Hiashi Hyuga looked at the Third Hokage, suppressing his anger. "Lord Hokage, this time it was clearly the Cloud envoy who infiltrated the Hyuga compound to abduct my daughter. Why must our Hyuga clan pay with another life?"
He was the clan head. He should protect his people. To lose a clansman not on the battlefield but in such humiliation was intolerable.
The Third Hokage sighed. "There is no other way. How else can we quell their fury and secure peace for the Leaf? If war resumes, your Hyuga will lose even more. This is also to protect your clan. I know this wrongs you. The village will compensate you in the future."
Hiashi remained dissatisfied, but the Hokage had said as much as he could. Perhaps there was no other choice.
Some elder Hyuga had already understood the Hokage's intent. It sounded reasonable and might even be an opportunity. Sacrifice one Hyuga to gain the village's compensation. In time the Hyuga might rise as Konoha's foremost nobility, perhaps even reach the Hokage's seat.
Hizashi Hyuga stepped forward. "Then let me take my brother's place as the scapegoat."
Perhaps it was time to change his fate. As a Branch member, he was duty-bound to protect the Main House. This time he would protect his brother and the clan. And those despicable Cloud ninja wanted the Byakugan anyway. As Branch, he bore the Caged Bird Seal from childhood. Even if Cloud obtained his corpse, it would be useless.
Hiashi's face changed. He had never wanted an ordinary clansman to die for him, much less his only brother. He rushed to stop him. "I do not agree. If it comes to that, I would sooner take my own life to appease Cloud."
The elders spoke up at once. "Impossible. The clan cannot lose you." "If Hizashi agrees to take the blame, let him go." "Yes. The Branch exists to protect the Main House. Now is the time to serve."
Hizashi felt a grim satisfaction at his brother's refusal. Who said the Branch could not resist the Main? This was his choice.
Hiashi ignored Main and Branch. He only knew that Hizashi was his brother and that he must protect him. "Enough. I am the clan head. I will not agree to this."
From a corner, Ryōsuke had watched the whole farce. It was time to act. He stepped into the hall with a smile. "So this is the Hyuga clan? Cloud ninja tried to abduct your Main House heiress, and you can swallow it? You would even placate Cloud's rage with your own clansman's life? That is shameful."
Every Hyuga present turned to Ryōsuke, eyes burning, especially the elders. The Uchiha were once Konoha's premier clan, now suppressed and declining, while the Hyuga had risen as a noble house. With the Hokage's promised compensation, they might even become first among clans. How dare this Uchiha belittle them?
An elder snapped back, "How are we shameful? We sacrifice for Konoha's peace. Is that not greatness?"
Ryōsuke laughed. "And that is not shame? Cloud is at fault. Yet the victim must soothe the culprit's anger? Who soothes yours? Or do the Hyuga have no temper? If this spreads, some will call you noble, but others will call you weak and easy to bully. The Uchiha would never do this."
Hyuga clansmen bristled. The Uchiha had reason to look down on them, and his words hit home. If this became public, it would stain the Hyuga forever. Even as a top house, they could not wash it away. They could no longer accept the Hokage's plan. With or without compensation, they would remain a great clan. With the Byakugan, they would reach the top sooner or later.
The Third Hokage's face darkened. Matters had been moving as he intended: Hizashi would die in Hiashi's place, and the affair would end neatly for clan and village. The troublesome Uchiha were stirring chaos again.
"Uchiha Ryōsuke, you go too far," he said. "The Hyuga are contributing to Konoha. No one will despise them for it."
Even so, a knot formed in the elders' hearts. Reputation mattered most. If another clan did this under the Hokage's advice, the Hyuga, as bystanders, would not call it noble. If they followed through now, this Uchiha would mock them. Unacceptable if known. Also unacceptable if known.
Hiashi did not look at the Hokage. The Hokage was not wrong, but Hiashi could not accept it. This was his brother. Instead he felt deep disappointment. Not only had the Hokage failed to seek justice for the Hyuga, he asked them to appease Cloud. No one could accept that.
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