Hyuga Clan Estate.
The atmosphere inside the main hall was tense and heavy, the air weighed down by the silent pressure of fate. Hyuga Hiashi sat at the head of the long wooden table, his face calm but pale, as if years had passed in a single night. Around him were gathered the main family elders, their expressions solemn.
"Is Hokage-sama waiting for Kumogakure's response?" one elder asked.
Hiashi nodded slowly. "Although Hokage-sama hasn't reached a decision yet," he said, "the Third Hokage and Advisor Koharu have already advised him—to have the Hyuga make a sacrifice."
A low murmur spread among the elders. Hiashi's gaze fell to the polished wood of the table before him. His voice was steady, but beneath that steadiness was a quiet resolve. "If Kumogakure insists that I pay with my life for their envoy, then I will gouge out my eyes myself… and end it here."
The hall went still. Even the faint crackle of the lanterns seemed to fade.
Hiashi closed his eyes briefly. "If such an outcome cannot be avoided," he continued, "then I will make one last request. Within five years, if Hinata proves unable to bear the burden of the main family's leadership, I ask that the elder adopt Neji into the main family. Let him carry the title of clan heir."
At that, one of the elders exhaled softly, shaking his head. "No… actually," he said in a low voice, "there is another way."
As his words fell, a knock came at the door. It slid open—and there stood Hizashi Hyuga.
Hiashi frowned immediately. "Hizashi, why are you here? This matter doesn't concern you. Go back!"
But before Hizashi could speak, the elder raised a hand, silencing Hiashi. "I called him." the elder said. His tone was calm but merciless. "The main family is in danger, and the branch family exists to protect it. Hizashi will take your place. His Caged Bird Seal will erase the Byakugan upon his death, and his body will be sent to Kumogakure."
He paused, then concluded in an emotionless voice, "This… is the other solution."
The words hung in the air like a blade.
Hiashi froze where he sat, his fists trembling beneath the table. Veins bulged faintly at his temples as he turned toward his brother. Hizashi, standing motionless at the entrance, seemed almost hollow—eyes blank, breath shallow, as though his soul had already left him.
He understood it well. The branch family had no right to refuse. To reject would be meaningless.
"No!!" Hiashi's voice shattered the stillness.
But the elder snapped back sharply, "Hiashi!! You are the head of the main family. You bear the fate of the entire clan!"
"Hizashi looks exactly like you!" he continued. "Once the Caged Bird Seal activates, the mark will vanish. When his body is presented to Kumogakure, even Konoha's own shinobi will not be able to tell the difference!"
"The destiny of the branch family is to protect the main family. For Hizashi to die in your place—this is his duty, his honor!"
Then his cold gaze shifted to Hizashi. "Now, Hizashi… give us your answer. Do you understand what must be done?"
Hizashi's face was pale, his hands trembling faintly. The mark on his forehead throbbed under the dim light. He knew he could not refuse.
'If I agree, Neji will grow up without a father… if I refuse, the entire clan will bear the blame.'
'Why? Just because we were born minutes apart… why is my fate to die for him?'
His breath caught in his throat.
Bang!!
The floorboards splintered beneath Hiashi's strike. The echo reverberated through the chamber like thunder.
"No matter what, I will never agree to this plan!" Hiashi roared. "Hizashi cannot die in my place! I don't need my brother to die for me!"
He stepped forward, glaring at the elder. "Since the day that seal was burned into your forehead," he said to Hizashi, voice trembling, "you've called yourself a branch member. But as your older brother, I have no right to let you die for me!"
Hizashi looked up slowly. For the first time, he saw not the calm, strict clan head—but his brother.
Before he could respond, thump, thump, thump…
A knock echoed against the door.
"The Third Hokage and the two Advisors are here." came a voice from outside.
Hiashi turned, his face darkening further.
…
Earlier that night, in the Uchiha Clan Estate.
Uchiha Yun, who had just returned, wasted no time. He went directly to the Military Police Force headquarters. The lights were still on—Shisui hadn't gone home yet.
Bang.
Yun pushed open the door and strode inside. He didn't speak a word, just grabbed Shisui by the arm. "Come with me." he said. "Something big has happened."
Shisui blinked. "At this hour?"
The two leapt up to the rooftops, landing lightly on a water tank overlooking the village.
"Has something happened?" Shisui asked, glancing at the faint lights in the distance. "If we go now, most of the clans will turn us away."
Yun shook his head. "The Uchiha have stood behind the Fourth Hokage for a year now. To the other families, we're no longer a clan—they see us as part of his administration."
He looked out toward the Hyuga compound, his expression hardening. "The leader of Kumogakure's envoy infiltrated the Hyuga estate. He tried to kidnap Hyuga Hinata, the heir to the main family. Hiashi caught him in the act and killed him with an Air Palm."
Shisui's breath caught. His sharp mind pieced together the implications instantly.
"Then this entire incident…" he murmured, "wasn't random."
Yun nodded grimly. "Exactly. The alliance is just a mask. They came to provoke us—to force Konoha into a corner."
Shisui frowned. "So what do you plan to do?"
Yun's tone lowered, but his words carried weight. "Konoha was founded by the Senju and the Uchiha. But over time, the Uchiha isolated themselves. Now, even though we serve under the Hokage, we're still treated as outsiders. That needs to change."
He glanced at Shisui. "Our clan must stand with Konoha's other great families again. If we do, even after Minato's era passes, the Uchiha will no longer be the target of suspicion."
Shisui stared at him, astonished. "You want to mend the Uchiha's ties with the other ninja clans? That's not an easy thing to do."
Yun smiled faintly. "That's why I need you with me. You've earned Minato's trust. With you beside me, they'll open their doors. Otherwise…" He gave a wry chuckle. "I'd probably get thrown out before I even spoke."
Shisui ignored the joke, his expression darkening. "Yun… do you realize what would happen if war actually breaks out?"
At that, Yun stopped. The night wind stirred his cloak.
Shisui landed beside him, his gaze sharp.
"I haven't lived through a great war." Yun admitted, his voice calm. "But I understand one thing—war isn't something that alliances can prevent. If we compromise now, if we bow our heads to their demands…"
He turned his head slightly, and the tomoe in his eyes began to spin, morphing into the intricate shape of the Mangekyo Sharingan.
"…then what happens next time?" he said quietly. "If they send another assassin and demand these eyes instead—do we give them those too?"
Shisui's heart skipped a beat. The question hung in the cold air like a blade.
He said nothing. Because Yun was right. Once a nation bowed once, others would demand more. It would never end.
Yun looked toward the towering Hokage Rock, his voice steady. "I may not have fought in the Third Great Ninja War, but I know why Konoha stands on such fertile land today. It's because those whose names are carved on the Memorial Stone made the enemy bleed for every inch of it."
He raised his gaze to the faces etched into the rock. "When the First Hokage was alive, that must have been the most peaceful era. But peace built without fear is just an illusion. People don't stop fighting because they understand—it's because they're made to understand."
*****
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✓ Killed For 100 Years in Hueco Mundo, Aizen Invited Me To Soul Society!
✓ Naruto: Senmei Asahi
✓ Naruto: Uchiha's Intelligence Dealer
✓ Naruto: The Fifth Hokage Is Naruto's Uncle
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✓ To Love-Ru: Spoiler Route [R-18]
✓ Naruto: The Accidental Incubus [R-18]