So, whose eyes were stolen in the original timeline? Hyūga Nobuhiko or Hyūga Ginka?
Kiyohara stopped thinking about it.
'It doesn't matter who. It matters that a Main Family Byakugan is walking around unprotected.'
He stroked his chin.
The Byakugan is the ultimate scout. 360-degree vision. X-ray. Chakra sight.
For a squad to be ambushed while possessing two Byakugan users implies a hard counter.
'The Red Eye' Kiyohara concluded.
In the anime, Ranmaru possessed a Dōjutsu that could create chakra phantoms and fool the Byakugan.
If the Mist has deployed this, they are hunting specifically for the Hyūga.
"Why the frown?" Kurenai asked, noticing his intensity.
"Just thinking about the paycheck," Kiyohara quipped. "2,800 Ryo a month to risk my life. We really need a union."
"True," Kurenai sighed. "But orders are orders."
Deep in the Mist territory.
A hidden command camp.
A woman with long auburn hair and emerald eyes studied a map. She radiated danger and beauty in equal measure.
Mei Terumī. The future Fifth Mizukage. Possessor of Lava and Boil Release.
"Ao," she looked up. "Is this the opportunity?"
Standing before her was a young man with a sharp face and hawk-like eyes. Ao.
Behind him stood a small, pale child with dark blue hair.
Ranmaru.
His eyes glowed a dull, unnatural red.
"Yes," Ao confirmed. "Ranmaru's Red Eye is active. The Konoha squad has entered the trap. They have two Hyūga Main Family members."
Ao's single visible eye burned with ambition.
"Stealing a Main Family Byakugan will cripple Konoha's recon capabilities. And..."
He clenched his fist.
'It will give me the power to see through the Mist.'
"Very well," Mei smiled, twirling a strand of hair. "I want to see the strength of Konoha firsthand."
The Konoha squad moved through the dense woods.
Hyūga Ginka walked near the front. She was beautiful, curvaceous, and radiated the distinct arrogance of the Main Family.
She glanced back at Kiyohara repeatedly.
'The commoner genius,' she scoffed internally. 'Can his little tricks compare to the divine eye of the Hyūga?'
Kiyohara ignored her. He had his own scout.
The Spirit of Young Kiyohara floated back from the trees ahead.
"Trouble," the Spirit reported. "Ambush. Ten o'clock and two o'clock. At least ten signatures. They are suppressing their chakra, but I see them."
Kiyohara stopped instantly.
"Halt!"
He raised his hand. "Ambush ahead!"
The team froze. Kakashi, Kurenai, and Genma dropped into defensive stances immediately. They trusted Kiyohara.
"Where?" Kakashi sniffed the air. Nothing.
"Byakugan!"
Hyūga Ginka stepped forward, veins bulging around her eyes.
Her pure white pupils scanned the forest.
"There's nobody there," she announced confidently, deactivating her sight.
"My Byakugan sees everything within 800 meters. No chakra signatures. Just birds and deer."
She shot Kiyohara a look of disdain. 'Paranoid amateur.'
'As expected,' Kiyohara thought grimly. 'The Red Eye is creating false negatives. She's blind and she doesn't even know it.'
Kakashi hesitated.
Kiyohara's track record was spotless. But the Byakugan was the ultimate authority in Konoha reconnaissance. Who do you trust? The prodigy or the god-eye?
In the distance, behind a barrier.
Ao watched the squad halt.
"Oh? He sensed it?"
Ao was surprised. 'The Byakugan is fooled, but that black-haired brat sensed us? How?'
"Ranmaru, amplify the interference," Ao ordered. "Unit 1, initiate the attack."
"Yes, sir."
Back on the path.
Kakashi opened his mouth to mediate.
"We should—"
BOOM!
The stream beside them exploded.
It wasn't a splash. The water twisted, rose, and took the shape of massive, serpentine beasts.
Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!
Three massive dragons roared, their jaws gaping wide, crashing down on the squad with the force of a tsunami.
"Kiyohara was right!" Kurenai screamed.
The arrogance vanished from Hyūga Ginka's face, replaced by pure terror.
Her Byakugan saw nothing until the water was already falling on her head.
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