Konoha: Starting with the Tenseigan, Taking Over Team 7

So fast!

Oh no!

This is bad.

If Aogetsu Hyuga, that walking disaster of a ninja, called a move his ultimate technique, it had to be a terrifying trump card!

I have to stop Cangyue from using it!

"Ice Release..." Yuki Haku unleashed his chakra, his pale hands flashing through hand seals. He meant to use Ice Release to stop Aogetsu from launching his ultimate technique.

Unfortunately, he was too slow.

"Ultimate Ninja Art—Thousand Years of Death!" Aogetsu Hyuga bent forward, clasped his hands together, and drove two fingers straight into Yuki Haku's backside.

Side Quest: A Lottery Gift Pack?

"Mm—ow!" Yuki Haku let out a soft cry. The jab sent his slight body flying into the sky before he crashed hard to the ground.

Team 7 stared at Yuki Haku lying on the ground, dumbfounded. None of them knew what to say.

What... what was that?

They had been eagerly waiting for Aogetsu to teach them a top-tier ultimate technique powerful enough to defeat a Mizukage.

And then... he pulled that?

A move that crude could defeat the Fifth Mizukage?

Who would believe that?

"You pervert!" Yuki Haku knelt on the ground, clutching his aching backside. His slight body trembled, and beneath his white mask, his flushed face glared at Aogetsu in shame and fury.

What a filthy ultimate technique!

What is wrong with Aogetsu Hyuga?

Could that move really defeat the Fifth Mizukage?

Perhaps it could.

Mei Terumi was a woman, after all. From another angle, the move really could defeat her.

It was every woman's worst enemy!

"See? Very effective." Cangyue Hyuga chuckled. "Mei Terumi reacted even more strongly than you did."

She had been furious enough to swear she would kill Aogetsu someday.

[Ding—]

[Side Mission: Have all three members of Team 7 defeat the rogue ninja Zabuza Momochi.]

[Quest reward: One random Lottery Pack, containing abilities or items from countless worlds.]

[Time limit: Seven days.]

[No penalty for failure.]

The system's notification rang out.

"A Side Mission? That random Lottery Pack doesn't sound all that tempting." Cangyue Hyuga raised an eyebrow and glanced at Zabuza, who lay barely alive in the distance.

Still, a Lottery Pack was something. He might draw a fun little prize.

A Zanpakuto to play with, for example.

Finishing him off counts as defeating him, right?

I'll have all of Team 7 deal the final blow.

[No. All three members of Team 7 must defeat Zabuza Momochi when he is uninjured and at full strength.] The system spoke in a clear female voice.

"Defeat him at full strength within seven days? That'll be tough for these brats." Cangyue Hyuga turned to look at Team 7 in the distance.

At their current level, the three of them stood no chance against Zabuza.

Unless he could teach the Nine-Tails brat the Rasengan and the Uchiha brat Chidori within seven days.

As for Sakura Haruno...

He had never worked with the Strength of a Hundred Power. Before learning it, she would first need to master Chakra Enhanced Strength, the art of controlling Chakra.

Although he couldn't teach her the Strength of a Hundred Power, he could at least teach Sakura Chakra Enhanced Strength first.

There was no penalty for failure, so he might as well let the brats try.

Besides, even if those brats failed to learn the Rasengan, Chidori, and Chakra Enhanced Strength within seven days, he still had a fallback that would let all three members of Team 7 win decisively.

Cangyue Hyuga's gaze shifted to Naruto Uzumaki in the distance.

That fallback was the Nine-Tails inside Naruto Uzumaki. He could make Naruto unleash the Demon Fox Cloak!

This side quest was practically a free reward!

Perfect!

Yuki Haku noticed that Aogetsu Hyuga seemed lost in thought, paying no attention to him despite his being an enemy. He seized the chance and swiftly formed hand seals with his pale hands.

"Ice Release: Exploding Ice Pillars."

The ground beneath Team 7 shook violently. Several enormous, sharp ice pillars burst upward and hurtled toward them and Tazuna.

The sudden attack caught Team 7 off guard.

"Sasuke!" Naruto Uzumaki's face changed. He shoved Sasuke aside, but an ice pillar snagged his clothes and carried him into the sky.

Forcing a grin, Naruto Uzumaki looked down at Sasuke Uchiha and taunted, "You're not hurt, are you, scaredy-cat?"

He held grudges. He had to pay Sasuke back for what happened earlier!

Now that he had saved Sasuke, he got to taunt him. Next time, he would save Aogetsu and taunt him even harder!

Sasuke Uchiha scrambled to his feet and glared up at Naruto dangling from the ice pillar. "You absolute idiot!" he cursed under his breath.

He could have dodged the pillar himself. Naruto Uzumaki had stuck his nose in for nothing!

Sakura Haruno looked up at Naruto hanging from the ice pillar, panic on her face. "Naruto!"

In that brief moment...

Yuki Haku scooped up the unconscious Zabuza and vanished with a Body Flicker Technique, darting from tree trunk to tree trunk.

He had been wondering how to retreat. When he saw Aogetsu preoccupied, he had grabbed the chance to escape.

Naruto Uzumaki shouted, "Aogetsu, don't worry about me! Go after them!"

"Ultimate Technique: Shattering Ice Crystal." Yuki Haku clasped his hands together and released a tremendous wave of cold. It surrounded Team 7 and the others, then formed an ice crystal as large as a hill.

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!" Yuki Haku changed his hand seals. A vast surge of water rose around him, and heavy waves crashed toward Aogetsu Hyuga.

He had spent every last bit of Chakra to secure their escape!

Naruto Uzumaki's smile vanished as he felt the cold closing in. He struggled wildly and shouted through tears, "S-sorry! I'm sorry! Cangyue-sensei, please save me!"

"Troublesome brat." Cangyue Hyuga turned into a streak of lightning. An azure flash swept past, and in a fraction of a second, he carried Team 7, Tazuna, and the others to the top of a distant hill.

Lightning was fast!

"Whew..." All of Team 7 breathed a sigh of relief. If Aogetsu had not stepped in, Shattering Ice Crystal would have killed them instantly.

That technique had been terrifying!

For an instant, it had felt as though their blood were freezing!

"He got away fast." Cangyue Hyuga swept his Tenseigan's penetrating gaze across the vast forest, but saw no sign of Yuki Haku.

The pretty little fellow had some skill.

He had unleashed a barrage of techniques and still had enough strength to carry Zabuza away. He was an excellent ninja.

Either way, Team 7 will take you down. You'll be my ticket to a reward!

Naruto Uzumaki sank to his knees. "I'm really sorry. The enemy escaped because of me."

"You held me back, and now the enemy's gone for good." Cangyue Hyuga looked coldly down at the three members of Team 7. "You should die to atone for it."

He did not actually mind. The enemy's escape was part of his plan.

But he wanted to reprimand Team 7 so they would grow stronger within seven days.

"Honestly, I'm disappointed, and I'm out of patience. You're the worst students I've ever taught. When the enemy shows up again, deal with him yourselves." Cangyue Hyuga's voice remained flat. "If you can't, go back to school and study. Stop playing ninja."

"I'm sorry..." Sakura Haruno lowered her head. Her eyes reddened, and her spirits sank.

Is Aogetsu disappointed in us?

He expects so much from Team 7 and always teaches us so patiently. Seeing how helpless we were must have disappointed him.

All three fell silent. They kept their heads down, too ashamed to look at Aogetsu.

They knew Cangyue was telling the truth.

They had been too weak, and the enemy had escaped because of it!

We have to get stronger!

They had stood by helplessly while Aogetsu fought the enemy. Once was enough to feel that powerless!

Cangyue Hyuga put on a stern expression. "Five days. You have five days to train and defeat the enemy. If you can't manage something that simple, I'll give up on Team 7."

Naruto Uzumaki raised his head with a bright, determined smile. "Don't worry, Aogetsu! The enemy got away because of me, so I'll show you how strong I can get!"

He liked Aogetsu Hyuga. He wanted to prove to someone important to him that he could grow stronger!

Sasuke Uchiha gritted his teeth and slowly clenched his fists. He looked up at Aogetsu, his expression hard. "Aogetsu, please give me power. I'll get stronger right away!"

His pride could not bear how helpless he had been.

He had to gain power and defeat the enemy once and for all!

Besides, if Aogetsu gave up on Team 7, how would he gain the power to take revenge?

He had to make Aogetsu stay!

"I'll work hard too!" Sakura Haruno said firmly.

Cangyue Hyuga put his arms around the three of them and smiled. "You do have talent. Don't disappoint me again."

The stick and the carrot.

"We won't, Aogetsu!" All three members of Team 7 resolved to grow stronger in just five days and defeat the enemy when he returned.

"Head to the Land of Waves first. I have something to take care of." Cangyue Hyuga glanced into the distance. Through his Chakra sensing, he could detect Yuki Haku's presence.

"So that's where he is. I might as well say hello."

Cangyue Hyuga turned into a streak of lightning and vanished completely.

Far away...

"Hah... hah..." Yuki Haku breathed hard, his whole body weak as he slumped to the ground. Pain shot through his backside when he sat down, making his slight body flinch.

He had used too much Chakra!

In all his years as a ninja, this was the first time he had exhausted every bit of Chakra and still been unable to do anything to one man.

Hyuga Cangyue... that man was a monster!

Crackle. Azure electricity flashed, and Aogetsu Hyuga appeared out of nowhere before Haku.

"Hey." Hyuga Cangyue greeted him with a smile.

The Right Way to Use an Enemy

"Huh—?"

Hyuga Cangyue's sudden appearance startled Yuki Haku. His slight body flinched, and he froze like a frightened rabbit.

"You can take my life, but please spare Mr. Zabuza. He has a dream he must fulfill." Yuki Haku picked up a Kunai and forced himself to his feet, gritting his teeth as he watched Aogetsu Hyuga warily.

His Chakra was spent. Even standing was a struggle, and forcing himself to use more Chakra could kill him.

It would probably take about two days to recover.

Right now, he had no way to resist an enemy as powerful as Aogetsu Hyuga. He could only hope Aogetsu would spare Mr. Zabuza.

"Is that so? Dying for someone important to you... that's an interesting offer." Hyuga Cangyue rubbed his chin and bent down to study Yuki Haku.