The night he received Hyuga Hiashi's letter, Hyuga Satoru went straight to meet with his great-grandfather, Hyuga Shin, who had recently returned to the clan compound.
Before the old man, Satoru stated his intention clearly: he wished to set foot on the battlefield and gain real combat experience — and this time, the target of his mission would be none other than the Mist-nin known as the "Byakugan Killer," Ao.
As a senior elder of the clan, Hyuga Shin was all too familiar with the details surrounding Ao. He had originally believed that Hiashi, leading the clan's forces himself, would surely succeed in reclaiming the stolen Byakugan. But even in his prime, Hiashi had failed.
Now, in his letter, Hiashi had asked that his younger twin, Hyuga Hizashi, take command and continue the mission. But Shin knew the truth — if Hiashi couldn't accomplish it, Hizashi was unlikely to fare better. Talent-wise, the twins were near equals — perhaps Hizashi once held a slight edge in natural ability. But that was the past. As heir to the Main Family, Hiashi had been trained in the clan's secret arts. In actual combat, he had long since surpassed his brother. Only Hiashi's own insecurities and guilt had kept him from realizing this.
Judging from the mission's difficulty alone, Shin didn't believe Hizashi would succeed where Hiashi had failed. But now Satoru was volunteering to go — and that gave him pause.
Satoru was still young, yes, but he had mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique. That changed everything. Age could no longer be used to measure his battlefield capability. Moreover, Shin had seen with his own eyes how far Satoru's training had come. Even if he had never witnessed the boy fight seriously, Satoru's victory over Shimura Danzo was enough proof of his ability. And with the Flying Thunder God, Satoru's potential in battle was practically limitless. Even against stronger foes, the technique gave him the means to reverse a desperate situation — a tactical advantage too great to ignore.
There was another point to consider: Satoru's growth. If he stayed within the comfort of the clan compound, he would keep improving — but like a flower grown in a greenhouse. True strength was forged only on the battlefield.
Hyuga Shin had lived through several Shinobi World Wars. He had seen countless prodigies rise — and almost all of them had blood and death etched into their childhoods. A ninja's growth was inseparable from real battle.
Taking all that into account, Satoru's safety wasn't what Shin worried about most. After all, in the entire Hyuga Clan — and perhaps all of Konoha — if even someone who wielded the Flying Thunder God couldn't retreat safely, then no one could. That single jutsu alone completely changed Hyuga Shin's assessment of Satoru.
"Satoru," he said at last, voice low and grave, "think carefully. The battlefield is what it is — no one is truly safe, not even you. You could stay here, grow strong in peace, and one day inherit the Hyuga name without worry. But if you fall in battle… everything you've built will be gone."
Shin spoke with the calm of experience, hoping the boy might reconsider.
But Satoru only bowed deeply.
"Great-Grandfather, I've already decided. I hope you'll support me. If I tell Father, he'll never agree — but you… you understand me. You know my strength. You know that if anyone can reclaim the Byakugan, it must be me. Besides…" He looked up, eyes unwavering. "This isn't just about experience. Reclaiming the Byakugan is the duty of the Main Family, isn't it?"
There was another thought Satoru didn't hide — he wanted influence. He wanted his voice to matter in clan affairs, even above Hiashi's if necessary. Only then could he truly break the curse of the Caged Bird Cursed Seal that bound the Hyuga.
But that meant earning the clan's respect. Hiashi was still in his prime; he would not be replaced for decades. Even when Satoru reached adulthood, Hiashi would still be in his forties — the height of a man's power. So if Satoru wanted change, he needed achievements — and success in retrieving the Byakugan would be the perfect proof of his worth. To do what even the clan head could not — that would speak louder than anything else.
Understanding the boy's determination, Hyuga Shin fell silent, then nodded gravely.
"Satoru, you know I've never treated you like an ordinary child. Since your mind is made up, I'll stand behind you. We won't wait for Hiashi's return. You have one day to prepare. The morning after tomorrow, you'll lead our strike team. If we delay until your father is back, you won't get another chance.
"I'll inform the Hokage myself. The recovery of the Byakugan is Hyuga business — the Fourth Hokage won't object. For this mission, I can spare you only twenty guards. Take them ahead. I'll write to the Branch Family on the front lines. Once you arrive, every Hyuga there will follow your command.
"Hizashi will accompany you. He has far more battlefield experience than you do — listen to his advice, Satoru. Even as a Main Family member, you must be humble before experience."
Satoru nodded solemnly. "I understand, Great-Grandfather. I won't act recklessly. If anything goes wrong, I'll use the Flying Thunder God to retreat and get everyone out safely."
Pleased with the boy's composure, Shin patted his shoulder. "Good. Rest well. I'll make the arrangements."
That night, Satoru also spoke to his mother, Hanako. When she learned that her son had received Shin's approval to lead a mission outside the village, she was shocked. After a long and painful silence, she didn't try to stop him. She simply told him to be cautious — and to come home safely when the mission was done. She had always known this day would come. Her son was a ninja, after all. She just never thought it would come so soon.
The next day, Satoru informed his friends of his upcoming mission. All of them were surprised — none had expected the Hyuga Clan to act so quickly or so decisively. Kakashi and Shisui, seasoned by their own experiences, accepted the news with quiet understanding. Itachi, however, looked deeply reluctant to part ways. He had come to treasure their peaceful days together. But no amount of longing could change the fact — it was time to part.
Two mornings later, the Hyuga strike force gathered quietly in the compound. Satoru shed his usual training clothes, donning a fitted black battle outfit. In addition to his ninja tools, he strapped a short blade at his side — not because he was skilled with it, but because the battlefield allowed no room for unpreparedness.
The twenty guards Hyuga Shin had assigned to him were all handpicked elites — among them Hyuga Hizashi, Hyuga Keisuke, Hyuga Takashi, and Hyuga Mio, along with several of the clan's top fighters. Even this small team, all bearing the Byakugan, was powerful enough to shake a battlefield.
There was no rousing speech before departure. Hyuga Shin merely confirmed Satoru's command authority, reiterated the mission — and that was all.
When the clan members realized their true purpose was to assist Satoru in reclaiming the stolen Byakugan, the air grew heavy. They had thought they were escorting a young heir on a field exercise. Instead, they were heading into a deadly hunt.
Hiashi had just failed to retrieve the Byakugan and was returning home injured, yet the Main Family was already dispatching another strike force. And this time, their leader was a boy.
But none of them doubted the decision. Every one of them had witnessed Satoru's duel with Danzo — they knew he was no child, no pampered heir. This mission wasn't a training exercise. It was an assassination.
With supplies and maps distributed, the unit moved out under the pale light of dawn. No friends or villagers came to see them off. Aside from the Hokage, no one in Konoha even knew they were leaving. Once they crossed the border, their trail would vanish completely.
Twenty guards, plus Satoru — twenty-one in total. Thanks to the Flying Thunder God, Satoru could instantly relay orders to every squad, ensuring perfect coordination. For efficiency and reconnaissance, he divided the team into five units. The main unit — Satoru himself, along with Hizashi, Keisuke, Takashi, and Mio — formed his most trusted spearhead.
The remaining sixteen were split into four squads of four, each led by a captain. They fanned out in the four cardinal directions around Satoru's main unit, maintaining formation. The Byakugan's detection range extended up to a full kilometer, and the squads maintained that exact spacing as they advanced swiftly toward the Mist-nin front.
Every member of the team was elite — their pace swift, their coordination flawless. Satoru's Flying Thunder God ensured that his commands reached them instantly, while Hizashi and Keisuke monitored their status through hand signals and Byakugan sightlines. Though it was their first time operating under Satoru's command, their synergy was seamless — a silent, disciplined force moving like one body beneath the morning mist.
Far ahead, under a mat of wet moss, a sliver of inked paper glimmered faintly in the Byakugan's view — a buried tag, primed to ignite.
Satoru's eyes narrowed. "Trap. Halt — and mark every seal you see."
The hunt had begun.
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