The dead silent air was quiet as if it had died.
One could only hear the sharp ringing in the ears that felt like an auditory hallucination.
Acting purely on physical instinct, Might Guy had only just used the Eight Inner Gates, while Yun Chuan Hyuga’s posture had already frozen in a knee-bent, twisting stance.
He stared blankly as Yun Chuan Hyuga’s long hair slowly floated down behind him.
It wasn’t until he heard a crisp “pitter-patter” sound and saw blood pooling in his palm, dripping from his fingertips, and smashing to the ground, that he snapped back to reality.
“Enemy attack?”
Might Guy’s face instantly turned serious.
His figure vanished from the spot, running without hesitation towards the direction the attack came from.
However, when he rushed over, there was no one in sight.
Only a pool of glaringly crimson blood remained, along with a severed right arm with a smooth, even cut, where the texture of the bones and muscles could be seen in minute detail.
Clearly, the kunai Yun Chuan Hyuga threw back didn’t claim the other party’s life.
It merely left one of their arms behind, letting them flee the scene in a sorry state.
Yun Chuan Hyuga walked over soon after.
He glanced at the severed arm on the ground and looked up slightly towards the depths of the forest.
The trees with branches and leaves trembling in the wind, the fragmented patches of light between the canopy.
“Yun Chuan, did you see him?” Might Guy asked from the side.
There were no bloodstains left behind, obviously indicating they were worried about exposing their tracks and had urgently treated the wound.
“No.” Yun Chuan Hyuga withdrew his gaze and shook his head, his expression hinting at a bit of regret.
“Too fast, I didn’t get a clear look.”
[Ding, your lie has been judged as [Playing Dumb], Might Guy produced a strong emotional fluctuation, reaching the level of [Deeply Convinced], obtaining 300 realization points…]
The reason Yun Chuan Hyuga initially chose to get close to Might Guy was partly because he saw the potential of this guy who nearly kicked Six Paths Madara to death in the future, and partly, naturally, due to his “simple” and emotional personality.
He clearly had no doubts about Yun Chuan Hyuga’s words, contributing another small wave of points to Yun Chuan Hyuga once again.
His expression solemn and resentful, he said: “This matter must be reported to Lord Third.
To think someone would dare commit murder in Konoha!”
As if remembering something, Might Guy looked at Yun Chuan Hyuga’s hand and hurriedly asked: “Right, your injury…”
“It’s fine.
That guy’s Wind Style level isn’t up to par.” Yun Chuan Hyuga smiled and waved his hand, letting him see a palm with only a single bloody gash.
[Ding, your lie…]
In reality, the situation just now was quite dangerous.
The other party’s Wind Style ninjutsu wasn’t as simple as he claimed.
If he had grabbed the blade instead of the handle, his entire palm probably would have been cut off just now.
“Phew, as long as you’re fine.
But Yun Chuan, you being able to awaken the Byakugan can be considered a blessing in disguise.”
Might Guy breathed a sigh of relief.
Although he believed Yun Chuan Hyuga’s lie, thinking back to the terrifying speed of that kunai just now, his solemn and grave expression couldn’t dissipate for a moment.
Even with his big heart, he felt some lingering fear.
He was even wondering, if the person that guy wanted to kill just now was himself, putting himself in his shoes, could he have reacted?
He quickly reached a conclusion in his heart.
If he could open the Eight Inner Gates, even just opening the First Gate, he could have reacted in time and dodged.
But the other party wouldn’t give him that chance.
The speed of that strike was too fast and too sudden, and he wouldn’t have thought someone would dare to assassinate in Konoha.
“Yun Chuan, amazing.”
Realizing this, there seemed to be something extra in the look Might Guy gave Yun Chuan Hyuga.
He raised his hand and patted his shoulder, sighing: “It seems my training is still far from enough.
Starting now, an extra five hundred handstand walks every day!”
Next time, even if the Grim Reaper chased him wielding a scythe, he would use his fists to blast open a path of survival.
“Just luck.” Yun Chuan Hyuga shook his head with a bitter smile.
This time, there was no system notification sound.
Clearly, in Might Guy’s eyes, this was a manifestation of strength, not luck.
“Let’s go.
We’ll bandage your wound first, then report this to Lord Third.” Might Guy said in a low tone.
“I didn’t expect spies to have already infiltrated Konoha to attack comrades.”
Spies?
Maybe not, right?
Yun Chuan Hyuga looked at his already healed palm, recalled the back figure he saw using the Byakugan just now, his slightly flickering eyes seemingly deep in thought.
Who could it be?
Hiruzen Sarutobi?
No, my true strength shouldn’t have been exposed yet.
Then it must be the remnants left by Orochimaru, or…
“Danzo Shimura.” Yun Chuan Hyuga mocked internally.
“He made a move this quickly.
He truly is an expert in internal conflicts and an amateur in foreign wars.”
Meanwhile, at the edge of the Forest of Death.
A figure shrouded in a black robe continuously used the Body Flicker Jutsu until he was far away from Yun Chuan Hyuga and Might Guy.
Only then did he stop, clutching his arm and kneeling on one knee on a tree branch.
“Ugh.”
The black-robed person, whose face couldn’t be seen clearly, had his head lowered.
A long-suppressed scream leaked through his gritted teeth.
Amidst the pain, a hint of fear was vaguely discernible.
Damn it!
Damn it!
How could this happen!?
He had clearly followed the intelligence, setting up an ambush very early in the training ground where the target frequently appeared.
When the target appeared, his mood was quite relaxed.
In his view, this was the simplest of missions.
So, he used the ninjutsu he was best at, most proud of, and personally taught to him by Lord Danzo.
But at the same time, that brat seemed to have discovered him.
The boy’s footsteps suddenly stopped, he tilted his head, and then activated the Byakugan that was unmentioned in the intelligence.
That brat raised his hand, and barehanded, grabbed the kunai wrapped in Wind Style chakra?
Yes, that guy, barehanded, grabbed, his kunai!
And grabbed the handle that wasn’t covered by the Wind Style chakra!
Are you kidding me?!
The thick, dense trees extended into the far distance, the branches seeming to weave into a sparse net.
However, he, who used secret sensory jutsu, actually felt himself “making eye contact” with a pair of eyes as calm as dead water from such a far distance.
The next moment, before he could react, he only heard a sharp whistling of wind.
A rain started to fall in the forest before his eyes.
It was as if a spring breeze suddenly blew towards him, passing silently through the forest, trimming the dead leaves like scissors.
Countless leaves fell, fragmenting his vision.
That scene was truly beautiful.
But following closely behind was intense physical pain.
Slash.
On his arm that threw the kunai, the black robe sleeve slowly tore open, and a circular red line cracked on his skin.
Blood splattered.
The arm slipped off, crashing to the ground, the sound incredibly clear.
“That guy actually caught my ninjutsu barehanded and returned it!”
The black-robed person, fleeing instinctively, knelt on the tree.
Although he had already realized what happened just now, he still found it unbelievable.
In the intelligence, didn’t it say that guy was a piece of trash?
How could a piece of trash barehandedly catch the Wind Style ninjutsu personally taught by Lord Danzo, which he had studied for years!
Such a terrifying reaction speed, and you’re telling me he’s a piece of trash?
If he is trash, then what am I?
“Kamaitachi, what are you doing?”
While he was in a daze, a hoarse and gloomy voice reached his ears, making him shudder violently.
He slightly raised his head, looked at the figure that appeared before him, and quickly lowered his head again, his voice trembling: “Lord Danzo, I…”
“Hmph, trash.
It seems your mission failed.”
Before he could finish speaking, Danzo Shimura interrupted coldly, glancing at his shoulder missing an arm.
This guy in front of him was a ninja he specially trained to execute assassination missions.
In the past, when facing most jonin, given sufficient preparation, he was able to achieve one-hit kills.
But now…
“Losing his dominant hand, he’s completely crippled.”
Danzo Shimura narrowed his gloomy eyes slightly, thinking to himself: “Interesting.
That Hyuga brat indeed isn’t as simple as he appears on the surface.
Orochimaru must have left something inside him.”
Hmph, since Hiruzen was unjust and snatched my Wood Style ninja away, he can’t blame me for being unrighteous and laying hands on this brat.
(END CHAPTER)