Evening.
Anko Mitarashi and Tatsu came to Hyuga Kagami's room to visit him.
All three of them—Hyuga Kagami, Anko, and Tatsu—had once been subordinates of Orochimaru. Close in age and assigned to the same squad, they shared similar experiences and had always gotten along well.
After chatting for a while, Tatsu suddenly laughed.
"Kagami, your illness really came at the worst possible time."
Hyuga Kagami was confused. "Why?"
Tatsu explained, "The captain just assigned Anko and me a special mission. If we pull it off, we might be transferred back to the Village. No more sandstorms."
"A special mission?" Kagami was startled. He quickly said, "Then I wish you both success."
For some reason, a sense of unease rose in his heart. But ninja protocol forbade prying into mission details, so no matter how suspicious he felt, he kept silent.
Tatsu slapped Kagami on the shoulder and grinned. "Relax. The Village won't forget shinobi like us who've been through the war. You'll be recalled sooner or later—just focus on recovering."
"Be careful out there," Hyuga Kagami reminded them.
After exchanging a few more words, Tatsu and Anko left his room.
---
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Still in the middle of his adaptation period, Hyuga Kagami was plagued by repeated bouts of dizziness and sharp pain. Yet strangely, the suffering felt almost sweet—every surge of pain was accompanied by a clear leap in strength.
Without any precise measurements, he estimated that his current chakra reserves were already more than ten times greater than before he injected the gene fluid.
There were no absolute standards for ninja ranks. Whether Genin, Chunin, Jonin, or Kage, the criteria shifted with each era and situation.
Before the injection, Hyuga Kagami had merely been a seasoned Genin. He only knew the Three Basic Techniques, the Gentle Fist, and a bit of summoning and sealing—he lacked proficiency in almost every other form of ninjutsu.
Even so, the Village had promoted him to Chunin and assigned him to lead multiple reconnaissance missions.
Still, there was an unspoken consensus in the ninja world.
For example:
A shinobi capable of using E-rank jutsu or possessing a minor bloodline ability was considered Genin-level.
One who could use several C-rank techniques qualified as Chunin.
Repeated use of B-rank jutsu, combined with mastery in ninjutsu, genjutsu, or taijutsu—or possession of a powerful bloodline—earned the title of Jonin.
As for Kage, it simply referred to the strongest among a village's elite, so the definition changed over time.
Because of this, chakra reserves were one of the most important measures of a ninja's strength.
If Hyuga Kagami had once been among the weakest of Genin, then his current chakra already surpassed the average Chunin and was rapidly approaching the level of an ordinary Jonin.
After three days, his eyes could finally be used again—though only barely.
When he carefully examined them, he found that his eyes had become like translucent sapphire gemstones, radiating a strange, captivating glow.
At the same time, he noticed that the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead was still there—but it no longer seemed to function.
That was only natural. The seal targeted the Byakugan and the neural pathways connected to it. Now that his eye sockets housed the Tenseigan instead, the formula remained intact, but the seal itself had effectively lost its purpose.
While estimating how long the Tenseigan's adaptation period would last, Hyuga Kagami suddenly sensed a familiar chakra racing toward the outpost.
Without hesitation, he steadied himself against the wall and walked outside.
Moments later, a slender figure rushed into the station.
It was Anko Mitarashi—who had left several days earlier with Tatsu on that so-called special mission.
She looked dreadful.
Her face was deathly pale, her body covered in wounds, her breathing uneven. It was obvious she had clawed her way back through repeated life-and-death battles.
Years of battlefield instinct kicked in instantly. Even as he recognized her, Hyuga Kagami's hand slipped into his ninja tool pouch, gripping a kunai. Behind his goggles, the Tenseigan flared to life as he scanned for pursuers.
A quick sweep revealed no one following her, and only then did he release a quiet breath of relief.
Other shinobi rushed over—some began treating her wounds, while others questioned her about the mission.
Still on alert, Hyuga Kagami noticed something unusual.
Through the Tenseigan's unparalleled perception, he caught squad leader Mitsui Chuichi shooting Anko a strange look—surprise mixed with unease.
In that instant, a grim suspicion took shape in Kagami's mind.
It was something he had considered before, but never dared to confirm—never wanted to.
Almost unconsciously, he took a step away from Mitsui Chuichi.
Mitsui didn't notice. His attention was fixed entirely on Anko as he asked in a low voice, "Was the mission completed?"
Anko stared back coldly. "We walked straight into an ambush at the rendezvous point. It was a trap. Tatsu died on the spot. I hid in the desert for two days just to crawl back here."
Mitsui's expression stiffened. "It's possible our spy in the Sand Village was exposed, leading to the ambush. I'll report this to the Village."
With that, he hurried off.
Hyuga Kagami said nothing. He silently helped Anko to her feet.
---
Back in her room, Anko suddenly asked, "Do you think… the Village abandoned us?"
As a disciple personally selected by Orochimaru, Anko was no fool. The so-called special mission had reeked of something wrong from the beginning, and her instincts were screaming betrayal.
While rewrapping her wounds, Hyuga Kagami replied calmly, "Don't overthink it. Missions fail all the time. You just haven't seen enough of it yet."
Anko seemed to accept the explanation and fell back into her usual, numb silence.
After making sure her injuries were treated and confirming that no enemies were nearby, Hyuga Kagami returned to his own room.
The moment he lay down, his expression darkened uncontrollably.
Clenching his teeth, he hissed through them,
"How could they… how dare they?!"