Chapter 18: Rescuing Hyūga Hizashi (Part 2)
Man, I really want to redistribute land and beat up the rich…
"The Hyūga Clan is one of the oldest families in the village. After so many years of accumulation, of course they're loaded," said Hiruzen with a chuckle, noticing Sakura's heartbroken expression as she gazed around the Hyūga compound.
"I've decided!" Sakura declared, clenching her fists. "I'm going to expand my business across the entire ninja world. I absolutely refuse to live a life of paying off a mortgage!"
The arrival of the Third Hokage prompted the Hyūga Clan to greet them with proper formality. A group of white-eyed Hyūga quickly came forward to welcome Hiruzen and Sakura, though they explained that Hyūga Hiashi was currently in a meeting and wouldn't be available right away.
Hiruzen didn't press the issue. He and Sakura simply took a seat and waited in silence.
Before long, Hiashi appeared, having been notified of their arrival. What caught Sakura's attention, however, was that his usually stoic white eyes were tinged slightly red—almost as if he'd just been crying.
"Apologies, Lord Third," Hiashi said, forcing a strained smile. "There were some matters I had to deal with… I came as soon as I could." As he spoke, his fists clenched tightly by his side, and his emotions seemed on the verge of spilling over.
"I've already asked Shikaku to send a reply to the Hidden Cloud," Hiruzen began, only to be abruptly cut off by the sudden entrance of the Hyūga Clan's elder.
"Lord Third," the elder said firmly, "we've already found a solution to the problem. There's no need for this incident to escalate into a war between Konoha and the Hidden Cloud."
"…What?" Hiruzen blinked in confusion. What kind of nonsense are they pulling now?
"The Hidden Cloud demanded the corpse of the Hyūga Clan's head. So we'll give them a body that's exactly identical," the elder stated grimly.
"A body that looks exactly the same…" Hiruzen muttered, puzzled at first. Then it hit him. There was someone who looked just like Hiashi—his twin brother. "You're not suggesting—?!"
"Exactly as you suspect," the elder confirmed. "Hizashi has volunteered to give his life in place of his brother. If we deliver his body to the Hidden Cloud, surely they will have no more complaints." There was even a faint smile on his face, as if this was a perfectly reasonable solution. To him, those from the branch family had always been disposable.
Hiashi remained silent, head bowed. But Sakura noticed the veins bulging on his clenched fists, and his body trembled slightly with suppressed emotion.
"But I came here to tell you," Hiruzen said, his voice growing colder, "that I've already sent a message to the Hidden Cloud, demanding they explain their attempted kidnapping of the Hyūga heiress and prepare appropriate reparations. Otherwise, Konoha is prepared to go to war!"
Hiruzen's temple throbbed with anger. These idiots... what the hell are they thinking? He hadn't even asked them to sacrifice anyone, and yet the Hyūga Clan had already rushed to hand over their own family member as a corpse. What kind of logic was this?!
"…What?!" Hiashi suddenly looked up, eyes wide with shock. "Then… Hizashi never needed to die at all?!"
"Exactly. Sakura and I came here specifically to tell you this," Hiruzen said with a sigh. "But who would've thought you'd already…"
Hizashi died for nothing.
"Lord Third, there's no need to be troubled," the Hyūga elder said coldly. "If the Hidden Cloud still insists on going to war, Hizashi's body will be useful then."
There was not the slightest sorrow in his voice. He spoke of Hizashi's death like one would discuss sacrificing a pawn on a game board.
"Uncle Hiashi," Sakura said softly, "please bring Hizashi's body over. Konoha won't let him die in vain—not for something meaningless like this."
Sakura frowned slightly. This Hyūga elder was truly insufferable.
"Sakura, do you actually have a way to save Hizashi?" Hiruzen asked in surprise.
"I have some confidence. Let's just hope we're not too late," Sakura replied. She couldn't guarantee it, but if Hizashi had only recently died, there was still a chance.
"Really?!" Hiashi was visibly shaken. This was his younger brother—the one who'd been forced to sacrifice himself for him. "His body was just brought home. I'll have someone bring it here right away!"
"No need. Let's head there ourselves. Sending someone will only waste more time," Sakura said firmly as she stood. In a situation like this, every second mattered.
But before they could move, the elder spoke again, his tone cold.
"Young lady, matters of the Hyūga clan are not for outsiders to meddle in. Hizashi willingly gave his life for Hiashi—it was an honorable death. And besides, with tensions between Konoha and the Hidden Cloud unresolved, we may still need his body to calm their anger."
This elder clearly wanted to avoid war at all costs. If sacrificing a branch family member could save the main family from the battlefield, it was a trade he was more than willing to make.
"Is Hizashi-uncle not a member of the Hyūga Clan too?" Sakura said sharply. "You're really going to trade the life of your comrade for someone else's mercy and call that peace? Doesn't your conscience hurt?"
Her expression was grim. This elder's cold-blooded reasoning left a bitter taste in her mouth.
"To sacrifice for the main family is the fate of the branch family. It is their honor," the elder replied righteously. This was how the Hyūga had operated for generations—he saw nothing wrong with it.
"Grandpa Third, may I punch him?" Sakura asked coolly, turning to Hiruzen without bothering to argue further with the old man.
Hiruzen remained silent. But his clenched jaw said enough—he too was thoroughly fed up with the elder.
"…Good." Sakura smirked. Hiruzen's silence was all the permission she needed. Her lips curled into a cold smile, a glint of red flashing in her eyes. In an instant, dozens of kunai whirled into the air around her.
"Young girl, where are your manners…" the elder huffed, frowning in disapproval. He no longer cared about appearances and raised his hand, unleashing a Vacuum Palm to knock all the kunai away.
"You're too naïve," Sakura said icily. "Your power—"
Before she finished her sentence, the chakra from the elder's palm attack suddenly fizzled into nothing.
"What?! Eight Trigrams: Rotation—!" he gasped, alarmed. Seeing the kunai nearly upon him, he didn't dare hesitate. With a snap decision, he activated the Hyūga Clan's secret technique—Rotation.
Pale blue chakra burst from the tenketsu across his body, spinning rapidly with his movement. A massive sphere of chakra formed around him, whirling with force as a defensive shield.
"How naïve," Sakura mocked, her tone playful yet sinister. "You think Rotation can block my attack? Don't you know... art is—Patrick Star?!"
The moment the kunai struck the spinning chakra shield, a flicker of purple energy flashed across their surface.
Before anyone could react—BOOM!
The kunai exploded.