Konoha’s Five-Element Ninja

Chapter 49: The Letter

The summer night air was refreshingly cool. Since there were no other Konoha shinobi nearby, Hayama left the tent flap open, letting the pleasant breeze drift in. It was comfortable and relaxing.

The tent was unlit, but the moonlight filtering in revealed a jagged scar on Yamashiro Tatsu's back. Hayama couldn't help but ask, "Were the battles with the Mist particularly intense?"

Noticing Hayama's gaze, Tatsu shifted slightly and replied, "The Mist-nin were crafty, preferring to fight in thick fog, and they were ruthless—not only to their enemies but to themselves. The battles were indeed brutal."

Recalling the Mist-nin he had faced recently—those willing to kill themselves just to drag him down—Hayama nodded knowingly. Perhaps it was something about being from an island nation: their limited land seemed to make them ruthless, willing to stoop to any level. In that sense, they reminded Hayama of certain countries from his previous life.

That said, the Mist's silent assassination tactics were hopelessly outmatched by the Sharingan and Byakugan.

"The Mist's little tricks are nothing more than clownish antics against bloodline limits," Hayama said, a trace of derision in his tone.

Tatsu made a noncommittal noise before continuing, "The Hyuga clan lost a Byakugan."

Hayama froze in shock. Unlike the Sharingan, the Byakugan didn't just enhance individual power—it served as a strategic asset, akin to a radar in the Naruto world. When used effectively, it could greatly bolster the combat effectiveness of an entire unit. Konoha's hard-fought victory in the Second Shinobi World War was largely thanks to its logistical superiority and unparalleled reconnaissance capabilities. The loss of a Byakugan was no small matter—it was a significant blow to the village.

"The village didn't send anyone to retrieve it?" Hayama asked.

Tatsu snorted bitterly. "The Third Hokage's response was telling. He said that for the sake of peace between the two countries, the retrieval would be postponed. Not only that, but I've heard rumors that we might sell the Three-Tails back to the Mist to strengthen relations."

Hayama fell silent. From his perspective, there was no "peace" between Konoha and the Mist. The two sides had fought bitterly for years; no single Byakugan could erase that animosity.

"What's the Hyuga clan's stance on this?" he asked.

"The current Hyuga clan isn't what it used to be. They're not even as numerous as the Sarutobi clan. They can only grit their teeth and swallow their resentment. They wouldn't dare pressure the higher-ups."

Strictly speaking, the Hyuga were staunch supporters of the Hokage. Since the Warring States Period, the Hyuga and Senju clans had been allies. After the founding of Konoha, the Hyuga were the first major clan to join the village. It wouldn't have been surprising if a Hyuga had eventually become Hokage.

But now, with the Senju clan in decline and the Uchiha clan sidelined from decision-making, Konoha had left behind its old era and entered a new one dominated by Sarutobi Hiruzen. A new regime meant new favorites, and the Hyuga—still associated with the Senju—inevitably faced suppression.

Yet, no matter the power struggles, losing the Byakugan was a step too far. At the very least, trading the Three-Tails for the Byakugan would have been a fair deal, ensuring the Hyuga's loyalty to the Hokage's rule.

The Hyuga clan's obsession with protecting their bloodline was well-known. They had even developed the Caged Bird seal, dividing their family into main and branch houses, to ensure that no Byakugan would ever fall into enemy hands. The Konoha higher-ups' refusal to retrieve the lost Byakugan in the name of "peace" left Hayama deeply unimpressed. He wondered wryly: if the Mist demanded the Third Hokage's head to maintain peace, would Hiruzen comply?

The thought left Hayama bitter. If the village's leadership was willing to sacrifice the Hyuga's core assets for diplomatic appeasement, what was stopping them from sacrificing a mere jonin like him to placate another village? After all, compared to the Hyuga, losing one civilian jonin would be a small price to pay.

The conversation turned sour, leaving both men in a foul mood. They said no more and eventually drifted off to sleep.

...

Time passed slowly but steadily. Hayama and Tatsu spent their days patrolling the border, the monotony occasionally broken by the changing seasons. When the first gentle snowflakes began to fall, Hayama realized just how long he had been stationed there—long enough for the people back in the village to forget about him.

Over time, the stationed shinobi were rotated out, but Hayama remained, becoming the longest-serving member of the border post. Sometimes, seniority meant nothing more than being ignored, marginalized, and forgotten. For Hayama, it felt less like respect and more like punishment.

Despite having no desire for power or influence, the way the higher-ups treated him filled Hayama with quiet frustration. He had fought for Konoha with everything he had during the war. He wasn't looking for praise, but the cold shoulder he received was disheartening.

Feeling increasingly disillusioned, Hayama often suggested that Tatsu return to the village. Each time, Tatsu adamantly refused, which offered Hayama some solace amidst his growing discontent.

Winter gave way to spring, and with it came a sense of renewal. Hayama had endured eight long months at the border. Just as he resolved to write Minato a letter asking for help getting back to the village, another letter arrived first.

One chilly night, under the faint light of the emerging spring moon, Hayama opened the letter. After reading it, his face hardened, radiating an intense anger that startled Tatsu.

Without a word, Hayama handed the letter to Tatsu, then stepped outside, letting the cold wind blow against his face as he struggled to contain his fury.

The letter was from Uchiha Fugaku. It was brief, assuring Hayama that his mother was doing well and that he had nothing to worry about. Attached, however, was a report—clearly copied by Fugaku—which included a scathing evaluation from Sarutobi Firefang. The report accused Hayama of lacking the "Will of Fire," and the only response from Sarutobi Hiruzen was a terse "Understood."

The notion of "lacking the Will of Fire" felt like a slap in the face. What did that even mean? Hayama knew exactly how he had offended Firefang. During a past patrol mission, Hayama's team had detected a large-scale infiltration by Iwa-nin. Instead of immediately rushing to help the so-called "elite" Konoha forces, they had first eliminated a smaller Iwa squad before returning to base. Since then, Firefang had targeted Hayama, using his position to belittle him at every opportunity.

In truth, Firefang had been sending teams like Hayama's—comprised mainly of civilian shinobi—to the front lines as cannon fodder, while reserving the clan ninjas for the rear. When the enemy proved far stronger than expected, the elite Konoha forces were wiped out. Was Hayama supposed to sacrifice himself needlessly in such a situation?

Hayama had already done his duty by sending a warning signal before retreating. If the bait turned out to be a shark instead of a fish, that wasn't his fault. Should he have thrown his life away just to prove his loyalty? And what kind of "Will of Fire" was it if only Sarutobi loyalists were allowed to have it?

Hiruzen's leadership—favoritism, blind trust in certain clans, and refusal to investigate the truth—had left Hayama feeling deeply betrayed. The fact that a mere written evaluation could keep him exiled at the border for eight months made it painfully clear how fragile his position was. The so-called "Will of Fire" now felt like a weapon used to suppress dissent and punish those who didn't toe the line.

Hayama felt a heavy sense of helplessness. He was like an insect caught in a web, struggling in vain as the spider approached. No amount of effort or skill seemed to matter; the higher-ups could crush him with a single stroke of a pen.

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