The atmosphere turned quiet after Fugaku spoke.
Outside the command tent, the cold wind continued to sweep across the encampment, making the canvas walls flutter softly.
Inside—
All eyes shifted toward Hyuga Toko.
For a few seconds, no one spoke.
Even the faint movements inside the tent seemed to slow.
A few shinobi near the entrance straightened unconsciously, sensing the weight of the moment.
Hyuga Toko stood there in silence, his gaze lowered slightly as he thought.
His thoughts had been clear from the beginning.
Today, he had to take his clan's shinobi with him.
There was no other option.
But even so—
A trace of hesitation remained.
The situation inside the village had already become complicated.
The conflict between the Uchiha clan and the higher-ups was no longer a secret.
Even within the Hyuga clan, not everyone stood on the same side.
Some elders leaned toward the village.
Others chose to remain neutral.
And now—
This incident with the Byakugan had made everything worse.
If he failed to act here, the blame could easily fall on the Hyuga main clan.
That was something he could not allow.
Taking the Hyuga shinobi back would not only protect the Byakugan—
It would also make their position clear.
Only then could they avoid suspicion.
Hyuga Toko slowly raised his head.
His pale eyes met Fugaku's.
"Uchiha clan head," he said, his voice steady but heavy,
"Our clan's bloodline limit is at risk."
A faint murmur spread among a few shinobi at the edges of the tent, but quickly died down.
He paused for a moment.
"While your clan's Sharingan evolves through emotional conditions—"
"Our Byakugan awakens naturally with age."
"And once awakened, it already possesses its full observational ability."
His pale eyes shifted slightly, sweeping across the Uchiha standing inside the tent.
A few of them frowned faintly but said nothing.
"You should understand this much."
The air inside the tent grew heavier.
Even the sound of the wind outside seemed distant now.
"Now that the other villages know there is a chance to obtain the Byakugan—"
"It will not matter to them whether they succeed or fail."
"They will target Hyuga shinobi regardless."
"They will wait for the same mistake to happen again in the Caged Bird Seal."
A few shinobi subtly clenched their fists at those words.
His voice turned colder.
"I am not taking all Hyuga," Toko said, his tone firm.
"I understand your difficulty as well."
"But our clan still has to make this hard decision."
Toko finished, looking directly at Fugaku.
Silence followed.
The shinobi inside the tent reacted differently.
Some nodded slightly, thinking that Toko's reasoning made sense.
Others frowned, clearly dissatisfied.
A few exchanged glances, uncertain which side to support.
Toyoma stood silently, his eyes fixed on Hyuga Toko.
'Just look at his shamelessness...'
'Just because there is a chance the Byakugan might be leaked again—he wants to pull Hyuga back to the village?'
'Is that even a reasonable argument?'
His gaze shifted toward Fugaku.
Now he wanted to see—
How would Fugaku respond?
Would he stand his ground...
Or give in?
Fugaku listened to Toko in silence.
What he said… was not entirely unreasonable.
The Mist had already obtained one Byakugan.
That alone was enough.
If one village had succeeded—
Then others would definitely try as well.
Targeting the Hyuga would become inevitable.
Fugaku's eyes darkened slightly.
'Still… if the Hyuga leave, our strength here will drop.'
A few Uchiha shinobi behind him stood straighter, waiting.
Fugaku let out a slow breath.
"Senior Toko," Fugaku said, his voice calm but firm,
"Do not look at this only from the perspective of your clan."
"Look at it from the perspective of the village."
He held Toko's gaze steadily.
"Every clan must understand that, in times like these, some sacrifices are necessary for the village."
"And that incident with the Byakugan…"
"It was an accident."
"You have already inspected Hyuga shinobi caged bird seals yourself."
"You also know that something like that should not happen again."
Hyuga Toko's expression immediately darkened.
The veins near his temple twitched slightly.
"How dare you, Fugaku?"
His voice rose sharply, cutting through the tent.
Several shinobi stiffened.
"Are you saying that the Hyuga are selfish?"
"Who said we are not thinking from the perspective of the village?"
He stepped forward slightly.
"If another Byakugan is leaked—"
"Do you understand what that means for the village?"
"Do you understand how much risk that brings?"
His voice grew louder with each sentence.
The pressure inside the tent rose again.
Even the air felt tight.
Toko took a breath before continuing, his tone turning colder.
"I have already checked the Caged Bird Seals of the Hyuga stationed here."
"But the ones I am taking with me—"
"Are those whose seals require further inspection from the main branch elders?"
He paused briefly.
"Once they are properly checked…"
"They will be sent back."
Fugaku looked at Toko.
"But—"
He tried to speak, but Toko cut him off immediately.
"Clan Head Fugaku, what I am doing is for the sake of the village."
Toko said firmly.
The tension inside the tent thickened again.
No one moved.
Fugaku fell silent for a moment.
He no longer knew how to convince Toko.
'How can they ignore the battlefield like this…?'
He exhaled slowly.
Then his expression hardened.
"Senior Toko," Fugaku said, his voice calm but decisive,
"You are taking more than half of the Hyuga stationed here."
"I cannot agree to that."
"Not at any cost."
He held Toko's gaze without wavering.
"So do not make this more difficult for both of us."
Uzuku, standing to the side, glanced at Fugaku.
A faint nod escaped him.
At last—
Fugaku looked like a true commander.
Several Uchiha behind him subtly straightened.
Hyuga Toko also stared back at Fugaku.
This time, his expression shifted slightly.
Fugaku had made his position clear.
He would not allow that number of Hyuga to leave the border.
Fire Country Border — Near Iwagakure Territory
The forest was quiet.
Too quiet.
Even the wind moved carefully, brushing past the leaves without making much sound. The ground was uneven, scattered with roots and broken stones. War had passed through here before.
It had left its marks.
Four figures moved through the trees.
Minato walked ahead, calm as always. His pace was steady—not too fast, not too slow.
Behind him—
"Why are you going ahead of us like that?" Obito's voice broke the silence.
Kakashi didn't even turn.
"Like what?"
"Like this is only your mission," Obito snapped. "Sensei is right there."
Kakashi's expression didn't change.
"I am the leader."
Obito stopped mid-step, staring at Kakashi with a shocked expression.
"What? When? Who decided that?"
Kakashi finally glanced at him, his eyes cold.
"Minato-sensei already said it. He'll handle the main battlefield if needed. Until then, I'm in charge."
"That doesn't mean you get to act like this toward your teammates!" Obito shot back. "You don't even talk properly with us!"
"There's nothing to talk about with an idiot," Kakashi said without stopping.
Obito's face twitched.
"Who are you calling an idiot, you ugly masked guy?!"
Rin, walking between them, looked from one to the other.
"Obito…" she said softly, "he's just being serious about the mission."
"That's not seriousness, Rin. He's just—" Obito paused, searching for words. "—just looking down on us."
"He can't even talk properly."
Kakashi stopped.
So did the others.
A faint rustle passed through the leaves as the wind shifted.
Kakashi turned slightly, just enough to look at Obito.
"If you can't keep up," he said, voice flat, "then you don't need to be here. I can complete this mission myself without your help."
The words landed heavier than they sounded.
Obito clenched his fists.
"What did you say?"
Kakashi didn't raise his voice.
"This mission isn't a game. If you slow us down, you'll become a burden."
Silence fell.
Even the forest seemed to hold its breath.
Rin's eyes widened slightly. She looked at Kakashi, then at Obito.
Obito took a step forward.
"I'm not a burden!"
Kakashi didn't respond immediately.
He just watched him.
Then—
"You're the weakest one here."
It wasn't loud.
It wasn't angry.
It was simple.
That made it worse.
Obito's face tightened.
For a moment, he couldn't say anything.
Rin quickly stepped in between them.
"Stop it," she said, looking at both of them. "This isn't the time."
Obito looked at her, frustration still in his eyes.
"I'm just saying—"
"I know," Rin said gently. "But… Kakashi's not wrong about one thing."
Obito frowned.
"What?"
"This mission is important," she said. "More than anything else right now."
Obito looked away.
The anger didn't disappear—
But it shifted.
"…I know that."
His voice lowered slightly.
"But he doesn't even treat us like teammates."
Kakashi had already turned back.
"I don't need teammates," he said coldly. "They are a burden to the mission."
No one replied.
The wind passed through the trees again.
Leaves rustled softly.
They started moving once more.
A few steps ahead, Minato walked in silence.
He hadn't interrupted them.
He had listened quietly.
His eyes shifted slightly, observing the team behind him.
Obito's frustration.
Kakashi's distance.
Rin is trying to hold them together.
For a moment, his gaze softened.
'They'll become a proper team… with time.'
His eyes moved again, settling briefly on Kakashi and Obito as they bickered.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
'Kakashi needs someone like Obito.'
The thought passed quietly through his mind.
Then—
Minato's expression returned to normal.
"Alright, Obito. Kakashi. Rin."
"We're almost there."
His voice was calm, but carried quiet authority.
He increased his pace slightly.
Behind him, Obito, Kakashi, and Rin immediately straightened.
Their expressions became more serious.
"Yes, Sensei."
Minato heard their response without turning.
The forest around them grew denser.
The air felt heavier.
'This is an important mission… no mistakes can be allowed.'
His gaze sharpened slightly.
Then—
His thoughts drifted back.
To the moment when the Hokage had called him.
Earlier — Hokage Office
The room had been quiet.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood near the window, looking out over the village.
Smoke rose in thin lines from distant rooftops. Life continued outside—
But the weight inside the room was different.
"The situation with Iwagakure is worsening," he said calmly.
Minato stood in front of him, listening without interruption.
"Iwagakure has realised that Konoha shinobis are stretched across multiple fronts," Hiruzen continued.
"Our forces are divided… and our numbers are insufficient at several borders."
His gaze remained outside.
"They see this as an opportunity."
"Their movements have increased."
"At first, they sent small groups toward the Fire Country border for probing."
He paused.
"Now… their numbers are rising rapidly."
The tone didn't change—
But the meaning grew heavier.
"Our forces on that front are now nearly half of theirs, which is not good for us."
Silence.
Minato remained still.
"They have established a stable supply route through Kannabi Bridge," Hiruzen continued.
"As long as that bridge stands, their reinforcements will continue without interruption."
Minato's eyes sharpened slightly.
"Frontline forces are already under pressure," Hiruzen said.
"We cannot afford silence now."
A brief pause.
Then—
Hiruzen turned.
His gaze met Minato's.
"So… I want you to destroy that bridge."
The words were calm.
But the weight behind them was not.
Minato didn't react outwardly.
But he understood.
This was not just a mission—
It was a turning point for Konoha.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
"You will take your team," Hiruzen added.
"But be prepared."
"The iwagakure will not leave such a route unguarded for long."
Minato nodded once.
"I understand."
Hiruzen studied him for a moment.
Then his voice lowered slightly.
"This mission may decide the flow of the war."
"Konoha is depending on you, Minato."
Silence settled between them.
Minato bowed his head slightly.
"I will not fail, Hokage-sama."
Back to Mist Shinobi Border — Command Tent
The air inside the tent had turned heavy again.
No one spoke for a moment.
Outside, the wind brushed the camp, making them flutter softly—yet inside, the silence felt far louder.
Hyuga Toko's expression hardened when he heard Fuguka.
His pale eyes remained fixed on Fugaku.
"Clan Head Fugaku," he said, his tone controlled but carrying clear displeasure,
"You are asking me to place my clan's bloodline limit at risk here."
A faint stir ran through the Hyuga shinobi standing behind him.
None of them spoke—
But their posture subtly shifted.
"I cannot agree to that," Toko continued.
"No matter the situation on this battlefield."
His voice turned colder.
"The Byakugan is not something that Hyuga can risk for a temporary benefit."
"There is already one dojutsu clan here, so it will not be hard for Uchiha to manage this front without Hyuga."
Several shinobi inside the tent frowned at those words.
Temporary.
To them, this battlefield was not temporary.
Lives were being lost here.
Fugaku's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Senior Toko," he said, his voice calm but firm,
"This is not about temporary benefit."
"This is about survival on this front."
He took a step forward.
"The moment the Hyuga presence weakens here—"
"The pressure on our forces will increase immediately due to a lack of observation and detection."
A few shinobi at the edges of the tent exchanged glances.
They understood this well.
Toko did not respond immediately.
His silence itself felt like a refusal.
Fugaku continued.
"You speak of protecting the Byakugan."
"But what about the shinobi fighting here?"
"What about the ones who will die if our detection and vigilance weaken?"
His tone didn't rise—
But the weight behind it did as he explained the expected outcome.
For a brief moment, the tent grew even quieter.
Hyuga Toko's expression darkened.
"You speak as if I do not understand wars," he said coldly.
"But you fail to understand the consequences yourself; you are only thinking about yourself and your clan."
He stepped forward slightly.
"Do you understand?"
"If even one more Byakugan is taken—"
"The damage will not be limited to this battlefield."
"It will affect the entire village."
His eyes narrowed.
"Or are you willing to take responsibility for that, Fugaku?"
The question hung in the air.
No one answered.
Fugaku's jaw tightened slightly.
Responsibility.
Both of them were speaking of it—
But from different sides.
Before he could reply—
A faint chuckle broke the silence.
"...Heh."
All eyes shifted.
Toyoma.
He was still sitting, one arm resting on his knee, his expression unreadable.
But his eyes—
Amused.
"So this is what it comes down to," Toyoma said lazily.
"Clan… or village."
No one interrupted him.
His gaze moved between Fugaku and Toko.
"One side says risk the battlefield."
"The other says risk the bloodline."
He tilted his head slightly.
"And both call it protecting Konoha."
A few shinobi stiffened.
The words were blunt.
Toyoma slowly stood up.
The faint scrape of his foot against the ground sounded unusually loud in the quiet tent.
"Let me make this simple."
His voice lost its casual tone.
"If Hyuga leaves, taking this much Hyuga back—"
"The mist front weakens."
His eyes shifted to Toko.
"And if this front weakens—"
"The Mist pushes forward."
Another step.
"And when that happens—"
"More Konoha shinobi die."
"Am I saying this right?"
Silence.
No one could deny that.
Toyoma's gaze sharpened further.
"So tell me, Hyuga senior—"
His voice dropped slightly.
"Which loss are you willing to accept?"
The question was direct.
Unavoidable.
For the first time—
Hyuga Toko did not answer immediately.
Behind him, even the Hyuga shinobi seemed more tense.
Fugaku remained silent as well.
Because he knew—
There was no clean answer.
The wind outside grew slightly stronger.
The canvas of the tent trembled again.
Inside—
The stalemate remained.
And the tension only deepened.