Zero-Tails Project

Elsewhere, the Nameless Forest.

"Bang!"

A flare was shot into the sky, colliding with another, and green smoke trailed across the forest canopy like a long ribbon.

Red meant attack, green meant retreat.

Firing this flare signified that Kirigakure's hunt for the Hyuga Main Family had failed, and the Kirigakure operatives on the mission had to withdraw from the Land of Fire at full speed.

In the forest, "Why the sudden retreat?" Munashi Jinpachi frowned, looking confusedly at Ao, who was being carried on Kensuke's back.

"Was it really necessary to make such a fuss just because we encountered a few Konoha Anbu at the tail end of the column?"

"Don't you guys see it yet? That brat's escape route is bizarre!" Ao pressed on Kensuke's shoulder, making him stop in place. Ao then looked up towards the desolate Crow Forest on the other side of the forest, his expression grim.

"He seems to know the plan we laid out and chose to cut directly across our encirclement. Moreover, he deliberately chose a dead end that we would definitely catch up to."

"And at this very moment, Konoha Anbu coincidentally appeared behind us."

"What does this imply?"

Munashi Jinpachi's eyes widened. "You mean... our operation has already been discovered by Konoha!? The intel leaked!?"

"No."

Ao shook his head, his gaze sweeping sharply towards the rear of the column.

"If Konoha truly knew about our operation, we would already be surrounded. None of you would be able to escape, except perhaps you two."

"The more likely scenario is that the commotion we made while pursuing attracted nearby Konoha ninja."

"And that brat is actually using us, like a fox borrowing the tiger's might, to make us mistakenly believe our operation has been under Konoha's surveillance all along, trying to scare us off."

Munashi Jinpachi was confused by the convoluted explanation and immediately retorted:

"Then why..."

Ao shook his head and explained, "The Main Family's Byakugan has already been transplanted onto himself by a Branch Family member. No matter what that brat's intentions are, those Byakugan are now protected under the 'Caged Bird' seal."

"Even if we capture him, we can't pry those Byakugan out of his eye sockets."

"In other words, the mission to hunt down the Main Family has already failed."

Munashi Jinpachi immediately argued, "But... capturing this brat now is clearly the better option. Didn't you also say that if we capture him, we could get more Byakugan..."

At this moment, Ao also came to his senses. He spread his hands helplessly and said, "That would be a different mission."

Upon hearing this, Munashi Jinpachi immediately understood.

It wasn't just because their operation had been discovered by Konoha and continuing the pursuit of Hyuga Yu might lead to unforeseen circumstances.

The bigger reason was—

The Third Mizukage.

The current Kirigakure was ruled with an extremely oppressive policy. Failure to complete missions would result in severe punishment.

However, undertaking missions beyond their scope would not only yield no benefits but could even be seen as a provocation to the Third Mizukage's authority, especially... when there was a member of Elder Genji's faction in their team.

At this thought, Munashi Jinpachi couldn't help but grit his teeth.

"This village is truly..."

Beside him, Kushimaru Kuriarare, who had been silent all along, suddenly interrupted coldly:

"Silence!"

Ao's expression turned serious, and he addressed everyone, "In conclusion, the highest priority now is to transmit this intelligence back to the village for the Elder Council and the Third Mizukage to decide."

"As for how to capture this Hyuga Branch Family brat later... we will need to formulate a new strategy based on the situation and specific intelligence."

"That is all."

"Withdraw!"

Leaving the Crow Forest and retrieving his bow and arrow, Hyuga Yu gradually pieced together the events.

He had initially thought Aburame Ryūma would choose to end the operation early due to the "value" he displayed, leaving this Kirigakure force in the Land of Fire.

Two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Ao of the Mist, a Kekkei Genkai user with Red Eye, and several Kirigakure Jonin, along with over twenty Kirigakure ninja. Eliminating them would significantly cripple Kirigakure's offensive.

But clearly, Hyuga Yu had underestimated the objectives of Root.

Compared to the potential large-scale leak of the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan and leaving these people behind, the mission they were carrying out was more important than these matters.

And at this moment, nothing could be more urgent or severe than—

The Third Shinobi World War.

The mission carried out by Root must be a core task that determined the direction of the entire Kirigakure battlefield. Using the Main Family's Byakugan as bait to lure Kirigakure into dispatching troops to capture the Hyuga Main Family was merely the first step in this entire incident.

Hyuga Yu couldn't help but ponder the events that would unfold in the future, With Year 49 of Konoha as the dividing line, The war between Konoha and Kirigakure would, without incident, continue for over a year, ending in Year 50 of Konoha before Minato Namikaze's succession as Hokage.

Konoha's strikes against Kirigakure had two key points:

First, the eternal Genin Might Duy tore apart the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, rendering this special unit directly under the Third Mizukage effectively defunct.

Second, Hatake Kakashi thwarted Kirigakure's plan to use Nohara Rin as a Jinchuriki bomb and detonate it within Konoha's core.

Besides these, during the Third Shinobi World War, the most absurd event hidden in the dark undercurrent of ninja history was—

The Third Mizukage, who never appeared in any Konoha ninja's memories, suddenly stepped down without any warning.

Immediately after, the Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura, who became the Third Tailed Beast's Jinchuriki, took the throne.

So, What role did Root play in this series of events?

At this moment, As he was lost in thought, Shigaraki Tanuki, walking ahead of Hyuga Yu, suddenly stopped.

Hyuga Yu surveyed their surroundings and found that they had returned to an unnamed forest, and their current location was very close to Grass Wave Coast.

And before them, Was the entrance to a dilapidated, abandoned laboratory hidden within a small hill.

"This is as far as we go,"

Shigaraki Tanuki suddenly spoke, saying indifferently, "This place will be your workplace from now on. After finishing your daily fixed tasks with the medical team, you need to come here and use your Medical Ninjutsu to help me process some live materials."

"Live... materials?"

Hyuga Yu frowned slightly and looked at Shigaraki Tanuki.

Shigaraki Tanuki didn't explain, but instead suddenly asked:

"Kid, do you know about the 'Zero-Tails'?"

Hyuga Yu's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately shook his head.

Shigaraki Tanuki briefly explained, "This was a project the Second Hokage researched before his death, aiming to artificially create 'controllable Tailed Beasts' and harness the power of 'Tailed Beasts'."

"In short, it's a failed project that has been halted by the village, but Elder Danzo is still personally funding this research."

"You need to remember—"

"Right now, my identity is the deputy head of the Konoha camp's medical team at Grass Wave Coast, and your identity is a medical ninja apprentice sent by the Hyuga Main Family to learn. We didn't know each other before, and there's no need to know each other afterward."

"But what you really need to do is,"

"Hide your identity as a Root ninja, secretly complete every mission assigned to you by Root, and assist me in advancing this research."

Hearing this, Hyuga Yu's heart tightened, and he seized on the key phrase in Shigaraki Tanuki's words:

"Identity as a Root ninja?"

Shigaraki Tanuki let out a scoff, "It's not a formal position. You're still far from the true core of this department."

"However, you should be able to get some... interesting toys."

At this moment, Shigaraki Tanuki suddenly looked up, as if sensing something, and turned his head towards the coconut grove not far away.

"He's here. You go over."

Hyuga Yu followed the direction Shigaraki Tanuki was looking, And saw—

In the coconut grove not far away, a figure shrouded in a hooded trench coat suddenly appeared, looking indifferently at Hyuga Yu.

It was Aburame Ryūma, the Root executive in charge of this induction assessment.

Hyuga Yu immediately realized, At this moment, he had finally been accepted by Root.

And before fulfilling his obligations as a Root ninja and officially stepping into the dark side of the ninja world, The benefits he could enjoy as a Root ninja, Had arrived!