If the Nine-tailed hadn't suddenly surged with Chakra, he'd probably have no choice but to fight in Sage Mode.
As Hakushi's clones, each of them was given a specific system ability.
The Amaterasu Maiden's attribute was wind; his was lightning.
But among all the clones, he was also a rather special one.
His normal state and Sage Form had completely different powers and forms.
His Complete Form Sage Technique was simply too powerful, so returning to his normal state became extremely difficult.
This was also why he disliked fighting in his complete Sage Technique state.
On one hand, he couldn't control such strength right now; on the other hand, he didn't want to expose his own ability too soon.
Ninja battles were also battles of information.
The Third Hokage Hiruzen's departure was predictable as well.
After all, with their power, the two of them were already struggling against these Konoha Ninja, and managing to draw the Third Hokage here, making him miss the chance to protect the Nine-tailed Jinchuriki, was one of their tasks.
Now that the mission was done, whether the Third Hokage stayed or left wasn't as important anymore.
◎
Thick, swirling clouds rolled across the sky.
Blinding bolts of lightning crashed down from above.
It looked just like the end of the world.
Flames devoured the darkness as the southeastern and northeastern parts of Konoha were already engulfed by war.
Ninja Techniques exploded in all directions—Kunai and Shuriken, Explosive Tags wrapped around arrows detonated midair, creating a cascade of blinding flashes.
The sky above the village was as bright as day.
The ground trembled faintly, making hearts uneasy.
Yet none of this mattered to Ayane.
She poured out fire oil without hesitation. Moving with her were several Branch Family Ninja—the gentle looks on their faces gone, replaced by a vengeful thrill.
They wrapped Explosive Tags around Kunai and hurled them onto the fire oil-soaked ground.
Ayane and those Branch Family Ninja leapt up as soon as they finished.
In the next instant, everything before their eyes became a sea of fire, burying the Hyuga Clan's buildings in merciless flames.
They turned and ran, without a hint of reluctance for this place.
To them, nothing here was worth remembering or holding on to.
With pre-prepared Explosive Tags wrapped around Kunai, they fired in all directions, blowing up every flammable structure along their path with no particular pattern.
At the Hyuga Clan's exit, dozens were already waiting for them, looking travel-worn, as if they'd just arrived as well.
Among them were women carrying newborn babies.
Their eyes reflected the Hyuga Mansion, now engulfed in flames.
The women looked down at the babies in their arms with tenderness—this was enough, no matter what, they couldn't let these newborns be marked with that cursed seal of lost freedom.
Most of the Konoha Ninja had already mobilized, rushing southeast and northeast.
"You all go ahead, I'll catch up soon,"
As soon as Ayane finished speaking, the Branch Family Jonin led the others away without hesitation, running straight along the street toward the village's high wall.
Moments after they left, several Hyuga Ninja emerged from the Hyuga Family's estate in pursuit.
Ayane recognized the elder in the lead—one of the most respected elders of the Hyuga Clan.
Ayane didn't wait for the elder to speak; she had no intention of explaining. Chakra rapidly condensed in her palms, and her body spun, unleashing a tornado-like storm on the spot.
At the storm's core spun a massive, high-speed Chakra Ball.
"Uwahhhhh!"
Swept up by the storm from the Chakra Ball, they were sent flying, smashing into the ground with a sickening thud, fresh blood gushing from their mouths.
"Th-This... That was Revolving Heaven?"
The question was because Ayane's Revolving Heaven had produced a Chakra Ball beyond anything they knew possible.
Anyone caught in that technique might be instantly crushed to pieces.
"Damn it, even so, I will still take your Byakugan and your life..."
The elder lay on the ground, blood at his lips, summoning the last of his strength to form a Seal with one hand, ready to activate the Caged Bird Seal.
Splurt!
The elder's hands slowly fell away from the Seal—there was a Kunai lodged in his throat.
Ayane crouched blank-faced at his side, gripped the Kunai, twisted it in his throat, then pulled it out; blood splattered everywhere.
Ayane glanced at the Hyuga Main Family guards fallen nearby, then vanished from the spot.
—When she reached the village's high wall, a small forest surrounded the area. Normally there would be plenty of patrol ninja, but now, all were drawn away by the chaos in the village.
Not only Hyuga Clan members were waiting here, but quite a few from the Uchiha Clan as well.
This time nearly forty ninja were escaping, and counting their relatives, over 120 people in all.
Though the family members had some basic skills, they could only handle common bandits; in a conflict on this level, their combat power was negligible.
"Are we leaving through the secret tunnel?"
The Hyuga Branch Family Jonin asked Ayane as she came over.
The massive high wall shrouding Konoha was not only tall but incredibly sturdy.
So he assumed Ayane had already prepared a secret path here.
Ayane said nothing. She stepped up to the high, solid wall, pressed her palm against it, focused Sage Art Chakra into her palm, and her eyes shifted into Byakugan mode.