The searing pain in his head and the intense discomfort brought on by the rampage caused Gaara's consciousness to gradually fade.
In his haze, Gaara saw a figure both familiar and distant approach him.
"Yashamaru?"
A faint sense of relief welled up, but it was quickly drowned by the pain.
Strangely, the golden sand that had stopped anyone from getting near Gaara didn't attack Fū at all. It simply allowed her to approach him.
"Scale Powder Technique!"
Fū exhaled a cloud of glittering scales imbued with a hypnotic effect, spraying it right into Gaara's face. Normally, the powder's hypnosis wouldn't take effect so quickly, but for some reason, this cloud seemed to carry a certain magic. Under its influence, the enraged Gaara slowly calmed.
Before long, he was lying quietly in Fū's arms, his breathing steadying as he drifted into deep sleep.
Brat, do you know what you're doing?! You dare stop me?!
Shukaku roared in the "Tailed Beast channel." This had been his hard-earned chance to get out and have some fun.
Shukaku, don't overdo it, Chōmei's tone, for once, carried weight.
Shukaku pouted, his voice tinged with both grievance and bitterness:
You really do spoil her, Chōmei.
"The quiet guy's fine now," Fū said aloud.
She cradled the sleeping Gaara, gently patting his back as though soothing a baby, her cheeks faintly flushed.
Around them, the sand rose and formed a spherical barrier — as if to guard the two of them.
The quiet guy's chakra smells really nice…
Then, from the stands, she felt a searing gaze upon her. Something clicked in her mind, and she didn't dare turn around.
Oh no, oh no… Shibuki's going to kill me for this later.
"Hey, woman. What do you think you're doing to my opponent?"
The cold voice came from behind her.
She looked up — and met a pair of crimson eyes formed by five-pointed stars.
"Genjutsu — Sharingan."
The Sharingan: nemesis of tailed beasts — one glare and you're down.
With a dull thud, both Fū and Gaara collapsed.
At that moment, Genma Shiranui announced the match result.
"Winner: Uchiha Sasuke."
Hyūga Clan Compound
Hiashi returned with several Root operatives and Neji in tow, only to be met by a scene that darkened his face with anger.
The Hyūga compound was surrounded — Root operatives sealing off every exit.
The scene was far too familiar. It stirred memories he would rather have left buried.
How similar this was to the day the Uchiha compound was encircled.
Root… You're forcing the Hyūga to take a side? You're pushing us to make our stance clear?
Hiashi's face was black as ink.
"Root business. Civilians, step aside," one of the operatives said flatly.
No one dared ask questions. No one dared voice objections.
The Hyūga were trapped — not a single member could leave.
"Root… I don't recall the Hyūga offending Danzō. What exactly are you here for?" the clan elders demanded, faces full of righteous fury. The gathered clan members glared in anger.
Hiashi turned his gaze on Neji, his tone sharp as a blade:
"Neji… Are you happy now? Pleased with yourself? Root is your backing?"
"Let me tell you — you're playing with fire, and it will burn you alive."
"Foolish," Neji scoffed, dismissive. He didn't even bother to respond further to his uncle.
A flock of frogs, trapped in a well by fate.
Hearing Hiashi's words, the Hyūga assumed Neji had brought Root here. Their angry and accusing stares turned on him.
So it was Neji… one elder thought, but before he could act, a cold, killing voice whispered in his ear:
"I advise the Hyūga main house — if you don't want your clan erased from the shinobi world, don't make any sudden moves."
At that, every Root operative drew their weapons.
Hiashi's voice was heavy with warning:
"Don't go too far. Even if I have to go to the Hokage himself, I will demand an explanation."
Even if Konoha's leadership was shifting… even if Danzō planned to seize power… he would think twice before provoking the Hyūga.
It was like that old saying:
At first, they hounded the White Fang of Konoha to his death, and I said nothing — because I was not Hatake.
Then, they drove away the Legendary Sannin, and I said nothing — because it had nothing to do with me.
Later, they annihilated the Uchiha clan, and I said nothing — because I was not Uchiha.
Now they have come for me — and there is no one left to speak for me.
"An explanation? An explanation? …Heh. Hahaha…"
One Root operative began to laugh — loud, mocking laughter, as though hearing the funniest thing in the world. His laughter was contagious; soon, the other operatives were laughing too.
"What's so funny?!" the Hyūga elders roared in outrage — like a helpless, snarling dog, barking yet unable to bite.
No matter their anger, they didn't dare act rashly.
These were Root — Konoha's Root.
The same Root operative went on:
"Heh… Back then, we wanted an explanation too. But to this day, no one has given us one."
"This voice… sounds familiar…"
The Hyūga murmured in confusion, but Hiashi alone furrowed his brows.
Where have I heard it before…?
"Over nine hundred lives… all gone."
Nine hundred lives?
Hiashi's mind froze. His right hand slowly rose, index finger trembling as he pointed at the Root operative.
He remembered now. Though he hadn't heard it in years, that voice was one he could never forget.
"Byakugan!"
Activating his Byakugan to confirm, he saw the man's face clearly — no transformation, no disguise.
It was real.
The man who had once stood as an equal to the Hyūga clan. The man who had often clashed with Hiashi, blow for blow.
"Clan head?" The Hyūga around him, seeing his shaken expression, called out in alarm.
They too wanted to know what he had seen — but before they could activate their own Byakugan, the Root operative reached up and slowly removed his mask.
Beneath it was a sharply defined square face, and a pair of crimson eyes with spinning tomoe that locked onto Hiashi.
"Long time no see, Hiashi."
"Impossible… Fugaku?!"
Who else could it be but the former Uchiha clan head — long thought dead?
Fugaku's appearance sent a shockwave through the Hyūga ranks.
"An Uchiha?!"
"That's impossible!!"
"They… they were all killed!"
Then came the greater shock — the Root operatives beside Fugaku removed their masks as well, revealing that every one of them had the same crimson Sharingan eyes.
"We did die…"
"But we crawled out of hell!"
"We have returned for revenge!"
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