Only I can make Konoha Village great again.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was filled with remorse and said, "I misjudged Hiashi Hyuga. I never expected him to be so obsessed with right and wrong and saving face."

"The northern front has been pushed into the Land of Fire by the Cloud Village army, and the eastern front is locked in a stalemate with the Mist Village. We have exhausted our resources fighting on two fronts."

"Fortunately, Orochimaru and Yamanaka Hatsukyu defeated the Cloud Village army, but as long as they don't sign a peace treaty, we will have to continue to wear them down."

"In order to completely end the war with Kumogakure, it is necessary and worthwhile for Konoha to make some concessions."

Danzo Shimura pushed open the door with a cold laugh, and said with a stern face, "Heh heh, concessions? Necessary? Worth it?"

"What's the use of telling us, Hiruzen? Go and persuade Hiashi Hyuga, persuade the Konoha ninja!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi paused for a moment, then asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Danzo Shimura: "Hiashi Hyuga has blown things up. The Hyuga branch family ninjas are spreading rumors about what happened last night, saying that you forced them to die just for the peace you wanted."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was utterly enraged: "Hiashi is a fool! How could he do such a thing?"

He doesn't understand!

Even though he had already restored himself to Hokage and controlled everything in both substance and name, why did Hiashi Hyuga not only dare to defy his will but also dare to openly challenge him?

The furious Third Hokage found Hiashi Hyuga and gathered a large number of ninjas and villagers, asking him his question in front of everyone.

He wants to put Hiashi Hyuga under pressure from public opinion!

Hiashi Hyuga's reply was: "Concession? Hokage-sama, your so-called concession is handing over my life!"

"The Cloud Village ninja who died deserved it, but I did it to protect my daughter and to uphold the Will of Fire. Instead of praising me, you're asking me to die!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't expected that Hiashi Hyuga would respond so forcefully with just one question.

He even felt wronged. Why did Hiashi Hyuga insist that he wanted to kill him?

According to the noble style upheld by the Hyuga clan, it is not enough to simply hand over the "shadow warrior" Hyuga Hizashi and let it go!

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that it was Hiashi Hyuga who had killed him, and he absolutely could not say "hand over Hizashi Hyuga".

This tragedy must have been caused by the outdated and corrupt customs within the Hyuga clan.

But after Hiashi Hyuga was awakened by Hajime Yamanaka, he insisted on taking responsibility for his own actions and refused to sacrifice himself for the sake of Kumogakure. That's when Hiruzen Sarutobi had to take the plunge.

Since everything Hiashi Hyuga did was correct, as long as he doesn't make any mistakes or admit them, Hiruzen Sarutobi can't do anything about him.

Hiashi Hyuga's Byakugan is not for nothing; even without activating X-ray vision, his gaze is extremely sharp.

He clearly sensed Hiruzen Sarutobi's helplessness, which fueled his confidence, and he even dared to retort, "Third Hokage, how did your actions yesterday align with your so-called Will of Fire?"

"If the Hokage demands my death to appease the enemy when I fight for the village, how can the Hyuga clan protect the village?"

"Shut up!" Hiruzen Sarutobi snapped. "The survival of Konoha is more important than your personal reputation, more important than the grievances of the Hyuga clan!"

"Most importantly, you actually dared to publicly announce my decision as Hokage, violating the code of ninjas..."

Hiashi Hyuga sneered, "You're forcing me to die, why should I keep your secret?"

"Decisions that cannot be made public indicate that they are shady dealings, a complete conspiracy!"

"The First Hokage's policies were all transparent and without any concealment!"

"Third Hokage, was it Konoha that was defeated, or Kumogakure?"

"What logic is there in the world for a victor to bow down to the defeated, apologize, or even allow themselves to be blackmailed in order to obtain peace?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi finally realized that he couldn't win an argument with Hiashi Hyuga about safety.

So he decided not to argue with Hiashi Hyuga anymore.

Often, there's no need to reason with the parties involved; as long as you convince the onlookers that you're right, you've achieved final victory.

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced around and said to the Konoha ninja, "I'm not targeting the Hyuga clan."

"But it is a fact that Hyuga Hiashi killed the Cloud Village envoy, and it is also a fact that the Cloud Village used this as leverage to refuse peace."

"If the Hidden Cloud Village and the Hidden Mist Village join forces to attack, Konoha will be fighting on two fronts simultaneously. At that time, it won't just be Hiashi Hyuga who dies, but countless Konoha ninja!"

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over the hearts of all the ninjas.

Some people had complicated expressions, but stubbornly refused to bow their heads; they could not accept such a compromise.

Some people looked indignant, but dared not speak out, or even think about it, because the Hokage's authority was beyond question.

But many more people lowered their heads in fear. They were ordinary villagers terrified by the Nine-Tails' attack, and ninjas driven mad by the seven-year-long Third Shinobi World War.

The Third Hokage, with his prestige and understanding of people's hearts, gained an absolute advantage in this debate.

But this was also the first time his invincibility had been broken as Hokage.

Because this publicly exposed practice of "external tolerance and internal cruelty" ultimately fails to win people's hearts.

Hiashi Hyuga stood rooted to the spot, his eyes devoid of their former resolve, replaced only by deep disappointment.

But he straightened his back even more: "Lord Hokage, I understand."

"What you want is not justice, not fairness, but only peace and tranquility in Konoha."

"Have you ever considered that if you sacrifice my Hyuga clan today, you will surely sacrifice any Konoha ninja tomorrow? Will there still be any ninja left in Konoha willing to risk their lives to protect it?"

Mitomon Homura shouted angrily, "Hyuga Hiashi, how dare you!"

"The Hokage is acting in the best interests of the party. As a Konoha ninja, how can you selfishly oppose the Hokage?"

"Selfish?"

Hiashi Hyuga laughed, a laugh filled with sorrow and determination: "Is protecting Hinata selfish?"

"Is it selfish of me to protect the Hyuga clan?"

"Is it selfish of me to refuse to let my unrelated younger brother die in my place?"

"Fellow Konoha ninjas and villagers, ask yourselves honestly, do you want to bow down to the Kumogakure ninjas?"

"Admit it, you didn't want this!"

"We are all noble people of Konoha, why should we bow down to invaders?"

"The Third Hokage went against the wishes of our vast majority of ninjas and villagers, forcing our Hyuga clan to bow down according to his own ideas, tolerating the Byakugan falling into Kumogakure, and ignoring Konoha's loss of face. Are the Konoha ninjas not selfish for enduring humiliation?"

"The Hokage disregards the will of the people, pursuing only the stability he desires; that too is selfishness!!"

The scene fell into complete silence, with only heavy breathing echoing in the air.

The Hokage's assistants looked solemn but were powerless to refute him, because Hiashi Hyuga was right.

The Konoha ninja and villagers looked ashamed, because Hiashi Hyuga had spoken to their hearts. Who wouldn't be proud to be a part of Konoha?

Hiruzen Sarutobi had his eyes closed, his fingers trembling slightly, as if he were carrying an unparalleled weight.