Things That Could Not Be Changed

After seeing the Second Elder’s actions, Hyuga Kiyomi immediately felt an inexplicable surge of anger.

They were members of the same clan, so why did he have to suppress the Branch Family? Hizashi Hyuga had clearly done nothing wrong, nor had the Hyūga Clan. Yet because of Kumo-nin’s damned demands, an innocent person was being sent to die.

For an instant, Hyuga Kiyomi seemed to recall the past, when she had overheard grandfather worrying about Hyuga Mirai’s talent late at night and considering suppressing him. But grandfather had only wanted what was best for her. Even if Hyuga Kiyomi believed he had been wrong, she had no standing to condemn him.

Still, Hyuga Kiyomi often found herself thinking back on it. If she had been more resolute then, if she had stepped forward the moment she heard grandfather’s late-night conversation and convinced him to fully support Hyuga Mirai, would things have developed as she had hoped?

Seeing that Hyuga Kiyomi was speaking, the Main Family’s Second Elder said with an unpleasant expression, "This is the best solution, and it is also the Branch Family’s duty."

"Don’t say such ridiculous things. The Branch Family’s duty has never meant standing idly by when enemies invade and allowing them to abduct the clan’s young."

Hyuga Kiyomi had gradually taken charge of her own branch, so whether in status or strength, she had no reason to fear the Second Elder.

Besides, her branch had never had a good relationship with the Second Elder. Ever since Hyuga Hirin’s death, although the Patriarch had mediated and prevented open conflict between the two sides, their relationship had long since become irreparable.

"Is that ridiculous? To protect the Hyūga Clan’s pure bloodline, the Branch Family must bear their responsibility. And didn’t you hear? Konoha can no longer sustain a war."

"Enough, Hyuga Sōun. I don’t want to hear any more of your ridiculous words."

After Hyuga Kiyomi said that, the meridians beside her Byakugan abruptly bulged. Her pure white pupils stared at the Second Elder, Hyuga Sōun, with overwhelming pressure. Under that gaze, Hyuga Sōun actually felt the urge to look away and unconsciously took half a step back.

It was not merely the Byakugan’s visual power. Hyuga Kiyomi had been managing affairs for some time now, and under her leadership, every Branch Family member under the Fourth Elder had come to respect her. Over time, the authority she carried had grown considerably.

"If protecting clansmen is also a crime, should we hand over me, a Main Family Elder, as well? After all, I personally killed one Kumo-nin last night, Second Elder."

"You—"

Already humiliated by being suppressed by a teenage girl, Hyuga Sōun found himself unable to refute her following words. He choked with anger, pointing at Hyuga Kiyomi without knowing what to say.

At that moment, Danzo stepped forward and sternly questioned Hyuga Kiyomi. "Hyuga Kiyomi, if you cannot even tell which is more important, then you had best not speak in a situation like this. Hmph, this is what happens when a youngster becomes Patriarch."

Hyuga Kiyomi gave Danzo a cold glance before answering calmly, "If Elder Danzo is willing to sacrifice himself for peace, then I am willing to negotiate with Kumo-nin. We can offer Elder Danzo’s life and more than half of the Fourth Elder branch’s assets in exchange for Kumo-nin signing a Peace Accord."

"How dare you!" Danzo shouted, his one exposed eye glaring coldly at Hyuga Kiyomi.

He was the Second Hokage’s disciple, one of Konoha’s higher-ups, and a figure known as the Shadow of the Ninja World. Yet today, he was being verbally cornered by a junior. Even if she was a Main Family elder, she was being far too insolent.

But Hyuga Kiyomi did not fear Danzo in the slightest. Root had a fearsome reputation, but it could do nothing against the Hyūga Clan.

Hokage missions could not be assigned to her unless Hyuga Kiyomi voluntarily applied to carry them out.

As for Branch Family ninja, they normally received stipends from the clan and generally did not accept missions. Even if one or two registered Branch Family ninja did take missions, their departure would not cause the Hyūga Clan much loss.

Moreover, when war came, even Sarutobi Hiruzen had to discuss matters with the Hyuga Clan Head and several Elders if he wanted the Hyūga Clan to provide personnel.

Danzo’s Root might sound formidable, but it was utterly powerless against the Hyūga Clan. If he dared use righteousness as an excuse to recruit the Hyuga Branch Family into Root, then Root’s secrets would be laid out on the Main Family’s table the very next day.

"Stop arguing."

This was the second time Sarutobi Hiruzen had spoken to mediate. He glanced at Danzo with some dissatisfaction. The Hyūga Clan had clearly been fighting among themselves, so what was Danzo doing butting in?

Butting in was one thing, yet he had been rebuked by a young girl. He really knew how to create trouble for him.

Then Sarutobi Hiruzen revealed a helpless, self-reproachful expression and slowly said, "Allowing people from the same village to sacrifice themselves is not something a Hokage should do. I will do my best to find a solution and achieve peace without sacrificing anyone."

Disgusting!

In that instant, Hyuga Kiyomi seemed to mature greatly. Through her Byakugan, she saw the filth of politicians. Everything grandfather had taught her in the past had been laid bare before her today.

Because this concerned the Hyūga Clan, no one else in the Hokage’s Office spoke, not even Nara Shikaku, the head of the Jonin Corps.

Likewise, Hyuga Kiyomi’s rebuttal had not been wrong. Her reasoning was sound. As for sacrificing someone for peace, only if Hizashi Hyuga stepped forward himself and declared that he was willing could they nod and praise him.

If Hizashi Hyuga was unwilling, then if the Third Hokage or anyone else dared say a single word, the charge of forcing a companion to die would fall upon their heads.

This was also why Sarutobi Hiruzen was extremely dissatisfied with Danzo. It had been enough to stand by and watch. Couldn’t he see that Homura and Koharu had not said a word? Yet Danzo had been the only one jumping around.

Hyuga Kiyomi sighed faintly. "How regrettable. We have put in so much effort for peace, only to end up like this."

Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen and the other Konoha higher-ups like this, she seemed to understand a little why Hyuga Mirai had defected, as well as the things Orochimaru had said that day. This village, this Hokage, this supposedly lofty Will of Fire.

"Hokage-sama."

"Kiyomi-sama."

Hizashi Hyuga suddenly spoke. He had been there from the beginning. He had been present when the Second Elder had proposed that he die in another’s place, and he had heard every word when Hyuga Kiyomi spoke up for him.

He and Hyuga Kiyomi rarely interacted; it could almost be said that they had never interacted at all. Hyuga Kiyomi had not stepped forward today specifically for him, but for what was "right" and "wrong." Yet that alone made Hizashi Hyuga deeply grateful to her.

Therefore, Hizashi Hyuga could not continue watching Hyuga Kiyomi speak. He stepped forward and decided to bring this matter to an end.

"For the village’s peace, it is only right that I sacrifice myself. I am also willing to give my life. Thank you, Kiyomi-sama, for speaking on my behalf."

Those two words, "Kiyomi-sama," were completely sincere. Not because of her Main Family status, but because Hyuga Kiyomi was likewise speaking for what was "right."

Hizashi Hyuga’s words brought an end to this sudden incident.

Kumo-nin wanted an explanation, and at the very least, it had to be the "Hyuga Clan Head." By voluntarily going to his death, Hizashi Hyuga would allow Konoha to take his corpse and negotiate with Kumo-nin. Konoha would have paid a sufficient price, and Kumo-nin could sign the Peace Accord.

Thus, the matter was resolved perfectly. Only one "innocent" person had to die.

However, Hizashi Hyuga had already steeled himself when the Second Elder came looking for him. As a member of the Branch Family, how could he be innocent? From the moment he was born, his fate had already been decided.

"Hizashi…" Hyuga Hiashi could not bear it, but the moment he spoke, Hizashi Hyuga interrupted him.

"Hiashi-sama, this is my own decision. Please do not stop me." Hizashi Hyuga spoke decisively. "Before I die, I have one request. I hope Hiashi-sama can grant it."

Hyuga Hiashi did not dare meet Hizashi Hyuga’s eyes. Turning his head slightly, he asked, "What request?"

"I hope my son can become Kiyomi-sama’s disciple. Please."

Hyuga Kiyomi calmly said, "I agree. Clan Head, what is your opinion?" Once Hizashi Hyuga had spoken, she had lost her standing to continue arguing.

"Of course there is no problem with that, Hizashi." Hyuga Hiashi lowered his head slightly and agreed. Hyuga Neji was his nephew, and the Caged Bird Seal was in his hands, yet Hizashi Hyuga entrusted Neji to someone else before his death. Hyuga Hiashi had lost a great deal of face today.

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama. Thank you, Kiyomi-sama."

Hizashi Hyuga smiled, then used Chakra to shatter his own heart meridians. This might have been difficult for others, but the Hyūga Clan could control Chakra to burst from acupoints throughout their bodies. Naturally, they could also control their Chakra to attack their own hearts.

Hizashi Hyuga slowly collapsed. After his death, the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead gradually disappeared. At the moment the Curse Mark completely vanished, Hizashi Hyuga’s Byakugan was also completely destroyed.

After handing over this corpse, although Kumo-nin would obtain the body, they would not be able to gain the Byakugan.

The matter had been resolved to everyone’s satisfaction, but the atmosphere in the room was exceptionally heavy. Uzumaki Kushina looked at Hizashi Hyuga’s corpse and remained silent for a long time.

Uzumaki Kushina had witnessed everything that had just happened. She knew the cause, the process, and the result. But precisely because she knew, Kushina found Konoha incredibly unfamiliar.

Was this the Konoha that Minato had fought to the death to protect?

When had it become like this? Although Uzumaki Kushina was in the Hokage Tower, the most heavily guarded place, she could not feel even the slightest sense of safety.

"Hokage-sama."

Hyuga Kiyomi suddenly spoke, but her tone had become calm, without any of the earlier fury or drive.

Before Sarutobi Hiruzen could speak, Hyuga Kiyomi continued to ask.

"I left the Ninja Academy rather early, so there are some things from the textbooks that I have never been able to understand. Could Hokage-sama enlighten me? What exactly is the Will of Fire?"

The moment she said this, Sarutobi Hiruzen’s expression turned incomparably ugly.

No matter how he explained it, before Hizashi Hyuga’s corpse, it would all seem utterly ridiculous.

Second update! (Please vote.)

I originally planned to update more over the weekend, but there may be a recommendation next week, so I will save them up for now and release them together once it comes.

Also, a word about the progress.

I do not plan to pad this book, so when the Uchiha Clan Downfall arrives, it will be entering the final stretch, because the protagonist will already be strong enough.

Madara Uchiha does not even count as a boss anymore. Obito has a weakness, Nagato and Konan are naïve sweethearts, and the progress of transforming the Ninja World may be described in more detail. After the Six Paths, the protagonist should probably take the initiative to find Otsutsuki as test subjects.

PS: Sometimes I truly do not intend to pad things out, so when readers say I am padding, I feel especially wronged.