"Sorry, Tetsu."
Natsu Hyūga's moss-green short hair was scattered across her face from the previous fight, largely obscuring her features, but one could vaguely see her pointed chin gently moving as she seemed to shake her head.
"I understand."
Although Tetsu was extremely curious about the reason, he quickly considered that it might involve Ginka Hyūga, making it a matter of great importance.
It was only natural for Natsu to keep it a secret.
"Kiyoshi, what exactly happened?"
While Natsu Hyūga's group spoke in low whispers on the side, Kurenai sprinted towards Kiyoshi.
She wore a pair of ninja short boots, the front exposed, showing her soft, clean, round toes. Her short skirt revealed a pair of pale jade-white calves as she moved.
"Could you tell me about it?" Kurenai asked curiously.
She was also somewhat intrigued by the incident.
"Just a small matter of words, nothing important." Kiyoshi briefly glossed over the subject in a few words, picking up the scrolls on the ground.
These scrolls could actually be used to trade with other ninjas for money.
Asuma watched Kiyoshi pick up the scrolls without asking about the matter with Natsu Hyūga.
He had guessed the general reason.
It was nothing more than the Hyūga clan saying something unpleasant about the Uchiha clan.
After all, the Uchiha's reputation in the village was far from good.
Even at home, Asuma could hear his older brother cursing the Hidden Leaf Military Police Force.
Since the Anbu and the Military Police Force both served to maintain the village's security, their jurisdictions and authority often overlapped, easily leading to conflict.
But those were things people should only say in private. Did someone actually say them in public?
"Natsu Hyūga, the Hyūga and the Uchiha are comrades in the village. Everyone should prioritize harmony, apologize sincerely, and let the matter go." Asuma pondered for a moment before speaking.
He wasn't an idiot.
On the day he was assigned to the squad, his mother, Biwako Sarutobi, had spoken to him, informing him of Hiruzen Sarutobi's new policy towards the Uchiha, which required easing the relationship between the village and the clan.
Moreover, Kiyoshi was his teammate.
Both by reason and by sentiment, he should stand up and speak for Kiyoshi.
Otherwise, his mother might find his handling of the situation unsatisfactory.
Asuma's relationship with Biwako Sarutobi was far better than with Hiruzen.
"I understand, Asuma." Natsu Hyūga nodded.
This behavior, in her eyes, amounted to pressure.
Were the Hidden Leaf higher-ups... favoring the Uchiha?
Natsu Hyūga didn't understand complex political relationships. Her only worry now was what kind of apology Kiyoshi wanted.
And what would happen if Ginka Hyūga decided to vent her anger on her when she returned?
Although it was the result of Ginka Hyūga's own improper behavior, if she were to use Natsu as a scapegoat, Natsu, a mere Branch Family member, would be completely helpless.
It was often said that accompanying a ruler was like accompanying a tiger.
For Natsu Hyūga, accompanying Ginka Hyūga felt exactly like that.
***
"Uchiha Kiyoshi, interesting." Jiraiya nodded, watching Kiyoshi appear on the screen and drive the enemies away.
To have mastered Chakra Flow and single-handedly defeated those three Hidden Cloud ninjas at such a young age.
Even factoring in the wear and tear inflicted by the Hyūga squad, it proved his strength was formidable.
"He actively helps his comrades, he is a ninja of great character." Minato Namikaze smiled.
This reminded him of Kushina.
When Kushina first arrived at the Ninja Academy, she was often isolated and bullied because of her red hair.
Once, she was even bullied by classmates who brought in older ninjas in their teens.
He had wanted to help Kushina then, but Kushina single-handedly hammered the bullies into the ground.
She then turned around and chastised him, saying she didn't need his help because she was an outsider.
Later, when Kushina was kidnapped by the Hidden Cloud, he happened to detect her trail and rescued her.
The two of them, under the moonlight, began their bond.
Minato Namikaze would never forget that night.
Thinking of the past, a nostalgic smile appeared on Minato Namikaze's lips.
"The third stage will be worth watching."
Minato Namikaze believed a ninja like Kiyoshi would not stop at the second stage of the exam.
***
Kei Yotsuki, who had fled, took a breath and performed temporary first aid on his wounds.
Druk and Taf did the same, bandaging their numerous injuries.
"Does Kiyoshi truly intend to return to the Land of Lightning?" Druk asked.
He certainly didn't feel like the guy had held back at all.
His wounds were still burning painfully, especially since the guy's sword was extremely hot. A touch was enough to stop the bleeding.
It simply cooked the flesh!
"Who knows?" Taf's pale face flushed with anger.
'Damn it,' this was a tough assignment.
If it weren't for the village's orders, he wouldn't bother with someone like Kiyoshi.
As the trio spoke, a sudden voice broke the silence.
"How unlucky, running into the Hidden Cloud." Hōzuki Mangetsu remarked.
He had no good feelings about villages like these bandits.
They loved stealing Bloodlines, stealing Ninjutsu, stealing secret techniques, stealing people... they stole almost everything!
This was why the Hidden Cloud had so many diverse styles of ninjas and Ninjutsu.
Kei Yotsuki and his two teammates were startled, immediately drawing their ninja swords and warily watching the newcomers.
"Don't say that, Mangetsu." Mei Terumī's cherry-red lips slightly parted as her feet made a *shush* sound on the ground.
"Did you encounter a formidable enemy?" Mei Terumī took a step forward.
"We encountered a Hidden Leaf ninja." Seeing they harbored no hostility, Kei Yotsuki replied.
"Let me guess, Uchiha Kiyoshi?" Mei Terumī casually offered.
"I advise you not to target him." Kei Yotsuki's tone grew colder.
Kiyoshi was a Bloodline user the Hidden Cloud was interested in; he would not be handed over to the Hidden Mist!
"Hehe, is that so?" Mei Terumī covered her mouth and chuckled softly, a sense of allure emanating from her careless gesture.
Despite the smile on her face, Mei Terumī's heart grew heavy.
Once might be a coincidence, but twice? How could it be random?
Pakura was a rare genius of the Hidden Sand, and her teammate Maki was also capable.
The Hidden Cloud was not to be underestimated either; their reputation as "bandits" without being annihilated proved their substantial strength.
Despite attracting so much enmity, they continued to thrive.
Mei Terumī began to re-evaluate Kiyoshi's strength level in her heart.
Currently, the cost-effectiveness of capturing the Byakugan was far greater than the Sharingan.
"How about we form an alliance?"
"No need." Kei Yotsuki directly refused.
Was he joking? Having just been defeated by Kiyoshi, going back now would only be humiliating!
It was better to pass this stage of the exam first, and then find time to work on Kiyoshi's ideology in the third stage.
They had given all their scrolls to Kiyoshi and needed to collect more.
"Let's go."
Kei Yotsuki was clearly the main captain, and after he spoke, the others quickly moved to follow.
Mei Terumī watched their receding figures, not immediately giving chase.
Instead, her wariness toward Kiyoshi grew stronger.
Even without fighting Kiyoshi, she could imagine how troublesome he was.
He had actually made the Hidden Cloud give up directly.
After contemplating for a moment, Mei Terumī thought they could form an alliance with minor ninja villages and large villages like the Hidden Stone.
"Let's go find Pakura."
***
Throw stones guys I'll drop a bonus on 300 stones, we're close to it...
Read 20 Chapters early on P-atreon.com/Redestro666