Beyond the two great masses of black cloud, several beams of light shot into the sky. Around each beam, figures wreathed in blue chakra stood trembling, while in another corner of the sky, a young man shone with golden light, floating in the wind—both hands raised, controlling the layer of Jiton (Magnet Release) clouds below as a vast shield.
"It's Hyūga Shigeo!" Ayame from Ichiraku Ramen instantly recognized the figure in the air. "He's saving Konoha—he's saving us!"
Her heart pounded violently, as if it would burst from her chest. Never in her life had she felt such joy.
Everyone who had left the shelters saw that same scene. Every face was filled with awe.
A shinobi rushed over, urging them back. "Everyone, please return! That earlier message was wrong! The village is still in danger—go back!"
But the crowd couldn't move. They were captivated by the spectacle before them.
They had never known that battle could look like this…
That protection itself could take a form so overwhelming.
"Is Hyūga Shigeo really that strong? My gods… If he ever held a grudge, destroying Konoha would be effortless!" one villager murmured in disbelief.
"Exactly. That proves he never meant to attack his own village. Everything before… was truly a misunderstanding."
The Jiton barrier clashed with the Lightning Storm.
The enemy's chakra surged upward through the pillars, feeding the storm, forcing bolts to descend again and again.
They were already in their Juinjutsu (Cursed Seal) states and had consumed enhancement pills—but the continuous drain was destroying their bodies from within.
The onslaught lasted only five minutes.
Without Shigeo, those five minutes would have been enough to annihilate Konoha.
One by one, the Sound-nin fell. The rest soon reached their limits. The pillars of light flickered, then collapsed.
At that moment, the massive Jiton barrier reversed polarity—turning defense into destruction.
Those who had exploded earlier had died from chakra overload.
Now, the remaining Sound-nin, drained to their very cores, lifeless and hollow-eyed, were impaled by countless magnetic spikes that tore through their bodies.
The curse marks vanished. Their chakra faded. Their corpses withered to ash.
Such was the cost of drugs and cursed seals—once the body's reserves ran dry, only death awaited.
Within moments, all of them were gone.
The storm dissipated. Sunlight poured through the clouds, bright and warm.
The people returned home. The crisis was over.
Shukaku, the One-Tail, had already been subdued through the efforts of Naruto and the others.
Jiraiya had also returned to the village, only to find he was too late—Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, had fallen.
As Shigeo turned to leave, Jiraiya blocked his path.
"Shigeo… it's been a long time. Can we talk?"
So many things he had wanted to say over the years.
"What is it?"
"I want to ask your forgiveness—for what the Third did to you," Jiraiya said quietly. He didn't want to defend Hiruzen—he only wanted Shigeo to let go of his resentment.
Shigeo gave a small, cold laugh.
"What good would forgiving or not forgiving do? The man's dead. What, should I pull him out of the Shiki Fūjin (Dead Demon Consuming Seal) and flog his corpse?"
He shook his head, voice calm but sharp. "Don't worry, sensei. I won't take revenge on Konoha for the Third."
A spiral of space distorted before him.
"Well then… farewell."
"Take care, Shigeo. Contact me if you can," Jiraiya said, reluctant to let him go—but he knew Shigeo had already done more than enough for Konoha.
Every time he imagined their reunion, he had thought he might finally embrace his old student.
But now, standing before him, Shigeo had become someone far beyond his reach.
In asking forgiveness for the Third, Jiraiya also sought forgiveness for himself.
If only he had stopped Hiruzen back then… perhaps everything would have turned out differently.
Still, he was relieved—Shigeo had become the man he always hoped he would be.
The Third was gone. The One-Tail was returned to Sunagakure by its elders.
Konoha, though heavily damaged, survived—thanks to Hyūga Shigeo, whose intervention prevented far greater loss.
Leaving Konoha, Shigeo soon caught up with his eleven subordinates and led them back to Nanmo.
"Shigeo-sama, do you know how worried I was?" Hongyan scolded the moment they returned to the Nanmo Ninja Village. "What if it had been a Konoha trap? Normally, we follow your orders without question, even when we disagree—but this time it was Konoha! If they used your old ties to lure you in, you could have been killed!"
Shigeo smiled faintly and patted her shoulder. "It's fine."
Since childhood, Hongyan had treated him like a younger brother. He understood her concern.
She sighed, shaking her head. The danger had passed; scolding now was pointless. She just hoped he'd be more careful next time.
"Shigeo-sama, are these two… from Akatsuki?" someone asked.
All eyes turned to the two captives—Jyakin and Magu, the demonic duo.
Both were kneeling on the ground, their faces twisted in fury. If not for the Jiton binding their limbs and mouths, they would have attacked already.
Through a spatial transfer, Shigeo's group arrived directly at the Nanmo administrative courtyard. The two prisoners knelt in the center, drawing every gaze.
Shigeo gestured for the others to leave. Hongyan led the students away, and silence fell.
With a flick of his hand, the magnetic bindings dissolved.
"Raiton!"
The red-masked man with the Yasha mask immediately began forming seals, lunging forward.
But Wumang was faster. He stepped in and slammed a heavy Doton (Earth Release) punch straight into the man's chest.
"Lightning, your ass! You dare act up in our village?!"
The red-masked man dodged back. The other captive also began forming seals, ready for a desperate fight—but Jinshi, on the side, unleashed a Fūton (Wind Release) burst, forcing them into close combat.
Their skill was undeniable—both fought at an elite jōnin level. Their Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique) made them dangerously fast.
Even so, Wumang's power and Jinshi's precision kept them locked in a fierce, balanced exchange.
After several rounds, Jinshi took a solid kick, while Wumang's Doton slam sent the black-masked Yasha flying, covering him in dust.
The four clashed again, chakra roaring through the courtyard.
Shigeo stood calmly on the steps, watching their movements without interfering.
Wumang had immense strength and chakra but lacked speed—a fatal flaw.
Jinshi was clever, versatile, and his Fūton was strong. Though he landed a few hits, the enemy's agility made it hard to press an advantage. Adapting, he shifted tactics, launching spinning Fūton Shuriken attacks from multiple angles.
One blade struck true, slicing into the red Yasha's backside.
"Argh!!" the man howled.
"Give me back my Nigenkin! (Two-String Koto!)" he screamed, furious. "With that, I could kill both of you like insects!"
Shigeo smirked. "You think I'm insane enough to return that cursed thing? I prefer peace and quiet."
Then his tone shifted, calm but cold. "However… if you're willing to serve Nanmo from now on, I might consider giving your Koto and Drum back."
(End of Chapter)
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