Chapter 235: Spy

"Yuto... Hyuga!"

The boy kicked off a tree, bouncing away with a thud. His body was pressed low to the ground, holding three poisoned shuriken tightly in his palm, poised like a compressed spring ready to release.

"Your stance is compact, but it's different from the traditional gentle fist stances... Oh, now I remember." Yuto's expression brightened with realization.

"I killed all the elders, so all you learned was just the basic taijutsu stances."

"A traitor who massacred his clan dares to spout such nonsense."

The nine-year-old boy looked up coldly at the man. His wrists and eyelids trembled uncontrollably—an involuntary reaction to immense pressure. Every inch of Sae's skin and muscle screamed in despair.

Run! Just run!

Yet, Sae did not turn to flee. Just as he had refrained from notifying the village that Yuto had appeared on the battlefield, the boy made an astonishing choice, one that even surprised himself. He suppressed his fear, his feet seemingly nailed to the ground as he stared intently at the relaxed, long-haired man before him.

"As expected from a Avenger." Yuto sighed, sounding almost regretful.

"To kill me, you're willing to harm the village's interests. Not bad, you do resemble a true avenger." He paused and then continued, "But your judgment is flawed. If you wish to gain the power to kill me, following the village's arrangements your entire life won't even give you the right to crawl at my feet."

Sae bit his lip hard, blood trickling down his chin, though he seemed oblivious to it.

"You're not just some faceless figure in Konoha," Yuto suddenly changed the subject. "Sae, the only Byakugan user in the Anbu, second only to Itachi of your generation Is?"

"...That's me."

"Good. You'll likely rise high in the future, and since we share a blood feud, Konoha would never suspect you. Be my spy, and in exchange, I'll show you what true power looks like."

"What did you just say?!" Sae erupted in anger, his Byakugan activated, and veins bulged like fiery tendrils around his eyes. "Don't joke with me! I'm a shinobi of Konoha! You're the murderer who killed my parents. You think I would betray—"

"Then why didn't you tell Shisui about me being on the battlefield? Why are you standing here, listening to what I have to say?" Yuto scoffed. "Admit it, avenging your parents means more to you than anything! Even if it means betraying your village, even if it means serving under the very one who wronged you, you still want the power to kill me… Heh, the Hyuga always follow the rules. But when a rebel does emerge, we're like you and me—seeing all rules as nothing more than dust."

Yuto's words completely dominated the conversation, and Sae found himself unable to refute any of it.

—Sae knew that everything Yuto had said was true.

To avenge his parents, he was willing to pay any price, even sell his soul to the devil!

After a long silence, Sae spoke bitterly, "I will be your spy... What information do you want from the village?"

"Use all your strength to climb the ranks. Shisui trusts you, so tell me everything that happens in the Anbu."

"Is that all?"

"Of course, it won't be that easy. Do you know about Gaara?"

Sae frowned, thinking for a long while before uncertainly replying, "That child living at Kushina-sama's house?"

"When he leaves the village for a mission, let me know."

Sae clenched his fists. Despite being only nine, he fully understood the consequences of such an action.

"What's wrong, avenger? You can't even do that?"

Sae closed his eyes, his mind flashing back to that scene—the crimson night, the roaring tailed beast, and his mother holding him tightly.

'Mom… If you could see my choice today, would you blame me?'

The boy exhaled softly and calmly replied, "I can do it."

"Good, as expected of a Hyuga. Here's your down payment." Yuto's eyes gleamed as he injected a ball of chakra into Sae's body.

"Remember the way this chakra flows through your chakra pathways. This is a new gentle fist technique I developed, much stronger than the old one… When you bring me what I want, I'll teach you something truly fun."

Gasping from the pain, Sae asked breathlessly, "Tell me… Aren't you afraid that one day I'll kill you?"

"No one can kill me, not even I can. You certainly can't." Yuto's hair fluttered in the wind as he stood atop a tree, looking down at everything below. "A true rebel must be prepared to sacrifice their life for their dream, Sae... You, and all the Hyuga still alive, along with those I've killed, share a common flaw. Do you know what it is?"

Before Sae could respond, the man vanished from the treetop, but his words lingered, falling like leaves and striking the boy's heart with a heavy thud.

"Your eyes… They can't see the distant future."

…

Rain poured like a waterfall, the damp, cold air heavy under the overcast sky. Steel towers pierced the air, rising like demonic hands reaching from the depths of the underworld.

Yuto stood atop one of the towers, calmly gazing down at Amegakure.

"You've returned," a clear female voice sounded behind him.

"Congratulations, Yuto-sama. I just received news that Kirigakure has rejected Konoha's peace negotiations. The nations of Water and Fire will be stuck in the quagmire of war, unable to attend to anything else. The 'new world' you envision will soon become a reality."

"Your flattery is improving, Konan." Yuto chuckled as he stepped into the tower. "Where is Kitsu?"

"He's out on a mission."

"Summon him back. The synthetic beast soldiers haven't met our expectations."

"Yes."

Konan followed behind Yuto, unable to resist asking, "Yuto-sama, did the fusion of the Four-Tails' chakra with the Wood Release clone not go well?"

"There's no rejection, but they lack intelligence. I need to rethink the soul integration plan. Even with my eye powers infused, it can't compare to the power of Yin-Yang Release that creates life." The long-haired young man stroked his chin, changing direction. "Come, let's head to the lab. I've suddenly had a new idea."

"Yes."

The two entered from the base of the tower, passing through high-level barriers and stepping into a top-secret lab known only to a few.

Between the barrier's entrance and the large lab was a long, silver-white metal corridor.

Along the sides of the corridor hung nine paintings, each with a name beneath it.

The content of the paintings varied, but all depicted terrifying, bizarre creatures—an octopus fused with a bull, a white horse with a dolphin's head, a peculiar raccoon dog with dark circles around its eyes…

These were the nine tailed beasts regarded as weapons!

Among the nine paintings, only the fourth glowed, while the others were dim.

Below the third painting, the name read… Gaara.

(End of Chapter)