Chapter 2: Outnumbered

In the depths of the forest, three or four shinobi corpses lay scattered. Not far away, Yuto was engaged in close combat with an enemy.

The veins around Yuto's eyes bulged as he focused his Byakugan on the enemy, easily detecting the glowing white chakra flowing within the opponent's body.

The Kumogakure's shinobi—Yuto was fighting—was tall and muscular, with powerful limbs.

Bang!

The Kumo shinobi suddenly threw a punch. Yuto raised his right arm to block, absorbing the massive force. He staggered but remained standing.

"This kid..." the shinobi thought in shock.

Kumogakure's shinobis are generally known for their Kenjutsu and taijutsu, placing a high value on physical strength. Despite his young age, Yuto's strength was comparable to his much older opponent.

The shinobi was momentarily stunned, his thoughts scattered. Even though he maintained a strong fighting stance, the slight disruption in his chakra flow was evident to Yuto's Byakugan.

For a shinobi, chakra is the clearest indicator of their physical and mental state. Detecting such a subtle disturbance and exploiting it for an attack requires great skill.

Yuto is a master at it.

With a powerful leap, Yuto surged forward, his swift movement leaving a small crater in the ground.

Already close to his opponent, Yuto's sudden burst of speed closed the distance instantly. The shinobi instinctively jumped back, trying to create space, but his chakra was momentarily out of sync.

Yuto seized the opportunity and drove a precise, chakra-infused palm into the enemy's chest.

His chakra burst through the shinobi's skin, devastating his internal organs, muscles, and nervous system, by using the famed technique of the Hyuga clan.

—Gentle Fist!

The shinobi screamed in pain, thrown back until he crashed into a tree. Yuto followed up instantly, a quick jab to the heart with his fingers, ending the shinobi's life.

"Guh…" the Kumo shinobi groaned weakly, glancing at his killer. "At your age… I recognize you, You're the Jewel of the Hyuga… impressii-" Yuto watched him dispassionately until the light faded from his eyes. Confirming the enemy was dead, Yuto deactivated his Byakugan and leaned against the tree, breathing heavily.

The Byakugan's strain, though not as intense as the Sharingan's, still took a toll on his brain.

From the initial assault led by Tetsuro Sugiura, through the chaotic skirmish, and to the one-on-one combats, ten minutes had passed. Yuto had already killed three enemies, including an elite Chunin.

Despite his exceptional skills and the title "Jewel of the Hyuga" Yuto was only twelve. The prolonged battle wore him down.

"Whew…" He panted, taking some soldier pills from his pouch and quickly swallowing them.

"I can't rest here. If their Jonin comes my way, alone, I'll be done…"

Muttering to himself, Yuto left the bodies behind and rushed towards the battle sounds ahead.

Upon arriving at the battlefield, he carefully observed from the shadows, activating his Byakugan.

Tetsuro Sugiura and a Konoha Genin stood back-to-back, surrounded by five Kumo shinobis. Fallen bodies littered the ground, including one wearing a Konoha forehead protector.

Konoha's forces had dwindled to Yuto Hyuga, Tetsuro Sugiura, and the Genin Satou Masato. Kumo had five remaining shinobis.

Yuto didn't immediately reveal himself. Instead, he stealthily circled around, closing in on the Kumo Jonin.

Careful and silent, Yuto watched as both sides resumed their clash.

"Lightning Release: Ground Surge!"

The Kumo Jonin formed hand seals, pressing his hands to the ground. Silver lightning surged out, electrifying the surrounding area. Tetsuro and Satou jumped onto the trees to evade.

"Damn it," Yuto muttered from his hiding spot.

Sure enough, the Kumo shinobis charged at the Konoha pair as they leapt.

The Kumo Jonin engaged Tetsuro furiously, while the other four attacked Satou. The coordinated assault left Satou grievously injured within seconds.

The plan was clear: swiftly eliminate the weaker Konoha shinobi to focus all efforts on Tetsuro.

Tetsuro gritted his teeth, unleashing all his chakra in desperate attacks, but the experienced Kumo Jonin matched him blow for blow.

Satou, outnumbered, was quickly overwhelmed. One Kumo shinobi seized the moment, slashing Satou's left arm clean off with a precise strike.

Satou's scream echoed through the forest, filled with terror.

Tetsuro's expression darkened, helplessly watching his comrade suffer.

The Kumo Jonin, sensing victory, allowed himself a moment of elation, slightly lowering his guard.

A subtle whistling cut through the air—the sound of a kunai slicing through the atmosphere.

In that split second, Yuto's fierce chakra-infused fists struck the Kumo Jonin with deadly precision.

Yuto had found his opening.

Like the Kumo shinobis, Yuto knew that eliminating the key opponent was crucial.

If he could take down the Jonin, Kumo's forces would crumble.

(End of Chapter)