Late at night.
A full moon hung high in the sky.
Within the Hyuga Clan's compound, teams of three branch family's Ninjas patrolled diligently, the veins around their temples bulging as they activated their Byakugan to its fullest. Their vigilant gazes pierced through the darkness, scanning every corner repeatedly.
Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows around the Hyuga Clan's compound were Anbu's members, ready to provide support at a moment's notice.
"Commander!" Yamato landed on the rooftop where Kakashi was concealed and reported, "The third patrol rotation has been completed."
"Good work." Kakashi, wearing his white cat mask, nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Ever since Kakashi rescued Yamato from the Root's base the previous year, Yamato had been reassigned from Root to the Anbu under the direct command of the Third Hokage. Now, he was personally mentored by Kakashi.
Hiruzen hoped Kakashi could mold Yamato into a Ninja who embodied the Will of Fire, grooming him as the next Anbu Commander. (T/N: It seemed Kakashi has become the Anbu Commander in this story.)
For this mission to guard against Shura's infiltration, Kakashi had led the Anbu's First Division to set up a perimeter around the Hyuga Clan's compound, while simultaneously directing the Second Division to patrol other areas of the village.
This was to prevent Shura from employing a diversionary tactic, like infiltrating the village and launching an attack elsewhere.
"Commander." Yamato crouched beside Kakashi in the shadows, his expression grim as he observed the Hyuga Clan's territory in the distance.
He couldn't help but ask with some confusion: "Shura attacked the Hyuga Clan last time, and now he's sent another notice. What exactly does he want from them?"
Having worked closely with Kakashi, Yamato now had access to many of the village's high-level intelligence reports.
For instance, the first recorded appearance of Shura was an assault on the Hyuga Can, where he killed the Kumogakure's envoy in an attempt to frame the Hyuga Clan.
Recalling his own encounter with Shura, Yamato still felt a lingering sense of dread.
The opponent's strength was unfathomable that he defeated him with just one round of physical attack.
It had left an indelible mark on Yamato's psyche.
In order to grow stronger, to one day defeat the enigmatic Shura, Yamato had been rigorously training in both Taijutsu and Wood Release Ninjutsu. But improvement wasn't something that happened overnight.
So, facing Shura again now, Yamato couldn't help but feel somewhat uneasy.
"Who knows?" Kakashi's white cat mask tilted slightly downward as a faint sense of unease crept over him.
"It's been a while since there's been any movement in the Hyuga Clan's compound, hasn't it?"
But Kakashi did not act rashly. The Hyuga Clan's Byakugan ability was obvious to all, and he didn't believe Shura could evade Byakugan's detection.
So he assumed the Hyuga Clan must have made other arrangements.
After all, if Shura could freely bypass the village's barrier, there might even be his spies within Konoha Village itself. It was only prudent for the Hyuga Clan to exercise caution.
However, in an area beyond Kakashi's sight-
The patrolling Hyuga Clan's Ninjas suddenly sensed something amiss.
A thick mist began to spread throughout the Hyuga Clan's compound.
"Byakugan!" Hyuga Hamon, who is leading the patrol near the main gate, activated his Byakugan at full power. What he saw in his field of vision made his pupils contract sharply!
"What?!" Hyuga Hamon was stunned. Through his Byakugan's perspective, he saw hundreds, no, thousands of humanoid Chakra Pathways emerging from the mist and breaching the gates!
The amount of Chakra in these 'humanoids' is huge, enough to rival the chakra of a Jonin!
There was no time for Hamon to ponder how so many 'enemies' had infiltrated Konoha Village or bypassed the village's patrols.
"All units! Combat readiness!" Hamon roared the warning while ordering another clansman to fire a signal flare.
Whoosh-
A crimson signal flare tore through the night sky like a drop of blood falling into the silver moon!
The first to react were the other Ninjas within the Hyuga Clan's compound.
Not everyone had a Byakugan like Hinata's, capable of scanning ten kilometers.
The average Byakugan had a maximum range of only about one kilometer, so to ensure full coverage, patrols were divided into sectors.
Under the cold glow of the moon, as the mist thickened, the Hyuga Clan's Ninjas turned their gazes toward the direction of the signal flare… only to be met with the horrifying sight of hundreds upon hundreds of Chakra Fluctuations!
"How is this possible!?"
"Has the village been invaded by enemies?!"
"Why are there so many enemies?!"
"How did they even get in?!"
The Hyuga Clan's members were in an uproar!
Sweating profusely, they fired off more signal flares while their team leaders led them to intercept the intruders.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Countless signal flares shot into the night sky like fireworks, bursting in brilliant explosions.
When Kakashi, who was closest to the Hyuga Clan's compound, saw the first flare launched into the sky, he immediately mobilized the Anbu's Ninjas from the First Division to reinforce the Hyuga Clan!
However, as soon as he entered the Hyuga Clan's compound, Kakashi discovered that the entire area was shrouded in thick mist!
"This is… Kirigakure's Ninjutsu?" Kakashi had fought against Kirigakure's Ninjas many times during the Third Great Ninja War, so he was naturally familiar with Kirigakure's Ninjutsu.
As he led Yamato and the other Anbu's members toward the origin of the first flare, they saw Hamon and two other Hyuga Clan's Ninjas engaging shadowy figures in the mist.
Without hesitation, Kakashi drew his tanto and flashed forward.
With a single slash, he bisected one of the figures… only for it to dissipate like smoke.
"Not real? Not even shadow clones?" Kakashi immediately retreated to Yamato's side, both now on high alert.
"Where's the real enemy?" Kakashi's Sharingan was hindered by the mist, forcing him to rely on the Hyuga Clan for intel.
"I-I don't know..." The Hyuga Clan's Ninjas, who had once countered Kirigakure's Hiding in the Mist Technique during the war, were now drenched in sweat, frantically attacking the phantoms.
"Not shadow clones... and not Genjutsu either?" Sensing something deeply wrong, Kakashi moved beside Hamon.
"Haaah haaah..." Hamon, who is around Kakashi's age, panted heavily, veins bulging around his temples from the Byakugan's strain. His face twisted in confusion as more and more figures emerged from the mist.
'Why?'
'Why can't the Byakugan distinguish these illusions?'
'And why are there so many of them?!'
Through his Byakugan, Kamon found the entire compound was swarming with enemies… hundreds, thousands, an endless tide!
Under the cover of the Hiding in the Mist Technique, the Hyuga Clan's members couldn't tell which were real and which were mere phantoms!
"Go to the main family's meeting hall! Now!" Hamon grabbed Kakashi's arm urgently.
Kakashi's eyes widened, 'If the Byakugan was being fooled by these illusions, then the real enemy must be-'
"Let's go!" Kakashi called out to Yamato and immediately rushed towards the depths of the Hyuga Clan's compound!
Along the way, Kakashi saw the shadowy figures in the mist attacking them.
Kakashi, Yamato and other Anbu's Ninjas did not dare to underestimate the enemy and fought back cautiously, only to find each enemy enemy was but an illusion that would shatter like glass upon contact!
During this time, Kakashi also found several Hyuga Clan's Ninjas lying on the ground.
Among the chaos, Kakashi spotted several unconscious Hyuga Clan's Ninjas. Kneeling beside one, he checked their pulse… still alive, just knocked out.
'Shura? What is your purpose?' Beneath his white cat mask, Kakashi's face was drenched in cold sweat.