Returning to the Village

Meanwhile, Kakashi and the other two had already put some distance between themselves and the battle when the commotion behind them made them abruptly stop.

They turned around, grave expressions flashing across their faces.

They were already far away and simply could not sense what had happened over there.

They could only judge from the sounds reaching them...

"Could that be the secret technique Yei mentioned? What exactly did he do?" Asuma looked in that direction. Because of the distance, they could not make out what was happening there.

But the sounds carrying over were so thunderous that they could not help stopping.

"Yei-senpai should be all right, shouldn't he?" Shisui began to worry as well.

Though Kakashi was equally concerned, he spoke with certainty to reassure Asuma and Shisui. "He'll definitely be fine! Trust Yei. He isn't someone who makes empty boasts!"

Asuma and Shisui exchanged a glance. For now, all they could do was trust Yei.

Without hesitating, they flashed away and continued onward.

After covering another stretch of distance, Shisui, who was being supported as he kept his eyes shut, suddenly spoke. "Someone is catching up to us."

Of the three, his sensory ability was the strongest.

"Hm?" Kakashi and Asuma both wore solemn expressions.

Asuma hurriedly asked, "Is it Yei?"

Shisui shook his head slightly. "My sensing ability developed from my Mangekyo Sharingan. It isn't as refined as Yei-senpai's Byakugan. I can only sense a general presence and can't confirm their identity."

Shisui's sensing ability had developed from his Mangekyo Sharingan and could not identify an enemy.

In the Shinobi World, aside from a handful of sensing techniques that could accurately determine someone's identity, most only served as warnings, reconnaissance, or a means to gauge the amount of Chakra someone possessed!

Shisui's sensing differed somewhat from Yei's Byakugan and Observation Haki...

After hearing Shisui's words, Kakashi and Asuma immediately became vigilant.

"It's Yei!" However, when they saw that the person catching up from behind was Yei, delight appeared on all their faces!

They hurriedly stopped and waited where they were.

Yei had long since sensed the three of them. Seeing them stop, he quickened his pace and rejoined them.

Asuma looked Yei up and down before hurriedly asking, "Yei, are you all right?"

Kakashi and Shisui also looked at Yei.

"I'm fine." Yei shook his head. He truly was not seriously injured; he had merely overexerted his Chakra and needed time to recover.

"What did you do just now? Why was there such a huge commotion? Even we could hear it from so far away." Kakashi looked at Yei. The noise had indeed been immense, and they had heard it clearly even from here!

What kind of ninjutsu could create such a powerful disturbance?

"I only held them off for a while. Something unexpected happened afterward—the Three-Tails revived in that lake. That was also why I was able to escape safely." Yei left out some details and did not explain further.

When Kakashi heard the name Three-Tails, his gaze suddenly flickered. "The Three-Tails?"

Rin Nohara's death had been connected to the Three-Tails!

Back then, Madara Uchiha had plotted against Rin Nohara and implanted the Three-Tails into her body. In order to protect Konoha from the Three-Tails' destruction, Rin had chosen to die beneath Kakashi's Lightning Blade!

It was a wound in Kakashi's heart, one that could never be erased!

That was why Kakashi reacted when he heard about the Three-Tails...

"Yes, the Three-Tails. I didn't expect it to revive at this time either..." Yei knew Kakashi's past and did not say much more.

"A Tailed Beast..." Asuma raised his brows. He had not expected to hear news of a Tailed Beast reviving at a time like this. He quickly said, "This is a matter of great importance. We must report it to the village as soon as possible!"

"Let's return to the village quickly. We can't delay any longer." Kakashi only said that much, but his mind was already elsewhere...

Asuma and Shisui both noticed that something was off with Kakashi. They exchanged glances, both puzzled, but neither said anything as they flashed away and picked up speed.

The matter concerning Rin Nohara had not spread throughout the village. Only Konoha's higher-ups knew the full details...

So it was normal that Asuma and Shisui did not know.

Still, they did not think too deeply about it. They merely assumed Kakashi was preoccupied with the Three-Tails.

After all, they knew very well what Tailed Beasts were. To put it bluntly, they were powerful weapons capable of determining the rise and fall of a shinobi village!

This matter had to be reported to the village as soon as possible!

After the group rested briefly in one place and recovered some Chakra, they set out again. Within a few days, they had returned to Konoha.

Yei did not need to concern himself with the mission. Kakashi, as the Jonin leading the team, would report every detail to the Fourth Hokage.

After leaving the Hokage Administration Building, Yei returned home, removed his Anbu uniform, and headed for Hyuga Yue's house.

Whenever he returned from a mission, Yei would go to Hyuga Yue's home first to let her know he was safe, so that neither she nor Aunt Yami would worry.

He pushed open Hyuga Yue's front door with familiar ease and walked inside.

When Aunt Yami saw Yei return, undisguised delight appeared on her face. "Little Yei, you're back from your mission? You weren't hurt, were you?"

"I'm fine, Aunt Yami. This was only a small mission. I was gone for a few days and came right back." Yei waved a hand, indicating that he was uninjured.

This mission had to remain confidential, so he could not reveal it to anyone else.

"It's good that you're all right. We were worried sick these past few days." Aunt Yami smiled. As long as he was safe, that was enough. She was only an ordinary person, and she had already lost her husband. She did not want to see another loved one leave her.

That was why she worried endlessly whenever Yei went on a mission.

"I made you worry." Yei smiled with relief before asking, "Is Yue inside?"

Aunt Yami smiled and pointed inward. "She is. She should be at the training ground right now. Go tell her too. She's been very worried about you."

Yei nodded and walked farther inside. "Then I'll go in and see her."

"Mm, go on. Oh, Little Yei, is there anything you want to eat? To celebrate your safe return, Auntie will make something delicious for you."

"I want to eat the ramen you make, Aunt Yami."

"Okay."

"..."

After chatting briefly with Aunt Yami, Yei entered the training ground in the courtyard and found Hyuga Yue practicing the Gentle Fist.

Her slender figure was drenched in sweat beneath the sunlight. Every punch was accompanied by a soft shout, her gaze intensely focused. Sweat dampened the strands of hair by her temples and her thin clothes, outlining Hyuga Yue's delicate, lovely figure. She looked fragile yet carried a heroic air!