So fast?! How could this be?!
The ninjas from Kumogakure were terrified. They had never imagined Konoha had such a powerful fighter—and he was only a boy.
No! Find a way to escape! We have to tell Lord Raikage!
The two ninjas exchanged a glance, then fled in opposite directions.
Seeing them try to escape without letting go of Hinata, Fei Shi found it amusing. They were struggling to save their own lives, yet still clung to their hostage. They didn't realize that when the gap in strength was too great, a hostage would only hasten their deaths.
Fei Shi spread his hands and clenched them toward the two fleeing ninjas.
"Gravity!"
Whoosh!
The two ninjas, running for their lives, were seized in his grasp.
"Well, well. Why have you stopped running?"
"Hinata! Who did this? Who would dare kidnap my daughter?!"
Hyuga Hiashi's furious roar, like a lion's, rang out from the Hyuga Clan's grounds. Soon, Hyuga Hiashi, Hizashi Hyuga, and a crowd of Hyuga Clan ninjas arrived.
"What happened?"
Just then, Hiruzen Sarutobi hurried over in combat gear, carrying his staff and wearing old cloth shoes.
He knew the chakra Fei Shi had released and had thought a powerful enemy was attacking Konoha. He hadn't expected to find two... weaklings.
"What happened?"
Seeing that the situation was under control, Hiruzen Sarutobi asked again.
"Ah, these two ninjas didn't know their place. They kidnapped my little niece, Hinata Hyuga, the young lady of the Hyuga Clan."
"Who are they?"
"Ninjas from Kumogakure. They were part of today's envoy group. Heh, the Land of Lightning. They really came like a weasel paying respects to a chicken—with no good intentions."
Sharingan, activate!
Hinata had fallen unconscious under the genjutsu. Fei Shi then acted decisively, snapping the necks of the two Kumogakure ninjas.
Hiruzen Sarutobi furrowed his brow.
Fei Shi walked up beside him and said quietly,
"Don't worry. I'll take care of everything."
Hiruzen Sarutobi raised an eyebrow and couldn't help asking,
"How strong are you now?"
He had fought Fei Shi and lost. He had lost even after giving it his all. The only technique he hadn't used was the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, though he also doubted he could catch Fei Shi with it.
"Unrivaled in this era. Even if the First came back to life, I could still go a few rounds with him."
"Hiss!"
A monster! A monster beyond even a genius! Hahahaha! Hahahaha! The heavens have blessed Konoha!
Hiruzen Sarutobi was overjoyed. Konoha wouldn't have to keep acting timidly anymore. If other villages dared to invade, they'd lose a hand.
By then, other ninjas had also arrived. When they heard about Kumogakure's shameless actions, they all said they wanted to fight and teach them a lesson.
Of course, Fei Shi was the one fanning the flames, and Hiruzen Sarutobi was helpless to stop him. He didn't think it was a bad thing, either. After all, the others wouldn't need to fight. It was good to raise their spirits a little. Constantly backing down would only make their enemies more arrogant and disappoint their subordinates. He understood that much. Besides, Fei Shi had subtly said that he could handle everything alone, so what was there to worry about? Once Fei Shi grew up, Hiruzen could hand the position over to him and retire. The seat of Hokage was not an easy one to hold; staying in it too long could corrupt a person's heart.
The next day, the other Kumogakure envoys, having received word that their comrades had died, went to the Hokage and demanded an explanation and the killer's surrender. As for their own attempt to kidnap the Hyuga Clan's young lady, they shamelessly denied it.
Hiruzen Sarutobi brought them to Fei Shi, who was staying at the Hyuga Clan's compound.
As they entered the Hyuga Clan's grounds, dozens of Byakugan turned toward them. Veins bulged around the eyes of every person staring at them, sending an inexplicable chill down their spines. Lωxδ9.org
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help shivering.
Can you imagine what it feels like to have dozens of pairs of Byakugan staring at you coldly, their owners' faces expressionless?
No, unless you've experienced it yourself, you can't know.
Even though their glares weren't aimed at him, a chill ran down his spine, as if he'd done something wrong.
If Fei Shi could read minds, he would have been unable to resist commenting: That's right! You did something wrong for the sake of the bigger picture, and it led to Hizashi Hyuga's death.
But there had been no other choice. Konoha had truly been in a dire state back then, and this had been the only way to secure peace.
As for now... heh, heh, heh.
"Lord Hokage, who are these people?"
Hyuga Hiashi asked, though he already knew the answer. He made no effort to hide the killing intent in his eyes.
"Well, they say someone killed their ninjas from Kumogakure, and they're demanding that the killer be handed over. So I brought them to meet him."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked utterly unconcerned.
There was no helping it. Fei Shi had killed them, so Hiruzen had nothing to worry about.
Hyuga Hiashi wasn't stupid. He understood that Hiruzen Sarutobi had brought these people over to their deaths, so he promptly sent someone to fetch Fei Shi.
"Heh, you people from Kumogakure really are shameless. You can turn black into white."
"Hmph, I don't know what you're talking about, but it's a fact that you killed our people. A life for a life. Otherwise, we'll go to war!"
"He killed them. If you can capture or kill him yourselves, then you can have your life for a life. If you can't, blame your own weakness. And if you want war, then let's have war."
Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke calmly.
"Hmph, Hokage. Do you think we're fools? You're using someone else as a shield, but they died to the Gentle Fist."
Hearing that, Hyuga Hiashi looked at Fei Shi, at a loss for words.
Fei Shi shrugged innocently, but still replied,
"Then how do you explain them showing up in the Hyuga Clan's grounds in the middle of the night?"
The Kumogakure ninja sneered.
"Heh, you killed them yourselves and dumped their bodies there, then made up a story about them kidnapping the Hyuga Clan's young lady. Think about it: we came here to seek peace. What would we gain from causing trouble?"
"I see," Fei Shi said with a chuckle. "I thought the clan leader had been practicing his punches, and they'd walked into them at night because they couldn't see."
Anyone could make things up.
Still, no one would have expected the defeated side to cause trouble in the territory of the victors. They were trying to exploit that loophole.
Heh. In the face of absolute power, every scheme and trick was bullshit.
"You! Hokage, how dare you treat such a serious matter so casually? If you don't give us an explanation and hand over the killer, we'll go to war!"
"Hmph!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi snorted coldly, and his aura erupted. The Kumogakure ninjas couldn't help taking several steps back.
Damn it! He's so old, yet his aura is still this terrifying!
"What gives you the nerve to address me so bluntly as Hokage? Even your Raikage A wouldn't dare speak to me like that. You've got some nerve. If you want war, then let's have war! It'll be a fine chance to avenge our comrades who died at the hands of Kumogakure."
"Long live Lord Hokage!"
"Long live Lord Hokage!"
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
"Show those little bastards from Kumogakure what Konoha's ninjas can do!"
Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was feeling on top of the world, Fei Shi suddenly interrupted him, leaving him hanging and thoroughly uncomfortable.
"Lord Hokage, leave it to me. I can flatten Kumogakure all by myself."
"Good. Go ahead."
Before you continue