"Enemy attack! It's Water Release: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
Genma Shiranui cried out, the senbon in his mouth nearly falling out.
"How is this possible? Where did they come from?"
Hyuga Ginka's face instantly went pale. Her Byakugan had clearly detected nothing just now.
This sudden attack was like a resounding slap across the face of her absolute confidence in the Byakugan!
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
Kakashi reacted with incredible speed, completing his hand seals almost the instant the water dragon appeared.
He slammed both hands against the ground.
Boom!
A thick earthen wall rose from the ground, barely blocking the water dragon.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The water dragon crashed repeatedly against the wall, producing dull booms as water sprayed everywhere and chunks of earth flew.
The earthen wall shook violently, cracks spreading across its surface, but it ultimately managed to barely withstand the ambush.
He still remembered to do that at a time like this...
Kiyohara noticed that several dog heads had actually been carved into the earthen wall!
Only a dog lover like Kakashi would decorate an earthen wall.
Then Kiyohara spoke up.
"Everyone, be careful. There may be a barrier or Kekkei Genkai nearby capable of interfering with or even blocking the Byakugan's perception... the Red Eye!"
There had originally been many possible explanations for the Byakugan being taken in the original story. A branch family betrayal, a Byakugan squad being surrounded and wiped out, the main family letting its guard down...
But now, Hyuga Ginka had scanned the area with her Byakugan and found no abnormalities whatsoever, greatly increasing the likelihood of Kiyohara's initial deduction.
In the Ninja World, there were only a handful of methods capable of interfering with the Byakugan. The original work had clearly mentioned only the special barrier on the moon and a few methods such as the Red Eye.
Kiyohara immediately shouted the warning. By process of elimination, there was a very high possibility that the enemy possessed the Red Eye.
"Red Eye?"
It was Kakashi's first time hearing of this Kekkei Genkai.
"I've never heard of it either."
Nohara Rin frowned slightly.
When it came to ocular techniques, aside from the Sharingan and Byakugan, she had only heard of something called the Ketsuryūgan. But she had read about it only in ancient historical records; it was no longer active in the modern Ninja World.
In the distance, Ao, who was hidden in the rear and observing the situation, saw through the Water Mirror Technique that Kiyohara had immediately identified the key issue. A trace of surprise flashed through his eyes.
"That brat... he actually knows the Red Eye exists?"
Even in the Land of Water, this was extremely rare intelligence, classified by Kirigakure as confidential. How could a young Konoha Chunin possibly know it?
Or had Konoha already obtained their intelligence?
"What a sinful man. With a face like that, I can hardly bear to lay a hand on him."
Mei Terumi's emerald eyes reflected Kiyohara's image upon the water's surface, and she took a keen interest in him.
She was a sucker for handsome faces, and Kiyohara was the most strikingly attractive man she had ever seen.
Ao glanced at Mei Terumi. Although she was a young genius of Kirigakure, he was the commander now, so he said, "Do not show mercy to any enemy. Everyone else, follow the original plan. Divide and surround them. Prioritize the medic-nin and the Hyuga clansmen!"
With the order given, Kirigakure's assault suddenly became far more organized.
"Damn it! How dare they look down on the great Hyuga Clan!"
Hyuga Nobuhiko's face turned livid. There was clearly nothing in his Byakugan's field of vision, yet enemies now seemed to appear out of thin air one after another, making him feel as though he were being toyed with.
He roared and prepared to prove the Hyuga Clan's strength with the Gentle Fist.
"Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams..."
However, after he had rushed only a few steps forward, the mist around him somehow became incomparably dense, almost thick enough to obscure his own hand from view!
The next moment, his vision became a chaotic blur, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.
But without using the Byakugan, he was practically blind in this dense fog!
"Hahaha, Hyuga trash! What do you have left without your Byakugan?"
An arrogant voice came from within the mist. A tall Kirigakure Jonin named Chitai, with a scar across his face, burst out of the fog.
The kunai in his hand stabbed toward Hyuga Nobuhiko's chest with a piercing whistle.
Hyuga Nobuhiko barely managed to block it, but without the Byakugan's perception and vision, he immediately fell into a disadvantageous position and could only endure Chitai's fierce barrage of attacks.
At the same time, the other Kirigakure ninja launched attacks from all directions under the cover of the dense fog.
Their target was clear: Nohara Rin, dressed as a medic-nin!
During battle, reducing the enemy's numbers was the highest priority.
And medic-nin were undoubtedly the softest targets.
Only elite medic-nin like Tsunade possessed both medical talent and combat prowess.
"Protect Rin!"
Electric arcs flickered in Kakashi's hand as he instantly engaged two Kirigakure Chunin, lightning flashing around them.
Genma Shiranui and Kurenai Yuhi each moved to meet their own opponents.
Nohara Rin became the focus of attention. In an instant, three Kirigakure ninja broke through the outer perimeter and lunged at her.
"Rin, fall back!"
Kiyohara moved!
Clang!
He drew the newly forged ninja sword from his back with a backhanded motion, its blade cutting an arc through the dim light.
With a shift of his feet, he appeared in front of Nohara Rin.
"Ao... he's nearby. I can sense his chakra. He's in that direction."
Young Kiyohara suddenly spoke, obvious fury entering his voice.
Damn it, I never waited overnight to avenge myself when I was alive.
I want to chop off Ao's dog head right now and use it as an offering!
"Got it. Deal with the trouble in front of us first."
Kiyohara's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly calmed Young Kiyohara down first.
No matter what, Ao was quite strong.
Otherwise, in the original story, he would not have been qualified to transplant a Byakugan and enjoy such an honor.
The next moment, facing the ninja sword slashing straight at him, Kiyohara no longer held back. He combined the fundamental swordsmanship comprehension inherited from Young Kiyohara with his own reactions.
With a sidestep, he evaded the downward slash, while the ninja sword in his hand swept upward.
Slash!
The blade precisely cut across the first Kirigakure ninja's wrist. The man screamed, and his weapon fell from his hand.
Almost at the same time, the second Kirigakure ninja's kunai had already stabbed toward Kiyohara's ribs.
Kiyohara exerted strength through his waist and abdomen, his body drifting backward half a step like willow fluff. As he evaded, he twisted his wrist and drove his ninja sword backward into the man's throat.
Pfft!
Clean and decisive!
The Kirigakure ninja's eyes widened as he clutched his spurting throat and collapsed.
Seeing this, the third Kirigakure ninja's eyes flashed with horror, and his movements involuntarily stalled.
Kiyohara seized that instant of opening, chakra erupting beneath his feet!
"Body Flicker Technique!"
His figure flashed, appearing at the man's side as if he had teleported, and his ninja sword slashed horizontally!
The E-rank Body Flicker Technique was one of the most basic techniques among ninja, and Kiyohara had learned it long ago.
Unfortunately, it consumed too much chakra, so Kiyohara rarely used it.
Crack!
Accompanied by the sound of breaking bones and spraying blood, the third Kirigakure ninja was also killed instantly!
In just a few breaths, Kiyohara had slain the three Chunin surrounding Nohara Rin.
"Kakashi, once we've dealt with these Kirigakure ninja, come with me and kill the mastermind at once. There's a commander behind them—that's why they're so organized."
Kiyohara spoke.
After the Seven Swords Convergence, he had to kill Ma Sanniang at the first opportunity.
This was the best chance. If necessary, he could let Young Kiyohara take over for a while.
When enemies met, their eyes burned red with hatred. Kiyohara believed Young Kiyohara would be more than willing to find a way to deal with Ao alongside him.
His foundation was decent now, so he would not be as helpless as when Renegade Kiyohara had possessed him.
"All right."
Kakashi froze for a moment, feeling that Kiyohara's swordsmanship was far more profound than it had been last time.
Could it be an illusion?
He shook his head, feeling only that Kiyohara was gradually revealing his true strength.
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