"Something terrible has happened!!!"
On the Cloud Ninja front line, the Hyuga clan members were already in complete chaos.
When Hyuga Arin and the other two returned to camp, they immediately heard frantic shouting.
Curious, Nawaki grabbed a Yamanaka clan ninja and asked, "What happened?"
The Yamanaka ninja replied gravely, "The heir of the Hyuga main house—Hyuga Hiashi—is dead. His eyes were gouged out, and his brain was destroyed."
Nawaki sucked in a sharp breath.
This was serious—very serious.
For Konoha as a whole, it wasn't that big a deal. Hyuga Hiashi was just a genin; his death didn't change the strategic situation.
But for the Hyuga clan, this was earth-shattering.
The heir of the main house was dead, and the Byakugan was gone.
That alone was enough to drive the entire Hyuga clan mad.
Nawaki could already imagine the Hyuga main house going completely berserk.
"The main house's direct line is basically finished," Arin said cheerfully from the side, utterly lacking any sense of guilt as the killer.
That comment made the Yamanaka ninja glance at him.
Oh—it's Demonic Flame Hyuga Arin.
Then never mind.
Arin now had a nickname, and it was spreading fast.
Demonic Flame Hyuga Arin.
The Fire Release he used was impossible to guard against, like flames from hell itself. Its full name was Demonic Hellfire, shortened to Demonic Flame.
Everyone knew Arin and the Hyuga clan were completely at odds—this was a total falling-out.
If someone from the Hyuga main house died and Arin wasn't happy, that would be strange.
This was definitely not the time to get tangled up with him.
Right now, the Hyuga clan was a powder keg—one spark and it would explode.
And Arin, who had always been at odds with the Hyuga, was guaranteed to become their target.
The Yamanaka ninja looked at Arin with sympathy and quickly left.
Nawaki sighed. "Looks like the Cloud ninjas were targeting the Hyuga clan."
They hadn't seen a single Cloud ninja on the way back, yet the Hyuga main house heir had run straight into disaster.
If this wasn't deliberate, Nawaki wouldn't believe it.
He had no idea the murderer was standing right beside him.
The murderer nodded in agreement. "The Cloud ninjas suffered huge losses at the Hyuga's hands. They probably wanted some payback."
…
Because of Hiashi's death, the entire forward camp sprang into action.
Under Hyuga Hikaru's leadership, the Hyuga clan went on a frantic search of the surrounding area, trying to find the killer.
Letting one of the killers lead the search for the killer—there was no way they'd find anything.
Some Hyuga clan members even wanted to demand an explanation from the Cloud ninjas, but Hikaru stopped them.
What explanation could they possibly demand?
Who ever said you weren't allowed to kill Hyuga main house members on the battlefield?
Hiashi's death could only be chalked up to bad luck.
As for the Byakugan—if the Cloud ninjas really had it, why should they hand it back?
Because of a few angry words?
Unless Konoha was willing to step in and trade benefits for the Byakugan—and even then, only if the Cloud ninjas agreed.
If the Cloud just said, "We don't have it," the Hyuga clan couldn't do a thing.
"You say there are lightning scars and blade wounds—that's a Cloud ninja's signature?"
Plenty of villages had Lightning Release users who used swords.
Even Konoha's White Fang fit that description.
In short, the Hyuga clan members at the front line were all gloom and despair.
All of them—
Except Hyuga Arin.
The Hyuga couldn't find trouble with the Cloud ninjas, but they could find trouble with Arin—even if it made no sense logically.
"Was it you?"
Arin had just stepped out of his tent, planning to see if there was anyone left he could squeeze some experience out of, when he was suddenly surrounded by Hyuga clan members.
Seeing them glare at him like wolves, Arin tilted his head.
Though he had done it—
"Well, what if it was me?" he said plainly. He'd never liked lying.
"He admitted it!!"
"It was him!!"
"Kill him!!"
The entire group of Hyuga exploded in rage.
Not everyone shared Arin's or Hikaru's resentment toward the main house.
Aside from the servile mindset the main house drilled into the branch family, there were very real benefits at stake.
Talented people and mediocre ones saw the world very differently.
They all rushed at Arin at once.
A faint Bagua diagram appeared beneath Arin's feet as he assumed the Gentle Fist stance.
His body suddenly expanded, his clothes tearing apart to reveal muscles like carved stone.
Heat radiated from him as his skin flushed red.
[Oni Form (lv1) EXP (0/1000) Traits (Evolution + Foresight)]
A skill formed by combining max-level Demon Back and Ghost Brain, unleashing all of his latent potential and comprehensively enhancing his physical abilities.
"Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms."
Arin's figure darted through the crowd of Hyuga, his hands turning into countless afterimages that struck again and again.
Their own Gentle Fist techniques were completely read and predicted by Arin.
Palm after palm slammed into their bodies.
5648 / 5486 / 12354 / 4566 …
In no time at all, the Hyuga clan members were piled together like a small hill.
Arin's attacks were brutal.
Even without chakra, his raw physical strength was enough to contend with chūnin.
Now, with Oni Form fully unlocking his potential, the result was obvious.
Arin looked at the experience gains with satisfaction.
[Experience: 88888]
"What a lucky number," Arin said, clapping his hands.
He hadn't killed any of them. If he started killing here, he'd be done for in Konoha.
Besides, branch family members didn't drop anything good anyway.
"Another perfect day."
At that moment, Hyuga Hikaru hurried over from the distance. Seeing the unconscious Hyuga members everywhere, he covered his forehead helplessly.
"Relax. Not a single one is dead," Arin said, stepping forward and patting Hikaru on the waist.
Damn this height difference.
Hikaru clearly breathed a sigh of relief, then said coldly, "I know you weren't the one who killed the young master. They just don't know where to vent their anger. Please forgive them—but don't forget your status as a branch family member."
He even sounded pretty convincing.
Arin rolled his eyes, walked right past him, and ignored him completely.
Today's objectives were complete.
No Cloud ninja activity, and no more people needing treatment—
…or were there?
A strange smile crept onto Arin's face.
…
Hyuga Naisuke opened his eyes.
That technique Arin had used—wasn't that the Hyuga main house's Gentle Fist, the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms?!
Why could a branch family member use it?!
Wasn't that a secret art reserved for the main house?!
Only branch family members with outstanding merit were ever taught it—and Arin's relationship with the Hyuga clan made that completely impossible!
"Damn you, Hyuga Arin!!"
He must have stolen it!!
But wait… there wasn't supposed to be a One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms, was there?
"Did you call me?"
Arin's face suddenly filled his vision.
Hyuga Naisuke: "???"
Why was Hyuga Arin suddenly in front of him again?!
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