"Naruto, follow them!"
Watching Asuma Sarutobi and the others move quickly ahead, Naruto felt the Nine-Tails' urgent voice echo in his mind once again.
The closer they got, the stronger the strange sensation in the Nine-Tails grew, making it impossible for it to stay calm.
The Nine-Tails' chakra stirred restlessly within Naruto, showing clear signs of unease!
Someone who could make it hesitate with just their presence was rare in the ninja world.
Who could possibly be that strong?
"Naruto, hurry and follow. That boy's chakra… it feels familiar to me," the Nine-Tails said, its voice low and urgent, tinged with excitement and anxiety that it couldn't hide.
Naruto nodded. Though confused, he decided to follow the Nine-Tails' advice. He turned to Kakashi, his eyes filled with expectation and a silent plea. "Kakashi-sensei?"
Kakashi looked at Naruto's eager face and couldn't help but sigh.
He knew Naruto was impulsive, especially in moments like this. Without his supervision, Naruto might do something reckless, exposing himself to danger.
At this point, though, there was no stopping him. Even if Kakashi tried to hold him back, these young ninjas wouldn't obey his orders.
Kakashi could only shake his head helplessly and finally decided to take Naruto and the others with him. "Let's go together."
He spoke quietly, his tone carrying fatigue and resignation.
The situation had already spiraled beyond their expectations.
The conflict between the main and branch families of the Hyuga clan seemed to have escalated beyond reconciliation.
Even the branch family's relationship with Konoha had begun to fracture.
Asuma Sarutobi's involvement only complicated matters further, and the rift between Konoha and the Hyuga branch family might deepen.
In the future, to appease Hiruzen Sarutobi, the main family might even sacrifice any branch members who stood in Asuma's way.
Konoha's situation was becoming increasingly chaotic.
Kakashi walked over to Hyuga Sanmei, who had lost an arm, deep in thought.
He bent down, picked up the severed arm from the ground, and channeled chakra into it, gently attaching it back to Sanmei's wound.
The chakra formed a thin layer over the injury, temporarily stopping the bleeding.
"This arm can still be reattached," Kakashi said softly, his voice carrying a hint of reassurance.
"The Uchiha Hospital has top medical ninjas. If treated in time, there might be no lasting damage."
He handed the arm to a nearby member of the Hyuga branch family. The branch member hesitated for a moment, then nodded gratefully. "Thank you."
Kakashi nodded slightly in response, saying nothing more, then turned to continue deeper into the Hyuga estate.
"Kakashi!"
At that moment, Hyuga Sanmei suddenly called out to him.
Kakashi paused mid-step and looked back at him.
Sanmei's face was pale, his forehead covered in cold sweat. The pain from his severed arm was clearly unbearable.
Yet he still managed to support himself and call out.
"Is something wrong?" Kakashi asked, his tone still indifferent, though a trace of curiosity flickered in his one visible eye.
Sanmei's gaze met Kakashi's, filled with a mix of emotions.
There was regret, helplessness, and a deep sorrow over the situation unfolding before him.
"Kakashi, I hope you won't get involved in this," Sanmei said deliberately, each word measured, slow but firm. "Neji is a good kid."
Kakashi blinked slightly, clearly not expecting Sanmei to mention Neji.
Hyuga Neji—the boy who once shared a close bond with Genya—was now caught up in this conflict.
"Neji? He's a good kid?" Kakashi repeated softly, a hint of doubt creeping into his mind.
He knew Neji was Might Guy's disciple, determined and talented, but why was he now entangled in the Hyuga family's internal strife?
While Kakashi was lost in thought, a troubling idea suddenly flashed through his mind—Neji's relationship with Genya was no ordinary one.
If Neji really had conflicts with the Hyuga main family or even Konoha, would Genya and his Atsukara get dragged into it as well?
The thought made Kakashi's chest tighten.
He knew all too well the strength of the Atsukara, especially Genya, the Uchiha prodigy with countless mysterious abilities.
Over the years, Kakashi could not even begin to gauge how powerful Genya had become.
If Genya really intervened in this conflict, the situation in Konoha could spiral completely out of control.
"Kakashi, promise me—don't target Neji, and don't get involved in this matter."
Hyuga Sanmei spoke again, his tone tinged with desperation, as if this was the last thing he could do for Neji.
Kakashi was silent for a moment, then finally nodded.
"Alright. I will."
With that, he turned and continued deeper into the Hyuga clan territory.
Kakashi knew clearly that this conflict was no longer just an internal matter of the Hyuga family.
If Genya intervened, Konoha's political stability could face unprecedented shocks, and even the major clans might suffer heavy losses.
Thinking this, Kakashi quickened his pace slightly.
"Neji?" Naruto murmured the name, feeling an odd sense of familiarity.
Suddenly, an image flashed through his mind—Neji Hyuga, once closely linked with Genya, and seemingly still Hinata's older brother.
"Could it be him?" Naruto's heart skipped, and his steps involuntarily quickened.
Behind him, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno said nothing, silently following.
As they went deeper, the surrounding scene grew increasingly grim.
Along the way, they saw many injured branch family members fleeing the center of the battle.
Yet when these people saw Kakashi, none spoke; they only lowered their heads and quietly moved on.
The closer they got to the heart of the battle, the larger the Eight Trigrams barrier in the sky became, and the more oppressive the atmosphere felt.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura's breaths grew rapid, as if the very air around them was being crushed by that overwhelming chakra.
Finally, they reached the center of the battle.
The scene before them left everyone stunned.
Asuma Sarutobi and the others who had just arrived stood outside the Eight Trigrams Formation, staring in shock at the scene inside, still unable to recover from their astonishment.
Inside the formation, there was nothing but blood.
Neji Hyuga stood at the very center of the Eight Trigrams Formation, his entire body soaked in blood, looking like a demon risen from hell.
Beneath his feet lay the great elder of the Hyuga clan.
Neji crushed the elder's bones inch by inch, while the other main family members within the formation seemed frozen in place, forced to watch the bloody scene unfold, unable to move.
****
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