chsdbacks Chapter 52 was well done.
Chapter 52 was well done.
"Lord Orochimaru, this is what I should do."
Minato Namikaze nodded slightly, and then, with a knowing look, gave a signal to the two teammates behind him.
The two immediately understood and, without the slightest hesitation, tacitly followed him and stepped back.
Sufficient space was left for these people with subtle identities.
After all, what's next...
It will probably be a long-awaited "class reunion".
"Aoran-kun, this is quite unexpected. I didn't expect you to come along too." Orochimaru crossed his arms, somewhat surprised that Hyuga Aoran would come to his aid.
But his curiosity was more focused on the blood-soaked, dead-dog-like figure of Beiruk.
"What's going on now?"
"Why..."
Before Hyuga Seiran could speak, Jiraiya sighed heavily and recounted the whole story.
"Hiruko took advantage of the chaos on the battlefield to attack several ninjas with bloodline limits..."
Orochimaru didn't interrupt, but listened silently, his gaze fixed on Hyuga Seiran.
As Jiraiya's words gradually came to an end.
Hinata Seiran's face, which was originally quite handsome and gentle, was gradually distorted by anger and repression.
Just as Jiraiya was recounting the climax of his story—how Hiruko attacked Hyuga Yumi and how she attempted to escape amidst the chaos…
Hyuga Seiran suddenly sprang up and delivered a merciless punch, slamming it hard into Hiruko's abdomen!
"Ugh—!"
The already half-dead Hiruko let out a muffled groan of pain, choking up a few clumps of blood.
His head lolled to the side, and he fell into a deep coma.
Orochimaru narrowed his long, narrow eyes, carefully examining the miserable state of his former classmate.
His body was covered with bruises from the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist technique, which had forcibly sealed off all the vital acupoints.
Other parts of his body showed faint traces of fire-style burning and taijutsu strikes.
Clearly, before being captured alive, this former classmate and friend suffered a brutal mixed doubles beating.
"He wasn't content with just taking Yumi's disdain; he even tried to kill her out of respect for the branch family guards!" Hinata Seiran gritted his teeth, tears welling in his eyes. "If it weren't for Jiraiya-sama and Minato-sama arriving in time to stop him from escaping, the consequences would have been unimaginable!"
"..."
Orochimaru glanced sideways at Jiraiya, who was secretly pleased with himself for his "heroic rescue" and was immersed in the moment, as well as at the extremely eye-catching golden figure in the distance.
Immediately, he turned his gaze back to Hyuga Seiran's face, which was filled with grief and indignation.
This was a passionate and tearful speech.
It's absolutely perfect...
If he hadn't known clearly the true fighting strength hidden beneath Hinata Seiran's gentle exterior...
Perhaps they really will be fooled by this superb acting skills.
not to mention……
Orochimaru knew better than anyone else just how capable Hiruko was.
Even if he developed some forbidden techniques, it would never have required several of Konoha's top elites to work together to take him down.
However, Orochimaru did not choose to expose him.
He quietly appreciated Hinata Seiran's performance, while keenly noticing the secret delight in his eyes.
Seeing this, Orochimaru's worries completely vanished, and he became even more at ease.
"Only those who harbor endless resentment and boundless ambition are most easily ensnared by the sweet bait of 'truth'..."
Orochimaru chuckled to himself.
Hinata Seiran's hatred for the main family.
The desire to end this corrupt system.
As long as the dark side in this brat's heart continues to grow.
Then, this brat's secret will eventually fall into Orochimaru's hands.
Just then, a ninja from the Yamanaka clan suddenly pointed into the distance and shouted urgently, "Over there!"
Following the direction he pointed, everyone looked and saw a strong chakra fluctuation faintly emanating from beneath the thick pile of rubble.
Upon hearing the sound, the Konoha squad, which was methodically searching the battlefield, immediately gathered together and went there.
Beneath the two half-collapsed rock giants, the group finally found their target.
Huang Tu was already unconscious, his forehead and back covered in blood and dust, looking utterly disheveled. But his arms were still firmly bound in hand seals, resolutely protecting the hundreds of Iwagakure elites behind him who were already unconscious and barely breathing.
Orochimaru arrived almost instantly, glanced around, and a hint of regret flashed in his eyes.
"Oh no, Onoki isn't here...?"
"It's a pity he got away..."
However, his gaze quickly rekindled with the predator's intent, landing on the struggling loess.
"Although we missed the old fox, we captured the Tsuchikage's only son..."
"In the end, Konoha won this battle."
Thank you...
green.
However, I will catch you.
Orochimaru looked towards the back of the crowd, where Hyuga Seiran was exchanging blows with Hyuga Hiashi, and then waved his hand, giving the final command.
"All personnel on alert! Secure all prisoners of war and prepare to evacuate the battlefield!"
The noisy battlefield is gradually coming to an end.
Although everyone was still reeling from the shock of the destructive force they had just witnessed.
But with Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Minato Namikaze in charge, the turbulent hearts of the people finally settled back into their chests.
Everyone finally swallowed their worries.
-
night.
Border of the Land of Fire.
Inside the temporary camp.
"Chieftain, that's how it is..."
Hyuga Seiran casually tossed the dead dog-like Hiruko at Hyuga Hiashi's feet.
He bowed his head deeply, seemingly in self-reproach.
"I am incompetent... I failed to protect Miss Yumi..."
"..."
Hiashi Hyuga's face was so pale it was almost transparent.
He looked at Qinglan, who was filled with grief and indignation, and couldn't utter a single word.
The Hyuga clan's departure was too ugly.
One step wrong, step by step wrong.
It all started with the scroll that Qinglan initially submitted...
Until Elder Tianyun's tragic death...
Then the main family attempted to forcibly subdue Qinglan using the "caged bird" analogy...
Then, at the most critical moment for Konoha, some members of the clan even considered leaving the battlefield and protecting themselves...
At every step of their choices, they seemed to have chosen the wrong option.
Now, as the head of the main family, Hyuga Yumi has not died on the fierce front lines.
However, during the post-war cleanup, he was ambushed by Hiruko, a rogue ninja from Konoha, and even his Byakugan was stolen.
This ending was like a series of resounding slaps to the face of the Hyuga main family.
"Is all of this... just fate?"
Hiashi Hyuga tilted his head slightly, his gaze passing over the tent flap and landing on another camp in the distance.
Uchiha Setsuna was commanding his clansmen with great pride, enjoying the glory of victory.
In stark contrast, the Hyuga clan's behavior over this period has been nothing short of a farce.
Thinking of this, Hiashi Hyuga felt a wave of fear wash over him.
If he had actually listened to Elder Higo's incredibly foolish advice and evacuated his clansmen when Konoha was in its most critical moment...
The Hyuga clan today would probably be nailed to the pillar of historical shame, becoming a laughingstock of the entire ninja world.
"Qinglan... this isn't your fault."
Hiashi Hyuga let out a long sigh, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.
"If anyone's to blame, it's Yumi herself for being less skilled, and... Hiruko, that traitorous ninja."
At this point, his gaze fell on the unconscious Hiruko on the ground, a flicker of suppressed anger and disgust crossing his eyes.
"Hiruko will be judged by the Hokage himself. After all, he is not only the murderer who stole the Byakugan, but also a traitor to the entire village."
"You...you've worked hard too, go and rest."
"yes!"
Hinata Seiran bowed deeply obediently, maintaining his submissive and humble demeanor throughout.
Until Hiashi Hyuga, dragging his weary and dejected figure, disappeared from sight.
Only then did he slowly raise his head, the sadness in his eyes instantly disappearing, replaced by his usual calm.
Hinata Seiran bent down expressionlessly, grabbed Hiruko by the collar with one hand again, and prepared to throw him into the pile of Iwagakure prisoners.
He left a shadow clone to clean up the battlefield.
But the commotion was truly unexpected.
However... it was done quite well.