The Kumogakure Ninja stationed at the border between Land of Hot Water and Land of Lightning had arrived, only to witness a terrifying and strange scene. They reacted quickly, firing flares into the sky that lit up the rainy night and cast multiple shadows on the ground. In just a few breaths, the area was sealed with no visible escape.
The combat discipline of the Kumogakure Ninja was high, and they completed the encirclement in moments. They locked down every possible movement of Yunchuan Hyuga and waited for orders from their commander. The formation was tight and precise.
"Run!"
Troy's desperate scream made the Kumogakure Ninja hesitate. There was only one enemy, so who was supposed to run? Confusion spread among them.
"This guy is a monster, a monster sealed here, his ability is..."
Before he could finish, Yunchuan Hyuga lowered his eyes slightly. A crushing force followed immediately. The sound drowned out the rain.
Boom!
Troy was slammed into the ground with twisted limbs, blood vessels ready to burst in his eyes. His face was pressed into the earth, warped by unbearable pain. The sight made the faces of the Kumogakure ninja change as several rushed forward.
"Let go of Troy!"
Yunchuan Hyuga sighed softly and said that they were too loud. His tone held no anger, only annoyance. The response was instant and final.
Bang!
It was like bursting a human-shaped sack of blood, as flesh and fluid exploded outward and spread across the ground. The red mess lost all shape and restraint. Rage erupted among the Kumogakure Ninja.
"Damn him! Attack, kill him!"
Yunchuan Hyuga finally raised his head and looked at the charging Kumogakure forces. He lifted his arm lightly as the two Chakra beads spun faster in front of him. Their motion formed a perfect silver ring without flaw.
Facing the incoming Ninjutsu of the Kumogakure Ninja, he calmly spoke a few words. "Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion." The command was soft and emotionless.
A terrifying gale burst forward, sweeping away the rain. The thunderous roar shattered the ground beneath, making it crack apart as his hood fluttered back and revealed deep blue eyes. The power rolled outward without restraint.
Several kilometers away, on a tree, a black and white figure emerged halfway from the trunk. Black Zetsu stared at the figure in the sky, his hoarse voice filled with fear as a chill rose from his soul. That kind of power should not exist in Ninja World.
White Zetsu was even more frightened and immediately sank into the ground, fleeing without hesitation. He shouted for Black Zetsu to escape as well. Neither dared to stay.
At the same time, among the fleeing group from Konoha, the "Yunchuan Hyuga" at the rear suddenly stopped. He looked toward an unnoticed shadow beside him. A bandage-wrapped figure stepped out with a grin.
"Hehe, so you are Yunchuan Hyuga. I have heard a lot about you."
The figure greedily stared at Yunchuan Hyuga's Byakugan and said that he had followed the Magnet Release user at first. Now, the Byakugan looked just as appealing.
Boom!!
In the forest, a figure was sent flying as if hit by a train, limbs twisted as he spun through the air like a pinwheel. He smashed through several trees before being embedded in a trunk, bark and wood exploding around him. The impact echoed through the rain-soaked woods.
"…"
Yunchuan Hyuga's body gave off a flame-like, pale glow, and the rain was boiled away by his heated skin into white steam. He looked toward the distant figure he had just blown away with a single punch after opening the Gate of Life. An unspoken thought surfaced in his mind.
Was that guy some kind of clown?
This Shadow Clone had already run out of Chakra, yet the man kept talking from afar. The real body had simply slipped over in a Shadow Cloak to get close. He had expected someone impressive, but this was all there was.
"Your Kekkei Genkai is Steel Release?" Yunchuan Hyuga asked bluntly. "Who gave you the nerve to stand in front of the Hyuga Clan with nothing but half-baked Steel Release?"
Crack, crack!
In the distance, Hiruko braced his hands on both sides and pulled himself out of the tree trunk. His body carried a dark metallic sheen, but his side was clearly caved in, the flesh inside destroyed from within. He had dodged by instinct, or his heart would already be gone.
Hearing Yunchuan Hyuga's mockery, the already insecure and sensitive Hiruko was driven into rage. A sweet, bloody taste surged up his throat, and even his heavy breathing carried the stench of blood. His face twisted as anger took hold.
"Damn it! I knew that bastard Orochimaru would never be that kind!"
From just that single blow, Hiruko realized the opponent was nothing like the easy target Orochimaru had described. The Chimera Technique was his own secret art, allowing him to fuse ninjas or Summoning Beast with his body. It could even merge the Chakra of those with Bloodline Inheritance and steal their Kekkei Genkai.
He currently possessed Steel Release and Swift Release. His physical defense could easily shrug off blades, and his normal speed rivaled that of Body Flicker, making ordinary Taijutsu specialists no match for him. Yet the man in front of him felt nothing like a normal member of the Hyuga Clan.
Hiruko had once been part of the Konoha Ninja, so he knew a fair bit about the Hyuga Clan of Konoha. He had been standing outside the attack range, yet this man had somehow released Gentle Fist from afar. The punch had shattered his stomach, intestines, and liver, turning his fused Steel Release into a joke.
This was no lucky piece of trash like Orochimaru had claimed. This was a monster of the Hyuga Clan.
"Hm?"
Hearing Hiruko mention Orochimaru, Yunchuan Hyuga raised an eyebrow and smiled. "So he is still alive. I thought he had died like a dead snake in some dark corner."
With that distinctive appearance, Yunchuan Hyuga naturally recognized who he was facing. Hiruko, an A-rank missing-nin of Konoha, once a childhood companion of the Sannin, yet far less gifted than them. Driven by inferiority, resentment, and jealousy, he had secretly carried out human experiments to research the Ninjutsu known as Chimera Technique.
He was discovered by Hiruzen Sarutobi, who sent the Sannin to hunt him down, but Hiruko managed to escape. What surprised Yunchuan Hyuga was his connection to Orochimaru, though on reflection their research paths were indeed similar. Orochimaru had also focused on the body early on before turning to the soul after stealing into the forbidden archives and reading the Book of Seals.
"How is Lord Orochimaru doing these days?" Yunchuan Hyuga asked with a smile.
"…"
Hiruko narrowed his eyes without answering, his gaze sweeping over Yunchuan Hyuga. He had thought Orochimaru's twisted state was caused by the Third Hokage. Now, recalling the venomous hatred Orochimaru showed whenever he mentioned this boy, it seemed more likely that this boy was the true cause.
But why? Was it just because of that Byakugan?
"No, that can't be it. At the very least…"
At that thought, Hiruko looked instinctively toward the distance, the direction from which Yunchuan Hyuga's true body had come. He did not know it was the same person, but he could feel that chilling aura that inspired fear even from dozens of miles away. As a rat forced to hide and flee, he was far too familiar with the presence of a top predator.