The Uchiha-Uzumaki wedding cluded, a day of joyous celebration.

  But the gears of the shinobi world kept turning.

  Two groundbreaking articles, "The Konoha-Suna Student Summer Camp Showdown" and "Konoha's Wedding of the tury," were swiftly delivered to the publishing house in the Land of Hot Water.

  Thanks to expedited printing, They would likely reach every er of the ninja world through Iki's distribution els within three days.

  Mabui, too, wasted no time. She reyed the news of the "massive dowry" to her fellow kunoichi (excluding Samui), delivered Gojo Kaigetsu's terms, and presented Minato's letter to the Raikage.

  Would the Uzumaki survivors return to Konoha, or would they stubbornly g to their rese? Were the kunoichi of the other vilges loyal ninja, or merely gold-diggers? Would the Raikage agree to Minato's "brotherhood"?

  The ninja world's reas would take time to unfold.

  Even Gojo Kaigetsu, impatient as he was, couldn't accelerate the process. After all, he wasn't a time-traveling ninja.

  While Konoha basked ierglow of the wedding, a new narrative emerged. An article titled, "The Death of a Hyuga Branch Family Ninja," began to circute.

  Early m, Taiten Ninja Tools.

  Several burly ers gathered, sipping muscle-boosting tonid exging gossip.

  "Hey, did you hear about… that?" one whispered spiratorially.

  "What's that?"

  "You know"

  "Just spit it out."

  "Did you read 'The Death of a Hyuga Branch Family Ninja'?"

  "Yeah! Those damn Hyuga I used to think they were better than the Uchiha, back when those rumors were cirg. But now I take it all back! Scum!"

  Taiten Ninja Tools, having piohe "Pay It Forward Explosive Tag" system, had bee a popur spot in Konoha.

  Under Gojo Kaigetsu's guidahe shop offered dists in the ms and evenings, attrag budget-scious civilian ninja.

  "What's this about a dead Hyuga ninja?" one of the ers asked, having missed the news.

  "It's about a Hyuga prodigy from the branch family, a top student at the Academy. After graduating, he took o missions a day to pay for his sister's tuition. He refused to help the main family cheat the system, and they killed him."

  The speaker's voice rose with indignation. "Advisojo should have the Anbu iigate the Hyuga. Now that he's in charge, they're already pulling this kind of crap. Who knows what they were doing during the Third Hokage's era."

  "Careful what you say!"

  "Careful? What's there to be careful about? The secret ninja are"

  "Think before you speak! It's the Hyuga main family, not the branch family! The branch family are the victims here. And it's the Fourth Hokage in charge now, not Advisojo."

  "ht. My mistake. They should iigate the main family. The Fourth and Advisojo are practically the same person, anyway."

  The newer nodded, as if suddenly enlightened. "So, the Hyuga main family they're the bad guys. I didn't even know they had a branch family."

  "Yeah, it's Konoha's 51st year. I 't believe svery still exists in our vilge."

  "Svery?"

  "The Hyuga branch family system… it's no different from svery. Branded from birth, their lives aren't their own. Even a top academy graduate ends up as a servant to the main family. They have to hand over their earnings, buy their own equipment to protect their masters work their entire lives, and their children i the same fate."

  "Leeches!" The er smmed the table, his voice rising with anger. "We risk our lives every day to earn a living. And those Hyuga, born with a Kekkei Genkai, aren't satisfied. They have to eheir own kin, using them as stepping stones How anyone be so cruel?!"

  "We pay taxes to the vilge, because without the vilge, there is no us. But the Hyuga branch family they have to pay a sed tax to the main family. Who do they truly serve?"

  "That Hinata she was too naive. She should have rebelled, goo the Hokage Tower and demanded justice. See if those main family leeches would still dare to exploit them."

  "It's not that simple," another ninja said, shaking his head. "I have a friend in the branch family. He said the seal on their foreheads, the Caged Bird Seal, is ected to their eyes and minds. If the main family activates it, death would be a mercy. The pain it's unimaginable."

  "Then what be dohe first ninja smmed his fist oable in frustration.

  Lowly ninja, aced to hardship, were easy to empathize with.

  And easy fojo Kaigetsu to manipute.

  The heated discussion in Taiten Ninja Tools was a mi of Konoha's curreiment. Wherever people gathered, this was the topic of versation.

  Gradually, a sensus formed among the lower-ranking ninja: Rise up! Don't kneel! Free the Hyuga branch family!

  The article quickly reached the Hokage's office.

  Fugaku Uchiha's seat was empty. Advisojo had granted him aended leave to celebrate his ret marriage.

  If not for Minato's insisten propriety, Gojo Kaigetsu would have extended Fugaku's leave until his new child was born.

  The atmosphere in the meeting room was tense.

  Everyone held a copy of "The Death of a Hyuga Branch Family Ninja," reading in silence. Aside from Minato, they were all seasoned ninja, aced to the harsh realities of the shinobi world.

  Even Hiashi Hyuga…

  If the article hadn't mentiohe branch family, he, too, might have remained indifferent.

  Expeg these hardened ninja to empathize with "Hinata" was unrealistic.

  But the political implications

  Ma a sense of déjà vu. Back when Danzo was still alive, a simir article about "Soldier Pills" had circuted, eventually reag the Hokage's desk.

  A hidden hand seemed to be at py, stirring the pot, maniputis.

  Some, realizing this, shifted unfortably in their seats.

  Konoha's leadership could make this happen. First targeting Elder Danzo, now the Hyuga … it was obvious.

  But why target the Hyuga? Better not to ask. Just remain loyal.

  Minato set the article down, gng at Gojo Kaigetsu.

  His gaze seemed to say, "Why didn't you inform me beforehand? Do you even respect my authority as Hokage?"

  Gojo Kaigetsu, however, avoided his gaze.

  "Where did this article e from?" Minato finally asked.

  "Lord Hokage," Gojo Kaigetsu said, his tone serious. "Around 3 AM, a group of individuals distributed copies of this article throughout the vilge. By the time the Anbu and the Military Police Force respohey were gone. We're currently iigating."

  Minato stared at him, speechless.

  With Fugaku Uchiha on leave, Gojo Kaigetsu was now direg the Military Police Force?

  And the vilge's security was so x that someone could distribute propaganda and escape ued? Konoha's reputation was at stake.

  And "iigating?" With both the perpetrators and the iigators w for the same person, what were the ces of success?

  Minato g the representatives ament heads. They all nodded solemnly, as if in agreement.

  As long as Advisojo said it, it must be true.

  Who would dare question him?

  Advisojo was merciful. He hadn't brought a Nara deer into the meeting and called it a horse, after all.

  As for the Anbu and Military Police Force's sudden inpetence

  Some things were best left unsaid, some people's true nature best left unexamined. In this world, every soul was a mix of light and darkness.

  Of course, Advisojo was an exception. His loyalty to the Will of Fire was absolute.

  Minato sighed aured fojo Kaigetsu to tinue. He wao uand the full scope of this Hinata situation.

  "When I first read this article, I was furious!" Gojo Kaigetsu decred, his finger jabbing at the paper. "I suspected a fn power was trying to undermine Konoha, to sow discord."

  "But…" his tone shifted, "…ierest of fairness, I ordered an iigation. We discovered that a Hyuga ninja named Hinata did exist, and she did die in Konoha year 50."

  His voice turned cold. He produced a file. " Head Hiashi, care to expin?"

  "I… will fully cooperate with Advisojo's iigation," Hiashi Hyuga said, rising to his feet.

  What?! He surrendered just like that?

  Setting aside the article's authenticity, couldn't the Hyuga show a bit of… resistance? Advisojo said "iigate," and he immediately plied? Even Kumogakure's ninjas weren't this quick to surrender.

  The other representatives exged incredulous gnces.

  While the Hyuga 's cim to being Konoha's stro might require a qualifier—"aside from the Uchiha"—they were still a formidable force.

  They represented more than just their own 's is; they were a symbol for all the smaller s.

  Their strength emboldehe others to challehe Hokage's authority, to demand a greater share of the resources. But if the Hyuga surrendered so easily…

  The Uchiha and the Fourth Hokage were clearly alighere was no hope there. But the Hyuga…

  The representatives sighed inwardly. They hoped the Hokage wouldn't push them too hard. They didn't want to be forced to abandon their businesses and relocate to some barren wastend to… stimute the local ey.

  "This… demands a thh iigation!" Gojo Kaigetsu smmed his fist oable, his feigned anger palpable. "What's going on, Hyuga?! Expin yourselves!"

  "The main and branch family system… it's a Hyuga tradition. It's… plicated," Hiashi Hyuga said, pying his part.

  Gojo Kaigetsu exploded. "Hyuga Hiashi! Was Hinata's death caused by the main family, or was it a genuine act?!"

  "I… 't say for sure, Advisojo. If you want to know, iigate," Hiashi replied, feigning ignorance.

  "The Caged Bird Seal be used to kill branch family members at will, correct?"

  "That's true. Even a main family Genin kill a branch family Jonin with the seal. But Advisojo, rest assured, we rarely resort to such drastic measures. We merely use it to… disciplihem, to remind them of their pce. A small punishment, a valuable lesson" Hiashi's heart ached as he spoke. "Uhey betray the main family, pose a direct threat, or publicly disrespect us… we wouldn't kill them."

  The other representatives were stunned. Was the Hyuga Head an idiot?

  Couldn't he see that Advisojo was looking for an excuse tet the Hyuga? This was the time to stay silent, to cooperate.

  Or perhaps this re-arranged performance.

  Gojo Kaigetsu pressed his advao whom does the Hyuga branch family pledge their loyalty? The main family? Or Konoha?"

  "Well the Hyuga branch family system has a long history"

  "Who do they serve?! The vilge or the main family?!"

  Hiashi Hyuga's gaze drifted, as if he were struggling to reect to reality. "We treat the branch family humanely, in accordah the Will of Fire. We are adjusting our ma style"

  "Even the vilge itself 't execute a ninja without due process! Who gave the Hyuga main family the authority to execute Konoha ninja?!"

  "How many branch family members have been killed since Konoha's founding?!" Gojo Kaigetsu's voied, his tone growing colder.

  Hiashi Hyuga stared at him, speechless, his face a mask of well, let's just say it was a very ving performance.

  "Does the branch family belong to Konoha, or to the main family?"

  Hiashi's lips moved soundlessly, as if repeating, "Don't ask."

  "Tell me, Hiashi Hyuga, do the branch family ninja look upon the Hokage Rock, or the portraits of the main family?!"

  "Does the Hyuga tend to betray Konoha?!"

  Gojo Kaigetsu's voice thundered, his aura practically shaking the room.

  Even Hiashi, knowing it was an act, felt a surge of fear. He instinctively recoiled.

  He had to respond. What if what if Gojo Kaigetsu decided to take this further, to orchestrate a Hyuga nihition Night?

  He'd revealed the 's secret stash of Byakugan. Though only the Hyuga knew how to uhem, the Fourth Hokage's wife was the greatest sealing jutsu master in the world. It was only a matter of time.

  Hiashi Hyuga straightened up. "Absolutely not! Even if our were to be annihited, we would never betray Konoha! The Hyuga's loyalty is to the Hokage!"

  Even Minato Namikaze wasn't sure if Gojo Kaigetsu was truly targeting the Hyuga. He stepped in to mediate. "Kaigetsu-kun, that's enough. I trust the Hyuga 's loyalty. Until the iigation cludes"

  Bang—

  The door burst open.

  "Lord Hokage! Advisojo! There's… a protest outside."

  "What?!"

  Minato rushed to the window. Hundreds of Konoha ninja, carrying banners demanding justice for Hinata and punishment for the Hyuga main family, marched toward the Hokage Tower.

  This… was a full-blown rebellion!

  The meeting room's octs exged shocked ghese ninja weren't fools. They khe sequences of such as.

  But perhaps, fueled by righteous anger, inspired by a few leaders…

  And where had these leaders e from?

  All eyes turo Gojo Kaigetsu.

  They didn't know that his p even deeper.

  In teahouses and ninja tool shops across the vilge, "friends" of Hinata Hyuga were sharing stories of her kindness and selflessness.

  Each story worthy of inclusion in Three Years at the Ninja Academy, practically izing Hinata as a saint.

  Gojo Kaigetsu hadn't o exert much effort to ighis demonstration.

  But his rea was ued.

  He casually summoned an Anbu operative. "What? Most of the Anbu are off duty? And the rest are on a special training exercise? What about the Military Police Force? Drunk? They're all drunk?! Preposterous! Summon them immediately!"

  He turo Minato, feigning . "Lord Hokage, publitiment is… votile. And with the Anbu and Military Police Force… unavaible, we must hahis delicately, to avoid further escation."

  "I'll… hahis," Gojo Kaigetsu said, stepping forward.

  He faced the approag protesters. "What's the meaning of this?! This is the Hokage Tower! If you're here for missions, form a line and maintain order!"

  "Advisojo, we're not here for missions! We demand justice for Hinata Hyuga!"

  "Punish the main family! Blood for blood!"

  "Justice for Hinata, you say…" Gojo Kaigetsu paused, as if ihought.

  "I uand yer. But both the Military Police Ford the Anbu require evidence. We 't simply n the Hyuga based on an anonymous article. That would be unfair."

  "We have evidence! roof!"

  Someone in the crowd produced a thick stack of dots. A quice revealed detailed ats of suspicious deaths within the Hyuga branch family, provided by supposed cssmates and friends.

  Some were Gojo Kaigetsu's pnts. Others were civilian-born ninja, emboldened by the current climate, eager to side with the winning team.

  "This..."

  "Traitors! Scum!!" Gojo Kaigetsu's hand trembled as he "examihe dots. His expression turned grim. He dramatically produced the Hokage Order, holding it aloft.

  The shimmering seal gleamed in the midday sun.

  The crowd parted, their gazes fixed on the Hokage Order, a symbol of absolute authority.

  "Military Police Force! Anbu! Root! Surround the Hyuga pound! No os in or out!"

  Silence fell over the Hokage Tower.

  Minato Namikaze stared, stunned. Hiashi Hyuga trembled.

  The order was reyed.

  "By order of Advisojo, tain the Hyuga !"

  Further out…

  "By order of Advisojo, surround the Hyuga !"

  And further…

  "Advisojo's orders! The Hyuga main family has colluded with fn powers, attempting to undermihe Fourth Hokage!"

  And even further…

  "Fn ninja have infiltrated the Hyuga pound, a base for undermining the Fourth Hokage!"

  Within five minutes…

  Anbu, Military Police Force, and Root ninja materialized throughout the vilge. Even Kakashi Hatake, still on vacation, appeared among them.

  "Follow me!"

  "Let's ask those Hyuga elders what the hell they think 'freedom' means!"

  From atop the Hokage Rock, a sea of silver and biforms verged on the Hyuga pound, like a spear poi their hearts.

  "Konoha… is ging," Minato Namikaze murmured, watg Gojo Kaigetsu's retreating figure. He turo the trembling Hiashi Hyuga and said gently, "Rex, Hiashi. Everything will be alright."

  …

  …

  Crash—

  A teacup shattered on the floor.

  Hyuga Jun, clutg a copy of "The Death of a Hyuga Branch Family Ninja," trembled with rage.

  "This is snder! A btant attempt to frame the Hyuga main family!" He gripped his knees, f himself to calm down. "The Hyuga are eternal. Hokage e and go. We've weathered tless storms. A mere Hokage… he 't touch us."

  "Hyuga Hinata… she was Makoto's guard, wasn't she? Summon Makoto!" he ordered.

  Hyuga Makoto, his grandson, crawled into the room, trembling.

  "Makoto," Hyuga Jun said, pointing at the article, "tell me what truly happened."

  "I… I told Hinata to… fail the graduation exam, to let me take first pce. She said something about… it being for my own good…"

  "Later, I took on an A-rank mission and… abandoned her. No one else knows about this! How… how did this get out?"

  "You… you did that?!"

  Hyuga Jun's breath hitched. He wasn't angry that Makoto had caused Hinata's death. Such ruthlessness, such ambition, was a valuable trait in a Hyuga main family member.

  A ninja's path was a stant struggle. Stagnatio death.

  He was furious that such a thing, done i, had been exposed.

  Now, the elders had to up another mess.

  During the Third Hokage's era, su i would have been quickly buried. For the sake of the vilge's stability, they wouldn't make a fuss over a dead branch family in.

  But the current Hokage

  The Fourth and his advisor they were uable. They might actually escate this.

  "Idiot!" Hyuga Nu, another elder and a close friend of Hyuga Jun's, interjected. "It's just a branch family ninja. There's o panic. The Fourth Hokage is a reasonable man. And even if he weren't… the vilge he Byakugan. They have to respect our authority."

  "Hiashi will… hahis."

  But just then…

  "Elder! Hiashi Hyuga is… ing the branch family at the training grounds!"

  "That traitor!" Hyuga Jun's face twisted in fury. If he couldn't trol the Hokage, he could certainly trol a branch family member. Even if he was Hiashi's brother. With the Caged Bird Seal, any main family ninja could trol him.

  "From now on, such matters don't require my permission. Follow protocol and punish them severely."

  "But these are… sensitive times. An example must be made. I'll hahis personally." Hyuga Jun cracked his knuckles, preparing to activate the Caged Bird Seal. "I hope my skills haven't atrophied. Follow me!"

  At the Hyuga training grounds, a crowd of branch family ninja had gathered.

  An older ninja pleaded, "Hizashi, stop this! Even if you are the Head's brother… this is treason! The elders won't tolerate it."

  "e down now. For the Head's sake… they might show leniency."

  Hyuga Hizashi, looking at the fearful faces of the branch family, shook his head in disappoi.

  Konoha was a vilge of freedom and opportunity. The disparity between the branch family and ordinary ninja fueled his anger and his resolve. He could endure his owude, but he wouldn't n his children to the same fate.

  'My brother's already making his move at the Hokage Tower… I 't fall behind.'

  He recalled the note Hiashi had given him the previous night. He raised his voice.

  "We don't need shuriken! We don't need explosive tags! We need freedom! The right to live as human beings! And freedom isn't earhrough begging or protesting. It's earhrough blood and iron!"

  "We're not fighting for servitude! We're fighting for freedom! We are not sves! We are not caged birds! We are ninja! Loyal to the Fourth Hokage, to Advisojo, to the Will of Fire! We are Konoha ninja!"

  "For our children, for their freedom"

  "Silence! Hyuga Hizashi, you have itted a grave offense!"

  Hyuga Jun's voied, filled with rage, as he approached, his hands already f the seals for the Caged Bird Seal.

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