Chapter 230: Kin

A buzzing sound filled the air as a kunai flew from behind, aimed sharply at the back of the neck.

Unfortunately for the thrower, despite being a kunai thrown by an elite shinobi, it missed its mark.

The target was the Byakugan, one of the three great dojutsu.

Sae Hyuga shifted his body slightly, evading the kunai, and swiftly grabbed the weapon by its handle. Though young, the strength in his five fingers rivaled that of an adult shinobi specialized in taijutsu. He held the kunai firmly and thrust it backward with incredible speed.

*Thud!*

Warmth splattered onto Sae's hand. He released his grip and delivered a punch to the end of the kunai, driving the weapon deep into the enemy's body. His chakra followed, crushing the opponent's internal organs.

"You...!" The middle-aged shinobi, wearing a Kirigakure headband, stared at the boy's eyes in agony, "It's the Byakugan... like that monster..."

A flash of murderous intent crossed Sae's eyes. Expressionless, he clamped onto the enemy's throat and ripped it out with a sharp motion.

"Do not mention that man in front of me."

Sae kicked the corpse aside, taking several deep breaths to calm himself before charging deeper into the battlefield.

The Battle of Shigeru Mountain had raged for over an hour. This fortress, known as "Kirigakure's Last Barrier," was drenched in blood, with the corpses of Konoha and Kirigakure shinobi scattered everywhere.

The tide of battle was shifting in Konoha's favor. Through his Byakugan, he could see that the vanguard had broken through Kirigakure's defenses and disappeared into the darkness, clearly advancing toward the heart of the village.

'The chakra of both the commander and Ruri-sama were no longer visible. I must catch up...'

Driven by the thought of "restoring the glory of the Hyuga clan," the nine-year-old clenched his teeth and popped a soldier pill into his mouth. He struck forward with a palm, aiming to crush the heart of the enemy before him.

Bang!

Both Sae and his opponent paused, surprised by the strength of the other.

'A skilled shinobi!' Sae's first attack failed, so he immediately ducked low, gathered chakra to his shoulder, and charged at his opponent like lightning.

The impact was louder this time, but as before, they were evenly matched.

Both fighters retreated, putting distance between them.

On the battlefield, two boys of similar age locked eyes.

"Sae Hyuga," the Byakugan-wielding boy relaxed his wrist and calmly stated his name.

"Kimimaro Kaguya," replied the white-haired boy with a red mark on his forehead.

In the brief silence that followed, both etched the other's name into their memory.

Then, they charged at each other simultaneously.

—Shinobi, when stripped of all pretense, are nothing more than bloodthirsty executioners.

Six years ago, when Sae witnessed countless members of his clan die before his eyes, he came to understand this truth. He showed no mercy to himself, honing his body as a weapon, nor to his enemies.

Bones protruded from Kimimaro's elbow as he launched himself toward Sae.

Having witnessed Ruri's fighting style, Sae was unfazed. He knew he was still young, lacked a vast chakra reserve, and couldn't perform high-powered ninjutsu. Kimimaro, he surmised, was likely in the same situation, so he charged head-on.

Their fists clashed violently, producing a sharp screeching sound.

'His bones are really hard...' Sae frowned, feeling the pain in his hands. Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku was a naturally advantageous kekkei genkai, making him deadly in close combat. The fact that Kimimaro wasn't using wide-range attacks suggested a strong confidence in his physical abilities.

However, Sae was a fierce combatant. Seeing that brute force wouldn't work, he didn't retreat but instead deflected Kimimaro's bone spikes, allowing a punch to land on his own chest.

After a series of cracking sounds, Sae's ribs broke, but his chakra exploded from his chest's tenketsu, surging into Kimimaro's arm.

*Bang!*

Both boys simultaneously kicked each other, sending them flying backward.

Sae suffered three broken ribs, while Kimimaro's right arm had muscle tears. From the extent of the injuries, he seemed to be at a disadvantage, and his unguarded exchange of blows appeared to be a mistake.

But this wasn't a ninja academy, with sensei supervising. This was the battlefield of Shigeru Mountain!

The Byakugan's exceptional vision was at its peak in such chaotic skirmishes. Sae's kick was precise, sending Kimimaro toward the direction where his Konoha ally was fighting.

That Konoha ally... was none other than Itachi Uchiha!

In mid-air, Kimimaro sensed something was wrong. Using his strong core muscles, he twisted to face his back.

But he didn't see any enemy—just a flock of crows cawing wildly.

'Damn, it's a genjutsu...' Kimimaro's thoughts barely registered before everything went black, and he fell into eternal sleep.

Holding his chest, Sae watched as Itachi drove a kunai into Kimimaro's throat. He thought, though Itachi is a bit strange, as a comrade, he's reliable. Without a word, they had cooperated perfectly.

Itachi pulled out the kunai, confirming the enemy's death before nodding slightly at Sae in greeting, then vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.

From the direction he disappeared, it was clear that Itachi was also advancing with the vanguard toward Kirigakure.

'They all fight like they don't value their lives,' Sae thought wryly, baring his teeth as he pressed a medical pack to his chest. After glancing at his two subordinates still locked in combat with the enemy, he stood up, intending to help them before considering the next course of action.

However, as he straightened, he saw through his Byakugan that someone had suddenly appeared next to Kimimaro's body.

'An enemy? Another Kaguya?' Sae wondered.

But he quickly dismissed that thought.

The figure didn't resemble a Kirigakure shinobi at all. Instead, he looked more like a traveler who had wandered into the wilderness by mistake.

He was tall, dressed in a long black cloak, and paused by Kimimaro's body, observing it with interest. Then, as if sensing Sae's gaze, the figure tilted his head and glanced in the direction of the Byakugan boy.

Perhaps it lasted a tenth of a second, or even just a hundredth. But the powerful visual cortex captured the image and transmitted it to the brain. Both saw each other's eyes.

They were pure white... just like his own.

Sae was stunned. When he tried to get a clearer look, he found that the man in the cloak had vanished from Kimimaro's side, as if he were a mere illusion.

'Is it a Genjutsu attack…' Sae frowned, subconsciously touching his shoulder.

But he only felt thick sweat and twitching muscles.

This was the instinct of a genius shinobi; it couldn't be wrong.

Sae's whole body went cold, his heart gripped by an invisible hand.

It really was that man...

(End of Chapter)