After assigning Kisame his mission, Zou Hyuga stayed at the Leyline Base for a few more days.
Partly, he wanted to communicate with the Leyline's rudimentary consciousness, and partly, he wanted to assess the results of Kisame's teaching. Although these trainees had all been born into Kekkei Genkai Families in Kirigakure, their talent was mediocre, and very few could actually awaken their kekkei genkai.
In fact, even among the Uchiha, currently the foremost clan in the shinobi world, only a tiny minority could awaken the Sharingan. The Hyuga Clan was the exception.
For members of the Hyuga Clan, once they reached a certain age, all they needed was a little guidance to awaken the Byakugan.
Such outstanding talent also attracted plenty of covetous eyes, necessitating the restraints of the Caged Bird Seal.
After carefully examining every trainee Kisame taught, Zou Hyuga detected a faint trace of a kekkei genkai in only one of them, and even that trainee was still a long way from truly awakening it.
Once he had finished everything, Zou Hyuga quietly slipped back into the village. Walking along the street, he heard passersby discussing Tsunade, who had recently returned.
Zou Hyuga was not surprised by Tsunade's return. Back at the Akatsuki base, he had already heard that Orochimaru and the others had failed to "invite" her to cooperate.
Suffering from hemophobia, Tsunade was naturally no match for Hiruko and Orochimaru. Had Jiraiya not arrived in time, Zou might have met her at the Akatsuki base.
Perhaps Hiruko's ritual had not been entirely successful because they had failed to secure Tsunade.
Still, after the attack on Tsunade, the Village Leadership would probably take the threat posed by the Akatsuki more seriously.
Lost in thought along the way, he reached his front door before he knew it. Someone