The "Accountability" of the Branch House

Night, 7:00 PM.

Grass Wave Coast, Konoha Medical Unit camp.

"Quick, vascular clamps!"

"Suction, drain the blood! Matsumoto, you hold the bleeding point!"

"Surgical scissors, ah—too slow! Curse Removal Technique!"

"The surgical field, the field, why has the field vanished! Someone with Lightning Release, hurry up and charge the shadowless lamp!"

"Where is the gauze? Bring the gauze over, carry Inuzuka Hana out, don't push, she isn't dying yet! Who is the next patient!?"

"It's Hyuga Natsu!"

As Hyuga Yu stepped into the camp, waves of clamor washed over him.

The entire Konoha Medical Unit camp was ablaze with light. Medical Ninjas, guards, and even fresh graduates from the Ninja Academy—familiar faces like Mitarashi Anko, Kotetsu Hagane, Izumo Kamizuki, and Gekko Hayate—flitted past Hyuga Yu, busy and frantic.

They carried the wounded, guided by several Medical Ninjas into various tents.

The Grass Wave Coast camp was unusually busy tonight.

The Guard Squad tasked with escorting the Hyuga Main Family had been ambushed by Kirigakure. Hyuga Genko of the Main Family was missing; 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 grave injuries.

Coupled with the batch of emergency casualties sent from the Land of Waves front line at dusk, the Medical Ninjas in the camp were run off their feet.

Beyond that, a group of peculiar individuals stood waiting before a tent, their expressions extremely somber.

The common thread among them was their distinct white eyes, dark kimonos, and heavy countenances.

The man at their head was the strongest of the Branch House, Hizashi Hyuga.

Hearing that the casualty was Hyuga Natsu, Hyuga Yu verified his identity with the guards at the entrance and hurried toward the tent, desperate to know what had happened.

He had clearly lured the Kirigakure ninja away; why was Hyuga Natsu still injured?

However, before he could get close, a straight-raised arm blocked his path.

Immediately after, a deliberately lowered, muffled voice sounded in Hyuga Yu's ear:

"Don't go over there!"

Hyuga Yu looked up.

Standing before him was an acquaintance he knew all too well.

The man wore a green spandex suit and a yellow scarf. His frame was thin, yet he clutched a roll of gauze larger than himself. It was none other than Konoha's eternal Genin, Might Duy.

Hyuga Yu was slightly surprised, his expression shifting several times in an instant.

Without a squad, and as a Genin who only knew Taijutsu and was restricted to D-rank missions, Might Duy should not have been eligible to leave the village.

That he had been suddenly transferred here, combined with recent events, made Hyuga Yu frown slightly.

"Master Duy, why are you here?"

Might Duy shook his head at Hyuga Yu and whispered:

"Let's not talk about that for now."

"Those people over there seem to be big shots from your Hyuga Clan. Because of what happened today... they've been acting unreasonably, having the Interrogation Department drag several people away, and they're about to hold the Nara Clan accountable as well."

Hyuga Yu asked immediately: "What exactly is going on?"

Might Duy looked left and right, then leaned in to whisper cautiously:

"I've asked around. It was a dereliction of duty by the Hokage Secretariat. They printed the names of a group of ninjas, myself included, incorrectly, resulting in erroneous deployment orders."

"Then, our group left the village early, which likely leaked intelligence and led to a member of the Hyuga Main Family being intercepted and killed by Kirigakure ninjas. They are still missing."

"You were also on the list for that Secretariat error, and... well, you arrived late, so you probably don't know what happened. This matter has nothing to do with you."

"At a time like this, it's best not to approach that man."

Hyuga Yu fell silent.

He knew about this, of course—he had even participated in it. The Secretariat's "error" was, unsurprisingly, a result of Root intentionally indulging Kirigakure spies within Konoha to pass intelligence to the Kirigakure troops lying in ambush.

However, he had only gained the opportunity to be sent out because he had contacted Root in advance.

What truly surprised Hyuga Yu was:

Might Duy was actually on that "erroneous" list as well...

This made Hyuga Yu wonder: had Root, or perhaps Konoha itself, known something all along?

Was this truly just a coincidence?

At this moment, Might Duy knitted his thick eyebrows together and looked at Hyuga Yu, asking with some uncertainty:

"Um, Yu, you shouldn't... have anything to do with this incident, right?"

Hyuga Yu snapped back to reality: "Why do you ask?"

"A rumor suddenly started circulating in the camp this afternoon, saying that..."

Might Duy looked at the Byakugan that Hyuga Yu had activated, and spoke with some hesitation:

"In this incident, a boy from the Hyuga Branch Family gouged out a Main Family member's Byakugan and transplanted it into himself."

"This person, it shouldn't be you, right?"

Hearing this, Hyuga Yu narrowed his eyes, realizing that this intelligence had spread far too quickly.

Just then, the gatekeeper ninja who had verified Hyuga Yu's transfer order earlier trotted over to Hizashi Hyuga in front of the tent and handed over a scroll.

With his sharp eyes, Hyuga Yu immediately saw that it was the very transfer order he had just submitted.

Soon, Hizashi Hyuga's expression darkened in front of the tent, and the veins around his eyes bulged.

He scanned the camp, his gaze narrowing slightly.

Then, he turned around and, leading more than a dozen Branch Family ninjas behind him, marched straight toward where Hyuga Yu was standing!

Seeing this, Might Duy's thick brows furrowed, and he instinctively moved to stand in front of Hyuga Yu.

However, Hyuga Yu shook his head slightly at him, pushed him aside, and smiled:

"Master Duy, I'm fine."

"You kid..." Might Duy's expression tightened, wanting to urge him further, but Hyuga Yu had already stepped forward to meet Hizashi Hyuga head-on. He could only clench his fists slightly, waiting for the outcome in a state of helplessness.

Hyuga Yu had been training in Taijutsu with him since he was six. Although his talent wasn't great and he couldn't complete most of the exercises, his iron will was the strongest Duy had ever seen. Furthermore, Hyuga Yu would occasionally bring training supplies from the Hyuga Clan to support him and his son.

Might Duy had long since come to regard Hyuga Yu as an important disciple.

Not only had he made an exception by teaching him the first three gates of the secret Eight Inner Gates, but even now, knowing Hyuga Yu was embroiled in a complex situation, he stood up to warn him without hesitation.

At this moment, Hizashi Hyuga had already arrived before Hyuga Yu with a dozen ninjas.

His Byakugan immediately perceived the unusual blue Chakra within Hyuga Yu's body.

A flash of surprise and strange emotion crossed Hizashi Hyuga's eyes, but he quickly masked it without a trace.

Immediately, he waved his hand, and the dozen Branch Family ninjas behind him swarmed out, surrounding Hyuga Yu completely!

Following that, Hyuga Yu heard this prominent figure of the Branch Family speak in a stern voice:

"Toshihiko, go check his Caged Bird!"

"Yes!"

Beside him, the Branch Family ninja named Hyuga Toshihiko stepped forward immediately and removed Hyuga Yu's forehead protector in front of everyone, allowing the entire camp to clearly see the Caged Bird seal etched onto Hyuga Yu's forehead.

Then, he grabbed Hyuga Yu's arm and squeezed it a few times.

Hyuga Toshihiko turned his head and announced loudly in front of all the ninjas in the camp:

"The Caged Bird is intact; there are no signs of damage to the eyes or the brain!"

"Chakra flow is stable; confirmed that no Transformation Jutsu or clones were used!"

"Very well."

Hizashi Hyuga nodded calmly. Then, he turned his head and looked coldly at Hyuga Yu, asking with a look of "reproachful" indifference:

"Hyuga Yu,"

"Your transfer order clearly states the day after tomorrow; why did you arrive at the camp early?"

Although Hyuga Yu had anticipated this, hearing Hizashi Hyuga neither ask where he had been during the time he was late, nor ask about the blue Chakra in his body, and not even mention the matters concerning the Main Family, Hyuga Yu felt a strange laugh bubbling up in his heart.

But on the surface, he still answered loudly and solemnly:

"Lord Hizashi, the transfer order I received states that I am to arrive at Grass Wave Coast today. Furthermore, I have confirmed the timing of this order with the Barrier Team!"

Hizashi Hyuga's face darkened as he said in a deep voice:

"However, the order issued to you by the clan clearly states the day after tomorrow. Regarding this matter, I will hold Nara Shikaku accountable!"

Hizashi Hyuga deliberately paused for three seconds.

"As for you... report to the Medical Team immediately!"

Hyuga Yu felt an urge to raise his hand and salute:

"Yes!"