The Hunter and Prey Officially Begin Switching Roles!

Daimyo's Mansion in the Royal Capital. Google Search Reading

The setting sun cast its lingering rays across the sky, and a gentle breeze flowed past. Hyuga Setsuna lay on the roof of his house, a relaxed, contented smile on his face.

Although this mission was troublesome, he greatly enjoyed this rare, brief respite.

It had been nearly a month since their last visit to the Sacred Tree for the ritual.

Originally, his and Kakashi's mission had merely been to demonstrate the power of ninja to Princess Akishinomiya Yuri.

But the daimyo had received reliable intelligence that a group of people would soon make a move against Akishinomiya Yuri.

So the daimyo had kept them there and issued them a mission to protect Akishinomiya Yuri.

Watching the flock of birds flying through the sky, Hyuga Setsuna narrowed his eyes slightly and fell into thought.

"Those people are really patient, aren't they?"

Over the past month, Hyuga Setsuna had frequently taken Akishinomiya Yuri around the royal capital and its outskirts for leisure outings.

Yet those people had never made a move. They had not even conducted so-called surveillance or observation.

Hyuga Setsuna propped himself up with both hands and leaned back tactically as he looked at the sky.

If I were them, what would I do?

Knowing that Akishinomiya Yuri had him, a member of the Hyuga Clan, protecting her, they certainly would not appear within the range of vision the Byakugan could perceive. That would effectively prevent them from being discovered!

But if they could not appear within the Byakugan's field of vision, what method would they use?

Gazing at the sky, an inscrutable glint surfaced in Hyuga Setsuna's eyes as he muttered to himself.

"Let's treat this as an experiment!"

"Byakugan, activate!"

Chakra began flowing into his eyes, and veins bulged one after another around his temples.

Hyuga Setsuna's Byakugan began sweeping across the flock of birds in the sky and every other movement around him.

"That one is?!"

Among the flock, he spotted a peregrine falcon. Its greatest difference from the other birds was the Chakra within its body.

On the roof, Hyuga Setsuna's expression remained calm, but an icy glint quietly flashed through his eyes.

So those people had not been inactive or stopped observing them. They had sent a peregrine falcon summon to act as an observer!

He quietly deactivated his Byakugan. His expression remained unchanged as he continued lying on the roof, though his mind kept turning.

Those people must have had some understanding of the Byakugan. Otherwise, they would not have chosen a peregrine falcon as their observer.

Moreover, that falcon had been flying in the sky over a kilometer above the ground. An ordinary Byakugan truly could only see as far as one kilometer.

But those people could never have imagined that Hyuga Setsuna's Byakugan, even in its normal state, could see everything within five kilometers.

At that thought, Hyuga Setsuna quietly withdrew his right hand into the sleeve of his black kimono and formed the hand seal for a Shadow Clone with one hand.

At that moment, Kakashi was resting with his eyes closed in the shadows of the shrine, protecting Akishinomiya Yuri.

Smack!

A small hand quietly landed on Kakashi's shoulder.

Kakashi, who had been resting with his eyes closed, jerked and was about to draw the short blade in his hand to slash behind him.

"It's me, Yagokoro!"

Before Kakashi could draw his blade, Hyuga Setsuna's right hand firmly pressed it into its sheath.

Kakashi, who had just been about to throw a punch, froze upon hearing that familiar voice. But then he abruptly leaped backward, staring coldly at Hyuga Setsuna.

"The password!"

Looking at Kakashi, who was trying to bait information out of him, Hyuga Setsuna said helplessly,

"We don't have a password, Kakashi!"

Kakashi was certainly cautious, even making up a password on the spot, but if I were an enemy, I would have attacked you already, all right?

Upon hearing Hyuga Setsuna say his real name, the coldness beneath Kakashi's dog-face mask finally eased.

Kakashi rolled his dead-fish eyes and said in dissatisfaction,

"What are you doing, Setsuna?! You scared me half to death! I thought you were the enemy!"

When Hyuga Setsuna's hand had landed on his shoulder just now, Kakashi had felt as though his heart had skipped half a beat.

Hyuga Setsuna ignored Kakashi's displeasure and said evenly,

"Those people are using a peregrine falcon summon to monitor us!"

Hearing Hyuga Setsuna's words, Kakashi's brows furrowed beneath his dog-face mask.

"No wonder we haven't found anything recently. So they were watching us from the air!"

"So, what are you thinking?"

A smile curled across Hyuga Setsuna's lips.

"Now that we've found them, I'll follow that falcon back to their hideout later and gather intelligence!"

Since those people were using a peregrine falcon summon for observation and surveillance, there definitely would not be just one. There had to be other summons taking shifts, allowing them to monitor everything day and night!

That meant Hyuga Setsuna only needed to wait for the right opportunity. Then he could follow the peregrine falcon back to that group's hideout and obtain intelligence.

Kakashi spoke with concern in his voice.

"Can you manage it alone?"

Hearing Kakashi's concerned words, Hyuga Setsuna explained with a gentle smile.

"Don't worry. The one standing before you now is only a Shadow Clone!"

"My real body is still on that roof, watching the peregrine falcon!"

At that, Kakashi stopped worrying. After all, it was only a Shadow Clone, not his real body.

And now that they had discovered traces of that group, they absolutely could not miss this chance to obtain intelligence and information!

Hyuga Setsuna glanced toward Akishinomiya Yuri, who was resting in the shrine's rear courtyard, then nodded to Kakashi.

"I'll leave this place to you, then!"

With that, Hyuga Setsuna formed hand seals and used the Body Flicker Technique. His figure flashed and vanished.

Kakashi watched Hyuga Setsuna's disappearing figure with a complicated look and muttered,

"Have you become this strong already, Setsuna?"

"I never imagined that just a Shadow Clone could sneak up behind me without making a sound!"

Even back at the Ninja Academy, Kakashi had keenly sensed that Hyuga Setsuna was strong. But he had never expected him to be this much stronger!

And yet, laughably, the people of the village had placed the two of them side by side, calling them "the village's most dazzling geniuses."

But thinking about it now, perhaps the only one who had ever deserved to be called a "genius" was Hyuga Setsuna.

At that thought, Kakashi's expression became filled with complexity as he raised his head toward the distant sky.

Perhaps after this mission ends, I should seek Father out for more profound swordsmanship training!

Elsewhere.

Hyuga Setsuna's real body wore a casual expression as he lay leisurely on the roof, basking in the sunlight.

Watching the peregrine falcon diligently carry out its surveillance and observation in the sky, Hyuga Setsuna slowly narrowed his eyes. Coldness and excitement shone in their depths.

After waiting so many days, you've finally shown your hand!

From this moment onward, Hyuga Setsuna and the others would move from the light into the shadows, while that group would move from the shadows into the light!

And so, the hunter and prey officially began switching roles!

Sorry, sorry. I did my best with the second update!!

Sigh, I really still can't write 3,000 words... (ノへ￣,)

Also, thank you to "Name Too Awesome to Display" for the 100-point donation and "Chosen Son of Fate Liu Xiu" for the 500-point donation. Thank you for supporting Qingmeng. My deepest thanks!!!