Hurry up and get the hell back to your Land of Lightning!

At the Hyuga Clan compound, the unease in Hiashi's heart refused to fade. Even though Shinichi had promised to help him resolve this trouble, Kumogakure was hardly an easy opponent.

"Brother."

The door opened, and Hizashi suddenly walked in.

"Hizashi, you're here."

Hiashi nodded and asked gravely, "You know everything?"

"Yes. The Kumogakure Envoy Group came prepared. I'm afraid they won't let our Hyuga Clan off easily."

Hizashi looked troubled. He sighed softly. "Lord Hokage might not give us justice. After all, he has to make his decisions in the village's best interests. So, a few elders just discussed something with me."

The moment he heard those words, Hiashi sensed something was wrong.

Could Shinichi really have been right?

Were the clan elders really going to make Hizashi die in my place?

"Enough. You don't need to say any more."

Hiashi's expression darkened at once, and he cut him off. "Go home right now. Neji needs you. This has nothing to do with you."

Thanks to Shinichi's warning, he had already been on guard. How could he let Hizashi obey those unreasonable demands?

"Brother, you're the clan head. Nothing can happen to you."

After a moment of silence, Hizashi spoke with resolve.

But he had no idea that Hiashi was already prepared. Without warning, Hiashi stepped in front of him.

Chakra gathered at Hiashi's fingertip, and a single jab struck Hizashi's pressure point!

"Brother, you..."

Hizashi was stunned, but before he could say anything else, he collapsed unconscious.

"I'm sorry. You're my younger brother. I have to protect you!"

Hiashi spoke apologetically.

Just as Hizashi was willing to die in his place, he refused to let his younger brother lose his life because of him.

If the situation truly became impossible to resolve, he would impersonate "Hizashi" and pretend to die in his own place.

Even Shinichi had never imagined that a passing impulse would actually change their original fate. Of course, even without this turn of events in the Hyuga Clan, he would still follow his own plan and settle the problem of the Kumogakure Envoy Group once and for all!

"Lord Hokage, you must give us an explanation for this!"

Looking at the cold corpse on the floor, Dodai, the leader of the Kumogakure Envoy Group, was furious. He shouted, "Matsushita was our delegation's second-in-command! For you in Konoha to murder him like this-are you deliberately provoking Kumogakure?"

Second-in-command? He was nothing more than a sacrificial pawn deliberately sent to his death.

"Dodai, don't get so worked up."

Dodai had expected the Third Hokage to show some panic, but to his disappointment, the Third Hokage looked perfectly calm. "This matter will certainly be resolved, but not now. I've already sent people to investigate the truth."

"What is there left to investigate?"

Dodai argued vehemently, "Matsushita clearly died at the hands of the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist. Isn't the culprit obvious enough? Lord Hokage, don't say I didn't warn you. If Konoha refuses to hand over the true culprit, Kumogakure will resume the war over this!"

This was an ultimatum!

Either obediently hand over the Hyuga Clan's kekkei genkai, or go to war with Kumogakure!

"Three days."

The Third Hokage let out a long breath and sighed softly. "I'm sorry for the trouble, but please give me another three days. By then, I'll naturally give Kumogakure a satisfactory answer. Consider it a favor to this old man. What do you say?"

According to Shinichi, all he needed to do was stall them for three days.

"Very well. I hope Lord Hokage makes the right decision when the time comes."

Dodai spoke coldly.

Three days was well within his expectations.

After all, the so-called true culprit was the Hyuga Clan's head. Even as Hokage, the Third Hokage couldn't rashly hand a member of the Hyuga Clan over to them. His request for more time was perfectly reasonable.

Besides, if Konoha really intended to break with Kumogakure, they would have to wait for the Fourth Raikage to reach Konoha before they had a chance to leave safely.

So these three days were not only a reprieve for the Third Hokage, but also time for the Kumogakure Envoy Group to await the Fourth Raikage's arrival. Dodai had no reason to refuse.

Shinichi, the village's fate rests entirely on you now.

The Third Hokage thought to himself.

The Land of Fire Border.

Traveling day and night, Shinichi finally reached the border checkpoint.

An unnerving silence hung around the Watchtower. The Konoha ninja guarding the border all wore grave expressions, as though facing a formidable enemy.

"Shinichi, we've gathered all the ninja stationed along the border."

Yamanaka Daisuke, one of the jonin in charge, spoke quietly.

Although he couldn't understand why the Third Hokage had entrusted such an important mission to a chunin like Shinichi, the Hokage's letter of appointment couldn't be a fake.

No matter how unreasonable it seemed, he had to obey his orders.

"Good."

Unlike everyone else, who was tense, Shinichi smiled casually.

Not yet twenty, he stood before the assembled ninja, exuding a mature, steady presence.

As if to dispel their concerns, he made no attempt to conceal his aura. The terrifying presence of a powerful fighter instantly spread through the area, striking fear into more than a few hearts.

Those who had initially looked down on Shinichi no longer dared say anything.

"Everyone, Kumogakure has sinister ambitions. They've deliberately used a dirty scheme to provoke Konoha. Their goal is to seize the Hyuga Clan's kekkei genkai and crush our village's spirit."

"We're all Konoha ninja, inheritors of the Will of Fire. Can we just stand by and let Kumogakure walk all over us?"

Shinichi spoke slowly.

His voice was deep and firm, carrying a powerful force that could not be ignored.

"Of course not!"

"Those damned Kumogakure ninja! I'll chop their heads off myself!"

"The Byakugan is Konoha's kekkei genkai! We won't let anyone from another village covet it!"

Stirred up by Shinichi's words, the crowd seethed with indignation. The Hyuga Clan ninja were especially furious. Had no one held them back, they might have charged straight across the border to wage war on Kumogakure.

"Excellent!"

Shinichi nodded in satisfaction and swept his arm forward. "Anyone who isn't afraid to die, come with me! Let's meet this so-called Fourth Raikage!"

Meanwhile, at the Land of Lightning Border.

Dozens of Kumogakure ninja stood behind the Fourth Raikage A, preparing to continue toward the Land of Fire.

"We've received word from Dodai. Konoha intends to deliberately stall for time. He requests that Lord Raikage reach the Land of Fire as quickly as possible. Only then can we put enough pressure on Konoha to force them to hand over Hyuga Hiashi!"

A Kumogakure ninja relayed the message.

"Then pick up the pace. We must arrive before tomorrow morning!"

The Fourth Raikage nodded. Tall and powerfully built, his body packed with bulging muscles, he exerted an oppressive pressure merely by standing there.

He was the Fourth Raikage A, the famed Blue Lightning. His mastery of Lightning Release was extraordinary, and his speed was as swift as lightning.

Rumor had it that the only person who could rival his speed was Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage once known as the "Yellow Flash." Now that the Fourth Hokage was dead and Konoha's White Fang had fallen long ago, there were probably very few left who could truly stand against him.

"Wait!"

Just as the Fourth Raikage and his party were about to set off again, a figure with long, silvery-white hair suddenly appeared and blocked their path.

Behind that figure stood dozens of ninja wearing Konoha forehead protectors.

"People from Konoha?"

The Fourth Raikage narrowed his eyes, a dangerous look in them.

"You're the Fourth Raikage A?"

Shinichi took a large step forward and met his piercing gaze head-on. He chuckled. "Sorry, but up ahead is our Land of Fire. Isn't it a bit much to cross our border without permission?"

"I'll give you two choices. First, turn around right now, and I'll pretend none of this happened. As for the second, I'll show you, the Fourth Raikage, what a real gap in strength looks like. I'll beat you so badly even your mother won't recognize you!"

"If you know what's good for you, hurry up and get the hell back to your Land of Lightning!"

Shinichi's tone grew colder as he delivered his warning.