Chapter 12: Attempting to Break Through
The next day, Hyuga Hinata returned to normal, training with exceptional focus and showing more initiative during sparring.
Everything seemed to be developing in a positive direction. Except... when Hyuga Kamon came to report, Hyuga Hiashi's expression darkened several more shades.
The moment the Life Simulator's cooldown expired, Hyuga Hinata immediately activated it.
[Konoha Year 54. The Cloud Village delegation arrives, and Father becomes increasingly busy. I find an opportunity to slip out of the estate again, intending to search for Neji.]
[However, just outside the compound wall, I notice a suspicious figure. The person has dark skin, very similar to someone from the Land of Lightning.]
[I have three choices.]
[1. Shout loudly that there's an enemy village spy here.]
[2. Ignore it and continue searching for Neji.]
[3. Do nothing and immediately return to my room.]
"I choose the third option."
[Before the person notices me, I quietly retreat back inside the wall and run to my room. I fall into an uneasy sleep. The intruder seems to have stopped there—the night passes without incident.]
[The next morning dawns, and a new choice presents itself.]
[1. Seek out Kiyonari and Neji to discuss countermeasures.]
[2. Report last night's discovery to Father.]
Hinata had already made her decision. She directly chose the first option to find the simulator's Kiyonari.
[I decide to seek out Kiyonari and Neji, informing them of last night's discovery and tactfully explaining that the Cloud Village messenger absolutely cannot die in Konoha.]
[Neji suggests he can have Uncle Hizashi bring clan members to set an ambush. If the intruder returns tonight, they can capture him together.]
[I instinctively look toward Kiyonari. He agrees with Neji's suggestion and adds: Our capabilities are limited. We must ultimately rely on the adults' strength—prepare defenses in advance and make thorough preparations.]
[Night arrives. I act as bait, climbing over the compound wall again. The Cloud ninja spots me immediately and reaches out to grab me.]
[The branch family members hidden in the shadows instantly appear, surrounding the intruder. However, seeing his mission exposed, a flash of resolve crosses the Cloud ninja's eyes—he doesn't hesitate to choose suicide!]
[He's dead.]
In that instant, cold dread shot from the soles of her feet straight to the crown of her head, leaving Hinata's face pale as paper.
Three simulations in a row... whether she chose to ignore him, call for help, or set an ambush to capture him, every ending pointed to the same result. This could only mean the Cloud Village never cared about that messenger's life or death from the beginning. All they wanted was an excuse to take action!
"Their purpose in coming to Konoha was only the Byakugan!" She gasped the words, voice trembling slightly.
For the Cloud Village, if the intruder could directly abduct her, that would naturally be the best outcome. If the plan was exposed, immediate suicide followed, then the Cloud Village would apply pressure, shifting their target to Father.
This was a conspiracy through and through!
"Haah—"
Hyuga Hinata took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. Her slightly trembling body gradually calmed through repeated deep breaths.
After experiencing all this with the Life Simulator's help, if she still retreated at the first sign of trouble, she'd be far too unworthy of Kiyonari's trust.
She directed her gaze toward the final section of this simulation.
[Simulation complete.]
[Evaluation: You still haven't figured out what truly killed the one you cherish.]
She couldn't understand why the simulator would say that.
Shaking her head, she temporarily set aside that heavy question.
Time slipped quietly by. Another day passed, and only a little time remained before the Cloud Village delegation would arrive in Konoha.
Hyuga Hinata opened the notebook, her eyes gradually settling, becoming firm.
Fourth simulation, activate!
[Konoha Year 54. The Cloud Village delegation arrives, and Father becomes increasingly busy. I find an opportunity to slip out of the estate again, intending to search for Neji.]
[However, just outside the compound wall, I notice a suspicious figure. The person has dark skin, very similar to someone from the Land of Lightning.]
[I have three choices.]
[1. Shout loudly that there's an enemy village spy here.]
[2. Ignore it and continue searching for Neji.]
[3. Do nothing and immediately return to my room.]
"I choose the third option."
[Before the person notices me, I quietly retreat back inside the wall and run to my room. I fall into an uneasy sleep. The intruder seems to have stopped there—the night passes without incident.]
[The next morning dawns, and a new choice presents itself.]
[1. Seek out Kiyonari and Neji to discuss countermeasures.]
[2. Report last night's discovery to Father.]
This time, Hinata chose the second option.
[I report last night's discovery to Father and lay out the Cloud Village's conspiracy in its entirety as speculation. Father's brow furrows tightly. Though somewhat doubtful, he ultimately chooses to believe me.]
[That night, he personally takes action, approaching the compound wall in stealth. The Cloud ninja is completely unprepared when struck at a major pressure point, falling into unconsciousness before being quietly hidden in a remote storage room.]
[The next day, the Cloud Village delegation indeed comes knocking aggressively, claiming their important messenger mysteriously disappeared within the Hyuga compound and demanding the Hyuga family provide an explanation.]
[Amid their clamoring, Hyuga Hiashi states he will dispatch people to assist in the search. He then personally leads Konoha's leadership and the Cloud Village delegation in "searching" through the compound. Finally, before everyone's eyes, they "discover" the "missing" messenger collapsed beside a sake barrel, reeking of alcohol and snoring loudly in deep sleep.]
[The Cloud Village delegation's faces turn iron-dark. Their leader stares fixedly at that "dead drunk" companion, trembling with rage yet unable to utter a single word. Under the watchful eyes of Konoha's people, they can only swallow this "accident" and leave with the man in disgrace.]
[The Hyuga clan's crisis seems to have been resolved.]
Hinata's tense body went soft, nearly collapsing into her chair. "Finally... finally about to succeed!"
She'd successfully protected the clan's bloodline limit from leaking out, protected Father, and protected both Neji and Uncle Hizashi! An unprecedented sense of accomplishment and pride filled her small chest.
Text continued appearing in the notebook, each line seemingly confirming her victory.
[That day, the ceasefire agreement is smoothly signed. The Cloud Village delegation departs at dusk, leaving Konoha Village.]
"Excellent! Now I just need to follow the simulator's—"
However, before she could finish speaking, the situation in the Life Simulator took a sharp turn for the worse.
[Not long after, two ice-cold corpses are delivered to Konoha Village's gates.]
[The returning Cloud Village delegation arrives grief-stricken and furious, accusing the Hokage that shortly after they left, they were pursued and attacked.]
[The Cloud messenger points at the dark purple internal injuries on the corpses, claiming this is ironclad proof of the Gentle Fist—evidence of Hyuga Hiashi's revenge!]
The smile on Hinata's face instantly froze, her pupils constricting sharply.
[Facing the Cloud Village's blatantly flawed and utterly shameless frame-up, Konoha's side falls into eerie silence.]
[The Cloud Village delegation's leader states they're unwilling to reignite war, but Hyuga Hiashi must pay the price for his "atrocity." They demand Konoha hand over Hyuga Hiashi to travel to the Cloud Village for judgment, to appease the Raikage's fury.]
[Facing the Cloud Village's blatantly flawed and utterly shameless frame-up, Konoha's side falls into eerie silence.]
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