The alarm tore through the silence of the night.
Within the Hyuga Clan Grounds, dozens of figures emerged from every corner, chakra fluctuations spreading like ripples. Footsteps fell as densely as rain as the ninjas, armed with kunai and scrolls, raced toward the Graveyard.
"Lord Xiao, they're here!" Clone Shisui lowered his voice, his Sharingan glowing crimson in the darkness. "At least thirty people. Five of them have chakra signatures at the Elite Ninja level."
Inside the underground passage, Ko Hyuga's Living Corpse body was still trembling faintly. His hollow Byakugan stared fixedly in Xiao's direction. The Watcher Seed patterns on the walls emitted an ominous purple glow, as if some living thing were awakening.
Xiao did not move.
His Tenseigan glimmered faintly blue in the darkness, its vision piercing through layers of rock and soil to take in everything aboveground. The Main House ninjas surged toward the Graveyard like a tide. Several elder-level figures were even leading the teams personally, their chakra fluctuations carrying unmistakable killing intent and agitation.
"What are they looking for?" Clone Shisui frowned. "Did they discover traces of our infiltration?"
"No." Xiao's voice was terrifyingly calm. "They're looking into Corpse's disturbance."
Through the Tenseigan's vision, Xiao clearly saw the ancient being known as Corpse slowly awakening deep beneath the Graveyard. Vast chakra began churning like a dormant volcano, resonating with the Caged Bird Seals within every Branch House member—including the one on his own forehead.
The Curse Mark on his forehead sent forth a burning pain.
Yet Xiao smiled instead.
The smile was faint, nearly imperceptible, but it sent a chill through Clone Shisui—not the chill of fear, but something deeper, like watching a beast finally tear away its disguise.
"Senior Ko." Xiao turned toward the Living Corpse. "How long until Corpse awakens?"
A raspy