We Are Invincible Ahead of Us!
"Know yourself and the enemy, and you will never lose a battle."
"Kumogakure abducted Hinata, aiming to acquire the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan for research."
"I even suspect that this so-called celebration is part of their grand scheme."
"Even the ninja they dispatched is highly skilled and agile."
"Once you view the situation from this angle, their entire plan becomes clear."
"They are using this as an opportunity to force the Hyuga clan to surrender the Byakugan. But the Hyuga clan has always valued the secrecy of their bloodline, even creating the Main and Branch family system to protect it."
"Especially when Hiashi Hyuga met with Neji for the last time; in that moment, he was not just a ninja, but a father."
"Hokage-sama, separation is always painful, whether through death or distance. At that moment, Hiashi looked into Neji's eyes and concealed the truth from him."
Xu Fan delivered his lines smoothly, weaving his own suspicions into the real events of the anime. These kinds of "true lies" are often the hardest to refute—because he never technically lied, but instead spoke the brutal truth.
Hearing Xu Fan's deductions, Sarutobi Hiruzen was impressed. Only a handful of people knew what truly transpired that day, along with the immense pressure from Kumogakure. None of them would have leaked such classified information to Xu Fan.
In reality, Sarutobi didn't believe Hiashi was the type to openly discuss such matters. Rather, his reason for asking was to see what Xu Fan would say.
Yet, Xu Fan didn't reveal any direct knowledge of that night's events—his words merely implied an understanding, as if acknowledging the truth without stating it outright.
The Power of the First Hokage's Legacy
He possessed Hashirama Senju's strength and intelligence. With time, Xu Fan's growth was inevitable.
What Sarutobi needed to do was guide him onto the right path—to uphold the Will of Fire, rather than becoming another Orochimaru or Danzo.
"Hokage-sama."
As Sarutobi fell into deep thought, Xu Fan spoke again.
"Hmm?"
"Do you really…" Xu Fan deliberately paused before shifting his gaze toward Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, as if hinting at something.
Sarutobi, catching the unspoken message, signaled for them to leave. Though dissatisfied, they obeyed, bound by their respect for the Hokage's authority.
But that didn't mean they wouldn't attempt to learn the details of this conversation later.
"Say it."
"Do you truly support sacrificing the Hyuga clan?" Xu Fan asked directly, cutting to the heart of the matter.
He knew very well that without Sarutobi's tacit approval, the Hyuga Main Family wouldn't have allowed Hiashi's twin brother, Hizashi, to sacrifice himself to prevent a war.
By refraining from directly accusing him, Xu Fan was saving face for the Hokage.
Sarutobi quickly understood this.
"After I said all of that, do you still have nothing to say?"
Seeing Sarutobi remain silent, Xu Fan pressed further.
He no longer feared Konoha's leadership, nor the political maneuvering behind them.
In truth, this was why he chose to summon the Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees rather than recklessly unleashing his chakra—he had no need to.
With chakra on par with Hashirama Senju and the ability to wield Wood Release, his strength in the current ninja world was undeniable. Akatsuki was still gathering members, Orochimaru had not yet perfected the Reanimation Jutsu, and Kabuto had not even begun experimenting with it. No one had control over the Tailed Beasts yet.
Simply put, right now, he was in a position of power.
A Bold Strategy
This was why he summoned the forest—to send a clear message to Konoha's leadership:
"I am not running. Kumogakure is not a threat. We should fight back!"
"So they will never dare to return!"
"The Will of Fire is unstoppable!"
"And if you believe this is my full strength—if you believe this is my peak—then you are gravely mistaken."
"My true potential will only grow with time."
Even if he were given just six or seven more years—before the events of Naruto truly unfolded—he would have numerous chances to grow even stronger.
If diplomacy failed, he was fully prepared to fight until the bitter end.
Of course, Xu Fan was not someone who blindly sought violence. If Sarutobi was willing to sit down, listen, and take his advice, it would save everyone unnecessary effort.
Sarutobi studied Xu Fan carefully, noticing the unwavering determination in his eyes.
It had been a long time since he had seen such a gaze.
Though his face remained neutral, deep inside, he was shocked by Xu Fan's thought process.
Before this, he had always believed Uchiha Itachi was a rare genius with an idealistic, Naruto-style mindset.
But now he saw that Xu Fan was just as brilliant.
However, whereas Itachi aligned more with the pacifistic ideals of the Third Hokage, Xu Fan's thinking mirrored that of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.
"Xu Fan."
After a long pause, Sarutobi finally spoke. "You should know that this situation is far more complicated than you think. Your Wood Release is indeed powerful, but escalating tensions between Konoha and Kumogakure could lead to full-scale war. This is not something that can be decided alone—"
Xu Fan interrupted. "I understand, Lord Hokage. But do you know how I spent the past five years?"
Sarutobi remained silent.
"I have studied the history of the ninja world extensively. And in one particular book, I came across a fascinating strategy."
Sarutobi raised an eyebrow. "What strategy?"
"The Northern Expedition."
Sarutobi: "???"
Xu Fan continued, "Use external conflicts to resolve internal strife."
He didn't let Sarutobi question him, pressing on. "The Uchiha clan is growing stronger, and their arrogance is becoming a problem. If we allow them to continue unchecked, they could become a threat to Konoha's stability."
"So, I propose that we send them to fight Kumogakure. If they refuse, we can strip them of their positions and confine them."
"On the other hand, if they accept, not only do we retaliate against Kumogakure for their past actions, but we also weaken the Uchiha's strength and reestablish balance within Konoha."
"Most importantly, by allowing them to fight for the village, we give them a reason to feel truly connected to Konoha."
Xu Fan finished speaking, watching Sarutobi closely.
Sarutobi's expression shifted from initial shock to deep contemplation. Finally, he stood motionless, processing the implications of Xu Fan's strategy.
Protect the Hyuga clan, counterattack Kumogakure, and weaken the Uchiha.
A masterful three-pronged strategy.
Was this truly the Xu Fan he had known?
Or had he become someone else entirely?
I've corrected and refined your text while ensuring accuracy with Naruto's storyline. Let me know if you need further tweaks!