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Looking at the wind elemental bullets coming his way, he sighed, these people just gave their location away, well, it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

He just stood there and awaited the attack to come and hit him head-on. His breath fogged in the cold of the air that rushed towards him, the sounds of the wind bullets were sharp, yet calm, a little eerie really but there was something else that shook the root shinobis to the core.

As soon as the wind bullet hit him, the wind bullets exploded, turning the raging winds into a calm breeze while forcing the chakra in the wind elemental attack into getting absorbed inside his being.

The root shinobis looked at each other before they decided to attack yet again. A large group of insects rushed towards the Hyuga's face and swallowed him.

It all took but a mere second, and all the black poisonous insects were paralyzed and fell off his face and body to the ground; dead without exception. The insects had their chakra drained without inflicting any type of damage whatsoever to the standing Hyuga.

"Damn it. It's Ghost. Run", One of them said as he threw several kunai with bomb seals attached to them while turning away. The kunai tore through the air and rushed towards him.

Hyuga Seiji merely stood his ground as the exploding Kunais just went through and past him without harming him in the least bit.

The explosion and blast of fire and air didn't do anything to him either; he just shrugged, it was always like that. Many years have passed since he has been hurt in an actual battle.

As the smoke from the exploding kunai cleared, the Root(s) shinobis were already dead. A masked Anbu, whose hair was hidden by his clothing, stepped out of the shadows and nodded as he watched Hyuga staring at him before vanishing into the light.

...

At the same time, in Hyuga Seiji's perception, several Chakras were approaching quickly. One person rushed out for the lead, an old but vigorous figure. Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen!

When the Third Hokage saw the scene clearly, he became shocked and speechless again. On the scorched ground, there was only Hyuga Seiji alone, looking at the Third Hokage blankly.

Hyuga Seiji quietly looked at the people coming, Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen. Sarutobi patriarch Sarutobi Shinnosuke. A bunch of Anbu ninjas in various animal masks.

As expected, the Third Hokage came as soon as the crystal ball stopped working. It also serves the purpose of cleaning up the scene, removing the traces of the root ninja, and at the same time trying to lead the suspects to the spies of other villages.

"Hokage sama, is there something you want?"

Hyuga Seiji stood on the scorched ground and asked calmly.

"…"

A group of people looked at each other. What the hell? Shouldn't we ask you what happened here?

Hokage looked at the dead bodies of the Anbus lying on the ground some distance away.

"Hyuga Seiji, what is going on here?", Sarutobi Shinnosuke couldn't help taking the lead and asked sharply.

"Unknown ninjas attacked me. I suspect they are spies in other villages"

Hyuga Seiji said sternly.

"…"

Isn't this an excuse they were going to say? What the hell is going on? How did a boy like him kill the professionally trained Anbus? Not one but two at the same time.

Third Hokage turned his icy gaze to Hyuga Seiji, as he asked, "How did you kill them?"

Hyuga Seiji blushed, "Oh I did not. Hyuga clan side branch patriarch did. Pity, he went to inform the Patriarch just before you came in"

"…"

Obviously, no one believed this nonsense. A side branch leader can kill the elite Anbus? They were about to ask more. But at that very moment, the Hyuga clan's patriarch really came in with his brother.

"Hokage sama", Hyuga Hiashi bowed and looked at the dead bodies lying around in the blood, "Hizashi told me that some people tried attacking you. He killed them to save you. Are you alright?", He asked and Hyuga Seiji nodded with a smile.

Hokage looked at two leaders of the Hyuga clan and sighed after a while...

"Hokage sama, can we ask for a clarification on what happened here?"

"We had the information that Cloud Shinobi wanted to retaliate against you! When we came, it was like this..."

"Thank you very much for Hokage sama. However...", Hyuga Seiji's expression became a little confused, "How did the spies of Cloud gets to know that the so-called murderer they want is me?"

"Also", Hyuga Seiji continued, "How did they know my whereabouts? Why did they know that I was--"

"It must be that their spies are already deep into the village clans", Sarutobi Shinnosuke said

"So you saying someone from today's meeting in Kage tower was a spy?"

"I never said that", Sarutobi Shinnosuke yelled

"But. How did they get the info on me so fast? These cloud spies must be inhumanly effective. Or. Is the Sarutobi clan patriarch suggesting that one of the patriarchs is a spy?"

As Hyuga Seiji's voice fell, Sarutobi Shinnosuke's face gradually turned pale. He finally understands what he said wrong just now!

Putting blame on one of the patriarchs of the major clan. Who does he think he is? How dare he?

"Enough", Third Hokage yelled, "I will have Anbus figure it out for you. Moreover, try not to tell anyone about this thing. This kind of thing shouldn't be known to the whole village"

"Why? This is exactly the type of thing we should let everyone--

Before Hyuga Seiji could complete his sentence. He could sense another presence coming here at an extremely fast pace. Sure enough, soon, an Anbu blur in at the scene.

"Hokage sama. There is a situation", The animal masked Anbu said

"Now what", Hokage grumbled, this must be the worst day of his life.

"Cloud's envoys were reported dead in the middle of the village's commercial street. Bound on the huge stack for everyone to see"

"What?", This one piece of news shocked everyone.

As soon as Hokage and his men were out of his sight, Hyuga Seiji turned around, "Hiashi sama, thank you for your help"

"No, it was my mistake in the first place, and yet...! if it wasn't for you, I would be dead and my clan would be in big trouble. I owe you my life...", The Hyuga patriarch said.

Hyuga Seiji nods and glanced to the side, "I didn't do it for you guys. It's a problem I can't take my hands off... I need your help with something else too..."

...

Standing on the empty street, Hokage looked at the huge cross stake with the bloody bodies of Kumo envoys nailed on both wrists and toes.

Fugaku and his Uchiha Police force were already at the crime scene, "Who did this..?!", Asked the old Hokage

Fugaku shook his head, "We don't know. Though I must say, whoever it was, they left no trace behind them..."

"Get the bodies down"

"We can't, they are bound by the rustic metallic nails covered in deadly poison from top to bottom. We are trying our best but currently, there is no way to pull them down safely"

Hokage was lost in thought as he watch the envoy's dead bodies, "What about the clues, did you find any..?!"

Fugaku shook his head again, "No. They knew exactly what they were doing. Ranging from the knowledge of how to kill silently, to escaping Dōjutsu and investigating afterward. I don't think Sharingan, Byakugan, Yamanaka's, or even Inazuma's skills are gonna work here"

Hokage frowned, "Give me something Fugaku"

Fugaku looked at the bodies, "The list of suspects is sky-high. After all, we have an entire village full of trained assassins. And not a few of them were angry with these cloud Shinobis. Maybe it was a spy from another village. Maybe it was a Konoha's shinobi taking matters into their own hands. Maybe the Hyuga clan. Maybe it was done by someone else. As I said, the suspect list is sky-high. We just know that they wanted your attention"

"Alright, they have my attention. Now what"

"Now they will wait for you to make the move"

...

Although the Uchiha clan procrastinated with the murder case of cloud envoys. The rumor that Hyuga Seiji was attacked somehow spread around the village in a mere few hours.

By the evening, almost the entire Konoha knew what had happened in the Hyuga compound. The people of Konoha Village who were still immersed in a beaming atmosphere, looking forward to the incoming alliance with cloud, instantly felt a fit of strong anger!

...

~~Uchiha Clan~~

The ninjas of the Uchiha clan looked at each other. After a long time, someone couldn't help but ask, "Patriarch. Are you sure that the one who killed Kumo's envoys is also the one who spread the rumors?

"I am pretty sure", Uchiha Fugaku looked at everyone and said slowly, "They are pressuring Konoha's executives from inside out. With this, Hokage sama has to make some drastic decisions", He chuckled as he leaned back on his chair, "Everyone's emotion was already high because of that Hyuga Seiji. Now, this... Heh. Whoever it was, they just played Konoha's higher-ups for a fool"

~~Nara Clan~~

"Isn't the spy that wanted to kill Hyuga Seiji, a Cloud shinobi?", The patriarch of the Yamanaka clan, Inoichi frowned.

"It doesn't matter. The thing is, the rumor is spreading quite fast. The events described exactly what happened a few hours ago. How do you think they had this information?"

Akimichi Choza looked confused, "Why does that matter?"

Nara Shikaku took a sip of his wine, and sighed, "I was just curious; It can't be Hokage or his people. Danzo and the elders can't be in this either. Moreover whoever started the rumor was present at the scene. He saw everything. That leaves one possibility Hyuga clan. Especially that Hyuga Seiji"

Inoichi shook his head, "They must have taken the precaution against the Hyuga clan and that boy..."

"Exactly. The one who killed Cloud envoys, and the one who started the rumor must be one and the same. That's why I said it doesn't matter, no matter if they were Cloud's spy or Konoha's assassin"

"Now that everyone knew what happened, everyone must be boiling with anger, With the cloud's envoys killed, the last chance of negotiation is gone. Everyone was already on their edge because of Hyuga Seiji's speech in the Kage tower. With this much internal and external pressure on Hokage sama. He is sure to fight Cloud. There is no other way"

Nara Shikaku laughed a bit, "Whoever it was. They left no loopholes in their plans. And the best thing is, we still don't know who it was that played the elders like puppets"

...

~~Hokage Tower~~

After getting back to his office, The Hokage angrily sat on his chair, "Sent a summon to the elders, Tell them to meet me as soon as possible. Also, find out what happened to the seal formation around the village. And where is Hyuga Seiji's information"

In less than 10 minutes, all elders sat around with Hokage reading Hyuga Seiji's file.

"Is there something you can find on the boy?", Danzo asked, this situation has gotten out of hand now.

Hokage leaned on his chair and sighed, "Nothing. Everything is absolutely perfect, his record is too clean to act on it"

"It's not the time to be curious about that. Now almost everyone is clamoring for war with Kumogakure", Utatane Koharu said as she sighed too, "How did the rumors spread so quickly anyway. We were keeping an eye on the entire Hyuga clan including that boy. Who was it?"

"Let's deal with these things later", Danzo said, "Now that it came to this. What do you want to do?"

Hokage closed his eyes, "What else do you think?"

...

Ghost stood at the top of the Hokage mountain when a figure blurred behind him.

"There's a message for you leader", The masked Anbu passed on the scroll, and Ghost took it without saying anything.

[H118]Sarutobi H.—007309 [Objective: Infiltration/warning. Target: Kumogakure. Time period: 4 days. Force: 300. Commander: Ghost. Important: Do not kill cloud's Jinchirukis or Raikage]

Ghost burns the letter into crisp, "Status"

"A quarter of our army has been repositioned under Hokage sama orders, waiting for you"

Ghost nodded, "How many members of our squad are available on this one"

"Just me and the rookie. We can't move the rest, they all are on very important missions"

"Very well, it's just a warning anyway, we don't need everyone on this one either. Before leaving though, prepare me the dead bodies of some Kumo shinobis"

"As you say, Leader!"

...

An hour later, Kumo spies actually launched a preemptive stealth strike on Konoha's Hyuga clan. The attack came fast and from inside, leaving no chance to defend themselves...

Several Konoha Anbu units landed outside the main gates of the Hyuga compound, the defense started immediately as they entered in a blur and made quick work of the Kumo's assassins.

In less than an hour, the enemies in the Hyuga compound were clear of their heads. Though in the heat of battle, the Hyuga clan lost a couple of elders as well as Hyuga Seiji...

Hyuga clan took the bodies and since this was a real attack on their compound, none of the elders argued...

Hiashi looked at his brother and nods a bit and took everyone out for healing... Once everyone is out of range, Ghost blurred inside the room and undid the Impure world reincarnation Jutsu on the Kumo shinobis' corpse...