Unsolved Case! Hayate's Death

"It really is you."

Gaara retracted his sand, seemingly having no intention of attacking.

He walked over slowly, arms crossed over his chest.

Hayate Gekko frowned, looking ready to strike at any moment.

"Don't move."

Neji picked up his mask, and Hayate obediently ceased his movements.

Yet, looking at Neji's face, Hayate was left speechless.

This person of immense strength, who had saved his life from the hands of so many experts, was actually the same examinee who had taken his test just a few days ago!

Could a Genin truly possess such formidable power?

First Temari and Kankuro, now Gaara standing before them, not to mention this mysterious man, Hyuga Neji!

What on earth was wrong with the Genin this year? Their strength was incomprehensibly high!

"However, the most important thing right now is to report this intelligence. He is the enemy, Neji."

Hayate said to Neji.

"Mm, I know."

Neji walked forward, clutching the mask in his hand, and let out a breath.

"You won this time."

Neji admitted with genuine conviction.

Setting aside raw strength, Neji had carefully hidden his abilities and orchestrated this entire performance, only for Gaara to shatter his plans by snatching away his mask.

Now, Neji actually harbored a sliver of hope that Hayate wouldn't notify the Hokage; otherwise, the full extent of his strength would certainly be exposed.

"...No."

Gaara closed his eyes and shook his head slightly.

"You are too strong, increasingly exceeding my imagination. I originally intended to treat you as a mere pastime, but it seems that is not the case. Hyuga Neji, I have remembered you. You truly are a mysterious man who keeps me from feeling at ease until the very end!"

Neji adjusted his breathing and reached out a hand.

"Proctor, you should go first. This place is the battlefield for him and me."

"You..."

Hayate's face showed hesitation.

Gaara, however, turned around and walked away without the slightest hesitation.

"You may leave, but I hope you remember the promise you made to me."

"What?"

Neji swallowed hard; he had already prepared for the worst, so why this sudden piece of good news?

"You must come to defeat me completely; that is what you said."

After Gaara finished speaking, he left without looking back.

Only Neji and Hayate remained, staring at each other in bewilderment.

Under the moonlight, Hayate and Neji moved forward rapidly.

"So that's how it is. You were only hiding your strength to avoid drawing attention, and you only entered the Chunin Exams to prove your strength to your clan members?"

Neji nodded: "Mm, so if possible, please do not expose my identity."

"I will keep your secret."

"Then, I have arrived. You should leave quickly; there is a high chance the Anbu will discover your presence up ahead."

With Hayate having said that, and seeing the Hokage building not far ahead, Neji felt relieved.

"Mm."

Bidding farewell to Hayate, Neji clutched his wound.

The gash on the inside of his left arm still sent pulses of pain from time to time, but it seemed that a layer of resistant chakra was protecting it, dulling the stinging sensation significantly.

Orochimaru's attempt on Konoha would not succeed this time; Neji had done his absolute best by reaching this point.

He had originally wanted to avoid getting involved in these conflicts, as his status within the clan was already incredibly awkward.

Moreover, this was no longer just a conflict between villages; the Chunin Exams a month from now involved the Daimyo, escalating it into a war between nations. If he waded into these muddy waters, he risked losing his head at any moment.

In the night, Neji departed rapidly.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Hayate Gekko.

"The barrier is just ahead."

A powerful barrier had been set up within a hundred-meter radius of the Hokage building; if those people dared to make a move there, they would certainly be detected.

Ten steps away, nine steps...

Feeling somewhat exhausted, Hayate Gekko walked over slowly.

"Hiss..."

A strange sound drifted over, slowly growing denser and more frequent.

Hiss...

Hiss...

"Hm?"

Sensing something was wrong, Hayate rushed toward the barrier.

Three steps away, two steps...

"Ugh!"

Blood splattered everywhere!

In his final moments, Hayate saw something more terrifying than anything he had ever encountered in his life.

That pair of snake-like pupils, a face of extreme, ghastly pale blue under the moonlight—before his consciousness faded, his entire body was swiftly consumed by terror!

"Hehehe..."

Watching the corpse of Hayate Gekko being slowly hoisted up by two giant pythons, Orochimaru smiled with satisfaction.

There were a few specks of blood on his face.

He extended his long tongue to lick them away, his gaze icy and gloomy.

"Hyuga Neji, is it? An interesting fellow."

The night was as silent as water!

"Hayate!"

Looking at Hayate's corpse discarded on the rooftop, Yugao's tears broke like a dam.

The surrounding Anbu teammates all lowered their heads in silent mourning.

Anko Mitarashi stood with her hands behind her back, her expression grave.

"Did you see anything else?" Anko asked a Konoha resident nearby.

The middle-aged man looked flustered. "I, I was a bit drunk last night, I didn't see clearly. That's all I know—it was a boy wearing a mask, he fought five people alone! No, six!"

Anko finally just sighed, walked over to Yugao, and patted her shoulder.

Hokage Building.

In the Hokage office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, looked at the documents on his desk and took the final puff of his pipe.

He removed the conical hat from his head, his gaze aged and incredibly complex.

"Does this have anything to do with Orochimaru?"

After Hiruzen asked, Anko was startled and replied, "No traces of Orochimaru's presence were detected in the vicinity."

"That is only natural."

Hiruzen lowered his head and let out a cold snort. "He was once my most prized student; how could you possibly track his movements?"

The old man saw things very clearly; if Orochimaru wanted to strike at Konoha now, they would be forced to remain the ones standing in the light.

"However, that boy must be the same one I encountered in the Forest of Death. That person is not from the Anbu; his mask was even taken from Yugao," Anko stated firmly.

Hiruzen took a deep breath and exhaled heavily.

"You and Yugao go investigate Hayate's matter first. Send Ebisu in!"

"Yes!"

Shortly after, Anko left the Hokage office with two Anbu, and a man wearing sunglasses and dressed in dark blue Konoha attire walked into the office.

"Lord Third! You summoned me!"

"Ebisu, how has Konohamaru been lately?"

When Hiruzen asked about his grandson, his expression was not as gentle as usual, but rather distracted.

Ebisu sensed something was wrong and paused for a moment.

"Uh... Young Master Konohamaru has been studying diligently lately, saying something about wanting to surpass Naruto-nii-san soon to seize the position of Hokage..."

"That brat!"

Hiruzen exhaled, a scoff tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Hayate Gekko is dead."

As soon as Hiruzen spoke, Ebisu froze, then clenched his fists tightly.

His voice became incredibly heavy in an instant: "Then, if there is any place where you need me to act, please do not hesitate to say so."

"There is no need. The recent Chunin Exams are related to the Daimyo, and this concerns the tense relationship between the entire Konoha and the Land of Fire. Therefore, many jonin at the borders cannot be recalled. When such things happen at a time like this, this ominous premonition is exactly the same as it was twelve years ago..."

"Third Hokage..."

"I am already old. Even if I exhaust the last bit of strength in these waning years, a situation that cannot be salvaged may still arise. Go and find that person; it is time for the position of Hokage to be passed on."

Ebisu slowly raised his head: "This, are you speaking of... that lord, one of the legendary Sannin!"