Kumogakure's Scheme

December in Leaf Village was already bitterly cold.

Yet the Hyuga Main Branch grounds remained bustling with voices, the cold doing nothing to dampen the guests' enthusiasm.

It was as though the barriers between shinobi clans and nations had vanished, and every face bore a smile.

The leader of Kumogakure's diplomatic delegation was also smiling as he chatted with the Third Hokage. The atmosphere at the birthday banquet appeared quite pleasant.

However, as he surveyed the lively Hyuga Clan Grounds and recalled the Leaf Village streets he had passed through earlier, a strange glint flashed in his eyes.

Why should such prosperity belong exclusively to decaying Leaf Village? It ought to belong to mighty Kumogakure!

Just then, a masked ANBU flashed to the Third Hokage's side.

The Third Hokage frowned, then turned to the delegation leader. "My apologies. Please excuse me for a moment."

"It's no trouble. Please, go ahead."

The delegation leader shook his head and watched the three Konoha high-ranking officials leave.

Then his gaze flickered as he quietly looked toward the star of the banquet—Hinata Hyuga.

"So that's the Main House's daughter? Her talent must be quite remarkable as well."

He had been ordered to visit Leaf Village this time. Forming a peace treaty was merely the superficial objective; naturally, there was a deeper purpose.

Besides assessing Leaf Village's current strength and preparing for a possible future Shinobi World war,

they had specifically chosen the third birthday of the Hyuga Main Branch's daughter.

"With so many powerful Kekkei Genkai, they've actually fallen to the state of homeless dogs. Third Hokage? Strongest Hokage?"

The leader sneered inwardly, filled with contempt for Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The Hyuga Main Branch generally did not leave the village casually. Even when they did, Branch Family jonin would accompany them for protection.

As a result, it was extremely difficult for other villages to capture a living member of the Hyuga Main Branch.

Even if they captured someone from the Branch Family, their Byakugan would be remotely destroyed by the Main House through the Caged Bird Cursed Seal.

This had gradually reduced the major shinobi villages' interest in the Byakugan.

But recently, things had changed.

A Kirigakure jonin named Ao had actually obtained an intact Byakugan and completed the eye transplant with ease.

Not only had his reconnaissance and support abilities improved, but his overall strength had increased tremendously as well.

From then on, the major shinobi villages understood the difference between the Byakugan and the Sharingan.

Much like the styles of the Uchiha and the Hyuga Clan, the Sharingan was comparatively domineering, while the Byakugan was gentler and more adaptable to the body.

In the Underground Black Market, the bounty on a single Byakugan had already reached thirty-five million ryo.

And what Kumogakure lacked most now was not ninjutsu, but powerful Kekkei Genkai such as the Byakugan and Sharingan.

The Sharingan was out of reach. Those mad dogs of the Uchiha were trouble even Kumogakure did not want to provoke.

But if it was the Hyuga Clan...

"They're nothing more than old dogs raised by that old dog Sarutobi!"

If they could obtain the bloodline of the Hyuga Main House, it would not matter even if it ruined their alliance with Leaf Village.

There were only three possible outcomes to this plan.

The best outcome was that the plan succeeded and Kumogakure obtained the Byakugan.

Of course, abducting a hostage from within the Hyuga Clan Grounds was almost impossible.

But that did not matter.

"Men of Kumogakure! Never fear death!"

Once the plan failed, he would die directly at the hands of the Hyuga Clan, then use that as an excuse to force Leaf Village to hand over the "culprit," or else face war.

If Leaf Village handed over the Hyuga culprit, it would create conflict between Leaf Village's Conservative Faction and Radical Faction, drive a wedge between the Hyuga Clan and the Hokage faction, and weaken Leaf Village's living forces at the same time.

Even if the Third Hokage rarely grew a spine and decided on war between the two villages!

Leaf Village's Fourth Hokage and Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had died in the Nine-Tails Incident, one of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru, had defected, and Jiraiya and Tsunade were both missing.

At this moment, Leaf Village's top-level strength had been weakened to its lowest point in history. Kumogakure had no reason to fear the current Leaf Village.

No matter which outcome occurred, it would benefit Kumogakure!

"Able to advance and attack, able to retreat and defend! As expected of Lady Mabui, to devise such a sinister... no, such a perfect scheme!"

By the latter half of the birthday banquet, Hinata Hyuga was no longer the center of attention.

Watching the Main House's daughter leave the venue, the delegation leader began wandering around Leaf Village under the pretense of sightseeing.

The ANBU hidden in the shadows did not stop him. They merely followed alongside him under the guise of protection, keeping him under surveillance.

After turning onto a street, the delegation leader took advantage of the ANBU's blind spot. He formed hand seals, then transformed directly into a bolt of lightning and vanished from the spot.

Soon afterward, three masked ANBU arrived.

"Damn it! Where is he?"

"Split up and search! Leave one person behind to notify Lord Hokage!"

Meanwhile, the delegation leader had already infiltrated the Hyuga Clan Head Residence without incident and received the memories sent back by his Lightning Clone.

He could not help sneering inwardly. "They couldn't even recognize a Lightning Clone. Leaf Village's ANBU really are useless!"

Very soon, he discovered Younger Hinata sleeping in a room.

Silently opening a gap in the roof, he leaped into the room and decisively struck her, knocking her unconscious.

"This is unexpectedly smooth. Could it be that the Hyuga Clan has been peaceful for too long and lost even their most basic vigilance?"

Although the delegation leader harbored doubts, he did not linger after succeeding. He immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to flee toward the edge of the Hyuga Clan Grounds.

He did not leap onto the rooftops, merely using the Body Flicker Technique through the deserted streets without regard for whether his Chakra reserves could sustain it.

There were bound to be guards near the Hyuga Clan Grounds, but once he reached the outer perimeter, someone would help him stop the pursuers.

Just as the delegation leader was about to escape the Hyuga Clan Grounds and secretly rejoicing,

a familiar figure suddenly appeared and blocked his path.

The Hyuga Clan Head, Hyuga Hiashi!

The unconscious Hinata in this suspicious man's arms made Hyuga Hiashi's gaze sharpen, veins bulging around his eyes.

"You little thief! How dare you!"

Still shaken with fear and consumed by fury, he showed absolutely no mercy with this full-powered palm strike.

Seeing Hyuga Hiashi rushing straight toward him, the delegation leader stopped, annoyance rising in his heart.

"Damn it! I was so close!"

But only for an instant. He immediately gave up resisting and deliberately thrust his body forward to meet the palm.

"Aah!!"

In the silent night, that scream was extraordinarily abrupt.

It instantly drew the Hyuga Clan members responsible for guarding the area, as well as the ANBU members searching nearby for the delegation leader.

"Lord Hiashi!"

"What happened!?"

When the Branch Family members arrived first and saw Lady Hinata unconscious in the clan head's arms, along with the black-clad man on the ground whose fate was unknown, they were instantly shocked and panicked.

Someone had actually infiltrated the Clan Head Residence under their very noses and even abducted Lady Hinata!

But Hyuga Hiashi paid no attention to their reactions. His brows knit tightly as he bent down and removed the black-clad man's mask.

"This?!"

Seeing the familiar face of the delegation leader, Hyuga Hiashi froze for a moment before cold sweat instantly broke out all over his body.

"Damn it! We've fallen into their trap!"