Chapter 91: Taking the Chance to Expose Secrets

Crossing the courtyard gate, Akira's scarlet Sharingan locked onto a figure standing silently behind Hyūga Hiashi. The person, cradling a baby in her arms, was none other than Hyūga Kaori.

Beneath his mask, Akira was a little surprised.

So she's the one taking care of Hyūga Hinata, he mused, his gaze shifting subtly away from her and back to Hyūga Hiashi.

Kaori was, of course, not Hinata's mother. She was merely a member of the branch family—far from being eligible to become the wife of the Hyūga clan head.

"Uchiha Madara?" Hiashi's heart sank at the sight of Akira's current appearance.

He vividly remembered the Nine-Tails' attack on Konoha. Though he had participated in the battle, the opponents' sheer strength had kept him far from the true core of the conflict. Nevertheless, he had observed much of the fight using his Byakugan, especially the clash between Namikaze Minato and Uchiha Obito.

Why would Uchiha Madara target the Hyūga clan? Hiashi thought, his mind racing for an answer.

However, he could only focus on delaying Akira long enough for reinforcements to arrive. The Hyūga clan alone couldn't possibly fend off an enemy of Madara's caliber.

Even so, as the clan head, Hiashi refused to retreat. Steeling himself, he stepped forward and addressed Akira gravely.

"Uchiha Madara, what is your purpose here?"

Akira smirked, unconcerned. "Perhaps it's on a whim... or maybe it's part of a long-laid plan. After all, the Byakugan is quite useful—especially for tracking Jinchūriki."

Akira's words were deliberate. This was his chance to leak information about the Akatsuki's goals, making their hunt for the Tailed Beasts more challenging.

Hiashi's face turned pale as he yelled, "Get Hinata out of here immediately! She must not remain in this place!"

The realization that his daughter had become a target hit Hiashi like a thunderbolt. The very idea of Uchiha Madara coveting the Byakugan had never crossed his mind. Because of this, he hadn't prioritized evacuating Hinata. Besides, if the opponent was truly Madara, no place in the Hyūga compound could be safer than here.

"Too slow!"

In an instant, Akira's voice resounded next to Hiashi, sending chills down his spine. Before he could react, Akira appeared behind him. One scarlet Sharingan locked onto Kaori just as she began to move.

In the blink of an eye, Akira unleashed the power of his Mangekyō Sharingan. Kaori froze, her expression vacant as she fell into the world of genjutsu.

Although the Byakugan's visual prowess granted some resistance against genjutsu, the gap between an ordinary Byakugan and the Mangekyō Sharingan was vast. Especially after Akira had transplanted Hashirama's cells, his ocular power had reached extraordinary levels.

With just a glance, Kaori was subdued.

The baby she held soon found its way into Akira's hands.

Through his 360° vision, Hiashi saw the scene unfold, and it felt as though the sky was falling. His face contorted with panic and fear, terrified that any wrong move could lead to the worst outcome.

The Hyūga clan ninja, caught in a dilemma, didn't dare attack Akira directly. They could only stand by helplessly, unable to act.

Holding the infant, Akira calmly extracted some tissue samples from the child, fulfilling his mission.

At that moment, he turned his gaze toward a particular direction, sensing the rapid approach of Sarutobi Hiruzen's chakra.

Hiashi finally made a decision.

"Listen carefully," he ordered. "Based on intel, his body materializes when absorbing something—that's your best chance to attack!"

As the clan head, Hiashi had access to the latest intelligence on Madara's abilities. Even if it meant sacrificing Hinata, he couldn't let "Madara" leave with her. The risk of exposing the Hyūga clan's kekkei genkai was unacceptable.

A series of urgent footsteps echoed as Hiruzen and his ANBU team arrived. Rooftops surrounding the courtyard were suddenly filled with Konoha shinobi, their eyes locked on Akira.

"Not bad," Akira said with a chuckle, unfazed by the encirclement.

Hiruzen, clad in black battle armor, shouted furiously, "Madara, you've sunk so low as to take a child hostage! Have you no shame in your old age?"

"Heh..." Akira sneered. "Hostage? No, the Byakugan is invaluable to my plans. It's an excellent tool for locating things."

He shook his head, almost regretfully. "Unfortunately, this child doesn't quite meet the requirements."

Hiruzen's expression darkened at the revelation that Madara's true aim was the Byakugan itself. This was worse than simply abducting Hinata—this endangered the entirety of the Hyūga clan's legacy.

"If necessary, we must kill the child. Madara cannot leave with her!" Hiruzen's eyes gleamed coldly.

Akira laughed. "Ah, so that's what you're thinking, Hiruzen. Hiashi. You'd rather kill her than let me take her, right?"

Neither Hiruzen nor Hiashi responded, but their chakra flared, ready for combat.

"Well, well, looks like today's visit to Konoha has attracted quite the crowd."

Akira suddenly turned his gaze skyward.

An airborne chariot—muted yellow and wheel-less—descended swiftly. The structure resembled a flat wooden platform with railings.

Standing atop it was an elderly man clad in white robes and a turban, his eyes tightly shut. Surrounding the chariot were dozens of gray-cloaked figures with veils covering their faces, flying alongside it as they rode the wind.

"This look… no eyes? Could it be the Ōtsutsuki from the moon?"

Recognizing the newcomers, Akira's mind raced.

Unknown to him, the Ōtsutsuki on the moon had been closely monitoring the Hyūga clan.

Recently, their clan had witnessed the birth of a child with an exceptionally pure bloodline. Tests confirmed that the infant's lineage was remarkably close to their ancestor, Ōtsutsuki Hamura.

Some even speculated that the child had the potential to awaken the Tenseigan.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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