Konoha, Just Like Kizaru

Hyuga Teruchi didn't respond immediately; his eyes were fixated on Hyuga Lindy standing beside Simu.

The mark on her forehead was gone…

How could this be?

The Hyuga family's Caged Bird seal, passed down for centuries, had been cracked.

Hyuga Lindy clung tightly to Simu's hand, her nerves evident as she returned to this familiar but oppressive place.

"Let them in," Hyuga Teruchi said in a raspy voice.

The Anbu exchanged uneasy glances before stepping aside to allow them through.

Simu led Hyuga Lindy by the hand, walking confidently into the ancestral hall.

The moment the elders saw Simu, they jumped up in alarm.

"How could you let him in?!" one of them exclaimed, their faces pale with panic.

They scrambled to their feet, clearly uneasy, as though expecting Simu to strike at any moment.

"Oh, relax, relax. We're old friends, aren't we? Please, sit back down," Simu said with a casual wave of his hand.

This simple gesture only heightened the elders' anxiety, their eyes darting around nervously.

Hyuga Teruchi finally snapped, his tone sharp and commanding.

"That's enough! How much longer do you plan to embarrass yourselves?"

His words silenced the commotion, and the hall grew quiet.

Hyuga Teruchi turned his tired gaze to Simu, waiting for him to speak.

"I need to verify the truth," Hyuga Teruchi said solemnly.

Simu casually stuffed Lindy's hands into his coat pocket and nodded.

"Go ahead."

The request made sense—there were countless strange jutsu in the ninja world. 

What if this Lindy was just a Transformation Technique?

Taking a deep breath, Hyuga Teruchi formed a hand seal, activating the Caged Bird technique.

Lindy stood still, blinking innocently, showing no sign of pain or reaction. Her calm expression only made her look more cute.

Hyuga Teruchi's face darkened, his expression tense. 

He activated the seal once more, more forcefully this time.

Still, there was no response from Lindy. Nothing.

"How did you do it?" Hyuga Teruchi finally asked, his voice laced with despair as his face reflected utter defeat.

Simu scratched his head nonchalantly. "Well, Caged Bird is scary, sure. But as long as you're fast enough, there's nothing that can't be done."

Hyuga Teruchi's expression turned grim. He exhaled deeply and said, "I'll withdraw the charges against you to Lord Hokage. This matter won't implicate you further."

He paused, then continued, "Additionally, Hyuga Lindy can be granted the privileges of the main family within the Hyuga clan. How does that sound?"

Before Simu could respond, the elders erupted.

"Absolutely not! A branch member promoted to the main family? Unprecedented!"

"This is a critical moment! Do you not understand the stakes?"

"If the method to release Caged Bird becomes known, the clan's authority in Konoha will crumble!"

Hyuga Teruchi's gaze turned sharp, a flicker of killing intent flashing in his eyes.

The elders fell silent instantly, not daring to utter another word. 

Simu smiled casually.

"Let Lindy join the main family. As for Hyuga Hiashi and the Great Elder, they'll be back tonight."

Having secured the outcome he wanted, Simu turned and walked away with Lindy.

Hyuga Teruchi could only bow slightly in acknowledgment, watching them leave.

As they walked through the woods near Hokage's office, Lindy suddenly spoke.

"Thank you, Mr. Simu."

Simu glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "Thank you? For what..."

Before he could finish, Lindy leaned in and gave him a quick, shy peck on the lips.

Her face turned crimson as she murmured, "Back in Shikkotsu Forest, Sister Kushina was there... I was afraid she'd get jealous."

"Woo..."

Before she could say more, Simu gently tapped her forehead, leaving her speechless.

In Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, who had been roused late at night for overtime work, glared coldly at Simu.

"So, you're telling me that you destroyed nearly half of the Hyuga compound, demolished their shrine, injured hundreds of Hyuga ninjas, kidnapped the new clan head and his fiancée... and they forgave you?"

His tone was full with disbelief. The absurdity of the situation was clear—anyone hearing this would find it outrageous.

Simu, unfazed, casually found a chair and leaned back.

"Well, that's not entirely accurate,"

"For example, I didn't destroy their land. That was Hyuga Teruchi's own doing when he used Revolving Heaven."

"The ancestral hall is my fault."

"Also, Hyuga Lindy is not his Hyuga Hiashi's fiancée, he is not worthy." When Simu said this, his face was full of seriousness.

The Third Hokage sighed deeply. 

This man may be reckless, but he certainly had a strong sense of loyalty to those he cared about. 

Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone so far as to destroy the Hyuga clan's ancestral hall over one person.

Moments later, the Anbu ninjas who had been sent out returned.

"What's the situation?" the Hokage asked, raising an eyebrow.

One of the ninjas glanced hesitantly at Simu.

"Speak freely," the Hokage instructed with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, Lord Hokage," the ninja replied.

"I've confirmed with the Hyuga Clan Elders Council—they have decided not to hold Hanyu Simu accountable for anything."

The Third Hokage blinked, momentarily stunned.

Good guy. He demolished their entire ancestral hall, yet they're not holding him accountable?

The Third Hokage had been prepared to pay a great price to smooth things over and protect Simu. 

Yet somehow, Simu managed to resolve the matter on his own?

How was the Hokage supposed to use this situation to win the hearts of the people now?

What puzzles him even more was how Simu had accomplished such a feat.

"Kid, what kind of magic potion did you feed the Hyuga clan?" the Hokage asked, raising an eyebrow.

Simu casually crossed his legs, shrugging.

"Nothing at all. Lindy's back, so I decided to be generous and forgive them."

The Third Hokage felt a headache coming on, his face practically etched with exasperation.

This guy is really boastful.

But his talent is so terrifying.

But since the Hyuga family doesn't pursue it themselves, naturally they won't make a big move.

"Go back for now," the Third Hokage said. 

"I'll meet with Konoha's advisors to discuss how to punish you." 

While there's no need for war, some kind of symbolic punishment is necessary.

After all, the Hyuga clan's eyes are of great strategic importance to Konoha. 

Their Byakugan has given Konoha an advantage in countless ninja battles by allowing them to predict enemy moves.

It's an important resource for Konoha. Even if the Hyuga don't pursue it, the Hokage must still show some action on his part to maintain relations and prevent the Hyuga from distancing themselves.

Simu yawned, resting his head in his hand.

"You high-level people are really troublesome. Well, I'll leave now"

The Third Hokage glanced at Simu and said

"Stay in Konoha for now."

"Understood." Simu vanished from the office in an instant.

The Third Hokage looked toward the direction of the Hyuga clan with his aging eyes.

"Go, bring Danzo and the two advisors here"

Ten minutes later, Danzo and Konoha's two advisors entered the office.

Mitokado Homura got straight to the point: "I heard Hanyu Simu has been found?"

The Third Hokage nodded as he lit a cigarette.

Utatane Koharu spoke seriously: "Hiruzen, this is no small matter. I know Hanyu Simu's talent is exceptional, but if you let him go unchecked, it won't just upset the Hyuga clan, it will trouble all the other clans too."

She clearly wasn't aware that the Hyuga clan had already reconciled with Simu.

"That's right. According to Konoha's security regulations, anyone who attacks a Konoha shinobi without permission, causes serious injury, and then escapes can definitely be charged with..." 

Mitokado Homura said, spitting out the word, "Treason!"

The Third Hokage remained calm.

Danzo stayed silent, quietly observing the exchange between his two former colleagues.

Their words were just a formality, with one clear goal: they hoped Hiruzen would give up on Simu, a rising star, and secure support from the Hyuga clan.

While Sarutobi Hiruzen may seem like the powerful face of Konoha as Hokage, the village is actually divided into several high-level factions. 

The most prominent are the Hokage faction, the advisor faction, and the family faction.

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura belong to the advisor faction. 

As disciples of the Second Hokage and early supporters of Sarutobi Hiruzen's rise to power, they hold significant influence in Konoha. 

Many noble families are aligned with them. However, in recent years, as Sarutobi Hiruzen's position has become more stable, many of these families have shifted their allegiance toward Hokage.

During the Second Ninja World War, Sarutobi Hiruzen's three apprentices gained fame in battle and were given the title of Sannin by Hanzo. 

This earned them the respect of many Konoha Jōnin, who began to align with Hiruzen.

Seeing this, other families sought to ally with him, as it was beneficial to be connected to such a powerful figure. 

As a result, the influence of the two advisors, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, as well as Danzo, began to wane, and Hiruzen's power grew stronger. 

There was a clear trend toward Hiruzen monopolizing authority.

In this increasingly complex political landscape, Hatake Sakumo, who was the most likely candidate to become the next Hokage, found himself sidelined.

Currently, there are two rising stars in the Hokage succession race: Hanyu Simu and Namikaze Minato. 

While Minato has great potential, it's not enough to disrupt the current political balance. However, Simu is different.

His actions in the Iron Country have already reached Konoha, and the overwhelming strength he displayed three days ago has proven his power. 

He is no longer seen as a fragile genius but as a formidable new force in Konoha. 

If allowed to grow, Simu's influence could easily overpower the existing factions, making him a big threat to the Hokage's authority.

When that time comes, the situation in Konoha will be completely different. 

The older generation has Hiruzen, the middle generation has the Sannin, including Jiraiya, and the new generation has powerful figures like Simu and Minato. 

Not to mention the Jinchūriki. The Hokage faction is becoming overwhelming.

Fortunately, Simu, with his immense power, attacked the Hyuga clan over a woman. This is a chance they can't miss. 

They must take advantage of this opportunity to weaken the Hokage faction and secure their own position.

After the two consultants finished speaking, the Third Hokage took a document from the drawer and handed it to the secretary in front of them and Danzo.

"A letter of understanding from the Hyuga clan? How is this possible?" 

Mitokado Homura slammed the file onto the table. 

Just this morning, the Hyuga clan had asked them to pressure the Hokage to label Hanyu Simu a traitor and execute him. And now, they were forgiving him?

Danzo smiled faintly but remained silent, as if he had already anticipated this turn of events.

Hiruzen set his pipe down and took a slow sip of tea.

"That's the situation. Now that the Hyuga clan has forgiven Simu, I don't think there's any need to pursue it further." 

Negotiation is all about strategy. Although he knew it wasn't ideal, Hiruzen still had to make some concessions.

As expected, Utatane Koharu immediately objected. "Even if the Hyuga clan has forgiven Hanyu Simu, he attacked their land and injured their ninja. Isn't that the same as betraying Konoha?"

Mitokado Homura nodded in agreement. "If we let this go, will anyone follow Konoha's rules?"

Hiruzen remained calm, blowing on his tea before taking another sip.

"As far as I know, Simu didn't kill any of the Hyuga clan this time," Hiruzen said calmly. 

"This means he has no intention of rebelling. He can be punished, but to label him as a traitor, you'd have to become Hokage."

At this, Sarutobi Hiruzen's confidence remained intact. 

His words left Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura stunned.

"Hiruzen, what do you mean?" Koharu asked, surprised.

"It's simple. I just don't want Simu to be wronged," Hiruzen replied, still indifferent.

With that, Koharu and Homura were left speechless. The negotiation had come to a standstill.

Danzo broke the silence with his hoarse voice. "If I remember correctly, that same sleeper took first place in the joint examination in the Iron Country this time."

Hiruzen looked at Danzo and nodded. "That's right. He did a great job, along with Minato, taking the top two spots in this exam."

Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke with pride, as if to say, He's truly worthy of being my apprentice's apprentice.

Danzo nodded in agreement. "This battle brought Konoha great recognition. The number of missions in the village has increased significantly, and Simu's contribution is a big part of that."

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura both understood the situation and frowned. 

"Are you suggesting we let him balance his merits and demerits?"

Danzo glanced at her and replied slowly, "How about we cancel Hanyu Simu's Jōnin rank and prevent him from taking any missions for a year?"

Seeing that the two were still hesitant, Sarutobi Hiruzen put down his teacup and said, 

"I will transfer the tea and salt business of the Sarutobi clan's Demon Country to you."

Upon hearing this, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura relaxed. "Alright then."

In truth, the two of them had been stalling for so long just for power and profit.

In this situation, the power is clearly out of reach. 

Since Hiruzen is willing to make a small concession, they are happy to take advantage of it.

As for the Hyuga clan, who can no longer offer any benefits—what is the Hyuga clan to them?

.

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TO BE CONTINUED

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