"Hyuga Hiashi, everything we do now is for Konoha!"
At this moment, Sarutobi Eisuke also stepped forward. He looked at the furious Hyuga Hiashi and comforted him, saying, "He's just a branch family member. There's no need to be so angry. If it were my Sarutobi clan, they would willingly sacrifice themselves for Konoha!"
Eisuke understood the thoughts of Sarutobi Hiruzen, so he stepped in to guide Hiashi.
Rather than guidance, it felt more like pressure!
When he spoke, Sarutobi Hiruzen did not stop him, which basically meant he agreed with Eisuke.
Perhaps in Hiruzen's heart, he already had the answer: sacrificing the Hyuga clan for a false peace.
"That's impossible! Hyuga Hizashi is my brother! I can't trade my own brother's life for so-called peace!" Hiashi shook his head firmly, his eyes filled with anger.
Now, their Hyuga clan had become a sacrifice.
The Hyuga clan had fought for Konoha, and now Konoha wanted to use their lives to negotiate a truce. This made Hiashi feel cold and unable to accept it.
"Hiashi, do you want to watch Konoha fall back into war?" The Third Hokage took a deep puff from his pipe, his tone heavy.
"Whatever you choose, Konoha will accept it. If you want war, then we will fight. But Konoha's long-awaited peace will be lost in the flames of war!"
The Third Hokage was still using moral pressure, forcing Hiashi to make a decision.
But with that decision, Hiashi's choice was tied to the safety of all Konoha. He had no other options. If he chose to resist Kumogakure, he would be the one who dragged Konoha back into war and be condemned by everyone in the village.
If Genya were here, he would definitely give the Third Hokage a thumbs up for his deep cunning; this moral manipulation was truly masterful.
Though Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed weak and reluctant to go to war with Kumogakure, every word he spoke was pushing Hiashi toward a dead end.
As he continued, Hiruzen felt it wasn't enough. He took a deep breath, "Sigh... If my life could bring peace to Konoha, I would give up everything for it!"
This sounded very noble.
The meaning was clear: as Hokage of Konoha, I can sacrifice everything for peace, but if they don't want my life, then it's up to you, Hiashi.
The more Hiashi listened, the worse his expression became.
The Third Hokage truly was a masterful leader, every word and action revealed his calculations, and he was making Hiashi feel compelled to volunteer.
"Hyuga Hiashi, you need to think carefully. Your decision will impact the rise and fall of Konoha!" Mitokado Homura added from behind, warning him: "And you only have today to decide!"
The two advisors, Mitokado Homura and Koharu, along with Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to work in unison, continuously pressuring Hiashi's resolve.
Kakashi and Uchiha Shisui looked dissatisfied with this decision, but they remained silent.
While they disagreed with sacrificing one person for the peace between Konoha and Kumogakure, they couldn't voice their objections. To do so would make them responsible for plunging Konoha into conflict.
They could only watch Hiashi and wait for his response.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave!" Hiashi said after listening to their advice, no longer wanting to stay in the meeting room. He stood up, ready to leave.
The elder of the Hyuga clan also wore an angry expression and followed suit.
"Alright, Hiashi, I'm giving you the opportunity to choose. Whatever you decide, I won't blame you!" Sarutobi Hiruzen said as Hiashi was about to step out.
After Hiruzen spoke, Eisuke Sarutobi nodded in agreement: "Hmph! If it were the Sarutobi clan, we would definitely sacrifice a branch family member for Konoha's peace!"
The uncle and nephew echoed each other!
"I understand. Tomorrow, I will provide you with a satisfactory answer!" Hiashi said before leaving the meeting room.
Hiashi would never allow his brother to die in his place. If that happened, what would become of his identity as the Hyuga clan leader?
If it came to that, he would rather take his own life for the peace between Konoha and Kumogakure.
The other members of the Hyuga clan who followed silently exchanged glances, seemingly guessing Hiashi's thoughts, but they remained quiet.
Yet, through their exchanged looks, a decision had already been made.
They would sacrifice a branch family member.
They left the meeting room in agreement.
In the meeting, when Sarutobi Hiruzen heard Hiashi's parting words, he finally relaxed. With Hiashi's statement, he was sure that a Hyuga family corpse would be delivered by tomorrow's negotiations.
Whether it was Hiashi or his brother didn't matter; what he wanted was the outcome.
Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged glances, leaning back in their chairs and sighing in relief.
When Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at them, a satisfied smile appeared on his face. It was no surprise he kept these two advisors around; they truly knew how to act in critical moments.
"Elders, you can go back now. I want to be alone for a while," Hyuga Hiashi said, stopping and signaling for the elders who had followed him to leave.
"Clan Leader, but..." one elder hesitated, not wanting to leave.
"This is an order. Come back tomorrow!" Hiashi said firmly, then walked directly toward his residence.
The elders of the Hyuga clan exchanged glances behind him.
"Boss, what should we do next?" one of the older men asked, worry and helplessness etched on his face.
The clan's elder took a deep breath. "We need to take action, divide the clan, and find Hyuga Hizashi!"
"But the leader might not agree to let us find Hyuga Hizashi!" another elder spoke up, hesitating as he glanced at Hiashi's residence.
Seeing there was no response, he finally let out a breath of relief.
"The Third Hokage is using the peace of Konoha as leverage. Our Hyuga clan has to hand him over, no matter the reason, but the leader can't suffer a loss. We'll have to make Hiashi compromise!" the elder said, seemingly mourning for Hiashi.
"Hmph! Hyuga Hizashi is just a branch of the Hyuga clan. It's his honor to contribute to the clan!" Another elder scoffed, showing more disdain than pity for Hiashi.
After discussing, the elders headed to find Hyuga Hizashi, knowing they needed to act quickly. Otherwise, the leader might do something foolish.
This was a quiet and serene residence since Hyuga Hizashi was the leader's brother, so he received treatment similar to other clan members.
A violent crashing sound echoed as the door burst open, and the elders stormed in.
The situation was urgent and required special treatment.
"Where is Hyuga Hizashi?"
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