Struggle

If there was anyone or anything in the Hyuga Clan's camp worth making Kirigakure go to such lengths to attack, it could only be the current head of the Hyuga Main Family.

Unlike the Uchiha clan, another prestigious Konoha clan, the Hyuga family followed a Main Family-Branch Family system.

Only one person inherited the Main Family in each generation and became the clan head, controlling the lives and deaths of every Branch Family member through the Caged Bird curse seal.

If the head of the Hyuga Main Family died or was captured, the Hyuga Clan would inevitably fall into chaos.

This was vastly different from the Uchiha clan's loose system of selecting their leader.

Even if they lost their clan head, the Uchiha clan could quickly choose another, without suffering any major impact.

"Hurry and take me to the other two commanders!" the middle-aged commander shouted at several subordinates.

Before long, the three Konoha commanders gathered again in a secluded corner.

Their respective guards quietly concealed themselves nearby, keeping watch over the surroundings.

"Look at how wretched you two are. I'm starting to worry that you'll die in Kirigakure's surprise attack!" one of them teased the other two commanders.

"Didn't you get injured too? What gives you the right to criticize us?" the second man retorted without holding back.

"Enough, stop arguing. I have something to say!" The third man hurriedly stopped the two from continuing their quarrel, then went on, "The ANBU members discovered that those Kirigakure shinobi are gathering at the Hyuga Clan's station."

"I suspect their target is the current head of the Hyuga Main Family!"

"The head of the Hyuga Main Family?"

The second man frowned deeply and said in a low voice, "Could they be trying to bring down the Hyuga Clan by targeting its head, and thereby change the situation before us?"

"That possibility is very high!" The third man nodded in agreement.

"Then... let's take some men over and support him!" The second man started to leave as he spoke.

"Wait!"

The first man stopped him and said gravely, "From the current situation, it seems that Kirigakure's target is indeed the current head of the Hyuga Main Family, but we can't rule out the possibility that they also intend to take advantage of this opportunity to eliminate the three of us!"

"If we completely expose our movements to Kirigakure's surprise-attack force, tell me, will they choose to kill the three of us first, or eliminate the head of the Hyuga Main Family first?"

"This..." The second man immediately grimaced.

There was no need to think about it. If Kirigakure had a chance to kill the three commanders, they certainly would not hesitate.

"Then... we can at least send some men over to provide support, can't we?" he suggested quietly.

The first man shook his head and continued, "The camp is in complete disarray right now. The few men around us can barely protect us, so we have no strength to spare for rescuing the head of the Hyuga Main Family."

"This won't work, and that won't work either. Then why did you call us here?" Rejected again, the second man grew angry.

The third man also cast a puzzled look at his companion.

The first man slowly said expressionlessly, "I called you here to give you a warning. When we receive a distress call from the Hyuga family later, don't stupidly charge straight in and get yourselves killed!"

"Not only that, stay away from the area around the Hyuga family's station!"

Just then, a figure emerged from around the corner of a nearby ruin.

The three men were startled to discover that it was a member of the Hyuga Clan. The veins at the corners of his eyes bulged as he activated the Byakugan's perception, rushing toward them in a hurry.

It seemed that the three of them were his target.

When the Hyuga clansman was less than five meters from the three commanders, three masked ANBU members suddenly appeared and blocked his path.

"Let him come over!" the second man immediately ordered.

The ANBU guards then let him pass, allowing him to approach the three commanders, gasping for breath.

"What is it, my friend from the Hyuga family?" the first man asked.

He wore a beaming smile and looked kind and amiable, utterly unlike the ruthless man he had been moments ago.

The Hyuga clansman said breathlessly, "Reporting to the three commanders... our clan head is surrounded... please send reinforcements immediately!"

"Very well, I understand! We'll send people over to provide support shortly. Hurry back and help them!" The first man smiled as he dismissed him.

"Really?" the Hyuga clansman asked for confirmation.

He felt that the commander had agreed far too easily, which seemed strange, but he couldn't figure out why.

The other two commanders watched silently from the side. They knew that their companion was merely comforting the Hyuga clansman.

"Yes! We definitely will!"

The first man smiled and nodded, placed both hands on the Hyuga clansman's shoulders, and slowly turned him around.

The instant the Hyuga clansman had completely turned around, the first man raised both hands, seized his chin and the back of his head, and quickly twisted in opposite directions with all his strength.

With a crack, the Hyuga clansman's neck was snapped, and he died instantly.

It had happened too suddenly. Neither the nearby ANBU guards nor the other two commanders had expected him to do such a thing.

By the time everyone came to their senses, the light had already vanished from the Hyuga clansman's eyes.

"What did you do?" The second man grabbed his shoulder and demanded loudly.

Even the usually silent third man frowned deeply, a trace of wariness appearing in his gaze as he looked at his companion.

The first man slapped away the hand on his shoulder and said coldly, "You both know that we can't—and don't have the energy to—send people to support them. Why give him false hope?"

"But even so, you shouldn't have killed him!" The second man was utterly baffled and found the explanation impossible to accept.

The first man glanced at him and sneered. "If he took back word that we would send reinforcements, yet we never actually did, how would we explain ourselves to the Hyuga Clan afterward?"

At those words, both the second and third men fell silent.

"Rather than that, it's better to let him die in Kirigakure's surprise attack. If anyone asks later, we can say that we never received a distress call from the head of the Hyuga Main Family!" The first man continued expressionlessly, having already found an excuse for the Hyuga clansman's death.

Seeing that the second man was still unwilling to accept it, he continued, "This kid already discovered our whereabouts. If Kirigakure captures him and brings a siege down on us, won't we be doomed?"

The third man let out a heavy sigh and said, "What do you plan to do next?"

The first man looked toward the southeast of the camp, where the Hyuga Clan was stationed, and said meaningfully, "The Byakugan's range of perception is too wide. They'll easily find the three of us."

"If that fool sends more people to request reinforcements, our whereabouts will be impossible to conceal!"

"So, while Kirigakure's attention is focused on the Hyuga family, we need to break out of the camp and rendezvous with the main force."

"That will not only shake off the dangerous burden of the head of the Hyuga Main Family, but also let us avoid their requests for aid."

As he spoke, he glanced at the second man, whose face was still filled with resentment, and said playfully, "It'll also save me the trouble of having you two object so unwillingly the next time I kill someone!"

"We're leaving, but what about the people in the camp?" the third man asked uneasily.

The first man said disdainfully, "With Kirigakure's current surprise-attack force, they couldn't possibly destroy our camp. The only ones truly in danger are the three of us and the head of the Hyuga Main Family!"

"Once the reinforcements return, or they accomplish their objective, those Kirigakure shinobi will naturally withdraw!"

"Very well, let's go. The longer we wait, the more likely something will change!" The third man nodded, making his stance clear.

At this, the second man gave the other two a deep look. He wanted to say something, but no words would come out. His chest felt unbearably tight.

I have no choice. I'm doing this for the greater good... he could only comfort himself inwardly.