Don't Try to Guess What a Madman Is Thinking

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

The only people who still dared approach Takahashi Yū at a time like this were the other members of the Undying Squad. Seeing the situation before him, Nara Yūma's normally dead-eyed expression turned serious.

Yamanaka Ayano rushed straight to Hyūga Ryūhei, carefully probing him with her own fluctuations. This combined those fluctuations with a Yamanaka Secret Technique to examine a person's mental world.

Byakugan boy, don't scare your big sister.

After examining Ryūhei's mental world, Yamanaka Ayano's face twisted into a grimace. The Medical Ninja beside her were equally helpless before a condition with no external injuries.

Without lingering, Yamanaka Ayano stepped over several raised paving stones and came to Hyūga Gōshi. She pushed Uchiha Kenichi aside, rolled Takeshi's prone body over, and gathered her fluctuations into fine threads that pierced toward his drooping head.

Gekko Yūma had worn a grave expression ever since arriving at the Hyuga Clan Compound. He could not understand how anyone could be so stupid. This might well end beyond anyone's control. He walked over to Nara Yūma and quietly discussed something with him.

Hyūga clansmen with Byakugan kept darting out of the surrounding houses. Those wearing forehead protectors were generally from the branch family. Main Family members with gleaming, exposed foreheads also emerged from the houses at the center of the compound, their faces full of anger.

"Yūma, we might have to wait until the captain finishes killing before we discuss anything."

"Are these people really not afraid of dying? Or has living in luxury made them stupid?"

"No, wait. Hiashi and Hizashi aren't here. Looks like they aren't quite that stupid."

Nara Yūma stopped whispering with Yūma and shook his head at the Main Family members who still dared look indignant.

Yamanaka Ayano withdrew her probing threads from Takeshi's head. She swayed, her face turning deathly pale.

"Captain, Takeshi's mental responses are so faint they're practically undetectable. It looks like there's nothing we can do..."

Yamanaka Ayano steadied herself and spoke quietly to Takahashi Yū. She had thought that a teammate's death could no longer stir such powerful emotions in her, but having one persecuted by "their own people" inside the village still filled her with fury.

No one knew the condition of the Wave Seeds better than Takahashi Yū. He had merely been clinging to an unrealistic hope.

"So, you've surrounded me because you want to die?"

Takahashi Yū addressed the white-eyed people around him, and his immense killing intent immediately pressed outward.

"Takahashi Yū! Killing my clansmen and destroying our houses in the Hyuga Clan Compound! Such insolence!"

The Main Family members, struggling miserably under the pressure of Takahashi Yū's killing intent, barely managed to clear a path. An old man wearing a spotless white kimono emerged from behind them. The sweat on his forehead showed that he was not having an easy time either.

He was the Hyuga Clan Head, Hyūga Tenmei, and also Hiashi and Hizashi's father.

"Do you think the Hyūga have no one left? Or that Konoha has no one!"

Hyūga Tenmei fought desperately against the onslaught of the murderous intent fluctuation. Though the pressure left his head drenched in sweat, he stood straight and roared at Takahashi Yū.

Hearing Hyūga Tenmei's words, Takahashi Yū's anger surged. He flashed forward, appearing right before him.

The shadow cast by his towering frame covered the body that age had left slightly stooped. Hyūga Tenmei looked at Takahashi Yū without fear.

Inspired by their clan head's resolve, the Hyuga Main Family members beside him braced their hands on their knees and shakily straightened, glaring at Takahashi Yū alongside Hyūga Tenmei.

The sight made Takahashi Yū laugh in anger.

"You Hyūga really are something! It's been a long time since I met anyone more overbearing than me. You think I won't kill you?!"

Takahashi Yū covered his face with one hand, took a deep breath, and turned away.

Seeing this, the shinobi watching from the perimeter breathed a sigh of relief for the Hyūga.

Hyūga Tenmei had just relaxed when he saw Takahashi Yū raise his right hand, whirl back around, and sweep it toward them.

Boom!

Thick blood surged toward the houses behind them, carrying dust ripped up by the slash.

Desolation filled Hyūga Tenmei's heart. The skin on his left cheek was blown back, and his tied hair flew loose. The dozen or so Hyuga Main Family members who had stood to his left were gone without a trace. All that remained was the ravaged ground and blood spattered across the walls of houses dozens of meters behind him.

"Takahashi Yū! You dare slaughter Hyūga shinobi! I'll fight you to the death!"

Hyūga Tenmei roared in grief and fury and lunged at Takahashi Yū. The remaining Main Family members collapsed to the ground.

Smack!

Takahashi Yū reached forward, his enormous hand closing directly around Hyūga Tenmei's skull. With a slight lift, he hoisted the old man into the air. Hyūga Tenmei clawed at Takahashi Yū's broad hand with both hands, his legs struggling ceaselessly in midair.

The surrounding branch family members could no longer spare any thought for Takahashi Yū's terrifying presence. They assumed Gentle Fist stances and charged him.

Takahashi Yū did not change his posture. The killing intent around him merely solidified into blades that danced wildly around his body with lightning speed. Several jets of blood burst from every charging branch family member, spraying onto the ground.

The Medical Ninja were dumbstruck. Get Lady Tsunade, now!

The shinobi farther away could no longer sit still. No longer caring why Lord Hokage had yet to arrive, they plunged into Takahashi Yū's domain of killing intent and charged toward the man who stood like a tower's spire.

Watching the branch family members fall around him, Takahashi Yū could not help speaking.

"You train dogs better than even the Inuzuka Clan!"

He raised a foot and kicked away a branch family member clinging to him, then lifted Hyūga Tenmei's head before his eyes.

"Weren't you acting so fucking tough a moment ago? You killed my comrade and still dared turn the blame on me. Today, I'll let you see-oh, no, you probably won't get the chance."

"After you die, I'll slaughter everyone in the Main Family who knows the Caged Bird Seal. If the branch family attacks me, the same goes for them. I'll kill them all."

"Watch from up in heaven and see whether I, Takahashi Yū, can do it!"

Looking at the pain and hatred on Hyūga Tenmei's face, Takahashi Yū gradually tightened his grip, intent on crushing his skull.

"Shadow Possession Jutsu!"

A pitch-black shadow raced up Takahashi Yū's body, binding him tightly from bottom to top. Several figures also appeared beside him with a series of Body Flicker Techniques, restraining his body and arms.

"Takahashi, calm down!"

"Takahashi, you can't kill the Hyūga Clan Head!"

The arrivals were the heads of several shinobi clans. The Nara Clan Head, Shikaku Nara, and several Nara clansmen used their secret shadow technique together, twisting the shadows behind the houses into an enormous rope that coated everything but Takahashi Yū's head in a thick layer of black.

The Akimichi Clan Head enlarged his arms and legs and jumped onto Takahashi Yū's back. He threaded his arms beneath Takahashi Yū's armpits and wrapped his legs around his waist, crossing them over his lower abdomen and locking himself onto Takahashi Yū like a backpack. The portly Akimichi Clan Head probably never imagined that someone with a build like Takahashi Yū's existed, someone on whom he could use a submission hold.

The Akimichi, always the ones being locked in holds, finally experienced facing an opponent larger than themselves. It had to be said that the taijutsu the Akimichi hated most certainly lived up to its reputation. It was truly effective for the small to overcome the large!

The Inuzuka Clan Head and his beloved dog hung from Takahashi Yū's arm, trying to pry his fingers open and ease Hyūga Tenmei's suffering. However, enveloped in the murderous intent fluctuation, his beloved dog looked utterly listless, its entire body trembling atop Takahashi Yū's arm.

The Yamanaka Clan Head could only watch from the side. His taijutsu was no good, nor was his ninjutsu. His secret mental techniques were completely useless against Takahashi Yū, and one careless mistake could even leave him an idiot from the backlash. All he could do was stare helplessly.

The Aburame Clan Head was also nearby. His insects did not dare enter the area shrouded in killing intent. Without a single insect left on him, he felt terribly insecure, and he was even worried. Takahashi Yū's kekkei genkai seemed practically designed to target the Aburame Clan's insects. A natural counter!

For the moment, Takahashi Yū could not move. After all, a shinobi clan's head was generally its strongest member, and the combined techniques of several Shinobi Clan Heads held him frozen in place.

But his anger had not diminished in the slightest. He struggled to clench his hand into a fist and crush the Hyūga bastard's head!

The Akimichi Clan Head's sweat streamed toward the ground like water from a faucet, and even his face had grown considerably thinner. The Nara shinobi beside them were trembling violently.

The Yamanaka Clan Head grew frantic and hurriedly began babbling in front of Takahashi Yū. He even brought up holding only those responsible accountable. If the Hyūga Clan Head died here, he dared not imagine how Konoha would develop afterward!

The Third Hokage could never have imagined that Takahashi Yū would go straight for a clan head. If Hyūga Tenmei died, how would they punish Takahashi Yū? Who could punish him? If they did not punish him, what would the other shinobi clans think? Was Takahashi Yū's position in Konoha higher than the Hokage's? Which Shinobi Clan Heads could tolerate someone killing a clan head and going unpunished?

Drive Takahashi Yū out? If they dared announce it, even the Sand Shinobi, who bore a deep blood feud against Takahashi Yū, would welcome the people of Hot Springs Street with both hands and feet raised!

If he killed Hyūga Tenmei, Konoha could only choose between Takahashi Yū and the Hyuga Clan!

How could the watching shinobi clans stand by? They were still fighting a fucking war, and now they were starting to split apart?

Wasn't it just a branch family member becoming a dual kekkei genkai shinobi? Wasn't it just the branch family being stronger than the Main Family? Wasn't it just the branch family gaining a new kekkei genkai legacy? Wasn't it just the possibility that they might secretly hide away one or two dual kekkei genkai shinobi in the future, leave them without the Caged Bird Seal, and wipe out the Main Family once they grew up? Why be so petty and insist on provoking Takahashi Yū! They had no regard for the bigger picture!

The Hyūga had their own grievances. With Ryūhei and Takeshi around, they could no longer suppress the branch family at all. Besides, most of the branch family was on the Land of Water battlefield. Once they returned, the branch family's ambitions would be even harder to quell!

Takahashi Yū endured the Yamanaka Clan Head's endless babbling and kept exerting force. The Akimichi Clan Head clinging to him had sunken cheeks, and the Butterfly Mode wings behind him were shrinking. The Nara shinobi beside them could barely maintain their half-kneeling positions, sweat pouring off them.

"Takahashi! Calm down! We're trying to solve the problem here! Killing him won't solve anything!"

The Yamanaka Clan Head could see the other clan heads reaching their limits, and he too was desperate. He leaped onto Takahashi Yū, cupped his large face, and shouted.

Since Yamanaka Ayano also possessed Takahashi Yū's kekkei genkai, they would lose out too if things spiraled beyond control!

Listening to the Yamanaka Clan Head's babbling and enduring his assault of bad breath, Takahashi Yū understood the others' concerns. But Takeshi was still lying there, and Ryūhei's mental world was in ruins. He had already made his decision when he gathered his neighbors from Hot Springs Street. He would make everyone, regardless of the reason, neither dare nor be able to touch his people.

That required the death of someone important enough!

While everyone remained locked in a stalemate, Tsunade and Dan Katō arrived after being notified by the Medical Ninja.

Tsunade had bottled up a bellyful of anger at the Senju Clan Compound. Once things finally broke up, she had gone to find Dan Katō to unwind. She had barely exchanged a few words with this man whose company suited her before sensing the fluctuations within Konoha.

With the Medical Ninja's urgent report as well, she learned that Takahashi Yū was raging at the Hyūga and hurried over without delay. Dan Katō came along too, though what he had in mind was unclear.

A moment's thought told Tsunade this would be trouble. She had not wanted Dan Katō involved, but she could not withstand his gentle persuasion.

The instant she entered the Hyuga Clan Compound, a moment's carelessness let Takahashi Yū's murderous intent fluctuation knock the breath out of her.

Then she saw a blackened Takahashi Yū gripping an old man, with several burly men practically growing out of his body.

An old man? The Hyūga Clan Head?!

"Stop! Takahashi Yū!"

As the First's granddaughter, before Nawaki and Dan Katō died, she still cared a great deal about Konoha. Her mind immediately went to how much damage the Hyūga Clan Head's death would cause Konoha. It might even split apart.

What is the Third doing?!

Tsunade could no longer remember what the Medical Ninja had reported. Wasn't Takahashi Yū causing trouble at the Hyūga? How had he ended up on the verge of killing their clan head?

"Stop right now, Takahashi Yū!" Unable to hold back any longer, Tsunade sprinted toward that "clump" of people.

"It'll be all right, Tsunade. Don't worry." A gentle voice reached Tsunade's ear, but there was no one in sight.

Tsunade looked back and saw Dan Katō sitting upright on the ground.

The Spirit Transformation Technique?!

Tsunade could not see Dan Katō in his soul state, but she had crammed up on Takahashi Yū's intelligence reports.

"No, Dan! Come back!"

The Yamanaka Clan Head, hanging in front of Takahashi Yū's face, also keenly sensed the soul fluctuations, and his expression changed drastically! Someone actually dared use a mental attack on Takahashi Yū?! Whose subordinate was this, so unbelievably bold?!

Hadn't Yamanaka Ayano reported that they must never enter Takahashi Yū's mental world?

"Don't!" the Yamanaka Clan Head shouted too.

The Yamanaka Clan Head's sudden shout made Takahashi Yū's scalp tingle. Don't? I'm going to crush him anyway!

Dan Katō used the Spirit Transformation Technique, becoming a spirit form and flying toward Takahashi Yū. As he passed Tsunade, he even told her not to worry.

He had also read the intelligence on Takahashi Yū circulating through the Shinobi World. But immunity and backlash against mental ninjutsu-what does that have to do with my soul? Your physical body is strong? Then we'll duel with our souls!

How could intelligence circulating through the Shinobi World compare with what their own people knew? Yamanaka Ayano had confirmed the strength of Takahashi Yū's soul long ago. It did not feel strong when sensed because, under his [Soul] trait, Takahashi Yū's soul adhered extremely tightly to his physical body.

How tightly? It was as though his soul had seeped into his physical body, like water absorbed by a sponge.

Besides, [Murderous Intent Fluctuation] radiated outward from the soul itself. Charging into it with the Spirit Transformation Technique was equivalent to slamming an ordinary person's physical body into a speeding dump truck.

A dump truck with an extra-large, extra-thick bumper, at that!