Escaping by Faking Death

"Hiashi, you should know very well that Konoha is currently too fragile to withstand more war."

In a dimly lit room, Hiruzen and several senior members of the Hyuga Clan sat in a circle, kneeling.

Hiashi looked down in silence. He seemed like he wanted to say something but ultimately chose to remain quiet.

Hiruzen took a deep breath and continued, "You were too reckless in killing the Kumogakure envoy. Now, Kumogakure has issued a threat, demanding we hand over the killer."

His voice was heavy and burdened, as if weighed down by a great stone.

"If we can't give Kumogakure a satisfactory answer, this peace negotiation may end in failure. And if the peace agreement fails, the consequences will be unimaginable..."

With that, Hiruzen paused to give everyone time to digest his words.

The room fell silent. Only the faint candlelight flickered, casting complex expressions on everyone's faces.

"Hiashi, I hope you'll think it over carefully and provide a satisfactory answer to everyone."

Hiruzen spoke earnestly, then slowly donned the hat symbolizing his role as Hokage, turned, and walked out of the room.

As Hiruzen left, the room instantly grew noisy. The Hyuga Clan elders discussed the situation, engaging in heated debates about the conditions Kumogakure had proposed.

These elders were filled with rage, mocking Kumogakure's demands and cursing them without mercy.

However, merely voicing names did nothing to solve the real issue. Amid the noise, everyone gradually realized they needed a practical solution to the current crisis.

Hizashi remained silent, but he had already decided to sacrifice his life for his brother.

In truth, the relationship between Hizashi and Hiashi was not as close as one might think.

Not long ago, Hizashi nearly attacked the Hyuga Clan's daughter over an incident involving his son, Neji. Fortunately, Hiashi intervened in time, using the Caged Bird Seal to subdue him, averting a scandal. This incident left Hizashi deeply troubled.

But when faced with the choice between life and death, Hiashi's hardened heart couldn't help but waver.

His thoughts drifted back to their younger years, when they were foolish children, and his brother had cared for him so tenderly.

Warm, beautiful memories surged in his mind like waves, dispelling the bitterness in his heart caused by the unjust treatment of the main family and the branch family.

At that moment, he silently vowed that he would rather give his own life for his brother's safety.

"Everyone, leave! I want to be alone." Hiashi frowned, impatience etched on his face. It was clear that the noisy crowd around him had made him very anxious.

After exchanging glances, the Hyuga Clan elders and Hizashi slowly exited the room, closing the door behind them, leaving Hiashi alone inside.

At this moment, Hiashi felt both frustrated and confused. Every word Hiruzen had spoken was inseparable from the village, as if implying that the only way to calm the storm was by offering himself in apology. But he did not want to die. There were still many things he needed to do, and his daughter had not yet grown up.

And the elders' conclusion to have a branch family member die in his place was even more unacceptable to him. After all, everyone was a member of the Hyuga Clan—why should someone else take the blame?

Just when Hiashi felt powerless, a sudden idea flashed in his mind: perhaps he could seek help from that person.

Though he wasn't sure if this method would work, it was surely better than sitting still and awaiting death, wasn't it?

If the Third Hokage didn't offer a good countermeasure when he next visited, Hiashi feared the outcome would be grim.

With that thought, Hiashi hesitated no longer. He knew time was running out, and he had to act quickly.

At this critical moment, a familiar figure appeared in his mind—Uchiha Shintaro.

It was this strong and clever member of the Uchiha Clan who had left a deep impression on Hiashi in the previous war. He believed that only by joining forces with Shintaro could he resolve the current crisis.

By now, most of the border ninjas had retreated, and naturally, Shintaro was among them. After some twists and turns, Hiashi finally arrived at the Uchiha Clan's residence in secret and managed to find Shintaro, who was resting at home.

Upon meeting Shintaro, Hiashi couldn't wait to share everything he knew.

Shintaro listened quietly, his face occasionally showing a serious expression. After hearing Hiashi's account, he sighed deeply and said, "I see..."

Through Hiashi's description, Shintaro could clearly sense the consistent behavior of Konoha's top leadership.

The first clue could be seen in the peace talks with Iwagakure during the Third Shinobi World War. Konoha's top leaders wouldn't hesitate to harm the village's interests in the name of peace.

But peace like this was certainly not something Konoha's villagers wanted.

Shintaro lifted his head, looking straight at Hiashi, and said slowly, "It seems I know how to solve this problem."

His voice was calm but carried a powerful sense of certainty.

"The Hyuga Clan's research into acupuncture points is quite advanced. You must know how to induce a state of suspended animation, don't you?"

Shintaro's words took Hiashi by surprise. It was certainly unexpected, but after a moment, he nodded and replied, "Yes, by using the unique [Gentle Fist] on acupuncture points, it is indeed possible to achieve a state of suspended animation."

Shintaro seemed to have anticipated this response, his face showing a look of understanding. He continued, "In that case, all you need to do is fake your death, and leave the rest to me. I'll make sure you get out of this safely."

His tone was filled with confidence, as though he already had everything under control.

Hearing Shintaro's plan, Hiashi pondered for a moment before deciding to trust him. He muttered to himself, "Entering a state of suspended animation... Fine, I'll find Hizashi now and ask him to help me achieve this."

Shintaro reminded him firmly, "Remember, the fewer people who know about this, the better. Don't let it leak."

Hiashi nodded solemnly, understanding the high stakes. He promised in a resolute tone, "Don't worry, I'll only tell Hizashi, no one else."

With that, he turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing from sight.

Not long after, Hizashi arrived at a room in the main family's house, where Hiashi was resting.

When he opened the door, Hizashi looked up with a hint of surprise in his eyes. Normally, unless there was something important to discuss, Hiashi rarely visited him directly.

As his brother approached, Hizashi silently speculated: 'Could it be that Hiashi has come to ask me to die in his place this time?'

Thinking this, his expression slowly darkened.

"You're here..." Hiashi's voice was somewhat cold and distant.

But he didn't make the unreasonable demand Hizashi had expected.

He walked over to Hizashi, looking deeply at his brother, and then said, "I've come to ask you to do something for me."

Hizashi closed his eyes tightly, his face showing a sudden realization, and he said softly, "I understand. I'm willing to die for you, but remember, I, Hyuga Hizashi, am not dying as a branch family member but as your brother."

Hearing this, Hiashi was startled and shouted, "What?! No! I would never let you suffer the pain of death on my behalf. This entire situation was caused by me, so I will never shirk the responsibility."

Hizashi's eyes widened in disbelief, and he exclaimed, "What?! You didn't come here to ask me to be your substitute? Are you really planning to give up your life for the sake of the peace negotiations? Hinata is still young—how can you be so cruel as to leave her behind?"

"Does Neji not need you to protect him?" Hiashi retorted. "Killing yourself won't solve anything. The fault clearly lies with Kumogakure—so why should the Hyuga Clan bear the consequences?"

"What do you mean?" Hizashi frowned, confusion spreading across his face.

"I've sought help from Uchiha Shintaro. He's going to help me fake my death so I can escape smoothly." Hiashi patiently explained in a calm tone.

"Could it be... you've chosen to side with the Uchiha?" Hizashi's eyes widened, his face filled with shock.

"At this point, I have no other choice." Hiashi's gaze was firm. "After I fake my death, I'll disappear for a while. During that time, I ask you to help look after the Hyuga Clan."

After hearing his brother's words, Hizashi fell silent, and the atmosphere grew solemn. After a long pause, he finally responded, "Since you've made your decision, I can't stop you. I just hope you don't drag the entire Hyuga Clan into ruin."

"Don't worry, Brother. I'm fully aware of the consequences. If this plan fails, I'll take full responsibility myself, and I won't let the Hyuga Clan be affected at all!"

Hiashi showed the sense of responsibility and courage that a clan leader should have.

Hizashi looked at his determined brother in front of him, gave a slight nod of approval, and then fell silent once more.

So, at Hiashi's strong request, Hizashi decided to use the Gentle Fist on him. His hands constantly changed positions, using his unique chakra to strike Hiashi.

Each blow landed accurately on the acupuncture points. Gradually, the acupuncture points throughout Hiashi's body were sealed, his breathing became very weak, his heartbeat nearly stopped, and his entire body seemed to enter a state of silence—this was his art. Playing dead.

After finishing all this, Hizashi carried the lifeless Hiashi and walked toward the Hyuga Clan's meeting room with heavy steps. At this moment, the elders of the Hyuga Clan and Hiruzen had been waiting there for a long time.

When they saw Hizashi walk in with Hiashi on his back and lay his "body" on the ground, everyone showed expressions of shock on their faces.

However, before anyone could ask, Hizashi took the initiative to explain: "Everyone, my elder brother asked me to convey his last will before his death. He hoped that I could take good care of the Hyuga Clan and Miss Hinata for him. To avoid involving the clan members, he chose to sever his own meridians and end his life..."

After hearing Hizashi's words, everyone present fell silent. They were clearly shocked by the outcome, and it took a long time before they responded.

"Oh, Hiashi was very strong..." Hiruzen could only sigh deeply.

At this moment, the elders of the Hyuga Clan also shook their heads and sighed, but they did not feel sorry for Hiashi; rather, they felt sad about the Byakugan eyes that would be lost to a foreign land.

These elders silently thought: If these precious Byakugan eyes fall into the hands of others, it will surely be a great loss to the Hyuga Clan!

At the same time, they also blamed Hizashi for failing to fulfill his responsibilities as a branch family member. But who could understand Hizashi's deep internal struggles?

In this way, Hizashi and Hiashi successfully hid everything from everyone in Konoha Village.

Hiashi's body was placed in a very beautiful coffin and was to be delivered to the Village of Kumogakure as compensation. Kumogakure, of course, was satisfied, and they couldn't wait to bring this "gift" back to their village.

With the transfer of Hiashi's coffin, the peace talks between Konoha and Kumogakure suddenly accelerated.

Both sides hoped that this transaction could be completed as soon as possible so that Hiashi's coffin could be returned to the village promptly. At this tense and sensitive moment, any disturbance could trigger a new round of conflict and contradictions between the two villages.

There was no doubt that Konoha actually considered the head of the Hyuga Clan an important condition for the peace talks. This was truly shameful and a great humiliation.

As a result, massive protests erupted in the village. The people were filled with anger and expressed their fury and dissatisfaction with this unjust treatment.

Faced with the fierce public reaction, the Konoha leaders took strong action and sent the Konoha police to suppress it. However, under Fugaku's secret instructions, the Uchiha clan was very passive about these protests.

They simply stood by and turned a blind eye to the oppressed villagers. Only after ANBU personnel had no choice but to play the villain did the Uchiha Clan step in slowly.

In such a tense atmosphere, the Kumogakure delegation hurriedly left Konoha Village, carrying Hiashi's coffin.

But no one expected that along the way, they would encounter a mysterious figure—Uchiha Shintaro.

Shintaro stood in front of the team, fists clenched, and the black shadow beneath his feet spread rapidly like a tide. Soon after, he cast the Shadow Technique, easily controlling the actions of all his enemies.

Under his extraordinary control, the Kumogakure ninjas descended into chaos and began killing each other. Soon, all the Kumogakure ninjas were wiped out, and none survived.

Fortunately, Hiashi was finally rescued. Shintaro used his Six Eyes ability to help Hiashi out of suspended animation.

With Shintaro's help, Hiashi returned to Konoha and remained in hiding.

❀❀❀

On Kumogakure's side, Raikage was furious, but there was nothing he could do since there was no proof that Konoha was responsible.

This scene of cannibalism resembled the Kagemane no Jutsu of the Nara Clan, but the Nara Clan didn't have a strong enough member to wipe out the Kumogakure ninjas in one move.

Moreover, the peace talks were complete, and Kumogakure could only sigh.

On Konoha's side, the leaders suspected something, while the common people cheered, believing this was Kumogakure's punishment.

In short, Shintaro's handiwork went unnoticed.

Only Shikaku had his doubts. "Shintaro, could it be you…"

"Never do something foolish…"