"Oh, right, Kawaki Aoba, what about the Byakugan you extracted?"
Kawaki Aoba sneered inwardly. So, the true intent was finally revealed.
The Root ninja spoke politely, but in the end, wasn't it just about using him to secure benefits and then discarding him to face the Hyūga clan's wrath?
As everyone knew, Konohagakure was a harmonious and peaceful village on the surface, but it would be all too easy for a powerful clan like the Hyūga to make a civilian genin disappear without a trace.
However, too bad for them—their calculations were about to fall apart.
"That Byakugan? Oh, I've already absorbed it. It's mine now. Even if it's to be destroyed, it will remain with me. I used that drastic method specifically to disgust the Hyūga clan. Even if I die, I'll never return it to them.
I didn't expect that there was another method to utilize it. What a shame, my lord—you're too late. Damn it, if I had known this technique could be used to transfer the Byakugan, I would've kept it intact."
As he spoke, Kawaki Aoba feigned frustration and slammed his fist against the doorframe.
Root Ninja: "…"
The Root ninja opened his mouth, but in the end, chose silence.
Meanwhile, Asuma Sarutobi's anger seemed to cool down slightly.
"Yeah, this method could've worked. A pair of eyes could've solved everything… Why didn't I think of that? Damn that uptight Hyūga clan."
Off to the side, Kurenai Yūhi bit her lip and said nothing. She walked up to Kawaki Aoba, took out a tissue, and gently wiped the blood off his face.
Afterward, she whispered, "Digging out your own eyes… it must've hurt terribly, right?"
"It's fine. As long as we find a solution. It's just a pair of Byakugan—I don't care," Kawaki Aoba replied, though he knew this matter wouldn't end here. He had no intention of explaining to his two friends. Moreover, he never planned to exchange the lost vision for ordinary eyes.
That darkness would forever remind him—the Hyūga clan had taken his sight.
The Root ninja clenched his fists. Even someone trained in emotional suppression by Root felt the urge to vomit blood.
That's a Byakugan, damn it. You might not care, but we certainly do. Not to mention—it was one of his primary mission objectives.
But things had escalated too far. The Root ninja had no choice but to continue following the orders from Danzo and escort Kawaki Aoba to the Hokage's office.
Perhaps he should be grateful—the Byakugan's presence or absence no longer affected Danzo's broader agenda against the Hyūga clan.
Kawaki Aoba remained cooperative. Flanked by Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yūhi on either side, and accompanied by the Root ninja, he headed straight to the Hokage Building.
The moment the group disappeared at the far end of the street, a mixed squad of ANBU and Root operatives appeared from the shadows and began searching Kawaki Aoba's house.
As shinobi, they could not completely trust his words. The importance of the Byakugan—Konoha's key dōjutsu—was too great. Even with a 1% possibility, they had to investigate thoroughly.
But their search yielded nothing. The Byakugan Kawaki Aoba had destroyed was gone—forever. How could they find something that no longer existed?
Both the Root and ANBU squads returned disappointed. Meanwhile, Kawaki Aoba and his companions arrived at the entrance to the Ninja Administration Building.
"Alright, I'll escort you up to here. Once inside, you may proceed directly to the Hokage's office. However, for security reasons, all ninja tools must be surrendered temporarily," the Root captain announced.
Though directed at all three, the statement was clearly aimed at Kawaki Aoba.
"What kind of half-baked rule is that? I've never heard of it before," Asuma grumbled bluntly, his tone bordering on insubordination.
Before he could protest further, Kawaki Aoba interjected, "Let it go, Asuma. Rules are rules. As shinobi, we follow them."
Without hesitation, he handed over the ninja pouch from his waist. Kurenai Yūhi followed suit. Asuma clicked his tongue in annoyance but complied.
After the three entered the Hokage Building, the Root captain examined Kawaki Aoba's gear.
There were only a few empty bottles and standard ninja tools. The most valuable item was a trio of explosive tags—no trace of the Byakugan.
Those empty bottles, according to intel, were used by the boy to mix soldier pills into flavored drinks—blueberry and strawberry, allegedly.
Soldier pills weren't known for taste, and while his recipe reduced effectiveness, it made them tolerable. What a waste of military-grade supplies.
Still, the Root captain cautiously checked everything for hidden mechanisms before sealing and storing the items again.
Yes, for someone as meticulous as Kawaki Aoba, it was unthinkable to leave evidence behind. He had thoroughly disguised everything through the "sacrifice."
"You insolent brat! What do you take our Hyūga clan for?" A furious voice rang out just as they reached the Hokage's door. "It was agreed at Konoha's founding—outsiders have no say in our clan's internal affairs! Who are you to interfere?!
As long as that boy activates the Byakugan, he's Hyūga! This is our clan's responsibility—not yours to question!"
Without a doubt, it was the Hyūga clan's Second Elder. Something Danzo had done must have provoked him to this level.
But Kawaki Aoba smirked. The more outraged this relic became, the easier it would be to manipulate him.
Knock knock knock.
"Hokage-sama, Genin Kawaki Aoba requests an audience," he called out firmly.
---
Acting as a Group
"You bastard, Kawaki Aoba—where's the Byakugan?!"
The moment Kawaki Aoba entered, all three occupants turned toward him—but the Second Elder of the Hyūga clan stood out, nearly exploding with rage.
The Byakugan was a kekkei genkai sacred to the Hyūga clan. To see an active pair vanish without a trace was intolerable.
Facing the old man's fury, Kawaki Aoba remained calm.
"Byakugan? I don't know what you're talking about. Also, this is the Hokage's office. Please lower your voice. Loud outbursts here are disrespectful to Lord Hokage."
Feigning confusion, he made a mental note—Sorry, Shino Aburame—I'm borrowing your future speech patterns.
"You impudent brat! I'm the Hyūga Second Elder. I asked where your Byakugan went!" Though his tone dulled slightly, the elder was still forceful.
"Oh, the Second Elder? Even so, I'm not sure what you mean. The Byakugan is your clan's inherited dōjutsu, isn't it? What's that got to do with a regular Konoha genin like me?"
Danzo Shimura's methods might've been sinister, but Kawaki Aoba had to admit—they worked.
Without hard proof, he could deny everything. And so long as he denied it, the undeniable fact remained: Hyūga clan members had blinded a Konoha genin within the village.
That was the trump card. Kawaki Aoba and his companions had witnessed everything.
His voice hardened: "However, since the Hyūga Second Elder is here, I do have a grievance. Lord Hokage, as a loyal Konoha shinobi, I seek justice from the Hyūga clan."
The Second Elder blinked, stunned.
Justice? From a brat like him?
To the Hyūga clan, recovering the Byakugan was a sacred duty—even the Hokage couldn't interfere.
If Kawaki Aoba had heard the elder's inner thoughts, he might've laughed aloud at such outdated arrogance.
"Lord Hokage, the matter is this…" Kawaki Aoba launched into a vivid account—how two Hyūga shinobi ambushed him and crippled his eyes in a remote alley.
His version, heavily dramatized, painted the attackers as lawless monsters, utterly contemptuous of Konoha's legal order.
Even Asuma and Kurenai, who had discussed the story beforehand, struggled to keep a straight face.
But to Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura, both seasoned manipulators, the tale was intriguing.
Especially Danzo—his expression grew darker with each passing word.
"Those fools... attacking comrades inside the village. Do they even understand the Will of Fire anymore?"