Mission

Shimura Danzō did not summon Hyuga Ning. Instead, at the hour of the monkey that afternoon, he set out for the Hyuga Clan Compound, leaning on his cane and accompanied by two guards.

Inside the Hyuga Council Hall.

Many clan elders knelt to one side, while before them sat the infamous Shimura Danzō.

"Hyuga Clan Head, there is an important mission that requires the assistance of your clan's Byakugan.

"The target area has complex terrain, making it extremely difficult to scout. No one but a Byakugan user can handle it.

"Considering the risks, the Main Branch should not be exposed to danger. Choose an elite from the Branch Family instead."

His tone left no room for discussion. It was an order, not a request.

After speaking, he paused, then continued.

"I recall that Hyuga Ning is a capable jōnin in the prime of his career. For the sake of Konoha's greater good, I'm sure the Hyuga Clan won't begrudge us this."

"Besides, he caused Konoha considerable financial losses a few days ago. Sending him on this mission would give him a chance to atone for his mistake."

His words had already seized the moral high ground. By invoking Konoha's interests and subtly alluding to Hyuga Ning's earlier "misdeed," he made it difficult for the clan elders to refuse.

The clan head fell silent for a moment. Knowing the ways of Root and Danzō, he could only nod in agreement.

After all, there were very few jōnin in the Hyuga Clan, and each one was a pillar of the clan. But when he remembered that Hyuga Ning was only a newly promoted jōnin, the loss didn't seem quite so painful.

At that thought, many of the elders looked a little less troubled, and they began ordering someone to summon Hyuga Ning.

Before long, Hyuga Ning was summoned to the council hall. He entered with steady steps, bowed to the clan head and elders, then calmly looked at Danzō.

Danzō looked at him, his tone utterly even.

"Hyuga Ning, there's an important mission that requires your Byakugan. The target is at the border, where the terrain is complex and the risks are considerable. I'll be leading this mission myself. Your job is to provide the most precise visual reconnaissance possible."

Hyuga Ning bowed slightly.

"Yes, Lord Danzō. I'll do everything in my power."

He didn't ask why he had been chosen, nor did he show any emotion, as if this were just an ordinary mission assignment.

But he knew it had to be connected to the conflict a few days ago. Danzō leading the team in person cast an even more ominous shadow over the mission.

Danzō gave a slight nod and said no more. He turned and left the council hall with his guards, as if he had merely come to deliver a simple notice.

By the time Hyuga Ning returned home that evening, it was already late. His wife, Hyuga Yuki, had prepared a warm meal. When she saw him, she came forward to greet him.

"You're back. Have they assigned your mission?" She sensed at once that her husband seemed more serious than usual.

Ning Xue came out of the bathroom too and watched his father quietly.

Looking at his wife and son, Hyuga Ning's stern face softened for a rare moment, but the warmth soon gave way to concern. He sat down at the table and ate a few bites in silence before finally speaking. "Yes, I've been given a mission. I'll be away for a few days."

"Where are you going? Is it dangerous?" Hyuga Yuki asked softly, unable to hide her worry.

As Hyuga Ning's wife, she knew how capable her husband was, but she also understood that any mission that left him looking this serious couldn't be simple.

"To the border, to assist Lord Danzō with a reconnaissance mission."

Hyuga Ning didn't conceal who he'd be working with, but deliberately downplayed the risks. "With the Byakugan, reconnaissance shouldn't be too difficult. It's just a long journey, so I may be gone a little longer."

"Danzō..." Hyuga Ningxue repeated the name under her breath, her brows furrowing.

The leader of Root had a poor reputation in Konoha. Working with someone like him meant uncertainty and potential danger from the outset.

Ning Xue listened quietly, his fingers tightening slightly around his chopsticks.

He remembered what he had vaguely heard about on his way home from school that day.

"The Takamagahara Chamber of Commerce applied pressure, and Konoha yielded."

His instincts told him that things were far from simple. It was very likely because of this that Danzō had personally named his father. He was almost certain this was no ordinary reconnaissance mission. Besides, any mission that required Danzō to lead in person had to be at least an S-rank assignment.

His father's claim that it wasn't too difficult sounded more like an attempt to reassure them.

He didn't press his father with questions or show his worry like an ordinary child. Instead, his expression grew grave, and his usual calm tone was gone.

With a hint of worry in his voice, he looked solemnly at his father and said,

"Father, please be careful."

Hyuga Ning looked at his son, moved. Ever since childhood, the boy had been reserved and thoughtful, far more mature than others his age. Perhaps he had already guessed something. He reached out and gently patted Ning Xue on the shoulder, speaking with quiet reassurance.

"Look after your mother while I'm gone. And don't slack off in your training..."

Ning Xue nodded.

"I understand."

Dinner ended in a subdued atmosphere. Hyuga Yuki quietly helped her husband pack, carefully sorting and wrapping the ration pills and first-aid supplies. Her movements were gentle, but her worry would not fade.

Ning Xue returned to his room and didn't turn on the light. He sat by the window, gazing at the cold moonlight outside. His father's words echoed in his mind. He knew his father might not return from this mission.

That so-called border reconnaissance mission could turn into a hard-fought battle.

War always claimed lives. He sincerely prayed that his father wouldn't be one of them.

Besides, Danzō probably hadn't planned to ask the Hyuga Clan for help in the first place.

But because of that damn chamber of commerce, Danzō had used this opportunity both to settle the score for his losses and to add two excellent tools to his team.

A sense of helplessness crept over him. If his Byakugan had awakened, if he were strong enough, could he change anything? At the very least, he wouldn't have to watch his father walk into danger, unable even to warn or stop him.

In the moonlight, a rare sadness showed in Ning Xue's eyes.

"Power..." he murmured, his voice barely audible in the silent room.

That night, Ning Xue lay awake thinking about many things before finally falling into a deep sleep.

What was he thinking about? Maybe this damn fate, or perhaps the Caged Bird. Who knew?