Naruto: The Hyuga Mastermind

Chapter 182: Winds Converge in Roran

"..."

"..."

Hearing this familiar voice, Pakura and Hatake Sakumo exchanged a glance, their expressions turning serious.

This voice—they had just heard it earlier. It was Kitsuchi's voice!

As the smoke and dust cleared, the light column of the Dragon Vein chakra gradually settled, and the figures of several ninjas came into view.

Four men and one woman lay sprawled haphazardly on the ground.

Among them, the only one they recognized was Kitsuchi.

As for the others… they wore headbands from Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Konohagakure.

Except for Kirigakure and Sunagakure, there were ninjas from the other three great nations.

"What an interesting combination."

Looking at this unfamiliar ninja squad, Hatake Sakumo raised an eyebrow.

It was almost as if the nations had joined forces.

"Kitsuchi didn't escape."

Pakura formed a hand seal with her fingers, frowned slightly, and whispered to Hatake Sakumo, "His chakra does match Kitsuchi's. He must be..."

The people on the ground, evidently well-trained ninjas, quickly got up and began assessing their surroundings.

"Did we succeed?"

A blond-haired youth among them paused for a moment, then quickly concluded, his tone elated: "That's right! This place is different from the environment earlier. We've really come back! Kitsuchi-senpai was right!"

Beside him, a ninja with the Byakugan quietly said, "Naruto, don't get too excited. Look up there."

Naruto followed the direction indicated.

One glance was all it took to notice Pakura and Hatake Sakumo standing on higher ground.

"Ninjas without headbands..." Naruto's expression changed as he fixed a sharp gaze on them, his tone heavy. "Pakura and White Fang? Kitsuchi-senpai, this is it, right? The past Roran!"

"I never ventured this far in the past, so I don't know what the environment was like back then. But since they're standing here, there's no mistake."

Kitsuchi also raised his head to look at them, his expression grim. "Be careful. If there are no surprises, besides these two, there should be two other powerful ninjas here."

If nothing went wrong, this Roran operation would also involve Gari and Aburame Shikuro.

"No matter, we've come back this time fully prepared."

Naruto glanced at his companions with confidence, declaring boldly:

"Their techniques and strength haven't reached the level they will in the future. We're stronger!"

"The future? What an interesting claim."

Hearing these unrestrained words, Pakura stepped forward, smiling as she looked at them.

"Would you mind sharing some details with us? Kitsuchi-dono, shouldn't you be tied up somewhere nearby?"

As expected of Naruto.

With one sentence, he had exposed all their secrets.

Kitsuchi shot an exasperated glance at Naruto, but he was already prepared for this and didn't offer any criticism. He merely gave a cold snort. "Don't feign ignorance here. You stayed behind on purpose to wait for us, didn't you? You're well aware of the Dragon Vein's true purpose!"

"...You certainly know a lot."

Pakura feigned a moment of surprise, her gaze flashing with a cold glint.

"Step back. Naruto and I will handle them. The rest of you, find that object immediately... and rescue the 'me' from this timeline while you're at it!"

Kitsuchi instructed the other three before swiftly forming hand seals.

"Earth Release: Earth Giant Technique!"

The ground trembled as a massive stone giant emerged, blocking the narrow space completely and forcing Pakura and Hatake Sakumo to retreat, separating the two sides.

The lone female ninja from Kumogakure wasted no time, gathering the other two ninjas by her side and forming hand seals at once.

"Heavenly Transport Technique!"

A barrier-like radiance surrounded the three of them, and each took out a small, special scroll, inserting it into a unique device on their arms. A thin protective layer enveloped them.

In the next moment, their figures vanished.

"...Interesting. The Heavenly Transport Technique of present-day Kumogakure isn't this convenient," Pakura remarked, calling something "interesting" for the second time as her gaze shifted back to Naruto and Kitsuchi, who had declared their intention to hold her and Sakumo back.

"Are you sure about this? Since you know this is the past, you shouldn't be making so many changes."

"Hmph." Kitsuchi gave a cold laugh. "You're bold enough to wait here for us, trying to gather intelligence about the future. So why can't we change things?"

Despite his words, Kitsuchi felt uncertain inside.

The past could be altered, but the future could not.

This time-loop theory had been tested.

Even Kitsuchi wasn't sure if their actions would truly change anything, but at the very least, they had to try again. Otherwise, they would never be content.

"So, it seems you've made up your mind."

Pakura shook her head slightly, her gaze shifting to Naruto, who was staring intensely at Hatake Sakumo. "He seems to know you. Do you recognize him?"

"No, but don't you think he looks like someone we know?" Hatake Sakumo smiled.

"Indeed, there's something familiar about him. The Uzumaki clan may be distant relatives of the Senju clan, but being able to use Wood Release is truly unexpected."

Pakura observed the powerful chakra surging from Naruto and the strength he displayed, capable of pacifying chaotic times. A slight smile tugged at her lips.

"So, this is the surprise that person anticipated."

"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"

With his hands clasped together, Naruto unleashed an overwhelming surge of chakra.

A massive wooden dragon materialized, coiling around the stone giant and roaring ferociously at the two of them.

"As the father of Kakashi-sensei, a hero of Konoha, why would you align yourself with that man?"

Maintaining the hand seal, Naruto questioned Hatake Sakumo, his tone filled with anger. "Do you know how much judgment Kakashi-sensei has endured because of you?"

"Paths diverge, and we part ways."

Hatake Sakumo unsheathed his White Fang blade, cutting off Naruto's words with calm indifference. "It's as simple as that."

Naruto's eyes narrowed, his anger barely suppressed as he leaped onto the wooden dragon and directed it to attack Hatake Sakumo.

In response, Hatake Sakumo's body emitted a radiant white light. Gray-white fragments floated in the air around him, lifting like an out-of-body soul.

Before Naruto could reach him, his body vanished, leaving behind only gray-white dust—the remains of the Reanimation Jutsu sacrifice.

The wooden dragon's attack struck empty ground, scattering debris.

Naruto froze, instantly looking upward at Sakumo's spirit form.

The opponent, having lost its vessel, didn't pass into the Pure Land. Instead, it rapidly transformed from a soul into a tangible, solid body.

This was...

"Soul embodiment? Has Hyuga Fuji already completed the relevant theories at this point in time?"

Kitsuchi, readying the stone giant to break through the ceiling for a more open battlefield, paused as he witnessed Hatake Sakumo's transformation. His expression shifted.

Though the Reanimation Jutsu granted immortality, it wasn't particularly troublesome for them to deal with.

Their scientific ninja tools carried plenty of sealing scrolls.

But a ninja who had achieved complete metamorphosis and reached soul embodiment, as theorized by Hyuga Fuji, was far more difficult to handle than a Reanimated shinobi.

For such individuals had reached an extraordinary state...

"What's there to be surprised about? Hatake-senpai was one of the first to pledge loyalty to the master. His progress among us has been the fastest. Besides, Kitsuchi-dono, do you even have the time to worry about them? I'm quite curious to see how much you've improved over the years."

***

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