Hyūga Hizashi's defiance took both Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō completely by surprise.
The two had planned it all out beforehand—one would play the good cop, the other the bad. With a mix of persuasion and pressure, they believed Hizashi would eventually yield and hand over the culprit—Hyūga Hiashi.
Even if things got heated, they thought at worst he'd offer up another clan member. After all, what the emissaries from the Land of Lightning truly wanted was the Byakugan, not necessarily Hiashi's Byakugan.
Unfortunately for them, they had made one critical mistake—Hizashi was not Hiashi.
From birth, Hiashi was destined to be the head of the main family, shielded from much of the bloodshed that most Konoha shinobi faced. He wasn't lazy, but his experiences were far less brutal than those of the average ninja.
Hizashi, on the other hand, bore the full weight of being both a shinobi and a provider for the Hyūga main family. His missions were harsher, his responsibilities heavier, his life infinitely more demanding.
Though they were twins, the difference in their upbringings had carved vastly different spirits—Hizashi's resolve and willpower far surpassed Hiashi's.
And now, with the Caged Bird curse seal abolished, all Hyūga were free to learn the clan's secret techniques. This greatly increased the overall strength of the clan.
Experts like Hyūga Taiki, who were already jōnin-level, leapt directly into the ranks of elite jōnin after mastering the clan's forbidden arts. As for Hizashi himself—he had already brushed the threshold of Kage-level strength.
The Hyūga Clan was now thriving more than ever, strong enough to rival even the Uchiha as Konoha's true number one family.
This was a far cry from the original state of the Hyūga—who only claimed to be Konoha's greatest clan, yet had few actual powerhouses to back it up.
United and determined, the Hyūga were no longer a people who could be easily subdued. So how could Hizashi possibly bow his head—and hand over his own brother's life?
Completely unprepared for such resistance, Sarutobi and Danzō left the Hyūga estate with grim expressions.
Back at the Hokage Tower, Danzō slammed his cane against the floor.
"Hiruzen, Hizashi has grown far too insolent! If you allow him to trample on your authority like this, how can you call yourself Hokage?"
He sneered, his tone cold and venomous.
"If you ask me, we should just send the ANBU to seize a few Hyūga children and hand them over to the Cloud emissaries. What they want is the Byakugan bloodline—whether it's Hiashi or someone else doesn't matter to them."
Bang!
Sarutobi's palm struck his desk so hard it cracked down the middle.
"Danzō! Do you even hear yourself? The Byakugan is Konoha's strategic treasure! You would hand it to our enemies? I forbid you from touching the Hyūga. If you defy me, I will personally see to your punishment!"
Danzō curled his lips.
"Fine, fine. I misspoke. But then tell me, what do you intend to do? Those Cloud shinobi won't be placated with money."
Sarutobi's face turned dark, almost purple with restrained fury. He looked like a volcano moments before eruption.
"I'll… think of something. You may go."
For once, Danzō didn't argue. He turned and walked away—but as he left the tower, a thin, mocking smile crept across his face.
"Hiruzen… you've grown timid in your old age. Once, you'd never have allowed a clan to defy you. Back then, Konoha wasn't the weakling's village it's become… How pitiful. You're no longer the man you once were."
Muttering to himself, Danzō disappeared into the shadows of Root, already preparing for war.
While he hadn't managed to weaken the Hyūga as planned, their resistance suited his purposes just fine. The power of Root thrived in wartime—conflict brought him authority, relevance, and obedience.
In Danzō's eyes, Hizashi's defiance was not a setback—it was a spark. One that might ignite the flames of war between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning.
Meanwhile, Hiruzen—ever the politician—understood his old comrade too well. He knew Danzō would act the moment he turned his back. So he immediately summoned Nara Shikaku.
As Konoha's chief strategist and one of Hiruzen's most loyal subordinates, Shikaku had been following the matter closely.
Upon hearing Hizashi's reply, he frowned deeply.
"Lord Third… should I go speak to Clan Head Hizashi again?"
Hiruzen shook his head, exhaling a weary sigh.
"It's useless. His decision is final."
Shikaku nodded slowly. He understood. As a clan leader himself, he knew the weight of such choices.
"If the Hyūga submit now, they'll lose not only their honor—but the trust of their people. Once a leader betrays his kin, he's finished. His own clan would see to that before the enemy ever could."
His tone was calm, but his words cut deep.
"In short, Lord Third, the only move left is to reinforce our borders. We should be ready for war."
Hiruzen's eyes dimmed.
"So much for peace… I had hoped the dawn would last longer."
Shikaku furrowed his brow but said nothing. Peace was never built to last in the shinobi world.
By nightfall, Root had already spread the news across Konoha—The Hyūga refused to hand over the killer.
The village was ablaze with argument. Some supported the Hyūga, others condemned them for "endangering" the peace. Within half a day, public opinion had turned sharply against the clan.
Only the Uchiha were more hated now.
At the same time, Ashikaga, Uchiha Izumi, and Rokuro—returning from training and preparing to head to their secret lab—learned of the situation.
"Rokuro, Captain Hizashi really did what you said he would. If that's true… does it mean war with the Land of Lightning is inevitable?"
Izumi's voice trembled with both fear and a strange excitement. There was a spark in her eyes—half dread, half curiosity about what was to come.
Rokuro smiled faintly.
"I won't let you step foot on the battlefield."
"What?! Why not? I'm already a Sharingan prodigy with three tomoe!"
She activated her eyes; the three crimson tomoe spun elegantly across her irises.
Indeed—thanks to Rokuro's guidance, the nine-year-old Izumi now possessed the three-tomoe Sharingan.
Her chakra reserves already matched most jōnin, and with a few ninja tools, she could rival an elite jōnin.
Before the War of the Gods even began, there were perhaps only a handful of shinobi in the world who could stand above her.
Her only weaknesses—limited battle experience and a heart still too gentle for war.
Rokuro's gaze softened.
"I know how strong you are. Against most ninja, you'd win easily. But you're an Uchiha. If word gets out that a nine-year-old has already awakened a fully matured Sharingan… there are men in the shadows who would do anything to silence that potential."
"Rokuro, what are you hiding from me? Why can't you tell me?"
She pouted, frustration flickering in her voice.
He turned away, eyes distant.
"Not yet. When you awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, I'll tell you everything."
Izumi crossed her arms, glaring.
"Fine. But if you try dodging me again… I'll use genjutsu to make you fight yourself in a dream!"
END OF CHAPTER
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