Hyuga Clan Head, Hiashi Hyuga.
No, now he should be called Hizashi Hyuga. The current Hizashi Hyuga was playing the role of Hiashi Hyuga, and he felt uneasy about his position. During this time, he had kept himself shut in his room, alone, copying Hiashi Hyuga's habits and manner.
Fortunately, because Hiashi Hyuga had always been strict and stiff, and never warm toward family or clan members, this behavior raised no suspicion. People simply thought he did not want others to see his grief. That was exactly why Hizashi Hyuga was given enough time to fully adjust to his new identity.
At this point, Hizashi Hyuga could imitate him to eight parts out of ten. Even if a flaw appeared, he could always find a suitable excuse. If anyone asked, the answer was simple: the pain and guilt over his younger brother's death had changed his state of mind, and no one would question a brother who had lost a sibling.
Even so, Hizashi Hyuga still felt restless, not for himself, but for Ryuji Hyuga and that lord. The escort team had left Konoha for three days, yet there was no news at all, and the atmosphere in the village and within Hyuga had clearly shifted. He hoped that lord's actions went smoothly, and also hoped that Ryuji Hyuga would return safely.
So when he received the notice to convene the Jonin Council, he immediately set out. When he pushed the door open, he realized he was not among the earliest arrivals. Danzo Shimura, Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado, and the heads of major clans like Uchiha, Nara Clan, Yamanaka Clan, and Akimichi Clan were already present, all eager to learn the outcome of the Kumogakure Delegation incident.
In the past, when Hizashi Hyuga attended the Jonin Council, he always stood respectfully behind Hiashi Hyuga. This was his first time attending such a high level meeting as clan head, and the tension mixed with a faint sense of excitement. That feeling lasted until the meeting room door opened and Hiruzen Sarutobi walked in, prompting everyone, including Hizashi Hyuga, to stand.
When Hizashi Hyuga saw the figure following behind Hiruzen Sarutobi, his mouth fell open and he froze.
"Ryuji? Why is he…"
It was not just Hizashi Hyuga. Many people in the room showed confusion and surprise when they saw Ryuji Hyuga. Danzo Shimura had already heard from Aburame Ryoma about Ryuji Hyuga's performance and strength, and from Koharu Utatane about the words he had spoken in the hospital.
"They want war, then we give them war."
The line felt perfect to him. If only he had said it to Hiruzen instead of muttering threats he never meant.
With that thought, Danzo Shimura narrowed his eyes at Ryuji Hyuga. When he noticed Ryuji Hyuga looking back, a stiff and awkward smile actually appeared on his hard face.
"???"
Homura Mitokado saw this from the side, and fear spread across the old man's face as if he had seen a ghost. Danzo Shimura was smiling. And smiling kindly, at that. What in the world was happening?
Facing Danzo Shimura's friendly expression, Ryuji Hyuga simply returned a polite smile and then swept his gaze across the room. Nearly all of Konoha's core figures were gathered here, and if a spy could slip in and blow themselves up, the entire village would be buried under the collapsing building. After confirming that the ratio of ninja without clan crests to those with crests was close to one to two, Ryuji Hyuga finally relaxed.
Just as expected. With this setup, there would be no problem. This time, he intended not only to push Konoha fully toward war, but also to secure a higher political position for himself.
Thinking about what he was about to do made his body tremble slightly. It was interesting, thrilling, and deeply satisfying. The feeling of playing everyone in the room was hard to resist.
Hiruzen Sarutobi walked past the crowd, drawing all eyes to himself. And also to the young man who stayed close behind him. When Ryuji Hyuga pulled out a chair for Hiruzen Sarutobi and Hiruzen Sarutobi sat down without any surprise, Nara Clan's Shikaku gave a long look and glanced at the stunned "Hiashi Hyuga" nearby.
Seeing the shock on his face, Shikaku immediately understood that the head of the Hyuga Clan clan knew nothing about this. It gave him a headache. This meeting was not going to be easy.
"Sit down. Everyone has worked hard coming here so late," Hiruzen Sarutobi said gently as he placed his hat on the table and nodded to the room. "Aside from those on missions, everyone should be here, correct?"
Homura Mitokado stood to report the attendance. Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded and went straight to the point.
"I trust you all know that, to give Kumogakure an explanation, the Hyuga Clan's Branch Family family head Hizashi Hyuga voluntarily took the place of the Main Family family head and sacrificed himself. His body was delivered to Kumogakure not long ago by the escort team. However…"
He paused, and his voice turned cold. "According to Root intelligence, Kumogakure dispatched the Magnet Release user Troy along with dozens of ANBU to meet the escort team. After receiving Hizashi Hyuga, the Kumogakure Ninja suddenly launched an attack."
"Not only that, after Tangdong Akimichi and the others held out until border reinforcements arrived, nearly a hundred more Kumogakure Ninja who had been lying in ambush appeared. This directly caused the deaths of one Jonin, ten special Jonin, and countless chuunin."
"It was precisely because of their sacrifice that Tangdong Akimichi and the others were able to return. Otherwise, the entire escort team would have died in Kumogakure with the truth never known."
By this point, Hiruzen Sarutobi's anger was clear, half genuine and half calculated. The faces around the table changed as one, disbelief written across them. Had those brutes from Kumogakure completely lost their minds?
Did they discover the body was Hizashi Hyuga and not Hiashi Hyuga? Even so, tearing things apart openly made no sense. It would only turn people against them.
"How could they dare act without proper justification?"
"Without Daimyo of the Land of Lightning or public support, has Fourth Raikage gone mad?"
"Kumogakure has gone too far. This is outrageous."
The once solemn meeting room turned noisy and chaotic. Standing behind Hiruzen Sarutobi, Ryuji Hyuga watched the scene with cold eyes. This was Hiruzen Sarutobi's lie, a lie told because there was no other choice.
People were both complex and simple. When they accepted one side, they instinctively criticized the opposing side, and when they condemned something, they instinctively supported its opposite. Positions brought people together, and no one believed themselves to be evil. In the Ninja World, there were as many kinds of justice as there were stances.
Hiruzen Sarutobi could not say that both Kumogakure Ninja and Konoha Ninja had died at the hands of a "monster", nor would anyone believe it. Only by placing all the blame on Kumogakure could Konoha claim the moral high ground. It had to be said this way, and only this way, so that Kumogakure became evil and Konoha became righteous.
"Cough."
With a light cough from Hiruzen Sarutobi, the room gradually quieted, and different gazes turned toward him.
"I intend to gather forces and declare war on Kumogakure," he said, scanning the room. "What do you all think?"
The moment the words fell, the meeting room sank into a strange silence. The warm light reflected off the chandelier and polished marble floor, and the earlier noise seemed as if it had never existed. Only breathing and heartbeats could be heard.
The clan heads understood perfectly what the Hokage was doing. He was asking for people. No one wanted to be the first to speak, and silence became their answer.
Then a voice broke the stillness.
"Third Hokage, please allow me to join the force," Ryuji Hyuga said as he stepped forward. "When our heads hang over a tiger's mouth, reason alone will not save us."
Several faces darkened immediately, including Hizashi Hyuga, who stood behind Hizashi Hyuga.
"Ryuji Hyuga!" he said coldly, his gaze sharp. "Know your place. This is the Jonin Council. You have no right to speak here."
Before Ryuji Hyuga could respond, Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed again and cut him off.
"I forgot to mention this," he said with a narrowed smile. "Ryuji Hyuga has already been promoted to Jonin. The official notice will go out tomorrow, but he is qualified to attend and speak here now."
The room fell silent once more. Flickering gazes turned toward Ryuji Hyuga, as if seeing this so called Hyuga Clan "good for nothing" for the first time.