Hyuga Morisuke assumed the Gentle Fist stance.
Zabuza's muffled voice came from beneath his bandages. "Let me test his strength."
Ao nodded in agreement. "Make it quick."
Hyuga Morisuke was furious. They were treating him like a sparring dummy.
Zabuza activated his Silent Killing technique, once again vanishing into the mist. Unfortunately for him, Hyuga Morisuke had already activated his Byakugan, his eyes locked firmly on Zabuza's position.
Seeing no opening, Zabuza charged directly at Morisuke, his greatsword raised.
Hyuga Morisuke's Gentle Fist foundation was deep, while Zabuza's swordsmanship was vicious. The two were immediately locked in a fierce exchange. True to Hyuga tradition, Morisuke was accustomed to letting his opponent make the first move, and he met Zabuza's relentless assault with calm composure.
Zabuza seemed extremely confident in his blade work, showing no fear in the face of a taijutsu specialist as he pressed his attack. Though not yet a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, he had already made a name for himself. Among his peers in Kirigakure, he was a standout, and his taijutsu was considerable.
Unfortunately for him, he had run into a member of the Hyuga clan, his natural counter.
Hyuga Morisuke had several opportunities to eliminate Zabuza, but he restrained himself. He knew his mission: he had to get the warning out. The Hyuga clan had fought hard to secure positions in the Konoha Military Police Force, and he could not allow that honor to be tarnished by his failure.
Their figures blurred as they fought, their battle eventually carrying them to a corner of the clearing. Spotting an opening, Hyuga Morisuke struck the flat of Zabuza's blade with his palm.
With a sharp crack, the force of the blow, far greater than Zabuza had anticipated, sent his sword flying from his grasp. Morisuke, dragging his broken arm, flashed backward and pulled out a signal flare.
"Don't even think about it!"
Several Hidden Mist ninja, who had been waiting in support, instantly threw a volley of shuriken, cutting off Morisuke's escape.
However, Hyuga Morisuke simply turned and threw his body into their path.
He met the wave of shuriken with his own flesh and blood.
With a loud bang, the signal flare shot into the sky.
A nearby Mist ninja leaped forward, kicking Morisuke in the waist and sending him tumbling to the ground. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he rolled. Shuriken protruded from his chest, neck, and head.
Within moments, Hyuga Morisuke breathed his last. A faint light flickered on the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead, and the light in his Byakugan faded, the dōjutsu dissipating completely.
In the nearby forest, the emergency signal was received instantly. A series of new flares exploded in the sky in response.
Ao shot a harsh glare at Hyuga Morisuke's body before turning his severe gaze on Zabuza. "It's done. Retreat!"
The group quickly withdrew from the scene.
...
The sound of rapid movement filled the air as three Anbu members landed in the clearing. One of them, wearing a fox mask and sporting messy silver hair and a sword on his back, was Kakashi Hatake.
Upon landing, Kakashi quickly pushed up his headband to reveal his Sharingan. After a brief survey of the area, he gestured to his two companions. The other two Anbu quickly examined the bodies.
"Taijutsu attacks, under the cover of thick mist," one reported to Kakashi.
"Sword wounds and assassination techniques. It's highly likely the work of the Hidden Mist," the other added.
Kakashi nodded. "The enemy has retreated, but we can't rule out the possibility of their return. I'll report this to the Third Hokage immediately."
Since the Third Great Ninja War, the Hidden Mist had frequently sent shinobi to harass Konoha, but they had always been repelled by the Uchiha clan. To think that this time, four Konoha ninja had lost their lives, including a member of the Hyuga clan, whose reconnaissance abilities were second to none.
The situation was serious.
...
Inside the Hokage's Office.
After listening to Kakashi's report, the Third Hokage's brow was deeply furrowed. "Have Hizashi come here."
For the Byakugan, the most powerful tool of reconnaissance, to be ambushed like this was almost unbelievable. In the past, the Uchiha had been responsible for guarding Konoha's perimeter, and they had never suffered such a heavy loss. Now, the Hyuga had just taken over, and the Hidden Mist had already seized the opportunity to strike.
Fortunately, the signal flare was launched in time. If that squad of Mist ninja had infiltrated the village, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
After Kakashi left, the tapping of a cane announced a new arrival. It was Danzo Shimura, stripped of his official position but still an elder advisor. The Third Hokage was not surprised to see him. Even without the title of Hokage's Aide, Danzo's influence remained. The position was merely a formality.
After all, there were many things the Third Hokage couldn't do himself, and for those, he still relied on Danzo.
The Third Hokage took a long drag from his pipe. "Danzo, this recent security problem... is this your handiwork?"
"Hmph. I don't know what you're talking about."
"The Uchiha have now completely withdrawn from the Military Police Force. The few that remain are just minding their own shops. You'd best behave yourself."
Danzo had indeed stirred up some trouble for a few days, but he eventually realized the Uchiha weren't taking the bait, and his actions had become a laughingstock. He ignored the jab and returned to his previous proposal. "The members of Root are all loyal. They would be a perfect fit for the Military Police Force."
The Third Hokage knew exactly what Danzo was scheming and waved his hand in annoyance. "We'll discuss this later. I need to speak with Hizashi to understand the situation."
"Hiruzen, you should think about it carefully."
Danzo didn't press the matter. He knew the Third would never allow him to extend Root's influence into the Military Police Force. He turned and slowly hobbled away.
Meanwhile, news of the attack on the security patrol—and the deaths of a full squad and a Hyuga clan member—had already reached the Uchiha clan.
At that moment, Kawasaki was visiting Shisui. Shisui's eyes had been successfully transplanted. It had to be said, swapping out a pair of eyes was remarkably simple. Even without a unique constitution, an eye transplant was considered a minor and routine procedure in this world. One only had to look at Rin Nohara, who had managed to install a Sharingan for Kakashi on the battlefield, to understand how common such medical ninjutsu was.
Of course, the most amazing technique was Tsunade's Mystical Palm Technique, which she had passed down. It could rapidly heal all sorts of injuries, drastically reducing mortality rates. If it weren't for the other wounds on Shisui's body, a simple eye transplant wouldn't have kept him in bed for a week.
"Senior, I'm fine. Why do I have to stay home for so long?" Shisui had initially called him Vice-Clan Head, but Kawasaki had stopped him, asking Shisui to call him 'Senior' to foster a closer relationship.
"The village is in turmoil right now, and many eyes are on our Uchiha clan. I'm having you rest at home, one, to ensure you make a full recovery, and two, to let the situation fester a little longer."
In Kawasaki's mind, while Shisui wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, his abilities were undeniably powerful. Besides, Shisui was still young and had immense room for growth. The Sharingan was a great burden on him at his current level, and he couldn't use Susanoo carelessly. But if used properly, Kotoamatsukami was an incredible asset.
"Vice-Clan Head! There you are! Shisui, how's your recovery coming along?"
The newcomer was Uchiha Yozuki, one of the more obedient members of Kawasaki's faction. A week ago, Kawasaki had dealt a significant blow to the Hokage's faction, and ever since, Yozuki had developed a deep sense of admiration for him.