White Fang strode toward the headless corpse, his sharp gaze sweeping over the body before glancing at the severed head.
"Captain!" Shenhe approached White Fang and quickly whispered a report into his ear.
White Fang listened silently, nodding slightly before instructing, "Take the body back to the base for a detailed autopsy." After giving his orders, he turned to Haruto Saito and gestured toward a small grove in the distance. "Over there. We need to talk."
Shenhe organized the transportation of the corpse while Haruto followed White Fang into the wooded path.
"You can identify Rain ninja spies within the village?" White Fang asked coldly, his eyes beneath the mask devoid of emotion.
"Yes, Lord White Fang!" Haruto responded immediately. "As long as I see their faces, I can recall fragments of memory related to them. Besides, Rain Village ninja are distinct. That place is ruthless—anyone who survives there has a certain... uniqueness."
"Hmm." White Fang acknowledged with a slight nasal sound, then tilted his head to glance at Haruto. "And what about spies from other villages? Can you identify them?"
Haruto froze for a moment—was White Fang overestimating him?
Of course, Haruto could easily recognize spies from other villages, thanks to his True Sight ability. But White Fang couldn't possibly know that. Setting that aside, identifying someone's origins just from their behavior and demeanor was incredibly difficult.
It wasn't impossible, but it required keen observation and analytical skills far beyond the average shinobi.
"That... is hard to say." Haruto hesitated before answering. "Spies and scouts share common traits, but the probability of mistaken identity is high. I can't guarantee accuracy."
"No matter. I was just asking out of curiosity." White Fang responded casually.
The two continued walking deeper into the woods.
"Lord White Fang, regarding Hyuga Renji, what did the Hokage say?" Haruto asked.
"No evidence, no case." White Fang stated plainly. "Hyuga Renji is dead, and there is no direct proof pointing to anyone. Whether his assassination was sanctioned by the Hyuga clan's upper echelons or a personal decision of his own, the matter ends here."
White Fang was clearly brushing him off.
Haruto could tell. While White Fang's reasoning made sense—there was indeed no concrete evidence—he also knew the Hyuga clan was strict with its rules. Someone like Hyuga Renji wouldn't have acted without explicit orders from above.
As many had predicted, compared to the influential Hyuga clan, Haruto was merely an outsider. Even if the Hyuga clan had truly ordered his assassination, unless the Anbu caught them red-handed, the Hokage wouldn't take significant action against them.
"However, the Hokage has already spoken with the Hyuga clan leader." White Fang suddenly added. "They will exercise more restraint."
"Restraint? What does that mean?"
"Figure it out yourself."
Restraint could mean two things—either they would stop targeting him, or they would act even more covertly. White Fang didn't clarify, but Haruto could tell he was giving him a warning.
"Lord White Fang, about the defection absorption plan—what exactly is—" Haruto shifted the topic.
"You're just the beginning," White Fang glanced at Haruto. "Absorbing defectors and recruiting traitorous shinobi from other villages requires Konoha to show genuine sincerity. We must make them believe Konoha is truly willing to accept them. And you… you will be an example. A successful example. Only if you thrive in Konoha and remain alive will the plan progress."
"So, am I important or not?" That was Haruto's real question.
"Both important and unimportant." White Fang responded immediately. "You are important because you are a crucial piece in this plan. You are unimportant because… you are replaceable."
"Got it..." Haruto shrugged.
"If you discover more Rain ninja spies in the village, I won't stop you from eliminating them directly. However, if you're unable to, you can call on the Anbu protecting you for support." White Fang said as he came to a stop, turning to face Haruto. "But let me warn you—do not get greedy. Some of the top scouts are far beyond your capabilities. Be careful."
"Understood, Lord White Fang!"
"Take care of yourself."
White Fang sighed before vanishing from Haruto's side.
"What is that guy really up to?" Haruto muttered, glancing back toward the lake before quickly heading away.
Once Haruto disappeared down the path—
Whoosh! Whoosh!
White Fang and Shenhe reappeared in the clearing, watching the direction Haruto had gone.
"Captain, letting this kid freely kill Rain ninja spies—is that really a good idea?" Shenhe asked respectfully. "If he kills the wrong person, it could cause a huge problem. And even though lower-ranked spies don't know much, they still hold some valuable intel..."
"An hour ago, multiple Hyuga clan Jonin left Konoha in secret, carrying the latest Black Market invitation letters," White Fang stated indifferently.
"Oh?" Shenhe raised an eyebrow, unsure why White Fang suddenly brought this up.
"This time, the Hyuga clan's trip to the Black Market isn't just for business." White Fang paused. "They may also be hiring Black Market assassins to eliminate Haruto."
"What?!" Shenhe was shocked.
As far as he knew, only three clans in Konoha had access to Black Market invitations—the Hyuga, the Uchiha, and the Sarutobi clan, which was led by the Hokage himself.
The Black Market was incredibly secretive, with its location changing each time. Without an invitation, finding it was nearly impossible.
Would the Hyuga clan really go to such lengths just to deal with Haruto?
"Do not underestimate the Hyuga clan's determination to kill Haruto!" White Fang read Shenhe's thoughts. "News of Hyuga Renji's death at Haruto's hands has already spread throughout the village. If Haruto remains alive, it will damage the Hyuga clan's prestige."
"But this..." Shenhe still struggled to understand.
"Go. Keep a close watch on Haruto," White Fang ordered, clearly unwilling to discuss the matter further.
"Understood!" Shenhe bowed and vanished with a hand seal.
White Fang remained alone on the forest path, hands clasped behind his back, gazing into the distant sky.
Unlike Shenhe, White Fang was even more confused by the Hokage's actions. As the Anbu captain and the Hokage's most trusted confidant, he still couldn't figure out what Sarutobi Hiruzen was planning.
It was the Hokage himself who ordered the spread of the news regarding Haruto killing Hyuga Renji.
It was the Hokage who deliberately embarrassed the Hyuga clan.
It was the Hokage who personally warned the Hyuga clan leader not to attack Haruto within the village.
It was as if he was forcing the Hyuga clan to seek outside forces to handle Haruto!
Just how deep was the Hokage's scheming…?
The man known as the "Greatest Third Hokage in history" was someone even White Fang could not fully understand.
"Good luck surviving," White Fang muttered before vanishing.
Granting Haruto the freedom to kill foreign spies and even questioning whether he could identify those from other villages—White Fang's real intention was never about exterminating spies. It was to give Haruto a fighting chance against the Black Market assassins that would inevitably come for him.
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