No answer came from Toko.
Because any answer—whether agreement or refusal—would mean choosing a loss.
A sharp gust slipped through the tent entrance, carrying the cold scent of damp earth.
Still—
No one spoke.
Hyuga Toko stood where he was, his pale eyes fixed on Fugaku… then briefly on Toyoma.
Fugaku did not look away.
Between them, the silence stretched.
Behind them, the shinobi of both clans remained still—but not calm.
A few tightened their fists.
A shift of weight.
Small movements.
The kind that came before something broke.
Toyoma watched it all without moving.
His gaze moved once between the two men.
Waiting.
—
The silence was shattered.
A figure pushed through the tent entrance, breathing hard.
"Enemy movement detected!"
Every head turned.
The shinobi stepped forward, not even stopping to catch his breath.
"Mist shinobi—advancing from the eastern flank!"
The words hit harder than any argument.
For a brief moment—
No one reacted.
Then everything moved at once.
"Positions!"
Fugaku's voice cut through the tent, sharp and immediate.
The hesitation in his tone was gone.
Only one command remained.
Several Uchiha moved instantly toward the exit.
Weapons drawn.
Chakra rising.
Hyuga Toko didn't move at first.
His Byakugan is activated.
The veins around his eyes surfaced as his vision expanded outward—
Then stilled.
A flicker of shock passed through his eyes.
Too many.
His gaze shifted once toward the entrance… toward the direction of the enemy—
Then back to Fugaku.
He opened his mouth—
Then stopped.
Fugaku saw it.
So did Toyoma.
A brief moment.
Then—
Toko turned.
"Hyuga," he said, jaw tightening, "prepare for engagement."
The Hyuga behind him responded immediately.
But not all at once.
Some stepped forward without hesitation.
Others—
A fraction slower.
Subtle.
Easy to miss.
Unless you were looking for it.
Toyoma was.
A faint, unreadable expression crossed his face.
—
Toko watched both sides move.
At first, he had intended to do nothing.
But after seeing the number of Mist shinobi—
He understood.
This wasn't something they could ignore.
The Hyuga had to engage.
The decision to withdraw them…
He set it aside.
For now.
Toyoma's question lingered in his mind.
Are you ready to take responsibility for this border?
Toko's gaze shifted briefly toward Fugaku—and the Uchiha behind him.
This time… they won't hesitate to blame us.
Not everyone cared about face.
For most—
Survival and advantage came first.
"I can't let the Hyuga take that blame…" he muttered.
A quiet sigh escaped him.
For now—
He had lost this round.
There was no room left to pressure the Uchiha in the name of the clan.
His eyes moved.
Toward Toyoma.
—
Toyoma was already giving instructions.
"Uncle Uzuku," he said calmly, "take Uncle Raizen's squad along with a Hyuga unit to the supply zone."
Uzuku's eyes flickered for a moment.
Then—
He smiled.
He understood.
The main resources were not stored in the camp.
Toyoma kept them in his own space, bringing out only what was needed for the week.
The supplies in the camp—
Were limited.
Exposed.
A sudden frontal attack from the Mist could only mean one thing.
They were targeting the supplies.
Which meant—
They were walking into a trap.
Uzuku said nothing more.
He turned and left.
—
Suki stepped closer.
"What should we do?" she asked.
Toyoma glanced at her.
A faint smile appeared.
"We're going to inform Aunt Shizuka."
"It's time she settles things with the Mist."
Suki's eyes sharpened.
She didn't ask anything else.
—
Pakura's identity was still safe.
The Mist and Sand genin who had seen her—
Had already been dealt with by the Uchiha.
And the elites—
Had died at the hands of Pakura and Genzo.
There was no one left to speak of it.
But Pakura still hadn't let it go.
Genzo had lost one of his Sharingan while saving her.
He never blamed her.
Not once.
That made it worse.
She never spoke of it either.
But the guilt remained—
Quiet.
Persistent.
Now—
The Mist had come to their doorstep.
This was her chance.
Not to repay it.
That wasn't possible.
But at least—
To take something back.
From them.
Outside—
The entire camp was already in motion.
The quiet from moments ago was gone.
Shinobi moved between tents—fast, controlled, voices low.
Weapons were drawn.
Positions taken.
Tension settled in.
Fugaku stepped out of the command tent, his gaze sweeping across the field.
"Squads, form perimeter lines."
"Do not let them break into the inner camp."
His voice remained calm.
Absolute.
Several Uchiha vanished in flickers of movement.
Sharingan eyes lit up along the edges of the forest.
Behind them, Hyuga shinobi took position.
Veins rose beside their eyes—
Byakugan activated.
Their vision stretched outward, cutting through trees, terrain, and distance.
One of them spoke, voice tight.
"They're closer than expected."
A pause.
"…Too close."
Fugaku's eyes narrowed slightly.
"How many?"
"Thirty… no—more. Reinforcements behind them."
A brief silence.
Then—
"They're advancing fast."
That was enough.
Fugaku raised his hand slightly.
"Hold formation."
No panic.
No wasted movement.
But the shift was there.
Clear.
This was not a probing attack.
The first sound came from the trees.
A faint rustle—
Then nothing.
Then—
Steel.
A Mist shinobi burst through the treeline, blade already drawn.
"Attack!"
The clash began instantly.
—
Elsewhere—
A squad near the outer edge stepped forward a moment too late.
"They're not here—"
The words didn't finish.
Figures dropped from above.
Too fast.
Too close.
One Konoha shinobi barely raised his weapon in time.
The impact forced him back a step.
Another strike came from the side—
And then—
"Down!"
A Hyuga appeared between them.
Palm strike.
Precise.
The attacker was thrown back, balance broken.
"Fall back—now!"
The squad retreated immediately.
Breathing hard.
Alive—
But just barely.
One of them glanced back.
"…They were already inside."
The Hyuga's eyes tightened.
His Byakugan remained active—
Scanning.
Tracing.
For a brief moment, confusion flickered across his face.
How…?
—
Across the field, clashes broke out in controlled bursts.
Short.
Sharp.
Mist shinobi struck—then pulled back.
No prolonged engagement.
—
At the centre—
Fugaku stood watching.
His eyes moved across the battlefield.
Every shift.
Every movement.
Behind him, two Uchiha appeared.
"Left flank holding."
"Right side engaged—minor injuries."
Fugaku nodded once.
"Do not chase."
"Maintain position."
The orders were simple.
But precise.
Still—
Something felt off.
They attacked.
Then withdrew.
Again.
And again.
A push and pull with no clear intent.
Fugaku's gaze narrowed slightly.
What are they aiming for…?
—
A few meters away—
Hyuga Toko stood the same.
Watching.
His Byakugan is active.
Veins visible beside his eyes.
His vision stretched far beyond the battlefield—
Tracking movement.
Patterns.
"They're rotating," he said quietly.
"Testing multiple points."
A Hyuga beside him asked,
"Do we pursue?"
Toko didn't answer immediately.
His gaze shifted once—
Toward the Uchiha line.
Then back to the forest.
"…No."
"Hold position."
—
The clashes slowed.
Then stopped.
As suddenly as they had begun—
The Mist shinobi withdrew.
The forest grew quiet again.
Too quiet.
—
A Konoha shinobi exhaled slowly, lowering his weapon slightly.
"…If they had already left—"
He stopped.
The words didn't finish.
But they didn't need to.
Several nearby shinobi heard it.
The question lingered.
Then why come at all?
—
Not far away—
Hyuga Toko lowered his head slightly.
His Byakugan faded.
But just before it did—
He saw it.
Far beyond the battlefield.
Almost ten kilometres away.
A presence.
Faint—
But unmistakable.
A person with a single Byakugan.
Toko's eyes hardened.
So that was it.
This wasn't an attack.
It was an observation.
They were using it—
To watch.
To test.
To learn.
"...Bastards," he muttered under his breath.
The anger in his eyes didn't fade.
A Hyuga shinobi near Toko spoke, his voice tight.
"How did they get inside… without alerting anyone?"
Toko didn't answer.
He just looked at him.
His expression darkened.
Before he could speak—
"Simple."
Toyoma stepped closer.
"The Byakugan your clan just lost."
The words landed quietly.
But they cut through the air.
Toko turned toward him.
His expression stiffened—like something bitter had been forced down his throat.
Toyoma didn't stop.
"Elder Toko," he said, almost casually, "if I remember correctly…"
His gaze lifted slightly, as if recalling an old detail.
"The Hyuga main family avoids the battlefield… to prevent the Byakugan from leaking."
"That was the agreement with the First Hokage, wasn't it?"
No one interrupted.
Toyoma's eyes lowered again.
Now—
Sharper.
"But now…"
"The Mist already has the Byakugan."
"And they're using it."
A brief pause.
Then—
"Tell me…"
His voice dropped slightly.
"Doesn't that make the Hyuga… at least partly responsible for a situation like this?"
The air grew heavier.
Around them, a few shinobi stilled.
Some glanced toward Toko.
Others looked away.
Toko's jaw tightened.
But he didn't speak.
Toyoma took one more step closer.
"And now," he continued, voice calm, "if you still choose to withdraw the Hyuga…"
"For protection."
"Or for any other reason—"
A slight pause.
"Then we will also have to make decisions for our own clan's safety."
His gaze didn't leave Toko.
"And when that happens…"
The faintest hint of a smile touched his lips.
"Someone will have to take the blame."
Silence.
Then—
He tilted his head slightly.
"So tell me, Elder Toko…"
"Who will it be?"
Toko's face tightened.
Iwagakure Border
Kakashi stopped.
Obito nearly walked into him, still looking for clues.
"What now?" Obito muttered, worry clear on his face.
Kakashi didn't turn.
"…They're gone."
Obito frowned.
"What do you mean—"
Then he saw it.
Marks on the ground.
Broken branches.
A struggle.
"…Rin?"
No answer.
The silence said enough.
Obito's chest tightened.
"They took her."
Kakashi remained still.
His gaze moved across the trees.
Some time ago, they had heard a sound and rushed in. They found Iwa shinobi, and a brief fight broke out—but Rin wasn't there.
Only traces.
Tracks leading deeper into the forest.
Kakashi followed them with his eyes.
Finding her would take time.
There was also a chance the mission would fail.
"Minato-sensei will take time…" he muttered.
Minato had gone toward the Konoha camp at the Iwa border after sensing the commotion. He had told them to continue the mission while he held back the Iwa forces.
"We continue the mission," Kakashi said after a moment.
Obito froze.
"…What?"
"The bridge is the priority," Kakashi replied flatly.
Obito stared at him.
"They took Rin!" he shouted.
"She's a shinobi," Kakashi replied. "She knew the risks."
The words landed cold.
Obito's hands clenched.
"So we just leave her? She's our teammate, you bastard?!"
Kakashi didn't look at him.
"If we fail the mission… who will we be responsible for?"
Silence.
Obito stepped forward.
"That's not the point."
"It is."
Kakashi's voice didn't rise.
"She's already been taken. Acting on emotion will only make it worse."
Obito's breathing grew uneven.
For a moment—
He said nothing.
Then—
"…I'm not you."
Kakashi didn't respond.
Obito turned away.
"I'm not going to abandon a teammate."
A step.
"If you won't come…"
Another.
"…then stay here."
Kakashi's hand tightened slightly.
"Obito."
No answer.
Obito was already moving—
Following Rin's trail into the forest.
Kakashi stood still for a moment… watching Obito disappear into the trees.
For a brief second—
He didn't move.
Then—
"…Idiot."
He followed.
—
Deep within the forest—
Rin struggled against her restraints.
Her breathing uneven.
A blade rested against her throat.
"Stay quiet," an Iwa shinobi muttered."We only need you for a while."
Rin's eyes trembled—
But she didn't resist.
—
A sound cut through the trees.
Fast.
Direct.
"Let her go!"
Obito burst into the clearing.
No hesitation.
No plan.
Just movement.
Steel clashed.
Obito pushed forward—
Too aggressive.
Too open.
A second enemy appeared behind him.
A flash—
"Kgh—!"
Blood.
His shoulder jerked as the blade cut across him.
But he didn't stop.
"Rin!"
Another strike came—
Then—
A blur.
Kakashi.
His blade intercepted the attack cleanly.
One enemy fell.
Then another.
No wasted movement.
Cold.
Precise.
Obito stumbled beside him, a faint grin forming.
"…Knew you'd come."
Kakashi didn't look at him.
"…Focus."
—
The fight ended quickly.
But not cleanly.
Bodies lay still.
Rin dropped to her knees.
Breathing hard.
Obito rushed to her.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded.
"I'm fine…"
Kakashi stood a few steps away.
Watching.
—
A low rumble echoed.
Kakashi's eyes shifted.
"…Something's wrong."
The ground trembled.
Cracks spread across the cave walls.
Rin looked up.
"…Kakashi?"
"Move."
The word is cut sharply.
They ran.
The exit ahead—
Light—
Almost there—
A shadow shifted above them.
Kakashi turned—
Too late.
The boulder broke loose.
Falling.
Fast.
His body didn't react in time.
Then—
A shove.
"Move!"
Obito pushed him aside.
A deafening crash.
—
Silence.
Dust filled the air.
Kakashi coughed.
Forced himself up.
"…Obito?"
No answer.
His eyes searched—
Then stopped.
Obito lay beneath the rock.
The right side of his body was crushed.
Blood is spreading slowly.
"Obito—!"
Kakashi rushed forward.
Rin followed, her breath shaking.
"Obito…"
A faint breath.
His eye opened.
"…You're… okay."
Kakashi's hand trembled.
"…Why?"
A weak smile.
"You're… the leader…"
"…Don't mess it up."
Kakashi's jaw tightened.
"We'll get you out."
"No."
Quiet.
But firm.
Rin froze.
"…Obito…"
He looked at Kakashi.
"You said… teammates are a burden…"
A breath.
"…You were wrong."
Silence.
"…Those who abandon their comrades…"
His voice weakened.
"…are worse than scum."
Kakashi lowered his head slightly.
"…I know."
Too late.
Obito's gaze softened.
"…Rin."
She leaned closer.
Tears forming.
"…I'm here."
"…Do it."
She stiffened.
For a moment—
She hesitated.
Then nodded.
—
Kakashi didn't move.
He couldn't.
Rin worked quickly.
Careful.
Precise.
Blood.
Silence.
—
When it was done—
Kakashi stood still.
The world felt distant.
His vision—
Changed.
—
Obito's breathing grew shallow.
"…Kakashi…"
A pause.
"Protect… Rin."
Another breath.
"…and…"
"…don't let her cry."
Kakashi's hand tightened.
Obito's eye dimmed.
"…I'm glad…"
A faint smile.
"…you came."
His hand fell.
Still.
—
No one moved.
—
Far away—
The war continued.
And ahead—
Minato Namikaze stood on the battlefield.
Holding the line.
—
Then—
He paused.
His gaze shifted.
Something felt wrong.
Kakashi and Rin both looked at Obito.
Tears formed quietly in their eyes.
They didn't say anything.
They couldn't.
Getting him out…
Was impossible.
Half his body was crushed beneath the rock.
Trying to move him would only destroy what remained.
They understood that.
Even if they didn't want to.
Obito's breathing slowed.
Then—
Stopped.
His body went still.
Rin lowered her head.
Kakashi didn't move.
After a moment—
They turned.
And left.
—
Behind them—
Something shifted.
Beneath the stone.
But neither of them saw it.
—
Mist Shinobi Border — Command Tent
Fugaku, Toyoma, and Toko sat in silence.
The air was heavy.
"I will not take the Hyuga back," Toko said at last.
His voice was firm.
"But I have a condition."
His pale eyes fixed on Fugaku.
"You will retrieve the Byakugan from the Mist."
Fugaku's expression eased slightly.
A faint smile appeared.
"Of course. We will—"
"We'll try."
Toyoma's voice cut in.
Calm.
Flat.
"If the opportunity presents itself, we'll take it."
Fugaku turned toward him.
His expression darkened.
"What do you mean, Toyoma?"
Toyoma didn't look at him.
He didn't answer.
Toko's gaze sharpened.
"What do you mean?" he said, irritation clear now."I'm asking for a promise from the Uchiha."
Toyoma finally looked at him.
His eyes steady.
"Elder Toko… we're not here to clean up your mess"
The words landed hard.
"But we will do what we can."
"The Byakugan leak wasn't our fault."
"And you don't get to place conditions like this."
His tone didn't rise.
That made it worse.
"We're not fighting for ourselves alone."
"We're fighting for the village."
A brief pause.
"You should understand that."
Silence.
Toko stared at him.
His jaw tightened.
But he said nothing.
"…Hmph."
He stood.
And left.
The tension didn't go with him.