Instantaneous Movement, Return to Original Owner

"This is the Hydrification Technique of the Hozuki Clan."

Uchiha Inabi was the first to react, recognizing the origin of the ninjutsu at a glance.

He furrowed his brows, his gaze filled with a measure of wariness as he looked toward Hozuki Mangetsu.

Hozuki Mangetsu raised an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth: "Sharp insight. You are worthy of being a ninja of the Uchiha Clan."

"Rest assured, I bear no malice. I am not here to capture you."

"I saw you emerging from the Kaguya Clan's territory just now; I assume you must be friends from Konoha?"

After speaking, he leaned in closer and got straight to the point: "I wonder if you might be interested in discussing an alliance with us to overthrow the rule of the Third Mizukage together."

Upon hearing this, Aragaki Yasushi felt a surge of amusement.

A Mist Ninja calling three Konoha ninja "friends" and proposing a rebellion to topple the Mizukage's rule.

No matter how one looked at it, it was absurd—it was almost too ridiculous to process.

However, since he had to find Karatachi Yagura anyway, he might as well take the opportunity that had been delivered to his doorstep.

Thus, Aragaki Yasushi said with a calm expression: "No problem. Guests are guests; since you wish to talk, let us talk."

He paused, his gaze sharpening as he looked at Hozuki Mangetsu: "The person behind you must be Karatachi Yagura, I presume?"

Hozuki Mangetsu was clearly taken aback for a moment, then began to laugh: "It seems the Kaguya clan head has already explained everything to you."

Aragaki Yasushi could not be bothered with pleasantries: "Enough stalling. Lead the way; we happen to want to see Karatachi Yagura as well."

Hozuki Mangetsu naturally had no objections.

He had been sent to guide Aragaki Yasushi and his group from the start.

Before leaving, Aragaki Yasushi turned to look at Uchiha Shisui: "Shisui, you stay here and hold the fort."

Shisui nodded with a serious expression: "Rest assured, Jonin Aragaki. I guarantee the mission will be completed."

With Shisui settled, Aragaki Yasushi took Uchiha Inabi and Hyuga Homura and followed Hozuki Mangetsu, quietly heading toward a specific area of Kirigakure.

They had not walked far when Hyuga Homura suddenly stopped in his tracks, his face instantly contorted with rage as he gritted his teeth and whispered: "The one who stole the Byakugan from our Hyuga Clan is here as well."

Aragaki Yasushi understood immediately upon hearing this.

There was no need to ask; it was undoubtedly the Kirigakure Jonin, Ao.

The last time he had slipped away, he had declared that next time, he would gouge those eyes out.

He wondered if he would have the chance today.

Uchiha Inabi, hearing this, uncharacteristically refrained from mocking or ridiculing Hyuga Homura, his expression turning grave.

Like the Hyuga Clan, the Uchiha Clan was a bloodline family famous for their ocular techniques, and they despised nothing more than others forcibly seizing their eyes.

The tragedy that had befallen the Hyuga Clan could just as easily happen to the Uchiha Clan one day.

What's more, the Uchiha Clan did not have the shackles of the Caged Bird Seal.

Any ninja in the clan who awakened the Sharingan could potentially be targeted and have their eyes stolen.

The risk was even greater than that faced by the Hyuga Clan.

Thinking of this, Uchiha Inabi felt a shared sense of hatred; his brows knit tightly together, his eyes filled with disgust.

Although Hozuki Mangetsu was leading the way, he kept observing the expressions of the three men behind him from the corner of his eye. Seeing their faces suddenly darken, he inwardly cursed.

With a moment's thought, he guessed the reason.

The Byakugan on Ao must have triggered Hyuga Homura.

But he dared not ask, so he could only pretend to be oblivious and, biting the bullet, led the three into an inconspicuous residence.

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

And standing behind him was none other than Ao, the man who had stolen the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan.

Besides him stood a charming young woman—the genius of Kirigakure, Terumi Mei, who possessed two Kekkei Genkai.

"Greetings, friends from Konoha."

Karatachi Yagura was the first to break the silence, a friendly smile plastered on his face as he stepped forward and extended a hand, appearing eager for a cordial greeting.

Yet, faced with his overture, Aragaki Yasushi did not respond in the slightest; he did not even look at him.

Aragaki Yasushi stared fixedly at the right eye Ao had covered with an eyepatch.

In the next second, a shrill, agonizing scream echoed through the courtyard.

"Ah! My eye!"

Ao clutched his right eye, trembling violently from the pain as he stumbled backward. The eyepatch was gone, revealing an empty, hollow socket from which blood gushed out as if it were worthless, looking truly horrifying.

Aragaki Yasushi had actually gouged out Ao's Byakugan right in front of everyone!

It was not until Ao's screams died down that the people present finally snapped out of their stupor, their eyes wide with shock.

They had finally realized what had happened.

Too fast!

It was simply too fast!

Karatachi Yagura stiffened in terror, sweat drenching his back as his mind went completely blank.

What had just happened?

He hadn't caught a glimpse of Aragaki Yasushi's movements at all; it felt as if, in the blink of an eye, Aragaki Yasushi had appeared before Ao, gouged out the Byakugan, and returned to his original position in a single instant.

Such speed exceeded the limits of his comprehension.

Even with Aragaki Yasushi standing steadily before him, he could not track the entire process with his naked eye.

Flying Thunder God?

Karatachi Yagura's heart skipped a beat, his instincts immediately jumping to the world-renowned Yellow Flash.

But he quickly dismissed the thought.

No, according to intelligence, the Flying Thunder God required specialized kunai to execute, and Aragaki Yasushi hadn't used a kunai at all.

Could it be the Body Flicker Technique?

But even the fastest Body Flicker Technique couldn't possibly be so swift that his own eyes couldn't track it, right?

This was simply absurd!

At this moment, Uchiha Inabi and Hyuga Homura were also stunned, staring at Aragaki Yasushi in shock, their eyes widened like copper bells.

Neither Uchiha Inabi's Three-Tomoe Sharingan nor Hyuga Homura's Byakugan had managed to capture Aragaki Yasushi's movements.

The two even suspected they were hallucinating, feeling as though Aragaki Yasushi hadn't moved from start to finish and that everything just now had been an illusion.

Yet, the blood-stained, still-warm Byakugan in Aragaki Yasushi's hand made it clear that this was no hallucination!

Aragaki Yasushi calmly raised his hand, opened his palm, and held the dripping Byakugan out toward Hyuga Homura, his tone casual: "Returning this to its rightful owner."

Only then did Hyuga Homura fully snap out of it; he hurriedly took out a sealing scroll and carefully tucked the Byakugan inside, his face filled with gratitude.

The clan's lost Byakugan had returned this easily?

Beside them, Karatachi Yagura's face turned livid. Suppressing the fury in his heart, he gritted his teeth and asked, "What is the meaning of this?"

Aragaki Yasushi let out a scoff, his tone insufferably provocative: "What? Did I gouge your eyes out too? Can't you see for yourself?"

Karatachi Yagura was choked into silence, then roared at Aragaki Yasushi: "Is this how you Konoha people treat your friends?"