Chapter 136: Yuto's Mission

"Yuto."

A familiar voice echoed as Yuto opened his eyes to see a blonde woman entering the room.

"Someone from the Hyuga clan is here for you," Tsunade said, glancing at her student's chest and handing him a white kimono. "Get dressed."

"Yes, Sensei." Yuto got up and checked the time.

It was 2:30 in the morning.

Even in the village of shinobi, this was a time for absolute rest.

"What's Hiashi up to at this hour?" Tsunade yawned, clearly irritated. "This is exhausting."

"Something might have happened, Sensei. Did we wake Shizune?"

"No, once Shizune's asleep, she sleeps like a log. Hahaha..."

Yuto's eyes showed a hint of amusement. He dressed quickly, grabbed his shinobi gear, and left the house.

Outside the gates of the Senju compound, a Hyuga chunin waited.

"Yuto-sama, the clan head requests your presence."

"Understood." Yuto waved his hand and followed the clansman through several streets to the Hyuga compound.

The central house flickered with the light of dozens of candles placed in various corners, casting a shadowy, eerie glow on the wooden furniture.

Yuto knelt on one knee, alongside other important clan members, waiting for Hiashi Hyuga to speak.

"We've found traces of the Moon God."

Hiashi's first words sent a shockwave through the room.

Though the Hyuga clan had long sought to find Shinosuke Hyuga, the so-called Moon God, and the secret to evolving the Byakugan, the Moon God was elusive. Finding his trace was an incredibly difficult task.

Moreover, even if Shinosuke was indeed the Moon God, having killed so many Konoha shinobi, who could guarantee he wouldn't attack his own clan?

After the Hyuga clan set a plan to secretly contact the Moon God, it didn't take long for them to achieve such promising results. Anyone with a brain would think this might be a trap!

"The information comes from the Land of Rain," Hiashi continued, ignoring the reactions below. "A bounty station there received a visit from a person wearing a hannya mask. Nowadays, few dare to wear such masks because of the Moon God."

"Clan head," an elderly Hyuga member questioned, "Bounty stations have rules to protect their clients' privacy. Their information might be false."

"It's not," Hiashi replied. "The Moon God once deceived the bounty station in the Land of Hot Water. Although he can still trade there, the station will no longer conceal his whereabouts." Hiashi paused and produced a prepared scroll. "Besides the bounty station, there are other witnesses. Everything is detailed in this report."

Yuto scanned the scroll. The first line read:

"A spy within the Akatsuki has leaked information. The Moon God is suspected to be heading to the underworld."

A smile played on Yuto's lips. He knew this must be the handiwork of the Senju clone.

It had been five days since Yuto sent a message to Kitsu via a slug summon.

Kitsu, being a decisive person, had likely "leaked" this information effortlessly, causing a stir with just a bit of news about the Moon God. Wearing a hannya mask in public would solidify the intel.

After reading the report, most believed it to some extent. What troubled them was the kunai-shaped mark in the bottom right corner of each scroll, indicating the information came from the ANBU. The village was aware of the Moon God's appearance at the bounty station.

"Don't worry about the village," Hiashi soothed, noting the clan's concerns. "The Hokage has decided to treat the Moon God passively—gather intelligence, be prepared, but do not engage."

Many Hyuga exchanged glances, silently communicating. A fervent desire simmered in the room.

As a powerful clan, the Hyuga had significant autonomy. To compensate for the losses from the Moon God's ambush, Hiruzen Sarutobi granted them many privileges. They had the capacity to dispatch forces outside the village, and the Hokage wouldn't object.

But deciding who would go was tricky.

Even if Shinosuke was the Moon God, there was no guarantee of successful negotiation. Finding him could mean encountering deadly forces.

"I'll lead the team," Hiashi announced. "To uncover the secret of these eyes, as clan head, I must go. Showing sincerity is key to negotiations. My life on the line should earn us at least a conversation."

Despite the clan's protests, Hiashi calmly assigned the team: "Rina, Harupei, Yuichi, Yuto..." He named several others. Besides Hiashi, only one elder was of his age.

"Meet at the village gate in half an hour."

...

Yuto hurried back to the Senju compound to find Tsunade still awake, shaping freshly gathered snow.

"Back already?" Tsunade glanced at him. "Looks like you're heading on a mission?"

"Yes, a clan mission." Yuto strapped Explosive Tags to his wrist for easy access.

"Bringing those? Is Hiashi hunting a Tailed Beast?"

"It's a clan mission, Sensei. I can't say more." Yuto shrugged, adjusting his headband.

"Hmph..." Tsunade frowned, leaving the room but deliberately bumping Yuto's shoulder on her way out.

Yuto didn't mind, continuing to prepare his gear.

Once ready, he ran to the back mountain, leaned against a tree, and summoned a black rod, stabbing it into his chest.

Blood splattered, but Yuto endured the pain, healing the wound with the Mystical Palm Technique and wrapping it in bandages.

Arriving at the village gate with five minutes to spare, he found the other Hyuga members already there.

Despite the danger, the lure of evolving the Byakugan was irresistible.

Hiashi glanced at the Hokage Rock. They would either gain new power or face total annihilation—there was no middle ground.

Although arrangements had been made, the loss of this elite group would still be a severe blow to the Hyuga clan.

'But there's no turning back now.'

With this resolve, Hiashi led the group into the forest, vanishing from Konoha's outskirts.

(End of Chapter)