Seeing Tsunade walk out of the hospital with a furious expression, heading toward the Hokage Building, many people followed her.
However, even more people were blocking the entrance of the hospital, desperate to know the result of Minato's treatment.
When they saw a nurse come out, someone impatiently asked,
"How is Minato?"
The nurse had originally been ordered to persuade the crowd to leave, but upon seeing everyone's eager eyes, she sighed and said,
"Thanks to the joint efforts of the Hokage, Shin-sama, and four others, Minato has made a complete recovery. There's no need to worry."
"Can we go in and visit him?"
At that moment, a medical-nin also came over. Seeing the crowd's expressions, he simply said, "There's not enough room inside for so many people. Please enter in an orderly line."
As the villagers entered and saw that Minato was indeed unharmed, many finally felt relieved.
Some even overheard the nurses and doctors chatting, and quickly went over to ask for details.
When they learned that after waking up, Minato had actually spoken in defense of Ryohei, their hearts ached for Minato, but their resentment toward Ryohei deepened even more.
Before long, the news that Minato had woken up and defended Ryohei, saying that it was only because he spoke rashly in a moment of urgency that Ryohei struck him, and that it wasn't Ryohei's fault, spread throughout Konoha, stirring sighs and further dissatisfaction toward Ryohei.
At that moment, Ryohei was fuming with hatred.
After the Hyūga clan ninja who was delivering the message left, Ryohei glared viciously at Hizashi and said, "Later, in front of everyone, you must tell them exactly what you saw, understand? Minato is clearly trying to set me up. If you say anything else, son or not, I will not hesitate to kill you."
Hizashi nodded slightly, but inside, he grew colder.
You want me to tell the truth, right? Fine, let's see if you can handle my truth.
Not long after, someone came in to announce that the Hokage had summoned them.
Ryohei brought his two sons and headed straight to the Hokage Building.
Along the way, countless people pointed fingers at him, and some even cursed outright. Ryohei ground his teeth in fury.
He was the head of the prestigious Hyūga clan, of noble blood, always above others, when had he ever been treated like this?
A bunch of peasants! he cursed inwardly.
The three of them were led into the meeting room. By then, the room was already full.
Aside from Tsunade, there were Sakumo, Torifu, Shikashin, Fukuyama, Katsuhiko, Shida, and many other high-ranking figures present.
After confirming Minato was fine, Shin had also rushed over to take a seat, he had even dragged Orochimaru along.
When Ryohei arrived, Tsunade pointed to the last empty seat, signaling for him to sit.
Then, ignoring him completely, she turned to Hizashi and said, "Hizashi, take off your shirt."
Hizashi froze for a moment, but since it was the Hokage's order, he had no choice but to comply. He obediently took off his shirt.
Everyone's eyes widened in shock.
Although Hizashi's face looked normal, his body was covered in bruises of blue and purple, some places still bleeding, and many areas marked with horrifying scars.
"Tell me, who did this?" Tsunade asked in a deep voice.
Hizashi lowered his head timidly and replied softly, "Reporting, I… I hurt myself."
Tsunade's eyes suddenly turned cold. "Hizashi, do you know I'm a medical-nin?"
"Yes," Hizashi still kept his head down, speaking meekly.
"Whether your injuries are self-inflicted is something you can't hide from me. I'll ask you again, how did you get these wounds?"
Hizashi secretly glanced at Ryohei, and upon seeing the threatening glare in his father's eyes, he said with great grievance, "I… fell down the stairs."
Of course, his small action didn't escape anyone's notice. Everyone also immediately caught Ryohei's threatening look and turned their eyes to him in unison.
Realizing that his slip had been noticed, Ryohei's heart pounded wildly, but he forced himself to keep a straight face and said nothing.
Anyway, his plan for today was simple, deny everything to the bitter end.
"Very good!" Tsunade let out a cold laugh. "Then tell me, how did Minato get his injuries?"
At her words, Hizashi trembled, lowering his head again as he spoke softly, "I… I can't say…"
Ryohei nearly went mad. He slammed the table and roared in anger, "You deliberately conceal the truth? Speak! What exactly happened back then?"
Hizashi's body shook even more violently as he stammered, "It… it was Minato… who hit Hiashi… then suddenly fell to the ground… and fainted…"
Fell to the ground on his own? And then fainted?
Everyone once again turned their strange gazes toward Ryohei. He suddenly felt like dying.
Damn it! You might as well have said nothing!
And yet, Hizashi was simply following his orders, telling "the truth."
"So you're saying Minato's injuries were also self-inflicted?" Shin asked. "Just by falling to the ground, he broke four ribs and damaged internal organs?"
"Ryohei, the floor in your house must be really slippery, one visit and someone gets injured, and each time it's worse than the last. If I paid you a visit, would I end up dead on the spot?"
Everyone's eyes turned cold, glaring at Ryohei. A chill ran down his spine.
Hizashi was definitely doing it on purpose… and he… no, he had overlooked too many details.
Thinking of something, Ryohei spoke, "Then why don't you tell them what Minato said to insult me? Explain it to everyone clearly!"
But the next moment, Hizashi suddenly dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
"Father, why can't you just tell the truth?"
"Minato was injured so badly because he was trying to help me. I cannot just sit by and watch you slander him."
Ryohei was stunned, frozen on the spot, his mind blank.
"Hokage-sama," Hizashi said, his tone sincere and free of lies, "I've said it before, my injuries were caused by Hiashi."
"He saw that in the past six months I'd been given more and more S-rank missions, and he grew jealous. When no one was around, he activated the Caged Bird, forcing me to writhe in agony on the ground. Then he repeatedly kicked and punched me while I was helpless."
"While beating me, he said I would always be his servant, never escaping his grasp. All of my old scars are from the countless beatings he's given me over the years."
"All these years, he's tortured me for his amusement. My father has known about it the whole time. There were even several times when he opened the door and saw it with his own eyes, only to close the door and walk away as if nothing had happened."
"This time, Minato found out I had once again been hit by Hiashi. Enraged, he went to confront him. Hiashi sneered in front of Minato, saying I was nothing but a servant, forever a lowly servant, that all members of the branch house were just the main house's servants. Minato, unable to bear it, struck him."
"My father saw Minato hitting Hiashi and told him this was Hyūga clan business, that our rules have always been this way, and that not even the Hokages of past generations had the right to interfere. He warned Minato that if he kept overstepping, he'd make him pay."
"Minato, furious, said, 'Then today, I'll break these rotten rules!' That's when my father suddenly attacked Minato, saying, 'Since you want to die, I'll grant your wish.'"
"Minato never expected him to lash out so suddenly and ruthlessly. Caught off guard, he was struck down and gravely injured."
"But I was afraid to tell the truth. My father said that if I spoke out of turn, even though I'm his son, he would kill me without hesitation."
As he spoke, Hizashi bowed his head hard to the ground before Tsunade, crying out loudly, "Every word I've said is the truth! Hokage-sama, I beg you, grant me justice, grant Minato justice!"