The truth

Chapter 69 The truth

Hokage Office.

The Third Hokage frowned, took a

puff from his pipe, and exhaled slowly.

"Lord Hokage, Hyuga Yutaka

and Taki Kiba have arrived, and... Shinsuke-sama and Kushina-sama are also

here," Kazama reported, hesitating slightly before mentioning Hinata

Shinsuke and Uzumaki Kushina.

"Shinsuke, Kushina..."

The Third Hokage's frown deepened. He rubbed his forehead and said, "Let

them in."

"Yes!" Kazama replied

and was about to leave.

"Homura, when they come in,

you should leave first," the Third Hokage ordered again.

Kazama paused slightly, then

nodded in agreement.

Is this matter so secret that even I can't know?

Afterward, Kiba, Hyuga Yutaka,

Hyuga Shinsuke, and Uzumaki Kushina were brought into the Hokage's office by

Kazama, who then withdrew and closed the door.

Can't Kazama know about this?

Uzumaki Kushina frowned slightly,

realizing the gravity of the situation.

Hyuga Shinsuke remained

expressionless, just watching Kiba.

"Taki Kiba, Hyuga Yutaka, I

originally wanted to wait for you to grow up before telling you about this

matter," the Third Hokage said, his words heavy with regret.

So... what is going on? Is there a secret behind

Hyuga Yutaka trying to kill me?

Hirohiko mentioned Hyuga Yutaka looked at me with

hatred, but I haven't done anything to make him hate me, have I? That incident

with Yukina, at most, made me a rival in love? It doesn't seem like I'm a

threat to Yukina's safety.

Indeed, Hyuga Yutaka's motive for killing me is

suspicious. Although he's angry, he doesn't seem like the type to become

murderous just because someone approaches his sweetheart.

Kiba recalled all his interactions

with Hyuga Yutaka and frowned slightly.

He always called me a dirty traitor... traitor? The

only traitor is my father, who I never met and who gave me a hated start.

Could this have something to do with my father?

Kiba made a judgment.

As for Hyuga Yutaka, he looked at

the Third Hokage and Hinata Shinsuke, surprised: Does Master Shinsuke know

about this?

The Third Hokage looked at Hinata

Shinsuke and then at Uzumaki Kushina. Neither spoke. Behind Kiba, Kushina's

hand rested lightly on his shoulder.

It's okay, the teacher is here.

Kushina didn't say anything, but

the moment her hand touched Kiba's shoulder, he felt reassured.

Kushina, did you follow me because you were worried

about me?

"Hyuga Yutaka, the person who

killed your father Hyuga Sara was not Kiba's father, Taki Maya," the Third

Hokage said with a sigh.

Kiba's father and Hyuga Yutaka's father?

Uzumaki Kushina showed slight

surprise.

Sure enough, this has something to do with my

father, who I've never met?

Kiba frowned.

"Impossible! Everyone says,

and all the evidence shows, that Taki Kiba's father, Taki Maya, a traitor,

betrayed the village and killed my father when he was discovered!" Hyuga

Yutaka's eyes widened in disbelief, speaking excitedly.

Because he was too excited, he

stepped forward, his voice rising uncontrollably.

So that's it. Because my father killed his father,

he wants to kill me for revenge?

Is it the father's debt to be paid by the son?

Kiba looked at Hyuga Yutaka, but

when he saw Yutaka's face, his body trembled slightly.

Hyuga Yutaka had tears in his

eyes.

"Your father died protecting

Maya, Kiba's father," Hinata Shinsuke spoke up.

Protected my father?

Kiba looked at Hyuga Shinsuke in

surprise, but Shinsuke appeared sincere and serious.

Kiba knew that Hinata Shinsuke was

a respected figure in the Hyuga family and wouldn't lie or excuse a

"village traitor."

Not just Kiba, but Uzumaki Kushina

and Hyuga Yutaka also looked at Hinata Shinsuke with surprise. Perhaps because

they turned their heads too violently, tears flew from Yutaka's eyes.

"You... what are you saying,

Master Shinsuke? My father protected that traitor? Did he also betray the

village?"

Kiba couldn't see Yutaka's face,

but he imagined his astonishment, disbelief, and panic.

"Sara did not betray the

village. Your father, Hyuga Sara, and Kiba's father, Taki Maya, grew up with

me," Hinata Shinsuke said nostalgically. "Back then, the three of us

were in a team. Both of them died protecting me. In the end, I was the one who

caused their deaths."

"Master Shinsuke... How could

it be... Impossible! The village defense plan was stolen by Maya Taki, and my

father discovered it and reported it to the Third Hokage, but he was killed by

the traitor Taki Maya. The Third Hokage managed to stop it..." Hyuga

Yutaka stepped back.

"I lost the village defense

map!" Hinata Shinsuke suddenly said sharply, remorse and pain on his face.

"Sara and Maya desperately

took it back!"

Hinata Shinsuke looked at Hyuga

Yutaka, his voice dropping.

"I killed them."

"This is impossible!"

Hyuga Yutaka cried out hysterically. Hinata Shinsuke was like a father to him.

Hearing that his resentment was due to his mentor was too much.

Kiba watched Hyuga Yutaka and

Hinata Shinsuke. The anger towards Yutaka in his heart began to fade.

The feeling of the legacy left by the previous

generation...

"At that time, as the second

son of the Hyuga family, I was about to be marked with the 'Caged Bird' seal.

My brother, the current head of the Hyuga family, couldn't bear to let me

become a branch member. He asked the Third Hokage to give me the task of

transporting the village's defense map," Shinsuke explained, closing his

eyes and gritting his teeth lightly. "If I completed this important task,

gaining a certain reputation, the elders would have no reason to place me in

the branch family."

Indeed, having prestige and fame

in the village would be an honor for the Hyuga family. Being placed in the

branch family would lessen that honor.

After all, the Hyuga family was

clan-dominated, and most members were branch members.

Kiba synthesized the original

story, making a judgment.

This contemporary head of the Hyuga family is

thoughtful! Blocking the elders with prestige and honor.

"The Third Hokage was

reluctant to give me such an important task alone. However, my brother's plea

finally convinced him," Hinata Shinsuke continued.

The Third Hokage sighed, taking a

puff from his pipe.

"Originally, everything went

well, but at the destination, I was besieged, and the defense map was taken.

Sara and Maya, knowing I had accepted the task, secretly followed me to protect

me. After the map was taken, they pursued the attackers and retrieved it. On

the way back, they were attacked. To protect Maya, Sara died in the enemy's

hands," Hinata Shinsuke said.

"Then, did Taki Maya betray

the village?" Uzumaki Kushina asked. "It doesn't make sense. If he

had gone through such efforts to retrieve the map, sacrificing his partner, why

would he betray the village afterward?"

Kushina is right.

Kiba looked at the Third Hokage.

The Third Hokage sighed,

"Maya is a hero of the village."

Uzumaki Kushina, Kiba, and Hyuga

Yutaka were shocked, and Hinata Shinsuke trembled slightly.

"The defense plan wasn't the

only target. Konoha's Forbidden Jutsu Room was also attacked, and the Eight

Inner Gates were stolen..." the Third Hokage said, frowning.

Eight Inner Gates stolen?

Kiba remembered the scroll of the

Eight Inner Gates in the basement, which led to him learning the technique.

Could it be...

"Did they find it?" Kiba

blurted out.

"Have you found it?"

Kiba blurted out.

The Third Hokage frowned, took a

deep puff from his pipe, and exhaled slowly. "It has never been found, but

we believe the scroll was never obtained by the enemy. The forbidden scroll is

hidden somewhere in our village."

Kiba blinked, his mind racing to

the scroll of the Eight Inner Gates he had found. It can't be such a

coincidence, can it?

"Kiba, don't interrupt. What

happened after that?" Uzumaki Kushina asked, her tone firm but gentle.

"After Maya retrieved the

defense map, he returned to the village and learned what had transpired. Then

he proposed a plan," the Third Hokage explained. "He pretended to

defect with the defense map and let the village spread the news that he had

stolen it. This would lure the enemy to him. To make it believable, he

requested that everyone in the village be informed, even blaming Sara's death

on him."

Kiba listened intently, his heart

pounding. So my father wasn't a traitor?

"The enemy would then seek

him out, and we'd ambush them. For authenticity, Sara's death was attributed to

Maya. Maya successfully attracted the enemy's attention. During the ambush, the

enemy was defeated, but the injuries from the battles were too much, and

Maya..." The Third Hokage's voice trailed off, filled with sorrow. He took

another puff of his pipe, the smoke swirling around him.

Hyuga Shinsuke looked saddened,

his eyes reflecting the weight of the past. "According to Maya's last

wish, to cover up my mission failure, the Third Hokage didn't clear his name.

He died as a traitor... And I survived because of his sacrifice, avoiding the

Caged Bird seal."

"Maya died branded a

'traitor' to protect the village and his friends," the Third Hokage said,

his voice filled with respect. "He was a great ninja."

Listening to the Third Hokage's

evaluation, Kiba frowned. He had no real feelings for his father, and as a time

traveler, it was even more impossible to feel connected to Taki Maya.

However, after hearing his deeds,

Kiba felt a bit regretful for not meeting this ninja who was rated as

"great" by the Hokage.

Uzumaki Kushina's eyes softened,

understanding the weight of the revelation. "Maya was willing to bear the

burden of a traitor to protect the village. That's... truly admirable."

Hyuga Yutaka's face contorted with

conflicting emotions. "Master Shinsuke... Is this true?"

"It is," Hinata Shinsuke

confirmed, his voice steady but filled with sorrow. "Your father, Hyuga

Sara, and Kiba's father, Taki Maya, both sacrificed everything for the sake of

the village and their comrades."

Kiba watched Hyuga Yutaka, seeing

the tears welling up in his eyes. The anger and hatred seemed to drain away,

replaced by confusion and grief.

"The truth is, Maya's

betrayal was a facade, a necessary lie to protect the village from a greater

threat," the Third Hokage said. "He knew the cost, but he did it

anyway."

Uzumaki Kushina stepped closer to

Kiba, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Your father was a hero,

Kiba. Never forget that."

Kiba nodded, a sense of pride

swelling within him. For the village, for comrades... This Taki Maya

inherited the Will of Fire from the First Hokage!

The room fell silent, the weight

of the truth settling over everyone. The legacy of sacrifice and loyalty was

heavy, but it also brought a sense of resolution.

Kiba turned to Hyuga Yutaka, his

voice steady. "I'm sorry for what happened to your father. But now you

know the truth. Our fathers weren't enemies—they were comrades fighting for the

same cause."

Hyuga Yutaka nodded slowly, the

tears finally spilling over. "I understand... Thank you for telling

me."

The Third Hokage stood, his

expression solemn. "Let this truth bring peace to both of you. The legacy

of your fathers is one of honor and sacrifice. Carry it forward with

pride."

As they left the Hokage's office,

the weight of the past lingered, but a new sense of understanding and unity

began to form between Kiba and Hyuga Yutaka. Their fathers' legacy of courage

and loyalty would guide them forward.