Rescuing Hinata

Under Shikamaru's command, everyone got out of bed and went to find their respective adults.

Hinata also followed Shikamaru's advice and hid inside the wardrobe.

Uzumaki Menma headed to Danzo's room and pounded hard on the door.

"Grandpa Danzo! Stop sleeping! Get up!"

Yet no matter how Menma hammered on the door, there was no response.

Just then, a Root ninja appeared before Menma.

"Young Master Menma, Lord Danzo just went out. What is it?"

Menma's little brows knitted together.

Why did he have to go out at a time like this?

Never mind.

Menma told the Root ninja, "Gather a group of people and hurry to the Hyuga Clan! I'll head over first!"

After saying that, Menma hurriedly ran out of Root.

The Root ninja was somewhat puzzled. Was that an order?

It should have been an order.

Since it was an order, he would carry it out.

Everyone in Root had long been instilled with one principle.

Uzumaki Menma was equivalent to Danzo.

The Root ninja immediately began gathering ninjas to head for the Hyuga Clan.

In order to reach Root faster, Menma directly performed a summoning.

Although summoning all nine Nine Masked Beasts at once would reduce them to fist-sized forms,

if he summoned only one Nine Masked Beast, it would be roughly the same size as Menma.

"Nine Mask Svāhā! Jade! Celestial Maiden!"

A ring of Chakra appeared above Menma.

The Nine Masked Beast Jade Maiden crawled out of the Chakra ring.

Menma lay on Jade Maiden's back and pointed ahead. "Celestial Maiden, go that way! Hurry!"

Celestial Maiden carried Menma into the air and flew forward.

Elsewhere.

Neji, who was closest to Hinata, found Hizashi Hyuga.

Neji said anxiously, "Father, please hurry to the Clan Head's courtyard. Something may have happened to Hinata!"

Hizashi Hyuga asked in surprise, "Hinata?"

"Yes! We were talking over the radio, and Hinata suddenly said that two people were walking on the roof!"

Hizashi Hyuga immediately turned grave.

"Byakugan!"

Hizashi Hyuga activated his Byakugan and looked toward Hinata's house.

Sure enough, he spotted two furtive ninjas.

Hizashi Hyuga dared not delay. Earlier that night, the Cloud Village Delegation had specifically asked to meet Hyuga Hiashi, the head of Konoha's foremost clan, so Hiashi was not currently in the compound.

After telling Neji to stay there, Hizashi Hyuga immediately rushed toward Hyuga Hiashi's courtyard.

At that moment, the two ninjas on Hinata's roof had already entered her room.

One of them looked at the empty room and asked doubtfully, "The target isn't here?"

The other held a finger to his lips. "Shh. Listen carefully."

The two ninjas pricked up their ears and listened intently.

An extremely faint sound of breathing reached their ears.

The two ninjas simultaneously looked toward the wardrobe where Hinata was hiding, exchanged a signal, and quietly approached.

They opened the wardrobe together and found Hinata hiding inside.

Hinata panicked and was just about to scream when her mouth was covered, and she was knocked unconscious with a sedative.

"Got her. Retreat immediately!"

The two ninjas had only just left the courtyard with Hinata when Hizashi Hyuga, his Byakugan active, spotted them.

Hizashi Hyuga instantly assumed a Gentle Fist stance.

"Eight Trigrams: Mountain Crusher!"

Chakra gathered in Hizashi Hyuga's fists as he charged fiercely at the ninja holding Hinata.

The ninja holding Hinata raised his right arm to block.

But the force of Hizashi Hyuga's punch rivaled that of the Strong Fist, directly cracking the ninja's right arm.

Even so, the ninja did not release Hinata.

The other ninja rapidly formed hand seals.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Strike!"

A bolt of lightning shot from the ninja's hands toward Hizashi Hyuga at incredible speed.

Hizashi Hyuga performed a backflip and swiftly evaded it.

Hizashi Hyuga lowered his body and resumed his stance.

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

Hizashi Hyuga rushed before the ninja holding Hinata.

"Eight Trigrams! Two Palms! Four Palms! Eight Palms! Sixteen Palms!..."

The ninja, struck in an unceasing barrage by Hizashi Hyuga, tried to fight back, only to discover in horror that he could no longer gather Chakra.

And Hizashi Hyuga's assault continued.

"...Thirty-Two Palms! Sixty-Four Palms!"

After Hizashi Hyuga delivered the final palm strike,

the ninja violently spat out blood and, before collapsing, threw Hinata to the other ninja.

However, just as Hinata was in midair, Uzumaki Menma arrived and intercepted her, Jade Maiden's ribbons wrapping around her.

"Uncle Hizashi! Hinata is with me!"

At the sight of Menma, Hizashi Hyuga smiled, then turned to face the remaining ninja.

At most, these two ninjas were only Special Jonin. Against Hizashi Hyuga, a Jonin, they were no challenge at all.

Knowing he was no match for Hizashi Hyuga, the ninja directly bit down on the poison in his molar and killed himself.

Hizashi Hyuga frowned and stepped forward to inspect him, only to find that he was already dead.

He then checked the other ninja, who had been struck by the Sixty-Four Palms and could no longer gather Chakra, and found that he too had taken poison and killed himself.

From the two dead ninjas, Hizashi Hyuga found items that could prove their identities.

Kumogakure forehead protectors!

Hizashi Hyuga's expression became exceptionally grave. "It really was them!"

Menma held Hinata as he directed Jade Celestial Maiden to descend to the ground, then dismissed Celestial Maiden.

Just as Menma was about to step forward and examine the two Kumogakure ninjas, the Root ninjas arrived as well.

At the same time,

a group of people also rushed over.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Hyuga Hiashi, Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Akimichi Choza were among them.

Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Akimichi Choza had been called over by Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji, and they encountered Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others on the way.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had come because Anbu ninjas had been monitoring the Cloud Village Delegation and discovered that two people had quietly left the inn, so they reported it to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

At the time, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Hyuga Hiashi had been receiving several members of the Cloud Village Delegation.

After learning from the Anbu that two members of the Cloud Village Delegation staying at the inn had secretly departed, Hiruzen Sarutobi realized something was wrong and immediately gathered ninjas to rush to the Hyuga Compound.

At first, Hiruzen Sarutobi had wondered why several members of the Cloud Village Delegation wanted to meet him at night and had even asked for Hyuga Hiashi to be present. So this had been their plan.

What Hiruzen Sarutobi and Hyuga Hiashi had not expected was that the Kumogakure ninjas would be so bold as to break into the Hyuga Clan's compound and attempt to abduct Hinata.

Upon seeing the two Kumogakure ninjas on the ground, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Hyuga Hiashi's faces turned livid.

Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered an Anbu ninja:

"Bring every member of the Cloud Village Delegation here!"