Dark Moon

The words of the Hyuga Jonin made Yager's family feel as though they had fallen into an ice cellar. Even Doctor Nak, curled up in the corner, felt pity for them.

They were clearly such an ordinary family.

Yet they had been swept into the heart of the vortex.

Nonō's face remained expressionless, but a storm raged in her heart. She carefully considered her escape route, gripping a kunai tightly in her right hand, intending to save the child she had healed the night before last.

Facing four Konoha Jonin and a Ninja Hound alone, she had no way to save the entire family.

"Director Nonō, I advise you not to make any rash moves. Otherwise, we'll deal with you the same way we deal with rogue ninjas!"

Asuma gave her a sidelong glance, removed the cigarette from his mouth, casually tossed it aside, then pulled out another cigarette and lit it.

"Fine, I'll tell you the truth. They're intelligence informants Root Organization planted at the border. If you lay a hand on them, you'd better first consider how you'll face Lord Danzo!"

Seeing that her actions had been seen through, Nonō tried another way to intimidate them.

The expressions of the four men suddenly changed noticeably. Nonō's heart leaped with joy, thinking that this move had indeed worked. No Konoha ninja was unafraid of Danzo's notorious name.

"Haha... Root Organization? Lord Danzo? Don't make me laugh!" The Jonin from the Hyuga Branch Family could not help laughing as he shook his head.

Asuma exhaled a cloud of smoke and wore the same contemptuous, mocking smile.

Nonō frowned slightly, confused and unable to understand their reactions.

No one paid any more attention to the bewildered Nonō.

"Asuma, give me an explanation!!"

A woman's magnetic voice rang out from outside, reaching everyone's ears inside the house.

Asuma turned to look back.

Kurenai Yuhi slowly walked into the wooden house, surveying everyone inside. Her gaze was icy as it settled on Asuma.

According to the plan, she had split from her teammates.

She had searched Mount Kikyo alone for traces of the Uchiha squad, only to discover that Asuma and the others had clearly proposed splitting up because they wanted to ditch her.

By the time Kurenai Yuhi reached this mountain stronghold—

She was horrified to discover—

Asuma and the others had slaughtered the entire stronghold of refugees.

"Kurenai, let me explain. They're only refugees from a small country. If they cause trouble, it could have a severe impact on the Land of Fire Border, so..."

Asuma hurriedly put on a placating smile.

"Release that mother and child. They're innocent!" Kurenai Yuhi said coldly.

There was not a trace of emotion in her red eyes, leaving him no room for negotiation.

After thinking for a moment, Asuma looked toward the Hyuga Jonin. The latter clicked his tongue and helplessly lowered his kunai.

"Heh..."

The Hyuga Jonin sneered without saying anything. He walked over to Yager and pressed his kunai against Yager's neck.

Instead, Yager let out a sigh of relief. He looked at his wife, his eyes gentle and his emotions complicated.

Kurenai Yuhi sheltered the mother and child behind her, glaring at Asuma as she rebuked him:

"Asuma... You keep saying that you don't approve of some of the Third Hokage's methods, but in the end, what you father and son do is exactly the same.

For the sake of preserving the bigger picture, he could humiliate himself by abandoning Hizashi Hyuga of the Hyuga Clan.

For the sake of making these people follow you without worry, you can let them slaughter refugees and frame them as rogue ninjas in exchange for merit."

Seeing that his thoughts had been completely seen through, Asuma's face turned expressionless as he looked at the companions beside him who were watching him.

The Jonin from the Inuzuka Clan waved a hand and laughed.

"Haha, Captain Asuma, don't worry. This is your family matter. We'll pretend we didn't hear anything, and we won't talk carelessly when we get back."

Kurenai Yuhi had insulted the Third Hokage?

As Nonō watched this brave female ninja, she felt fortunate that not all Konoha ninja were people who trampled on life. At the same time, she breathed a sigh of relief for Yager's wife.

Seeing his companions make their promise, Asuma sighed. He did not care about Kurenai's criticism and continued wearing a smile as he explained, "Kurenai... it's not what you think. I'll explain everything properly after we return."

Kurenai Yuhi ignored Asuma. What he had done tonight had crossed her Bottom Line.

"Stop wasting time here. Get the intelligence out of him, deal with this man, and continue the pursuit!"

Asuma's gaze was unfocused, and he was somewhat irritated as he spoke to everyone.

Naturally, he did not care about Kurenai Yuhi throwing a tantrum. He understood women's temperaments well enough; he would just need to coax her more afterward, and she would eventually calm down.

Just as the Hyuga Branch Family Jonin was about to make a move on Yager, he suddenly stopped, sensing an intense danger.

He had only felt this sensation once in his life—during a mission, at the moment when he had nearly been killed.

Immediately after that—

Within his black-and-white field of vision—

Behind them.

At the doorway.

A handsome young man in white, a sword at his waist, stepped into the room with light footsteps.

His expression was cold as he stood proudly. His arrival did not break the tense atmosphere inside the wooden house; instead, he blended into it perfectly.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on the Hyuga Clan Jonin, completely unaware that someone had appeared behind them.

The Jonin from the Hyuga Branch Family pursed his lips, took a deep breath to calm himself, put away the kunai in his hand, then slowly turned around and looked toward the doorway.

In that instant, the atmosphere inside the wooden house was shattered, like a stone thrown into a still lake.

The baby's crying stopped abruptly.

Everyone suddenly turned around.

They all looked toward the doorway.

"Let him go, and I'll leave your corpses intact!"

Ingetsu drew his ninja sword from his waist.

Clang—

His clear eyes held the rotating Yachihoko Mangekyo. His handsome face was flawless, and the candlelight generously bathed him in its glow, casting a picturesque shadow upon the wall.

[Side Quest]: Heavenly Punishment

[Options]:

1. Kill everyone present.

2. Kill Hiruzen Asuma, Yu Hyuga, Tu Akimichi, Akiyama Inuzuka, and Yukimaru.

[Reward]: Weapon—Dark Moon.

Ingetsu raised an eyebrow slightly and sighed inwardly. This mission had come a little too casually.

A weapon.

Dark Moon.

Was it a blade?

Ingetsu temporarily set aside those thoughts and gripped his ninja sword. Under the candlelight, its blade gleamed with a cold light.

He swept his gaze over everyone present, silently counting them in his mind. Four people and one dog. When his gaze passed over Kurenai Yuhi, it paused slightly.

She was not on the mission list.

Was it because...

She held no hostility toward him?

Ingetsu immediately felt reassured.

As for Nonō returning, that was within Ingetsu's expectations as well. He had led the team back this time specifically to lie in wait for Nonō. He had not expected to catch such a grand gift delivered by Konoha.

Hiruzen Asuma and the others' intentions...

Were written all over their faces.

Fine. He would let this Konoha squad remain here forever.

As Ingetsu thought this, his blade-pattern Mangekyo silently released Yin Release Chakra, injecting it into the Hyuga Clan Jonin who had dared to stare directly at him with his Byakugan.

He had long since put away Kotoamatsukami and replaced it with a complete pair of Yachihoko.

In an instant, the Hyuga Clan Jonin's eyes widened. His entire body trembled as his mind and Chakra were completely seized by Ingetsu.

The Hyuga Clan had no ocular power capable of resisting Yachihoko.

The candle flames in the wooden house swayed violently.

Figures shifted.

The air fell into deathly silence.

"Ingetsu!!!"

Kurenai Yuhi's pupils shook. Her red lips parted slightly as she looked at the young man at the doorway in disbelief. Staring at his indifferent face, she was momentarily lost in a daze.