Four-Tailed Form

"When you take someone hostage, you should first weigh your own strength!" Mikoto Uchiha kicked aside the two corpses, her face cold.

"Wow! Madam, you're so cool!"

Naruto's blood-red eyes sparkled as she watched Mikoto Uchiha swiftly and decisively deal with the two ninjas. She had never expected this Uchiha housewife to be both gentle as water and so dashing!

Feeling a little embarrassed under Naruto's admiring gaze, Mikoto Uchiha's fair cheeks reddened slightly as she coughed.

"You dared to act rashly without even knowing your opponent's background. Konohagakure's Jonin these days are

nothing special."

Since Mikoto Uchiha had lived as a full-time housewife after marrying Fugaku Uchiha, she had naturally stayed indoors for years. It was understandable that Haruki Hyuga and the newer generation of Konohagakure ninjas did not recognize Mikoto Uchiha.

"I never expected you to be from the Uchiha Clan."

Haruki Hyuga looked at the corpses of the two Konohagakure ninjas, his expression incomparably grim. He had never imagined that Naruto would have an Uchiha by her side. Their original five-person squad had been reduced to only him and one other after a brief exchange.

The mission had failed...

If I had agreed to Kakashi's invitation and acted together from the start, they wouldn't have died... Haruki Hyuga looked at his squadmates' corpses, overwhelmed with regret. For the sake of so-called pride, he had refused Kakashi's invitation.

"Kimura! Retreat!"

Haruki Hyuga leaped to Kimura's side. Just as the two prepared to retreat, a red pellet flew past Haruki Hyuga's cheek, and blade-like wind left a cut across his face.

"Not good!"

The instant he saw the red pellet burst apart, Haruki Hyuga shoved Kimura away.

"Rotation!!!"

Haruki Hyuga struggled to use Rotation to block the tiny blades formed from Wind Release Chakra. With the enhancement of Nine-Tails Chakra, the power of Wind Release: Finger Gun had undergone a qualitative leap!

In the end, Haruki Hyuga exhausted his Chakra. The red wind carved dense wounds across his body, staining his white clothes red with blood.

"Captain Hyuga!!!"

"Kakashi, there's a smell of blood ahead!"

The moment Pakkun spoke, Kimura's hysterical cries carried over.

"It seems they've already caught up with Naruto Uzumaki and clashed with her!" Kakashi tugged at his mask, took a deep breath, swallowed a Soldier Pill, and covered himself in Lightning Release Chakra. It greatly increased his cellular activity while pushing his movement speed to its limit.

However, such enhancement could not last long. First, it consumed too much Chakra; second, prolonged use would damage the body.

"Hurry over! There's no time to waste!"

Kakashi rushed toward the source of the sounds first, and the other four hurried after him.

Nine-Tails Transformation: Four-Tails (1/2)

Naruto undid her Nine-Tails Transformation and walked over to the unconscious Haruki Hyuga. She removed his forehead protector, but found no Caged Bird Seal mark on his forehead. ζζ

Should I dig out his eyes? The Byakugan is a pretty good pair of eyes. Even if I can't use them, I could sell them to someone who needs them...

The Cloud Ninja Village of the Land of Lightning seems to have always wanted the Byakugan. They once kidnapped Hinata Hyuga when she was little... I'm sure they'll offer the price I want...

Just as Naruto hesitated over whether to dig out Haruki Hyuga's eyes, Mikoto Uchiha threw the unconscious Kimura beside him.

"Naruto, what should we do with these two ninjas?"

"Kill them."

Naruto did not hesitate in the slightest. Since Konohagakure had sent people to capture her, it had to be prepared to pay a painful price!

"But before that, I'm going to dig out his Byakugan."

"Naruto, this... isn't that a little wrong...?"

Hearing Naruto say she wanted to dig out Haruki Hyuga's Byakugan, Mikoto Uchiha, who also possessed the Sharingan Bloodline Limit, recalled unpleasant memories.

"Hmph, I'm only making use of waste!"

Naruto noticed Mikoto Uchiha's troubled expression and knew her words had stirred up bad memories. She pursed her lips and said nothing.

"Naruto, let me do it..."

Yakushi Nonō did not want to see Naruto's hands covered in blood, so she volunteered to help Naruto dig out Haruki Hyuga's Byakugan.

"No need. I'll do it myself."

Naruto refused Yakushi Nonō's help. She pulled open Haruki Hyuga's eyelids and was about to dig out her eyes when a flash of lightning streaked past. Kakashi had arrived.

Seeing what Naruto was doing, Kakashi's face was filled with disbelief.

"Kakashi, you're late again." Naruto stopped moving and rose to face Kakashi.

"Naruto, what are you trying to do?"

"What am I doing? Of course I'm digging out his eyes. This pair of Byakugan is worth quite a lot!"

"Naruto..."

Kakashi took a deep breath. "I don't know what happened to you to make you this insane..."

"Insane? No, I was never normal to begin with. So how could I be insane?" Naruto said. Her azure eyes turned blood-red, and she covered her face as she laughed madly.

Kakashi watched Naruto's maniacal laughter and frowned slightly. Noticing Yakushi Nonō and Mikoto Uchiha beside Naruto, he recognized both of them at a glance.

"You're the Uchiha Clan head's wife! Why are you with Naruto? You—you're from Root... Why are you both with Naruto? Could it be that you led Naruto into betraying Konohagakure?"

"You're overthinking it, Kakashi. I only met them by chance. And she no longer belongs to Root. Danzo abandoned her as a discarded pawn. You could also say she was abandoned by Konohagakure... wasn't she?"

As Naruto finished speaking, she narrowed her eyes and glanced at Yakushi Nonō.

Yakushi Nonō nodded expressionlessly. Though she felt somewhat uncomfortable inside, everything Naruto had said was true for her.

"Senior!"

Yamato and the others arrived, standing beside Kakashi. Yet even all of them together could not compare to the pressure Yamato alone brought Naruto.

He is... Yamato!