Days passed in Amegakure.
Hyuga Yuto was doing well. It was now the beginning of the 48th year of Konoha. Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato were still undoubtedly good people, and the Akatsuki organization held the vision of world peace. Staying here, apart from the trouble of clothes being difficult to air-dry naturally after washing, was surprisingly comfortable.
Having been in Amegakure for nearly a month, Hyuga Yuto had become accustomed to the continuous drizzle and even felt that rainy days were alright, at least they were cool.
On this day, he finished his arduous training and returned to his room.
The small room was filled with a faint floral fragrance. The seeds Asano Kaoru gave him were excellent. He didn't know how they were made, but the fragrance was long-lasting. Lying on the bed, he felt a refreshing sensation as if he were in the wilderness.
Hyuga Yuto's appearance had changed somewhat compared to when he first arrived. His hands and arms were wrapped in layers of bandages. If the bandages were removed, one could see dense, unhealed wounds on his skin.
—Lion's Fang Bite was almost complete.
Based on Hyuga Yuto's understanding of chakra and Gentle Fist, with Minato Namikaze's guidance in the beginning and Uzumaki Nagato's research later, the jutsu now incorporated the concepts of various ninjutsu. While its power increased tremendously, it also caused damage to the user's body.
Now, Tsunade had to complete the final improvement, reducing or even eliminating the backlash on the user, for the jutsu to be considered truly complete.
Undoubtedly, this jutsu was a genuine S-rank in terms of both "power" and "difficulty of training"!
This trip to the Land of Rain had yielded more than expected. Hyuga Yuto initially wanted to collect bounties to continue building his base, but he unexpectedly found the opportunity to complete Lion's Fang Bite.
Just as he lay down on the bed, a strange feeling suddenly washed over him.
Hyuga Yuto narrowed his eyes, sat up straight, frowned at his bandaged hands, and smiled wryly. He could only bite the tip of his tongue and extravagantly use his blood to perform the Summoning Jutsu.
Bang! A large cloud of smoke dispersed, and Katsuyu appeared.
"Yuto-kun... Oh my! What happened to your hands?"
"It's nothing, just the aftereffects of training. They'll be fine with careful treatment." Hyuga Yuto said respectfully, "Katsuyu-sama, is there any news from Jiraiya-sama?"
"Yes, he asked Tsunade-chan to relay a message... '[Hahahaha! Those three kids have made a name for themselves! You can safely entrust their letter to me!]' That's what Jiraiya said."
"Oh, wait." Katsuyu's gentle voice was laced with a hint of schadenfreude. "He also mentioned that you've been away for a month and a half, and Tsunade-chan almost forgot she had a male disciple."
"... Uh." Hyuga Yuto scratched his head apologetically. "I'm really sorry, sensei... I was immersed in developing the jutsu and lost track of time. I'll be back soon, with the letter for Jiraiya-sama." As he spoke, he took out a small box from under the bed. "These are some trinkets I collected in Amegakure. I hope sensei will like them. They're all valuable items to carry around... because they can be exchanged for a lot of money when necessary." He emphasized the last few words.
"Yuto, you're truly a filial and good child." Katsuyu sincerely praised him, swallowed the valuable little box, and disappeared with a pop.
In the room, Hyuga Yuto rubbed his shoulders, got up, took off his high-collared windbreaker, changed into Konoha-style ninja attire, and walked out the door.
He was quite familiar with this base. Soon, he arrived outside Yahiko and the others' room.
After knocking and receiving a response, Hyuga Yuto pushed the door open and entered.
The moment he stepped in, the Branch Family teenager's heart skipped a beat.
As an agent working for Konoha, Hyuga Yuto demanded that he remain alert at all times. The moment he entered, he sensed that the atmosphere in the room was not right.
Yahiko and Konan's faces were as gloomy as if they were dripping water. Nagato was also no longer as calm as usual. He now resembled a tsunami about to erupt.
"It's Yuto-kun." Yahiko forced a smile. "Is there anything?"
"Jiraiya-sama has replied to me. He does have a deep connection with you. I can take the letter."
"That's one of the few good things today." Yahiko sighed. "Nagato, please give the letter to Yuto-kun later."
Hyuga Yuto blinked. "By the way, there's one more thing. I've been here for almost a month. Since Jiraiya-sama has agreed to let me carry the letter, I should also bid farewell to you..."
"No need to rush." Uzumaki Nagato suddenly spoke. He had gotten along well with Hyuga Yuto during this time, and his words were more intimate. "Yuto, your jutsu is still missing something. I was wondering if we could improve it a bit more. Give me one or two days, and then you can leave after it's done."
Hyuga Yuto thought for a moment and agreed. He knew that these three must have something to discuss, so he tactfully yawned and left the room.
The atmosphere in the room became tense again.
After a long silence, Yahiko spoke softly, "Konan, call Takeda Seigen over."
A paper crane flew out. Not long after, the door was pushed open again.
"Leader." Takeda Seigen stood respectfully.
Yahiko's expression was somewhat dazed. This subordinate had always been the most capable, always at the forefront in battle, sincere, and responsible... How many troubles had he solved for him since the establishment of the Akatsuki organization? During thunderstorms, Seigen's head would ache unbearably. It was a hidden injury from when he took a blow for him...
The handsome and heroic young man felt a pang of reluctance in his heart. He closed his eyes, not knowing what to say.
Konan was more decisive. Seeing Yahiko hesitate, she gritted her teeth and said directly, "Seigen, the spy who leaked your route a month ago has been identified... It's Asano Kaoru. She's from Konoha."
Takeda Seigen's breath hitched, as if struck by lightning.
Konan sighed. "This past month, I've been secretly investigating many places, working with Yahiko in secret operations. After multiple rounds of testing, we've confirmed that it's Asano Kaoru. Seigen, I know you..." Konan paused, but decided to reveal everything she knew. "Asano Kaoru is your most trusted person now, and you have a close relationship... Your subordinates are practically her subordinates."
"And more importantly, I intercepted a message by chance. Seigen, an assassination targeting you is about to begin. If you die in the assassination, Asano Kaoru will replace you. This is too dangerous."
"We must strike first, Seigen..."
"Impossible." Takeda Seigen, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke, only uttering a few words before falling silent again.
What was impossible? Was it impossible for Asano Kaoru to be a spy? Or was it impossible for Asano Kaoru to actually kill him?
Thinking this, Konan looked at Yahiko.
Ultimately, it was up to Yahiko to decide what to do.
"...Handle it yourself. As long as it doesn't harm the organization, I'll tacitly approve of your actions." Yahiko spoke softly, making the greatest concession after careful consideration. "Either expel Asano Kaoru from the Land of Rain, or we'll kill her. There's no third option."
"I'm sorry, Seigen. Say goodbye to Asano Kaoru properly..."
"But remember, don't be soft-hearted. After all, she's the woman who wants to kill you."