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"Since they made the first move, why should we be the ones to compromise?"
"Was there any way to avoid compromise during the Third Great Ninja War? Konoha was the side under siege. The constant battles had already drained us. Many children under the age of ten were forced onto the battlefield. At that time, Konoha was on the brink of collapse."
The old man continued, his voice filled with regret and weariness.
Everyone fell silent at his words.
For Konoha, the Third Ninja World War was a time of darkness.
Even with the likes of the Yellow Flash of Konoha (Namikaze Minato) and the Legendary Sannin—Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru—fighting for the village, the entire population was mobilized. Konoha nearly ran out of supplies and manpower.
The number of enemies was overwhelming. Konoha could only hold out.
It was a time filled with bloodshed and funerals. The names of countless young shinobi are still etched on the memorial stone and buried deep within the cemetery grounds of Konoha.
Even so, many young shinobi barely ten years old had to step onto the battlefield the moment they became genin, offering their lives for the village.
Many died in foreign lands, their bodies never recovered.
"And in the end, what was the result?"
"The result was compromise," Hyuga Hanabi said bitterly from the lounge. "Konoha gave in to Kumogakure's outrageous demands and agreed to hand over the 'culprit.'"
Although Konoha was still considered the strongest of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, Kumogakure wasn't far behind.
The Raikages of Kumogakure had always been fierce and hot-tempered—brutal in both strength and politics.
"But isn't Hyuga Hiashi-sama still alive?" Nara Shikamaru asked in confusion. "If Konoha handed over the culprit, why wasn't he executed?"
"Because my father..." Hanabi began.
"Has a twin brother," Ye Dou finished for her. "Hyuga Hizashi. Neji's father."
To outsiders, there seemed nothing wrong with the Hyuga clan's decision.
The Byakugan had given Konoha a major edge during the war—detecting ambushes, enemy movements, and hidden threats. If the Byakugan were captured and studied by enemy nations, it could be catastrophic.
To prevent the secrets of the clan from being exposed, it was deemed the most logical move to sacrifice someone who could convincingly replace Hiashi.
But to Hyuga Neji, it was an unforgivable injustice—his innocent father used as a sacrificial pawn.
"Uncle Hizashi was born just minutes after Hiashi-sama. They were identical in appearance and nearly equal in strength. There was no way for the Kumogakure envoys to tell the difference in such a short time."
Hanabi struggled to articulate her emotions. It was the first time she had learned the full truth.
The bruised and unconscious Neji, lying in the infirmary after his recent loss, sparked guilt, sadness, and anger in her heart.
"Even though they were twins with nearly identical potential, just because of the order of their birth, my father was forced to die as a substitute. That's what they call 'fate.' It was decided the moment he was born!" she said.
But fate isn't unbreakable. It can be shattered—if one is strong enough.
Watching Neji rant furiously in the arena, Ye Dou abruptly stood up.
"Where are you going?" Shikamaru asked.
"To the restroom," Ye Dou replied, walking out without turning back.
He couldn't agree with what Neji had said.
"I don't believe in fate. That's just an excuse the weak use to run from reality. Even if fate does exist, if I'm strong enough, I'll shatter it with my fists."
"Indra, Uzumaki Nagato, Uchiha Obito, Uchiha Madara… they didn't fail because they challenged the world. They failed because they weren't strong enough."
Walking alone down the quiet corridor, Ye Dou muttered to himself.
History is written by the victors. Even if Qin Shi Huang was called a tyrant, his name remains eternal.
Bang! A puff of smoke erupted behind him—a shadow clone stood where Ye Dou once was.
"I'll leave this to you."
"Got it. If Sand Shinobi or Orochimaru make their move, I'll notify you immediately," the clone replied, heading back toward the lounge.
Ye Dou knew his mere presence had already nudged the course of events.
Yet history's wheel continued to turn.
Unless something major changed, Uchiha Sasuke would soon return, wounded and desperate, triggering the beginning of the Konoha Crush Plan.
The prologue was set.
Using a transformation jutsu, Ye Dou vanished into the crowd.
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[Konoha Crush Plan]
Leaving the Chunin Exam venue behind, Ye Dou wandered the streets of Konoha.
At this hour, the village was much quieter than usual. Few pedestrians walked the streets, and many shops had closed their doors.
But the shopkeepers weren't discouraged. They used the lull to rest and prepare.
They knew the crowd would return in full force after the Chunin Exams.
At a local ninja tools store, the shopkeeper lounged at the entrance, casting glances toward the direction of the arena.
"I wonder how the exam is going… I really wish I could go watch," he murmured, bored yet curious.
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