"Reporting to Hokage-sama."
"It is mainly because of the previous incident. Wasn't there a rumor saying that you, Hokage-sama, had Hyuga Hizashi sell information about Jiraiya-sama to Sunagakure? The condition you promised him was to remove the restrictions of his status as a Hyuga branch family member."
"Afterward, not only did you fail to fulfill your promise, you even arranged for Hyuga Hizashi to be killed."
"Now this rumor has evolved into something else. It says that you, Hokage-sama, have been deliberately targeting the Hyuga clan and suppressing the Hyuga clan."
"That the Kumogakure shinobi were invited over by you, Hokage-sama, on your own initiative."
"And that, as compensation for cooperating with you, they obtained a pair of Byakugan."
"That infiltrating the Hyuga compound and provoking Hyuga Hiashi was also your order, Hokage-sama."
"That you did not only want Hyuga Hizashi dead, but also wanted to drive a wedge between the Hyuga main family and branch family."
"Just like with the Uchiha, you wanted to weaken the strength of the Hyuga clan so that they would not threaten the Sarutobi clan."
Hiruzen's face instantly darkened, becoming extremely ugly.
"What a Hyuga clan. I did not pursue them over the matter of forging that suicide note, yet now they dare turn around and accuse me? Do they truly think I do not dare deal with them?"
"I invited the Kumogakure shinobi?"
"I want to drive a wedge between the Hyuga branch family and main family?"
"I want to suppress the Hyuga clan?"
"With the way the Hyuga clan is, do they even need suppressing?"
"Have Hyuga Hiashi come here!"
The ANBU shinobi nodded.
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Very soon, Hyuga Hiashi arrived at the Hokage Building.
"Hokage-sama!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked coldly at Hyuga Hiashi.
"Hyuga Hiashi, what exactly is going on with your Hyuga clan?"
"You have even learned to slander me, the Hokage?"
"I have yet to settle accounts with you over Hyuga Hizashi's suicide note last time."
Hyuga Hiashi lowered his head.
"Hokage-sama, I am currently investigating the matter of the suicide note. I will definitely give Hokage-sama an explanation."
But Hyuga Hiashi only spoke half of what was in his heart.
As the head of the Hyuga clan, Hyuga Hiashi's thoughts were not actually the same as Hyuga Yamatsubaki's.
For the stability of the clan, should they compromise with the village without limit?
Aside from Konoha, did the Hyuga clan truly have nowhere else to go?
Hyuga Hiashi did not necessarily feel that Hyuga Hizashi's suicide note was fake.
Because the original copy was in Sunagakure, Hyuga Hiashi could not see it. But he had seen the picture printed in Ninja World Weekly.
That truly was Hyuga Hizashi's handwriting.
Hyuga Hiashi felt that there was a strong possibility the suicide note was real.
And Hyuga Hizashi also had reason to do such a thing.
Hyuga Hizashi had not cared that much about his own status as a branch family member, but regarding Neji's branch family status, Hyuga Hiashi knew that Hyuga Hizashi cared very deeply.
For Neji's sake, it was not surprising for Hyuga Hizashi to do something extreme.
As for whether Hiruzen Sarutobi had betrayed Jiraiya's matter—
With the Byakugan, Hyuga Hiashi had been able to see at a glance that the Jiraiya who later appeared was fake.
Then where was the real Jiraiya?
Dead?
Who killed him?
Why was he killed?
Hyuga Hiashi felt that those circulating rumors were very likely the truth.
In that case, Hiruzen Sarutobi's suppression of the Hyuga clan, and his attempt to drive a wedge between the Hyuga main family and branch family, naturally became true as well.
But Hyuga Hiashi could not understand it.
The Sarutobi clan was already so powerful.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had already sat in the Hokage's seat for decades.
The Hyuga clan was clearly so submissive.
Why did Hiruzen Sarutobi still want to target the Hyuga clan?
Was he truly so afraid that the Hyuga clan might do something?
And now, he had come to question him like this.
Did he feel the Hyuga clan was simply too easy to bully?
Hyuga Hiashi did not think things should be this way.
This was not questioning.
This was humiliation.
After doing such things, he was now questioning why such a suicide note had appeared.
This was going too far.
Hyuga Hiashi thought in his heart.
"Is it because of the Hyuga clan's past behavior that Hiruzen Sarutobi dares to humiliate the Hyuga clan like this?"
"What should I do?"
"Is there truly any meaning in living under such humiliation? Or should we rise up like the Uchiha clan?"
"But my Hyuga clan is ultimately not equal to the Uchiha."
"And the temptation of the Byakugan, to the other shinobi villages, is far stronger than the Sharingan."
Seeing that Hyuga Hiashi's displayed attitude was still decent, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression finally eased slightly.
"Forging that kind of suicide note to frame me, the Hokage, is not only disrespect toward me, but also disrespect toward Jiraiya. Such intentions deserve death. This matter must be investigated strictly."
"Outside the Hyuga, I will also have people investigate."
"But most likely, it is still someone from your Hyuga branch family."
"Additionally, I heard that Hyuga Hizashi's son, Hyuga Neji, has gone missing?"
Hyuga Hiashi nodded.
"Yes."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "The person who forged the suicide note and the person who sent Hyuga Neji away may very well be the same person."
"Other than that, recently, another rumor has been spreading among your Hyuga clan, saying that I deliberately targeted and suppressed your Hyuga and cooperated with Kumogakure?"
Hyuga Hiashi explained,
"Hokage-sama, this rumor spread in from outside. I have already done my best to restrain the clan members, telling them not to believe such remarks and to reduce discussion of these matters."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded.
"Hiashi, I trust you, just as I trusted Yamatsubaki."
"You have the village in your hearts. You are different from the Uchiha."
"However, the branch family and your main family are not of one heart. I can tell that they are actually dissatisfied with your main family. You need to keep this under control."
"A disturbance like the Uchiha's must absolutely not happen again."
"Controlling rumors alone is not enough. They also need to be clarified."
"Hiashi, do you understand?"
Hyuga Hiashi understood what Hiruzen Sarutobi meant.
"Hokage-sama, I understand."
"Go. The village is currently in wartime. Do not let these things affect the village's operations."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
An ANBU shinobi followed Hyuga Hiashi out.
Hyuga Hiashi's heart sank. He knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi did not trust him. That was why he had sent an ANBU shinobi to follow him, to personally see him clarify the rumor.
And this made Hyuga Hiashi doubt Hiruzen Sarutobi even more.
"Father, I truly do not think your choice was correct."
"The Hyuga clan should not live like this."
After returning to the Hyuga compound—
Hyuga Hiashi glanced at the ANBU shinobi in the corner. Even though he did not want to, given the current situation, he had no choice but to temporarily act according to Hiruzen Sarutobi's demands.
"Everyone, Hizashi's suicide note was forged by someone. I have already identified this person. In addition, he also created the case of Hizashi's son, Neji, going missing."
"His goal was to drive a wedge between our Hyuga clan and Hokage-sama."
"He harbors hatred toward our Hyuga clan and hopes to see the Hyuga clan destroyed."
"We absolutely must not fall for it."
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