Eyes Outside the Hospital Room

The third-floor corridor of Konoha Hospital was thick with the smell of disinfectant.

Hyuga Xiao carried a basket of fruit as he walked steadily toward the nurses' station. He wore the standard light-gray kimono of the Branch House today, with bandages wrapped around his forehead—a cover for the "Caged Bird Seal" curse mark, and standard public attire for Branch House members.

"I'm visiting an injured colleague." He placed the fruit basket on the counter, his voice gentle. "During Chunin Ninja Exams training, Yamashiro Aoba from our team was injured."

The nurse on duty looked up at him, her gaze lingering briefly on the bandages around his forehead before she lowered her head to check the registry.

"Room 307." The nurse handed him a visitor's pass. "Twenty minutes."

"Thank you."

Xiao took the card and headed deeper into the corridor. His pace was neither hurried nor slow, his eyes naturally sweeping over the room numbers on either side—305, 306, 307.

He stopped outside Room 307 and knocked.

Yamashiro Aoba's somewhat weak voice came from inside. "Come in."

Xiao pushed the door open. Yamashiro Aoba was alone in the room, his left arm wrapped in bandages and suspended against his chest. He was leaning against the headboard, reading a book on ninja theory.

"Xiao?" Yamashiro Aoba looked surprised. "What brought you here?"

"I heard you were injured, so I came to see you." Xiao set the fruit basket on the bedside table, his tone sincere. "I'm grateful for your guidance in taijutsu during training."

Yamashiro Aoba smiled. "The Branch House kid has manners, at least. Sit."

Xiao sat in the chair beside the bed, and the two talked about matters from the training grounds. Yamashiro Aoba was not particularly talkative, but he was fairly gentle with juniors. During their conversation, Xiao's gaze occasionally drifted toward the window "by accident."

From this angle, he could see the door to the special room diagonally opposite them.

That door differed from the other hospital rooms—three pale-purple paper talismans were affixed around its frame. The sealing formulae painted in cinnabar on them glimmered faintly beneath the fluorescent lights. They were barrier talismans, a triple-layered model generally used to detain dangerous ninja or seal unusual chakra.

Two men in dark-gray uniforms sat on the bench outside the room.

They did not move, like a pair of statues.

Root observers.

A faint blue gleam flashed deep within Xiao's pupils.

Byakugan: X-Ray Vision.

His vision passed through the wall, and the scene within the room became clear—

Mitaraishi Anko lay on the hospital bed, her complexion so pale it was nearly translucent. On the right side of her neck, the snake-shaped Curse Mark emitted an ominous dark-purple glow. The light wriggled like a living thing, drawing a thread of chakra from Anko's body with every movement.

Three medical ninja stood by the bed. Their leader, a middle-aged female medical ninja wearing glasses, frowned as she examined the chart in her hands.

"The rate of chakra loss has increased again." Her voice carried through the wall, filled with suppressed anxiety. "What did the Sealing Team say?"

"The barrier has been reinforced to three layers, but it can only slow it down, not stop it." The young medical ninja beside her spoke quietly. "Her body is like a leaking container. Chakra is constantly escaping through that Curse Mark. At this rate..."

He did not finish the sentence.

But Xiao understood the female medical ninja's lip movements: three days.

At most, Mitaraishi Anko's chakra would be completely depleted in three days. When that happened, her vitality would drain away as well.

Anko seemed to be half-conscious on the bed. Her lips moved faintly, but no sound emerged. The fingers of her right hand curled unconsciously, her fingertips scratching faint marks into the bedsheet.

It was a code.

Xiao's pupils narrowed slightly.

Even while unconscious, Anko was using basic ANBU signals to convey a message—not a plea for help, but a warning.

"Dan...ger..."

"Leave..."

Whom was she warning?

Xiao withdrew his gaze, his expression remaining calm. Yamashiro Aoba was recounting an encounter with a Hidden Rock ambush during his last mission. At a crucial point in the story, he even gestured with his injured arm.

"So, you can never let your guard down on the battlefield." Yamashiro Aoba concluded. "Even when the enemy seems weaker than you."

"You're right, Senior." Xiao nodded in agreement while calculating rapidly in his mind.

A triple-layered barrier, two Root observers on rotation—from the faint creases in their uniforms, he judged that the pair had been sitting there for at least four hours. They would be changing shifts soon.

There would be an opening of roughly thirty seconds during the handover.

The medical ninja conducted rounds once every two hours. The next round would be in an hour.

Anko's life countdown: seventy-two hours.

Time was tight, but there was still room to maneuver.

"By the way, Senior," Xiao suddenly said, with exactly the right amount of curiosity in his voice, "the room across from yours looked rather unusual when I came in. There are so many talismans on the door."

Yamashiro Aoba's expression turned serious at once.

He lowered his voice. "Don't ask about that room."

"I'm sorry. I was being presumptuous." Xiao immediately apologized, though he let a suitable trace of unease show in his eyes. "I was just... worried. Setting up a barrier of that level inside a hospital means whoever is in there must be extremely dangerous..."

"If you know it's dangerous, don't pry." Yamashiro Aoba cut him off, though his tone softened somewhat. "That's a joint matter for ANBU and the Medical Division. Ordinary ninja like us only need to do our own jobs."

"Yes."

Xiao lowered his head, putting on the appearance of someone who had taken the lesson to heart.

But his ears caught the faint sound of footsteps in the corridor—soft, yet rhythmic, the stride of professionally trained ninja.

It was time for the shift change.

"It's about time, Senior. Please get some rest." Xiao rose and bowed politely. "I'll come visit you another day."

"Mm, go on." Yamashiro Aoba waved him off. "Don't train too hard. You Branch House... sigh, never mind. Go."

Xiao left the room and gently closed the door behind him.

In the corridor, the two Root observers had already risen. Two new Root members were approaching from the staircase. The four exchanged a few quiet words during the handover, their voices so low that even Xiao's Byakugan could only catch scattered syllables.

"...Curse Mark activity..."

"...Orochimaru's..."

"...surveillance level increased..."

The thirty-second opening.

Xiao walked toward the nurses' station to return his visitor's pass, his pace unhurried. As he passed Anko's room, his left hand "accidentally" touched the wall for support.

The instant his palm touched the wall, an exceedingly thin thread of chakra seeped from his fingertips, silently passing through the wall and attaching itself to the edge of a barrier talisman inside the room.

It was the Hyuga Clan's secret Gentle Fist: Chakra Marking technique, subtle enough that even the Byakugan would struggle to detect it without close inspection. Mark duration: twenty-four hours.

Function: real-time sensing of chakra fluctuations within the barrier.

"Your visiting time is up." The nurse's voice came from behind him.

Xiao withdrew his hand and turned with a smile. "All right, I'm leaving now."

He headed for the stairs, went downstairs, and walked out through the hospital entrance. The afternoon sun was somewhat glaring. Pedestrians came and went along the streets, and Konoha appeared no different from usual.

But Xiao knew that undercurrents had already begun to stir.

He turned into an alley, confirmed that no one was around, then leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.

The system interface appeared in his mind:

[Current Intervention Target: Mitaraishi Anko]

[Fate Node Intervention Progress: 42%]

[Warning: Target's vital signs continue to decline. Expected to enter organ failure stage in 72 hours]

[Recommended Action Window: Within 24 hours]

[Estimated Reward for Successful Interception: Byakugan Purity +8%, Destiny Points +500, unlock "Cursed Seal Analysis" ability]

Xiao opened his eyes, a cold gleam flashing through them.

Twenty-four hours.

Within that time, he had to formulate a complete rescue plan while ensuring that the operation would not expose his true strength or intentions.

The triple-layered barrier outside Anko's room was troublesome, but not impossible to break. The essence of the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist was precise manipulation of chakra points, while every barrier technique relied on the construction of chakra circuits—given enough time to analyze them, finding the weak point in those circuits would not be difficult.

The real problem was the two Root observers and whatever additional hidden sentries might be concealed in the hospital.

And Anko's Curse Mark.

The thing Orochimaru had left behind was devouring its host's life force. Even if Xiao rescued Anko, she would not survive long if he could not suppress the Curse Mark.

"I need an inhibitor," Xiao murmured.

He recalled the temporary inhibitor he had injected into Anko in Chapter 28. Based on records in ancient Hyuga Clan texts about chakra-corrosion forbidden techniques, he had improvised it from several herbs and his own chakra. Its effects had been limited, lasting only a few hours.

To make a genuinely effective inhibitor, he would need more specialized medicinal ingredients and equipment.

As well as a safe place to prepare it.

Several locations surfaced in Xiao's mind: a secluded cave deep within the Forest of Death, an abandoned outpost on Konoha's outskirts, or even... the Hyuga Clan's herb storehouse.

The final option was extremely risky, but it also offered the greatest potential reward. The Hyuga Clan had endured for a thousand years. Among the rare medicinal materials and ancient texts collected by the clan, there might well be records of Curse Mark-type forbidden techniques and ways to deal with them.

"I need to return to the Clan Grounds."

Xiao made his decision.

He adjusted his collar, walked out of the alley, and merged with the crowd in the street. The bandages around his forehead stood out somewhat in the sunlight. Passersby occasionally cast glances his way—the peculiar looks people gave Branch House members, mixed with pity, contempt, and a trace of entitlement.

Xiao endured those gazes without expression.

Soon.

He repeated it silently to himself.

Once the Caged Bird Seal was completely removed, once the Tenseigan fully awakened, once he had ground the entire Hyuga Clan beneath his feet—

Those looks would become fear.

By evening, at the Hyuga Clan Grounds.

As usual, Xiao returned to the Branch House residential district after finishing his daily training. This area lay on the western side of the grounds. Its homes were far plainer than those of the Main House, and its streets were narrower as well.

"Xiao, you're back?" The auntie next door was hanging laundry at her door. "How was training today?"

"Not bad." Xiao nodded politely. "Auntie, I heard the herb storehouse has been organizing its inventory recently and needs extra hands?"

"Yes, the Main House sent word that the Branch House needs to provide a few people to help count everything." The auntie lowered her voice. "They call it inventory, but it's really just manual labor. What, do you want to go?"

"Yes. I want to learn more about medicinal herbs." Xiao showed a gentle smile. "If I get hurt on missions in the future, I might be able to treat myself."

"You're a diligent child." The auntie sighed. "All right, I'll put in a word with the steward for you. But Xiao, be careful around the Main House. Don't say too much. Just do whatever they tell you."

"I understand. Thank you, Auntie."

Xiao bowed in thanks and turned to enter his small house.

Once he shut the door, the gentle expression vanished from his face, replaced by cold calculation.

The herb storehouse's inventory work was generally handled by Branch House members in rotation, each shift lasting three to five days. It was a perfect opportunity—he could enter the storehouse openly, gain access to rare medicinal materials he would normally never see, and even... browse the ancient records kept there.

Of course, the risks were just as real.

A steward from the Main House supervised the herb storehouse, and there was a simple barrier inside. Moreover, Xiao would have to operate under the steward's watchful eye. Any unusual behavior could arouse suspicion.

"I need to create a plausible 'accident.'"

Xiao walked to his desk, spread out a sheet of white paper, and began writing out his plan.

Step one: apply to join the herb storehouse inventory group. Preparations already completed.

Step two: during the inventory process, "accidentally" discover records concerning forbidden Curse Marks in an ancient text. He would need to tamper with the records beforehand.

Step three: under the pretext of "curiosity," ask the steward about the uses of the relevant medicinal herbs. Establish a reasonable motive.

Step four: when the inventory ended, "accidentally" knock over a cabinet of medicinal materials, create chaos, and take the required herbs in the confusion. The quantities had to be small and the varieties varied to avoid detection.

Step five: use nighttime training hours to prepare the inhibitor at a hidden location in the Forest of Death.

Xiao stopped writing there.

One more problem remained: moving Anko.

Even after producing the inhibitor, he would still need to get Anko out from under the hospital's heavy surveillance. Forcing his way in would be the stupidest option. He had to outwit them.

Xiao lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingertips.

Hospital, barrier, Root, ANBU...

In his mind, a three-dimensional layout of Konoha Hospital gradually became clear. The structure of every floor, the location of every stairwell, the direction every window faced...

He had it.

The corner of Xiao's mouth lifted in the faintest curve.

He remembered an abandoned equipment storage room on the east side of the hospital's third floor. It stood against the exterior wall, its window overlooking the hospital's rear alley, and—

Directly below the storage room was an access passage to the hospital's underground pipes.

It was part of an old pipeline system laid during Konoha's earliest days. Most of it had now been abandoned, and even hospital staff rarely remembered it existed.

But Xiao remembered.

Because three years earlier, during a D-rank mission, he had entered that passage with a maintenance crew.

"Pipes... storage room... hospital room..."

Three points connected into a line.

A hidden evacuation route that even Root might not know existed.

Xiao picked up his pen again and added to the end of the plan:

Step six: use the hospital's underground pipes to infiltrate during the shift-change interval, then use Gentle Fist techniques to temporarily paralyze the barrier circuits. Time window: five minutes.

Step seven: inject the inhibitor and escort Anko through the pipes to a prearranged safe house.

Step eight: erase the traces and create the appearance that Anko escaped on her own.

After writing it all down, Xiao held the plan over the oil lamp.

The flames licked across the paper, swiftly consuming it into ash.

He opened the window and let the night breeze disperse the scorched smell. In the distance, the Main House compound was brightly lit, and the faint bustle of a banquet could be heard—rumor had it that Hyuga Hiashi was entertaining a senior official from the Hokage Tower tonight.

Xiao looked at those lights, his gaze cold.

Enjoy yourselves, Main House elders.

By the time you discover that the bird in the cage has grown claws—

It will already be too late.

He closed the window, sat cross-legged on the tatami, and began refining chakra.

Beneath the bandages on his forehead, the Caged Bird Seal gave off a faint heat, like a venomous snake writhing beneath his skin.

Xiao ignored the discomfort.

His consciousness sank into his body, sensing the Otsutsuki Bloodline gradually awakening within his blood. That power was still weak, but with every heartbeat, it grew stronger.

The system interface flickered in his mind:

[Byakugan Purity: 41.2%]

[Caged Bird Seal Release Progress: 18.7%]

[Next Stage Unlocked: Tenseigan Chakra Mode (Prototype)]

Soon.

Xiao opened his eyes. Deep within his pupils, a flash of azure starlight vanished.

Tomorrow, the medicinal storeroom.

The day after tomorrow, the hospital.

The seventy-two-hour countdown had begun.