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Hiashi Hyūga’s face was incredibly dark.
Although the elders had devised a plan to spare his life, and his younger brother Hizashi had agreed to it—Hiashi felt no joy. He wasn’t heartless.
Remembering his childhood bond with Hizashi, he couldn’t bear to let his brother die in his place.
Just then, Shin returned with Hinata. He immediately noticed Hiashi sitting in the courtyard, his face like a thundercloud.
“Hinata, go play by yourself.”
Shin ruffled Hinata’s hair gently, then walked over to Hiashi.
“The Hyūga Clan plans to have your brother sacrifice himself for you, right?” Shin asked, sitting down beside him.
Hiashi looked at Shin Uzumaki in astonishment. How does he know everything?
“Seeing you look so pitiful, I decided to offer you an opportunity. Interested?” Shin asked, smiling faintly at Hiashi.
Hiashi instinctively felt Shin’s smile held ill intentions, but his desire to save Hizashi outweighed his suspicion.
“What opportunity?” Hiashi asked.
He wanted to save his brother—and Shin Uzumaki clearly had the power to help him. If Shin could truly save Hizashi, Hiashi would even agree to let Shin take Hinata.
“What do you think of Konoha’s treatment of the Hyūga Clan?” Shin countered, not answering Hiashi’s question directly.
Hiashi’s face darkened further.
Honestly, Hiruzen Sarutobi’s decision this time had left him deeply disappointed. The Hyūga Clan had fought and bled for Konoha during the war, yet now they were being sold out without hesitation.
This was the first time the Hyūga Clan had suffered such humiliation; Hiashi was naturally upset.
“To Konoha, the Hyūga Clan is just an expendable pawn. They used you to trade for peace today; they could do it again in the future. Do you want to live like this forever?”
“What are you trying to say?”
Hiashi narrowed his eyes at Shin. As a clan head, Hiashi wasn’t stupid; he already had an inkling of what Shin was suggesting.
“Rebel, Hiashi. Don’t let Konoha oppress you anymore. They treat you like dogs. Don’t you even have the backbone to bite back?”
Shin’s use of the word “Dog” finally ignited Hiashi’s fury.
To be honest—Shin’s words had planted the seed of rebellion in Hiashi’s mind, but he quickly suppressed it. If the Hyūga Clan rebelled, they would face certain annihilation. Konoha would never let them go.
Seeing Hiashi’s hesitation, Shin decided to add more fuel to the fire.
“Tsk. Back in the Warring States period, the Hyūga Clan stood alongside the Senju and Uchiha as Great clans. Now, you lack such backbone. Your ancestors would turn over in their graves.”
“Being oppressed and not fighting back is one thing, but to wag your tail like a dog begging for scraps… what a pathetic clan.”
“ENOUGH!!”
Hiashi finally snapped, standing up furiously and glaring at Shin.
“Angry now? Am I wrong? Do you still have feelings for Konoha? They treat you like tools.”
Veins bulged on Hiashi’s forehead. He gritted his teeth, his Byakugan activating in his rage, making him look particularly menacing.
“Don’t just stand there fuming impotently. It only makes me look down on you more. If you decide to rebel, perhaps I can help you.”
Shin finished speaking and left, leaving Hiashi alone to contemplate. Whether Hiashi could swallow this insult remained to be seen.
If he was truly rotten wood, there was no point trying to prop him up.
After Shin left, Hiashi remained, lost in thought. As the saying goes, the longer you endure, the angrier you get; the more you retreat, the more you lose.
Right now, Hiashi felt he was losing more and more.
“I, Hiashi Hyūga, will rebel!”
After long deliberation, fueled by simmering anger and Shin’s provocative words, Hiashi made his decision.
“Shin Uzumaki, I hope you don’t screw me over.”
Hiashi’s decision was largely based on Shin’s offer of help.
If Shin ultimately betrayed him, the Hyūga Clan would be doomed. In the end, Hiashi chose to trust Shin Uzumaki, placing the fate of his entire clan in Shin’s hands.
He swore he’d never imagined himself making such a reckless gamble.
——
“Looks like you’ve made up your mind.”
Shin walked back over with a smile. A clan-wide defection from the Hyūga… what kind of impact would that have on the Shinobi world?
If they failed, the Hyūga would be branded traitors, their shame recorded in history, likely having little impact on the world.
But if they succeeded… the consequences would be enormous.
“Shin Uzumaki, the lives of the entire Hyūga Clan rest in your hands now. I hope you won’t betray my trust.” Hiashi looked deeply at Shin.
“Relax. I’m a man of my word.” Shin said, patting his chest confidently.
“Forget rebellion. I just want to lead the Hyūga Clan away from this cold, heartless village,”
Hiashi sighed. Attacking the Hokage Tower, pitting a clan against an entire village—Hiashi wasn’t considering that suicidal path. He just wanted to leave Konoha with his clan.
Hiashi then left to secretly convene a meeting with the Hyūga elders.
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“What?! Big brother, you want to defect from Konoha?” Hizashi Hyūga, also present, stared at his brother in shock.
Was this really his brother’s idea?
“That’s right. Konoha betrayed us first.” Hiashi said firmly. Having made his decision, he wouldn’t waver.
“Hiashi, do you realize this decision could push the Hyūga Clan into the abyss?” the Hyūga Great Elder cautioned.
“I know. But the Hyūga Clan can die standing; we will never live kneeling.” Hiashi clenched his fists.
Stay in Konoha and hand over his own brother? Even with the rift between the main and branch families, they were still connected by blood.
“You are the Clan Head. You decide. I hope you take responsibility for the entire Hyūga Clan.” The Hyūga Great Elder sighed, then nodded.
He wouldn’t obstruct Hiashi’s decision. He couldn’t swallow this insult either. Hiruzen Sarutobi had gone too far.
The Great Elder, older than Hiruzen, remembered the Hyūga Clan’s glory days. Who dared to bully the Hyūga back then?
Now, facing such humiliation, his anger burned. Sometimes, dignity was more important than life.
“Rest assured, Great Elder. I wouldn’t have made this decision without a trump card. Shin Uzumaki has promised to help.” Hiashi revealed Shin’s involvement, hoping to reassure the elders.
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