Plan! The Midnight Attack!

Meanwhile,

Hyuga Setsuna followed the peregrine falcon to the place where that group was hiding!

Looking at the cave concealed within the mountains and forest, realization flashed through Hyuga Setsuna's eyes.

No wonder he had never found any trace of them. Their temporary base was actually more than ten kilometers away from the royal capital.

They were quite cautious, this group!

Looking at the cave not far ahead, Hyuga Setsuna leaped forward. At the same time, he directed the Chakra within his body toward his eyes and muttered softly.

"Byakugan, activate!"

The veins near his temples immediately bulged one after another.

After activating his Byakugan, Hyuga Setsuna immediately looked into the cave.

The scene within the cave was also revealed to Hyuga Setsuna's Byakugan.

"Four people? They look like a group, or rather, a team?"

Hyuga Setsuna saw the peregrine falcon land on one person's shoulder.

Looking at Qianhun Qingyu, Hyuga Setsuna understood that this middle-aged man dressed as a samurai was the one controlling the peregrine falcon and monitoring them for nearly a month.

Through the Byakugan's perception, Hyuga Setsuna could see the Chakra contained within this samurai-clad middle-aged man. In terms of volume alone, it had already reached Jonin level.

Hyuga Setsuna then shifted his gaze to the other two and analyzed their strength.

A scar-faced man?

The amount of Chakra in his body had also reached Jonin level.

But judging by the katana at his side and his ronin attire, he was probably a ninja skilled with a blade.

Hmm? This person's Chakra volume had barely reached Jonin level, and he was dressed only in ordinary wandering ninja garb.

He should be the weakest member of their four-man team, but it was still best to be careful. After all, ninja Ninjutsu was always strange and varied.

Hyuga Setsuna then slowly turned his gaze toward the last person.

Looking at the last person's Chakra and build, Hyuga Setsuna's brows furrowed tightly.

The Chakra within him was far stronger than that of an ordinary Jonin, but it had not yet reached Kage level.

He was nearly two meters tall, which was truly enormous by ordinary standards.

Moreover, his physique, injuries, and scars all showed that he was not someone to be trifled with.

Looking at the muscular body and nearly two-meter-tall figure inside the cave, Hyuga Setsuna wore a thoughtful expression.

This person's strength was clearly beyond what Kakashi could handle. Even the two ninjas who had spoken with the daimyo that night would not be his match.

Only by revealing his own strength could he stop him, but how would he explain it afterward if he exposed his strength?

Just as Hyuga Setsuna continued to ponder.

Nakamura Shido, inside the cave, seemed to sense something. His majestic, terrifying lion-like eyes immediately turned toward the cave entrance.

Seeing Nakamura Shido suddenly look outside, Tokugawa Koichi and the other two immediately became alert, raising their weapons toward the cave entrance.

Tokugawa Koichi looked outside with his eyes closed. His hands rapidly formed seals, and without anyone needing to remind him, he began sensing the situation and movements outside.

Hyuga Setsuna also saw the scene inside the cave through his Byakugan.

Damn, did that guy notice my gaze just now?

At that thought, Hyuga Setsuna immediately deactivated his Byakugan. Forming seals with both hands, he cast a Ninjutsu and hid his aura and presence with all his strength.

Inside the cave, Nakamura Shido slowly withdrew his gaze from outside and closed his eyes again.

However, Qianhun Qingyu and Yamada Tetsuya did not lower their guard.

They kept their weapons raised toward the cave entrance while anxiously looking at Tokugawa Koichi.

After a while, Tokugawa Koichi slowly opened his eyes, lowered his Kunai and hands, and shook his head as he said calmly.

"Don't worry. There's no one there!"

"It was probably a wild animal passing by."

Tokugawa Koichi then secretly glanced at Nakamura Shido again and silently complained.

The boss's reaction nearly scared me to death.

But Tokugawa Koichi only dared think such things to himself. He would never dare say them aloud.

If he did, he would definitely be beaten to death with one punch!

After hearing Tokugawa Koichi's answer, Qianhun Qingyu and Yamada Tetsuya also relaxed and lowered their Kunai and katana.

Yamada Tetsuya looked at the peregrine falcon trembling on Qianhun Qingyu's shoulder and said with a malicious grin.

"Ha, Qingyu, your summoning beast is really easy to scare. Don't tell me it was so frightened that it can't even report its intelligence?"

Qianhun Qingyu lightly glanced at Nakamura Shido, who sat on a rock with his eyes closed, resting. He ignored Yamada Tetsuya's provocation.

He raised a hand and gently placed it on the trembling peregrine falcon, soothing it as he said gently.

"Youyun, did you discover anything during today's surveillance?"

Under Qianhun Qingyu's comfort, the trembling Youyun gradually calmed down. A clear voice came from its beak.

"Lord Qingyu, today was the same as usual."

"That brat from the Hyuga Clan took that lady out for a walk as usual, then returned to the Daimyo's Mansion."

"That Leaf Village brat secretly protecting them was the same!"

"As for the daimyo, he received other officials as usual."

Hearing Youyun's report, Qianhun Qingyu nodded and said kindly.

"Youyun, thank you for your hard work today. You can go back now."

After hearing Qianhun Qingyu's command, Youyun, perched on his shoulder, immediately dismissed the summoning technique without hesitation.

"Bang!"

A cloud of white smoke dispersed, and Youyun had already returned home.

After seeing Youyun disappear, Qianhun Qingyu turned to Nakamura Shido, who sat cross-legged on the rock, and respectfully said.

"Boss, should we continue observing them, or attack tonight and kill them?"

Yamada Tetsuya immediately jumped in from the side, impatience written all over his face.

"Of course we're going tonight to kill the daimyo and his daughter. What are we waiting for?"

"We've already wasted nearly a month!!"

Tokugawa Koichi lay half-reclined on the ground, comfortably leaning against the stone wall. Looking carelessly at the others, he lazily suggested.

"Boss, I also agree that we should complete the mission tonight."

"After all, judging from our observations and surveillance over the past few days, those two Leaf Village brats should have both lowered their guard."

"We only need to watch out for the daimyo's men. Leave those two brats to Tetsuya!"

After hearing that, Yamada Tetsuya looked at Tokugawa Koichi, who was half-reclined on the ground, and for the first time found him rather pleasing to the eye!

After hearing Tokugawa Koichi's opinion, Nakamura Shido slowly opened his eyes and said in a deep voice.

"Then we'll act late tonight. Our employer has been waiting impatiently anyway!"

After Nakamura Shido, their boss, spoke and agreed, the three wore different expressions.

Qianhun Qingyu's face was grave, though no one knew what he was thinking.

A bloodthirsty smile curled across Yamada Tetsuya's lips, while chilling killing intent and excitement ignited in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Tokugawa Koichi lay half-reclined on the ground, staring at the dark stone ceiling and muttering endlessly.

"What a hassle, what a hassle. I have to kill people again..."

Outside, Hyuga Setsuna, who had hidden himself and overheard their plan, wore a warm, infectious smile.

As expected, he had come to the right place. This was truly an unexpected gain!!

Second update!!

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This part in the Land of Fire's royal capital will be over soon. Writing this royal capital arc has felt exhausting, and I keep getting stuck... It hurts.