Xiao's Suspicion

The night was ink-dark, and only a small bonfire burned at the meeting point in the forest.

Ko Hyuga sat cross-legged beside the fire, resting with his eyes closed. The other two Branch House members—Hyuga Ken and Hyuga Rei—kept watch from treetops to the east and west. Firelight illuminated Ko's stern face, his nasolabial folds carved deep as knife marks. Even with his eyes closed, he radiated the authority and scrutiny unique to a Main House elder.

Footsteps came from the west.

Ko opened his eyes, activating his Byakugan instantly as veins bulged around his temples. His vision pierced through layers of tree trunks and locked onto the figure approaching the meeting point—Hyuga Xiao.

Xiao walked slowly, each step steady and firm. Yet Ko sharply sensed that the Branch House boy's chakra flow was at least thirty percent more disordered than before their departure, with traces of violent energy lingering in his meridians. More importantly, although Xiao deliberately kept his breathing even, the expansion of his lungs was fifteen percent greater than normal.

What was he hiding?

Xiao emerged from the shadows of the trees. The firelight revealed dust-covered clothes and a somewhat pale face. He stopped three steps before Ko, dropped to one knee, and lowered his head. "Elder Xiao, the reconnaissance mission to the west has been completed."

"Report." Ko's voice was as cold as ice.

Xiao took a scroll from his robes and offered it with both hands. "At the bottom of the western valley, I found an entrance suspected to lead to an underground laboratory belonging to Hidden Sound Village, but it had already been destroyed. There were four corpses at the scene, dressed in Hidden Sound ANBU uniforms. All had died from instantaneous piercing wounds, likely caused by the Lightning Release Body Technique. The Curse Mark traps at the entrance had been forcibly broken through with professional methods. A third-party force—most likely Hidden Cloud—appears to have entered ahead of us."

Ko accepted the scroll but did not open it immediately. Instead, he stared at Xiao. "What happened to your chakra?"

Xiao raised his head, showing just the right amount of lingering fear. "While investigating the entrance, I triggered a remaining Curse Mark trap. The trap released parasitic chakra that tried to erode my meridians. I barely held it back with Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven, but the consumption was immense. I nearly—"

"Nearly what?" Ko interrupted.

"The chakra nearly entered my brain." Xiao lowered his voice. "That Curse Mark... resembled the Caged Bird Seal."

The bonfire crackled.

Ko's gaze sharpened like a blade, his Byakugan fixed on Xiao's forehead. The Caged Bird Seal was completely intact. Its chakra sealing structure was stable, showing no sign of disturbance. Yet a violent energy residue, sharing the same origin as a Curse Mark but far more savage, did linger within Xiao's body—explaining his chaotic chakra flow.

"Stand up," Ko ordered.

Xiao rose.

Ko stepped before him and pressed his index and middle fingers together against Xiao's chest. His chakra pierced in like fine needles, traveling through Xiao's meridians as it probed. Xiao's body tensed slightly, but he did not resist in the slightest—he had long hidden the Active Curse Mark Seed inside the system space with a special sealing technique, a dimension even the Byakugan could not peer into.

Ko's chakra made three complete circuits through Xiao's body.

The results were contradictory. There were indeed signs that his meridians had been struck by foreign energy, and some chakra points even bore minor burns, matching the symptoms of triggering a Curse Mark trap. But Xiao's chakra core—his dantian—was unusually stable, even more condensed and pure than before their departure.

"What method did you use to remove the invading Curse Mark energy?" Ko withdrew his hand, his tone still icy.

"Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven." Xiao answered without hesitation. "I pushed the rotation speed of Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven to its limit, forcibly grinding up the invading chakra and expelling it from my body. But that consumed an enormous amount of my own chakra, so..."

"So you're very weak now?" Ko stared into his eyes.

Xiao lowered his head. "Yes. I need at least six hours to recover seventy percent of my combat strength."

It was a clever answer. It explained the disorder in his chakra while voluntarily revealing his "weakened" state, lowering Ko's guard—what waves could a weakened Branch House member possibly make?

Ko fell silent for a moment.

He returned to the fire and opened the scroll Xiao had submitted. It contained detailed maps of the valley floor, the laboratory entrance, corpse locations, remaining traces of the Curse Mark traps, and even analyses speculating on the intruders' strength and identities. The report was exceptionally professional. Every detail was clearly marked, and its chain of reasoning was complete.

Too complete.

Complete like a script prepared in advance.

Ko closed the scroll and looked at Xiao. "Are you certain the intruders were from Hidden Cloud?"

"Ninety percent certain," Xiao answered. "The piercing wounds on the corpses carried obvious Lightning Release chakra nature transformation. The edges of the wounds were scorched black and carbonized. In the Shinobi World, aside from Hidden Cloud's Lightning Chakra Mode, I can think of no other possibility capable of using the Lightning Release Body Technique to that extent."

"Why would Hidden Cloud break into Orochimaru's laboratory?"

"My guess is that they're also researching Curse Mark technology." Xiao's voice remained steady. "Or... they want Orochimaru's research materials concerning the God Tree."

The bonfire suddenly flared.

Ko's expression changed.

The God Tree.

This term appeared only sporadically in the Hyuga Clan's ancient records and was listed as a "forbidden secret." According to secrets passed by word of mouth among the Main House leadership, the God Tree had countless ties to the origin of the Hyuga Clan—the Ōtsutsuki Clan. But even he, an elder, did not know what those ties truly were.

"Where did you learn the term 'God Tree'?" Ko lowered his voice, carrying a dangerous edge.

Xiao sneered inwardly—just as expected, the Main House knew far more than the Branch House.

The proper confusion appeared on his face. "I found several scattered pages of experimental records near the laboratory entrance. They mentioned terms like 'God Tree Cells' and 'Curse Mark degradation.' But those pages had already been taken by the people who entered before us. I only managed to glimpse a few lines."

Half-truths were the hardest lies to expose.

Ko stared at Xiao for a full ten seconds before finally looking away. He sat back down by the fire and tucked the scroll into his robes. "Hyuga Ken, Hyuga Rei, come down."

Two figures dropped from the treetops.

Hyuga Ken was a broad, sturdy man of around thirty, with a scar running from his brow to the corner of his mouth, left behind during a mission three years ago. Hyuga Rei was a woman in her early twenties with short hair and sharp eyes, one of the most gifted taijutsu users of her generation in the Branch House.

The two dropped to one knee.

"The situation in the west has been clarified." Ko's voice returned to its usual coldness. "Hidden Cloud may have entered the laboratory ahead of us. The priority of our mission must be adjusted."

He paused, sweeping his gaze over the three of them. "At dawn tomorrow, everyone will launch a frontal assault on Hidden Sound Village's defensive line."

Xiao's pupils shrank slightly.

Hyuga Ken raised his head. "Elder, there are only four of us. A frontal assault on Hidden Sound Village's defenses..."

"This is an order," Ko cut him off. "Your mission is not to break through the defensive line, but to create enough chaos to draw the attention of Hidden Sound Village's defenders. The Leaf Village ANBU main force has already arrived at the border. They need the opening you create to infiltrate Hidden Sound Village and carry out a decapitation mission."

The air fell silent for a moment.

Xiao lowered his gaze, concealing the chill in his eyes.

Just as expected.

The Main House had never considered Branch House lives worth anything. A frontal assault on Hidden Sound Village? Even if it was merely a feint, how many of four people could survive against the defensive system of an entire ninja village? No, it would be more accurate to say that Ko had intended from the beginning for all three Branch House members to die here, using their lives to pave the way for the Leaf Village ANBU.

And Ko himself? Of course, he had a way to "luckily escape" amid the chaos.

"Any objections?" Ko's voice rang out.

Hyuga Ken gritted his teeth, then finally lowered his head. "...None."

Hyuga Rei remained silent, her hands clenched on her knees until her knuckles turned white.

Xiao raised his head, his face showing the standard expression of a Branch House member's loyalty mixed with faint apprehension. "I obey. It's just... given our current condition, can we complete the mission of creating chaos? My chakra has yet to recover, and Senior Ken and Senior Rei both fought today as well. Neither is in peak condition."

"Then you should make the most of the time to rest." Ko stood. "There are five hours until dawn. Recover your chakra and adjust your condition. This is the moment to devote yourselves to Leaf Village and the Hyuga Clan."

After saying that, he turned and headed deeper into the forest. "I'll stand guard personally. You rest."

His figure vanished into the darkness.

Only the three of them remained by the bonfire.

Hyuga Ken slammed a fist into the ground, sending dirt flying. He lowered his voice, squeezing out a suppressed roar. "Damn it... he's sending us to our deaths!"

Hyuga Rei said nothing, merely adding another branch to the fire. The flames lit her taut profile, and unwillingness and despair churned in her Byakugan.

Xiao sat cross-legged and began refining chakra.

"Xiao, aren't you afraid?" Hyuga Rei suddenly asked, her voice soft.

Xiao did not open his eyes. "Would being afraid help?"

"No." Hyuga Rei gave a bitter smile. "But at least... we can curse a little."

"Who would hear it?" Xiao's voice was frighteningly calm. "The Main House won't hear us, and even if they do, they won't care. In Elder Xiao's eyes, we're no different from Xiu, who died today—we're all tools that can be sacrificed at any time."

Hyuga Ken suddenly looked at him. "You..."

"Am I wrong?" Xiao opened his eyes, the dancing firelight reflected in his Byakugan. "When Xiu was given the Temporary Enhancement Curse Seal, did Elder Xiao hesitate for even one second? When Xiu lost control and went berserk, did Elder Xiao ever consider saving him? When Xiu self-destructed, did Elder Xiao show even the slightest guilt?"

With every question, Hyuga Ken and Hyuga Rei's faces grew a shade paler.

"No." Xiao answered himself. "Because we are the Branch House. Branch House lives have never been worth anything."

He closed his eyes again. "So instead of being angry, we should think about how to survive."

"How do we survive?" Hyuga Rei's voice trembled slightly. "If we launch a frontal assault on Hidden Sound Village's defenses, the chance that the three of us survive is less than ten percent. Elder Xiao is an Elite Ninja. He may have a chance to escape, but us..."

"Then don't follow his plan." Xiao's voice was low enough for only the three of them to hear.

Hyuga Ken and Hyuga Rei looked at him at the same time.

Xiao did not open his eyes, but a faint curve touched his lips. "Elder Xiao wants us to create chaos and draw attention. But how we create that chaos, and how much chaos we create, is for us to decide."

"You mean..."

"I have a deployment map of Hidden Sound Village's frontal defensive line." Xiao spoke slowly. "During today's reconnaissance, I also used my Byakugan to memorize their sentry positions, trap locations, and patrol routes. If we don't charge headlong like idiots, but instead break in through their weakest point, create explosions and unrest as quickly as possible, then retreat immediately..."

Hyuga Rei's eyes lit up. "A diversion?"

"Exactly." Xiao finally opened his eyes. "We don't need to break through the defensive line. We only need to throw them into disorder. Once they're in chaos, the Leaf Village ANBU will have a chance to infiltrate. The mission will be complete, and we can return alive."

Hyuga Ken frowned. "But Elder Xiao ordered us to attack head-on..."

"Elder Xiao wants results." Xiao interrupted him. "As long as we create enough chaos, he won't care about the process. And even if he does—once we return to Leaf Village alive, can he punish us just because we 'chose different tactics'? Don't forget, the Branch House is also part of the Hyuga Clan's strength. If Branch House members are lost without cause, the Main House will have to answer to the Hokage too."

That struck home.

Hyuga Ken and Hyuga Rei exchanged a glance, both seeing hesitation in the other's eyes.

"How certain are you?" Hyuga Rei asked.

Xiao raised three fingers. "Thirty percent chance we execute the plan perfectly. Fifty percent chance we create chaos and retreat, though we may be injured. Twenty percent... the plan fails, and we die."

"Better than ten percent." Hyuga Ken gritted his teeth. "Let's do it!"

Xiao nodded. "Then we need a detailed plan now. Senior Rei, how many strikes of Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms can you perform?"

"Fifty-six strikes."

"Enough. Senior Ken, how large an area can your Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven cover?"

"A three-meter radius."

"Good." Xiao took another scroll from his robes—one he had prepared long ago, depicting the detailed deployment of Hidden Sound Village's frontal defensive line. "We'll act like this..."

The bonfire crackled as it burned.

The three Branch House members gathered together, discussing the details of tomorrow's operation in hushed voices. Their voices were quiet, but something burned in their eyes—the spark of resistance that had finally begun to kindle after being driven to the brink.

Deep in the forest.

Ko Hyuga stood in the shadow of a massive tree, his Byakugan silently watching the three people beside the bonfire.

He could not hear what they were saying, but he could see their lip movements, expressions, and body language. Xiao was explaining something. Hyuga Ken and Hyuga Rei listened intently, nodding occasionally and asking questions from time to time.

A perfectly normal tactical discussion.

Yet Ko could not shake the feeling that something was wrong.

That Branch House boy named Hyuga Xiao had been too "perfect" since returning today. A perfect report, a perfect explanation, a perfect state of weakness. It was precisely that perfection that made Ko instinctively wary.

He recalled what Clan Head Hyuga Hiashi had privately told him before their departure. "That child, Hyuga Xiao, has ordinary talent and a gentle disposition. His loyalty to the Main House is acceptable. But be careful—someone overly docile is either genuinely cowardly or hiding fangs."

At the time, Ko had not taken it seriously.

What waves could a thirteen-year-old Branch House brat possibly make?

But now...

Ko watched Xiao's calm profile as he explained things by the fire. There was none of the usual fear or numbness found in Branch House members in those Byakugan, only an unfathomably deep calm.

Like the surface of a frozen lake—no one could see what lay beneath.

"I hope I'm overthinking it," Ko muttered.

He turned and vanished into the deeper night.

Some things required further observation.

If this Branch House boy truly had a problem... then tomorrow's frontal assault on Hidden Sound Village's defensive line would be the best touchstone.

If he survived, it would prove he had value and could continue to be watched.

If he died, then that would settle everything.

And Hyuga Ken and Hyuga Rei?

They were nothing more than burial offerings.