Questioning

"You know his background, don't you?" Jiraiya asked, pointing at Naruto.

Hiashi Hyuga turned to look at Naruto and nodded. "I do. That's why I'm comfortable with Hinata being around him. But given Konoha's current situation, I didn't dare offer him any help."

Jiraiya shook his head and continued, "He's now completely mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique."

At the name of the technique, Hiashi's expression turned to one of shock. He thought of the ninja known as the Yellow Flash, who had used the Flying Thunder God to reap lives on the battlefield. Then he asked, "So what about him now...?"

Though Hiashi didn't finish his sentence, Jiraiya knew what he meant. "Are you asking why he doesn't just leave Konoha?"

Hiashi gave a slight nod, and Jiraiya continued, "If he runs away, he'll be branded a rogue ninja, which would make things difficult for him later. The main reason I'm returning to Konoha this time is to take him away, with the village leadership's approval."

"After I leave, you must make sure the Hyuga Clan keeps a low profile. Whatever happens in Konoha, don't get involved. Just make the necessary preparations."

"What would you like me to prepare, Lord Jiraiya?" Hiashi asked.

"Prepare to help the Fourth Hokage quickly regain control of the village after he returns," Jiraiya said slowly.

Those words struck Hiashi like a bolt of lightning. He stared in shock and asked, "How is that possible? The Fourth Hokage and his wife are both dead, aren't they?"

Six years ago, the Third Hokage had announced that the Fourth Hokage and his wife had died in battle. Their graves were still in Konoha's cemetery.

"For certain reasons, they had to fake their deaths after sealing the Nine-Tails. But they'll return within a year at most," Jiraiya explained.

As head of the Hyuga Clan, Hiashi was quite capable of taking things in stride. After organizing his thoughts, he said, "But what about the Third Hokage?"

At that, Jiraiya sighed helplessly. "You know what Kushina's temper is like. Do you think she'll do nothing when she learns how Naruto's been treated all these years? As for Minato, you've seen the side of him that isn't gentle."

Images came to Hiashi's mind—for instance, Kushina beating people black and blue back when they were still at the Ninja Academy.

Kushina Uzumaki hadn't been born in Konoha. Konoha had found her in the Land of Whirlpools and brought her back.

When she'd first arrived at the Ninja Academy, people often bullied her because of her hair color and her brash personality.

She hadn't trained yet, so she was very weak. Even when she fought back, she couldn't beat anyone. Whenever she was bullied, Minato would step forward to protect her.

After Kushina was brought back to Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi entrusted her to Mito Uzumaki, the wife of Hashirama Senju, the First.

As a fellow clan member—and perhaps the last surviving member of the Uzumaki Clan—Mito Uzumaki took Kushina as her pupil and taught her all the Uzumaki Clan's ninjutsu, secret techniques, and Sealing Jutsu.

Once her Uzumaki bloodline awakened, Kushina rose to prominence and beat up everyone who had ever bullied her. And she didn't just beat them once and let it go. Whenever she was in a bad mood, she'd keep beating them up. That earned her the nickname Bloody Habanero. It was clear just how vindictive she could be.

As for Minato, Hiashi couldn't help shuddering at the thought of him. At the Ninja Academy, Minato hadn't stood out.

Perhaps it was simply his nature, but whenever Kushina was bullied back then, he would only protect her. He never fought back.

He truly revealed his strength after Cloud ninja kidnapped Kushina. Following the clues she'd left behind, he gave chase. Using his superior speed, he killed three Cloud ninja and successfully rescued her.

That was how his talent came to light. Not long afterward, Jiraiya took him on as a pupil.

But at the time, he wasn't very strong and always wore a warm smile.

Minato truly rose to prominence during the Third Shinobi World War, when he single-handedly matched the Shinobi World's strongest duo, the AB Duo: A, who was about to inherit the title of Raikage, and his sworn younger brother, Killer B, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.

Iwagakure attacked Konoha, which had already withdrawn large numbers of ninja from every defensive line. Iwagakure sent more than a thousand ninja through Kusagakure to launch a surprise attack on Konoha.

They had thought victory was assured, but Namikaze Minato arrived. He told the ninja who were still able to move to help by throwing kunai while he took care of the kills. In an instant, he wiped out fifty Iwagakure elite jonin.

After that, he became a demon, constantly using the Flying Thunder God to reap lives across the battlefield.

Hiashi had witnessed all of this firsthand. When Minato's smile faded and his gentle side disappeared, the killing intent he radiated alone was enough to make Hiashi's back go cold.

Hiashi nodded. "I understand, Lord Jiraiya. I'll keep the clan in line over the next few days and wait for the Fourth Hokage to return."

"There's one more thing," Jiraiya said.

Hiashi hurriedly replied, "Please, Lord Jiraiya. Tell me what you need."

Jiraiya gathered his thoughts before saying, "If possible, the Fourth Hokage hopes the Hyuga Clan will abolish the Caged Bird Seal."

The Caged Bird Seal not only gave the clan control over the Branch House; it also limited anyone branded with it to the strength of an elite jonin. Once they reached that level, they couldn't improve at all.

Hiashi's face showed his distress. If he could, he wouldn't want to brand anyone with the Caged Bird Seal.

But it was a clan rule, and the elders would never agree to change it.

He could only say, "I'll do my best."

Jiraiya smiled. "There's no rush. We can take it slowly."

Minato and Jiraiya had made this proposal after Naruto told them about the threat posed by the Ōtsutsuki Clan.

They hoped the Hyuga Clan would abolish the Caged Bird Seal. There were many talented people in the Branch House, including Neji Hyuga. People like them might be able to evolve the Byakugan, but once branded with the Caged Bird Seal, that possibility vanished.

They would have to fight the Ōtsutsuki Clan in the future, and the more powerful people they had, the better. If the Byakugan evolved, its wielder's strength would grow by leaps and bounds.

That was everything Jiraiya needed to tell Hiashi. The rest was just catching up on what had happened over the years. At that point, Naruto dispelled the barrier.

After talking for a long while, Jiraiya left with Naruto. He told Hiashi to be ready, and that he would return in three days to take Hinata away.

Meanwhile.

Inside the Council Hall in the Hokage Office Building, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the main seat, facing the three advisors: Shimura Danzō, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu.

Once everyone had arrived, Hiruzen Sarutobi began, "I called you here because there's something important we need to discuss."

The three said nothing, simply waiting for Hiruzen to continue.

Hiruzen fixed Shimura Danzō with a cold stare. "Danzō, I told you long ago not to do anything unnecessary."

Danzō replied calmly, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Seeing Danzō's expression, Hiruzen felt anger rise within him. He demanded, "Did you collude with Hanzo years ago and attack one of Jiraiya's pupils?"

Danzō realized what Hiruzen meant. He had indeed done it.

After learning by chance about the Rinnegan, he had contacted Hanzo. He told Hanzo about the Akatsuki, and the two struck a deal.

They sent Root ninja to Amegakure to assist Hanzo, hoping to seize the Rinnegan.

Unfortunately, the operation failed. They killed a few members of the Akatsuki, but the person who possessed the Rinnegan escaped.

Danzō hadn't expected Hiruzen to find out after all these years. He didn't deny it, simply nodding. "I did send Root ninja to assist Hanzo."

His admission made Hiruzen more certain that Jiraiya had told him the truth. He asked, "So you knew about the Rinnegan?"

The two other advisors were startled to hear about the Rinnegan. "The eyes said to have belonged to the Sage of Six Paths?"

Danzō nodded to indicate that he knew. Since Hiruzen had asked, it meant he already knew everything, so there was no point in hiding it.

"After your operation failed, the Rinnegan's wielder escaped. After lying low all these years, he's become extremely powerful," Hiruzen said, taking a puff of his pipe.

Danzō said nothing. Beside him, Utatane Koharu asked Hiruzen, puzzled, "Are you saying he might come to Konoha for revenge?"

Hiruzen nodded. "According to the information Jiraiya brought back, that's exactly what's likely."

Danzō spoke up. "He's only one man. If he comes, I'll kill him myself."

"You? Hanzo is already dead at his hands. Do you really think you can win?" Hiruzen said, looking at Danzō with contempt.

Hanzo had once been Amegakure's strongest, known by the title Demigod. They all knew that.

Mitokado Homura, who had been silent until then, asked in disbelief, "He's already that powerful?"

Hiruzen could only nod helplessly. "That's right. On top of that, he's rebuilt the Akatsuki and renamed himself Pain."

At the mention of the Akatsuki, Danzō recalled the two ninja who had attacked Root recently. He hadn't realized that the brat who'd escaped back then had such powerful subordinates.

He didn't dare say anything more and simply waited for Hiruzen to continue.

"The rebuilt Akatsuki has begun recruiting rogue ninja. So far, we know of six exceptionally powerful ones. You should know about the recent attack on Root. Based on Jiraiya's account, we can be fairly certain who the attackers were," Hiruzen said.

He then told the three of them the identities of the Akatsuki's rogue ninja that Jiraiya had reported. After hearing him out, all three fell silent, lost in thought.

A moment later, Utatane Koharu asked Hiruzen, "What should we do now?"

"For now, the Akatsuki won't attack Konoha. They're busy with something else," Hiruzen replied.