddenly asked.

However, Fugaku shook his head to indicate he did not know, then gestured toward the others in the hall: "Look at them... Ino-Shika-Cho, the Hyuga, and the heads of all the other large and small ninja clans; their goals are all the same as ours."

"No one knows the Third Hokage's thoughts, and no one knows Tsunade's thoughts, but there is no doubt that the Third is already old. Furthermore, ever since the Fourth Hokage died, the Third has been back in power as the 'Acting Hokage'."

"No one dares to be certain that Tsunade will become Hokage, but no one dares to bet that she won't. As long as she stays in Konoha, everyone must show her respect."

Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted outside the hall, and the two of them looked over in that direction.

It was Sarutobi Hiruzen.

He was dressed in casual attire with a pipe tucked into his waistband, his hands clasped behind his back, looking just like an old man dropping by for a visit.

His presence served as a reassurance to all the guests attending the banquet.