Despite Sasuke's calls, Kakashi remained unresponsive.
Even the usually oblivious Naruto sensed something was wrong and stepped forward to investigate.
Sasuke quickly blocked Naruto, activating his Sharingan while cautiously approaching Kakashi.
The surrounding Leaf shinobi grew wary.
A few moments later, Sasuke reached Kakashi's side, his pupils contracting in shock. Kakashi's right eye—not the one hidden by his headband but his normal eye—was a crimson Sharingan with tomoe, just like Sasuke's.
This could only mean one thing: Kakashi was under a Sharingan genjutsu!
"When did he get caught in it?" Sasuke scanned the surroundings warily.
The Leaf shinobi around him were on edge, each fearing for their safety.
Kakashi's sudden ensnarement in genjutsu meant an enemy was likely lurking nearby, and if they could silently trap a jonin of Kakashi's caliber, most of them stood little chance.
After a quick sweep, Sasuke found nothing suspicious, his expression growing more puzzled.
Suddenly, Kakashi turned toward a direction and began walking that way.
"Kakashi!"
Sasuke grabbed Kakashi's arm.
The moment he was grabbed, Kakashi snapped out of his daze, whirling around to launch a kick at Sasuke.
Bang.
Sasuke, prepared, blocked the kick and shouted to the others: "Evacuate the villagers around here. I'll handle this!"
Naruto piped up: "Sasuke, I'll help you!"
"Mm!"
Sasuke glanced at Naruto and nodded.
Kakashi mechanically surveyed the area, his gaze locking onto Naruto before staggering toward him.
Naruto asked urgently: "Sasuke, what do I do?"
Sasuke replied: "I don't know when they cast this genjutsu on Kakashi, but if I'm right, it's a Sharingan genjutsu! Stall him for now, and I'll figure out how to break it!"
"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Naruto sprang into action, instantly creating dozens of shadow clones, nearly filling the narrow shelter. Then, all the clones rushed Kakashi at once.
Bang bang bang.
Despite being under genjutsu, Kakashi's taijutsu remained sharp, shattering seven or eight of Naruto's shadow clones in the first clash.
But Naruto's clones were too numerous. As they closed in, some grabbed Kakashi's legs, others his waist, and some his arms, quickly restraining him.
…
On the street.
Hiruko glanced toward the shelter where Kakashi was, a smirk curling his lips: "So he's with the Nine-Tails jinchuriki. Saves me the trouble of searching!"
It was obvious.
The genjutsu on Kakashi was Hiruko's doing.
But this wasn't a recent technique—it had been secretly planted in Kakashi's mind over a decade ago.
Back then, Hiruko, already a defector from the Hidden Leaf, was plotting his Bloodline Fusion Ritual.
Coveting Kakashi's talent, he had secretly cast a genjutsu on the then-teenage Kakashi.
Once activated, it allowed Hiruko to control Kakashi remotely, making him come to him to complete the ritual.
However, with the Akatsuki's help and to avoid alerting the Hidden Leaf, Hiruko hadn't used this trap.
Now, with the ritual complete, Kakashi's role as a hidden pawn was expendable, so Hiruko played this card to aid his mission to capture the Nine-Tails jinchuriki.
Of course.
In the original timeline, Kakashi could resist Hiruko's genjutsu. He had only pretended to be caught to lull Hiruko into a false sense of security, striking back during the ritual to eliminate the Leaf-hating traitor.
But now, with Hiruko's ritual complete and his fused Sharingan undergoing an unexpected mutation, evolving into a Mangekyo Sharingan, Kakashi's momentary lapse left him genuinely trapped in the genjutsu.
Sensing Kakashi's location, Hiruko didn't linger. With a flash, he whooshed out of sight.
Bang.
With a dull thud, Hyuga Hiashi, the clan leader, was sent flying by Shinno's punch, crashing into a building like a kite with its string cut.
"Lord Clan Leader!"
A Hyuga branch member cried out in alarm.
Swish.
In his Shock Gate state, Shinno flashed forward, appearing abruptly before the branch member.
"You!?"
The branch member froze.
Bang.
Before terror could fully register on his face, Shinno's punch sent him flying into distant rubble, silent.
"This is the so-called Hidden Leaf elite?" Shinno shrugged, chuckling: "So pathetic!"
Hiashi, climbing out from the building's wreckage, leaned on a broken wall: "Damn you!"
Shinno grinned: "I hear the Hyuga main branch isn't protected by a Cursed Seal. Those Byakugan eyes of yours? I'll take them!"
Swish.
A figure landed, blocking Shinno's path.
Shinno's eyes narrowed: "You again, brat!"
It was none other than Neji, who had previously fought Shinno in the Land of Earth.
Seeing Neji step forward, Hiashi shouted: "You're no match for him! Run!"
"Clan Leader, I'm protecting you not because you're main branch and I'm branch family! It's because you're my uncle, my father's brother!"
Neji assumed a precise Gentle Fist stance.
The 'bio-exoskeleton'—code-named 'H' by Shinji—parasitizing Neji spoke: "This guy's strong. Release me!"
"Release!"
Neji knew the enemy before him required everything he had, so he nodded without hesitation, unconcerned about exposing this in front of Hiashi.
Instantly.
The 'bio-exoskeleton' near Neji's chest spread across his body. In a blink, a thin layer of white cellular tissue covered him entirely.
At the same time, the enhanced pure Byakugan, implanted by Shinji into the exoskeleton, shifted to Neji's back as the tissue spread.
'H' spoke: "I'll handle the insight behind you, covering your blind spots!"
Neji nodded slightly: "Got it. I'm counting on you this time!"
'H,' usually devoid of emotion, chuckled softly: "What are partners for?"