Hyuga Hizashi noticed the disdain in Hyuga Arin's eyes, but only frowned slightly.
"Hyuga Arin, I know you harbor resentment toward the main family. But the duty of the branch family is to protect the main family, while the main family leads the Hyuga clan."
Hyuga Arin nearly rolled his eyes hard enough to pop out a second pair of Byakugan—giving Hyuga Hizashi two white-eyed glares.
"None of that has anything to do with me."
The responsibilities of the Hyuga clan had absolutely nothing to do with him.
Hyuga Hizashi ignored Hyuga Arin's words and continued in a deep voice, "The main family bears the weight of the entire Hyuga clan. Can't you show a bit of understanding?"
Hyuga Arin replied with a serious expression, "If that's the case, then put that responsibility on me instead. Go tell your brother to let me become the main family, and he can be the branch family."
Hyuga Hizashi's expression darkened. "That joke isn't funny at all."
Hyuga Arin sneered. "You're the one who started joking first."
He raised his hand. A shuriken from his inventory appeared in his palm, and he immediately threw it at Hyuga Hizashi.
Hyuga Hizashi was startled and halted his steps, dodging aside.
By the time he recovered, Hyuga Arin had already accelerated and rushed forward, quickly pulling away.
"F*cking shameless," Hyuga Arin cursed aloud as he caught up to Hyuga Hiashi, not bothering to hide it at all.
Hyuga Hiashi shot him a sharp look. Hyuga Arin responded with a grin, looking eager to fight.
Suddenly, Tsunade stopped and stood atop a tree branch, forcing both Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Arin to halt as well.
Hyuga Hizashi leapt over with an ugly expression and landed behind Hyuga Hiashi.
Tsunade's expression was just as ugly as she glared at Hyuga Arin. "You actually attacked a teammate without authorization."
Hyuga Arin shrugged indifferently. "His mouth was filthy. I helped him wake up a bit."
The three of them all stared at Hyuga Arin at the same time—as if from start to finish, he was the only one who'd been swearing.
Hyuga Hizashi said in a low voice, "I was only trying to make you understand your responsibilities."
Hyuga Arin didn't even look at him. Instead, he looked straight at Hyuga Hiashi.
"You want me to be your dog like your brother? Keep dreaming."
Did he really think Hyuga Arin didn't know this was Hyuga Hiashi's idea—sending Hyuga Hizashi to play mediator?
Trying to make him willingly become a dog?
What a joke.
Hyuga Hiashi's face grew extremely ugly. His hands even began forming the Rat hand seal—the starting seal for activating the Caged Bird technique.
Hyuga Arin saw it. Tsunade saw it too.
"Enough!!"
Tsunade slammed her fist into the nearby tree trunk.
Boom!
The middle of the entire tree shattered, and the upper half crashed to the ground.
Rubbing her temples, Tsunade felt deep regret. She never should've taken this mission.
Staring at the three of them, who were practically at each other's throats, she said in a deep voice:
"I don't care what grudges you have. Right now, you are a team. Until this mission is completed, you will all behave yourselves… otherwise—"
Tsunade rotated her fist, glaring threateningly at the three of them.
Faced with Tsunade's threat, Hyuga Hiashi naturally didn't dare activate the Caged Bird Seal any further.
Hyuga Arin gave Tsunade a crisp salute. "Lady Tsunade, rest assured. I guarantee I won't clash with them in front of you."
Which clearly implied that outside her sight was fair game.
Tsunade shot Hyuga Arin a glare, said nothing more, and turned to leap onto another tree branch.
Hyuga Arin followed, then turned his head and said to the two of them, "Hurry up. Don't delay the mission."
Who do you think caused the delay in the first place?!
Hyuga Hiashi clenched his teeth. This was the first time he'd ever encountered a branch family member who showed him absolutely no respect.
Hyuga Hizashi hesitated, then spoke up, "Brother, it seems Lady Tsunade is deliberately protecting Hyuga Arin."
Although it was subtle, Hyuga Hizashi wasn't clouded by emotion. After all, Hyuga Arin had been targeting Hyuga Hiashi the whole time, which oddly made Hyuga Hizashi more clear-headed.
Hyuga Hiashi looked at Hyuga Hizashi in shock. Scenes from everything that had happened since meeting Tsunade today flashed through his mind.
"Impossible…"
But thinking carefully, both times today had indeed been moments when he was about to act, and Tsunade had suddenly intervened.
"Absolutely impossible," Hyuga Hiashi insisted, firmly believing his own judgment. What right did Hyuga Arin have to be connected to Tsunade in any way?
Hyuga Hizashi sighed softly as he looked at Hyuga Hiashi, who had already made up his mind.
The two of them hurriedly chased after the others.
…
The trees on both sides blurred past at high speed.
Tsunade led the way in front, with Hyuga Arin sticking close behind her. Suddenly, she gritted her teeth and said, "Brat, know when to stop."
Hyuga Arin replied with a grin, "Of course, Lady Tsunade. I know when to quit. I definitely won't cause you too much trouble."
Tsunade snorted coldly and continued moving forward at high speed.
The four members of the squad turned into streaks of black shadows, rapidly weaving through the forest.
Their mission target wasn't far.
Soon, they arrived at the designated location.
The group quickly concealed themselves in the trees, looking down at a group of raggedly dressed people guarding the entrance into the mountain.
"These bandits are all ordinary people. Only their leader and vice-leader are two wandering ninja," Tsunade quickly explained the mission details.
She cast a deep look at Hyuga Hiashi.
"Since this is your training mission, you'll complete it yourselves. Unless absolutely necessary, I won't intervene."
This was only a C-rank mission. Although Tsunade hadn't yet reached her later status as one of the Legendary Sannin, she was still a formidable jonin.
A task like this wasn't worth her stepping in.
Hyuga Hiashi nodded and proactively took on the role of team leader.
"Hizashi, circle around to the back and block their retreat. If they're just ordinary people, let them go. Focus on the two wandering ninja."
"Hyuga Arin and I will infiltrate from the front and deal with the two wandering ninja. Hyuga Arin, do you have any objections?"
He wasn't someone who acted arbitrarily. His brother Hyuga Hizashi would certainly listen to him.
Only Hyuga Arin, this thorn in his side, constantly went against him.
But no one answered.
"Hyuga Arin?"
He turned around—
But Hyuga Arin was nowhere to be seen.
Hyuga Hizashi pointed toward the mountain entrance. Hyuga Hiashi's expression changed drastically.
"Hyuga Arin!!?"
He saw Hyuga Arin swaggering straight toward the entrance. A group of bandits had already noticed him.
Tsunade slapped her palm against her forehead.
Did this guy really have the qualifications to be a ninja?
Hyuga Arin didn't care what they were thinking.
Because he was already surrounded by bandits.
"Hey, kid, where'd you come from?" Several bandits stared at Hyuga Arin with fierce expressions.
"What's with those eyes—are you some kind of monster?"
They felt a chill when they saw Hyuga Arin's pale, pupil-less eyes.
Hyuga Arin completely ignored them, instead recalling the strategy guides from his past.
"What do bandits drop again… Bandit mobs drop junk, and the bandit leader boss drops ninja equipment, I think."
"Kid, I'm talking to you!!" A slightly burly bandit stepped forward angrily, raising his hand to slap Hyuga Arin across the face.
Bang!
Smoke burst out.
The bandit's slap landed on a spiked club.
A spiked club!? Where the hell did that come from!?
His palm was instantly pierced by the spikes—proof of just how much force he'd put into that strike.
Before he could even scream, blood sprayed from his neck.
Hyuga Arin stepped down, planting his foot on the bandit's head as he landed. In his hand was a kunai stained with blood.
"Boss fight started."
"Byakugan!"