Ambush

The three Hyuga members received a special order to form a Reconnaissance Squad and survey the terrain along the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain, drawing up a tactical map.

The three were even happier upon receiving the order. It meant they were about to make another fortune—extorting people along the way, then making a deal with merchants from the Land of Rain.

Ever since joining the Anbu, they had thrived by making use of the Byakugan's exceptional reconnaissance abilities, often taking on special missions that only they could accept.

Border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain

Hyuga Kei and the others had long since lain in ambush along the only route the three would take.

Kakashi's Team stood atop the trees, observing the trio's route from afar.

Kakashi asked, "Will you be alright acting alone?"

"No problem. And even if there is a problem, aren't you guys here?"

With that, the four of them flashed forward, overtaking the three Hyuga members and arriving at the prepared ambush site to wait for them to walk into the trap.

The three Hyuga members were carrying a large amount of supplies, so they moved extremely slowly. Unlike Kakashi's Team, who traveled light and moved at great speed.

Watching the convoy draw closer, Hyuga Kei activated the trap. In an instant, countless kunai connected to Explosive Tags shot out from every direction.

"Ambush! Triangle Formation, protect the supplies!" The Special Jonin leading them reacted swiftly. The three jumped down from the carriage and activated their Byakugan at once.

Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms! The three Hyuga ninja instantly formed a Triangle Formation, striking away the Explosive Tag kunai before them and doing their best to protect the cargo.

But it was futile. Under such an attack, they could not block every Explosive Tag kunai.

After the trap was over, their goods had been blasted beyond recognition. Who was it? Who dared attack Konoha Anbu within the Land of Fire!?

The three Hyuga ninja were furious enough to split their eyes open. They activated their Byakugan and looked toward Hyuga Kei's group, only to see familiar uniforms—the uniforms of Konoha Anbu.

They immediately thought of one possibility: someone wanted to frame Konoha Anbu. But they instantly dismissed it. Who would do something as foolish as attacking Konoha just to frame Konoha?

There was only one possibility left. Their actions had been discovered, and the Third Hokage wanted to silence them.

Hyuga Kei dispelled the concealment technique around himself and leaped down from the branch.

"I want to see the Third Hokage! You aren't qualified to judge me. I'm a member of the Hyuga Branch Family!"

One of the Hyuga ninja shouted unwillingly.

Hyuga Kei formed hand seals. Vast amounts of Lightning Release Chakra erupted from the acupoints around his body, forming a layer of lightning armor over him. "This is the Third Hokage's order. And the Hyuga Main Family won't fall out with Konoha over a few Branch House members like you. To them, you're merely expendable goods."

Lightning Release Body Technique: Lightning Armor.

This was a B-rank ninjutsu Hyuga Kei had created by combining ninjutsu with the Hyuga Gentle Fist.

The Gentle Fist released chakra through the acupoints in the hands and struck it into the human body to seal its acupoints.

Hyuga Kei had improved upon it, releasing Lightning Release Chakra through the acupoints all over his body and condensing it into armor.

In the end, it achieved the same effect as the Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

When Kakashi heard Hyuga Kei's idea, even he could not help but be astonished. This was simply a genius-level development concept.

"This is the Lightning Release Chakra Mode!"

The Hyuga ninja were greatly shocked. A ninjutsu that covered the body's surface in armor and defense was the perfect counter to the Hyuga Gentle Fist.

Their Gentle Fist could not strike chakra into it, which meant they would lose half their combat strength.

Hyuga Kei did not waste another word. Lightning Flash brought him before a Hyuga Chunin almost instantly, and he thrust out his palm.

Lightning Release Body Technique: Lightning Sealing Palm. In an instant, a massive amount of Lightning Release Chakra entered the Hyuga ninja's body. All the acupoints across his body were sealed, leaving both his body and chakra unable to move in the slightest.

His other two teammates hurried forward to support him. Hyuga Kei grabbed the Hyuga ninja before him, swung him around, and hurled him toward the nearest ninja.

In his panic, that man instinctively reached out to catch him, pulling the thrown ninja into his arms.

Hyuga Kei immediately appeared before the two like a shadow clinging to bone, striking both palms against the Hyuga ninja being held in the other's arms.

Raijuu Kenpo: Thunderclap Palm

This move combined Mountain Breaker Strike with ninjutsu. It poured chakra into the enemy's body, then used that body as a medium to Strike Across the Mountain at the enemy behind him.

The Hyuga ninja who had caught his teammate only felt a sharp pain in his stomach. Looking down, he saw that lightning had shattered his abdomen, leaving a bloody hole through it.

With another palm strike, bloody lines appeared across the necks of the two Hyuga ninja, signifying their complete deaths.

In the blink of an eye, two Hyuga Chunin had died. Hyuga Kei turned to the last Hyuga ninja, the leader of the three and a Special Jonin.

"You're Hyuga Kei! If the Hyuga clan learns that you slaughtered your own kin, they will never let you go!" Seeing the Lightning Release Body Technique, he thought of the recently famous Hyuga Kei.

Since his identity had been exposed, Hyuga Kei no longer hid it. He removed his Wolf Mask and held it at the side of his face. "I'm not a member of the Hyuga clan."

Hyuga Kei suddenly pointed his palm at the Hyuga Jonin. Raijin Body Technique: Chidori Spear activated, and a straight bolt of lightning instantly shot from his palm toward the Hyuga Jonin.

The Hyuga Jonin reacted swiftly, twisting aside and leaping away. The moment he saw the chakra flow within Hyuga Kei's body, he had already seen through Hyuga Kei's intentions.

The instant his body landed, Hyuga Kei used Lightning Flash to appear before him, engaging him in a taijutsu clash of strength and skill.

In an instant, palms met palms and fists struck flesh. For the moment, Hyuga Kei could do nothing to the Hyuga Jonin. He was still too young, and his strength had yet to fully develop.

After understanding the extent of his taijutsu abilities, Hyuga Kei wanted to pull back and let his teammates deal with the man together.

The Hyuga Jonin suddenly stepped forward and wrapped Hyuga Kei in his arms. Wisps of green smoke rose from his embrace. He had hidden Explosive Tags inside his clothes. Knowing he could not escape, was he planning to die together with him?

"Disgrace of the Hyuga clan, I'll take you to hell with me!"

Hyuga Kei did not panic. Countless bolts of lightning erupted from every acupoint across his body, and the Hyuga Jonin was almost instantly knocked unconscious by the overwhelming electricity.

Hyuga Kei kicked the unconscious Hyuga Jonin away, sending him flying several meters.

Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall! Kakashi acted at the right moment.

An earthen wall rose before Hyuga Kei, blocking all the aftermath of the explosion.

Kakashi, Tenzo, and Ameyuri appeared at Hyuga Kei's sides at the same time.

"How is it? Do you need treatment?" Tenzo patted Hyuga Kei's shoulder and asked carefully.

They thought that the expressionless Hyuga Kei must be in immense pain inside. No one wanted to see kin killing kin.

But what they did not know was that Hyuga Kei felt incomparably satisfied. With these Hyuga ninja planted within the Anbu dead, it would be a massive blow to the Hyuga clan.

"I'm fine. Clean up the battlefield. Although they were Konoha traitors, officially, they were ambushed and killed by Rain Ninja while privately trading with them."

Hyuga Kei took the three mangled corpses and stored them in the Sealing Scroll on his back.

Kakashi and Tenzo also began fabricating the scene, casting several Water Style ninjutsu in succession.

"Let's go. We'll return to Konoha and report."

Two days later, atop a tower in the Land of Rain

Pain, his body covered in black rods, asked Konan beside him, "Why haven't the supplies from those Konoha ninja arrived yet?"

They had only recently seized control of the Land of Rain. Having just gone through a civil war, this already impoverished nation had been dealt another crushing blow.

The opportunity to trade with other countries would have allowed them to purchase many scarce supplies.

Konan replied coldly, "Their transaction was discovered by Konoha, and they were dealt with. Konoha made it look like we attacked their own merchant convoy."

Pain remained expressionless. "This is what great nations are like. Everyone has their own interests, yet they turn against one another for those same interests."