Actually, I Was Lying

"Lord Zhi, what are we doing here?"

"Knowing too much can be bad for you, Ao."

Hyuga Zhi smiled as he reached beneath a dead tree and pulled out a scroll.

Three years ago, a figure who called himself his "ancestor" had appeared in his dreams. He was not only a wealth of knowledge but also knew the ins and outs of the clans in this world.

This scroll, for example, was a shipment of goods exchanged between two mid-sized clans. But now it belonged to Hyuga Zhi.

It was thanks to his "ancestor" that he had risen from an ordinary Hyuga shinobi to a formidable man who had married the First Elder's daughter.

"Let's go, Ao. We should head back. We're getting a little too close to Senju territory."

"Yes, sir."

Hyuga Ao kept his Byakugan activated as he watched their surroundings. Suddenly, his expression turned grave.

"Sir, Senju shinobi are coming. Three of them... No, we're surrounded."

"?"

The veins beside Hyuga Zhi's eyes bulged as he realized a large group of Senju shinobi had formed a tightening circle around them.

"Stay calm, Ao. We're still far enough away to escape. Follow me. There are fewer of them in this direction. Trap or not, it's our only chance..."

"Yes, sir."

Out of sight of the two men, a half-black figure sat within a circle formed by black markings and quietly lowered his hands.

"Lord, that should do it, right?"

"Nicely done, Hong."

Throughout the long history of the shinobi, there had always been a few unusual developments. These red eyes were one example.

Unlike the Sharingan, this eye had an effect similar to the Byakugan, Black Zetsu had discovered, and could even create Chakra images to fool the Byakugan.

Unfortunately, awakening these Red Eyes was difficult, and those who did awaken them had frail constitutions. Even if they became shinobi, they would never be strong.

Meanwhile, Senju Shinji set off with Hiugo.

Since he was on good terms with Genichi, taking his little brother out for a stroll wasn't a problem.

He still didn't understand why the "Sage of Six Paths" had asked him to bring a child along, but after what had happened with the ninjutsu, he was willing to trust him this once.

"Someone's coming."

Hiugo sensed Chakra approaching fast. He quietly put some distance between himself and Senju Shinji.

Shinji stopped and saw two Hyuga shinobi coming toward him.

One high-level Jonin and one elite Jonin?

Shinji understood why Hiugo had moved away. On his very first mission with him, they had "coincidentally" run into opponents whose strength was exactly one level above their own.

"Ao, capture the brat alive. I'll handle this one."

"Yes, sir."

The two Hyuga shinobi quickly chose their targets.

Senju Shinji said gravely, "Hiugo, look for a chance to run."

"..."

Hiugo glanced at his own legs, then at the other man's long legs, and silently picked up a Kunai.

Hyuga Ao charged straight at Hiugo and thrust out a palm, sending a sharp gust of wind toward him.

"Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!"

"Wood Style: Hotei Technique!"

Hiugo formed Hand Seals. A giant wooden hand burst from the earth and grabbed for his opponent.

The Eight Trigrams: Air Palm only knocked off a few wood chips. It failed to break the hand.

Hyuga Ao looked surprised.

"That's tough. But you're close enough now, brat. Body Flicker Technique!"

Ao darted over the wooden hand and reached Hiugo, throwing a flurry of punches.

"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

Facing the Hyuga Clan's signature chakra-point strikes, Hiugo remained calm and expressionless as he unleashed his own Chakra.

This was the Senju's usual fighting style: flaunting their vast reserves of Chakra.

Ao had underestimated the Chakra Hiugo possessed. If he had attacked directly, Hiugo might have had trouble, but the Gentle Fist was of little use.

Ao's fingers had barely touched Hiugo when they met resistance and bounced away. His follow-up strikes fell out of rhythm. Though he had intended to land sixty-four blows, he had to retreat after only sixteen, since they were having no effect.

Hiugo had no intention of letting him go. Vines burst from the ground, and branches sprouted along them.

The inspiration came from watching Obito use the Ten-Tails to perform the Cutting Technique. By replacing the palms with vines, he could rapidly shoot out branches. Since Hiugo couldn't be bothered to come up with a name, he simply added another word.

"Wood Style: Cutting Technique: Barrage!"

"Eight Trigrams: Heavenly Spin!"

Faced with the dense barrage of branches, Hyuga Ao had no choice but to use the Hyuga Clan's signature defense. His Chakra began to drain rapidly.

As Hiugo maintained his ninjutsu, he continued forming Hand Seals.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball!"

The fireball ignited the branches, increasing their damage. Just as Hyuga Ao was about to be overwhelmed, a powerful gust of wind burst forth and destroyed the vines launching the branches.

Hiugo rolled twice across the ground, got back up, and looked toward Hyuga Zhi.

Senju Shinji had just been knocked back by a palm strike, and now his opponent had successfully joined the other fight. His expression was grim.

The one holding them back wasn't the child. It was him, the adult.

"Hyuga shinobi, you forced me to do this," Senju Shinji thought. He formed Hand Seals, his Chakra draining violently.

"Water Release: Secret Art: Dance of the Abyss!"

Water surged up around Hyuga Zhi, spinning rapidly to encircle the area. Then it accelerated and compressed, slicing his clothes to ribbons.

"Eight Trigrams: Divine Air Strike!"

Sensing the threat of death, Hyuga Zhi no longer hesitated. He used a technique taught to him by his "ancestor" in a dream. It was somewhat like the Eight Trigrams: Air Palm, but several levels more powerful.

He didn't know why the "ancestor" had forbidden him to call a technique powerful enough to be a secret art by that name, insisting it was a flawed technique.

The powerful gust of wind tore through the water and struck Senju Shinji, interrupting his ninjutsu.

The uncontrolled water burst through an opening, unleashing a thunderous explosion.

Hyuga Zhi was covered in blood and slammed into a tree. At the center of the blast, he had taken the full force of the damage.

He understood that his opponent had managed to bring them both down despite being only an elite Jonin because the ninjutsu consumed even more Chakra than his Divine Air Strike.

"Sir!"

Hyuga Ao tried to rush to his aid, but Hiugo blocked him. A faint red glow appeared in the boy's eyes.

"We're not finished yet."

Hyuga Ao's expression turned cold. He stripped off his shirt, revealing the Explosive Tags covering his torso.

"If you keep blocking me, we'll all die together."

Hiugo narrowed his eyes, took a few steps back, and smiled.

"You're loyal, I'll give you that. Why would someone from the Main Family risk his life to protect another member of the Main Family?"

"Lord Zhi is my hero and the future hope of the Hyuga Clan."

"I see. Then go."

Hyuga Ao slowly backed away until he reached Hyuga Zhi. He helped him up. "Sir, let's go."

"Sorry for the trouble, Ao."

Hyuga Ao's expression shifted. "Lord Zhi, you never talk like that."

"Heh, I guess I still need to practice."

"Hyuga Zhi" looked at Hyuga Ao, the corner of his mouth curling into a strange smile.

"You did very well, Ao."

"Genjutsu... How is this possible...?"

Hyuga Ao looked horrified. Only the Senju and Hyuga were present, and while the Byakugan offered some resistance to Genjutsu, who would ever bother preparing to resist Senju Genjutsu?

The boy's voice came from all around them.

"Actually, I was lying."

"None of you are getting away."