Hyūga Hizashi noticed the undisguised disdain in Hyūga Ming's eyes and frowned slightly.
"Hyūga Ming," he said in a low voice, "I know you harbor resentment toward the main family. But the branch family's duty is to protect the main family, and the main family bears the responsibility of leading the Hyūga clan."
Hyūga Ming nearly rolled his eyes hard enough to sprout a second pair of Byakugan.
He looked Hizashi dead in the eye, as if gifting him two white eyes at once.
"What does that have to do with me?"
The Hyūga clan's so-called responsibility had absolutely nothing to do with him.
Hizashi ignored his tone and continued solemnly,
"The main family shoulders the fate of the entire Hyūga clan. Can't you show even a little understanding?"
Hyūga Ming replied seriously,
"In that case, why don't you put that responsibility on me instead?"
He pointed casually.
"Go tell your brother to become the branch family. I'll take over as the main family."
Hizashi's expression darkened.
"That joke isn't funny."
Hyūga Ming snorted.
"You're the one joking first."
He raised his hand.
A shuriken materialized instantly from his inventory and shot straight toward Hizashi.
Hizashi's eyes widened in shock. He stopped abruptly and dodged to the side.
By the time he looked up again, Hyūga Ming had already accelerated forward, rapidly closing the distance to the front of the team.
"Shameless bastard," Ming muttered loudly, catching up to Hiashi without the slightest attempt to hide his insult.
Hiashi shot him a sharp glare.
Ming grinned back at him—eager, provocative, itching for trouble.
Suddenly, Tsunade stopped on a tree branch.
Both Hiashi and Ming were forced to halt as well.
Hizashi landed behind Hiashi, his face dark.
Tsunade's expression was equally grim as she glared at Ming.
"You attacked a teammate without authorization."
Ming shrugged indifferently.
"He wouldn't keep his mouth clean. I helped him sober up."
The three of them stared at him in unison.
From start to finish, he was the only one who had actually been cursing.
Hizashi said in a low voice,
"I was only trying to make you understand your responsibilities."
Ming didn't even look at him.
He turned his gaze directly to Hiashi.
"You want me to be your dog, like your little brother?"
"Keep dreaming."
Did he really think Ming didn't know this had been Hiashi's idea?
Sending Hizashi to play peacemaker—
trying to make him voluntarily accept his chains.
What a joke.
Hiashi's face twisted, and his hands began forming a seal—
The Ram Seal.
The activation sign for the Caged Bird Seal.
Ming saw it.
So did Tsunade.
"ENOUGH!"
Tsunade slammed her fist into the tree beside her.
BOOM!
The trunk shattered at its center, the upper half crashing down in a shower of splinters.
She rubbed her temples.
She never should have taken this mission.
Looking at the three of them, weapons metaphorically drawn, she said coldly,
"I don't care what grudges you have. Right now, you are one team. Until this mission is complete, you will all behave."
She rotated her fist slowly, eyes full of warning.
"Otherwise—"
Facing Tsunade's threat, Hiashi immediately abandoned the seal.
Ming snapped to attention and gave a crisp salute.
"Don't worry, Lady Tsunade. I guarantee I won't clash with them in front of you."
In front of you.
Tsunade shot him a hard glare but said nothing more, turning and leaping to another branch.
Ming followed, then turned back toward the brothers.
"Hurry up. Don't delay the mission."
Because of who, exactly?!
Hiashi clenched his teeth.
This was the first time he'd ever encountered a branch family member who showed him zero respect.
Hizashi hesitated, then spoke quietly,
"Brother… Lady Tsunade seems to be deliberately protecting Hyūga Ming."
Though subtle, Hizashi wasn't clouded by emotion.
After all, Ming had been targeting Hiashi the entire time—Hizashi himself had remained relatively calm.
Hiashi looked at him in surprise, memories flashing through his mind—everything that had happened since they met Tsunade that morning.
"That's impossible."
But thinking back…
Both times, just as he was about to act, Tsunade had intervened.
"No," Hiashi said firmly. "Absolutely impossible."
What right did Hyūga Ming have to be connected to Tsunade?
Hizashi sighed softly when he saw his brother had already made up his mind.
The two of them quickly followed.
The trees on both sides blurred past.
Tsunade led the way. Ming followed closely behind.
Suddenly, she ground her teeth.
"Brat. Know when to stop."
Ming laughed lightly.
"Of course, Lady Tsunade. I always know when to pull back. I won't trouble you too much."
Tsunade snorted and continued forward.
The four figures became streaks of black, racing through the forest.
Their destination wasn't far.
Soon, they arrived at the mission site.
The team concealed themselves in the trees, looking down at a group of ragged men guarding the mountain entrance.
"These bandits are all civilians," Tsunade said quickly.
"Only their leader and vice leader are rogue ninja. Your task is to drive them away."
She glanced deeply at Hiashi.
"This is your training mission. You'll handle it yourselves. Unless absolutely necessary, I won't intervene."
Though this was only a C-rank mission, Tsunade—even at her current level—was still a powerful jōnin.
This kind of task wasn't worth her involvement.
Hiashi nodded and naturally assumed command.
"Hizashi, circle around and block their retreat. Let the civilians flee if they resist. Focus on the two rogue ninja."
"Hyūga Ming and I will infiltrate and take them out."
He paused and looked at Ming.
"Any objections?"
No answer.
"…Hyūga Ming?"
He turned around.
Ming was gone.
Hizashi pointed toward the mountain entrance.
Hiashi's face changed instantly.
"HYŪGA MING—?!"
He saw Ming strolling openly toward the entrance.
The bandits had already noticed him.
Tsunade slapped a hand to her forehead.
Did this guy really qualify as a ninja?
Ming didn't care what they thought.
He was already surrounded by bandits.
"Hey, brat, where'd you come from?" several bandits sneered.
"Those eyes—are you some kind of monster?"
They stared uneasily at his pale pupils.
Ming ignored them completely, recalling old strategy notes.
"What do bandits drop again… right, the boss drops ninja gear."
"Hey! We're talking to you!"
A burly bandit stormed forward, raising his hand to slap Ming across the face.
PFF!
Smoke exploded.
The bandit's palm slammed into a spiked mace.
A mace?! Where did that come from?!
The spikes pierced straight through his hand.
Before he could even scream, blood sprayed from his throat.
Ming landed lightly, stepping on the man's head.
A bloodstained kunai gleamed in his hand.
"Pulling the mobs."
"Byakugan!"