History hides within the past.
And the secrets of the past hide within history.
Though history can be dressed up like a doll for anyone's convenience, the real truth can never truly be erased.
It survives in scattered traces.
And Nao clearly intended to tear away that mysterious veil covering the Hyuga clan's past.
"So?"
"What do you want to do?"
Kyūsei asked, looking at the girl who was dangerously close to touching a forbidden secret of the Hyuga clan.
"Aren't you curious?"
Nao blinked at him.
"Why did that Hyuga clan member dig out the eyes of his own people?"
"Why did the clan leader at the time create the Caged Bird Seal?"
"And why did almost none of the branch family oppose a curse that could control their life and death?"
"What exactly is hidden behind all of this?"
"And why did the history left to later generations try so desperately to conceal it?"
Her eyes shone with curiosity and thirst for knowledge.
"But have you considered…"
"Why the Hyuga clan leader at that time tried so hard to hide the truth?"
Kyūsei frowned slightly.
"This must involve something related to the survival of your entire clan."
Nao's Byakugan purity was extremely high.
If events continued normally, her future daughter—Hinata Hyuga—would possess Byakugan pure enough to be used as the core for the Tenseigan.
And as Hinata's biological mother, Nao's Byakugan purity could only be higher.
"I'll just take a look."
"Secretly."
"I won't tell anyone."
Nao waved it off casually.
As the next confirmed heir of the Hyuga clan, she believed she had every right to know.
She had already asked her father, Hyuga Sōju.
But he had claimed he didn't know either.
Instead, he told her she should start helping manage clan affairs instead of spending all day bouncing between the training hall and the library.
But in Nao's view, clan affairs were boring.
As a member of the main branch, she had been almost completely confined to Konoha ever since her Byakugan had nearly been stolen last time.
Looking at Nao's stubborn expression, Kyūsei didn't say anything further.
If she truly wanted the Tenseigan…
Then he would just find a way to steal the one on the moon.
Still, judging from her progress, Nao might actually uncover the truth herself.
When Kyūsei returned home later, he immediately sensed something wrong.
Everyone looked unusually serious.
Even Kushina—who had previously insisted they talk tonight—looked uneasy.
"What happened?"
Kyūsei asked.
Kushina glanced at him and pulled him aside.
"Sakura and the Third Hokage… had a complete falling out."
"They argued?"
Kyūsei was surprised.
Even if negotiations failed, they were still both from Konoha.
"Falling apart" seemed too extreme.
"Where is Sakura now?"
"She almost fought the Third Hokage in the Hokage office."
"In anger, she left Konoha."
Kushina's brow furrowed deeply.
Even though she hoped Menma would stay here, she still cared about the other Konoha.
She didn't want things to become this hostile.
"And Sasuke and Karin?"
Kyūsei glanced at the silent pair nearby.
"We've been placed under house arrest by the Third Hokage."
"We're not allowed to leave Konoha."
Kushina sighed anxiously.
Kyūsei's expression grew serious.
Sarutobi Hiruzen might be bold, but he wasn't reckless.
If he issued a house arrest order for three people…
Then he was truly angry.
Still, he was restraining himself.
Otherwise he could have simply imprisoned them outright.
"I'll go ask the old man myself."
"You guys stay here."
Before leaving, Kyūsei glanced at Sasuke.
Despite being a flirt, Sasuke possessed formidable strength.
A classic case of hidden talent beneath a frivolous exterior.
After all, he was the story's second protagonist—Menma's counterpart.
There was no way he was weak.
The fact that Sasuke hadn't tried to force his way out of Konoha showed he was waiting for a better opportunity.
He was a smart man.
Kyūsei quickly headed for the Hokage building.
As soon as the dangerous Nine-Tails jinchūriki left, Sasuke looked toward Kushina.
"Kushina-senpai."
"What exactly are you thinking?"
"If it were you, things wouldn't have escalated like this."
Kushina fell silent.
She hadn't attended the first negotiation.
She said nothing during the second.
And during the third, she simply didn't show up.
The meaning behind that was obvious.
Sasuke sighed.
Menma was her son.
He understood.
Menma had a chance to live if he stayed here.
If he returned to the other Konoha…
He would die.
Expecting a mother to abandon her child was nearly impossible.
Sasuke leaned back on the sofa and stared at the ceiling.
"Troublesome…"
"Even worse than chasing girls."
"This is why I hate thinking."
Hokage Building
Hokage Office
Kyūsei looked at the grim-faced Hiruzen and Tsunade.
"What happened?"
"What did you talk about with Sakura?"
Hiruzen replied calmly.
"That girl had no intention of negotiating."
"She said if we refused to return Uzumaki Menma…"
"She would cooperate with Akatsuki."
"And attack Konoha directly."
"To take Menma by force."
Kyūsei felt his scalp go numb.
That wasn't negotiation.
That was a blatant threat.
Only Hiruzen's composure prevented things from turning violent.
Even Sasuke and Karin had only received house arrest orders.
"Something feels strange."
Tsunade suddenly said.
"Her attitude changed completely."
"If she hadn't been injured, she might've attacked immediately."
"Injured?"
Kyūsei asked.
"Yes."
"Severely injured."
"Akatsuki ambushed her."
"She barely escaped."
As the greatest medical ninja in the world, Tsunade's words carried weight.
"Who attacked her?"
Kyūsei asked quickly.
"According to her…"
"That Uchiha woman we saw before."
"And a scarred man."
Tsunade explained.
Kyūsei's mind instantly connected the dots.
Uchiha Hikari.
And the mysterious scarred man who once appeared with Naruko.
Hikari.
And the scarred man wearing Senju Nawaki's face.
Kyūsei's expression darkened.
There was no doubt.
Sakura had been struck by Yachihoko.
And the man responsible for the Nine-Tails incident had appeared again.
Fortunately—
Obito was only six years old in this timeline.
So the man shouldn't have Kamui yet.
At least that was something.
"Where is Sakura now?"
"She disappeared after leaving Konoha."
Hiruzen replied.
Kyūsei sighed.
"Old man…"
"I think we should prepare for war with the other Konoha."
If Hikari controlled Sakura, she now knew the secret of the Dragon Vein.
And the Dragon Vein was located within Akatsuki territory.
Using it would be easy.
The fastest solution now would be for Kyūsei to go to the Land of Wind and seal the Dragon Vein himself.
That would eliminate the uncertainty.
Just then—
A black hawk burst through the window and landed on the sill.
Kyūsei noticed the red ring on its leg.
An urgent intelligence marker.
Hiruzen quickly retrieved the message.
After reading it—
He froze.
"What happened?"
Tsunade asked anxiously.
It was rare to see Hiruzen lose composure.
Hiruzen looked toward Kyūsei.
His expression complicated.
"Kyūsei…"
"Sakumo…"
"…has fallen."
The words exploded in Kyūsei's mind.
"What kind of joke is this?"
"That's not funny at all."
Hiruzen quietly explained the mission.
And Kyūsei felt his thoughts blur.
Karma?
He destroyed the Grass Village for Mika.
And now his teacher died while investigating Hōzuki Castle, territory belonging to the former Grass Village.
The Box of Bliss.
The monster Satori.
But you're the White Fang of Konoha.
The man with a 100% mission success rate.
How could your mission fail?
Kyūsei didn't remember how he left the Hokage building.
Everything felt wrong today.
He wandered through Konoha's streets.
The autumn wind was cold.
A yellow leaf drifted to his feet.
The red-haired boy stared at it silently.
The image of a white-haired man filled his mind.
Hatake Sakumo.
His teacher.
The true guide of his ninja path.
In the original story, Sakumo had died.
But hadn't the future already changed?
Shouldn't Sakumo be at home raising Kakashi?
Then why…
Why did he still die?
Memories of Sakumo's voice and smile flooded Kyūsei's mind.
And for the first time in a long time—
He felt utterly powerless.
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