Naruto: Getting Observation Haki By Sacrificing The Byakugan

"But I'm thinking about something else… Minato, do you remember back when we were at the Ninja Academy? The Third Hokage used to stage these big, dramatic 'demonstrations' all the time?"

Minato Namikaze's lips twitched at the memory. The showmanship was real, but did Aoba have to put it like that? Besides, I am the Hokage—I'm no stranger to that kind of thing myself.

Minato deeply valued the development of the next generation. He regularly visited Konoha's two Ninja Academies, delivering speeches and inspiring the young students. Although such visits weren't frequent, Minato understood their importance; even a single appearance could leave a lasting impression.

Still, weren't they just discussing how to outmaneuver Iwagakure diplomatically? How did the topic suddenly jump to the Academy?

What is Aoba up to this time?

Minato had a bad feeling.

"Minato," Aoba said calmly, "giving students motivational speeches—'chicken soup for the soul,' if you will—is nice and all, but for most of them, it's just a momentary boost. They forget everything after a day or two."

He paused before continuing, "But if they see the cruelty of the ninja world firsthand, even just a glimpse, it'll stick with them forever. So… I have a bold idea."

'You have a bold idea, and I have a bad premonition,' Minato thought. Whenever Chiba Aoba had a 'bold idea,' it usually meant trouble—and not just for Konoha, but often for Iwagakure too.

Still, Minato couldn't imagine how the Iwa delegation connected to Konoha's Ninja Academies.

But Kawaki Aoba had already made up his mind.

"Yes," he declared, "let's have the Iwa delegation play their final role—as educational material. Let them help our Academy students understand what the ninja world really looks like."

Minato Namikaze: …

Why does this sound so ominous?

What exactly is Aoba planning to do to the Iwa delegation?

No matter how absurd it seemed, Minato found himself unable to stop Aoba. In the end, he could only watch helplessly as Aoba rushed to the Academies.

The two Ninja Academies, conveniently located across from one another, made logistics easy for Aoba. After calling together the principals and higher-ups, he proposed an additional "special demonstration" class.

As the strongest and most influential shinobi in the village, Aoba's authority wasn't questioned. The Academy heads not only agreed—they welcomed the idea with enthusiasm.

Aoba didn't bother with their flattery. Once he got their approval, he went straight to prepare the negotiation venue.

That's right—Aoba's plan was to turn the upcoming peace talks between Konoha and Iwa into live "educational content."

Naturally, the Iwa delegation couldn't be informed of this in advance. They wouldn't cooperate if they knew.

After installing surveillance equipment in the negotiation room, Aoba ordered the students to be gathered into a large hall capable of seating hundreds. They would be watching a live broadcast.

When Minato learned of Aoba's rather questionable operation, his lips twitched uncontrollably.

Technically, this was borderline political sabotage. Yet Aoba had already set the whole thing in motion—and Minato could do little to stop it now.

"Let's just hope Aoba doesn't go too far… If this leaks, Konoha's reputation will take a serious hit."

Though Minato said this to himself, he wasn't optimistic.

Konoha's reputation… well, let's leave that for another day.

---

"Itachi, look! That's Lord Aoba—the hero who protected the village, and the principal of our Academy. He looks so young!"

Inside the classroom, a group of students whispered excitedly.

A girl leaned over and whispered in Itachi Uchiha's ear.

"Izumi, I know," Itachi replied in his usual calm tone. "Uncle Tobirama said Lord Aoba is the most formidable ninja in the village."

He looked at Izumi, the only one whose presence didn't bother him.

Still, as he looked up at the large screen, Itachi frowned inwardly.

This is the person Father wants me to keep an eye on after graduation. Though unofficial now, the surveillance assignment still lingered in his mind.

And yet… watching the setup, and recalling what his teachers had said earlier, Itachi couldn't help but feel something was off.

Isn't this just going to cause a diplomatic incident? Aren't we humiliating foreign envoys here?

If he were already a full-fledged shinobi, Itachi would have voiced his concern to the higher-ups. But he wasn't—his requests for early graduation had been denied several times.

Just then, Kawaki Aoba walked onto the stage and knocked on the table.

Whether out of admiration or fear, the room instantly fell silent.

Aoba was pleased.

He began, "The Iwa delegation will arrive shortly. The talks are about to begin. These negotiations are the clearest window into the political landscape between Hidden Villages."

He swept his gaze across the students.

"This," he said, "is the real ninja world. Watch closely. Learn well. And don't forget what you see here today."

With that, Aoba sat down.

The room was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Every student stared, unblinking, at the large screen, waiting for the negotiations to begin.

Many in the audience didn't understand what was happening. At their age, it was too complex—too heavy—for them to grasp the full meaning of what was unfolding.

But that was fine. Most were only there to broaden their horizons. Kawaki Aoba's goal had never been to educate the crowd but to cultivate those with independent thought—future pillars of the village.

Of course, true geniuses must also be given attention.

In the quiet hall, the image on the live broadcast finally changed.

The delegations from Iwagakure and Konohagakure entered the venue one after another. The negotiations had officially begun.

Iwagakure's purpose was straightforward: they had come for the Five-Tails, Kokuō.

Their preparations were thorough. They even brought with them the armistice agreement signed during the Fourth Great Ninja War. According to that document, Kokuō was to remain in Konoha's custody only during wartime. After the war's conclusion, he was to be returned to Iwagakure.

Logically, Konoha should have relinquished the beast long ago. From a purely diplomatic standpoint, Iwagakure held the moral high ground.

But Konoha's stance was unusually firm.

The order given to its negotiating team was clear: if Iwagakure wanted Kokuō back, they could have him—but only in exchange for something of equal value. After all, the beast had been captured during combat.

Iwagakure denounced Konoha's stance as dishonorable—akin to banditry.

However, they had anticipated this. So long as Konoha wasn't outright refusing to return the tailed beast, negotiation remained possible.

But when they laid eyes on Konoha's demands, even the most composed Iwa ninja was stunned.

They had expected Konoha's appetite to be large. But this? This wasn't negotiation—it was plunder.

Just look at the terms on that scroll.

All publicly available ninjutsu from Iwagakure's archives.

Tens of thousands of kunai, shuriken, and senbon.

A vast stockpile of valuable supplies.

And worst of all—a large portion of Iwagakure's mission territory was to be ceded to Konoha.

This wasn't a deal—it was an ultimatum. Even a surrender treaty would have been more merciful.

The conditions weren't merely harsh—they were insulting.

The Iwagakure delegation's faces darkened. Rage boiled behind clenched jaws. Their leader, Kitsuchi, was visibly ready to overturn the table.

No matter what Konoha's intent was, this was a direct affront to Iwagakure's honor.

A fitting phrase came to mind:

They arrived in the morning, the meeting was called by noon, and by afternoon—the hall echoed with the sound of fury.

"This is Konoha's idea of negotiation?!" Kitsuchi roared. "These conditions are outrageous—an insult to our village! We refuse to accept this mockery!"

Within the Iwa delegation, Kitsuchi, son of Tsuchikage Ōnoki, slammed his palm on the table with a thunderous crack.

On Konoha's side, a Byakugan-wielding ninja, possibly of the Hyuga clan, stood up, his brow furrowed.

"Lord Kitsuchi, mind your tone," the Konoha ninja said coldly. "You are in the Hidden Leaf. This is a formal negotiation, not a battlefield. We made our offer. If you object, say so—but with dignity."

"Object?" Kitsuchi sneered. He pointed at the ninja across from him, then crumpled the list in his hand and hurled it aside.

"You call this an offer? From the start, Konoha had no intention to negotiate in good faith. And who did you send to speak on your behalf? A stray Hyuga with no clan standing?"

His words struck deep. The Konoha ninja's fists clenched, but he remained composed.

"Insult me if you must," the Byakugan shinobi said coldly. "But slandering Konoha's intent and honor crosses the line. Are these the ways of Iwagakure?"

With another bang, Kitsuchi punched the table, shattering its leg.

"You dare mock us first, then expect us to sit quietly? If this is Konoha's stance, are you trying to provoke a war?"

Suddenly—Bang!

The doors to the hall burst open.

A tall figure entered, his expression cold as ice—Kawaki Aoba.

All eyes turned. The Konoha ninjas rose to attention. Even the Iwa shinobi instinctively braced themselves.

Kitsuchi opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a word, an oppressive aura washed over the hall.

It was suffocating—heavy with killing intent, backed by battle-forged experience and unshakable dominance. Some of the Iwa shinobi momentarily saw illusions—phantoms of death—hallucinations brought on by sheer pressure.

Such a phenomenon is not unheard of. Veteran shinobi, especially those steeped in war, can project fear without a word. But such effects usually manifest only when an elite faces inexperienced Genin.

And yet… even elite Chunin in the Iwa delegation felt their knees weaken. Even Kitsuchi, a Jonin nearing Kage-level, broke into a cold sweat.

Don't move, a voice echoed in his mind. Move, and you die.

Because that's what Kawaki Aoba intended.

Ignoring the Konoha shinobi who saluted him, Aoba simply raised a hand and strode forward. His gaze locked onto Kitsuchi.

"So… it was you who said Iwagakure is ready to start a war?" Aoba asked, his tone calm—but lethal. "Then tell me… are you the one here to deliver the declaration? Or are you the first to die?"

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