Within the Hyuga compound, a crowd gathered before a room.
"Lord Hiashi is here!" someone shouted. The crowd parted, bowing as a young man approached.
"Lord Hiashi!" they greeted.
Hiashi Hyuga frowned, his face grim as he saw the body lying on the floor inside the room. He'd been informed that Hitomi Hyuga had been murdered in his own quarters.
"Lord Hiashi, Hitomi he…"
"Lord Hiashi, we must find the killer!"
"Lord Hiashi!"
Outraged voices rose from the surrounding clan members. A clansman murdered within their own compound was a blatant insult to the Hyuga. Who would dare commit such an act?
The room showed no signs of struggle. Hitomi's only wound was a clean cut across his throat.
Hiashi stood in contemplation for a moment, then promised the clan he would find the killer and avenge Hitomi. After calming the crowd, he dismissed them. Some, close to Hitomi in life, hesitated to leave, but dared not disobey the clan head's order.
When everyone was gone, only Hiashi and Hizashi remained.
Hiashi took a deep breath. "Find the key."
Hizashi searched the body but found nothing. He activated his Byakugan, scanning the room, then silently shook his head at Hiashi.
Hiashi felt a wave of dizziness. Hizashi rushed to steady him.
"Lord Hiashi!"
"This is aimed at us! At the Hyuga!" Hiashi spat out.
"Hitomi was a Jonin, one of the strongest in the clan. Whoever killed him silently is no ordinary person," Hizashi said.
Hiashi's expression shifted as his thoughts raced.
"Check the Byakugan vault."
With that, he vanished in a Shunshin, his urgency evident. Hizashi quickly followed.
They arrived at the sealed chamber where the Byakugan were stored. The courtyard was so secluded that the broken lock and seal went unnoticed.
Hiashi hesitated at the half-open door.
Stolen Byakugan, the Hyuga bloodline in the wrong hands... he envisioned a future where a new clan, wielding the Byakugan, would rise to overthrow the main family.
He didn't want to open the door, but a cold breeze pushed it inward with a creak.
The scene inside was laid bare. The wooden boxes that once filled the shelves and tables were gone.
Nothing remained.
Hiashi felt a tightness in his chest, his breath catching.
Hizashi silently stepped forward, closing and relocking the door.
"Lord Hiashi, this matter should not be made public yet," Hizashi said.
"Not made public? As if people won't find out! Hitomi held the key; all the elders knew that!" Hiashi snapped, his usual composure gone.
He was only in his early twenties, yet leading a powerful clan, but today's events had shattered his calm.
He quickly regained his composure. "First, take care of Hitomi's body. Tell no one about the stolen Byakugan. We will thoroughly investigate the murder."
Hizashi asked, "What about Lord Hokage?"
Hitomi was a Hyuga clansman and a Konoha ninja. The village would certainly inquire about his death.
"I will report it," Hiashi said.
Konoha's recent entry and visitor logs needed to be examined, and he needed the Hokage's help.
Hiashi's mind was in turmoil. He waved his hand. "Go now."
Hizashi, however, didn't leave. He remained rooted to the spot.
"What is it?" Hiashi asked.
"Lord Hiashi, what about Shinji's surgery?"
Hiashi's thoughts drifted to the boy who had dined with him the previous evening. Those black eyes seemed to pierce him.
"We'll discuss that later."
Hizashi returned to Hitomi's residence. The body lay on the floor, the blood now dry.
As a fellow clansman and friend, Hizashi felt Hitomi's death deeply. His anger differed from Hiashi's; his stemmed from personal loss.
Nothing in the room had been disturbed, suggesting the killer had acted swiftly, leaving Hitomi no chance to defend himself.
Hizashi activated his Byakugan, scrutinizing the room. Every detail, down to the dust motes on the table became clear.
Finally, he spotted something unusual under the bed, where a layer of dust had accumulated. A faint, winding trail was visible.
He deactivated his Byakugan and bent down for a closer look. It was a peculiar mark, as if a snake had slithered across the floor.
"Find something?" Hiashi's sudden voice from behind made Hizashi's heart skip a beat.
He maintained his composure, pretending to examine the floor. With a casual breath, he blew away the trail, then stood up, coughing.
Hizashi waved away the dust. "Nothing, Lord Hiashi. I was just checking for clues."
Hiashi stood at the doorway, glancing at the empty space under the bed.
"Don't leave the body here for too long," he said.
"Understood."
...
Shinji stayed in his room all day.
Shortly after hearing the scream that morning, he saw clansmen passing by, their voices buzzing with discussion.
In the afternoon, Hizashi paid him a visit.
"Lord Hizashi!" Shinji feigned surprise, then ushered him in with a smile.
"What brings you here?"
Hizashi looked around the room. He had already used his Byakugan from outside and seen Shinji reading.
"You haven't been out today?" Hizashi asked casually, taking a seat.
"No, I felt unwell after getting caught in the rain yesterday."
Hizashi nodded. "You haven't fully recovered. Take care not to fall ill on top of that."
"Thank you for your concern, Lord Hizashi."
Hizashi continued, "Something happened in the clan today. Are you aware?"
Shinji feigned ignorance. "I saw some clansmen gathered together this morning, talking about something."
"Hitomi is dead. Murdered in his home last night."
"H-Hitomi-senpai…" Shinji stammered, then his face contorted with shock.
"How… How is that possible?!" he exclaimed.
Hizashi observed Shinji's reaction, finding no trace of deception.
"But Hitomi-senpai was a Jonin! How could he be killed?!" Shinji pressed.
"There are many in this world stronger than Jonin," Hizashi replied.
"Then who is the killer?! Who killed Hitomi-senpai?!" Shinji's shock turned to anger.
Hizashi countered, "Are you angry?"
Shinji declared righteously, "Someone dared to kill within the Hyuga compound! This is a slap in the face to our entire clan!"
He knew his relationship with Hitomi was superficial. Hitomi barely acknowledged his greetings.
"We will find the killer," Hizashi assured him.
"The one who killed Hitomi-senpai must pay with their life!" Shinji gritted his teeth.
"Indeed." Hizashi responded simply, then stood up. He casually instructed Shinji to stay indoors as the clan investigated the matter.
"Safe travels, Lord Hizashi."