"Haha, I didn't notice it either…" White Zetsu's eyes widened, his mouth stretching to his ears, showing a grotesque, exaggerated smile.
Everything finally settled down. The danger was over, and the Sage Mode on Hyūga Shigeo's body gradually faded away. Hidden in the stands, Ōnoki also slipped away quietly.
At this point, could he still count on Hiruko to kill that boy? Impossible. In fact, he didn't even know where Hiruko had gone.
Indeed, once the Tailed Beast-like creature, the Meijū, was beaten back by Shigeo's eruption of tailed beast chakra, the summoning technique was broken. Hiruko had already left, taking with him the Steel Release shinobi that Iwagakure had handed over.
If even the Meijū couldn't defeat him, how could Hiruko possibly win? Unless he could obtain the same kind of Bloodline Limits as that child…
Today's battle had truly opened Hiruko's eyes. Before, he had only thought of experiments—augmenting himself through external power. But now, through that boy, he had conceived of a much bolder idea.
That was to collect multiple Bloodline Limits into his own body. Then no one could deny his strength.
Might Guy looked at the utterly devastated tournament arena and suddenly remembered something. He pulled out his betting slip and shouted:
"Where are the organizers? I bet on Hyūga Shigeo to win, and he did! Pay me my winnings—one to a hundred!"
Rain continued to fall, and bright red blood flowed with the water into small rivers.
Nara Shikaku emerged from the underground passage with the Konoha students, surrounding them together. Guy crouched to bandage Kakashi's wounds.
Kakashi grabbed Guy's sleeve tightly, shouting with clenched teeth:
"I saw him—the man who tore away the seal from my sensei's wife, who unleashed the Nine-Tails, who killed my teacher and his wife. He was here!"
"I know, I know!" Guy nodded rapidly, while Kakashi's fists tightened even more.
"It was him! This Meijū appearing suddenly—it must have been summoned by him!"
Hyūga Shigeo shook his head lightly. He didn't believe the Meijū incident was Uchiha Obito's doing. But then… who was behind it?
He closed his eyes to sense everything around him. Yet with the chaos of so many people, the storm raging outside the city, and the thunder and lightning overhead, it was impossible for him to precisely locate any yin-chakra user within range.
Still, he was certain—this had everything to do with Iwagakure.
While Kakashi struggled with his emotions, the organizers began apologizing and pacifying the injured and stranded audience members. The tournament could no longer continue.
Each village's shinobi began evacuating: the wounded to hospitals, the others to pack their things and prepare to return home.
As for responsibility—someone would have to give an answer. But that answer would not come here; it would wait until the higher-ups of each village convened.
Kakashi's wounds were not fatal, and his emotions gradually calmed. Other injured students were also safe. Everyone prepared to return to their villages.
"My winnings… just gone like that?"
Guy looked at the angry citizens of Takigakure storming the organizers' offices. He couldn't help glancing down at his own ticket. He had bet on Shigeo to win. And clearly, Shigeo had won. If the organizers had honored the payout, it would have been a hundred times his original stake!
"Enough, let's go." Kakashi patted his shoulder, resuming his usual calm composure.
The group left Takigakure and headed south at full speed.
Along the way, Shigeo suddenly stopped. Everyone else halted as well.
"Shigeo? What's wrong?" asked Nara Shikaku.
Shigeo stood on a tree branch, sunlight filtering through the leaves onto his face.
The other students tensed up, exchanging nervous glances. They thought they understood.
One student raised his hand. Instantly, seven of them dropped to their knees on the branches around Shigeo and shouted together:
"Big brother, we're sorry!"
Shigeo froze. Nearby, Uchiha Itachi leaned against a branch with folded arms, smirking faintly.
Might Guy suddenly realized:
"Oh, that's right—you guys had a bet! Whoever lost had to kneel and apologize. Not bad, boys, not bad! Shigeo, aren't you going to accept their apology?"
Yet Shigeo remained silent.
He blinked, sighed lightly, and waved his hand.
"Get up. It's over. Those little squabbles don't matter anymore. I have more important things to do. Shikaku-sensei, you all go ahead. I need to return to Takigakure."
"What are you planning?" Shikaku asked anxiously. With what they had just witnessed—this child with unknown tailed beast chakra inside him suddenly choosing to head back to a city where Iwagakure's trap had nearly killed him—who wouldn't worry?
"This is just something I must do. Go on ahead. I'll catch up."
With that, he waved again, then vanished with a Body Flicker.
Everyone stared in astonishment. The seven students who had just knelt stood up awkwardly.
"Wait… he didn't stop because of us? He really just wanted to return to Takigakure?"
They looked at each other, completely baffled.
Uchiha Itachi scoffed and turned away. These people weren't even on the same level as Hyūga Shigeo. Did they really think he would waste time demanding their apology?
But… if it had been the other way around, things might not have ended so lightly.
Shigeo returned swiftly to Takigakure.
Though the city was calmer, chaos lingered in the streets. He walked through the ruined buildings. Some people spotted him and whispered:
"That's him… Hyūga Shigeo. He saved us. If not for him, Takigakure would've been destroyed."
A frail old woman stopped him, holding out a basket.
"Young man, thank you. These are persimmon cakes I made. Please, take them. They're delicious."
(End of Chapter)
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