Naruto: I, who fooled the ninja world, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 25: Hand over the body of the murderer, 'Hyuga Hiashi'.
Click…click…

Outside the mansion of the Hyuga clan head, a dark figure silently landed on the roof.

Hearing the tossing and turning sounds inside the room, the dark figure raised his hand, formed a hand seal, and used illusion magic, causing illusory white feathers to fall into the room.

The slightly heavy breathing gradually became calm, and the dark figure silently entered the room like a raccoon dog, seeing a girl lying peacefully asleep in the quilt.

Without wasting any time, he tucked it under his arm and leaped out of the courtyard.

But before he could run very far, a figure walked out of the courtyard from the gate ahead.

"..."

Hiashi Hyuga stared at the thief who had concealed his face, and then noticed Hinata Hyuga in the other man's arms. His originally cold and hard face darkened at this moment, and his anger, which had been crossed, instantly surged up.

court death!

Without hesitation, Hiashi Hyuga activated his Byakugan, veins bulging on either side of his eye sockets, and raised his hand to charge at the dark figure.

The person in front of him dodged the first palm strike, but in Hiashi's eyes, the movement was simply clumsy.

boom!
The second palm strike, imbued with chakra and unleashed with all its might, unsurprisingly struck the abdomen of the person in front of him, shattering their meridians without any resistance.

He coughed up a mouthful of blood and knelt forward. Hyuga Hiashi caught Hinata and let the thief fall to the ground.

"So weak."

With his anger subsiding, Hyuga Hiashi frowned subconsciously as he calmed down, suddenly realizing that this thief was unexpectedly weak, as if he had come to his death.

With such strength, how dare they infiltrate the Hyuga clan and kidnap the main branch's eldest daughter? Is this some overconfident bounty hunter who got greedy for money?

But the moment he began to have doubts, he suddenly felt a coolness and stinging on his forehead, and warm liquid flowed down his brow bone.

Hiashi Hyuga subconsciously raised his hand to touch his forehead, and surprisingly felt a "line" running across it. He also smelled a familiar yet unfamiliar sweet scent, and felt a warm, sticky sensation on his fingers...

"This is...blood?"

Hiashi Hyuga stared in astonishment at the corpse on the ground. Despite having almost no combat experience in Konoha, he finally noticed the kunai in the corpse's hand.

How can it be?

When exactly was he injured?
This overconfident fool couldn't even withstand two of his blows.

Thinking of this, a deep unease welled up in his heart, and Hiashi Hyuga's brows gradually furrowed.

He casually tore off a piece of cloth to simply bandage the wound on the forehead before bending down to remove the corpse's mask.

The corpse had its eyes wide open in death, but its expression was unusually calm, so calm that it gave the corpse an eerie feeling. Its eyes seemed to be staring at Hyuga Hiashi.

"..."

Upon noticing the Cloud Village headband worn on the corpse's forehead, Hiashi Hyuga was momentarily stunned.

Then, as if realizing something, he broke out in a cold sweat.

It felt like I had been doused with ice water, the chill running from my scalp to my toes, and the coldness creeping up my spine into my brain.

Damn it! How could they be Cloud Village ninjas?!

--------

Snap... Snap...

Autumn weather is changeable.

Yesterday, Konoha was bathed in clear skies, but today it's shrouded in dark, overcast clouds, and a cold, drizzling rain is falling. Yesterday, Konoha was filled with joy, for they had finally welcomed peace.

In a sense, it even led to the "submission" of the Hidden Cloud Village, which can be said to be unprecedented.

However, today Konoha was shrouded in gloom, just like the sudden change in weather; the once bright sunlight could not penetrate the thick clouds.

The entire village of Konoha was in turmoil, with various rumors circulating among the villagers, and everyone feeling insecure and even panicked.

Because in just one day, the news that the delegation sent by the Hidden Cloud Village had died in Konoha spread.

Two of the Cloud Village ninjas were killed in the explosion in the guest room. The only Cloud Village ninja who survived escaped after shouting that Konoha had betrayed the alliance, but was eventually killed by the head of the Hyuga clan.

Anyone can see what's really going on right now.

Anyone who hears this "rumor" will automatically think of four words.

"Kill him to silence him."

Inside the Hyuga clan's reception room, an aged voice, trembling uncontrollably, softly uttered these four words.

In the dimly lit reception room, only two standing candles burned quietly, their flickering light casting shadows on Hinoshita's lowered face, where blood could still be seen seeping from the white bandage wrapped around his forehead.

His shadow wasn't the only one reflected in the room; the silhouettes of eight figures swayed in a row on the walls on both sides, with seven members of the main family, including Hiashi, kneeling face to face.

As for the last person...

"call."

Hiruzen Sarutobi, kneeling in the center, took a drag of his cigarette. The smoke he exhaled gradually sank down, casting a faint, ethereal shadow on the ground in the candlelight.

"We have already received inquiries from the Land of Lightning." He said calmly, "The Land of Lightning believes that Konoha has no sincerity in forming an alliance at all. Not only did they unilaterally tear up the agreement, but they even attacked the envoy from Kumogakure. This is extremely despicable and intolerable."

"Now, they have issued an ultimatum, demanding an explanation from Konoha, or they will formally declare war on the Land of Fire."

Upon hearing this, Hiashi Hyuga's eyes darkened slightly, and he asked, "Third Hokage, what explanation do they want?"

"Hand over the body of the murderer, 'Hyuga Hiashi'."

Hiruzen Sarutobi relayed the information word by word without missing a single detail, adding, "Kumogakure has already gathered ninjas on the border of the Land of Hot Springs, and it seems they are ready to launch an attack on the Land of Fire at any time."

Upon hearing the Land of Lightning name "Hyuga Hiashi" as the murderer, the aged faces of the six Hyuga clan elders, illuminated by the flickering candlelight, appeared eerily sinister and somewhat frightening.

This matter is no longer just between Kumogakure and Konohagakure; it is a diplomatic incident between the two great powers, the Land of Lightning and the Land of Fire. However, the whole incident has a strange feel to it from beginning to end.

Where did those explosive tags in the guest rooms where the Cloud Village delegation stayed come from?
Why did the surviving Cloud Village ninjas go to the Hyuga clan and even try to kidnap Hinata Hyuga, the eldest daughter of the main branch?

Why did the opponent, a Jonin, die so inexplicably at the hands of the Hyuga clan head, Hiashi, without any resistance?

Why is the Land of Lightning so targeted, specifically demanding the body of Hyuga Hiashi by name?

"This is a conspiracy by the Hidden Cloud Village; their goal is the Byakugan."

Higo Hyuga, an elder of the main branch and second only to Hiashi Hyuga in status within the clan, spoke up.

His voice was hoarse and deep, but his aged face was calm.

"I also believe it's a conspiracy, but it doesn't matter anymore."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, then slowly shook his head, saying bluntly, "If no one has the desire to know the truth, then even if the truth is sown on the streets, it will not sprout."

(End of this chapter)