Naruto: The Hyuga Mastermind

Chapter 187: The Second Historical Text

Hyuga Toneri mused, "But I've already used the Byakugan to search every accessible location. There's nothing here."

"..."

There was a moment of silence on the other end before Mabui asked, "Where is Aburame Shikuro right now?"

"You mean…?"

Toneri froze, then immediately realized what she was suggesting. His gaze pierced through layers of obstacles, focusing on Shikuro's location.

The man stood alone in a sealed chamber, unmoved by the chaos outside. Neither the pursuit of Hatake Sakumo and Pakura nor Gari's sealing seemed to concern him.

It was as if none of this had anything to do with him.

Narrowing his eyes, Toneri murmured a "thank you" into the communicator before rushing down the corridor toward Shikuro's location.

Moments later, Toneri arrived at the dim chamber. With a single palm strike, he blasted the stone door away and burst inside.

The room was filled with purple insects, and a shadowy figure stood at the farthest end: Aburame Shikuro.

But Toneri ignored him, his gaze passing beyond to what lay behind Shikuro.

"It really is here!"

Behind Shikuro, obscured by layers of insects, was a stone tablet. Toneri's suspicions were partially confirmed.

So, it was hidden under those insects all along. That's why he had overlooked it.

Shikuro remained silent, his expression unreadable as he directed his venomous insects to swarm Toneri.

"Byakugan—Pressure!"

Noticing the movement of the insects, Toneri activated his Byakugan, unleashing a pulse of chakra that briefly stunned the creatures, halting their advance.

Wasting no time, Toneri activated the device on his arm, launching a ninjutsu scroll into the air.

"Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

A wave of fire swept through the room, instantly reducing the insects to ash.

Shikuro frowned slightly, his palms turning purple as he prepared for close combat. But just then, a voice echoed in his mind:

"Retreat immediately!"

Shikuro hesitated. After casting a deep, lingering look at Toneri, his body dissolved into a swarm of insects and disappeared.

"Hm?"

Toneri paused, scanning the area with his Byakugan to confirm that Shikuro had truly retreated and that there were no traps. Only then did he cautiously approach the stone tablet.

"So this is the Second Historical Text?"

In the future, the historical texts were given numerical designations, with references to specific clans largely avoided.

Calling them by clan names only sparked controversy, as the texts' ownership was a contentious issue. To avoid inflaming disputes, it was officially declared that the historical texts were the legacy of the Sage of Six Paths, meant for the entire world—not the property of any single clan.

As for the original numbering system, it was based on the perceived importance of each clan at the time.

The Hyuga Clan's historical text was ranked first, followed by the Senju Clan, Uchiha Clan, and Kaguya Clan.

The Hyuga Clan's top ranking was entirely due to Hyuga Fuji's efforts in elevating its significance.

"The Second Historical Text contains records of the Senju Clan's origins, the inheritance of Wood Release, and more. To decipher its contents, you need Wood Release chakra."

Recalling the information he had learned, Toneri frowned and sighed in frustration.

It had nothing to do with him, after all.

Walking up to the tablet, he struck its base with a palm, separating it from the ground and preparing to carry it away.

Unnoticed by Toneri, a black shadow seeped into his own shadow during the process.

…

"Hey, that giant is getting closer to us."

"And there are two people ahead of it!"

"What should we do?"

Kitsuchi glanced at the approaching True Several Hundred Hands and Hatake Sakumo's group. His brow twitched slightly as he muttered under his breath:

"I look forward to Lord Kakashi's decision. The situation is critical—see you next time!"

Kakashi didn't respond.

His gaze was fixed on the white-haired figure in front of the giant Buddha, his emotions in turmoil.

So, a few months ago, it really hadn't been his imagination…

Kitsuchi, unfazed by Kakashi's silence, signaled to Yugito before preparing to leave with her.

The fact that the Buddha was pursuing Hatake Sakumo clearly indicated it was beyond their ability to handle.

However, Sakumo, having just cornered a group of hostages, wasn't about to let them go.

In a flash, he landed among them and lunged directly at Kakashi.

The clash of two white blades sent sparks flying, the screeching sound grating on everyone's ears.

"Long time no see, Kakashi."

"It hasn't been that long, has it? We saw each other just four months ago—even if it was one-sided on your part."

Kakashi snorted, masking the conflict in his eyes. Leaning forward, he pressed his blade harder against Sakumo's. "I've imagined many scenarios for meeting you again: on a battlefield, at home… But I never thought our first real encounter would involve seeing you being hunted down. How laughable."

"Haha, I ran plenty when I was your age. Consider this a nostalgic experience. Besides, times have changed—I've already accepted that I'm a relic of the past. It's only thanks to Hyuga Fuji's gifts that I can barely keep up. But compared to your disciples, I'm far behind. Kakashi, how about helping me hold off your student?"

That familiar tone… Still so annoyingly casual.

Kakashi silently cursed.

"I don't have any students!"

In mere seconds, the two exchanged dozens of blows.

Flashes of light and blade filled the space, blue arcs of chakra scoring scars into the ground.

"Really? Because the person controlling that Buddha behind me called you 'sensei.' And since I arrived, their attacks have noticeably softened."

Sakumo smiled faintly, glancing at the Buddha, which had stopped moving and stood quietly a hundred meters away.

Kakashi's peripheral vision caught sight of the massive Buddha and the figure atop it, deepening his confusion.

Wood Release?

A Konoha ninja working with an Iwagakure ninja?

What kind of bizarre alliance was this?

Sensing that something was amiss, Kakashi signaled Yakumaru during a brief pause in the fight, instructing him to lead their forces to retreat and act according to the situation.

Noticing this, Sakumo glanced thoughtfully at Yakumaru before smiling. "Your mastery of the sword techniques I taught you is impressive."

"If all you wanted was to see my swordsmanship, you'll be disappointed. I haven't spent much time on it."

"Is that so? Then what's your opinion on this war? While we still have time, I wouldn't mind hearing about your troubles."

Sakumo's smile remained unchanged.

"..."

Kakashi fell into silence.

…

Nearby, Yugito, who had planned to leave, noticed an older version of Kitsuchi. She turned to the younger Kitsuchi beside her, a question mark practically visible above her head.

"Who's that?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but they seem to be from the future," the younger Kitsuchi explained with a bitter smile, noting Yugito's incredulous expression. "I have no reason to lie to you. You can sense it too, right? His chakra is almost identical to mine."

"That's true," Yugito admitted hesitantly. "But…"

"You don't have to believe everything. Just know that the other version of me isn't hostile to us. Besides, their power is already beyond ours, so what difference does it make?"

(End of Chapter)