The Gift of Parting

Dozens of elite Root and Anbu operatives landed in unison, fanning out across the ruin-strewn courtyard to surround the figure in the black robe at the center.

However, faced with the encirclement of these dozens of elite Anbu, the black-robed figure acted as if they were invisible, not even bothering to lift his head.

"Snap—"

A crisp, piercing sound of bone fracturing echoed through the deathly silence, sending shivers down the spine. The Great Elder's throat was crushed, his aged presence rapidly fading away.

"Squelch!"

Immediately following, in full view of everyone, the black-robed figure flicked his fingers, forcibly gouging out those pair of cloudy Byakugan.

Blood droplets mixed with rainwater splashed into the mud, and the corpse was tossed aside like a bag of worthless trash, rolling several times in the mire.

"...!"

The expressions of every ninja present shifted.

Over a dozen elite Anbu and Root operatives instinctively stepped forward, gripping their weapons tightly.

"Who are you?"

"Why are you attacking Konoha?"

Shimura Danzō walked slowly from the center of the encirclement, his three-tomoe Sharingan rotating beneath his bandages, locking onto every subtle movement of the black-robed figure.

"Konoha..."

The black-robed man chewed on the name, tilting his head. "So this is Konoha..."

He slowly scanned his surroundings.

On the rooftops, walls, and treetops in every direction, a dense crowd of ninjas had him trapped. In the distance, the sound of wind-breaking and footsteps continued; more reinforcements were rushing over at full speed.

It seems I can only kill up to this point...

What a pity, only a few peripheral Main Branch members came...

Hyuga Qinglan surveyed everything with a calm gaze.

Still, three pairs of Main Branch Byakugan is already quite a lot, considering there are fewer than fifteen Main Branch members in the entire Hyuga Clan now...

And that includes those old, dying geezers.

Besides... his body had already been carried away.

His thoughts retracted like silk back to his true self.

At this moment, the real Hyuga Qinglan was lying on a stretcher, being rushed to Konoha Hospital by medical ninjas.

Although the wound on his abdomen looked shocking on the surface, there was no real internal damage. The reason he was so weak was ultimately because he had transferred more than half of his chakra to Qing.

"It's just a pity that my current strength can't handle too many jonin."

Otherwise, there would be no need to consider so much.

If Shimura Danzō were to join forces with the two advisors and engage him head-on, it would be quite troublesome.

That said, Hyuga Qinglan was not the least bit worried about the ninjas arriving one after another.

The puppet he was currently controlling had been sealed by him in his previous life; as long as he performed the hand signs for the Summoning Jutsu, he could instantly return to that cave in Yugakure.

But then again... he should reveal a little bit of this persona.

"Are you the leader of this village?"

"That would be me." Shimura Danzō didn't stand on ceremony, claiming the title immediately.

"Nice eyes..."

Qing spoke indifferently, his gaze landing on the eye faintly glowing with crimson beneath Shimura Danzō's bandages.

Shimura Danzō's heart gave a violent jolt. The two Hokage advisors behind him were filled with confusion.

Was this... mocking Shimura Danzō for having only one eye?

"You may call me... Qing."

Qing slowly removed his hood, revealing a pale face blurred by purple chakra. His long white hair fluttered in the night wind, exuding an otherworldly, eerie aura.

"I came here simply to take back what belongs to me... but I didn't expect the so-called Hyuga Clan to be so disgusting..."

Suddenly, the corners of his mouth curled up, and his tone shifted abruptly.

"However, I've suddenly changed my mind. I don't intend to take the items anymore..."

"Because... I've seen something more interesting."

Those azure-blue eyes locked squarely onto Shimura Danzō's right eye.

"So..."

"Enough talk."

Shimura Danzō cut Qing off directly.

If he let him continue, the Sharingan he had scavenged from the fallen Uchiha would be exposed!

He formed hand seals rapidly before his chest, chakra surging through his body and gathering in his throat along his meridians.

"Wind Style: Vacuum Serial Waves!"

Dozens of spinning wind blades tore through the air, shrieking piercingly as they shot toward Qing.

Seeing this, the two Hokage advisors could only follow suit: Water Style: Water Wild Wave, Fire Style: Flame Bullet.

The remaining ninjas also unleashed their own ninjutsu.

Ninjutsu of the five elements—wind, fire, water, lightning, and earth—interwove into a brilliant yet lethal torrent, pouring down toward Qing at the center.

"Is this your response..."

"Interrupting others while they are speaking is a very impolite behavior."

Amidst the colorful, explosive glare, Qing's figure began to radiate purple chakra. His entire being gradually faded, like a phantom that did not belong to this dimension.

"Since that is the case, then let us meet again next time..."

"As for this..."

His voice came from all directions, sounding as if it were resonating from the bottom of everyone's hearts.

"Consider it a parting gift..."

As the words fell.

A golden light, brilliant to the extreme, erupted suddenly from the center of the explosion!

--

"The supplies have arrived, the front line against Cloud Village has stabilized, and the next step is the decisive battle against Iwagakure..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen walked along the tree-lined path back to the village, his gaze lingering for a moment on Orochimaru, who was walking with him, before shifting away.

As the Hokage, he felt gratified to see his disciple shining so brightly on the battlefield.

Yet, when he thought about how the Feudal Lord had intentionally or unintentionally mentioned Orochimaru in secret reports, even hinting at a change for the position of "Fourth Hokage," his feelings became complicated.

Especially after hearing that Nara Luyan, Orochimaru's direct subordinate, had already entered the Feudal Lord's Palace.

A crisis named "loss of control" was winding around his heart like a vine.

"Orochimaru, for now, you should get some good rest..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen stopped in his tracks, just about to urge Orochimaru to rest well and stop competing, when his body suddenly stiffened, his gaze instantly locking onto the depths of the Forest of Death.

Almost at the same time, Orochimaru, who had been wearing an indifferent expression ahead, also suddenly locked his gaze in that direction.

"Hum--!"

A golden light, brilliant to the extreme, erupted suddenly from the depths of the Forest of Death!

Immediately following, an incomparably terrifying shockwave exploded in a ring; even the two of them, far outside the village, could feel this power.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing a near-absurd shock in the other's eyes.

The village was under attack?!

The next instant, both accelerated, rushing toward the source of the golden light.

When the two arrived at the source of the golden light using their fastest Body Flicker techniques, the scene before them left both men, who had seen their fair share of grand events, stunned.

A massive trench started from Hyuga Qinglan's residence and cut diagonally deep into the distant Forest of Death.

Everything in its path—the trees and even the rock layers of the surface—had been reduced to powder.

And within that trench, the scorching heat of that golden chakra still faintly lingered.

"What... is this power?!"

Orochimaru crouched down, brushing his hand over the smooth, mirror-like cut surface, then glanced at Hyuga Qinglan's residence.

A small white snake slithered out from the grass nearby, silently crawling up his trouser leg and onto his arm, hissing as it flicked its tongue.

Upon hearing that Hyuga Qinglan was still alive, he breathed a sigh of relief.

What followed was an undisguised excitement.

The suspected owner of the scroll...

Could this be the power of the Tenseigan?