When Kawadera Uchiha hurried back to the main camp, the air inside was thick with anxiety.
The Uchiha Clan head had died in battle. The losses and repercussions were immense, but he had taken two Kage-level ninja from Kirigakure with him. It could at least be called a bittersweet victory.
But the Hyuga Clan head had vanished less than a week after arriving at the front lines, without a single achievement to his name, ambushed by the enemy. You couldn't exactly turn that into a happy funeral, could you?
Hane Hyuga paced restlessly outside the command tent. When he suddenly looked up, Kawadera Uchiha almost thought he had seen the Sharingan.
Hane Hyuga's Byakugan was filled with bloodshot veins.
"Ha, weren't you and Jonin Mimata Shimura sent to reinforce your clan head? Why are you here?"
"We were too late when we got there! Seven Mist Ninja had completed their encirclement of the clan head three kilometers away. By the time the clan head detected them, he was already trapped in a massive encirclement!"
This was indeed the clumsiest, yet most effective, method of dealing with the Hyuga Clan.
The Hyuga Clan's Byakugan had an observation range of three kilometers. They naturally couldn't see an encirclement set up beyond that range.
Kawadera Uchiha asked again, "Then why didn't you follow their trail and pursue them? Why did you come back?"
"Jonin Mimata Shimura judged that those seven were too strong. We were no match for them at all. We had to return to the main camp for reinforcements and form a powerful rescue team! I left one clansman behind to continue the pursuit, while Jonin Mimata Shimura and I came back for help."
What rescue? His eyes have probably already been dug out and transplanted, Kawadera Uchiha thought.
The Sage