Still Too Kind

As a principled Senju ninja, Hiugo collected Zuocheng's body and absorbed the remnants of his bloodline power.

In this era, being able to leave behind an almost intact corpse after death was a kind of good fortune. Some people couldn't even be found afterward. Zuocheng, for example, had ended up with his head smashed to pieces.

After "feeding" twice in a row, the hunger had only grown stronger, as if he'd flipped on a switch that made him want to "eat."

A faint glint flashed in Hiugo's eyes. Black saplings began to sprout beneath his feet, but the blood-red space didn't respond to his Wood Style. It seemed his actual power still wasn't strong enough to meet the requirements.

The Sage Body was about steady progress and building strength over time, unlike the Sharingan, which could suddenly erupt with power when its user was emotionally stirred.

"So Tianyi really died. What a waste of his Shikotsumyaku."

Kaguya Hakujin cursed. As their leader, he was fairly strong, and he'd been able to keep an eye on the battlefield even while fighting.

Senju Xiangyang tightened his grip on his katana and said coldly,

"How could ninjas like you, who lose control and turn to killing as soon as you gain power, understand Zuocheng's resolve? Everything he achieved today came from years of training, one step at a time."

"Ridiculous. You're obviously jealous of our power. If it weren't for that boy, Tianyi would've won."

"Do you think that's something to be proud of? Did your Kaguya Clan sell its brains to the Land of Water?"

"Bastard!"

As the two fought, a short figure ran over.

Senju Xiangyang scolded him. "He's an elite jonin. Your jutsu isn't strong enough to kill him."

"So I'll provide support. I'll leave the killing to you, senior."

Hiugo replied calmly. He'd memorized quite a few Wood Style techniques while studying with Hashirama earlier.

Wood Style: Wood Binding

Black, vine-like saplings suddenly sprouted beneath Kaguya Hakujin's feet. They grew rapidly, clamping around him and trapping him in place.

Dance of the Larch

Kaguya Hakujin sneered. Bone spikes erupted all over his body, shattering the wood in an instant. The difference in the density of their Chakra was immediately apparent.

Senju Xiangyang had always been curious about Wood Style. After carefully sensing the situation, he realized Kaguya Hakujin had used more Chakra than usual, and some of it remained in the broken wood.

"A jutsu that can absorb an opponent's Chakra. So this is the Senju Clan's Kekkei Genkai."

"Funny thing is, against other ninjas, they might've noticed right away. But against the Kaguya..."

Senju Xiangyang gave a cold smile. He'd learned long ago that showing mercy to an enemy was cruelty to oneself, so he immediately charged in with his sword.

Hiugo used Wood Binding and Cutting Technique to interfere. As the battle dragged on, Kaguya Hakujin began to realize something was wrong.

Why was his Chakra running out so quickly? Nothing like this had ever happened in his past battles.

He wasn't stupid, but the lessons he'd received since childhood, combined with the influence of his Kekkei Genkai, had made him overlook the problem.

Hiugo continued using jutsu. Wood Binding was a weaker version of Wood Style: Tree Binding Eternal Burial. Since its purpose was to hinder his opponent rather than kill him, Hiugo cast it casually to harass him.

He could feel his opponent's bloodline essence and Chakra being absorbed at a slow pace. It wasn't as quick as absorbing them through branches, but it was more discreet and didn't require a fight to the death.

Dance of the Wandering Fish

Kaguya Hakujin charged at Senju Xiangyang, then leaped into the air. With bone spikes covering his body, he darted through the air like a fish.

Earth Release: Earth Flow River

Earth Release: Earth Wall

The ground beneath Senju Xiangyang turned into a flowing mass of mud, while a wall of earth rose behind him. It was clear that the wall was meant for Hiugo.

After weaving through the mud, Kaguya Hakujin lost most of his speed and was stopped by Senju Xiangyang.

"Get out of my way!"

Kaguya Hakujin had begun thinking about escaping, but he still sounded furious. Just then, his body trembled, and pain spread through him.

His "illness" had flared up. The Kaguya Clan's medicine could indeed suppress its effects, but it only treated the symptoms, not the cause. The medicine was also precious; he couldn't simply get more as soon as a battle was over.

Hiugo's Wood Style could absorb the essence of his bloodline, increasing the chance of an attack without him realizing it. Otherwise, Kaguya Hakujin had enough control over his body to avoid making such a mistake.

Senju Xiangyang had spent years on the eastern battlefield, and he was the first to notice something was wrong.

He struck again and again with his katana. Unlike Zuocheng's chaotic blade technique, this wide, powerful style was more in keeping with the Senju Clan's usual approach.

Kaguya Hakujin kept retreating. He had no conviction that would make him fight to the death, nor did he have the Cursed Seal of Heaven like Kimimaro would in the future. The flare-up of his "illness" had already thrown the battle off balance.

He'd drawn the bones back into his body, leaving only two bone blades in his hands.

"Retreat!"

Kaguya Hakujin shouted and used Dance of the Bracken. It was the same technique, but with the Chakra of an elite jonin, the bone spikes rose a full five meters high. Thick and intertwined, they formed a wall of bone.

Of the Kaguya Clan's original six, only three remained. The Senju had outnumbered them, but they'd also lost one person and suffered one serious injury.

"Should we pursue them?"

Hiugo asked.

The three injured Kaguya ninjas were fleeing. If they pursued them, there was a good chance they could finish them off.

Senju Xiangyang shook his head, his gaze fixed on Hiugo.

"No need. Kaguya Hakujin's 'illness' has flared up. Given his constitution, he won't be able to fight at full intensity for two months. It's not worth risking our men for the sake of two Kaguya ninjas."

"If we're patient, the Kaguya Clan will fall sooner or later. But we won't live to see it. The rest will be up to you young ones."

Hiugo nodded. As long as they stayed steady, they'd eventually defeat a bunch of sickly opponents.

"Thank you for your hard work, seniors. Leave the tiring job of cleaning up the battlefield to me."

"It doesn't feel right to make a little kid do the dirty work..."

"Senior, once we're on the battlefield, we have to do our part. I have to be able to answer for myself—and for my father."

Senju Xiangyang nodded approvingly and let Hiugo handle the ninja corpses.

There were two ways to dispose of bodies: burning them or burying them. The Senju Clan was skilled in Earth Release, so they dug a hole and buried them. It wasn't because the Senju were kind to their enemies; rotting corpses could spread disease.

This was especially true of Kaguya Clan members who possessed Shikotsumyaku. Their bones were constantly exposed to the air and then drawn back into their bodies. They were already sickly ninjas to begin with.

If you asked Hiugo, the Senju were just too kind. They should've bundled up the corpses and dumped them on the Kaguya side. The Senju were proficient in Earth Release and Water Release, so they could alter the terrain, making it much harder for the Kaguya to dump the bodies back.

That would make their illness even worse, and the Kaguya Clan would fall much sooner.

Of course, that was just a thought. If he actually said it aloud, he'd definitely get a lecture for desecrating the dead. Besides, the Senju Clan was a major clan, and such an act would damage their reputation.

Hiugo had also seen the excrement warfare tactic in his previous life. If he'd scattered filth across the battlefield, he'd probably have been no less guilty than someone who betrayed his own clan.

As far as Hiugo could tell, the Senju's current limit was probably "backstabbing an ally"—and even then, only in a situation where they'd made an alliance but didn't go help.

After secretly absorbing the three Kaguya ninjas, Hiugo buried them in a place the Senju had prepared. The Senju continued repairing the wall.