Aftermath

"Big brother!"

"Did you see Tenka's eyes just now?"

Hizashi Hyuga was somewhat excited, both for his child and for the Hyuga Clan!

Hiashi nodded, a smile spreading across his face. He knew what his younger brother meant!

"Big brother, what was that? Are there any records of it in the clan?"

"No. The most powerful thing recorded in the clan was our ancestor Hyuga Tennin's Thousand-Eyed Byakugan!"

"But Tenka's..."

"Perhaps this is the true path of evolution for the Byakugan!"

"You saw that attack just now, didn't you?"

"I suspect... that was the ability of those eyes!"

"Big brother, then should we..."

"No!"

Hiashi suddenly raised a hand!

"The evolution of the Byakugan is likely not that simple."

"Throughout the Hyuga Clan's history, only Tenka, the greatest genius, has accomplished it. He may very well be the only one capable of doing so!"

"Hizashi, remember this. When we return, do not ask Tenka about it. He will tell us when he wishes to!"

"The Hyuga Clan only needs Tenka!"

"The reason I'm excited is because of the Hyuga Clan's rise!"

"It is not because I saw hope for the Byakugan's evolution!"

"Hizashi, you didn't notice the Third Hokage's expression when we left. Hahaha..."

Hiashi was right. As the Third Hokage stared at the abyss before him and watched the Hyuga Clan leave without so much as a word, his face darkened terribly!

What Hiashi Hyuga and Hizashi Hyuga had thought of, he had thought of as well.

The Hyuga Clan was already terrifying enough with one Hyuga Tenka.

If Hyuga Tenka had the ability to help other Hyuga awaken eyes like those, then...

The Third Hokage did not dare think any further. When Hyuga Tenka had looked at him just now...

He had felt as though death had shrouded his entire body. That feeling could not have been wrong!

He knew that if he had dared question Danzo's matter or make a move just now!

Hyuga Tenka would absolutely have attacked him. It had been the same nine years ago!

Back then, he had merely tried to dissuade him with a single remark, and Tenka had dared attack him directly. Now... he would likely kill him outright!

The Third Hokage had no confidence, even if he used that technique!

Before figuring out Hyuga Tenka's abilities, he did not know whether what Tenka had displayed so far was truly his full strength.

"Whew..."

The Third Hokage took a deep breath and calmed his trembling heart.

"Th-Third Hokage-sama, wh-what should we do?"

"Send people down to investigate, then find Earth Release ninja to fill in the abyss!"

After saying that, the Third Hokage turned and left, leaving the Anbu ninja utterly dumbfounded!

Th-that was it?

They were simply going to leave Hyuga Tenka and the Hyuga Clan alone?

Not far away, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio watched the scene. Shikaku Nara smiled faintly and turned to leave!

Inoichi Yamanaka patted his chest. Only now did the burden in his heart finally ease!

"Inoichi, I told you. Shikaku's decisions are never wrong!"

"Mm. Let's go back and find Shikaku to discuss what we should do from now on."

The two set off together, chasing after Shikaku ahead of them!

"Monster!"

"How did that guy become such a monster in just a few years?"

"Yugao!"

"You saw it, right?"

"I told you, he killed the man, and neither he nor the Hyuga Clan suffered a damn thing!"

"That fool really wasn't worth it. You mustn't do anything foolish!"

"The way he stared at the Third Hokage just now... I know that look very well!"

"That is the look a snake has when it hunts its prey!"

"I guarantee that if the Third Hokage had made any suspicious move just now, he would have struck like thunder!"

"He even dared kill the Third Hokage. You mustn't lose your head!"

As Anko stared into the bottomless abyss, she recalled Tenka's gaze from earlier.

Though she had always feared neither heaven nor earth, a chill rose in her heart. She had never felt anything like it, not even from Orochimaru!

"I understand, Anko!"

The two had already been nearby, gathering Gekko Hayate's corpse!

When they saw the commotion here, they rushed over immediately. They had clearly witnessed everything that had happened just now, including the Third Hokage's reaction!

"Hey, Kakashi!"

"That was Neji's older brother just now, wasn't it?"

"The only Elite Jonin in the village who has never carried out a single mission!"

"Neji always talked about how strong he was and treated him as his goal. I never expected him to really be this powerful!"

"But... won't he be punished by the Hokage-sama for doing this?"

"Kakashi, do you think I should go ask the Hokage-sama to show mercy? Otherwise, I'm afraid Neji will be sad!"

"Idiot!"

Kakashi glanced at Might Guy beside him, dressed in a green skintight suit with a bowl cut!

He rolled his eyes, called him an idiot, and leisurely turned to leave!

Would the Hokage punish him? Or rather, did the Hokage dare punish him?

Anyone with eyes could see the look in his eyes when he had emerged just now and looked at the Third Hokage!

That idiot was probably the only one who had failed to notice. But... was that light the ability of those eyes?

Kakashi lightly touched the eyepatch over his eye, deep in thought!

At Utatane Koharu's residence, the one-armed woman sat cross-legged before a table, slowly sipping a cup of tea.

"Koharu..."

"Danzo... is gone!"

Mitokado Homura rushed in anxiously, his face full of concern!

"Then he's gone!"

"That idiot really thought Hiruzen could protect him?"

"If Hiruzen could have protected him, my arm would not be like this!"

Utatane Koharu's expression remained calm and unchanged. She had long expected this outcome.

"Koharu, you didn't get involved in the Hyuga Clan matter, did you?"

Mitokado Homura was still worried, afraid that Utatane Koharu had harbored a grudge and participated in that affair!

If that were the case, they would be in serious trouble!

"Don't worry!"

"I'm not that foolish!"

"If I had participated, do you think I would still be sitting here intact, drinking tea?"

When Mitokado Homura thought about it, that was indeed true. Given that man's murderous nature!

If Koharu had truly been involved, he would never have spared her!

Once he understood this, Mitokado Homura finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Koharu, logically speaking, Danzo isn't such an impulsive person. Why would he make such a foolish decision this time?"

"Heh!"

"That idiot!"

"He probably had some trump card that even we didn't know about!"

"On top of Hiruzen always protecting him, he got carried away!"

Utatane Koharu was filled with disdain for Danzo's stupidity. She did not know what trump card that man possessed.

But she believed Danzo could not defeat that monster. That had been true nine years ago, let alone nine years later!

"Koharu, you don't still hate him and want revenge, do you?"

"Hehe..."

"I figured it out nine years ago. There was no chance. I don't want to seek my own death!"

"After cultivating myself these past few years, I've come to understand many things. Wouldn't it be better to enjoy the rest of my life?"

Seeing Utatane Koharu like this, Mitokado Homura's lingering worries finally vanished!