Chapter 25

The flying dust gradually settled, revealing thick and intertwined tree trunks, turning the original forest into a tangled mess.

The faces of forty Hyuga clan ninjas changed dramatically.

Fear grew naturally like weeds.

Wood Release was almost the signature Kekkei Genkai of the Hidden Leaf Village. They never imagined they would encounter Wood Release again—no, not just see it, but experience it firsthand. For a moment, it felt like a genjutsu. But their inability to move reminded them it was all real.

Hiruko was yelling, in stark contrast to the silent Hyuga clan.

"Damn it! Lord Danzo will definitely kill you!"

Hiruko's eyes were bloodshot, like a gambler who had lost everything. He didn't want his life to end here. But he could clearly feel his chakra being absorbed by the tree trunks.

"Danzo?" Hyuga Sosuke's expression changed suddenly. He looked at the masked and Cloud ninja-disguised Haruki and calmly asked, "What do you want?"

"You're quite calm," Haruki smiled. He recognized this person, one of the more outstanding jonin of the Hyuga clan. "Wait a moment."

Haruki turned to Hiruko, "Hiruko, your task ends here."

"Task? What task? Damn it, let me go!"

Hiruko struggled violently. As his chakra drained, his sense of security vanished.

"Leading the way."

Haruki took out a kunai.

"What are you doing?"

Hiruko's body trembled, shouting, "You dare to kill me? I have a deal with Lord Danzo. You can't kill me! No! Don't come near!"

Haruki cleaned his ear, "Why scream like a pig being slaughtered?"

"Space-Time Ninjutsu?!"

Hyuga Sosuke was stunned, looking at the spot where Hiruko vanished. "Who are you?"

Haruki made a hand sign, and in a puff of smoke, he transformed into Hiruko. "I am Hiruko."

"Do you think I'm blind?" Hyuga Sosuke said dully.

"Such big white eyes, they do look a bit like it."

"..."

"Enough chatting, let's talk business."

Haruki pointed to the ninjas hanging on the trees, "So many people should be worth quite a lot, right?"

"Money?" Hyuga Sosuke asked in surprise. "You want money?"

Such a big fuss is just for money?

You should have said so earlier; the Hyuga clan is rich.

"Sort of."

Haruki smiled, "I will let you go back and tell your clan leader my terms."

"How much money?" Hyuga Sosuke was relieved. If it could be solved with money, it wasn't too troublesome.

"A pair of Byakugan."

"Impossible!" Hyuga Sosuke said instinctively.

"Whether it's possible or not is not for you to decide. Think about it, there are forty of your branch family members here. Would your main family be so heartless?"

Haruki waved, and the branches holding Hyuga Sosuke loosened. He spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear. "If it really comes to that, it's my bad luck. But I pity you. A bunch of jonin abandoned like garbage."

Hyuga Sosuke's face turned pale. He couldn't imagine the consequences. If the clan leader disagreed… his body shivered.

He would definitely agree!

"How do I find you?"

Hyuga Sosuke forced himself to calm down.

"Follow this river to its source."

Haruki took out a kunai, smiling, "Need me to send you there?"

"Please do."

Hyuga Sosuke didn't refuse. Who knows if this guy might change his mind.

"Safe travels."

Hyuga Sosuke felt dizzy as if the world was spinning. When he opened his eyes, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was staring at him.

"Hokage Rock?"

He swallowed hard. As a jonin, he knew about Space-Time Ninjutsu. Being transported this far not only proved the high level of the ninjutsu used but also the extraordinary chakra reserves of the user.

Suppressing his fear, Hyuga Sosuke quickly headed to the Hyuga clan.

Haruki took out another kunai, turning to Sakumo Hatake and others.

"Hiruko?"

Seeing his appearance, Sakumo was shocked. They had recognized the Wood Release from a distance and quickly identified it. After seeing Hiruko, it felt surreal, like a tail-ender suddenly growing nine tails and becoming a tailed beast.

"Lord Hatake, you're a bit late."

Haruki shrugged, "Look, the cleanup is done."

"Why?"

Sakumo took a deep breath. Wood Release made him very wary, considering the First Hokage's legendary power.

"Just following orders."

"Whose orders?" Sakumo asked.

In the next moment, a white light flashed, and the figure disappeared as if he never existed. Sakumo's eyes widened. He had never heard of such a person who could use both Wood Release and Space-Time Ninjutsu.

"This is troubling."

Haruki's main body walked up to Sakumo, looking serious. "Forty Hyuga clan ninjas missing will cause a huge stir."

"We must inform Lord Hokage."

Sakumo nodded, "This will be hard to cover up. The Sand Village will surely take action. I can't leave; we'll have to send Anbu to relay the message."

"No." Haruki shook his head. "The situation is unclear, and there might be spies. Let me go. I'm disguised and a medical ninja. Going back for supplies is normal."

"But…"

"Don't be so wishy-washy."

Haruki interrupted him, "Also, Lord Hokage will trust my words more on this matter."

"Be careful then," Sakumo agreed after a moment's thought.

"You're the one in more danger." Haruki's eyes sparkled. "About the battle with the Sand Village, I have a suggestion."

"What suggestion?"

"Divide and conquer. Split all ninja squads, hide the Leaf emblems, blend into the mountains and rivers, disguised as animals, bandits, civilians, or even Cloud or Sand ninjas."

Seeing Sakumo's puzzled look, Haruki smiled:

"We are weaker, so our combat strategy is flawed. We don't need to fight head-on. Fight if we can, retreat if we can't. Harass them."

"No one has ever used this method on a large scale."

Sakumo was uncertain. Haruki's idea sounded more like an intelligence team's work.

"Try it. We can't face them head-on. Remember, we're ninjas, not samurai."

Haruki patted his shoulder, "Do you want to uphold your samurai spirit at the cost of more comrades' lives?"