Shinno wandered through several alleyways and across the vast Hyūga clan compound before finally arriving at a secluded courtyard.
Though it was considered remote, its charm came from its seclusion. The buildings themselves were elegantly decorated and refined, exuding an aura of quiet elegance.
Shinno showed no signs of alarm. Throughout his career, he had encountered many high-ranking officials—most of whom tried desperately to hide their own illnesses.
After walking through the corridor, he entered the reception hall.
He sat quietly to one side, waiting patiently while quietly speculating on which Hyūga elder he'd been summoned to see.
The Hyūga Clan was famously secretive. Outsiders usually found it extremely difficult to enter. Today, though, Shinno felt as if he'd hit the jackpot.
While making his way here, he had casually studied the layout of the Hyūga compound's architecture.
Based on his extensive experience, the building housing the Hyūga Clan's secrets should be located in the southeast corner.
This was just a guess—but one informed by years spent infiltrating hidden villages, stealing secret jutsu scrolls.
After sitting for a while, he heard light footsteps coming from behind the screen.
Head bowed respectfully, Shinno remained still, waiting calmly for the host to arrive.
Years of training and countless experiences had taught him how to behave in the least suspicious manner.
As the footsteps approached, Shinno lifted his gaze naturally and looked toward the newcomer.
His gaze met that of a young boy with delicate features, an elegant build, and dressed in traditional Hyūga attire.
The kid wore a warm, friendly smile, flanked by two guards, exuding nobility without losing his approachability.
"You must be Doctor Shinno! I've been eagerly awaiting your arrival."
On his face, Satori Hyūga lit up with genuine joy as he looked at the deceived doctor before him.
Simple? Indeed.
Yet also complicated.
Only the simplest of traps could fool someone as cunning as Shinno, and even then, without triggering his instincts at all.
Shinno didn't show any displeasure upon seeing that his host was merely a teenager. Instead, he smiled warmly.
Just from looking at the guards standing behind the boy, he instantly knew this boy was from the legendary Hyūga Main House.
Main House members—rare treasures in the ninja world, even more precious than pandas. Their Byakugan remained pure and intact.
Branch House members bore the Caged Bird Seal—if their eyes were removed, the cursed mark would activate, obliterating the neural tissue.
But the Main House had no such restrictions. Their bodies were untouched, free of any seal. Stealing their eyes meant pure profit.
Seeing such a valuable prize so easily within his grasp, Shinno forced himself to suppress his greed.
"Master Hyūga," Shinno said politely, "was it you who summoned me to heal an elder?"
His reasoning was simple—Satori Hyūga showed no signs of sickness whatsoever.
No symptoms meant the invitation wasn't for him personally, but for someone older.
Don't be mistaken—though ninjas possessed chakra, vibrant cell activity, and immense strength, they were still vulnerable to illness and injury.
Satori Hyūga shook his head slightly, hesitation flickering across his features.
"No, Master Shinno… I'm the one who summoned you—to heal me."
His expression was unnaturally stiff as he spoke with an eerie smile, "I accidentally practiced a certain ninjutsu and ended up with serious physical side effects. I was hoping you could examine me and see if there's any way to cure them."
A chill crawled up Shinno's spine under that gaze. There was something unsettling about the way the other man looked at him.
The look in his eyes burned with urgency and intensity, like a predator locking onto its prey—laced with delight.
It was strange, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why.
He didn't think his identity had been discovered, so he kept his composure outwardly.
Upon hearing that Satori Hyūga had trained in some ninjutsu and developed issues as a result, Shinno had a rough guess in mind.
Probably fried his brain through overtraining.
No wonder he was from the Main House—likely practicing some clan-exclusive techniques.
At the thought of such rare jutsu, Shinno felt a thrill stir within him.
He chose to become a medic-nin specifically because the role gave him access to others' bodies—and their secrets.
Who would ever suspect their own healer?
Shinno composed himself slightly before speaking, "I can handle most side effects, but if it's too complex, I'm afraid I may not be able to help."
He said this partly as preparation.
His medical skills were indeed exceptional, but there were still many bizarre ailments in the ninja world that he couldn't cure—like bloodline disorders.
For injuries caused by training in ninjutsu, he'd need to assess the specific situation first.
Still, he secretly hoped the other's condition was severe enough. That way, he could remain inside the Hyūga Clan longer and seize the chance to steal their secrets.
The Byakugan and Gentle Fist were legendary hallmarks unique to Konoha—clan-issued secrets. He could only imagine how perfectly suited they'd be for his research.
Once his research succeeded, he could unlock the Eight Gates and master the Gentle Fist himself. Who in the ninja world could possibly rival him then?
Moreover, knowledge regarding the meridians and acupoints in the Hyūga Clan's human anatomy was far more advanced than what circulated outside.
Even the massage parlors he passed on the road were built on acupoint knowledge stolen from the Hyūga Clan!
"No problem, just proceed with normal treatment," said Hyūga Satori, extending his arm for Shinno's examination.
Shinno took a quick glance but noticed nothing unusual.
The arm appeared pale yet firm.
Firm? He doubted his own eyes, reaching out to test the muscle.
To his surprise, Satori's muscle density was abnormally high, with cellular activity far beyond what any ordinary ninja should have.
Strange—too strange.
The muscles felt nowhere near what a mere boy should have. It felt more like the body of a veteran taijutsu specialist hardened by brutal training.
Yet when he lifted his eyes to take in Satori's face and overall frame, he still looked like a regular teenage boy.
After a brief pause, Shinno remarked, "This is indeed somewhat serious. I'll need to use chakra to conduct a thorough scan of your body's condition."
That statement also served to lower Satori's guard and reduce any resistance toward the examination.
Satori replied, "Master Shinno, please feel free to check thoroughly."
He let go completely, giving Shinno free rein.
One of the nearby guards instinctively moved forward, about to intervene—but another pulled him back.
Smiling thinly, Shinno extended his hand to begin probing deeper.
A wisp of chakra light coalesced in his palm, flowing through the meridians in his arm as he extended his chakra into Satori Hyūga's body.
But the moment it entered, he sensed something was off.
There was a strangely familiar presence within the other's body, like something he had seen before.
[Eight Gates technique]," Shinno realized with alarm, immediately understanding why it felt so familiar.
During the Second Great Shinobi War, he had led the Sky Ninja faction in an attack on Konoha. Unfortunately, the power gap was too great, and he was defeated.
But it wasn't a total loss—he had stolen two special scrolls from the strongest village in the ninja world.
One contained the forbidden technique known as the [Eight Gates technique].
The other contained the technique for creating the Zero-Tails.
And the Eight Gates was precisely the secret jutsu he was currently training.
This technique had critical flaws. To fix them, he had scoured the ninja world, searching for various secret techniques to improve it.
He had just returned from Cloud Village in the Land of Lightning, where he stole the [Cellular Activation Technique].
Cellular activation could fully unlock physical potential, enhance one's physique, and help the body actively adapt to the aftereffects of the Eight Gates.
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