The Ninja Academy was on break.
"Once I finish testing my new moves, I'll go find my sweet little Ino and Hinata and the others... best to start building those bonds early~"
"Mm~ and Naruto, Shikamaru, and Choji too... I'm not the kind to forget my friends over girls..."
As usual, Qingwu headed to the back mountain, stretched his limbs, and prepared to test his new moves. He couldn't bear to damage the Small World; every blade of grass and every tree was precious to him.
Suddenly, Qingwu sensed a wave... a whole swath of intense malice coming from afar.
"Hm?! Someone..." Qingwu keenly sensed that malice rapidly closing in on him.
Whoosh, whoosh~
Just then, several dark figures rushed toward Qingwu at astonishing speed. They wore eerie masks and radiated a cold, sinister aura. These people were Konoha's Anbu—Root.
"Hyuga Seigo, come with us. A certain lord wishes to see you~" one Root member said coldly, his tone full of condescension and command.
"This way!!!"
As those words fell, invisible killing intent spilled from their bodies, sweeping through like an icy wind and sending the surrounding temperature plummeting. They had opened with a show of intimidation.
An ordinary child might have wet himself in terror, but Qingwu merely frowned slightly, silently considering their identities and purpose.
"That way of doing things."
"They're not Anbu. They're Root~"
Seeing their attitude, Qingwu understood immediately. "These are that old bastard Danzo's men."
Once he figured that out...
Holy shit~ I've been minding my own business. What do you want with me, you old dog Danzo? Are you really this brazen now?
This is the Hyuga Clan Compound.
And you just barged right in.
That old turtle definitely has something nasty planned. I can't go with them, or things really could get troublesome. I might have to expose some of my strength. Not worth it...
Qingwu waved impatiently. "Move aside. I'm going home, and I don't want to meet this so-called lord of yours."
Root was a pile of shit.
Anyone who got it on them would feel sick.
The lead Root ninja said coldly, "That isn't up to you. Behave yourself, and don't make us get rough."
Lord Danzo had ordered them to bring Hyuga Seigo back at all costs. Their blades went wherever their lord's will directed them.
They didn't care whether he was a child.
Qingwu grinned. "Oh?! You dare lay a hand on me? I don't believe you. This is Hyuga Clan territory."
The Uchiha had only just been wiped out. If Danzo dared provoke the Hyuga Clan now, he would be rattling every major clan's nerves. Things might just explode... and blow Konoha apart.
That would put the entire village at risk of destruction.
Those consequences were no joke.
Surely even a dumbass like Danzo wouldn't be that foolish.
"Dislocate his arms and legs, cover his mouth, and take him away," the leader said in a muffled voice. Putting the bigger picture first meant nothing to him. In his mind, Lord Danzo's orders came before everything.
"You rats in the gutter, are you sure you want to try?!"
Qingwu clapped his hands.
"Lord Qingwu~"
A group of Branch Family Guardian Ninja with Byakugan appeared and bowed respectfully to Qingwu. Then they took up fighting stances opposite the Root ninja. "Bastards~ what do you intend to do to Lord Qingwu? With us here, you won't get your way~"
"Hyuga Seigo, think carefully about the consequences. Opposing the Anbu—is your Hyuga Clan trying to betray the village?"
The Root ninja threatened him coldly.
Betray the village?!
Qingwu was stunned. Was this Root ninja an idiot? He really would say anything. "Betray the village?! Is that for you to decide?"
"Our lord represents the will of the village leadership. Hyuga Seigo, surrender at once and submit to an investigation." The Root ninja seemed accustomed to slapping grave accusations on people and thought Qingwu would be easy to control.
"How impressive. You used that excuse to wipe out the Uchiha, and now you want to wipe out the Hyuga too?! Go ask that old dog Danzo whether he dares come here and say that~"
Qingwu's expression instantly turned cold. These bastards tossed out one sweeping accusation after another. Why were Danzo's Anbu all so brainless? Accusing the Hyuga of betraying the village inside the Hyuga Clan Compound?! What a dumbass~
The Hyuga Guardian Ninja's faces darkened. These fuckers had no shame whatsoever. They were openly fabricating charges now, were they? Damn it, they knew none of these Root bastards were any good.
"Bastard~ how dare you insult Lord Danzo! Do you know how much he's sacrificed for Konoha?"
"Die." The lead Root ninja was apparently a fanatical Danzo worshipper. The moment he heard Qingwu insult Danzo, he lost control and attacked, intent on killing him.
"Kill~ long live Lord Danzo!" The other Root ninja followed his example and attacked.
"Bastards~" the Hyuga Guardian Ninja roared. Just how little respect did these people have for the Hyuga to attack so brazenly in their own Clan Grounds? For the proud Hyuga Clan, it was utterly intolerable.
"Roar~" "Clang, clang~" "Crack, crash~"
And so the two sides erupted into fierce combat.
Outnumbered, Root was quickly forced back. The Branch Family drew the battlefield far away from Qingwu, but their reservations kept them from striking to kill, giving Root a chance to catch their breath instead.
"Hyuga Seigo, you must come with us today."
"And beg Lord Danzo's forgiveness. Otherwise, your Hyuga Clan won't be able to bear the consequences~"
Watching Root persist relentlessly...
Qingwu grew irritated.
"Withdraw~ stand aside." Qingwu's tone was calm, yet utterly beyond question. He could barely conceal his killing intent anymore.
"Yes~"
The Hyuga Branch Family Guardian Ninja immediately stepped aside respectfully.
"Annoying rats. Die."
Qingwu swept his hand.
Countless weapons formed from Yin-Yang Release—sabers, spears, swords, halberds, axes, battle-axes, knives, forks, and everything in between.
Stab, stab, stab~
"Aaaah~ aaaah~"
They couldn't block them. They couldn't block them at all. The Root ninja could do nothing but scream and desperately defend themselves.
"Lord Danzo, you were wrong~ this brat isn't some sickly weakling. He's a demon..."
"Lord Danzo..." Those were Yamanaka Ryuya's final conscious thoughts.
Weapons made from Yin-Yang Release Black Receivers.
They pierced jutsu and defenses alike.
Within mere seconds, the Root ninja had been skewered like hedgehogs, their Chakra sealed by Yin-Yang Release Black Receivers. Each was left barely alive. No sense wasting them.
"Clean this up. Remember, all was calm in the Hyuga Clan today. Nothing happened." Qingwu gave his instructions to the awestruck Hyuga Branch Family members.
"Yes, Lord Qingwu."
The Branch Family Guardian Ninja immediately answered respectfully, then divided up the cleanup... wiping the ground... removing the traces...
They knew it too.
They couldn't admit to something like this, or they really would be branded missing-nin. The village leadership was perfectly capable of doing that; the Uchiha were proof. Yes, Lord Qingwu was right. All was calm today.
If anyone dared come take a Hyuga away for investigation...
The Great Elder would smash their damned skulls.
At the thought of the rejuvenated Great Elder's ferocious fighting form, the Branch Family Guardian Ninja couldn't help showing a hint of fervor.
With the Great Elder here...
"Heh~ just because I want to build up my strength doesn't mean you get to tug on this tiger's whiskers~"
"If a grasshopper jumps around too much, I'll just stomp it to death."
After watching the Branch Family finish cleaning up the scene, Qingwu left. As for those Root ninja, wouldn't they make fine nutrients for the Small World?
Danzo, you've already given me a reason to kill you.
Before you continue