Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!
Having made his decision, Chiba immediately formed hand seals with both hands.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Amid a series of puffs of smoke, dozens of shadow clones identical to Chiba appeared around him.
"Unfortunately, I'd just activated Tenseigan Chakra Mode, so there isn't much Chakra left in my body."
"Otherwise, the number of shadow clones I could create definitely wouldn't be fewer than Uzumaki Naruto's, with all that Chakra."
"But this is enough for now."
After shaking his head somewhat regretfully, Chiba swiftly headed toward Sunagakure in the Land of Wind with most of his shadow clones, leaving only one behind.
After that, every time he traveled a sufficient distance, he would leave behind another shadow clone.
The main purpose of these shadow clones was to train in various Forbidden Jutsu and ninjutsu, as well as intercept pursuers.
If they could not stop them, they would automatically or passively disperse and warn Chiba.
And while Chiba headed toward the Land of Wind, because of his rise, a storm beyond everyone's imagination was gradually brewing.
Konoha!
Inside the newly constructed Hokage Building, temporarily built through Yamato's Wood Release!
"Hiruzen, hand over Hyuga Chiba, dead or alive, to Root."
"Only Root can bring out the Tenseigan's greatest value!"
An old man with half his body wrapped in bandages and a cane in hand, someone who looked like no good person at all, swaggered into the Hokage's Office. Looking directly at Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had changed back into his Hokage God Robe and sat behind his new desk with a pipe in his mouth, he made his demand.
"Danzo, that's impossible!"
Upon seeing the visitor, Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head without hesitation and refused. "Hyuga Chiba has merely misunderstood me, the village, and the Will of Fire. If possible, I would rather resolve this misunderstanding and have him become a leaf willing to burn for Konoha."
"Even if there truly is no other choice but to kill him, his Tenseigan should belong to the Hyuga Clan."
"Besides, I need to correct you. We have not captured Hyuga Chiba yet, much less retrieved his corpse."
"You're making that demand too early."
"Hmph!" After a cold snort, Shimura Danzō said, "Hyuga Chiba's godlike form cannot possibly be maintained for long."
"The Chakra in his body has most likely reached its limit as well."
"As long as we catch up to him in time, a few Elite Jonin will be more than enough to take him down."
"Before coming here, you already sent Root Jonin to hunt down Hyuga Chiba, didn't you?" Sarutobi Hiruzen understood what his old friend meant, and his expression darkened slightly. He warned, "Danzo, I will never allow you to bring Hyuga Chiba—especially his Tenseigan—to Root."
"And given your character, you've probably already had Root find a way to control those in the Hyuga Clan connected to him, such as the ordinary Branch Family members whose Caged Bird seals he removed, and Hyuga Neji, haven't you?"
"Immediately withdraw the Root Ninja from the Hyuga Clan Compound. I will not allow you to lay a hand on them."
"What did you say?" Shimura Danzō's expression turned both shocked and furious.
It was nothing for Sarutobi Hiruzen to guess his thoughts, but forbidding this and forbidding that—wasn't that going too far?
"Danzo, I don't think you're old enough to need me to repeat myself."
Staring straight into Shimura Danzō's eyes, Sarutobi Hiruzen said word by word, "You should also understand that I'm not joking."
Shimura Danzō finally could not hold back any longer and spoke one of his classic lines. "Hiruzen, you will regret this!"
"Danzo, I am the Hokage!" Sarutobi Hiruzen replied in perfect accord.
"..." Those simple words lodged all of Shimura Danzō's retorts in his throat.
He was deeply unwilling to accept it. Back when they had encountered danger and their teacher, the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama, had asked who was willing to stay behind and cover their retreat, he had been just a little slower than Sarutobi Hiruzen. Because of that, he had completely lost his chance to become the Third Hokage.
Over the years, even though Shimura Danzō had established Root, known as the Darkness of the Shinobi World, he had never been able to truly hold his head high before Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage.
"Hiruzen, I will watch you pay the price for today's choice."
After saying those final words, Shimura Danzō turned and walked out of the office, casually slamming the door shut with a bang.
Sigh!
After Shimura Danzō left, Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a helpless sigh.
He could not help thinking of Hyuga Chiba's biting mockery not long ago.
While Shimura Danzō had indeed been the true instigator behind quite a few of those matters,
Sarutobi Hiruzen had to admit that he had also played the equally unsavory roles of standing by and indulging Shimura Danzō.
Regarding what had happened to Hizashi Hyuga back then, his attitude toward Kumogakure had indeed been far too weak.
Before this, no one had ever dared bring up those matters before Sarutobi Hiruzen, so he could naturally pretend that none of it had anything to do with him.
But now, Hyuga Chiba had begun questioning everything from the past in front of everyone, questioning the Will of Fire that he had always upheld. He could no longer completely pretend that nothing had happened.
Because of this, after returning to the Hokage's Office, Sarutobi Hiruzen gradually began to calm down.
He could no longer easily revoke the order declaring Hyuga Chiba a Konoha S-Rank Rogue Ninja.
But whether it was to protect Hyuga Chiba in other ways or to prevent the powerful Tenseigan from being abused, he could absolutely no longer allow Danzo's Root to act as it pleased.
That was also why Sarutobi Hiruzen's attitude toward Shimura Danzō had been somewhat firmer than usual just now.
Hyuga Clan Compound!
"How could Hyuga Chiba, that bastard, be so strong?"
"A mere Branch Family member actually awakened the legendary Tenseigan, said to rival the God's Eye, the Rinnegan?"
"Isn't this wrong? Shouldn't someone from our Main Family be the one to awaken the Tenseigan?"
"Damn it! Hyuga Chiba actually dared to attack the Third Hokage, destroy the Hokage Building and Kage Rock, and I heard he even stole the Scroll of Sealing?"
"Does he know how much trouble this will bring to the Hyuga Clan?"
"We never should have raised that beast in the first place. Then we wouldn't have raised such an ungrateful wretch!"
"Hiashi, Clan Head, say something!"
"Are we really just going to ignore Hyuga Chiba's affairs?"
At this moment, the Hyuga Main Family members felt fear toward Chiba's terrifying strength, envy, jealousy, and hatred over his possession of the Tenseigan, as well as anger and dissatisfaction that Chiba, as a Branch Family member, had actually dared to "bite the hand that fed him."
Hyuga Hiashi, their Clan Head, also dissatisfied the Main Family members.
Before you continue