In truth, with Konoha's current strength, it would not be impossible to assemble a team capable of hunting down and eliminating Hyūga Yuzuru.
After all, during the years Jiraiya spent wandering the shinobi world, he often took on missions to track and capture rogue ninjas along the way.
That was precisely why, despite being away from the village for most of the time, his completed mission count consistently ranked at the very top in Konoha.
However, the present situation was different.
Konoha was facing internal turmoil and external threats simultaneously. All of its efforts had to be focused on recovery and, more importantly, on guarding against Kumogakure and Kirigakure.
There was no way to dispatch someone of Jiraiya's caliber to pursue Yuzuru. Under these circumstances, Konoha truly lacked the necessary manpower.
As a result, the matter of hunting down Hyūga Yuzuru was temporarily shelved, to be reconsidered only after the village had stabilized.
"As for the Hyūga clan's future actions… I will discuss an appropriate plan with Hiashi," Hiruzen said, lightly tapping his pipe against the table.
"That seems to be the only option. In that case, Hiruzen, what are your thoughts regarding the Fifth Hokage?" asked Mitokado Homura.
"I recommend Orochimaru. At present, there is no one more suitable than him," Danzō said, cutting in before Hiruzen could speak.
"Impossible!" Hiruzen retorted immediately. "The issues surrounding Orochimaru are far too serious. Hyūga Yuzuru's defection is closely tied to him. A man like that can never become Hokage!"
Utatane Koharu and Homura both nodded. If they had once held even a trace of hope for Orochimaru, that hope had vanished completely after the Yuzuru incident.
"Hmph… then who do you believe is more suitable? Jiraiya? With that frivolous personality, can he truly shoulder such responsibility? Or Tsunade, who suffers from hemophobia and cannot even fight?" Danzō snapped, irritation clear on his face.
Hiruzen slowly put away his pipe and leaned forward. A suffocating pressure suddenly filled the room.
"I will temporarily assume the position of Hokage. Once the village overcomes this crisis, we will select a new leader."
Danzō froze in shock. He had never imagined that the Third Hokage intended to return to power.
When he looked at Koharu and Homura, their expressions clearly showed agreement. At that moment, Danzō realized the three of them had already reached a consensus.
"You… hmph! Hiruzen, I hope you do not come to regret this!"
Land of Lightning " Raikage's Office
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion echoed through the room.
"What?! The Fourth Hokage is dead?! Hahahahaha!" roared the Fourth Raikage, A, smashing the desk in front of him with a single punch.
"Lord Raikage, please restrain yourself. This is already the third desk you've broken this month," said Mabui, his secretary, her expression perfectly calm.
"Deduct it from my salary. Now tell me everything that happened in Konoha!" the Raikage said dismissively, waving his hand.
"Yes, Lord Raikage. A riot involving the Nine-Tails occurred in Konoha. The Fourth Hokage fell in battle, and the village suffered heavy losses… Additionally, internal conflict broke out within the Hyūga clan. A member of the branch family attacked the main house and subsequently defected," Mabui reported in a composed, professional tone.
"Wait… let me think."
The Raikage stood up and paced back and forth across the office.
"Immediately assemble all jōnin in the village! I want a war council targeting Konoha. Also, dispatch an ANBU squad to hunt down that Hyūga deserter. Bring me the Byakugan!"
"Yes, sir!"
The orders were swiftly relayed, and the entirety of Kumogakure entered a state of rapid mobilization.
With Konoha's wanted notice released, the entire shinobi world took notice of a single name " Hyūga Yuzuru.
A Byakugan wielder who had broken free from the Caged Bird Seal.
This revelation captured the interest of nearly every major leader across the nations.
For the first time in history, a Byakugan that could be taken by force had appeared. As a rogue ninja, killing him would bring no political consequences.
Thus, a silent order spread throughout the shinobi world:
"Seize the Byakugan."
Unlike the Sharingan, the Byakugan could be transplanted without severe side effects.
In the eyes of many powerful figures, the Byakugan was wasted on the Hyūga clan. In their own hands, it would undoubtedly be used far more effectively.
The Raikage himself coveted the Byakugan deeply. If he could combine it with Kumogakure's secret taijutsu, his power would rise to an entirely new level.
In the past, Kumogakure had attempted countless schemes to steal the Byakugan, yet every one of them had failed.
Capturing branch family members was useless. Before long, the cursed seal would kill them.
Even forcing those men to produce offspring was meaningless " the children would not inherit the Byakugan.
This was precisely why the Hyūga clan allowed only internal marriages " children born from unions with outsiders could not awaken the Byakugan.
To this day, that rule had never been broken.
And for that very reason, over a thousand years had passed without the Byakugan ever leaking beyond the clan.
Now that a genuine opportunity had finally appeared, how could the Raikage possibly let it slip away?
If not for the need to prepare for war against Konoha, he might have personally gone after Hyūga Yuzuru.
Border of the Land of Fire " Underground Bounty Exchange
Disguised by a Transformation Technique, Yuzuru stood quietly as he examined his own wanted poster and bounty.
Who had placed it? Konoha? Or one of the forces coveting the Byakugan?
"Hyūga Yuzuru
Former member of Konoha's Hyūga clan. Cunning, ruthless, highly skilled in disguise. Methods and strength unknown. Murdered members of his own clan before defecting. Extremely dangerous. Classified as an S-rank rogue ninja."
"Very little information… they only state my Hyūga origin," Yuzuru murmured.
He then opened the bounty ledger and focused on the reward.
Fifty million ryō.
"Hmph. Quite generous. On par with the Six-Tails' jinchūriki."
After Utakata of Kirigakure defected, his bounty on the underground market had been exactly the same.
"Huh? We're both from the 'Yu' generation?"
Curious, Yuzuru flipped to the first page of the ledger.
His eyes widened.
"Seven billion eight hundred million?! Who in the world is this?!"
At the very top was the name Fukuda Seimu, with a bounty so absurd it eclipsed the combined rewards of the Five Kage.
The second-ranked bounty, by contrast, dropped sharply to only a few hundred million.
They were not even in the same league.
Despite having lived in the shinobi world for many years, Yuzuru had never once heard that name.
"This shinobi world… runs far deeper than it seems."
Leaving the underground exchange, Yuzuru headed east.
His destination was a long-destroyed nation along the coast of the Land of Fire:
"The Land of Whirlpools."
During the Second Great Ninja War, the Land of Whirlpools had been annihilated by a joint assault from Kumogakure and Kirigakure.
As a result, the Uzumaki clan scattered across the shinobi world, their former glory reduced to legend.
Many of their techniques, especially fūinjutsu, were lost in the process. The most complete surviving legacy now resided in Konoha.
Yuzuru's objective was clear.
The Uzumaki clan's Yang Release techniques and sealing arts.
This plan had been set long ago.
To gather knowledge of Yin Release, Yang Release, and the five elemental transformations.
To master all seven chakra natures.
By doing so, even among Kage-level shinobi, he would stand as a formidable expert.
And then…
"Achieve Yin–Yang Release."
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