After observing Itachi setting up the perimeter traps, Hyuga Kyo casually picked a clean patch of grass, leaned against a tree trunk, and feigned sleep.
Due to their client Shinnō, they had been travelling on foot the entire way, which posed no burden at all to a ninja-like Hyuga Kyo. Despite walking all day, he wasn’t tired in the least.
As he pretended to sleep, Hyuga Kyo mulled over his own issues.
The main obstacle to his current strength, aside from the lack of Tenseigan techniques, was his chakra capacity.
With the Tenseigan stabilizing, his chakra capacity had also plateaued. Although it increased daily, the progress was nowhere near as significant as it had been during the adaptation period.
In terms of chakra, he was already among the best of his peers, but that wasn’t enough to satisfy him. He knew he still couldn’t shine as brightly as the Fourth Hokage.
To solve this issue, there were indeed potential solutions.
Tailed Beasts were excellent chakra sources. Almost all Jinchūriki had vast, seemingly endless amounts of chakra. The difference lay in whether the Jinchūriki could control the tailed beast within them.
However, all nine Tailed Beasts were held by the five major ninja villages and were also targets of the Akatsuki in the future. Trying to seize these Tailed Beasts was akin to stealing from a tiger’s den—a risky endeavour that could easily backfire.
Zero-Tails, on the other hand, was different. It was an artificial-tailed beast. Although it was far inferior in strength and stability compared to the legitimate nine Tailed Beasts, it might still serve as a good “battery” to solve Hyuga Kyo’s current problem.
Thinking of this, Hyuga Kyo glanced casually at Shinnō resting nearby and pondered, “If I have to wait until Zero-Tails shows up, by then Naruto would be quite grown up. I can’t wait that long.”
The next morning, the three set off again. Upon entering the Land of Rice Fields, they were soon targeted by a group of rogue ninjas.
Rogue ninjas were usually former ninjas from the great villages or from disbanded smaller villages. These ninjas were typically not very powerful and often roamed small countries like the Land of Rice Fields, where there were no ninja villages to protect them, engaging in banditry and lawlessness.
Glancing at the few rogue ninjas tailing them from a distance, Itachi asked, “Captain, what should we do?”
Hyuga Kyo scanned their surroundings and said calmly, “Three are ambushed ahead, three are trailing behind. I’ll take care of the ones in front, you handle the ones behind. Make it quick!”
With Hyuga Kyo’s order, both he and Itachi turned into blurs as they swiftly dealt with their respective targets.
Hyuga Kyo, relying on his Tenseigan’s incredible insight, used his Gentle Fist to swiftly take down the three rogue ninjas in front of him without using his Rotational Ruyi.
When he turned to check, Itachi had already finished his fight.
Using precise kunai throws combined with flawless taijutsu, Itachi’s combat was equally swift and efficient, no less impressive than Hyuga Kyo’s.
The entire skirmish seemed like a trivial episode. The three continued on their journey without giving it much thought.
After another half day’s travel, Hyuga Kyo suddenly stopped.
Both Itachi and Shinnō looked puzzled, but seeing the serious expression on Hyuga Kyo’s face as he gazed into the distance, they instinctively prepared for battle without questioning him.
After a few seconds, Hyuga Kyo said in a grave tone, “We might have trouble!”
“Is it the Hidden Cloud?” Itachi asked.
Hyuga Kyo nodded.
The four rapidly approaching figures all had significant chakra reserves, especially the leader, whose chakra surpassed anyone Hyuga Kyo had ever seen, including the Third Hokage.
Moreover, the four made no effort to conceal their movements, charging straight towards them with an air of confidence.
Realizing the severity, Hyuga Kyo surmised that Shinnō must have stolen something extremely valuable from the Hidden Cloud. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have dispatched such an elite team.
After a few more seconds, the four figures landed on the surrounding trees, overlooking Hyuga Kyo and his team.
While the Hidden Cloud ninjas scrutinized them, Hyuga Kyo also assessed the newcomers.
There were four in total. The leader was a kunoichi about Hyuga Kyo’s age. Based on his past life memories, Hyuga Kyo recognized her as Yugito Nii, the Jinchūriki of the Two-Tails.
Besides the Two-Tails Jinchūriki, the other three seemed to be Special Jonin level, likely assigned as her escort team.
After a brief standoff, Yugito coldly said, “Hey, Konoha brats, leave now! Tell your village that you encountered Yugito Nii from the Hidden Cloud. They won’t blame you for abandoning the mission.”
Being called “brats” by someone his age did not sit well with Hyuga Kyo.
Yugito Nii was very confident in her abilities, clearly underestimating Hyuga Kyo and Itachi. In Hyuga Kyo’s hazy memories, she eventually faced defeat due to her overconfidence, attempting to single-handedly take on the Akatsuki’s immortal duo, resulting in her losing both her Tailed Beast and her life.
Shinnō’s expression was uncertain.
Having travelled widely, he knew that while Hyuga Kyo and Itachi were excellent ninjas, they were no match for Yugito Nii, the Hidden Cloud’s Two-Tails Jinchūriki.
Itachi, being perceptive, realized that Shinnō must be hiding something important, given the calibre of the Hidden Cloud’s pursuit.
Seeing that Hyuga Kyo and Itachi were unmoved, Yugito added, “This man, Shinnō, has stolen critical secrets from the Hidden Cloud. He’s a fraud. Is it worth dying for a liar?”
Shinnō immediately defended himself, “I never even entered your village. How could I steal your secrets? Treating a physician like this is disgraceful for the Hidden Cloud!”
Yugito sneered, “No need to argue. Whether you’re guilty will be clear after interrogation.”
Hyuga Kyo hesitated. He took on this mission to build his reputation. If he abandoned the client without a fight, it would damage his reputation and likely earn him punishment from the village.
However, facing a Jinchūriki wasn’t a trivial matter. Once engaged, the battle’s intensity would be hard to control.
Boom…
Just as Hyuga Kyo was weighing his options, a distant explosion caught everyone’s attention.
Both sides turned to look.
Focusing on his vision, Hyuga Kyo recognized the two figures fighting in the distance: Orochimaru and Jiraiya from the legendary Sannin.
At that moment, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a subtle flash of delight on Shinnō’s face.
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