Hyuga X-Ray Vision

"Phew--Phew--Finally shook them off!"

Izuna leaned against a white wall, supporting himself on his knees and panting heavily, a still-shaken smile on his face.

He straightened up, dusted off his clothes, and only then did he have the leisure to look around at his surroundings.

Izuna looked at the courtyard wall in front of him, which clearly belonged to the internal area of a certain family and had a special Clan Crest pattern.

Huo.

It seems he climbed right into someone else's yard.

It is still the territory of the Hyuga Clan.

Just as he was stroking his chin, pondering whether it would be more polite to climb back out the way he came or to say hello to Kasuga before leaving.

What are you doing here?

Izuna turned around and saw Hyuuga Haruhi standing under the eaves not far away. Her usually expressionless face was now slightly furrowed, and her pale blue eyes were staring intently at him with a complicated expression.

"Kasuga!" Izuna's eyes lit up, and he immediately broke into a "rescued" smile, skipping over in a few steps. "Great! I thought I had broken into someone else's house, but I didn't expect to be stuck in your yard."

But Kasuga's expression was still not good. He stepped forward, subtly blocking his view, while quickly glancing at the courtyard gate on the side.

"Izuna," Kasuga lowered her voice, speaking much faster than usual, "You can't stay here. Leave immediately."

"Huh?" Izuna blinked, looking innocent and confused. "Why? It was wrong of me to climb over the wall, but you were too hasty in kicking me out. I apologize, okay?"

"It's not about apologizing!" Kasuga's tone was clearly anxious. He glanced around warily again. "Listen to me, get out of here. Go that way, climb over the wall, don't go through the main gate, and don't let anyone see you."

Izuna was even more confused. He had known Kasuga for so long, and although the guy always had a stern face, he almost never spoke to him in such an anxious tone.

"What happened? Kasuga, what... happened to your family?"

Izuna dropped his joking expression and asked with concern.

He vaguely sensed that Kasuga's unease did not seem to stem from his unauthorized trespassing on clan territory.

Hyuuga Haruhi pursed her lips, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just shook her head, reached out to push Izuna's shoulder, trying to shove him towards the wall. "Don't ask, let's go. We'll talk about it later."

However, just as he was pushing Izuna, trying to drive him away...

"Kasuga, who are you talking to?"

A gentle yet authoritative male voice came from the direction of the courtyard gate.

Kasuga's arm froze in mid-air, and her face instantly turned pale.

Izuna also looked in the direction of the sound.

Two people were standing at the moon gate, seemingly out of nowhere.

The leader was a middle-aged man dressed in a plain-colored robe. He was dignified, with a refined face and calm eyes. He naturally exuded a sense of pressure from someone who had long held a high position.

His forehead was smooth, without the marks of Caged Bird Seal.

Half a step behind him followed a slightly younger man whose features resembled Kasuga's, but whose demeanor was colder and more hard. When his gaze swept over Izuna, it carried a scrutinizing and distant air. His forehead was wrapped in bandages, but it was clear at a glance that he was a member of the Branch Family.

Izuna recognized the man behind him; he was Hyuuga Haruhi's father, Hyuga Takayuki, a highly respected steward in the Branch Family.

As for the person in front... although I haven't seen him before, judging from his demeanor, he's probably a core figure in the Main Family, perhaps even the brother or close relative of the current head of the family Hyuga Tennin.

"Lord Sōsuke, Father." Kasuga immediately withdrew his hand, bowed respectfully and perfectly, without a single flaw, but Izuna could feel that all the muscles in his body were tense.

The man from the main branch of the Sōsuke Main Family, known as Sousuke, nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Izuna, scrutinizing his conspicuous Uchiha Clan Attire and the seemingly innocent and naive look on his face.

"This is... Uchiha Izuna?" Sōsuke's tone was gentle, with just the right amount of surprise and appreciation. "What a rare guest. Kasuga, since Izuna has arrived, why not invite him into the hall for tea, instead of... whispering here?"

He spoke the last two words very softly, yet they caused a cold sweat to seep from Kasuga's forehead.

"Sōsuke, Izuna..." Kasuga tried to explain.

"Oh, it was my fault!" Izuna said first, a bright smile with a hint of embarrassment on his face. He Earth Flow naturally, as if he hadn't noticed any tension.

"I was sparring with my friends at the Training Ground, and we got a little carried away. I was running too fast, and before I knew it, I'd climbed over the wall and fallen into your yard." He scratched his head, his smile sincere and full of youthful energy. "I was just wondering if I'd been too rude, and I was trying to find my way out when I ran into Kasuga. Kasuga was just about to take me out, right, Kasuga?"

He winked at Kasuga, his eyes clear, his tone so natural as if it were the truth.

Kasuga paused for a moment, then immediately realized what Izuna meant and nodded in agreement. "Yes... yes, Sōsuke. Izuna didn't mean to intrude; I was just about to send him out."

Sōsuke's gaze lingered for a moment on Izuna's composed smile and Kasuga's slightly stiff face. The gentle smile on his face seemed to deepen a little, but the scrutiny deep in his eyes did not diminish.

"I see. It's just youthful banter, nothing serious." He nodded, his tone tolerant. "However, since Izuna has come, he is a guest. How can we let a guest climb over the wall and leave? Kasuga, go with your father to prepare tea and refreshments. Please invite Izuna to sit in the side hall for a while."

He looked at Izuna and smiled, "Izuna's performance in Kyoto was truly earth-shattering and breathtaking. Some of my clan's juniors also participated and benefited greatly. It's a fortunate coincidence that we've met today. Would you do me the honor of being my host and allowing me to have a brief chat?"

These words were so polite, considerate, and reasonable that it was almost impossible to refuse.

But Hyuuga Haruhi and his father Takayuki's expressions changed almost imperceptibly. Sōsuke personally invited Izuna for a "talk"? At such a sensitive moment?

Izuna, however, seemed completely oblivious to any impropriety, his face showing a mixture of flattery and embarrassment. "Sōsuke, you're too kind! It was I who intruded and disturbed your peace. Since you don't mind and are willing to entertain me, I won't refuse!"

He agreed readily, as if he were simply invited to a friend's house for a cup of tea.

Kasuga's heart sank.

He knew that once Izuna was "invited" inside by Sōsuke, it wouldn't be so easy for him to leave again.

The Main Family Uchiha clan currently has an extremely subtle and complex attitude towards the Uchiha, especially towards Uchiha Izuna, who is currently in the eye of the storm.

In this situation, although he couldn't detain Uchiha Izuna, he could at least keep him from leaving for a while.

"Kasuga, what are you still standing there for?" Sōsuke's voice was still gentle, but it carried an undeniable urgency.

Kasuga glanced at Izuna, who was giving him a reassuring smile. Kasuga gritted his teeth inwardly and could only lower his head and reply, "Yes."

He turned around and walked with his solemn-faced father, Takayuki, toward the direction where tea and snacks were being prepared.

Sōsuke smiled and stepped aside, gesturing to Izuna, "Izuna, this way please."

"Thank you for your trouble, Sōsuke." Izuna followed with a smile, his steps light and his eyes curious as he surveyed the elegant yet somewhat aloof scenery of the Hyuga Clan Compound's territory, as if he were truly just an ordinary visitor who had stumbled upon this noble place and was full of curiosity about everything.

Only Sōsuke, who was following behind him, had a glint of brilliance in the depths of his calm eyes.

Uchiha Izuna... this seemingly sunny, innocent, and even somewhat eccentric person, is he truly without any guile, and just stumbled upon this by accident?

Or... do they have ulterior motives and have willingly stepped into this Uzumaki?

Led by Sousuke, Izuna entered a rather elegant side hall in the Sōsuke Hyuga Clan Compound.

The interior furnishings are simple, exuding the cool and orderly atmosphere characteristic of the Hyuga Clan.

Several light ink landscape paintings hung on the wall, and a few simple plum blossoms were placed in a porcelain vase in the corner. The air was filled with the faint scent of sandalwood and tea.

The maidservant silently served tea and snacks, then bowed her head and withdrew; the whole process was as quiet as a pre-orchestrated Genjutsu.

Izuna knelt in the guest seat, picked up the teacup, and the rising steam blurred the fleeting thoughts in his eyes.

He didn't know why the Hyuga Clan had suddenly become so wary of him.

When casting for "The Tale of the Heike," the participation of Hyuga Tetsuya, Hyuga Akari, Hyuga Masayoshi, and Hinata Rei all went relatively smoothly.

Although he could sense a slight distance between them, it was nothing like today, when even Kasuga was in a hurry to send him away, and this important figure from the Main Family personally intervened, seemingly warmly inviting him into this quiet side hall.

But he knew about the messy affairs Hyuga Main Family and the Branch Family.

For millennia, the family has maintained a strict hierarchy, using the Caged Bird Seal to absolutely control the branch Branch Families and maintain the purity of the Main Family's bloodline and the concentration of power.

To this modern soul, the system seemed utterly corrupt and suffocatingly rigid.

Combined with Kasuga's unusual reaction earlier, and the Main Family's ambiguous attitude at this moment...

Izuna had a general idea of what was going on.

The Kyoto trip members he chose for this Hyuga Clan must all have some issues.

Needless to say, I already knew from the previous conflict that Hyuga Akari was the fiancée of Hyuga Tetsuya, the young master of the Hyuga Clan.

Hinata Rei was from the Branch Family, but he was given a significant role in the story.

But if that were all, the Hyuga Clan wouldn't have reacted so strongly.

After all, she was just a young girl from the Branch Family; they could do whatever they wanted with her.

However, Hyuga Masayoshi, Hyuga Tetsuya, and Hyuga Akari are all of very high status.

Could it be that they are rebelling?

Why?

Aren't they members of the Main Family?

Regardless, the Hyuga Main Family felt threatened, which is why they've kept me here like this.

I also bear some responsibility.

As the mastermind behind this performance, the driving force behind the Konoha reforms, and an important figure in the Uchiha Clan, he also happened to intrude into the Hyuga Clan Compound at this sensitive moment...

Sōsuke probably wanted to use this opportunity to test, or even warn, him.

Was it a warning to him to mind his own business, or was it an attempt to gauge his attitude towards the internal affairs of the Hyuga?

Izuna sneered inwardly.

He hadn't originally planned to interfere in Hyuga's family affairs so soon, since it was someone else's internal affair, and rashly interfering could easily backfire.

But unexpectedly, opportunity knocked on our door.

Moreover, it was in a way that the other party actively invited him to join the game.

Well... we can't blame him for going along with it.

How to do it?

Izuna was well aware of his shortcomings.

He's too young.

It's not about age; he's 24 now, an adult, but mentally he can never match these guys who've been forged in battle.

In Madara and Hashirama's eyes, he was probably still a younger brother who needed to be protected. In the eyes of his clan, he was a talented but somewhat unruly genius. In the eyes of outsiders, he was probably just a lucky guy who stirred up trouble with his artistic talent and a bit of quick wit.

He lacked the majesty and unfathomable depth that Madara had accumulated over the years, and he also Hashirama the natural aura that Hashirama possessed, which allowed him to subdue people with force and win them over with virtue.

More importantly, he was essentially a naive and foolish college student. He knew he wasn't cut out for scheming or deep political maneuvering and that these old foxes could easily see through him.

However, he has a trump card.

A trump card that no one in this era could have imagined.

He knows every detail of the Ninja world by heart.

The Byakugan possesses exceptional X-ray vision, allowing it to see through all physical objects and directly observe distant objects.

It has the potential to Tenseigan, and when gathered together, it can be used as an intercontinental ballistic missile. When an individual one evolves to its ultimate form, the power it can use is comparable to the Rinnegan. Moreover, it is the eye of the Ōtsutsuki Clan that overpowered those two overpowered characters in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.

In his view, no matter what, the Byakugan couldn't possibly be weak.

However, due to the Branch Family between the Main Families, the Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan will never have the opportunity to evolve into the Tenseigan.

He certainly couldn't just slam his fist on the table and say, "Your Byakugan can evolve into the Tenseigan, so stop fighting and start researching it together!" That would just make him look like a madman.

But he can... ask some naive questions.

Some questions based on common sense and reasonable imagination.

These questions may be trivial in themselves, but they are enough to deal with the current Hyuga Clan.

Izuna took a sip of tea; the fragrant tea soothed his throat and calmed his chaotic thoughts.

He raised his head, his face regaining that smile that was both curious and straightforward, and his gaze fell on Hyuga Sousuke, who was sitting upright opposite him with a gentle smile on his face.

He started by offering a compliment, as a basic social courtesy.

"Sōsuke, seeing Tetsuya, Akari, Elder Masakichi, and Ren's performance in Kyoto was truly amazing. The Hyuga Clan's Taijutsu, combined with the Byakugan's perceptive abilities, makes their stage presence absolutely superb."

Sōsuke smiled and nodded, "Izuna, you flatter me. It is their honor to be able to contribute to Konoha's grand event. It is also thanks to your skillful direction."

"Not at all," Izuna waved his hand modestly, then changed the subject, a slightly puzzled expression on his face, "But... there's something I've actually been curious about, and I'm not sure if I should ask?"

"Oh? Please speak freely, Izuna."

"It's about the Byakugan's abilities." Izuna blinked, his tone full of curiosity. "I heard them say in the Akari that the Byakugan has a 360-degree field of vision, can see through obstacles, see extremely far, and can even see Chakra pathways clearly, right?"

"That's true. The Byakugan is the foundation upon which the Hyuga Clan stands." Sōsuke nodded, a hint of self-satisfaction in his voice.

"That's amazing!" Izuna exclaimed sincerely, then frowned slightly, as if asking out of pure curiosity.

"But... if they can see so far and see so clearly, why... does the Hyuga Clan's fighting style still primarily rely on close- Taijutsu?"

Hyuga Sousuke, along with Takayuki and Kasuga who were waiting outside the door, were all stunned.

"Yes, why is that?" Kasuga wondered, somewhat bewildered. Although they did have ranged attack methods, the Hyuga Clan was primarily focused on Close Combat.

Hyuga Sousuke quickly realized what was happening and narrowed his eyes slightly.

But Izuna didn't give him a chance to interrupt. "What I mean is... for example, we Uchiha, while the Sharingan can also perceive and predict, mainly we use it in conjunction with Shurikenjutsu, Fire Style, and other mid-to-long-range attacks, or to use Genjutsu to disrupt."

"But Hyuga... seems to particularly emphasize close-quarters combat techniques like 'absolute defense' and 'pressure point strikes'."

Izuna shrugged.

"Even though I can see the enemy coming from far away, even though I can clearly see his Chakra weakness... I still have to wait until he rushes right up to me before using Gentle Fist to strike his pressure points? It feels... a bit... um... a waste of the advantage of 'seeing far'?"

He said that last word carefully, as if afraid of offending anyone.

But the meaning behind his words almost made Sōsuke's gentle smile crumble.

For a moment, the side hall was quiet except for the faint crackling sound of incense burning in the incense burner.