Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 181 Coercion

Seeing Hiashi Hyuga make his decision, Hiruzen Sarutobi was deeply shaken. A hint of panic flickered across his usually composed face. He simply couldn't understand why the head of the Hyuga clan, a high-ranking and powerful figure, would so easily make the decision to die! This was a matter of life and death! Although Konoha had indeed pressured the Hyuga clan to hand over the murderer, they certainly didn't want to see their clan head, one of Konoha's most prestigious families, so easily handed over to Kumogakure.

This unexpected decision was like a heavy blow, severely disrupting Hiruzen Sarutobi's meticulously planned follow-up schemes. All his painstaking efforts weren't truly intended to anger the entire Hyuga clan, nor did he intend to forge a deep-seated hatred with them. On the contrary, his true purpose was to incite internal strife within the Hyuga clan, further escalating the conflict between the main family and branch families, thereby forcing the main family to rely on the support of the Konoha leadership to suppress the branch family ninjas. In this way, he could not only gain control over a portion of the Hyuga clan's strength but also effectively disperse their power—a two-birds-with-one-stone strategy.

However, Hiashi Hyuga's astonishing move completely shattered Hiruzen Sarutobi's plans, making the situation even more unpredictable. Faced with this sudden turn of events, Hiruzen Sarutobi fell into deep thought: how should he respond?

We must dissuade Hyuga Hiashi from sacrificing himself and get him to focus on the Hyuga clan's branch family. Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Hyuga Hiashi a kind smile and immediately said that Konoha did not need the Hyuga clan leader to sacrifice himself, but Kumogakure also needed to give an explanation. He hoped that Hyuga Hiashi would think it over carefully before making a decision and not casually utter words of suicide.

However, once he stepped out of Hiashi Hyuga's residence, he immediately rushed towards the location of the Hyuga clan's head elder. Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that at this crucial moment, he needed to have in-depth exchanges and communication with those highly respected elders of the Hyuga clan's head family.

Upon arriving at their destination, Hiruzen Sarutobi cut to the chase and sincerely expressed his thoughts. He hoped that the elders of the main branch could use their influence to persuade the head of the Hyuga clan to change his mind and recommend Hizashi Hyuga from the branch family to replace his elder brother as the person to be delivered to the Kumogakure delegation. In this way, the loss of the Byakugan from the Hyuga clan could be avoided, and the successful completion of the mission could be ensured.

As expected, after Hiruzen Sarutobi explained the plan in detail, the elders of the Hyuga clan immediately expressed their support and decisively took an even more resolute measure—they decided to hand over only the clan leader's body to Kumogakure to completely sever any possibility of the Byakugan bloodline flowing out. This decision undoubtedly demonstrated the decisiveness and determination of the Hyuga clan's elders.

Immediately afterward, the elders of the main branch of the Hyuga clan sprang into action, summoning the high-ranking members to a meeting to discuss the momentous events of the previous night. The atmosphere was tense and serious; everyone was acutely aware of the importance of this meeting, for they were about to make decisions that would determine the Hyuga clan's future survival in Konoha.

When the head elder of the main clan proposed that Hyuga Hizashi, the younger brother who looked exactly like the clan leader, deliver the delegation from Kumogakure in place of the clan leader, the high-ranking members of the branch family revealed anger and sorrow in their eyes, all of which Hyuga Hiashi noticed. However, his younger brother, Hyuga Hizashi, watched all of this with a calm expression, as if he were an indifferent bystander.

Hiashi Hyuga knew all too well that if the clan truly made such a decision, harmony between the main and branch families would be shattered. Moreover, Hizashi Hyuga was his own brother! They shared a deep bond. He simply couldn't bear to watch his younger brother die in his place.

Therefore, Hiashi Hyuga rejected the elders' proposal on the spot without hesitation. Not only that, he even offered to immediately have the Caged Bird Seal engraved on his body, then hand himself over to Kumogakure so that his younger brother, Hizashi Hyuga, could succeed him as clan leader.

Hyuga Hizashi's composed expression finally changed upon hearing his brother's words. He was a man who cherished his family deeply, willing to protect them with his life. Even so, facing his five-year-old child, his heart was still filled with resentment and heartache, not wanting his child to lose his father's presence so early. However, he had already learned the purpose of this meeting from the elders of the Hyuga main clan and understood the current attitude of the Konoha village leadership.

He knew perfectly well that neither the high-ranking officials of Konoha nor the elders of the Hyuga clan's main branch would ever hand over the position of clan head to Kumogakure. Therefore, he became the best substitute. This would eliminate the threat of war posed by Kumogakure to Konoha and ensure the safety of the clan head. For him, a branch family member, even if he was unwilling, he couldn't resist. After all, the threat of the Caged Bird Seal was ever-present, and the safety of his child's future forced him to accept this arrangement.

To his utter surprise, his elder brother rejected the clan elder's proposal without hesitation, even hoping that he would take on the position of clan leader. These words truly touched his heartstrings, causing him to fall into deep thought.

The elders of the main clan were utterly astonished by Hyuga Hiashi's refusal. In their minds, the purpose of branch family members was to sacrifice themselves for the main clan. It was perfectly normal for a branch family member to die in place of the main family member, especially since Konoha had already agreed to the Kumogakure delegation's request for the Hyuga clan to hand over the murderer. Since the other side had targeted Hyuga Hiashi, they must know his appearance and identity intimately. Only Hyuga Hizashi, his younger brother, was the most suitable substitute. However, if the other side insisted on the Hyuga clan handing over their leader, that was absolutely unacceptable. This would be tantamount to abandoning the entire Hyuga clan's dignity; how could they ever again call themselves a powerful clan of Konoha? However, these elders were quick-witted and soon turned their attention to Hyuga Hizashi. They firmly believed that if they could persuade Hyuga Hizashi to volunteer to die in place of the leader, Hyuga Hiashi would certainly not be able to refuse.

As the meeting concluded, the elders of the Hyuga clan's main branch quickly approached Hyuga Hizashi, pressuring him to offer to die in his place so the clan could weather the crisis. They even used Hizashi's son as leverage. Hizashi, realizing the elders' relentless pursuit of their goal, knew he had no choice but to agree and compromise for his son's sake.

When Hyuga Hizashi found Hyuga Hiashi, he saw Hiashi writing something furiously, completely ignoring his arrival. Hizashi quietly waited for Hiashi to finish writing.

Hiashi Hyuga wrote quickly, finishing the scroll in just a few minutes. He closed it and turned his gaze to his younger brother, who was standing not far away. Hiashi knew perfectly well that the main branch elders and Konoha's higher-ups wouldn't give up. Even if he refused their offer, they would still force his brother to take his place in death. However, they seemed to have forgotten the Hyuga clan's trump card: Hyuga Kanan, who had long since left Konoha. As Kanan's closest brother, Hyuga Hizashi, even Hiashi wouldn't dare force his younger brother like that. Hiashi's explanation at the meeting was partly due to his genuinely good relationship with his brother and his reluctance to see him die in his place, but the main reason was the existence of Kanan outside Konoha. Perhaps Kanan wouldn't care about Hiashi's life or death, but Hiashi wasn't so sure about Hyuga Hizashi. If Hyuga Kanan were to return to the village and learn that it was the Hyuga clan's main branch and the Konoha leadership who forced Hyuga Hizashi to his death, then the elders of the Hyuga clan's main branch, including himself, and the Konoha leadership would likely face dire consequences. A few years ago, Hyuga Kanan was already capable of slaughtering thousands of elite ninjas surrounded by them; even the Konoha village and the Hyuga clan's main branch wouldn't be able to withstand their wrath.

That's why Hiashi Hyuga disregarded the elders' suggestions and forcefully refused them. But seeing Hizashi Hyuga arrive, he knew that the other party was still forcing Hizashi Hyuga to come here and offer to die in his place, just as he had guessed.

Seeing Hyuga Hiashi staring intently at him, Hyuga Hizashi felt uneasy. However, following the instructions of the main family elders, he volunteered to take his brother's place in death. But before Hizashi could finish speaking, Hyuga Hiashi interrupted him.

"Hizashi, you are my own brother! You went to die for me, did you even consider Neji's feelings? You made a child who had just lost his mother lose his father again, and you even went to die in place of someone else!"

Upon hearing Hiashi Hyuga's words, Hizashi Hyuga's face showed a moment of struggle before regaining its composure, even displaying a slight smile. Looking at his brother, who looked exactly like him, he said, "It's not someone else! It's my brother! I'm not being forced by the elders of the main family or the higher-ups of Konoha; I'm genuinely going to my death in place of my brother, Hiashi Hyuga. I believe Neji's uncle will take good care of him and ensure he grows up safely and happily."

Looking at Hyuga Hizashi's smiling face, but with a firm tone, Hyuga Hiashi knew that the other party was not joking, but was really willing to die for him.

"No, you don't need to die in my place!"

"Brother, I really have no resentment!" Hyuga Hizashi hurriedly spoke up when he heard Hyuga Hiashi refuse again. He didn't want to see his brother forced to his death by the Cloud Ninja.