Evening.
Anko and Ota came to visit Hyuga Kyo in his room.
As former subordinates of Orochimaru, Hyuga Kyo, Anko, and Ota shared a common plight. Being of similar age and in the same team, they got along reasonably well.
After some small talk, Ota suddenly laughed and said, “Kyo, your illness came at a really bad time.”
Hyuga Kyo was puzzled, “Why?”
Ota explained, “The captain just assigned Anko and me a special mission. If we complete it successfully, we might be transferred back to the village and won’t have to endure this desert any longer!”
“Special mission?” Hyuga Kyo was taken aback, then quickly said, “I wish you the best of luck with your mission.”
For some reason, Hyuga Kyo suddenly felt an uneasy premonition. But it was a rule among ninjas not to probe into each other’s missions, so despite his suspicions, he didn’t say anything more.
Ota patted Hyuga Kyo’s shoulder and laughed heartily, “Don’t worry, the village won’t forget the excellent ninjas who have experienced war. You’ll be transferred back soon enough. For now, just focus on getting better.”
Hyuga Kyo urged, “Be careful out there!”
After chatting for a bit longer, Ota and Anko left Hyuga Kyo’s room.
Three days passed in a flash.
During his adaptation period, Hyuga Kyo continued to suffer from bouts of dizziness and pain, but these struggles didn’t feel bitter. Each wave of pain brought a corresponding increase in his strength.
Although he hadn’t conducted precise tests, Hyuga Kyo estimated that his chakra levels were now more than ten times what they had been before the gene injection.
There needed to be a clear standard for ninja ranks. The assessment of Genin, Chunin, Jonin, and even Kage levels varied with different environments and times.
For example, before the gene injection, Hyuga Kyo was essentially a senior Genin. Apart from basic ninjutsu like the Three Basic Techniques, Gentle Fist, and a bit of summoning and sealing jutsu, he knew almost no other ninjutsu.
Despite this, the village had promoted him to Chunin, and he had led several reconnaissance missions.
Regardless, a commonly accepted standard for ninja ranks did exist.
For example:
- A ninja capable of performing E-rank jutsu or using their Kekkei Genkai was considered to have reached the Genin standard.
- A ninja who could perform multiple C-rank jutsu was considered Chunin.
- A ninja who could perform multiple B-rank jutsu and excelled in ninjutsu, genjutsu, or taijutsu or possessed a strong bloodline was considered Jonin.
- Kage-level simply meant the top ninja in the village, often chosen from among the strongest. Thus, the concept of Kage-level varied with different eras.
Because of this, chakra levels became an essential criterion for assessing a ninja’s strength.
If Hyuga Kyo’s strength had been at the Genin level before, his chakra levels now far exceeded those of an average Chunin and were rapidly approaching Jonin levels.
Three days of adaptation also allowed Hyuga Kyo to use his eyes cautiously.
Through careful observation, he found that his eyes now resembled transparent sky-blue gemstones, shimmering with an entrancing brilliance that could draw anyone in.
At the same time, he discovered that the Caged Bird seal on his forehead still existed but seemed to have lost its effect.
This was to be expected. The Caged Bird seal targeted the Byakugan and the neural connections associated with it. Now that Hyuga Kyo’s eyes had evolved into the Tenseigan, the seal, while intact, had become ineffective.
As Hyuga Kyo pondered how much longer the adaptation period for his Tenseigan would last, he suddenly sensed a familiar chakra rapidly approaching the outpost.
Without hesitation, Hyuga Kyo steadied himself against the wall and left his room.
Soon, a small figure burst into the outpost.
The figure was none other than Anko, who had gone on the special mission with Ota a few days earlier!
Anko’s condition was terrible. She was pale, covered in wounds, and her chakra was erratic, indicating she had been through intense battles.
Relying on his war-honed instincts, Hyuga Kyo identified Anko and immediately reached for a kunai in his pouch, his Tenseigan glowing brilliantly under his goggles as he scanned for any pursuers.
After a quick sweep, Hyuga Kyo saw there were no enemies chasing Anko and relaxed slightly.
Other ninjas in the outpost quickly gathered around. Some began treating Anko’s wounds, while others questioned her about the attack.
As Hyuga Kyo remained vigilant, he noticed with his unparalleled Tenseigan insight that their squad leader, Mitsui Nakaji, had an inexplicable expression on his face when he saw Anko. It was a mix of surprise and anxiety.
In an instant, a lousy suspicion arose in Hyuga Kyo’s mind.
He had considered this possibility before but had never been sure, or perhaps he had never wanted to be specific.
Instinctively, Hyuga Kyo distanced himself from Mitsui Nakaji.
However, Mitsui Nakaji’s attention was entirely on Anko, not noticing Hyuga Kyo’s movement. He asked Anko sternly, “Did you complete the mission?”
Anko stared coldly at Mitsui Nakaji, “We were ambushed as soon as we reached the designated location. It was a trap. Ota was killed on the spot. I barely escaped after hiding in the desert for two days!”
Mitsui Nakaji’s face stiffened slightly, “Perhaps our informant in the Sand Village was compromised, leading to the ambush. I’ll report this to the village.”
Mitsui Nakaji quickly left while Hyuga Kyo silently helped Anko to her room.
Back in her room, Anko suddenly asked Hyuga Kyo, “Have we been abandoned by the village?”
Anko was clearly not foolish. Being chosen as Orochimaru’s disciple proved her intelligence. The so-called special mission was filled with anomalies, and her sharp instincts had picked up on it.
As Hyuga Kyo tended to her wounds, he said, “Don’t overthink it. Missions often go wrong. You just haven’t experienced enough yet.”
Seemingly convinced by Hyuga Kyo, Anko said nothing more, her expression returning to its usual numbness.
After finishing with Anko’s injuries and confirming no enemies were approaching the outpost, Hyuga Kyo returned to his room.
Lying on his bed, Hyuga Kyo’s face darkened with uncontrollable anger, and he muttered through gritted teeth, “How could they do this? How dare they!?”
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