"What?"
The originally harmonious atmosphere instantly became tense and hostile.
On one side was the Hyuga clan.
On the other side was Kumogakure.
The Hyuga clan's position was clear.
"You Kumogakure ninja infiltrated our Hyuga compound and attempted to steal a member of our Hyuga main family. After committing such an act, it was perfectly reasonable for our Hyuga clan to kill your Kumogakure ninja."
"No matter where this is brought up, you have no justification."
"We have yet to even hold Kumogakure accountable for committing such an act."
When C first heard that his companion's operation had failed, he was somewhat disappointed. But very quickly, he sorted out his thoughts.
"Our Kumogakure ninja would never do such a thing. This must be your false accusation."
"Right now, our Kumogakure ninja has died at the hands of someone from Konoha. I have only one demand: a life for a life."
"Hand over the murderer."
"Otherwise, Kumogakure absolutely will not let this matter rest!"
After speaking, C turned to look at the Kumogakure ninja beside him.
"Did you clearly see the murderer's appearance?"
The Kumogakure ninja nodded. He had seen it perfectly clearly.
The Hyuga clan was furious.
"Your Kumogakure Village acted so despicably, and you still want my Hyuga clan to pay with a life? I'm telling you, impossible!"
C's attitude became even tougher.
"A life for a life is a matter of heavenly justice. Killer B-sama, wouldn't you agree?"
"Kumogakure absolutely will not yield."
Killer B nodded.
Immediately, his expression turned serious.
A strange aura spilled out from Killer B's body.
The atmosphere in the meeting room turned freezing cold in an instant.
The first discussion ultimately ended unhappily.
After returning to the courtyard, C sat down across from Killer B.
C's expression did not look good.
"The plan failed. Ibis's death is a pity."
"But the Byakugan may not be beyond our reach this time."
"As long as we deny to the end that we ever stole a Hyuga child, then we didn't. Konoha has no evidence. Without evidence, the matter cannot count."
"But Ibis dying at the hands of a Hyuga member is something Konoha cannot deny."
"We will seize this point and force the Hyuga clan to hand over the murderer. If we obtain Hyuga Hiashi's corpse, Kumogakure can still obtain the Byakugan. If he killed someone, then he must pay with his life!"
Killer B asked, "What if Konoha refuses to hand him over?"
"Konoha will."
C analyzed, "Right now, Konoha is in a standoff with Sunagakure. We've all seen the contents published in Sunagakure's Ninja World Weekly. Konoha cannot possibly choose to offend Kumogakure at a time like this."
"No matter what, Kumogakure truly did lose a person."
"Furthermore, Kumogakure is very strong."
"In addition, the life we're demanding is a Hyuga clan member's life. It has nothing to do with Hiruzen Sarutobi. He cannot possibly take a hard stance for the sake of the Hyuga clan."
"And the Hyuga clan is terribly weak-willed."
"After their Byakugan was stolen by Kirigakure, did they do anything? No."
"When Konoha arranged for them to support Kirigakure, they really went."
"When the rumor appeared that a Hyuga main family member had been deliberately betrayed by Konoha, and the Kaguya clan publicly spoke up to confirm that the rumor was true, they still did nothing."
"They even cut off ties with the Kaguya clan."
"Once Konoha applies pressure, the Hyuga clan will inevitably comply."
The situation was not much different from what C had predicted.
After the Kumogakure ninja left, Hiruzen Sarutobi kept Hyuga Yamatsubaki behind alone.
Hyuga Yamatsubaki was furious.
First, the Kumogakure ninja had stolen Hyuga Hinata, his own granddaughter.
Second, the Hyuga clan had already lost the Byakugan once. They did not want to lose it a second time.
"Hokage-sama, please uphold justice for our Hyuga clan."
Hyuga Yamatsubaki made this request.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Hyuga Yamatsubaki and said, "Yamatsubaki, I understand the grievance your Hyuga clan has suffered."
"Kumogakure has gone too far."
"They said they came to discuss cooperation, but I suspect their true target was your Hyuga clan from the very beginning."
"Long ago, Kumogakure already desired the Byakugan. They suffered a great loss because of the Byakugan."
"But…"
As Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke, his tone began to shift.
"The village's current situation is far too difficult."
"As everyone knows, Sunagakure has been pressing us aggressively, constantly provoking Konoha and fabricating rumors. They may already have the intention to go to war with Konoha."
"Iwagakure lost to us last time, so they must be extremely unwilling to accept it."
"If we offend Kumogakure at this time, the situation will become catastrophic."
"Kumogakure's strength is not weak."
"The current Konoha has absolutely no way to deal with three ninja villages at the same time. Hiashi was still a little too impulsive."
"Once the child was recovered, that should have been enough. There was no need to insist on killing that Kumogakure ninja."
Hyuga Yamatsubaki's expression changed along with Hiruzen Sarutobi's words.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed.
"No matter what, Kumogakure truly did lose a person. The Hyuga clan, on the other hand, suffered no real loss. If Kumogakure refuses to admit that they infiltrated the Hyuga compound, we have no way to deal with that."
Hyuga Yamatsubaki fell silent for a while.
"Hokage-sama, then what should we do?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "I will negotiate with Kumogakure and try to settle this with compensation. The Hyuga clan will not need to bear that compensation alone. The village will cover half."
"Yamatsubaki, I know you feel wronged. But for the sake of the village, there is no other way."
Hyuga Yamatsubaki nodded.
"Hokage-sama, compensation is not a problem. The village does not need to contribute. The Hyuga clan can bear it ourselves."
"But demanding a life for a life… Kumogakure's demand is truly too excessive."
"Clearly, they were the ones in the wrong first."
Hyuga Yamatsubaki was weak-willed, but even he could not take the initiative to send his own eldest son, the future heir of the Hyuga clan, into Kumogakure's hands to be killed.
Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Koharu Utatane to negotiate conditions with Kumogakure.
However, Kumogakure's attitude was extremely firm.
Aside from blood debt paid in blood, they refused to accept any other form of compensation.
Of course, this was under the premise that the Hyuga clan had not offered the Byakugan as compensation.
The Hyuga clan wanted to solve the problem with money.
But Kumogakure did not accept.
"The killer must pay with his life!"
"Otherwise, I will immediately send word to Raikage-sama. Raikage-sama will absolutely not tolerate such a matter. When that time comes, the person negotiating with you, Senior Koharu, will no longer be me."
"Raikage-sama is far more difficult to speak with than I am."
Koharu Utatane brought C's original words back before Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes flickered constantly.
"It seems Kumogakure will not stop until they obtain the Byakugan this time."
"But the Byakugan is too important… Is there truly no other way?"
Koharu Utatane suddenly said, "Hyuga Hiashi has a twin younger brother named Hyuga Hizashi. He is a member of the branch family and looks exactly the same as Hyuga Hiashi. If we hand him over, Kumogakure will not be able to obtain the Byakugan."