Return to the Village! The Different Reactions of Light and Darkness!

Two days later.

Qingquan Town.

By then, Gekko Baiyue had fully recovered from her injuries. She wore a fox mask over her face, concealing her appearance.

Yet from time to time, she still secretly glanced at Hyuga Setsuna beside her. Whenever he noticed, she would turn away and pretend nothing had happened.

Hyuga Setsuna wore a helpless smile. Ever since he had told Gekko Baiyue the full details of what had happened two days ago,

she had been acting like this the entire time. It had even made Otsutsuki Kaguya inside him somewhat unhappy.

Two days earlier, when Gekko Baiyue had pressed him about how he had rescued her,

Hyuga Setsuna had simply claimed that the man who believed in the Evil God could not move while praying to the Evil God Statue, allowing him to launch a surprise attack and injure him.

He had then taken the opportunity to escape from the Evil God Palace with Gekko Baiyue.

Of course, that was merely Hyuga Setsuna's explanation. Whether Gekko Baiyue believed it or not, Hidata Tetsuya was dead now, leaving no evidence behind.

Even if Gekko Baiyue reported it to Sarutobi Hiruzen, he was not afraid. Hidden Leaf Village would never be able to find Hidata Tetsuya anyway.

If they truly wanted to find him, they might have to send someone down to the Pure Land Yomi to look.

As for the women captured by the bandits, Hyuga Setsuna had left them enough money and provisions before returning to the Anbu outpost with Gekko Baiyue.

After packing everything up, the two set off toward Hidden Leaf Village.

"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"

Two figures leaped across the massive trees of the forest. Gekko Baiyue, wearing her fox mask, kept absentmindedly looking toward Hyuga Setsuna.

For some reason, she found her behavior over the past few days strange. The feeling left her somewhat at a loss.

Maintaining their high-speed pace, the two soon returned to Hidden Leaf Village before nightfall.

After passing through the Anbu's secret passage, they arrived at the mission handover station.

Once they had submitted the mission, Gekko Baiyue walked out of the room and said to Hyuga Setsuna beside her,

"Because of the Anbu confidentiality regulations, this mission will not be recorded in your ninja file. It will only be sealed away as a dossier within the Anbu!"

Hyuga Setsuna nodded calmly. He had no objections to that.

Besides, the details of this mission truly could not be revealed.

After agreeing on the time for their next mission, the two parted ways at the Anbu exit.

Hokage's Office.

Gekko Baiyue, dressed in her Anbu attire, knelt on one knee before Sarutobi Hiruzen and reported on the mission.

"Lord Third, that is roughly what happened during the mission."

Sarutobi Hiruzen puffed on his pipe behind his desk. When he heard about Hidata Tetsuya's Immortal Body and the Evil God, an almost imperceptible gleam flashed through his eyes!

After a moment of silence, Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke.

"Was it Hyuga Setsuna who took you and escaped?"

"Yes, Lord Hokage!"

After receiving a definite answer, Sarutobi Hiruzen pondered briefly before saying,

"I will raise this mission's rating to S-rank. You need not concern yourself with the Jashin Cult or that escaped man. The village will handle it."

"If there is nothing else, you may leave."

"Yes!"

Gekko Baiyue used the Body Flicker Technique and departed from the Hokage's Office.

"It seems the Shinobi World is about to become unsettled again." Holding his pipe, Sarutobi Hiruzen rose and walked to the window, gazing at the prosperous village and the Hokage Monument as countless thoughts filled his mind.

He could faintly sense that the undercurrents hidden beneath the Shinobi World were steadily gathering strength. Now, the unexpected appearance of the Jashin Cult made it impossible to know when they would erupt.

When that time came, it would likely be another brutal war. Who knew how many more people in the village would die then!

At that thought, Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart grew heavy.

Elsewhere, at Root's base.

Deep within Root's headquarters, a Root ninja wearing a monkey-faced mask was reporting on the mission to Danzo.

Danzo sat in the shadows, his eyes half-closed as he listened to the report.

However, when he heard about the Immortal Body and the Jashin Cult, Shimura Danzo opened his hawk-like eyes, a trace of gravity flashing through them.

After fully learning the course of the mission, Shimura Danzo was silent for a moment before asking,

"How did Sarutobi arrange things on his end?"

"Lord Third merely sent a few Anbu ninja to that mountain stronghold. We do not know whether others are following them in secret!"

"Is that so?"

After a contemplative look flashed through Shimura Danzo's hawk-like eyes, he said,

"Send Liuyue, Shangui, Fengchong, and Zhuiyu to that mountain stronghold. See if anything was overlooked."

Halfway through speaking, Shimura Danzo fell silent. A vicious glint appeared in his eyes, and he said with killing intent,

"If the people Sarutobi sent obtain any clues or intelligence, have those four kill them!"

"Make sure the cleanup is thorough when you do it!!"

"Yes, Lord Danzo!"

"All right, you may leave."

As the monkey-faced Root ninja departed, the room returned to silence.

Shimura Danzo sat within the shadows, half his face shrouded in darkness and the other half illuminated by light!

His voice carried an unfathomable meaning as he said,

"Sarutobi, not much time has passed, yet some people outside the village are gradually becoming active again. We must possess enough deterrence to suppress their arrogant ambitions!"

"Sarutobi, you are still too softhearted. Sensei was wrong to pass the position of Hokage to you!"

Meanwhile, Hyuga Setsuna had already returned home.

This mission had brought many unexpected developments.

Whether it was the Evil God, the Sage of Six Paths, or rescuing Otsutsuki Kaguya from her seal in the future, all of it required sufficient strength.

He could not let himself slack off now!

"Knock knock knock knock knock!" "Knock knock knock knock knock!"

A rhythmic knocking came from outside the house.

Hyuga Setsuna, who had just sat cross-legged on the tatami to train, found it strange. Who could be looking for him at this hour?

He got up and went outside. Opening the door, he looked at the person in a white sakura-patterned kimono and asked with a warm smile,

"You're the one from last time?"

"What brings you to see me this time?"

That was right. The person knocking on his door was the same one who had brought him to meet Elder Hyuga Yusuke last time.

The person looked at the puzzled Hyuga Setsuna and said,

"The Grand Elder wishes to see you."

As always, his words were simple and direct. After speaking, he turned and walked into the distance, gesturing for Hyuga Setsuna to follow.

Hyuga Yusuke wanted to see him again?

He had only been back for such a short while, yet the man already wanted to see him. There must be something important.

Hyuga Setsuna followed behind him toward the house where Hyuga Yusuke lived.

Second update!

May Day is almost here. Qing Meng wishes everyone a happy holiday! (^▽^)!!