A Matter of Dignity

The night was deathly quiet.

Kushina Uzumaki spoke to Minato Namikaze about the warmth Naruto had brought into her life.

Minato Namikaze's troubled heart eased significantly at her words.

He had personally visited the Hyuga clan to state his position, only to be met with an even more resolute refusal.

To protect their clan and to protect Konoha, the Hyuga clan was willing to sacrifice one of their own.

"There is still a chance; we just need to find the right moment."

Kushina Uzumaki encouraged Minato Namikaze.

The night was cold and desolate.

Candlelight flickered within the Hyuga estate.

Two brothers, bearing a striking resemblance, sat on opposite sides of the flickering flame.

"I am willing," Hizashi Hyuga stated his resolve once more. "Our Hyuga clan must not be the spark that ignites a war."

Hyuga Hiashi sat with his arms wrapped around his knees, his mood heavy. "The Fourth does not approve of our decision. While the Hyuga clan has not been close to the Fourth, we cannot ignore his opinion. You need to wait a while longer."

Waiting would be a form of torture.

The situation was becoming increasingly dire.

Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning threatened Konoha once again: if they refused to hand over the corpse of the Hyuga clan leader, they would come to take it themselves.

The dark clouds of war loomed over the Third Hokage and the council of elders.

Danzo continued to incite trouble from the shadows; he truly desired a war between Kumogakure and Konoha, for only in chaos could he realize his own ambitions.

The pressure on Minato Namikaze grew ever greater, yet he held a hardline stance and would not retreat a single step.

Naruto's training relied on persistence. He did not rush to learn ninjutsu, but instead focused his energy on conditioning his physique, steadily growing stronger by following the simplified training regimen of Might Guy.

In a deserted grove.

Naruto struck a solid wooden post.

"Space Gate, open!"

Naruto's physical condition was finally sufficient to activate the Eight Inner Gates.

As the Space Gate removed the restrictions on his brain, Naruto unleashed all the energy within his body.

The solid wooden post bent under the force of Naruto's punch.

"So strong, and my speed has increased as well." Naruto began to adapt to his movements in this state.

Notification.
Host cannot currently open the Gate of Healing!

Naruto deactivated the Space Gate and returned to his normal state.

"Activating the Eight Inner Gates increases chakra consumption exponentially. I need to improve my control over chakra usage." Faced with each training hurdle, Naruto would find a way to solve them one by one.

Another day was coming to an end.

Just as Naruto was preparing to head back, his ring finger twitched a few times.

"Come to my house quickly!"

It was a message from Hinata.

Naruto replied cheerfully, "Haven't seen you in a few days, did you miss me?"

"Something terrible is about to happen, help, I'm scared."

"I'll be there immediately." Naruto leaped toward the Hyuga estate.

At the side gate, Naruto met up with Hinata.

"Hinata, is someone bullying you?" Naruto asked, concerned, as he took Hinata's small hand.

Hinata led Naruto into the Hyuga residential area. "Naruto, I just saw Uncle Hizashi preparing a blade for ritual suicide. I'm afraid that it's because of me that Uncle Hizashi is going to die."

Hinata shed tears in her urgency. "Naruto, a few nights ago, I was caught in a genjutsu and was almost kidnapped by ninjas from the Land of Lightning. My father saved me just in time, but he killed that ninja. Now, the Land of Lightning is using this as a pretext to demand the corpse of our Hyuga clan leader, or they will launch a war against Konoha."

"I heard this from an argument between my father and my uncle. I don't want my father to die, and I don't want my uncle to die. Naruto, what should we do?"

Naruto denounced the situation, "The Land of Lightning is using nothing but bandit logic; they shouldn't be humored at all. These adults are prone to getting stuck in dead ends, unable to distinguish right from wrong. Don't worry, Hinata, I'll go reason with Uncle Hizashi."

"Naruto, thank you!" Hinata quickly led Naruto to the room where Hizashi Hyuga was preparing for his suicide.

Naruto signaled for Hinata to enter with him.

Hinata gathered her courage.

Bang!

Naruto used a bit too much force when opening the door.

The quality of the Hyuga clan's door was far too poor.

The door frame was ripped right off by Naruto.

The scene turned a little awkward.

The heavy, solemn atmosphere in the room was shattered.

The mindset Hizashi Hyuga had just carefully cultivated now had a crack in it.

"Hinata, why did you come here?" Hizashi Hyuga felt a hint of resentment toward Hinata, but mostly, he felt helpless.

The conflict between the Main House and the Branch House was not a matter of just one or two generations.

Naruto walked up to Hizashi Hyuga and sat down. "Uncle, please don't ignore me. I am Naruto."

Hizashi Hyuga tucked his blade under the table and looked at Naruto coldly. "Who you are is unimportant. No one welcomes a rude person."

Naruto could feel the pressure Hizashi Hyuga was exerting; Hizashi Hyuga's strength was not to be underestimated.

"Uncle, at a glance, you are a man of conviction, but I still want to say that choosing death is incredibly foolish."

"Hmph, do you think I would find sense in the words of a child?" Hizashi Hyuga guessed the reason for Naruto's arrival.

It must have been Hinata who brought him here.

Naruto continued, "How is the strength of the Land of Lightning? And how is the strength of Konoha? Uncle, please judge for yourself. Do wars happen just because of verbal pressure?"

"If the Land of Lightning truly wanted to go to war with Konoha, would they be shouting about it so loudly? War is always born from long-laid plots and sudden strikes, so I can conclude directly that the Land of Lightning currently lacks the courage to truly go to war with Konoha."

Hizashi Hyuga began to doubt his decision, but he was not yet fully convinced.

"Very well, Uncle Hizashi, we can make a reasonable deduction."

"Take your self-sacrifice, for example. The reasons are nothing more than two: to protect the clan and to protect the village."

"First, let's talk about protecting the clan. Will your sacrifice make the people of the clan happy? Hinata will certainly feel guilty because of it. Your wife and your child will have lost you. No matter how noble the reason, they will ultimately be the greatest victims. Your wife will be left helpless, and your child will harbor resentment toward the clan, leaving behind a hidden danger."

"Now, let's talk about protecting the village. The village needs everyone to protect it, but the village needs dignity even more."

"A single threat from the Land of Lightning forces the leader of the Hyuga clan in Konoha to commit suicide. Those who don't know the truth won't interpret it as protecting the village; they will only interpret it as Konoha's strength declining and becoming weak. Then, no matter who they are, they will look down on Konoha in their hearts. Isn't this situation the most realistic outcome?"

"Uncle's death would become meaningless, and it would even cause greater harm to the village."

Hizashi Hyuga was jolted awake. "How could a child have such deep insight?"

"Uncle, anxiety clouds judgment. We in Konoha are the ones with justice on our side. Only those who are alive have the chance to change things. Give yourself a chance, and give the Hyuga clan and Konoha a chance to reshape their dignity."

"You are no ordinary child." Hizashi Hyuga felt relieved, his gaze burning as he looked at Naruto.

Naruto smiled calmly. "If you can see it this way, Uncle, it is a happy ending for everyone. Let us see if the Land of Lightning dares to truly start a war. If it comes to pass, I hope you will dedicate your strength to Konoha."