Teleport, Returning What Was Taken

"This is the Hozuki Clan's Hydrification Technique."

Uchiha Inabi was the first to react. He recognized the origins of the technique at a glance.

His brow furrowed, and he looked at Hozuki Mangetsu with a hint of wariness.

Mangetsu raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth curling into a faint smile. "Good eye. You're every bit the Uchiha Clan's ninja."

"Relax, I mean you no harm. I'm not here to capture you."

"I just saw you coming out of the Kaguya Clan's compound. I assume you're friends from Konoha, right?"

After speaking, he leaned closer and got straight to the point. "Would you be interested in discussing an alliance with us? Together, we can overthrow the Third Mizukage's rule."

After hearing him out, Aragaki Yasushi was delighted.

A Kirigakure ninja was calling three Konoha ninja friends, then asking them to join a rebellion and overthrow the Mizukage.

It was absurd no matter how you looked at it—utterly ridiculous.

But he needed to find Karatachi Yagura anyway, and he wasn't about to pass up an opportunity that had landed right in his lap.

So Aragaki Yasushi replied calmly, "No problem. A guest is always welcome. Since you want to talk, let's talk."

He paused, then fixed Hozuki Mangetsu with a sharp gaze. "The person behind you must be Karatachi Yagura, right?"

Mangetsu was clearly taken aback for a moment, then laughed. "Looks like the Kaguya Clan head has already explained everything to you."

Aragaki Yasushi couldn't be bothered with small talk. "Let's not waste time. Lead the way. We'd like to meet Karatachi Yagura too."

Mangetsu had no objections.

He had been planning to lead Aragaki Yasushi and the others there in the first place.

Before leaving, Aragaki Yasushi turned to Uchiha Shisui, who was standing off to the side. "Shisui, stay here and keep watch."

Shisui nodded earnestly. "Understood, Aragaki Jonin. I'll make sure the mission is completed."

After leaving Shisui behind, Aragaki Yasushi took Uchiha Inabi and Hyuga Homura and followed Hozuki Mangetsu quietly in the direction of Kirigakure.

They hadn't gone far when Hyuga Homura suddenly stopped. Anger flashed across his face, and he gritted his teeth as he lowered his voice. "The person who stole our Hyuga Clan's Byakugan is here too."

Aragaki Yasushi understood immediately.

It had to be Ao, the Kirigakure jonin.

When Aragaki Yasushi had escaped last time, he'd threatened to pluck Ao's eye out the next time they met.

He wondered if he'd get the chance this time.

Hearing this, Uchiha Inabi unusually refrained from mocking Hyuga Homura. His expression turned grave as well.

Like the Hyuga Clan, the Uchiha Clan was a bloodline clan renowned for its ocular techniques. Nothing enraged them more than someone taking their eyes by force.

The tragedy that had befallen the Hyuga Clan could happen to the Uchiha Clan someday, too.

What's more, the Uchiha Clan had no Caged Bird Seal to restrain its members.

Any ninja in the clan who awakened the Sharingan could become a target and have their eyes stolen.

The risk was even greater than for the Hyuga Clan.

Thinking of this, Uchiha Inabi felt the same indignation. His brow furrowed, and his eyes filled with loathing.

Though Hozuki Mangetsu was walking ahead to lead the way, he kept watching the three behind him from the corner of his eye. When he saw their expressions suddenly darken, he thought, This is bad.

He quickly figured out why.

Ao's Byakugan must have provoked Hyuga Homura.

But he didn't dare ask about it. Pretending not to know anything, he steeled himself and led the three into an inconspicuous residence.

As soon as they entered, Karatachi Yagura appeared before them.

Standing behind him was Ao, the man who had stolen the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan.

There was also a charming young woman with them: Terumi Mei, Kirigakure's genius, who possessed two Kekkei Genkai.

"Welcome, friends from Konoha."

Karatachi Yagura broke the silence first. With a friendly smile, he stepped forward and held out his hand, as if hoping to exchange pleasantries.

But Aragaki Yasushi didn't respond to his greeting. He didn't even look at him.

Instead, Aragaki Yasushi stared fixedly at Ao's right eye, which was covered by an eyepatch.

The next second, a shrill scream rang through the residence.

"Ah! My eye!"

Ao clutched his right eye, his whole body trembling with pain as he stumbled backward. The eyepatch had vanished, revealing an empty socket. Blood poured out as if there were no end to it, making for a horrifying sight.

Right in front of everyone, Aragaki Yasushi had dug out Ao's Byakugan!

Only after Ao's scream died away did the people present come to their senses. Their eyes widened in shock.

They finally understood what had happened.

Too fast!

It had happened far too fast!

Karatachi Yagura froze in terror, drenched in sweat, his mind completely blank.

What had just happened?

He hadn't caught a glimpse of Aragaki Yasushi. All he'd seen was a blur. In an instant, Aragaki Yasushi seemed to have appeared before Ao, plucked out the Byakugan, and returned to his original spot.

That speed was beyond anything he could comprehend.

Even with Aragaki Yasushi standing right in front of him, he hadn't been able to follow what happened with his naked eye.

Flying Thunder God?

Karatachi Yagura's heart lurched, and he instinctively thought of the Yellow Flash, famous throughout the Ninja World.

But he quickly dismissed the idea.

No. According to the intelligence reports, the Flying Thunder God required specially made Kunai to use, and Aragaki Yasushi hadn't used any.

Could it have been the Body Flicker Technique?

But even the fastest Body Flicker Technique couldn't be so fast that he couldn't follow it with his naked eye, could it?

This was absurd!

Uchiha Inabi and Hyuga Homura were just as stunned. They stared at Aragaki Yasushi, their eyes wide as saucers.

Neither Uchiha Inabi's Three-Tomoe Sharingan nor Hyuga Homura's Byakugan had managed to catch sight of Aragaki Yasushi.

They even wondered if they were hallucinating, if Aragaki Yasushi hadn't moved at all and everything they'd just seen had been an illusion.

But the bloody Byakugan in Aragaki Yasushi's hand, still warm to the touch, made it crystal clear that this wasn't an illusion!

Aragaki Yasushi calmly raised his hand and opened his palm, offering the blood-dripping Byakugan to Hyuga Homura. His tone was casual. "Returning what was taken."

Only then did Hyuga Homura fully react. He hurriedly took out a sealing scroll and carefully stored the Byakugan inside, his face full of gratitude.

The Byakugan his clan had lost had really been returned just like that?

Karatachi Yagura's face turned ashen. Suppressing his fury, he gritted his teeth and demanded, "What do you mean by this?"

Aragaki Yasushi scoffed, his tone unbearably insolent. "What? Did I pluck your eye out too? Can't you see for yourself?"

Karatachi Yagura was left speechless, then roared at Aragaki Yasushi, "Is this how Konoha treats its friends?"