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The ominous premonition in Sora's heart grew heavier with every passing moment. Gritting his teeth, he waved his hand, signaling most of the Root elite to retreat. No matter what happened next, their attack on the Hyuga Clan must never be exposed.
The Operation Begins
Earlier that evening, after Sora initiated his mission, two Root operatives—codenamed Star and Moon—headed toward Hyuga Hoshimi's residence. Their intelligence was precise; they quickly located the small home near the edge of the Hyuga compound.
Moving with silent precision, they slipped through the shadows and entered the house without a sound. Yet, when they searched every room, they realized something was off—Hoshimi wasn't home.
After a short moment of thought, the two concluded that the students of the Ninja Academy had not yet been dismissed. Helpless, they decided to wait.
Fortunately, dusk soon fell. Before long, Hyuga Hoshimi appeared, walking leisurely down the path leading to his door.
The moment they confirmed their target's identity, Star and Moon struck.
Perhaps it was arrogance born of long service under Root—or simply the assumption that a six-year-old child could not possibly resist them—but neither ninja used their full strength. They simply flickered behind Hoshimi with the Body Flicker Technique, intending to knock the boy unconscious with a single hand chop.
But what they expected never came to pass.
The Unexpected
The instant their hands moved, Hoshimi's small figure shifted slightly, as if he had foreseen their every move. His delicate hand shot up, easily catching their wrists.
Before the two could even register what had happened, they felt an overwhelming power surge through his grip. Their bodies trembled uncontrollably as they were yanked forward.
Then—pain. A brief flash across their necks, and their vision dissolved into darkness.
In the blink of an eye, the two Root agents lay motionless on the floor, breathing evenly, as if they had merely fallen into a deep sleep.
Hoshimi stood over them, expressionless. Yet behind his calm eyes was no satisfaction, only a deep, troubled frown.
His gaze drifted over their black uniforms and identical masks—then his heart sank.
Root Ninjas.
Everyone in Konoha knew what that meant.
Root answered directly to Danzo Shimura, the Hokage's shadow—known as the very darkness of the ninja world.
If Root had targeted him, it meant that Danzo himself had taken notice.
A Dangerous Suspicion
Hoshimi's mind raced.
When did Danzo discover me?
Was it because my strength was exposed?
Or did the investigation into the last incident with Hyuga Sōtai somehow point back to me?
He stood there silently, running through every possible explanation.
Moments later, he shook his head. "No… it shouldn't be because of that incident. If it were, the people sent after me wouldn't just be two weak Root Chūnin."
He took a deep breath, his Byakugan eyes dimming slightly in thought.
"Besides that event, the only other possible reason would be my connection with Orochimaru."
His expression darkened.
Orochimaru—Konoha's genius and one of its most dangerous men.
After successfully fusing Hashirama's cells, Orochimaru had silenced everyone involved in that experiment. Still, it was inevitable that rumors would reach the village elders.
"Konoha's higher-ups aren't fools," Hoshimi muttered. "They must suspect that Orochimaru made some kind of breakthrough."
He knew well how these old men operated.
To obtain Orochimaru's research, they'd surely apply pressure.
After all, Orochimaru had many weaknesses before his eventual defection—secrets the council could easily use to control him.
"And that man's personality…" Hoshimi thought grimly. "He worships strength and despises weakness. To him, I'm nothing but a more valuable experimental subject."
A chilling thought crossed his mind.
If it benefits him, Orochimaru might actually sell me out.
The idea twisted in his gut like a knife. Though he couldn't be sure, his instincts screamed that the Root's sudden appearance had something to do with Orochimaru's betrayal.
Calculating the Next Move
Hoshimi exhaled slowly, steadying his pulse.
"I can't go to him directly," he whispered. "If he really betrayed me, confronting him will only expose me further."
"The priority now is to handle Danzo's interest in me before it grows."
He analyzed the situation carefully.
Right now, Danzo probably doesn't see me as a serious threat. That's good—it means I still have room to maneuver.
"But if I expose even a fraction of my strength," Hoshimi thought, "that old man will start watching me closely. And once Danzo sets his sights on someone, he never lets go."
Fortunately, not even Orochimaru knew the full extent of Hoshimi's abilities. As long as he kept his power hidden, there was still a chance to divert attention.
"And I'm still part of the Hyuga Clan, even if I belong to the Branch Family," he reasoned. "If I play this right, I can use the clan's status to obscure Danzo's gaze."
A new plan began to form in his mind.
The Counterplan
Hoshimi quickly formed a series of hand seals. A puff of smoke appeared beside him—his Shadow Clone.
"Transformation Jutsu: Easy Change."
In an instant, both Hoshimi and his clone shimmered and transformed into perfect copies of Star and Moon, down to the last detail. They stripped the unconscious Root operatives of their gear and masks, dressing themselves in the same dark uniforms.
The clone gave a sly grin. "I understand your plan, main body. Don't worry—I'll play my role well."
"Good," Hoshimi replied, a faint smile curling at his lips. "Time to divert the trouble."
Without hesitation, he slung the unconscious Root agents over his shoulders like sacks of rice. Then, together with his clone, he vanished into the night—heading straight toward the Hyuga Branch Family Head's mansion.
The House of Hyuga Hizashi
The current Branch Family Head was Hyuga Hizashi, younger twin brother of the Main Family Head, Hyuga Hiashi.
Fate had been cruel to him. Though he and his brother were born moments apart, those few minutes had determined their destinies—Hiashi as heir to the Main Family, and Hizashi as servant to that same bloodline.
Despite the seal that marked his subservience, Hizashi was still respected within the clan. As head of the Branch Family, he held a certain authority, though never equal to that of the Main House. He lived comfortably in a modest mansion on the clan's grounds, spared from front-line duty even during wartime.
But fate's kindness stopped there.
A Branch member's descendants were bound to remain Branch forever. No matter how talented, no matter how brilliant, that cursed cycle endured.
Hizashi's newborn son, Hyuga Neji, was living proof of that truth.
At only a few months old, Neji's smooth forehead was still free of the Caged Bird Seal, the cruel mark that would one day bind his will to the Main Family.
Whenever Hizashi looked upon his innocent son, a deep ache filled his heart.
He knew the peace would not last. By the time Neji turned four or five, the seal would be placed upon him, as tradition demanded.
So Hizashi cherished every moment, spending as much time as possible beside his child, determined to let him experience happiness before that inevitable day.
The Attack
But that peaceful routine shattered without warning.
As dusk deepened, two unfamiliar chakras suddenly appeared near Hizashi's residence. Both carried unmistakable malice.
His Byakugan flared open instinctively.
Intruders.
Before he could act, a massive Fire Release technique erupted, engulfing the courtyard in roaring flames.
Hizashi reacted instantly, spinning into the Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation, deflecting the inferno away from the room where Neji slept.
"Bastards," he growled, eyes narrowing into cold fury. "You're courting death!"
The Deception Unfolds
From the shadows stepped two figures wearing the distinctive Root uniforms—Star and Moon, or so it seemed.
In reality, it was Hoshimi and his clone.
They moved deliberately, letting Hizashi's Byakugan catch sight of them. The Root insignia gleamed clearly in the firelight.
"Hyuga Hizashi!" one of them barked in a disguised voice. "You are suspected of colluding with enemies of Konoha! Surrender immediately!"
Hizashi's eyes widened in disbelief. "Root? What nonsense is this? I've done nothing against the village!"
The intruders said nothing further, advancing slowly, as if ready to strike again.
Hizashi's chakra surged, his stance tightening. "If you think I'll go down easily, you're mistaken."
At that precise moment, Hoshimi triggered the next step of his plan. His clone, acting as Moon, attacked aggressively, while the real Hoshimi—still disguised—slipped away through the smoke, carrying the unconscious Root agents with him.
His purpose was simple: to make it appear that Root had attacked the Hyuga Clan directly, forcing the clan to take defensive action.
Once the Hyuga mobilized, any further pursuit from Danzo would be delayed or redirected, giving Hoshimi the breathing room he needed.
Shifting the Target
Outside the compound, Hoshimi moved swiftly through the alleys of Konoha.
He left the unconscious Root operatives near an abandoned training ground, planting subtle clues that would mislead any investigation—chakra residue, footprints, and traces of a short battle.
By the time the clone dispelled itself and its memory returned to him, the scene at Hizashi's mansion had already erupted into chaos. Clan guards had rushed in, and word of "Root attacking the Hyuga" was spreading fast.
Hoshimi exhaled in relief. His plan had worked.
For now, the village's attention would focus on why Root had dared to attack one of Konoha's noble clans. Danzo would be forced to explain himself—or at least lie low until suspicion faded.
And in that time, Hoshimi would find a way to sever every visible link between himself and Orochimaru.
"Sorry, Danzo," he murmured to himself as he disappeared into the night. "You'll have to hunt someone else for now."
The wind carried away his words, leaving only silence and the faint glow of the distant flames rising over the Hyuga compound.
End of Chapter 60: Diverting the Trouble
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