As Expected

"Thank you for your understanding, Lord Orochimaru," Yueguang Han said apologetically.

"I only make allowances for geniuses!" Orochimaru said with a smile. "I imagine your clansmen are already growing anxious outside, and you haven't seen them for a long time. Go catch up with them first, Lord Han. From now on, you'll carry out missions together with your clansmen from the Hayate Clan. With the main family looking after you, Lord Han, you'll surely grow stronger as quickly as possible."

"Thank you for your consideration, Lord Orochimaru. I'll take my leave first," Yueguang Han said as he walked out of Orochimaru's command post.

"You want to take him as a disciple too, don't you, Minato?" After Yueguang Han left, Orochimaru asked Minato Namikaze with a smile, his eyes still brimming with excitement. Before Minato could answer, he continued on his own, "Indeed. No one could help but be tempted by such a genius, especially with that ability of his. It's practically as if it awakened specifically for war."

"Lord Orochimaru," Minato Namikaze said, "I would rather see him live in peace. I would rather everyone lived in peace. Awakening an ability like that is, in truth, a tragedy."

"But this is wartime," Orochimaru said, falling silent afterward.

"Young Han, are you all right?"

"What did Lord Orochimaru say to you? Don't be afraid. If there's a problem, we'll all help you think of a solution."

The moment Yueguang Han stepped out of the wooden house and moved a little farther away, the Gekko Clan members who had long been waiting outside immediately gathered around him, all talking at once with genuine concern in their eyes.

So I still have a family... Seeing their concerned gazes and anxious expressions, Yueguang Han felt as though some weight had lifted from his heart. He no longer felt as stifled as before.

"Young Han, say something already! How exactly did Lord Orochimaru punish you?" Seeing Yueguang Han remain silent, everyone grew even more worried. Yueguang Keiko asked anxiously.

"Lord Orochimaru didn't punish me. He even recorded a major merit for me!" Seeing their worried, caring looks, Yueguang Han's closed-off heart relaxed slightly.

"What? Recorded a major merit?"

"Young Han, did you really render a great service?"

"Young Han, we know you're sensible, but there's no need to lie to us. We all watched you grow up—don't we know what you're capable of? What great merit could you possibly have earned? If there's any trouble, just tell us. We can help you together."

At his words, they were first stunned, then disbelieving, and began chattering all at once. In their eyes, Yueguang Han was still so young. He had only just graduated from the ninja academy, showed little talent as a ninja, and this was his first time on the battlefield. How could he possibly have accomplished some great feat? They only assumed he was saying this because he did not want them to worry, or because he was in some kind of danger.

"Yes!" Yueguang Han said firmly. "I awakened a never-before-seen Kekkei Genkai. I killed many Sand Shinobi, including several Sand Shinobi Jonin. Lord Orochimaru recorded a considerable military merit for me. The reason he summoned me was also because he wanted to know about my Kekkei Genkai."

"What? What did you just say?"

"You awakened a never-before-seen Kekkei Genkai?"

"The Hayate Clan doesn't have a Bloodline Limit!"

"You killed many Sand Shinobi, including several Sand Shinobi Jonin?"

Hearing Yueguang Han's words, every member of the Hayate Clan wore expressions of utter shock, confusion, disbelief, and bewilderment.

"It's true," Yueguang Han said. Knowing his clansmen would not believe him so easily, he opened the cloth bundle he had been carrying beside him. It was filled with bloodstained Sand Shinobi forehead protectors—nearly two hundred of them.

"These are... Sand Shinobi forehead protectors!!!" Seeing the pile of Sand Shinobi forehead protectors in the bundle Yueguang Han had opened, Yueguang Xingye and the others were completely stunned. The words at their lips died away as they stared blankly at the bloodstained forehead protectors. There had to be nearly two hundred of them.

Two hundred Sand Shinobi—there were only a little over sixty ninja in the entire Gekko Clan combined! More than ten of them were Genin, and there were only two Jonin. This did not include those still in school or those who had retired from the ninja ranks, such as disabled ninja and those too old. Yueguang Han killing nearly two hundred Sand Shinobi was equivalent to wiping out the Hayate Clan three times over.

In this war, all Hayate Clan ninja who were Chunin or above had already come to the battlefield. Yet over more than half a year, they had not even killed a hundred Sand Shinobi, while more than twenty of their own had already fallen. Yueguang Han's military merit truly was enormous.

"Young Han, did you really awaken a never-before-seen Bloodline Limit?" Yueguang Xingye still could not believe it and asked solemnly. The others all stared at Yueguang Han without blinking. Strange sounds had indeed come from Orochimaru's command post earlier, but none of them had considered this possibility.

Awakening a new Bloodline Limit that had never existed before—if new Bloodline Limits were so easy to acquire, there would not be so many ninja clans without them. Those Bloodline Limit clans would not possess only one Bloodline Limit either. To awaken a new Bloodline Limit required luck, potential, strength, talent, and opportunity; not one could be lacking. It might be years, even decades, before a new Bloodline Limit appeared in the ninja world. That showed just how difficult it was to awaken one.

Although the Sand Shinobi forehead protectors Yueguang Han had produced could not be faked, they still did not dare believe it.

"Of course it's true. I'll demonstrate it for you, and then you'll believe me!" Yueguang Han said.

At that, everyone looked at Yueguang Han expectantly, eager to find out what kind of Bloodline Limit he had awakened.

"Wait. There are too many people here. Let's go somewhere quiet before you demonstrate it." Seeing that Yueguang Han did not seem to be lying, Yueguang Xingye hurriedly stopped him.

"Right, there are too many people here. Let's go somewhere quiet." The other Hayate Clan ninja nodded in agreement.

"Follow me," Yueguang Xingye said, taking the lead toward the outskirts of the camp.

"This is wonderful! With Han's Bloodline Limit, our Hayate Clan will definitely rise!"

"Even Jonin would find it hard to evade Han's attacks. It's incredible."

Outside the Konoha camp, Yueguang Xingye and more than a dozen Gekko Clan members surrounded Yueguang Han as they walked back, filled with excitement and hope. Their words were full of praise for Yueguang Han and ambition for the Hayate Clan's future.

"Yes, Young Han's Bloodline Limit is far too powerful. Ordinary Chunin and even Jonin can't get near him at all, unless they know Earth Style...!" one clan member said with an envious look.

"Shut up!" Yueguang Xingye immediately barked. The two clansmen beside the one who had misspoken swiftly grabbed his neck and covered his mouth.

"No one is allowed to speak of Young Han's matter again. Anyone who does will be considered a traitor to the clan," Yueguang Xingye ordered darkly, his tone incomparably serious.

Yueguang Han's Bloodline Limit was too powerful. He could easily fight opponents above his level despite having only just awakened it. Yueguang Han was now practically the hope of the Gekko Clan's rise. Yet such a powerful Bloodline Limit would not only draw the attention of enemies; even the other clans in their own village might harbor ill intentions.

The enemy would not be willing to see Konoha gain another powerful individual, much less allow Konoha to gain another powerful clan. Even rival clans from the same village would not want to see the Gekko Clan become a new Konoha powerhouse. After all, the pie of benefits was only so large, and those who already held those benefits would not want someone else taking a share.

Even in peacetime, Yueguang Han's situation would be dangerous. On the battlefield, there was undoubtedly no better environment or opportunity to kill him.

"Han, tomorrow I'll submit a request to Lord Orochimaru to send you back to the village. The battlefield is too dangerous," Yueguang Xingye said solemnly to Yueguang Han.

"That's right, Han. Go back to the village tomorrow. Even if we all have to plead for you, we'll make sure you go back."

"Exactly!"

"Once you're back, hurry up and settle your marriage."

The other Gekko Clan members also hurriedly nodded. Their expressions made it seem as though they were treating Yueguang Han as the entire clan's sole heir, as if they wanted nothing more than to tie him up and keep him at home like livestock.

"No." Yueguang Han shook his head. Why had he come to the battlefield? To take revenge. How could he be willing to return? However, Yueguang Han would not voice the dangerous thoughts in his heart. Otherwise, his clansmen would probably tie him up and drag him back themselves.

"There are no powerful ninja left in the clan at the village. The clan's powerful ninja are all on the battlefield now. Lord Orochimaru has already approved for me to act alongside my clansmen. The village may not necessarily be safer than here. Besides, with my abilities, I can earn quite a bit of merit for the clan," Yueguang Han said. He had long anticipated how the Gekko Clan would react after he revealed his Bloodline Limit, so he had naturally prepared his arguments in advance.

"That makes sense. But Young Han, you must promise me first that no matter what happens, you cannot leave our side—not even in the camp," Yueguang Xingye said after considering it carefully. He felt Yueguang Han's words were reasonable. Although this was a battlefield, nearly all of the clan's powerful ninja were here, making it safer instead. But he also knew why Yueguang Han had requested to come to the battlefield, so he naturally would not give Yueguang Han a chance to act rashly.

"No problem," Yueguang Han said with a nod. He had expected such a condition.

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