Miyamura Ayano was a civilian Genin with above-average talent. After graduating successfully, she had thought she could quickly become a Chunin on the strength of her abilities, then work hard and gradually rise to Jonin.
But after carrying out a few missions, she realized everything had changed. The world was nothing like what she had imagined when she was still at the Ninja Academy.
Her best friend, whose grades had once been about the same as hers, had already become a Chunin, while she was still struggling as a Genin, with no hope of promotion in the near future.
Where did she fall short compared to her best friend? Talent? No. Effort? No.
The real difference between them was their families. She was only a civilian ninja, with no family support, no special bloodline or secret techniques. Even learning the most ordinary ninjutsu was an extremely difficult task.
Life without a glimmer of hope had left her in despair. But just as she was about to give up struggling and resign herself to an unremarkable life, an opportunity appeared before her: someone with a trace of Hyuga blood, but not the Hyuga name, had awakened the Byakugan right in front of her.
She thought of the ninjas who attached themselves to the great clans and decided to take a gamble. With support from the prestigious Hyuga Clan, she believed her talent would be enough to make her a Jonin at the very least.
Besides, this wasn't treason. If she waited too long to decide, one of her teammates might beat her to it. That was how Miyamura Ayano convinced herself.
But what she had never expected was that after she had betrayed someone by selling information and pledged herself to the Hyuga Clan, the legendary "Anbu" would come knocking at her door.
She wondered whether the Hyuga Second Elder had ever heard the saying: someone who could be won over by profit could also betray you for an even greater profit—or, more likely, under threat.
"I'm sorry, Hyuga Second Elder, but I have no idea what you're talking about. When we were on our last mission, we did form a temporary squad with Jonin Yuhi Shinku's team, but we never saw any Byakugan." Remembering what the "Anbu" ninja had said when they came to see her, Miyamura Ayano promptly chose to back down.
A blade called betrayal plunged straight into the Hyuga Second Elder's heart. His eyes bulged like bells as he glared viciously at Miyamura Ayano, as if he were about to devour the young woman whole.
As a member of the Hyuga Main Family, he had been born superior to others and rarely dealt with outsiders. When had the Second Elder ever been treated like this?
"Miyamura Ayano, think carefully before you speak. The truth is plain: you told me that the brat Kawaki Aoba possessed the Byakugan, and now you're denying it. Are you trying to make a fool of me?
"Or do you think my Hyuga Clan can't do anything to you?"
The Hyuga Second Elder's words were both vicious and menacing. For a moment, they truly frightened the Genin Miyamura Ayano, leaving her deathly pale.
But at the same time, a cold snort rang out, shattering the fierce aura around the Hyuga Second Elder.
"Hmph. Just what you'd expect from the Second Elder of the prestigious Hyuga Clan—threatening a Konoha ninja right in front of the Hokage. Do you really think Konoha belongs to your Hyuga Clan?"
Such righteous words hardly sounded like something Danzo would say. If his sinister, vicious single eye hadn't given away what a villain he was, Kawaki Aoba might have thought someone else had used the Transformation Technique to impersonate him.
There was a clack as Sarutobi Hiruzen set his Pipe down on the desk.
Everyone turned to look. Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes were exceptionally sharp now, and he seemed like a completely different person from the old man who had just sat quietly by and listened.
"As Hokage, I was willing to trust the Hyuga Clan's integrity, and I gave you, the Second Elder, many chances. But that doesn't mean I can tolerate a ninja from our own village wantonly threatening a comrade." Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly stood up and braced both hands on the desk, a fierce aura seeming to radiate from him.
It was the pressure of a village's leader, the aura of a top ninja in this era.
So this was Sarutobi Hiruzen at the height of his power? No wonder he was known as the Shinobi Hero. What an oppressive presence.
Sensing Sarutobi Hiruzen's strength with Observation Haki, Kawaki Aoba was stunned. Even with all the abilities granted by his maxed-out Observation Haki, he wasn't confident he could get away from Sarutobi Hiruzen unscathed. His greatest hope was simply to hold out for as long as possible.
Most of Sarutobi Hiruzen's aura was directed at the Hyuga Second Elder. Though the man had the strength of a Jonin, he had never been to a battlefield or carried out a single mission. He was so shaken that he staggered backward again and again.
"No, Lord Hokage, our Hyuga Clan meant nothing of the sort. I—I was just acting impulsively. This is all Miyamura Ayano's fault. I got so worked up because I believed her lies, and I spoke without thinking." The Hyuga Second Elder nervously wiped away his sweat.
Looking at Sarutobi Hiruzen, who still wore an expressionless face, the Hyuga Second Elder gritted his teeth and made a decision.
"Lord Hokage, I can prove that everything I said earlier is true. When Miyamura Ayano told me the information, my bodyguard knew about it too. If you examine his mind and search for that memory, you'll be able to uncover the truth."
The Hyuga Second Elder was willing to go all out. A Jonin bodyguard was valuable, but in the end, he was still only a member of the Branch Family. Wasn't it worth trading one Branch Family member to clear the name of an elder from the Main Family?
Besides, they were only examining his mind. It wasn't as if he was guaranteed to die. As long as he cooperated, the damage to his brain would be limited.
The Hyuga Second Elder even felt somewhat relieved that his current bodyguard had only recently taken up the post and didn't know much.
But while the Hyuga Second Elder felt relieved, everyone else in the Hokage Office fell silent.
At that moment, Kawaki Aoba even felt a pang of sympathy for the Hyuga Second Elder.
How could someone be this stupid?
Everyone in the room knew better than the Hyuga Second Elder just how badly he had been wronged. After all, each and every one of them had either actively or passively joined forces to frame him.
Asking a group of conspirators and culprits to help uncover the truth—what a miserable predicament for the Hyuga Second Elder.
"Examine his mind? That's not impossible. And out of respect for the Hyuga Clan, I should give you one more chance. But this will be your last. Someone, go and invite Clan Head Inoichi here in person." Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered an Anbu to fetch him.
One other thing worth mentioning was that ever since the Second Shinobi World War ended, the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans had become staunch supporters of the Third Hokage, and the Nara Clan in particular had been heavily relied upon as Konoha's brains.
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