Neji Secured

Since he had mainly wanted to test Susanoo’s power, Yota had not moved very quickly. These ninjas were, after all, Konoha’s elites, and they had barely managed to dodge, avoiding being wiped out by that attack.

But as they stared at the destructive power of that strike, every Konoha ninja fell silent.

A distance of several thousand meters, a depth beyond sight—one slash had carved out a canyon!

That attack had been launched toward the area outside Konoha, so although the commotion had been enormous, it had not caused any casualties within Konoha. But if that slash had come down on Konoha itself, the entire village would probably have been split in two!

At that thought, the remaining Konoha ninjas lost all will to fight. Without Minato Namikaze, that Flying Thunder God master, to relocate the battlefield, if they really fought here, then regardless of who won or lost, Konoha could declare GG.

And to put it bluntly… even all of Konoha put together probably could not defeat this Susanoo.

Its casual basic attacks were already massive area-of-effect attacks. How were ordinary people like them supposed to fight it?

The Third Hokage seemed to have aged another decade in an instant. Looking up at Yota standing atop Susanoo’s head, he said, "What exactly do you want? State your terms!"

Yota tilted his head and looked at the Third Hokage. "I’m looking for a kid named Neji Hyuga. Hand him over, and I’ll turn around and leave."

At those words, the many ninjas looked at one another. "Neji Hyuga? Who’s that? Does the Hyuga clan have someone like that?"

"Never heard of him. He probably isn’t a ninja. Could he be a new member of the Hyuga Main Family? The Black Shadow Ninja has already collected the Uchiha clan’s Sharingan. Could he be setting his sights on the Byakugan this time?"

"But I heard the Hyuga Clan Head had a daughter, didn’t he? I haven’t heard of any new male members being born into the Main Family."

As they talked, their gazes turned toward Hiashi Hyuga. For a moment, Hiashi felt the pressure surge, and sweat poured down his face.

He had never imagined that the Black Shadow Ninja had come crashing into Konoha with his eyes on his nephew. But his nephew was only from the Branch Family! If he was looking for trouble, shouldn’t he be targeting Hiashi and his daughter instead?

Behind him were Konoha comrades all staring at him, while before him was Yota’s Susanoo and its forty-meter blade. Hiashi truly felt trapped beyond measure.

Gritting his teeth, Hiashi stepped forward. "Black Shadow Ninja, my nephew is only four years old, and he belongs to the Branch Family. He has already been branded with the Caged Bird Curse Mark. What exactly do you want with him?"

Yota gave him a cold glance. "You only need to answer whether you’re willing to hand him over. You don’t need to know anything else."

Asking that question had already used up all of Hiashi’s courage. He knew perfectly well that if he refused, Konoha could only fight Yota to the death. But regardless of the outcome, the Hyuga clan’s fate afterward would not be good.

If they lost, there was nothing more to say. Even if they barely won, Konoha, having suffered terrible losses, would certainly vent its anger on the Hyuga clan. The Hyuga clan would still be in deep trouble.

He had only dared to ask that question because Neji Hyuga was his own nephew. If it had been an ordinary Hyuga Branch Family ninja, he would not even have asked. He would have agreed to Yota’s demand and handed the person over directly.

Feeling the expectant gazes of the Third Hokage and the other Konoha ninjas behind him, Hiashi felt as though needles were stabbing his back. In the end, a bitter smile appeared on his face.

"I understand. Black Shadow Ninja, I only hope you will keep your promise!"

Hearing those words, Hizashi Hyuga, who had been standing beside Yota with little presence until now, clenched his fists.

This is why I betrayed Konoha. I didn’t want my son to face something like this!

No matter how gifted or powerful you are, when the Main Family decides to sacrifice you, you have no ability to resist. They do not even need to inform you!

I can sacrifice myself for the clan, but it should be voluntary—not a sacrifice forced upon me without any choice!

Yota glanced at Hizashi. Though he did not know exactly what he was thinking, he could sense his turbulent emotions and knew that the scene before him had stirred something in him.

Only moments later, Hyuga clan ninjas who had received the news arrived at the battlefield with the still-confused, four-year-old Neji Hyuga.

The enormous Susanoo extended its arm, and a huge black vortex appeared in its palm, directly sucking Neji Hyuga into the Dark Space.

After all, Neji Hyuga still had the Caged Bird Curse Mark on his forehead. If Yota had only just taken him out of Konoha and the Caged Bird Curse Mark activated on the other side, that would be truly ridiculous.

Under normal circumstances, the Hyuga clan’s ninjas should not do something so brainless that would only enrage him. But a clan of old fossils like the Hyuga clan really could not be trusted too highly.

After drawing Neji Hyuga into the Dark Space, Yota immediately activated his ability and transferred Neji’s Caged Bird Curse Mark onto the head of a rabbit he had long ago placed in the Dark Space.

"Well then, thank you, Hyuga Clan Head, for your cooperation. I’ll be leaving now." Yota smiled. A pair of wings suddenly spread from the back of the enormous Susanoo, which then leaped into the air and flew into the sky, quickly vanishing from everyone’s sight.

"Damn it, that guy can actually fly!" The Third Hokage watched Susanoo fly away and complained through gritted teeth.

Then he turned to look at Hiashi Hyuga, whose face was filled with shame and anger as he clenched his fists tightly, and at the two Uchiha ninjas, whose fervor had faded slightly but whose eyes still held the smug pride of our Uchiha are the greatest. He felt his head grow another size.

The Hyuga clan had suffered such a tremendous loss for nothing this time. It could be said that they had sacrificed for all of Konoha. Although the Third Hokage did not think a Hyuga Branch Family member was particularly important, Konoha still had to give them an explanation.

As for the Uchiha clan… there had always been something wrong with their heads. Who knew what outrageous stunt they would pull this time?

Though he sometimes felt that the Uchiha clan’s obsessive nature was quite useful, right now they were giving him a headache.

"I just hope the Uchiha don’t stir up any more trouble. Konoha is already in troubled times and can no longer withstand any more upheaval."

Yota flew with Hizashi Hyuga in Susanoo for over ten minutes, putting a great distance between them and Konoha before quickly landing.

Then Yota opened the Dark Space and released Neji Hyuga, whose Caged Bird Curse Mark had already been removed.

At that moment, Neji was still rather dazed. He was only four years old, and the Hyuga clan had not told him anything. Even if he was mature for his age, he had no idea what had happened.