"Rotation!"
In the dense forest within the Land of Grass, a woman's body gracefully spun, unleashing powerful chakra radiating outward, forming a huge chakra sphere that whipped up a hurricane-like dance.
In an instant, flames, lightning, and water projectiles from every direction disappeared or were forcefully redirected. The Konoha ninjas armed with a variety of weapons had grievous wounds and collapsed to the ground like discarded rags.
"Damn..."
Although not intimidated by the overwhelmingly terrifying aura, they were filled with anger as they witnessed the heavy casualties suffered by their comrades.
Those who could still move, despite being knocked down, displayed remarkable resilience. They promptly got to their feet, rushed towards the enemy, and launched determined counterattacks.
Facing the menacing Konoha ninjas, the black-haired woman, who had stopped spinning stared at them with pure white pupils and a faint smile gracing her lips.
There was no regal or fearsome aura about her, yet her commanding presence alone allowed her to effortlessly play with these Konoha ninja as if they were mere pawns.
"Earth Release: Landslide!"
The voice echoed from behind the girl, and the earth began to fracture. The Konoha ninja attacking her found themselves abruptly stopped, bewildered by the sudden rupture of the ground.
An Iwa ninja emerged from the shadows, taking the Konoha ninja by surprise.
The battle raged on for several minutes before coming to an end, with numerous corpses strewn across the ground, belonging to both Konoha and Iwa ninja.
Even with the ambush by Iwa ninja, the powerful combat skills and various secret jutsus of the Konoha ninja presented a considerable challenge.
The white-eyed woman, however, remained silent regarding the outcome of the battle.
Her association with the Iwagakure was strictly a monetary transaction, and the sacrifices made by the Iwa ninja were of no concern to her.
Nevertheless, the Iwa ninja had successfully annihilated multiple Konoha squads with minimal losses, a testament to their skills.
With the support of the Land of Earth, one of the Five Great Nations, the Iwagakure's financial reserves were huge. They excelled in using money to hire powerful ninjas for participation in wars.
"Now, this mission is complete. If you intend to continue hiring my services, ensure you have the funds prepared in advance," the woman smiled as she addressed one of the Iwa ninja.
With that, she used the Body Flicker and vanished at a speed even the Iwa ninja couldn't follow.
"Hyuga Ayane... Konoha's methods have truly sunk low. To use a 'Konoha ninja' against Konoha ninja, Tsuchikage-sama indeed has a unique perspective," one of the Iwa jōnin remarked as he watched Ayane depart.
He made no effort to detain her, fully aware that their relationship was purely transactional, based on financial agreements.
One party provided payment, while the other carried out the killings—a straightforward and equal exchange.
However, Ayane's involvement placed the Konoha ninjas in the Land of Grass in a dire predicament. This was not solely due to her personal prowess but also because of the coveted Byakugan, which granted her an enhanced sensory ability more powerful than that of sensory ninja. It had become a crucial strategic asset.
In the past, this formidable strategic asset was exclusively enjoyed by Konoha. However, Ayane's presence meant that the Byakugan was no longer the sole province of Konoha.
With sufficient funds, anyone could enlist the 'Byakugan' to fight for them.
Yet, this was something only Iwagakure could achieve. Other ninja villages, concerned about their reputation, were hesitant to take such a step, opting instead to contract bounty hunters from the underground black market.
...
"This marks the fourth time already!"
Inside a tent at the Konoha camp in the Land of Grass, a temporary meeting was underway.
As the commanding officer, Jiraiya had called together over a dozen jōnin for a discussion to address the dire situation they now faced.
"At this rate, we may have no choice but to withdraw our forces,"
Jiraiya solemnly stated. He had never anticipated that the hard-earned stability in the Land of Grass would be disrupted by a young girl with the Byakugan.
In just a matter of days, the patrol units sent out were subjected to four separate attacks.
This resulted in the loss of one Jonin, over thirty Chunins, and a few Genins.
Ever since the onset of the Third Ninja World War, Konoha has stationed approximately 2,400 ninja within the Land of Grass.
However, following several months of reconnaissance and combat, they have suffered a loss of more than 300 ninja.
Iwagakure's side has faced a similar situation, with slightly heavier casualties compared to Konoha.
With the arrival of Ayane, though, the tide began to turn.
The supply point was targeted, and communication with the patrol units broke down repeatedly. In just a few days, dozens of ninja were lost, including several extremely important Jōnins.
Their only recourse now is to increase the defenses, grouping closely together. While the support is adequate, preventing Iwa's movement from the outside remains a challenge.
If they continue down this path without retreating, they risk being surrounded by Iwa's forces, like being wrapped up like dumplings.
The Jonins, including Jiraiya, understood the consequences of being surrounded in the same way the Third Raikage once was. The entire unit would be wiped out.
In terms of siege warfare, Iwagakure excels, making them the most powerful force in this regard among the Five Great Powers.
All the ninja villages have experienced the difficulties and horrors of Iwa's sieges in the past.
According to Jiraiya's plan, a gap must be opened as soon as possible, enabling the patrol units to resume their regular operations.
Currently, this level of movement can only be provided by a highly specialized team. However, these teams are rare, and due to their small numbers, they struggle to cover all areas effectively, leaving gaps in their intelligence gathering.
"Minato alone can't handle everything. If we restrict patrol duties to his team, it won't be enough to oversee the rest," a Jōnin remarked
Currently, Minato was absent from the meeting due to his frequent field missions.
Minato's Flying Thunder God Jutsu offered unrivaled mobility. In many instances, his peers of the same level regarded him as Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo.
In terms of sheer combat prowess, Minato was still somewhat inexperienced, not as lethal as the White Fang, but he showed great promise.
It won't be long before he can replace White Fang.
"If only Sakumo was still with us..."
Another Jōnin expressed a sense of nostalgia and longing, provoking solemn reflection among the group.
The others couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if Sakumo were still alive. Having two formidable opponents would be even more nightmarish for their enemies, as exemplified by the success of Konoha's mobile ear methods during the Second Ninja World War.
This approach involved containing the enemy's forces on one side, deterring them from reckless action, and ending battles at minimal cost.
It was an effective strategy for both stifling the enemy's main force and compelling them to shift to a defensive stance, which could give Konoha unexpected advantages.
Nevertheless, finding these rare ninja who can execute such operations is exceptionally challenging. In the history of the ninja world, only a few have been capable of this type of work.
"Speaking of which, we're going up against a member of Sakumo's team now, right? As a Hyuga branch ninja, it really is suspicious that she isn't restricted by the 'caged bird,'"
A Jōnin brought up the recent Konoha defection incident in February, which the frontline fighters have heard only snippets about without knowing all the details.
Despite being part of the Hyuga clan, this defector remained unaffected by the clan's 'caged bird' curse, an indication that the curse had been undone.
"The number of Hyuga ninja at the front line is significantly smaller than before. This is the clearest evidence. The Hyuga clan is still hesitating about deploying members from the branch family to the battlefield."
Matters among the great clans are invariably complicated, and as outsiders, they must adopt a wait-and-see stance since these issues are beyond their influence.
"In hindsight, since she possesses the Byakugan, our circumstances is certainly more challenging. Jiraiya-sama, I suggest we pull back to a safer distance. In doing so, we'll avoid getting surrounded by Iwagakure, which could be troublesome,"
Finally, a Jonin proposed.
Some were in agreement with this proposal, while others weren't. However, a retreat would mean relinquishing control they fought hard to secure, only to see it undone by Iwagakure.
Having finally forced Iwagakure to engage in combat in the Land of Grass, they were reluctant to revert to a precarious situation.
Retreating would mean exposing the Land Of Fire's territory once more to the forces of Yanyin. After they had forced the Iwagakure to fight here, Konoha was hesitant to let go of the advantageous position they had put in effort to. gain.
"The current situation is far too delicate. We have to come up with an effective strategy against her Byakugan and form a specialized combat force to eliminate her as soon as possible."
"Putting simply, she has the Byakugan. She seems to be aware of all our ambushes, and if the situation turns unfavorable, she would surely escape."
"Not necessarily. The Byakugans's observation range only extends between five and six kilometers in radius as it matures. Although her eyesight is superior to that of typical ninja, her sensory range falls short of a sensor ninjas."
"She was part of White Fang's team and was already a genius ninja at the age of sixteen. We don't have sufficient elite ninja to deal with her."
"That's correct. Gari of the explosion release and the son of the third Tsuchikage, Kitsuchi, are powerful foes as well. Especially Gari, the former captain of Iwa''s demolition unit, with an exceedingly high casualty rate from his explosive jutsu. Even a graze from him can result in severe injury due to the violent explosion."
The Jōnin had extensive discussions, but they couldn't formulate a definitive plan by the end.
After all, the Byakugan was mainly used by their side, but now they were on their enemy's, causing their strategies and missions to change.
Apart from Iwagakure, they couldn't afford to ignore other potential threats.
In any case, Iwagakure had also recruited other rogues to the battlefield.
With the Jonins indecision, Jiraiya thought about this issue. Ultimately, he chose for a more relatively safe approach,
"I've decided; we will retreat."
"Jiraiya-sama?"
"Currently, we have no means of getting accurate information on Yanyin's movements from the outside world. To avoid falling into an encirclement by Yanyin, we will retreat to this location for respite."
Jiraiya pointed to a location on the map,
"On the boundary line?"
"Yes. While we rest here and formulate a new strategy, I must also relay this information to the village and develop a strategy to counter the Byakugan quickly, including creating a special elite team to deal with the Byakugan."
The Jonin all nod in agreement, agreeing to Jiraiya's approach.
Undoubtedly, given Iwa's character, if they can use the Byakugan's abilities, they wouldn't merely employ her once and then give up
Allowing the village to select some skilled ninja with the specific aim of countering the Byakugan. This would be advantageous in the battles within the Land of Grass.
However, this idea was somewhat unrealistic, because it was difficult to target individuals with the Byakugan. Unless a considerable number of ninja are deployed to surround them, it remains difficult to eliminate Byakugan users.
In past ninja world wars, the Hyuga clan's ninjas experienced significantly lower casualty rates compared to other clans.
....
"Ayane-sama, you've had your enough fun. It would be wise to return to the Land of Demons as soon as possible. It's dangerous here."
In a secluded forest, Ayane encountered a fellow employed rogue nin by Iwagakure, known as Bug Man.
Much like Ayane, he was currently employed by Iwagakure in various missions.
Due to Iwagakure's desire to engage both Konoha and Kumo at the same time, the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, who had a back injury and lingering complications, was compelled to increase the budget to secure powerful bounty hunters from the underground black market to confront both Kumo and Konoha.
Bug Man Team's mission scope was primarily within the Land of Grass, battling Konoha.
Occasionally, as the third Tsuchikage's thoughts and mood dictate, they may be dispatched to the northern border of the Land of Earth to confront Kumo.
In essence, so long as the funds are available, Bug Man had no qualms about who they engage in combat with.
However, Ayane's situation differs.
As an unnamed defector on Konoha's records, her name wasn't even mentioned in the previous defection case. Yet, she now found herself pitted against Konoha, which had caused a series of bad consequences.
This act, in a way, had humiliated both Konoha and the Hyuga clan.
It was likely that high-ranking members of Konoha and even Hyuga are even more eager to eliminate Ayane promptly.
"Don't worry. I have a plan."
Bug Man inwardly sighed.
At this moment, a shadow, as dark as night, emerged from the grass, moved across the ground like lightning, and disappeared into Ayane's shadow.
Ayane was slightly surprised but quickly understood what happened. She offered the Bug Man a smile and said, "You see, everything's fine. With Shadow Dancer's Sage Mode, you don't need to worry about my safety."
Bug Man sighed once more.
Shouldn't they just send someone to forcibly retrieve this master? Why were they sending more people to assist her?
"While Shadow Dancer-sama is with you, you should keep a watchful eye Ayane-sama. After all, your Byakugan is quite troublesome."
Recognizing that he couldn't dissuade Ayane from returning, Bug Man was left with no alternative but to utter these words.
Iwagakure was different, as they are currently in a cooperative partnership. Unless it was a last resort, Iwagakure won't unilaterally cut their ties, as it would constitute a breach of the underground black market agreement.
Once Iwagakure loses their credibility, they will no longer be able to engage bounty hunters from the underground black market in their affairs.
Numerous bounty hunters joined Iwagakure's side this time, participating in the war due to the reputation accumulated by the Third Tsuchikage over the years.
Losing this reputation would render all the effort from past years futile.
However, other villages may not act as honorably.
Particularly Kumogakutr.
While Ayane supported Iwagakure's faction, Kumogakure, who now harboured a deep-seated enmity with Iwagakure, might secretly use devious tactics.
It wasn't only Kumogakue who conveted the Byakugan; Sunagakure and Kirigakure may also engage in secret operations.
To them, the Byakugan, a strategic-level Kekkei Genkai, surpasses the significance of most other bloodline limits.
...
"Hyuga... Hyuga..."
The defection incident, although it was finally brought under control, has almost become the hot topic again now.
For Sarutobi Hiruzen, this year has presented more headaches than all the previous years combined.
Regarding Hyuga Ayane's affairs, Hiruzen's knowledge was restricted to surface level information.
However, with the defection incident, it was necessary to reassess the information on the surface.
Naturally, certain aspects remained genuine even after defection, such as her exceptional ninja talent.
One could not assess a prodigious girl who achieved Jonin status at sixteen through the lens of an average ninja. Furthermore, she possessed an incredibly powerful Kekkei genkai.
In Konoha, individuals who attain Jonin rank in their teens invariably represent the pillars of thr village in the future. For example, Hiruzen's three students—Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya—known as the Sannin, all achieved Jonin status before the age of twenty.
Regrettably, Hiruzen's knowledge about Ayane extended little beyond that. The bulk of information remained dubious.
For instance, her loyalty to the Will of Fire was now marked with a bug question mark, along with her ability to skillfully disguise, dame like Chiba Shiraishi.
The Third Hokage wasn't worried that Ayane's presence would lead to turmoil within Konoha. His intent was not to shield Ayane's status as a traitor; rather, it was the Hyuga clan seeking to downplay her rebellious identity.
In essence, if Ayane's status as a defector were revealed, the problem would be primarily be attributed to the Hyuga clan.
The Hyuga Clan was already in dire straits due to their present circumstances. A recent investigation by Anbu revealed that relations between the Hyuga clan man and its branch family had grown increasingly strained. This was an expected development for Hiruzen.
Soon after, Koharu, Homura, and Danzo entered the office. They had been informed of the situation and had come to discuss strategies for addressing the issue.
Naturally, their goal wasn't to handle the aftermath of the defection incident. Instead, they were focused on devising a strategic plan for the frontlines.
Hirazan had already communicated with the Hyuga about Ayane's situation, and her clan would downplay the matter to prevent chaos within the village, which was their primary objective.
"In the past, there was no precedent of a Hyuga clan member defecting to other ninja villages, and the village's strategies regarding the Byakugan haven't been explored in depth. It appears that the situation in the Land of Grass poses additional troubles."
After hearing Homura's statement, Koharu nodded in agreement.
While Jiraiya also wanted the village to formulate a strategy against Byakugan quickly, the Byakugan was no ordinary Kekkei Genkai. Even with the sealing jutsus, it was impossible to fully counteract the Byakugan.
The Byakugan possessed an advanced dojutsu which could clearly perceive the human body's pathways. With it, a Byakugan ninja could foresee any chakra flow, provided the pathways existed.
This was the primary reason many villages coveted the Byakugan.
"Most of the Uchiha are currently stationed in the Land of Rain, where they are coordinating with Orochimaru to engage Sunagakure. A smaller part is in the Land of Hot Water, guarding against the Kumogakure. Even if we use the Byakugan against the Byakugan, it remains uncertain when the internal conflict within the Hyuga clan will be resolved."
"If you had supported me earlier and allowed the Wood Release plan to succeed, we wouldn't be facing such dire circumstances now. Even if our enemy is supercilious, there would be nothing to be afraid of now."
Danzo voiced his thoughts, his eyes reflecting cold determination and his attachment to the Wood Release experiment.
"But the experiment itself was extremely unstable and resulted in the sacrifice of numerous skilled ninja. We can't afford to make the same mistake."
Upon hearing Hiruzen's response, Danzo snorted.
"Hiruzen, is there anyone in Anbu who can suppress her abilities?"
Switching to another topic, Koharu inquired.
The Anbu had assembled a significant number of accomplished ninjas from the village, skilled in their kekkei genkai and secret jutsus.
Hiruzen replied, "While there are some candidates for suppressing the Byakugan, it is impossible to completely negate her abilities. Furthermore, Ayane is not a typical Hyuga ninja. Similar to Uchiha Ruri, she possesses extraordinary abilities and became a genius at the age of sixteen. She is truly powerful."
Danzo and the others couldn't help but think about Uchiha Ruri upon hearing this.
Even among members of the same clan, differences in abilities could be vast.
Ruri had clearly demonstrated her strength during the defection incident, and it was clear to everyone present. She held her own in a head-to-head confrontation with Hiruzen. Though long-term battles might yield different results, she couldn't be defeated swiftly.
If Ayane were to be assessed similarly, she would be on par with such impressive skill. Thus, it was no surprise that the Land of Grass required additional support.
The challenge extended beyond the Byakugan, as it was Ayane who used the Byakugan. She couldn't be treated as an ordinary Hyuga ninja, or the consequences could be severe.
"I recall there is a ninja named Might Dai who may be suited for this task."
Danzo suddenly remembered a particular individual and mentioned his name, the ninja had left a strong impression on him.
On the night of the defection incident, the ninja named 'Might Dai' also performed very well, which excited him.
Unfortunately, the following interactions revealed that despite his exceptional talent, he wasn't the right fit for Danzo's Root.
The prospect of absorbing such an impassioned and unconventional ninja would introduce chaos to Root, like wearing those strange green tights.
Thinking of this, Danzo's eyelids twitched.
"Might Dai is currently undergoing a special training."
Hiruzen informed them.
"Special training?"
"For intensive physical training, a team from Anbu has been assigned to assist him."
Hiruzen clarified.
Initially, they intended to develop Might Dai in various aspects, but he possessed dismal talent in ninjutsu and genjutsu, rendering him ill-suited for well-rounded training.
"His Taijutsu is quite impressive, allowing him to counter the Hyuga's Gentle Fist. He should join this Old Man's Root on the Land Of Grass's battlefield. There is no need to debate it; since the Byakugan is involved, she must be apprehended without delay."
Danzo locked eyes with Hiruzen, his determination evident. Acknowledging Danzo's resolve, Hirazan fell silent for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
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