Disciple of the Demigod

Atop a tall tower in the Land of Rain, Uchiha Itachi took advantage of one of the few clear days to release a crow. Something was clearly tied to its leg.

Just then, footsteps sounded behind Uchiha Itachi. He turned around to see Hyuga Kei slowly climbing the tower.

Hyuga Kei walked to Uchiha Itachi's side and watched the crow fly away into the distance. "I knew you'd be here. Sending intelligence to Konoha, are you? Do you know why I'm not stopping you?"

Uchiha Itachi countered, "Do you know why I'm not hiding it from you?"

Hyuga Kei answered calmly, "I need a force capable of destroying ninja villages to complete my mission and establish my prestige. Konoha also needs someone to share its pressure. Our interests don't conflict."

"Uchiha Itachi, it's your turn to answer my question."

"You still feel a sense of belonging toward Konoha. After all, your friends and family are still there."

"That's right. I want the Leaf Village higher-ups to know that I have the power to destroy them."

After saying that, Hyuga Kei ignored Uchiha Itachi and headed straight down the tower. He needed to prepare to complete his mission.

He had several considerations in doing this.

1. Intimidate Konoha so they would not make a move on Neji.

2. Keep the war from affecting Neji. Once a war reached a certain point, ninja academy students would graduate early to adapt to the battlefield.

3. He wanted to extinguish the butterfly effect he had created as much as possible. That way, he could accomplish more things with his knowledge of the plot.

Next, Hyuga Kei adopted the alias Kimura Takuya and took over the Land of Rain's defenses. His plan was simple: have all the ninja remain alert, and report to him immediately upon discovering troops from enemy nations.

He would then take Kisame, Sasori, and Konan, disguise themselves as Land of Rain ninja, lead the Rain Ninja over there, and slaughter them all.

The plan was incredibly simple. The key was the disguise.

Hyuga Kei knew Konan had come to monitor him, but he did not care and simply kept her by his side.

The opportunity had already been secured anyway, and having another beautiful woman around was quite pleasing to the eye.

That meant there was one more person eating at Hyuga Kei's home. He had Yuka rent a two-story apartment outside; living in the dormitory all the time was inconvenient.

There happened to be enough rooms, so Konan was arranged to live in the apartment. While waiting each day for news of enemy ninja movements, Hyuga Kei continued training.

He also took the opportunity to learn several of Hanzo of the Salamander's famous ninjutsu. Since Konan was a powerful ninja, he could ask her for guidance as well.

Fortunately, thanks to the selfless contributions of Uzumaki Yuka and Karin Uzumaki, his Sage Body was growing stronger and stronger. However, as that happened, their blood provided less and less nourishment to Hyuga Kei.

May 13th, Year 58 of Konoha

Uchiha Itachi did not disappoint Hyuga Kei. Under Konoha's covert guidance, Iwagakure and Sunagakure sent advance forces into the Land of Rain.

Hyuga Kei received the intelligence at once. He immediately brought Konan, called Sasori and Kisame over, gathered the Rain Ninja, and charged directly toward the two nations' advance forces.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the Sunagakure and Iwagakure ninja entered the encirclement Hyuga Kei had prepared for them.

"Commander Kimura, Lady Angel, the enemy has entered our encirclement. Should we charge in directly?"

Hyuga Kei replied, "No need. Just wait for my signal."

The Rain Ninja did not immediately agree. He looked toward Konan and waited for her orders. In his eyes, Konan was a messenger of God, countless times more noble than Kimura Takuya.

"Follow Kimura's orders." Konan's expression did not change.

"Understood!" The man finally accepted the order.

Hyuga Kei did not care about such matters. His appointment was temporary to begin with, so it was only natural that he had no prestige. If his orders could be carried out without question, what would Konan be needed for?

Hyuga Kei turned to several of his teammates. "In a moment, I'll go down first and use a few of Hanzo's signature ninjutsu. Then, when I shout Water Dragon Bullet Technique, Senior Kisame, you make your move—but make it look like I cast it."

"Hehehe, no problem." Kisame found it greatly amusing.

"Senior Sasori, your puppets are too conspicuous, so you don't need to act. When the time comes, just coat everyone's ninja tools with poison."

"Fine."

"Big Sister Konan, after Senior Kisame unleashes the water dragons, you'll lead the Rain Ninja in and wipe out all the enemies."

"Understood."

"Remember to put on your gas masks later. I'll be going first." Hyuga Kei put on a specially made gas mask, formed a hand seal, and vanished from the spot, leaving behind only a puddle of water.

"Water Release: Water Body Technique. What an enviable genius. He came to ask me for guidance just a few days ago, and today he can already use it proficiently," Kisame said.

Konan had stayed by Hyuga Kei's side these past few days and knew his learning progress very well. "Just watch. That's not all."

Several hundred Sunagakure and Iwagakure ninja moved swiftly across the ground. As the advance force, they were responsible for clearing out the Rain Ninja and establishing a camp.

The moment they stepped into the encirclement, Hyuga Kei, hidden in the shadows, abruptly activated the trap. "Fire Style: Explosive Flame Formation!"

Countless Explosive Tags appeared on the ground beneath the ninja of the two nations, fastening themselves around the ankles of nearby ninja.

"Ambush!"

Boom! Boom! Boom! The Explosive Tags detonated one after another.

A Sunagakure jonin easily broke free of the Explosive Tags and leaped high into the air. The sight of that technique awakened the terror sleeping deep within his heart.

During the Second Ninja Wars, as he looked upon the horrific scene before him, an indescribable fear and doubt rose in his heart. Could it... could it be that legendary man?

That man's name haunted the heart of every ninja like a nightmare.

No, the intelligence said Hanzo was old and decrepit, that he had long lost his ambition and become afraid of death. How could he appear here?

In an instant, many ninja were blown apart—some dead, some wounded. Still, these traps could only reduce part of their fighting strength.

Hyuga Kei appeared before the enemy with Water Release: Water Body Technique. Dressed in black windbreaker and Warring States Ninja attire, with a katana at his waist and a gas mask over his face, he looked exactly like a traditional Rain Ninja.

"You have illegally entered the Land of Rain. I, Kimura Takuya, acting on behalf of my master, Demigod Hanzo, sentence you to death!"

Upon hearing those words, many Sunagakure ninja secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He was only the Demigod's disciple. Thank goodness.

Hyuga Kei slammed his palm against the ground. "Summoning Technique: Ibuse!"

A massive Ibuse suddenly burst up from beneath the feet of the ninja from both nations, instantly swallowing several of them whole.

"Poison Spray!"

Ibuse spewed a great cloud of purple poison mist from its mouth. Every ninja unfortunate enough to come into contact with it was poisoned and collapsed.

Many did not even have the chance to use antidotes, but ninja farther away reacted in time, putting on gas masks and barely avoiding Ibuse's poisonous mist.

"Scatter! Avoid the poison mist!"

Large groups of ninja scattered in every direction to evade Hyuga Kei's poison mist.

"It's not over yet!"

Hyuga Kei formed hand seals and roared as though exerting all his strength. "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

Kisame, hidden in the shadows, grinned wickedly, revealing a mouthful of shark-like teeth. "My turn..."

As though answering Hyuga Kei's call, several massive water dragons flew out from the forest behind him. Roaring, they crashed down amid the crowd.

"Get out of the way! It's Water Dragon Bullet!"

A chunin who had experienced two Ninja Wars witnessed the scene and could not help but stare in shock. "So many of them... Is he truly Hanzo's disciple, rather than Hanzo himself reborn?"

Large numbers of enemy ninja died beneath that attack.

"Brat, die!" Several ninja appeared around Hyuga Kei at the same time, unleashing ninjutsu and attacking him together.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"

"Ninja Art: Thousand Needles!"

"Fire Style: Flame Meteor!"

In an instant, Hyuga Kei was plunged into danger. Beneath his mask, his eyes turned azure.

Hyuga Kei abruptly drew the katana at his waist and slashed swiftly. "Gale Force Breath Cut!"

Boom! Under the defense of overwhelming Repulsion, all the ninjutsu attacks shattered without accomplishing anything.

Of course, Hyuga Kei did not know any Gale Force Breath Cut. It was merely an act enhanced by the Tenseigan.

The ninja of the two nations were utterly stunned. What kind of swordsmanship was this? They had seen no flash of the blade and felt no chakra fluctuations, yet the full-powered attacks of five elite ninja had all been completely dispersed.

This man's swordsmanship had likely surpassed even that of the legendary Demigod!