Naruto: Two opponents versus Naruto, Konoha panics!

"So that's what happened!"

Everyone in Konoha now understood what had happened that day.

Why would Hizashi Hyuga sacrifice himself for the village?

Feelings are something that's sacrificed for you!

Inuzuka Tsurugi: "Damn it!"

Inuzuka Tsurugi: "I knew it would end up like that!"

Inuzuka Tsurugi: "So it was you, you old monkey, pulling the strings behind the scenes!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's lowest point has been refreshed once again.

The Konoha ninjas have become somewhat numb.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was in immense inner turmoil.

At this moment, he was sitting at the very top of the stands, feeling as if he were being roasted by fire.

Orochimaru's eyes were mocking, and his smile was tinged with sarcasm.

This made it somewhat angry and embarrassed.

There's no escaping it.

Uchiha Izuna: Tobirama, is there anything else you want to say?

Tobirama Senju: I'm talking to you...

beep—

Silenced for ten minutes.

He played a winning hand badly.

Kakashi stared at the large screen with its black border, his thoughts drifting far away.

Hatake Shiroga's smile flashed into my mind.

"Father... was what happened back then really just like that?"

Kakashi was unaware that his father was waiting for him in the spiritual space connecting the Pure Land and the Ninja World.

Whether Sakumo Hatake (Sakumo Hatake) was sensitive or not is another matter, but the moment when Kakashi, like the others, started blaming his father was the last straw that broke Sakumo's back.

[“So that’s how it is; the eagle was delivering a message.”]

"No one has come to monitor me these past few days, not even once."

"It's probably because of the death of that envoy from Kumogakure."

【How do we deal with this old man?】

[The book Shikamaru gave me mentioned that the death of an envoy could very well become a reason for war between the two countries.]

"They're probably headed to Hyuga's place."

Hiruzen Sarutobi left with several ANBU ninja.

No one noticed Naruto playing in the corner.

Because Ino and the others needed to train, and Sakura continued attending school, Naruto had been "wandering" around this area for some time.

Finally, he reaped some rewards.

I didn't go with them; I took a detour home instead.

Following them would make us too easy to be spotted.

Meanwhile, at the Hyuga clan.

The day of the Konoha Festival was also the day Neji was imprisoned in the Caged Bird Seal, Hinata's birthday, and the day Neji was brought to live with the Hyuga clan.

Hyuga Dojo.

"Her footsteps are too unsteady." Hiashi Hyuga frowned as he looked at the swaying girl in front of him.

The death of the Cloud Village envoy gave him a vague sense of foreboding.

[These past few days I've been rigorously training Hinata.]

Despite feeling a pang of reluctance, Hiashi Hyuga donned a cold-blooded mask as he considered the worst possible outcome.

"Yes!" Hinata stopped and resumed her stance, launching an attack against Hiashi Hyuga.

[To one side, Hyuga Hizashi and his son Hyuga Neji were kneeling.]

Neji's forehead was bandaged to conceal the mark of the caged bird.

A slight smile played on his lips as he watched the girl attacking the field.

"Neji, listen up."

"You were born to protect Hinata, and to protect the Hyuga clan's abilities."

Hyuga Hizashi said in a deep voice.

"Yes, Father!" Neji replied without hesitation.

Upon hearing this, Hyuga Hizashi couldn't help but look at his son. Seeing the smile on his son's lips, Hyuga Hizashi's expression changed slightly.

Looking at Hinata's panicked state on the field, in terms of talent, she is in no way inferior to Neji.

Her hands trembled uncontrollably, and she slowly lowered her head.

The blood vessels around the eyes are slightly bulging.

Why would my excellent son carve a caged bird image on his body?!

【"Um?!"】

[The moment the Byakugan was activated, Hiashi Hyuga immediately sensed it.]

[He stopped what he was doing, then rushed forward to protect Hinata, forming a hand seal with one hand.]

【"ah--!!!"】

[Hyuga Hizashi's Caged Bird Curse under his forehead protector exerts its power. 】

Hyuga Hizashi clutched his head and let out a scream.

His killing intent wasn't directed at Hinata; it was simply hatred for the unfair treatment of the Hyuga clan.

"Father!" Neji was stunned, then quickly went forward to check on him.

[But then, on Hyuga Hizashi's forehead, the mark of the caged bird was emitting a faint green glow.]

At that moment, Hyuga Neji seemed to realize something.

"Go back now. I will forgive you, you shameless scoundrel, but only for today. Never forget your destiny."

After saying this, Hiashi Hyuga left, leaving Hinata with a worried expression.

Watching their retreating figures, I looked down at my grieving father.

Tears streamed down Neji's face as he clenched his teeth.

One second he was all smiles, the next he witnessed Hinata's cruelty.

Looking at the images on the large screen with its black border.

Neji closed his eyes.

Hinata is told through a large screen with a black border.

It was more powerful than he described.

The effect is also better.

"A captured bird, if clever enough, will use its beak to open the cage door, because it hasn't given up its hope of soaring freely in the sky."

"Open it and let me see."

Genma Shiranui was stunned.

"How are you any different from that ugly Third Hokage, or those who curse and vilify Naruto?"

Genma Shiranui was rendered speechless by the retort.

Yamanaka Inoichi, who was standing nearby, also stopped what he was doing.

He sighed.

This is someone else's family matter, and as the clan leader, he has no right to say anything.

Naruto rubbed his buttocks and quickly broke free from Yamanaka Inoichi's grasp.

The scene continues.

Night falls.

Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered his ANBU ninja to wait outside.

He entered the Hyuga dojo alone.

[Candles were lit in the dojo. Hiruzen Sarutobi knelt on the head seat, before whom sat the four elders of the Hyuga clan and the two Hyuga brothers, Hiashi and Hikaru.]

The headband of the Cloud Village envoy still lay before them.

"The messenger is dead."

"The letter from Kumogakure requested many things."

"Including...the life of the murderer."

[Hiruzen Sarutobi said in a deep voice.]

After the Nine-Tails' attack, Konoha could no longer withstand a major war. To avoid this war, the only option was to make a secret deal with Kumogakure.

[This incident has even escalated to involve the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning; the daimyo of the Land of Lightning has launched an attack, while the daimyo of the Land of Fire is still awaiting Konoha's response.]

An eerie silence fell over the dojo.

"For Konoha... No, I will never allow this to happen!" Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke again.

"There's no other way. If my life can save the whole village..."

Hiashi Hyuga has spoken.

Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his head slightly.

"Wait, Hiashi, don't make such a hasty decision!"

"The Hyuga clan's bloodline limit is the village's trump card!"

"It is the main family's duty to always protect it."

[Hiashi Hyuga's father interrupted Hiashi Hyuga.]

"But instead of fulfilling our responsibilities, we're dragging the village into the abyss of despair in war." A fine layer of cold sweat appeared on Hyuga Hiyori's forehead.

This scene was too much for Uchiha Izuna to bear.

Uchiha Izuna: Huh?!

Uchiha Izuna: Is the Hyuga the strongest clan in Konoha?

Uchiha Izuna: Although the Hyuga are indeed not weak, don't forget that you have the Senju and Uchiha in front of you.

Fugaku Uchiha: The Second Patriarch, the Senju clan merged with Konoha, so on the surface we are the ones.

Uchiha Izuna: Oh, I see. These Hyuga kids are really stupid. They probably don't even know what it means to be praised to death.

The father and son talked a lot.

Ultimately, the two men's father made the decision directly.

"Disguise Hizashi's corpse as yours and hand it over to Kumogakure."

[Hiruzen Sarutobi personally found them and explained the reason; what they said during that conversation is easy to imagine.]

[Hiashi Hyuga, who killed the envoy from Kumogakure, had anticipated this scene.]

"I agree," Hyuga Hizashi said expressionlessly.

The two are twins, exactly alike. Even if Kumogakure obtains them, they will not be able to uncover the secrets of the Byakugan.

However, the words of the Hyuga brothers' father were somewhat amusing.

[They've already handed it all over, what else can the Hidden Cloud Village say?]

If they really dared to start a war, would they need so many reasons?

The death of the envoy is one thing, but handing over a useless, identical corpse is not a reason to start a war.

Finally, the two brothers put on a show of "brotherly love" in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi, thus preserving the last vestiges of the Hyuga clan's dignity.

However, when Hyuga Hizashi bravely sacrificed himself for his son and brother, the Hyuga clan lost even their last shred of dignity. What face was left of them?

Hiruzen Sarutobi watched this scene in silence.

Shortly after, Hiruzen Sarutobi left.

Those few ANBU ninjas also came in handy.

Hyuga Hizashi's body was taken away.

It was as if Hiruzen Sarutobi already knew the outcome when he arrived.

After witnessing all of this, Neji was deeply disturbed and could not calm down for a long time.

I looked up at the arena stands.

However, they did not find Hiashi Hyuga.

He guessed that Hiashi Hyuga was waiting for him in the lounge.

Perhaps he was bowing deeply in apology, begging for forgiveness?

and then?

Neji looked up at the large screen with its black border.

"Perhaps in that world... the future Hinata will no longer be a caged bird."

Clearly, Neji suddenly realized that at the moment he was defeated by Kurama, he seemed to have brainwashed himself.

However, looking at Naruto not far away, he still couldn't force himself to believe that Naruto could break free from fate.

Neji didn't know that in the future he would become a scapegoat like his father, except that instead of Hiashi Hyuga, it would be Hinata Hyuga, but both would be from the main branch of the family.

Well... in the end, the caged bird still exists.

Tobirama Senju really couldn't stand it anymore.

Tobirama Senju: My older brother and I hereby announce our status as the First and Second Hokage of Konoha!

Tobirama Senju: From this moment on, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado, along with their families!

Tobirama Senju: Remove them all from Konoha!!

Tobirama Senju: Anyone who disobeys or refuses to comply will be classified as a rogue ninja!

Danzo Shimura: "Tobirama-sensei, you'd better shut up. Don't forget, you're just a dead man!"

Danzo Shimura: "Hiruzen is the true Hokage! In Konoha now, Hiruzen calls the shots!"