After taking control of the Hidden Rain Village, Uchiha Fugaku and his forces were waiting for representatives from each village to arrive and assume formal control.
Whoosh—
Suddenly, an object on Fugaku's person gave off an unusual reaction, as if activated by some hidden power.
In the next moment, three figures appeared around him, their hands linked.
It wasn't that they had moved too quickly to track—it was spatial teleportation.
They were Konoha shinobi.
One wore a blue cap and had long brown hair.Another had short brown hair with a jagged scar across his left cheek.The third also wore a blue cap, with a small beard on his chin.
These three were Shiranui Genma, Namida Raidō, and Iwashi Tatami.
All three had once served as bodyguards to the Fourth Hokage, from whom they learned the Flying Thunder God Technique.
However, lacking true talent in space-time ninjutsu, they were unable to fully master it. They could only perform it together, in unison. Even then, their incomplete mastery meant it consumed immense chakra, allowing them to use it no more than two or three times in succession.
During the Five Kage Summit ambush against the Akatsuki, Fugaku had anticipated the risk of Akatsuki retaliating against Konoha in his absence. So he carried a marked object tied to their Flying Thunder God seal.
If the village came under attack, they could instantly summon him back.
"Lord Hokage, the village is under attack!" the three reported urgently as soon as they appeared.
"Was it the Akatsuki?" Fugaku asked sharply.
Since they had just destroyed the Akatsuki's Rain Village base, he had already expected possible revenge against the Five Great Nations. Hearing that Konoha was struck, his heart sank.
"It doesn't seem to be the Akatsuki. But the village was attacked—the enemy targeted the Hyūga Clan. Hyūga Hanabi, the clan head's daughter, has been abducted!" Shiranui Genma reported.
"The Hyūga… and they kidnapped the clan head's daughter, Hanabi?" Fugaku froze in shock.
So it wasn't a full-scale attack on Konoha, but one aimed solely at the Hyūga, with Hanabi as the prize.
A strange sense of déjà vu swept through him. Then he realized why—this was exactly how it happened when Ōtsutsuki Toneri stole the Byakugan… except it was years too early.
Did Toneri begin his plans ahead of schedule?
If so, it might actually work to Fugaku's advantage.
If he could track them back to the Moon, he could strike Toneri directly.
By fusing the pure Byakugan of a Hyūga corpse with Toneri's body, he might be able to awaken the Tenseigan—an ocular power rivaling the Rinnegan.
If I gain the Tenseigan before the Rinnegan… my strength will soar beyond measure. Nagato will no longer be my equal!
Suppressing his excitement, Fugaku called Jiraiya and Hatake Kakashi to his side.
"The village is in danger. I must return immediately—this front will be left to you two."
"What happened?" Jiraiya and Kakashi asked anxiously.
"An enemy infiltrated Konoha and abducted Hyūga Hanabi."
"The Hyūga heiress? Could they be targeting the Byakugan?" Jiraiya said in shock.
"The truth will only be known once I return and investigate," Fugaku replied, masking his suspicions.
"Let's move!" he commanded to Genma, Raidō, and Iwashi.
They linked hands again, encircling him, and activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Whoosh—
The scenery shifted, and Fugaku was back in Konoha.
He immediately rushed to the Hyūga compound.
"Lord Hokage, please—use the village's full strength to save my daughter!" Hyūga Hiashi pleaded, bowing deeply.
"Rise, Clan Head. Rest assured, we will bring Hanabi back. I've heard the enemy left behind puppets—take me to see them," Fugaku said.
Led by Hiashi, Fugaku entered a courtyard where heaps of destroyed humanoid puppets were piled.
Examining them, Fugaku quickly realized: their construction was not of shinobi world origin. The crescent-shaped insignia on their garments confirmed it—they were creations from the Moon, servants of Ōtsutsuki Toneri.
"We cannot allow Hanabi to fall into Toneri's hands."
Whether for the sake of the Hyūga or his own ambitions, Fugaku knew she had to be rescued before reaching Toneri.
If Toneri obtained her pure Byakugan, he could evolve the Tenseigan himself. Then Fugaku would never be able to stop him.
"Send word to the Inuzuka Clan—bring me a tracker skilled in scent!" Fugaku ordered.
An ANBU quickly relayed the command. Moments later, he returned with a young woman accompanied by her ninken.
Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and her face bore the Inuzuka clan's red fang markings.
She was Inuzuka Hana, elder sister of Inuzuka Kiba.
"Lord Hokage," she greeted respectfully.
"You'll accompany me. Track the kidnappers through their puppets' scent," Fugaku instructed.
Though many search squads were already dispatched, he resolved to join the pursuit personally. Hanabi could not be allowed to reach Toneri.
"Yes, sir."
Hana brought her ninken to sniff the broken puppets, gathering a scent trail.
Hiashi, visibly moved, bowed again. "Thank you, Lord Hokage."
That Fugaku himself—Konoha's Hokage—was personally leading the rescue spoke volumes of his commitment. Hiashi silently rejoiced at having chosen to support the Uchiha during the succession crisis.
"Clan Head, there's no need for thanks. Hanabi is one of our own. The village will spare no effort to save her," Fugaku said firmly.
Yet inwardly he knew—had the Hyūga not aligned with the Uchiha, his priority would have been different. If necessary, he might have slain Hanabi himself to deny Toneri the Byakugan.
"Lord Hokage, we've gathered the scent—we're ready to move," Hana reported.
"Good. We leave at once."
Summoning his Perfect Susanoo, Fugaku shielded Hana and her ninken within its colossal form.
Then the towering warrior took flight, pursuing the trail into the skies.
"So this… is Susanoo?" Hana whispered, awestruck.
She had heard tales of the Fifth Hokage's legendary technique, but seeing it firsthand was overwhelming. A hundred-meter giant radiating terrifying chakra—it was like standing inside a living mountain.
Whoosh—
The Perfect Susanoo flew at blinding speed, outpacing every Konoha search team until they were at the front of the chase.
Though they had to pause often so Hana could reorient the trail, within an hour they spotted the enemy: a force of more than a hundred flying puppets, escorting Hanabi.
The puppet army split in two. Half broke away to intercept Fugaku, while the rest sped ahead with Hanabi.
Swish, swish, swish!
Dozens of golden spheres of energy blasted toward Susanoo.
Fugaku didn't bother dodging. The projectiles hammered against Susanoo's armor—boom, boom, boom—but left not a scratch.
In Susanoo's hand, a massive black sword materialized.
With a single swing, a blade of dark light cut across the sky.
Rumble—Rumble—Rumble!
Explosions rippled through the heavens. In one strike, all sixty intercepting puppets were annihilated, reduced to ash as their remains rained down from the sky.