Chapter 192: The Days After Yuto's Departure (Part 1)

"Now, the high-level meeting will begin."

Hiruzen Sarutobi paused, looking at the somewhat empty Hokage office. A wave of emotion hit him, and the 54-year-old, weathered Third Hokage nearly broke down.

The last high-level meeting was held seven days ago, when the room was full, brimming with talent. The old, middle-aged, and young generations could all produce exceptional shinobi capable of standing alone in battle. Even if Hiruzen were to die at that moment, he could face the previous Hokage in the afterlife with pride, saying, "Konoha has only grown stronger under my watch. I haven't failed you!"

But now, after that fateful night, Konoha was gravely weakened, with half of its strength gone!

The total number of shinobi who perished in the "Nine-Tails Incident" and the "Crimson Night" amounted to 1,352.

Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, had fallen.

Yuto Hyuga, the head of the Anbu, had defected.

The Hyuga Clan was nearly wiped out, with only a few pregnant women and children left.

These losses were undeniable. In addition, there were many other pressing issues that needed resolution.

During the Nine-Tails' rampage, many villagers and shinobi had seen the Sharingan in the beast's eyes, causing distrust towards the Uchiha Clan to fester within Konoha. Though Hiruzen had worked tirelessly over the past few days to suppress these feelings through public speeches, the rift remained.

After learning of Yuto's defection, Tsunade had displayed shocking fury and rage. After destroying nearly half of the Senju clan's buildings, she locked herself in her room, speaking only to Shizune and Hiruzen.

As it stood now, Hiruzen Sarutobi was the only "fully capable" Kage-level shinobi left in Konoha.

What made matters worse was that the events of that night had spread throughout the shinobi world. While the other nations and shinobi villages were shocked, those with grudges against Konoha began to stir.

Signs of foreign shinobi had been found within the borders of the Land of Fire. They barely hid their movements, testing Konoha's defenses. If it were found that Konoha couldn't resist an invasion, a war to divide up the village would surely erupt.

It was a mess, with nothing but bad news.

Hiruzen was busy from dawn till dusk. In the past, he could talk to his wife, but on that night, Biwako Sarutobi had also been killed. Now, Hiruzen could only stare blankly, smoking his pipe in the large, empty Sarutobi compound.

This was the darkest time in Konoha's history since its founding.

Hiruzen sighed deeply, returning his thoughts to the high-level meeting.

"Now, I will announce today's first order."

"The survival of the village takes precedence over everything else. As Hokage, I have decided..."

"To revoke all of Orochimaru's crimes."

...

"Lady Maeko, do you need anything else?"

"No, thank you... sir."

The Anbu hurriedly waved his hand.

"There's no need for formalities, Lady Maeko. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

After the Anbu shinobi left, Maeko Hyuga sat in place for a long time before wearily entering the courtyard.

Though the house and courtyard weren't small, it felt stifling to Maeko, who had lived in the spacious Hyuga compound.

Inside were only pregnant women and children, most of whom still had a dazed look in their eyes, clearly not having recovered from the tragedy of the Crimson Night.

Even Maeko Hyuga, six months pregnant, had to force herself to keep going, acting as the representative for the remaining members of the Hyuga Clan to communicate with the village.

The pregnant women and children in the house, along with the "most notorious S-rank rogue shinobi" Yuto Hyuga, were all that was left of the Hyuga Clan in the shinobi world.

The clan's most profound secrets were lost, with only a fraction of its members surviving...

No one knew what to do, and Hiruzen hadn't thought of a solution either.

The few pregnant women, lacking leadership skills, decided to go with the flow, putting everything else aside to focus on raising the children.

...

"Tsunade-sama..."

Shizune knocked on the door, cautiously saying, "Please eat something. I've brought your favorite dish for lunch..."

"Leave it at the door. I'm not starving myself."

"..."

"Shizune, do you have something to say?"

"Tsunade-sama, Yuto-san's betrayal isn't your fault. There's no need to punish yourself for someone else's mistake. The village doesn't blame you at all. Besides, you need to take care of your health if you want a chance to punish that despicable man..."

With a creak, the door opened.

Tsunade, her hair down, stepped out. She looked thinner, her expression weary.

"To think that one day I'd be the one being consoled by you, Shizune." She yawned, taking the food box.

"After all, I am one of the Legendary Sannin. With Jiraiya's leg crippled and Orochimaru leaving the village two years ago, if I collapse, it'll be tough for the old man to manage on his own."

"I'm so glad you're pulling through." Shizune's eyes welled with tears. "But... I heard that Orochimaru-sama is coming back soon... Did you know that two years ago, the lab with the First Hokage's cells was actually set up by Yuto-san? It was all part of a plot to sow discord in Konoha!" She paused, glancing nervously at Tsunade. "Tsunade-sama, is that true?"

The blonde woman blinked and nodded noncommittally.

—It seems the village is indeed teetering on the edge of a cliff. The old man is even resorting to this...

"If Orochimaru returns, it will relieve a lot of pressure on the Third Hokage." Tsunade patted the girl's head, smiling brightly. "Don't worry about me, Shizune... As for Yuto, one day, I'll find that bastard and ask him what he was really thinking."

"Huh? Tsunade-sama, isn't that unnecessary?" Shizune frowned.

"He slaughtered his clan because he resented the Caged Bird Seal and then betrayed the village. Everyone knows that..."

"You're still young. You wouldn't understand." The blonde woman shook her head and returned to her room.

She ate dinner seriously, then slapped her cheeks and walked into the bathroom.

One by one, she removed her clothes, revealing a perfect body in the mirror.

A slender waist, broad hips, ample chest...

However, her fair skin was marred by numerous red and purple marks—bite marks and scratches that had not yet fully faded.

Yuto's body was probably in a similar state.

Crack!

Tsunade smashed the mirror with a powerful punch.

"Bastard..."

...

The once warm household had now turned cold.

The smiling blonde youth who had once held a frying pan would never return.

White-haired Kushina Uzumaki stared blankly out the window, her clear eyes now holding something they had never shown before.

Suddenly, the sound of a crying baby reached her ears.

Kushina jumped up, ran back to the bedroom, and picked up little Naruto.

"Don't be afraid, Naruto. Mama's here..." She hummed a lullaby of the Uzumaki clan. After some time had passed, looking at the peacefully sleeping baby, Kushina suddenly spoke.

She knew she probably shouldn't say this, but the hatred in her heart made it impossible to stop herself.

"Naruto... Remember this, the man who killed your father is named Yuto Hyuga."

(End of Chapter)