Chapter 98: Storm on the Horizon

Shin was aware of Hizashi's situation. After arriving at the Hidden Sound Village, Hizashi didn't do much—it was as if he hadn't done anything at all.

However, Shin had previously risked his life to break into Konoha and rescue Hizashi's son, freeing both father and son from the Caged Bird Seal. That alone was a tremendous gift.

Now, with the Hyuga Main Family in turmoil, Hizashi, a member of the Branch Family, found himself seeking assistance from the one who had already done so much for him. The embarrassment was evident on his face.

Shin, however, didn't mind. He had already resolved to help Konoha through this crisis. The ambitions of the Hidden Cloud Village had long been on his radar.

Tsunade's vast medical knowledge, the funds provided by Konoha, and the gratitude of his followers—all of these motivated Shin to make Hidden Cloud Village pay dearly for their aggression.

"Well, I've already accepted Konoha's request. Saving a little girl along the way doesn't hurt," Shin said calmly.

He thought silently, 'And besides, if it weren't for me, Hinata wouldn't be in this predicament.'

Hizashi let out a sigh of relief. Although he had once considered extreme measures for his son's sake, Hizashi still felt deeply for his family and did not want Hinata to fall into the hands of the Hidden Cloud Village.

Two weeks later, tensions escalated as Kumo's ambitions became evident. A substantial force was gathering along the borders of the Land of Fire.

Konoha could no longer consider negotiations. Fortunately, Jiraiya was still in the village, sparing the aging Third Hokage from the demands of front-line combat.

Shin doubted the Third Hokage could handle the Fourth Raikage's strength on the battlefield. The Hokage's abilities had noticeably waned, while the Raikage and his brother, Killer Bee, were at their peak, backed by the powerful Two-Tails Jinchuriki, Yugito Nii. Without significant support, Konoha would struggle to counter them.

Kumogakure was built atop high mountains, while the Land of Lightning itself was situated on a plateau. This left the village shrouded in a sea of clouds, often accompanied by the rumble of thunder.

Shin looked up at the cloud-laden sky. "They built a village up here? They must not be afraid of lightning strikes."

Just then, a silver bolt of lightning struck one of the village's buildings, which seemed to absorb the energy. The electric arcs danced around it before dissipating.

"Are they harnessing the lightning for power?" Shin muttered, intrigued by the design.

Beside him, Sara hesitated, staring at the village with apprehension. "Is it just the two of us going up against Cloud Village?"

"Of course. I've already accepted their payment." Shin gave her a wry look. "If it weren't for the Akatsuki's rule of working in pairs, I wouldn't have brought you along at all."

Sara frowned, muttering, "I never wanted to join a terrorist organization. And the Hidden Cloud Village isn't known for leniency—just the two of us feels like a death wish."

"Relax. With your newfound strength and Wood Release, no one here can beat you," Shin reassured her, though he knew Sara's inexperience could be a liability against a speedster like the Raikage.

"On second thought, maybe you should wait here," Shin suggested, reconsidering.

Sara glanced around nervously. They were near the main pathway into Hidden Cloud Village. Standing there, dressed in Akatsuki robes, they were highly conspicuous. "Wait… what if someone recognizes us?"

With a sigh, she relented, "Fine, I'll come with you."

As they approached the gates, the two muscular guards on duty began questioning them, but Shin activated his Sharingan, leaving them dazed and confused as he and Sara passed by unchallenged.

"Let's gather some intel first. We need to find out where Hinata is being held."

Shin and Sara, clad in their black-and-red Akatsuki cloaks, were far from inconspicuous. Shin, however, had no intention of sneaking around. Whenever a Cloud ninja grew suspicious or attempted to follow them, he would simply use his Sharingan, directly questioning them to learn what he needed.

In under ten minutes, they had reached the entrance to the underground base where Hinata was being held.

"An underground base again... You'd think building on a mountain would discourage tunneling." Sara glanced at the concealed door with skepticism. "What if this whole thing collapses one day?"

Shin smirked. "Less talking. Even though the ninja following us fell under my genjutsu, Kumo will soon realize something was amiss. We need to rescue Hinata before they catch on."

He didn't fear a confrontation with Kumo, but if they discovered his intent, they might use Hinata as a hostage.

They pushed open the hidden door, and alarms blared the moment they stepped inside. Guards flooded the corridor, but Shin swiftly subdued them with his Sharingan, forcing them to lead him and Sara directly to the dungeon where Hinata was kept.

The air grew colder as they descended, and an unsettling silence filled the halls. They passed cells containing test subjects, mutilated and broken from horrific experiments. Some were barely conscious, while others seemed to have lost their minds entirely, victims of relentless torture or attempts to extract their memories.

Sara recoiled, a hand over her mouth. "What kind of twisted place is this?"

Shin's eyes darkened as he looked at the prisoners. "The things some ninja villages are willing to do for power… Let's keep moving."

They arrived at the dungeon, where Hinata was held, her cell shrouded in shadows. Shin stepped forward, his Sharingan flaring as he disabled the guards. They knelt, entranced, as he and Sara approached the cell. Its occupant curled up, and a faint glow came from a small barred window, casting light over her form.

"Hinata?" he called gently.

At the sound of her name, the girl lifted her head.

"Stay calm. We're here to take you back," Shin said.

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Chapter 154: The Unbreakable Barrier is now available.