Those Who Wrong You Know Better Than You How Wronged You Are

Miyamura Ayano, a civilian genin with above-average talent, had once believed that after graduating, her aptitude would allow her to quickly become a chunin, and through hard work, eventually ascend to the rank of jonin.

However, after completing a few missions, she realized everything had changed; this world was nothing like the one she had imagined while attending the Ninja Academy.

Her close friend, whose grades were once similar to hers, had already successfully become a chunin, while she remained stuck in the genin stage, struggling with no hope of promotion in the near future.

Where did she fall short compared to her friend? Was it talent? No. Was it effort? Certainly not.

The true gap between them lay in their clans. She was merely a civilian ninja without the backing of a family, possessing no special bloodline or secret techniques; even learning the most common ninjutsu was an incredibly arduous task.

This life devoid of hope left her in despair, but just as she was about to give up and resign herself to a life of mediocrity, an opportunity appeared before her: someone who possessed a diluted Hyuga bloodline but did not carry the Hyuga name had awakened the Byakugan right before her eyes.

She thought of the ninja who attached themselves to great clans and decided to take a gamble. If she could secure the support of the prestigious Hyuga, she believed that with her own aptitude, she could at least become a jonin.

Besides, this wasn't betraying the village; if she delayed her decision, her teammates might beat her to it, Miyamura Ayano convinced herself.

Yet, to her utter shock, just after she had defected to the Hyuga Clan by selling information, she was approached by the legendary Anbu.

It was unclear if the Hyuga Second Elder had ever heard the saying that those who defect for profit can just as easily betray for a greater profit—or, more likely, out of fear.

"I am very sorry, Hyuga Second Elder, but I do not know what you are talking about. During our last mission, we did indeed form a temporary squad with Jonin Yuhi Shinku's team, but we never saw any so-called Byakugan." Recalling what the Anbu ninja had told her earlier, Miyamura Ayano decisively chose to play it safe.

A blade of betrayal pierced deep into the heart of the Hyuga Second Elder. With eyes widened like copper bells, he glared viciously at Miyamura Ayano, as if he wanted to swallow the young girl whole.

As a member of the Hyuga Main Family, born superior to others and rarely dealing with affairs outside the clan, the Second Elder had never been treated with such insolence.

"Miyamura Ayano, you had better think carefully before you speak. The truth of the matter is clearly that you were the one who informed me that the brat Kawaki Aoba possessed the Byakugan. Now you deny it? Are you playing the fool with me?

Or perhaps you think that my Hyuga Clan has no way to deal with you?"

The Hyuga Second Elder's words were both fierce and sinister, momentarily scaring the genin Miyamura Ayano until her face turned deathly pale.

But at the same time, a cold snort rang out, shattering the sharp, imposing aura radiating from the Hyuga Second Elder.

"Hmph, truly worthy of a Second Elder from the prestigious Hyuga. To threaten a Konoha ninja right in front of the Hokage—could it be that you truly believe Konoha belongs to your Hyuga family?"

Such righteous words didn't sound like something Danzo would say. If not for his fierce, gloomy single eye revealing his true nature, Kawaki Aoba would have thought someone had used a Transformation Jutsu to impersonate him.

Clack! That was the sound of Sarutobi Hiruzen placing his pipe onto the desk.

Everyone turned to look. The Sarutobi Hiruzen of this moment had eyes that were exceptionally sharp, a stark contrast to the old man who had just been sitting to the side listening.

"As Hokage, I am willing to trust in the reputation of the Hyuga Clan, and I have given you, the Second Elder, many chances. But that does not mean I can tolerate a ninja of this village wantonly threatening a comrade." Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly stood up, leaning his hands on the desk, a sharp, piercing aura emanating from his body.

It was the oppressive weight of a village leader, the aura released by a top-tier ninja of this era.

Is this the strength of Sarutobi Hiruzen in his prime? This pressure—he truly lives up to the title of Shinobi Hero.

Using his Observation Haki to sense Sarutobi Hiruzen's strength, Kawaki Aoba was deeply shaken. Even with the various capabilities of his max-level Observation Haki, he was not confident he could escape unscathed from Sarutobi Hiruzen; lasting as long as possible was the best he could hope for.

The majority of Sarutobi Hiruzen's aura was directed at the Hyuga Second Elder, causing the man—who possessed the strength of a jonin but had never stepped onto a battlefield nor completed a single mission—to stumble back in terror.

"No, Lord Hokage, our Hyuga family did not mean that. Just now, just now I was merely impulsive. Everything is the fault of this Miyamura Ayano; I listened to her lies and became so agitated that I spoke without thinking." The Hyuga Second Elder wiped his sweat nervously.

Looking at the still expressionless Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hyuga Second Elder gritted his teeth and made a decision in his heart.

"Lord Hokage, I have a way to prove that everything I said is true. When this Miyamura Ayano told me the intelligence, my guard was also aware of it. If you probe his brain and search that memory, the truth will be revealed."

The Hyuga Second Elder was going all out. A jonin guard might be valuable, but in the end, he was just a member of the branch family. To trade a branch member for the innocence of a Main Family elder—was that not a worthy exchange?

Besides, it was only a brain probe, not a guaranteed death sentence. As long as the subject cooperated, the damage to the brain would be limited.

The Hyuga Second Elder even felt a sense of relief, grateful that his current guard had only recently been assigned and did not know much.

However, while the Hyuga Second Elder felt relieved, everyone else in the Hokage's office fell silent.

At this moment, Kawaki Aoba even felt a pang of sympathy for the Hyuga Second Elder.

How could a person be this stupid?

Right now, everyone in this room, without exception, knew far better than the Hyuga Second Elder just how wronged he was, because they were the ones who, either actively or passively, had conspired to frame him.

To tell a group of masterminds and culprits that he wanted to use their power to find the truth—what a tragic figure this Hyuga Second Elder was.

"Probe his brain? Very well, that is not impossible. Furthermore, for the sake of the Hyuga family, I, as Hokage, should give you one more chance. However, this will be the final one. Someone, go and invite Clan Leader Inoichi here immediately." Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered an Anbu to fetch him.

It is worth noting that ever since the end of the Second Shinobi World War, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio had become staunch supporters of the Third Hokage, with the Nara Clan being regarded as the brains of all Konoha.