Chapter 104: Neji: "Hikari, Use Yachihoko on Me."
The reason Hikari was sealed was that her enemies had figured out her ability. They deliberately sent weak clansmen to be controlled by her. While she was occupied, an Uzumaki clan elder used the Adamantine Sealing Chains to bind her, finally managing to subdue her.
Hikari felt no fondness for the Senju or Uzumaki. Learning that both clans had been wiped out, she was surprised, but mostly, she was happy.
When she heard that the Uchiha clan had defected from Konoha and joined Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning, she didn't have much of a reaction. In her era, the Uchiha were already active in the Land of Lightning; to her, it was simply a return home.
"Is the Village Era any different from the Warring States period?" Hikari asked, hearing that Kumo was now at war with the other great villages.
"People today are fundamentally the same as they were back then. Therefore, the Village Era is fundamentally the same as the Warring States period. In fact, the conflicts of interest and the scale of war are even greater."
A look of confusion flashed in Hikari's eyes, but she quickly shook her head and continued to listen as Neji-kun explained the current situation. Village Era, Warring States... she didn't really care.
"So, are you taking me back to the Uchiha clan?" As Neji-kun finished, Hikari swallowed her last dango and asked about her fate.
"No. You don't need to go back to them. You'll stay with me from now on." Neji-kun looked out at the sea, his tone firm and decisive. "At least... I'm not letting you go until this is all over."
"That's great!" Hearing she didn't have to go back, Hikari happily swung her small, pale feet.
With the Uchiha, she had no freedom and was forced to undergo harsh training day and night. She felt no affection for them and had no desire to return.
"Hikari, next, we're going to Kirigakure."
"Kirigakure?"
"There's an Uchiha traitor there. He's secretly controlling the Fourth Mizukage. My mission is to rescue the Mizukage. It would be even better if I can capture the traitor."
"I see." Hikari nodded like a chick pecking at rice.
"Hikari, your Mangekyō ability... it's Yachihoko, right? It can freely transfer chakra?"
"Y... Yes." Hikari looked flustered.
Yachihoko was an absurdly powerful technique. The Uchiha elders, while using her, also feared her. They never allowed her to place her mark on them. This was one of the reasons why, despite having such a broken dōjutsu, she often found herself running low on power.
Hikari looked at Neji-kun, hesitating. Will he see me as a monster, too?
Just then, Neji-kun reached out and ruffled her hair. "Hikari, place your mark on me," he said with a smile.
Hikari's eyes shot wide open.
In her memory, there had been a few kind-hearted clansmen who, pitying her, had offered to be marked. However, the moment they learned Yachihoko could not only control chakra but also their bodies, they recoiled in fear.
Hikari could never forget the way they looked at her... like she was a monster.
Neji-kun must not fully understand Yachihoko's abilities, right? Once he knew, he would see her as a monster, just like they did.
She had just made a friend. She didn't want him to see her that way.
"Neji-kun, n-no, I can't!" Hikari shook her head frantically.
Neji-kun placed his hands on her shoulders, making her meet his gaze. He spoke with a tone of absolute trust, "Hikari, I believe that you will never hurt me."
"Neji-kun..."
Hikari could no longer hold back. She threw herself into his arms, tears streaming down her face like a broken dam. Neji-kun rested his chin on her shoulder, patting her back, a faint smile on his lips.
'Kids in this world are so easy to trick. And Uchiha kids are the easiest.'
Strictly speaking, he wasn't really tricking her. He truly did intend for her to mark him. With a limitless supply of chakra, Hikari's combat power would increase dramatically. She would become the sharpest weapon in his arsenal.
His confidence came from the Tenseigan. Yachihoko's mechanics were broken, and the mark could compensate for a lack of power, but it couldn't create a qualitative change—otherwise, Hikari wouldn't have been sealed so easily. With the Tenseigan, Neji-kun was confident he could break free from the mark at any time.
"Don't cry. You'll ruin your pretty face," Neji-kun said gently.
"Neji-kun..." Hikari sniffled, her voice trembling as she explained, "Yachihoko... it can not only drain chakra, it can forcibly control a person's mind..." Her voice was filled with fear.
Neji-kun ruffled her hair again. "I know everything about you, Hikari."
"Then why are you—"
"Hikari, I trust you will never hurt me. So why don't you trust me?"
"Neji-kun!" Hikari burrowed into his chest, hugging him tightly. Neji-kun stroked her back, doing his best to comfort this fragile, love-starved girl.
A long time later, Hikari fell asleep in his arms. In her dreams, she saw two blurry figures—the parents who had faded from her memory.
"Father, Mother... I've found my reason for existing."
At that moment, she made a resolution. She would follow Neji-kun forever and never be parted from him.
If Neji-kun wanted to kill, she would hand him the knife.
If Neji-kun wanted to bury someone, she would dig the grave.
If Neji-kun wanted to make an enemy of the world, she would stand right behind him and do the same.
Kirigakure, Mizukage's Office.
Obito sat brazenly in the Mizukage's chair, flipping through documents, calculating his available forces.
The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, stood silently beside him like a statue, his eyes hollow, as if he couldn't even see Obito's actions.
For many years, Kirigakure had preached the dogma that only shinobi who had walked through piles of corpses were truly strong. Their Academy graduation exam even forced students to kill each other. This only changed years ago when Zabuza Momochi, a non-student, slaughtered an entire graduating class.
But the "Bloody Mist" policy had never truly changed. The Mizukage madly suppressed the bloodline clans. Subordinates persecuted those below them, while being persecuted by those above. The clans were rife with conflict. The Kaguya clan, for example, was a perfect copy of the Uchiha—only crazier and more extreme. They were arrogant, refused to form alliances, and were so battle-crazed they would slaughter civilians without a second thought. Because of this, the Mizukage had allied with other clans to exterminate them.
All in all, even without Obito controlling the Mizukage, Kiri wouldn't have been in a much better state.
As a result, Kiri had very few usable ninja. Even counting the students in the Academy, they had less than six thousand men.
"Do these people want to die?" Obito angrily shredded the document in his hand. Kiri's eight-thousand-strong army had been nearly wiped out. The village couldn't take another hit.
Consequently, the moderate faction, led by the village Elder, had submitted a joint petition, begging the Fourth Mizukage to stop the war and immediately enter peace talks with Kumo.
Killing intent flared in Obito's eye, but he forced it down. The Elder was highly respected, his status rivaling the Mizukage's, and he had deep personal ties with the Land of Water's Daimyō. If Obito killed him, Kiri would instantly erupt into civil war, and he'd have no way to explain it to the Daimyō. He needed the Daimyō's financial support to wage war. Caught, Obito could only sigh in frustration.
As for controlling the Elder with genjutsu? Impossible. First, Obito's genjutsu wasn't as subtle as Shisui's; he couldn't control someone without them knowing. Second, the Elder wasn't a recluse like Yagura; he made frequent public appearances. His uncharacteristic behavior would be noticed immediately.
"..." Yagura stood silently, showing no reaction to Obito's rage.
Obito tapped his fingers on the desk, wondering how to deal with the Elder. Without his support, launching another large-scale war was impossible.
"Madara, we have a major problem," Zetsu's head suddenly emerged from the floor.
"What happened?" Obito glanced at him, surprised. 'With me personally overseeing Kiri, what 'major problem' could there be?'
"A White Zetsu clone reports intruders in the village, suspected Kumo spies—"
"How strong are they?" Obito asked, his voice cold.
"The clone is observing from a distance, afraid to get too close. They appear to be Jōnin-level."
"Tch!" Obito sneered. "That's a 'major problem'? Zetsu, you're overreacting." With half of Kiri under his control, he was confident no one could stir up trouble.
Black Zetsu said, "Obito, Kumo spies have infiltrated right after a major military defeat. This is not a good sign."
Obito's eye narrowed. "You mean... their mission is to gauge Kiri's true strength, to consider an alliance?"
Black Zetsu nodded. "It's the only explanation. Kumo may have won, but they still have two other tough nuts to crack. They definitely don't want Kiri re-joining the fight right now."
Obito tapped the desk, then said coldly, "Zetsu, take a batch of White Zetsu and disguise them as those Kumo spies—"
White Zetsu piped up cheerfully, "Use the Kumo spies to provoke the Elder's anger? Obito, when did you get so smart?"
"..." Obito glared at White Zetsu. "Just get it done. And make it clean."
Zetsu, seeing Obito's anger, chuckled and sank back into the ground.
In the thin morning light, Neji-kun and Hikari walked down a Kirigakure street.
"Do I really have to wear this pink dress?" Neji-kun walked behind her, frowning with distaste. He really couldn't appreciate her fashion sense.
"I won't change!" Hikari twirled in front of him, pouting.
Neji-kun rubbed his temples. He had an idea. In the Warring States period, clothing options were limited. If he had her try on a JK uniform, a maid outfit, or a qipao, it might fix her sense of aesthetics.
Kiri was in a constant state of turmoil, not even as prosperous as Kumo. There were few shops, few pedestrians, and the streets were full of homeless children and beggars.
After crossing a street, Neji-kun noticed someone was watching them. No, to be precise, they were watching Hikari. At eleven or twelve years old, wearing a pink dress, she looked like an easy target. Neji-kun, on the other hand, though only thirteen, was tall and looked much older.
"They're asking to die." Neji-kun's brow twitched, killing intent flaring in his eyes.
As they turned a corner, three burly thugs carrying clubs blocked their path. "Hand over your valuables!"
Hikari's figure flashed. Thump, thump, thump! She decked all three, dropping them to the ground.
"Hikari, what are you doing?" Neji-kun's rebuking voice came from behind.
Hikari clenched her small fists, muttering, "Was I too violent...?"
"Sorry, Neji-kun, next time I'll—"
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Before she could finish, three senbon shot from Neji-kun's sleeve, piercing the thugs' throats.
"Hikari, you're too kind." Neji-kun ruffled her hair. "Kind people get hurt. I would rather you be a thug than see you get hurt."
"N-Neji-kun..." Hikari threw herself into his arms.
Feeling the girl's small body tremble, Neji-kun stroked her back, thinking, 'Muggers in broad daylight... they can't even maintain basic order. Is Kiri really this bad off?'
After comforting Hikari, they went to an izakaya on the street that was open for business. On the second floor, Neji-kun ordered a few side dishes and Hikari's favorite, three-colored dango. The izakaya was very close to the Mizukage Tower; from their seat, he could just make out its silhouette.
He stared at the tower, his eyes narrowed.
If he could just break the genjutsu Obito had on the Fourth Mizukage, an alliance with Kiri was practically guaranteed. Better yet, if he used his Cursed Mandala Sealing Heart to control Yagura himself, Kirigakure would become his personal garden.
Neither task was particularly difficult for Neji-kun. The hard part was getting close to the Mizukage. Obito had controlled Yagura for over a decade before Ao exposed him with his Byakugan. That he wasn't discovered for so long proved how tight Yagura's security was.
'Brute force entry?' Neji-kun sipped his sake, muttering to himself.
"Haku, let's sit here."
Just then, a soft, feminine voice sounded from nearby.