Night, 7 p.m.
Grass Wave Coast, Konoha Medical Unit camp.
"Quick, vascular clamps!"
"Suction! Draw blood! Matsumoto, hold down the bleeding point!"
"Scissors—ah, too slow! Curse Removal Technique!"
"The operating field, the operating field—where did the operating field go?! You, the one who knows Lightning Release, hurry up and charge the surgical lamp!"
"Where's the gauze? Bring the gauze over! Carry Inuzuka Tsume away! Don't push, don't push, she won't die! Who's the next patient!?"
"It's Hyuga Natsu!"
The moment Hyuga Yu stepped into the camp, waves of clamor washed over him.
The entire Konoha Medical Unit camp was brightly lit. Medical Ninja, guard ninja, and even students who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy bustled past Hyuga Yu from time to time. Familiar faces such as Mitaraishi Anko, Kotetsu Hagane, Izumo Kamizuki, and Gekko Hayate could be seen among them.
They carried wounded people one after another, sending them into different tents under the direction of several Medical Ninja.
The Grass Wave Coast camp was exceptionally busy that night.
The Guard Squad escorting the Hyuga Main Family had been attacked by Kirigakure. Hyuga Genko, a member of the Main House, was missing, and of the twelve-man squad, only four had escaped.
Hyuga Tetsu, Hyuga Natsu, Aburame Shiki, and Inuzuka Hana.
Aside from Hyuga Tetsu, the other three had all suffered grievous injuries.
Combined with a batch of emergency casualties sent over from the Land of Waves front at dusk, every Medical Ninja in the camp was run off their feet.
There was also a group of special people gathered outside one of the tents, waiting with exceptionally grim expressions.
They all had unusual white eyes, wore dark kimono, and shared the same grave look.
At their head stood the strongest member of the Branch House.
Hizashi Hyuga.
When he heard that Hyuga Natsu was among the wounded, Hyuga Yu verified his identity with the guard at the entrance and hurried toward the tent, wanting to know what had happened.
He had clearly drawn away the Kirigakure ninja. Why had Hyuga Natsu still been injured?
Yet before he could approach, a straight arm rose and blocked his path.
Then a deliberately lowered, heavy voice sounded beside Hyuga Yu's ear.
"Don't go over there!"
Hyuga Yu looked up.
The person standing before him was someone he knew all too well.
Dressed in a green jumpsuit and a yellow scarf, his thin frame clutching a roll of gauze taller than himself, he was none other than Konoha's eternal Genin.
Might Duy.
Hyuga Yu looked somewhat surprised, his expression changing several times in an instant.
With no team of his own, Might Duy was a Genin who only knew Taijutsu and could only take D-rank missions. Under normal circumstances, he should not have been eligible to leave the village.
Yet he had suddenly been transferred here. Coupled with recent events, Hyuga Yu's brows furrowed slightly.
"Master Duy, why are you here?"
Might Duy shook his head at Hyuga Yu and said quietly,
"Don't worry about that first."
"Those people over there seem to be important figures from your Hyuga Clan. Because of what happened today... they've unreasonably had the Interrogation Department take away quite a few people. They're about to hold the Nara Clan accountable too."
Hyuga Yu immediately asked, "What exactly happened?"
Might Duy looked around, then spoke cautiously in a low voice.
"I asked around. It was negligence by the Hokage Secretariat. They printed the names of a group of ninja, including mine, incorrectly, and we received the wrong transfer orders."
"Then our group left the village early, which may have leaked intelligence. As a result, a Main House member of the Hyuga Clan was intercepted and killed by Kirigakure ninja. His whereabouts are still unknown."
"You're also on the list affected by the Secretariat's mistake. And... well, you arrived fairly late, so you probably don't know what happened. This has nothing to do with you."
"At a time like this, don't go near that lord."
Hyuga Yu fell silent.
Of course he knew about this. He had even personally taken part in it. The Secretariat's mistake was, unsurprisingly, Root deliberately allowing Kirigakure spies within Konoha to pass intelligence to the Kirigakure forces lying in ambush outside.
However, he had gotten the chance to be sent out because he had contacted Root in advance.
What truly surprised Hyuga Yu was that Might Duy had also been on this "mistaken" list...
This made Hyuga Yu wonder whether Root—or rather, Konoha—had known something all along.
Was this really a coincidence?
At that moment,
Might Duy knitted his thick brows and looked at Hyuga Yu, asking uncertainly,
"Um, Yu, you shouldn't... have anything to do with this incident, right?"
Hyuga Yu came back to his senses. "Why do you ask?"
"A rumor suddenly started spreading through the camp this afternoon. It said..."
Might Duy looked at Hyuga Yu's open Byakugan and spoke with some hesitation.
"In this incident, a boy from the Hyuga Branch House dug out a Main House member's Byakugan and transplanted it into himself."
"That person isn't you, right?"
At those words, Hyuga Yu immediately narrowed his eyes and realized something.
The information had spread a little too quickly.
Just then,
The gate guard who had verified Hyuga Yu's transfer order suddenly jogged over to Hizashi Hyuga outside the tent and handed him a scroll.
Hyuga Yu, sharp-eyed, immediately recognized it as the transfer order he had just submitted.
Very soon,
Outside the tent, Hizashi Hyuga's expression darkened, veins bulging around his eyes.
He swept his gaze around the camp, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Then he turned around and, with more than ten Hyuga Branch House ninja behind him, strode straight toward Hyuga Yu!
Seeing this,
Might Duy's thick brows drew together, and he instinctively moved to stand in front of Hyuga Yu.
However, Hyuga Yu gently shook his head, pushed him aside, and smiled.
"Master Duy, I'll be fine."
"You brat..." Might Duy's face tightened as he tried to say more.
But Hyuga Yu had already gone to face Hizashi Hyuga directly. Might Duy could only clench his fists slightly and wait helplessly for the outcome.
Hyuga Yu had trained in Taijutsu under him since the age of six. Though his aptitude was mediocre and he could not complete most of the training, his willpower was the strongest Duy had ever seen. Moreover, Hyuga Yu would occasionally bring out training resources from the Hyuga Clan to support him and his son.
Might Duy had long regarded Hyuga Yu as an important disciple.
Not only had he made an exception and passed on the first three gates of the secret Eight Inner Gates to him, but even now, knowing full well that Hyuga Yu had become entangled in a complicated matter, he had still stepped forward to warn him without hesitation.
At that moment,
Hizashi Hyuga had already arrived before Hyuga Yu with more than ten ninja.
His Byakugan immediately saw the Blue Chakra within Hyuga Yu's body, utterly unlike that of an ordinary person.
A flash of surprise and something strange passed through Hizashi Hyuga's eyes, but he swiftly concealed it without a trace.
Then,
He raised a hand and waved it. The more than ten Hyuga Branch House ninja behind him immediately filed out and surrounded Hyuga Yu!
Next,
Hyuga Yu heard this important figure of the Branch House speak sharply.
"Toshihiko, go inspect his Caged Bird!"
"Yes!"
Beside him, the Branch House ninja named Hyuga Toshihiko immediately stepped forward and removed Hyuga Yu's forehead protector in public, allowing everyone in the camp to clearly see the Caged Bird seal etched upon his forehead.
Then he grabbed Hyuga Yu's arm and squeezed it several times.
Hyuga Toshihiko turned around and loudly announced before every ninja in the camp,
"The Caged Bird is intact. There are no signs that the eyes or brain have been damaged!"
"His chakra circulation is stable. Confirmed: he has not used the Transformation Jutsu or a clone!"
"Very good."
Hizashi Hyuga nodded calmly, then turned and looked coldly at Hyuga Yu.
With a detached expression of "reproach," he asked,
"Hyuga Yu,"
"Your transfer order clearly stated the day after tomorrow. Why did you arrive at camp ahead of schedule?"
Although Hyuga Yu had expected this,
he could not help but find it absurd that Hizashi Hyuga neither asked where he had gone during the period he was late, nor questioned the Blue Chakra in his body, nor even mentioned anything related to the Main House.
But on the surface, he still answered solemnly and loudly,
"Lord Hizashi, the transfer order I received stated that I was to arrive at Grass Wave Coast today. I also confirmed the time on the order with the Barrier Team!"
Hizashi Hyuga's face darkened as he said in a deep voice,
"However, the transfer order the clan issued to you was indeed for the day after tomorrow. I will hold Nara Shikaku accountable for this matter!"
Hizashi Hyuga deliberately paused for three seconds.
"As for you... report to the Medical Team immediately!"
Hyuga Yu desperately wanted to raise his hand in salute.
"Yes!"
Before you continue