Dongfang Mao handed the trembling children over to the Night Patrol Bureau members, his voice cold as ice.
"Keep watch over them."
The Night Patrol Bureau members lowered their heads to accept the order, escorting the children swiftly into the depths of the forest.
Dongfang Mao raised his head toward Konoha. The morning light had already dyed half the sky red.
"And... the Hyuga clan."
Then his figure moved. Golden streaks of light tore across the sky once more, and after several leaps, he slipped back through Konoha's barrier.
Konoha was now under full lockdown. Armed ninja could be seen everywhere in the streets, patrols were far denser than usual, and even the air was thick with a tension so intense it seemed frozen solid.
But to Dongfang Mao, all of it was meaningless.
Like a ghostly shadow, he darted through the area at terrifying speed, using the cover of rooftop shadows and the angles between walls.
The Hyuga clan compound was located in northeastern Konoha. Its courtyard was square and meticulously arranged, carrying the solemn air of an ancient clan.
Unlike the Yamanaka clan, the Hyuga compound walls were taller. And because of what had happened to the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, the Hyuga clan was also under lockdown. Several branch-family ninja were vigilantly scanning the surroundings with their Byakugan.
Seeing this, Dongfang Mao could not be bothered to hide any longer.
"Thud."
Two nearly overlapping muffled sounds rang out. Dongfang Mao had already appeared behind the two branch-family ninja guarding the gate, the golden short blades condensed at his fingertips piercing precisely into the backs of their necks. Before they could even activate their Byakugan, the two ninja fell stiffly to the ground, their Byakugan wide with disbelief.
He pushed open the half-closed side gate, taking in the entire scene