By the time the moon reached its peak, Haruki's wooden clone slipped silently into Hiruko's tent.
"Who's there?" Hiruko reacted instinctively, his voice sharp.
"It's me," Haruki replied.
Hiruko frowned. "What is it?"
"There's a change of plans. Sakumo decided to split up the Hyuga clan's forces. Lord Danzo advised that we act immediately."
Hiruko nodded. This suited him just fine, the sooner, the better.
"Alright. How are we doing this?"
Haruki unfurled a storage scroll, retrieving Cloud Ninja uniforms and headbands.
"According to Danzo's intel, they're stationed near the riverbank."
Without hesitation, Hiruko grabbed a set and started changing. "Let's move."
"Be careful. Don't let the Anbu catch wind of you," Haruki warned.
Hiruko scoffed, shooting him a look of irritation. "I've lived in Konoha for nearly thirty years. I know how your Root operates. You think a few Anbu can track me?"
Haruki gave a slight nod. "Good." Then he leaped out of the tent, disappearing into the night.
Left alone, Hiruko's eyes darkened with murderous intent.
'Tch. One day, I'll have that power for myself.*'
'The First Hokage's Wood Release… the strongest kekkei genkai in history....'
On the other side of the camp, Haruki's real body sat with Sakumo, sipping tea under the moonlit sky.
"You seem anxious," Haruki remarked, setting his cup down gently.
Sakumo downed his tea in one gulp. "Maybe you're just overthinking things. The Anbu hasn't reported anything suspicious. What if there isn't a traitor at all?"
Haruki idly ran his fingers along the rim of his teacup. "You put too much faith in people. You should know, even your life-long comrades can betray you."
Sakumo frowned. "That may be true, but they're the exception, not the rule. As a commander, I have to trust my subordinates and value my comrades."
Haruki didn't sugarcoat his response. "Then maybe you're not fit to be a commander."
Sakumo sighed. "I never wanted to be one in the first place. I'm just good at completing missions."
Haruki's gaze flicked to the Hokage-emblazoned half-sleeves Sakumo wore. "What about Hokage? Your reputation is on par with the Three Legendary Sannin. Since none of them seem interested in the role, unless something unexpected happens, you'll be next in line."
Sakumo shook his head. "I know myself. I'm not cut out to be Hokage."
Haruki chuckled. "You're awfully carefree about it."
He had been around Sakumo long enough to see that he wasn't the political type. Unfortunately, that kind of thinking made him an easy target.
And people who stood in the way of power never escaped Danzo's grasp.
"Hatake-sama, Haruki-sama."
A masked anbu ninja appeared in the tent, their presence sharp and direct. Even in wartime, intelligence remained their top priority.
"We've spotted two Cloud Ninjas leaving our camp," the anbu reported.
Sakumo's face darkened. "Did you get a clear look at them?"
"No. They were careful, too familiar with our movements. We only caught a glimpse of their tracks at the checkpoint Haruki-sama mentioned. We didn't pursue to avoid tipping them off."
"Dammit!" Sakumo slammed his fist on the table, his frustration evident. If there was one thing he despised, it was betrayal.
Haruki, however, remained calm. "Where were they headed?"
"Toward the riverbank where the Hyuga Clan is stationed."
Sakumo exhaled sharply and stood up. "Haruki, you were right. We're moving out now."
"Wait." Haruki raised a hand, stopping him. He turned to the anbu. "Any movements from the Sand Ninja?"
"None so far."
Haruki tapped his fingers against his arm in thought. "We need to be careful. If the Sand Ninjas catch wind of this, they might take advantage of the situation. We should leave a force behind as a precaution."
"The ones who attacked you before… if the anbu's intel is correct, those two were likely A and Bee, Raikage's son and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. They're no pushovers."
Even if their opponents weren't A and Bee, anyone skilled enough to infiltrate Konoha's camp and target the Hyuga clan wouldn't be easy to handle.
"Then we take twenty Jonin with us," Sakumo decided.
Haruki stepped forward. "I'm coming too."
Sakumo frowned. "You're a medical ninja. It's too dangerous."
Haruki sighed, rubbing his forehead as a diamond-shaped seal appeared, the Yin Seal.
"You know this technique. Even if every one of you dies, I might not."
Sakumo hesitated, then exhaled in resignation.
"Fine. But don't do anything reckless."
With Haruki's skills, their chances of survival had just increased significantly.
———
On the other hand, Haruki and Hiruko moved in sync, their hands forming seals as they conjured six shadow clones.
The Hyuga clan's Byakugan could easily pierce through ordinary clones, but Shadow Clones, developed by the Second Hokage, were different. These clones had physical bodies and chakra, making them indistinguishable from the original at a glance.
"Can you use Lightning Release?" Haruki asked.
"No," Hiruko admitted.
"Then I'll take the lead. I'll attack, draw them in, and lead them into the forest," Haruki said, donning his mask. His clones did the same before he leaped into action.
A crackle of energy erupted around him, purple lightning wrapping around his body like armor.
Though he hadn't mastered the Raikage's Lightning Release Body Flicker, he had a technique that mimicked its effect well enough.
He moved instantly, appearing on the riverbank, hands forming seals.
Lightning surged from his palms, crackling as it flowed into the water. Screams echoed through the night.
Haruki glanced toward the distant camp. The fires were ablaze, and dozens of figures rushed toward him.
The night sky lit up with bursts of colorful jutsu.
While the Hyuga clan was best known for their Byakugan and Taijutsu, that didn't mean they lacked ninjutsu.
At this range, their Gentle Fist techniques were ineffective, but Haruki wouldn't let them close the distance.
With his clones, he launched bursts of lightning, maintaining a steady retreat and keeping his pursuers at bay.
Hiruko struck from behind, unleashing a devastating attack that left several Hyuga ninjas injured, ensuring they wouldn't chase too aggressively.
"I'm setting up the jutsu," Haruki called as he twisted in midair, vanishing into the forest.
Moments later, the entire Hyuga force had followed him in.
"Wood Style: Advent of a World of Trees!"
Haruki's hands blurred through hand seals, an immense wave of chakra surging into the sky like a rising dragon. The pressure in the air shifted, thick with something primal and overpowering.
This was the technique he got as a reward after getting a handjob from Tsunade for the first time.
"What…?"
The leading Hyuga ninja faltered, their eyes snapping upward.
A suffocating presence bore down on them, an overwhelming force that sent ripples through the earth itself.
"This guy…!" Hiruko stiffened, a strange mix of fear and exhilaration rushing through him. He had heard of the legendary Wood Release before, but seeing it firsthand and experiencing its raw might, was something else entirely.
The earth split apart, and with a thunderous roar, trees erupted in a chaotic surge. Towering branches spiraled out, swallowing everything in their path. The forest transformed into a writhing, living entity, a sea of relentless, grasping limbs.
The Hyuga ninjas were ensnared in an instant, bound tight by the thick, twisting roots.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Hiruko's voice was laced with shock and fury as he, too, found himself restrained.
Panic flashed in his eyes, like the Hyuga, he was completely immobilized, his fate now at the mercy of Haruki.
________________________
Sparky's Note: We need 430 power stones for the bonus chapter, just a heads-up.
At the pace we're moving right now, we might not make it this week. So yeah, if you've got stones lying around, now's the time to toss them in.
Haruki's Illustration
Support me at patreon.com/SparkyXD and read upto 30 Advanced Chapters