"A few years ago, Kumogakure came to Konoha to sign a peace treaty, but it was a sham. Their leader tried to abduct Hinata of the Hyuga Main Family."
Genya's voice was calm, but Konan could hear the undercurrent beneath it.
"Hyuga Hiashi killed that leader. Then Kumogakure turned around and blamed Konoha, demanding the Hyuga Clan Leader's body as atonement. Otherwise, they would go to war."
Konan frowned.
"In the end,"
Genya continued.
"Hyuga Hiashi's younger brother, Hizashi Hyuga, the head of the Hyuga branch family, took his own life in his brother's place to settle the matter. He was handed over as the killer. And the Third Hokage and all those higher-ups tacitly approved every bit of it."
He lifted his head and looked at Konan.
"Sacrificing one person for so-called peace. Konoha is very good at that little trick."
Konan fell silent for a long time.
"...I've heard about that."
She finally spoke.
"We discussed it in Amegakure at the time. Some said Konoha was weak. Others said Konoha was wise."
"What do you think?"
Genya asked.
Konan looked at him, her gaze complicated.
"I understand."
She said.
"Sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the village. Amegakure went through the same thing. Nagato, Yahiko, I... we've all lost far too much."
"Understanding is one thing."
Genya poured himself another cup of sake.
"But I can't accept it. Hizashi was innocent. He was just a scapegoat. The people who actually made the decisions, those higher-ups sitting above everyone else, sacrificed someone else while coming out completely unscathed themselves. That kind of peace is bought with other people's blood."
He lifted his cup and gently swirled it.
"So there's something I'm working on."
"What?"
"Changing that."
Genya raised his head, his eyes gleaming.
"Starting with the Uchiha, then