"Well..."
The people present fell into silence. One of the main house elders couldn't help but sigh, "If Hiashi had captured that Kumogakure ninja alive, the situation might be a bit better."
"No, it wouldn't." Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head, shattering his naive fantasy. "According to previously gathered intelligence, the Fourth Raikage has a new secretary named Mabui. She's not only one of the few female jonin but also a calm individual, full of wisdom and ability."
"I imagine this plan originated from her. The Kumogakure delegation had already made up their minds before coming: either successfully take Hinata Hyuga or die at the hands of the main house. This is a blatant, inescapable scheme."
This time, Konoha had truly fallen for it.
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't anticipated that the typically rough and reckless Kumogakure Village would now also resort to underhanded tactics.
With the words Yurui shouted before fleeing, witnessed by so many villagers, and Yurui ultimately dying at Hiashi's hands, the situation had become a classic case of "mud falling into the crotch", impossible to prove innocence, impossible to clean up.
Except for those present who knew all the details, no one would believe this wasn't Konoha's doing. Even the Konoha villagers themselves wouldn't believe it. Konoha was firmly stuck with this blame.
Now, Konoha had only two choices.
Either protect Hyuga Hiashi at all costs and go to war with Kumogakure, or sacrifice Hyuga Hiashi and compromise with Kumogakure.
"..."
Hiashi and the six main house elders also understood this. Except for Hyuga Hyugo, the other six couldn't help but let their expressions darken slightly.
Since the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was presenting the "choice" to them, it meant the Hyuga clan actually had no choice left.
War means death, many, many deaths.
The Land of Lightning had explicitly named Hyuga Hiashi as the murderer. On what grounds could they ask the village to risk war to protect him?
It was easy to imagine that if war broke out again, the currently weakened Konoha would certainly become the focal point for other ninja villages. Anyone could die in the war.
Human nature is selfish. No one is willing to die for the Hyuga clan.
"In that case..."
After a long silence, Hiashi finally spoke. His voice, trying hard to be calm, was still somewhat hoarse. "If my single life can save the village..."
"Wait."
Before Hiashi could finish, Hyugo suddenly interrupted, shaking his head. "Hiashi, don't be so impulsive."
"The Hyuga's Byakugan doesn't belong only to the Hyuga clan. It's also very important to the village. It absolutely must not fall into the hands of the Land of Lightning or Kumogakure."
As he said this, Hyuga Hyugo's gaze briefly flickered towards Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was seated in the primary position.
Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent. Although he harbored some dissatisfaction with the Hyuga clan and wanted to shift responsibility onto them, he had to admit this statement wasn't wrong.
The Hyuga clan's Byakugan had played a tremendously strategic role in the first two ninja wars. If Kumogakure, skilled in researching jutsu, obtained it and deciphered some secret, it would undoubtedly be a disastrous loss for Konoha.
Of course, even if Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed with this sentiment, he couldn't possibly voice his opinion.
Currently, the blame for potentially inviting war rested on the Hyuga clan. If he actively spoke up and shouldered that blame, he would then have to choose between abandoning a "comrade" or starting a war. The deaths resulting from that choice would be laid at his feet.
This was fundamentally a "trolley problem." No matter which choice, lives would be on his conscience.
Even he didn't know how to choose. He was somewhat curious about what this old fossil, Hyuga Hyugo, was planning by bringing this up now.
"But for that reason, we also cannot let Konoha be dragged into another hopeless war," Hiashi frowned.
It wasn't necessarily that he cared so much about Konoha itself; he cared more about the Hyuga clan's future within Konoha.
Sacrifice one person, avoid war, save ten thousand.
This wasn't just a choice imposed by Konoha's higher-ups; it was the pressure of the entire village's public sentiment, a choice the Hyuga clan couldn't refuse.
If Hiashi chose to evade, he would undoubtedly become a target of public criticism in Konoha, and the Hyuga clan's position within the village would become precarious.
Because for every person who died in a potential war, the blame would fall on them.
So, while it appeared there were two choices, in reality, from beginning to end, there was only one.
"Of course, I know that."
Hyuga Hyugo's face was obscure and hard to read in the candlelight, his tone cold. "That's precisely why the branch family exists, isn't it?"
"..."
Hiashi slowly raised his head to look at the main house elder before him, his expression dazed as he asked, "What?"
Hyuga Hyugo paid no attention to his gaze. He turned his head towards the closed door and spoke, "Come in."
Click.
The cold wind, carrying rain, blew in as the door opened, as if someone had unveiled a reality no one wanted to acknowledge. The candle flames in front of them flickered and dimmed, the wavering light casting disarrayed shadows on the walls.
"Hizashi?"
Hiashi stared blankly at the person entering the room, then looked at the unfamiliar face following closely behind.
The former was, naturally, Hyuga Hizashi, whose expression was complex. But the latter was a young man with reddened eyes.
"Hyuga Arata?"
Seeing the person who had followed Hyuga Hizashi into the room, the calm expression on Hyuga Hyugo's face finally changed. He frowned and barked, "Get out! Who let you in..."
"I let him follow."
Before Hyuga Hyugo could finish, Hizashi spoke up to interrupt him, causing Hyugo's aged face to darken.
Hizashi had never dared interrupt him before. He must be thinking he's about to die anyway, so he's lost all respect for me.
Everyone present focused their attention on Hizashi and the youth behind him. Meeting these heavy, scrutinizing gazes, Hyuga Arata raised his head without any hesitation or burden.
His eyes were red-rimmed, clearly having cried. His pure white pupils were shot with blood vessels as his gaze swept over those present.
"I've come to see Lord Hizashi off on his final journey."
Catching Hiruzen Sarutobi's surprised look, he offered an apologetic glance, then looked towards the other main house members and spoke coldly, "I don't suppose the 'venerable and highly esteemed' clan head and elders would deny a dying man his last shred of dignity, would they?"
He emphasized the words "venerable and highly esteemed" heavily, his tone laced with sharp, biting sarcasm, practically calling them shameless old relics to their faces.
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't feel particularly offended, having received that apologetic glance. He knew Arata wasn't directing his words at him. Instead, he was surprised by Arata's audacity.
'Is this child speaking out for Hizashi?'
'Is his resentment so great that he no longer cares about the disparity in their status?'
Indeed, the six main house elders' faces darkened, and Hyuga Hyugo's eyes gleamed with a cold light.
Hizashi was one thing; stepping out of line was excusable since he was as good as dead anyway.
But who did Hyuga Arata think he was, to be so disrespectful before him?