READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 8: Chapter 8
After cleaning myself up, I thoroughly dried off. From the outside, it probably looked like wild dancing, the kind you might see in a jig, since the water in the stream was quite cold. With disgust, I examined and sniffed my rags—well, calling them pants seemed too generous. There were no clothes in the nearby bushes anyway. So, with little choice, I put on the dirty rags. Returning to the makeshift camp, I received my mug of warm tea. Another pleasant surprise—these people definitely knew their tea. Green tea, properly brewed, strong... A drink of the gods, not the dust from Chinese roads, drenched in artificial "natural jasmine" flavoring, which is often passed off as green tea in supermarkets.
Looking at the shinobi in broad daylight, I realized one thing. The portrayal in the anime was nonsense. The first thing that stood out was the silence, the order, the restraint in their movements, and the neatness. Minimum tracks, minimum noise. No cheerful chatter, no wild arm-waving, and definitely no jumps or grimaces. Most of the communication was through gestures. Compared to what I'd seen, all the anime characters seemed like circus clowns on a tour! Another red flag that shouldn't be ignored. The words of the entity that brought me here now seem like the ultimate mockery. A fairy tale, huh... Yeah, sure, I've really landed in one.
The place where the shinobi had breakfast was distinguishable only by slightly flattened grass. All the trash had been quickly and efficiently disposed of. Hunters on a hunt, that's all. And it didn't matter that the team was just a few steps away from the village. Literally half an hour of jogging in dead silence, only the sound of my bare feet rustling, and there it was—Konoha. Walls hidden in greenery, polished wooden boards, and gates covered with sheet metal that looked slightly rough, wide open. There were guard towers—perches with sentries on them—and a patrol standing below, clearly waiting for us. And another figure, with a head wrapped in bandages. A chill ran down my spine. Damn, is that Danzo? No doubt about it, the "Root" guys work fast.
A figure in a bird mask detached itself from the patrol, I couldn't tell if it was an eagle or a griffon. Stepping into the middle of the road, the masked person raised his right hand. The team, having seamlessly reformed into a wedge shape, stopped. At the tip of the wedge was Hizashi, with Anko and Kade slightly behind him on either side, while Tohori kept his distance in the back. I hope this formation doesn't mean combat's about to break out? Looks like it's not.
"Report the situation, Hizashi-san. What is the outsider doing here? "- The ANBU operative asked in a flat voice, not even glancing at me. Or perhaps he was a 'Root' member? I wonder how to tell them apart. A question without an answer. But, in any case, if I suddenly see a mouse, I'll squash it immediately. That much I remember.
"Team twelve is returning from a mission. Currently, the team temporarily includes a candidate from the Hyuga clan—Akira." - Hizashi responds with a stony expression on his face, his tone completely lifeless.
"Is that so? Then how do you explain your involvement in the fight with the unit of the allied Fire Country army from the Land of Waves?"
"Army?" - Hizashi asked, confused. -" According to Paragraph 9 of the Fire Daimyo's decree on preventing and halting feudal conflicts, I attacked a group of feudal militia from the Land of Waves that caused a massacre. The necessary evidence, including severed heads and heraldic cloaks, will be provided to the Daimyo's representative no later than one day after we return to the village. The bloodstained weapons of the bandits will also be handed over to the Daimyo's servants."
"How does the appearance of the child you called a candidate for the Hyuga clan relate to the unit you wiped out, Hizashi-san? The boy appeared in your team after the battle. How can you prove his possible affiliation with the clan? He is not a kidnapped member of the clan, Hizashi-san. On this basis, ANBU demands to take the suspect, named Akira, for investigation." - The 'Bird' spoke again in that same empty, emotionless voice. My stomach clenched and froze. Well, no surprise. Hizashi wouldn't fight Danzo. After that, it's simple—I'll get a blood test, undergo a genetic examination, and that's it. As for the Hyugas, if they're interested, they'll be told that the suspect died of acute heart failure. Or, I don't know, sudden death of suspects happens all the time here.
"What doubts could there be about the clan affiliation of someone who possesses the Byakugan, captain? " - Ah, now all the cards are on the table. I feel it's time to activate my eyes. The source of 'Yan' is closest to my eyes, I think. I try to locate it, but it's not as simple as I expected. Finding, or rather feeling, a small cluster of crimson light is no easy task. Remembering the events of the previous day, I try to find the black cat in the pitch-black room. Damn, I'm an idiot. The sensations! What accompanied the use of the 'Yan' chakra? That's right, warmth. I try... After much struggle, I manage to find it, but, damn, the crimson chakra source doesn't want to release its energy. It's like it's covered in a film, and that film is springy. How the hell do I deal with this?
"Is that so? Well, Hizashi-san, I suppose you can confirm your words?" - The million-dollar question. I'll have to confirm it, but it's not working. Come on, chakra! Give me chakra, you springy bastard! I can feel myself starting to shake, my body soaked with sweat from the effort.
"Of course. Akira-chan, please activate the Byakugan of life."
Hizashi, you Byakugan-wielder, could you not have said this earlier? I almost died from the fear that I wouldn't be able to replicate yesterday's success. No, I'm definitely an idiot. I was told that I have life chakra as my foundation. Now I just need to find the green orb. There is a heavy silence at the gates. Alright, there it is. Unlike the lifeless, taut crimson core, the green one lives its own life. It pulses, fascinating. Let's give it a try. Ugh, just getting to the source—what a problem. Damn this anime, where everything seemed so easy and simple. Here, in reality, it's like that infamous barrier of 'pen and candle'.