The Hidden Cloud convoy sped along the wide dirt road, its wheels kicking up a cloud of dust.
Zsurui sat in the lead carriage, his fingers tapping restlessly on his knee, his brow furrowed. As the Jonin in charge of this operation, his mood was even heavier than when he had arrived.
In the end, we still couldn't smoothly obtain the complete Byakugan Kekkei Genkai...
Thinking back to the negotiating table in Konoha, the hypocritical faces of the Konoha elders, Zsurui couldn't help but grit his teeth. They knew the Cloud's true objective, of course, but they still put on a show.
They talked about "peace," then turned around and planned to execute the Hyuga branch member before handing him over... If he hadn't used the excuse that "Lord Raikage wants to judge the culprit himself," he probably wouldn't have even been able to bring back this living Hyuga clan member.
The carriage jolted, and Zsurui's gaze drifted unconsciously to the rear—there was a specially made prison cart, and inside it was the blindfolded Hizashi Hyuga.
This was the first time they had obtained an intact Byakugan wielder.
In past wars, the Hyuga main family was protected flawlessly, and any branch family members who were captured were immediately executed by the main family via the Caged Bird curse mark. Bringing back a live specimen this time was an unprecedented breakthrough.
At the negotiating table, he had already warned Konoha—they were not to execute the "criminal" on their own. Although it was just for show, he was genuinely worried that Konoha would pull a fast one.
Once we get back to the Cloud...
A fanatical glint appeared in his eyes. The scientists in the village had long coveted the Byakugan. If they could crack the secrets of the Caged Bird through human experimentation, and maybe even find a way to transplant the Byakugan...
Lord Raikage would definitely...
Suddenly, the carriage came to a screeching halt, interrupting Zsurui's thoughts. "What's going on?" he shouted, ripping open the curtain.
"Lord Zsurui! We have a situation! It might be an enemy attack!"
The urgent cry of the Cloud ninja made Zsurui's brow furrow. An attack? On this plain? Bandits and robbers would never have the guts to attack a formal Cloud convoy, and if it were ninja from another village...
Don't they know this is tantamount to declaring war on the Hidden Cloud?
He leaped from the carriage. The convoy had come to a complete stop, and all the Cloud ninja were in a combat stance, kunai and shuriken in hand.
Following their line of sight, he saw a figure in a black robe and a fox mask standing silently in the middle of the road. The sunlight cast a cold halo on the mask, obscuring the expression beneath.
This doesn't look good...
Zsurui's hand unconsciously went to the ninja sword on his back, but he then let it go. The most important task right now was to deliver the Byakugan safely to the Cloud Village. There was no need for unnecessary complications.
"Who goes there?" he took a few steps forward, his voice booming. "This is the convoy of the Hidden Cloud Village's envoy! No matter which village you're from, this act is equivalent to declaring war on the Hidden Cloud!"
The black-robed figure didn't answer, simply raising his hands slowly and beginning to form hand seals. As he moved, the cloak behind him began to billow as if in a strong wind.
"Nine Masked Beasts."
A deep voice echoed across the plain. With each word spoken, a corresponding giant character materialized in the air, glowing with a faint blue light.
"Sei, Byaku, Shu, Gen, Kū, Nan, Hoku, San, Gyoku."
The nine characters formed a giant formation in the air, emitting a suffocating wave of chakra. The Cloud ninja unconsciously took a few steps back.
"Nine Masked Beasts!"
At the black-robed man's command, nine massive, uniquely shaped summoning beasts roared out from the formation. Each one exuded a terrifying pressure. The beasts lined up neatly on either side of the black-robed man, completely blocking the road.
The black-robed man slowly raised a hand and pointed towards the prison cart.
"My demand is simple."
The voice coming from under the mask was chillingly emotionless.
"Hand over the power of the Byakugan."
Zsurui's face instantly turned ashen, a vein throbbing on his temple. His eyes were fixed on the black-robed, masked figure, his mind racing through the intelligence on the powerhouses of the major ninja villages—a ninja who could summon nine different types of beasts at once? Unheard of!
This guy... which village is he from?
But now was not the time to think. As an experienced Cloud Jonin, Zsurui made a decisive move, swinging his right hand forward. "Everyone! Full-scale attack!"
His hands instantly completed the hand seals, his chest puffing out. "Lightning Style: False Darkness!"
BOOM—!
A blinding bolt of lightning shot from his mouth, heading straight for the black-robed man's chest. At almost the same time, the surrounding Cloud ninja also began forming hand seals.
"Lightning Style: Lightning Ball!"
"Lightning Style: Earth Runner!"
"Lightning Style: Thunder Thousand Needles!"
Dozens of lightning-style ninjutsu, glowing with blue-white electricity, attacked from all directions, completely engulfing the black-robed man's position. The blinding light illuminated the entire plain, and the acrid smell of ozone filled the air.
However— Thud! Thud! Thud!
A series of dull impacts sounded. A scene that left all the Cloud ninja dumbfounded unfolded. The lightning jutsu, powerful enough to blast rocks into dust, seemed to hit an invisible wall a few meters away from the black-robed man. After erupting in a dazzling display of sparks, they all fizzled out into nothing!
"I see..."
A deep voice came from under the mask, tinged with a playful sigh.
"You chose to fight in response to my demand? Completely abandoning the possibility of negotiation... I respect your loyalty to your village..."
"Now... crush them!"
The nine giant figures charged towards the Cloud formation like arrows released from a bow. The ground trembled under their feet.
"Protect the Byakugan!" Zsurui roared, his voice hoarse, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He stared at the charging Nine Masked Beasts, his hands rapidly forming seals to counterattack—
"Hey, look here."
A cold voice suddenly whispered in his ear. The hair on Zsurui's entire body stood on end. He whipped his head around, and the strange fox mask was right in front of him!
When did he—?!
"You son of a—!"
Zsurui's hand had just touched the short sword on his back when a sharp pain erupted in his abdomen. His eyes widened, and his body was sent flying like a rag doll, tracing a parabola through the air.
"Lord Zsurui!"
The terrified shouts of his subordinates came from the distance, but the sound was quickly drowned out by the roar of the Nine Masked Beasts. The Cloud ninja fought back in a panic, but they were like ants being easily crushed—elite Jonin-level summoning beasts against ordinary ninja was a completely one-sided slaughter.
"Cough... cough, cough..."
Zsurui struggled to get up, a metallic taste welling up in his throat. But before he could push himself up, a hand pressed down on the back of his neck, pinning his face into the dirt.
How is this possible?!
Zsurui's pupils contracted violently. As an elite Jonin of the Cloud, his taijutsu skills were ranked among the best in the village, yet now he was being completely overpowered?!
"You bastard..." he struggled to turn his eyes, trying to see the person pinning him down. "Who the hell are you?!"
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