Present the Evidence

Under these circumstances, he could only make a clean break with Orochimaru, but as his student and one of the illustrious Sannin of Konoha, such a severance would undoubtedly be a world-shaking event.

Therefore, whether from a rational or emotional perspective, Sarutobi Hiruzen could never quite bring himself to make the decision.

After a long silence, he finally spoke: "I understand. I will handle it as soon as possible."

Mitokado Homura nodded and said nothing more.

At this moment, Kakashi suddenly appeared.

"What is it?"

"Just now, Hyuga Akira died suddenly."

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood up with a start.

"What happened!"

"I don't have the specifics, only that Hizashi Hyuga had just gone to pay a visit to Hyuga Akira, and shortly after he left, Hyuga Akira was dead."

Mitokado Homura's eyes widened.

"Hizashi Hyuga? How could he do such a thing? Is he not afraid of death?"

Glancing at his old partner, Sarutobi Hiruzen remained silent.

Regarding the matter of Hyuga Akira, he was likely one of the few in Konoha who possessed the full intelligence.

Based on the reports sent back by his eldest son and his prior understanding of certain events, Sarutobi Hiruzen knew exactly what the true cause of Hyuga Akira's death was.

Did Hyuga Hiashi truly have such resolve?

He was deeply puzzled.

Just as he was lost in thought, Mitokado Homura bumped into him.

"Hiruzen, are we going to get involved in this?"

"No." Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head. "Let them resolve their internal affairs themselves. Right now, stability is more important than anything else for us!"

"Stability is more important than anything else?" Mitokado Homura thought of something and muttered to himself, "Is this the underlying logic behind your indulgence of the Uchiha clan?"

"Because you can no longer suppress them, you've changed your attitude and started to appease them?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen turned to look out the window, falling into silence.

"But do you realize that continuing like this only delays today's difficulties? The problem will erupt sooner or later, perhaps even more violently. When that time comes, will you still rely on the so-called wisdom of future generations?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen puffed on his pipe and said slowly: "Uchiha Fugaku said he would keep the internal situation stable..."

"He can't stabilize them at all! You know he doesn't have that capability!"

The matter of the Uchiha clan had been weighing on Mitokado Homura's heart for a long time, and he used this opening to begin persuading his counterpart.

"I have received intelligence that the radicals within the Uchiha clan have been very active lately. They are contacting Uchiha Setsuna and holding mass gatherings. It won't be long before these people incite Uchiha Fugaku to take even more radical actions..."

Mitokado Homura stood up.

"Rather than waiting for them to drift further and further away, we should act while the situation is not yet critical and we still have leverage within the Uchiha clan to nip the danger in the bud!"

After thinking for a long time, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally spoke.

"Let's wait a little longer. Once the armistice treaty with Kumogakure is signed and the external threat is gone, I will take action to resolve these matters."

Mitokado Homura sighed, the disappointment on his face impossible to hide. However, having finally received a definitive answer, he stopped pressing the issue and took his leave.

As the wooden door closed, Sarutobi Hiruzen said to Kakashi, who had been standing by in attendance: "Am I becoming more useless as I age?"

Ever since the death of Namikaze Minato and his wife, Kakashi had become increasingly reticent, and he met the Hokage's self-deprecation with continued silence.

Seeing that Kakashi did not speak, Sarutobi Hiruzen gave an awkward smile.

"Go and prepare. This evening, I will personally deal with Orochimaru..."

In the Hyuga clan compound, within the main hall of Hyuga Hiashi's residence.

Hyuga Hiashi sat upright in the seat of honor. A cup of tea sat before him, the liquid long since gone cold, yet he remained completely unaware.

Hizashi Hyuga knelt below in the hall, head bowed, saying nothing.

Surrounding them were the gathered members of the Hyuga Main Branch, with members of the Branch House watching from outside the hall.

The air felt as if it had frozen solid.

After a long while, Hyuga Hiashi finally spoke.

Pointing his finger at the Main Branch members seated on both sides, he said: "Hizashi, they all say that you are the one who killed Elder Zhao. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Hizashi Hyuga knelt in the center of the hall, his spine held perfectly straight.

The gazes of the Main Branch elders around him pierced him like knives, and the whispering grew louder and louder, like a flock of crows cawing.

"It was not me."

Hizashi Hyuga's voice was calm, so calm that it did not sound like a man accused of murdering a fellow clan elder.

"Not you?" A white-haired Main Branch elder slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "Hizashi, you had just left Elder Zhao's residence, and he died suddenly right after. How could there be such a coincidence in this world?"

"Elder Gen is right!" another elderly Main Branch member chimed in. "And who doesn't know that you have long been dissatisfied with Elder Zhao? Since you returned, you have visited him several times to 'pay your respects.' Is this what you call paying respects? You were looking for trouble!"

Hizashi Hyuga raised his head, his gaze sweeping past the indignant Main Branch elders to land on the face of Hyuga Hiashi, who sat high above.

His elder brother remained seated, his expression as calm as still water, as if the trial unfolding before him had nothing to do with him at all.

"I said it wasn't me," Hizashi Hyuga repeated. "I went to visit Elder Zhao out of respect. As for why he died, I have no idea."

"You still dare to quibble!"

Hyuga Gen, with his head of white hair, was furious.

"I know Elder Zhao's physical condition better than anyone. Although he was in poor health when he first returned to Konoha, I visited his home every day and never saw any issues. Why is it that things went wrong the moment you arrived?"

Hizashi Hyuga looked up, meeting the sharp eyes of Hyuga Gen.

"Elder Gen, you visited Elder Zhao every day, but did you ever see him eat with your own eyes? Did you see him sleep? Did you see him safe and sound at every single moment?"

Hyuga Gen was stunned by the question, then roared in anger, "What is that supposed to mean? Are you accusing me of framing you?"

Hizashi Hyuga slowly stood up and scanned the Main Branch elders surrounding him. "I only wish to ask: among everyone present, who saw me kill Elder Zhao with their own eyes, or what evidence is there to prove that I killed him?"

The great hall fell into silence.

The Main Branch elders looked at one another, none of them speaking.

"Since no one saw it, on what grounds do you say I killed him?" Hizashi Hyuga's voice gradually rose. "Just because I was the last one to visit him? Just because I didn't like him? What kind of logic is that!"

"Insolent!" Hyuga Gen was exceptionally annoyed. "Hizashi, what kind of attitude is this? This is a place for deliberation, not a place for you to run wild!"

"Run wild?" Hizashi Hyuga laughed. "Elder Gen, I respect you as an elder and have always shown you courtesy, but what about you? From the moment this started, it's been 'you are the killer' and 'you are quibbling.' Do you have evidence? Do you have witnesses?"

He turned toward the other Main Branch elders.

"And all of you, has anyone here seen me kill anyone with your own eyes? Has anyone produced any evidence?"