"Genya… are you saying that Gatō only sent one wave of assassins?" Hinata walked beside Genya, her delicate face full of seriousness as she thought and analyzed.
"I have a feeling… he might send more ninjas to attack us!"
As they drew closer to the Land of Waves, Hinata's frown deepened.
After all, the ninjas they had faced earlier had sworn before dying that someone would avenge them. This made her mind restless, with countless thoughts flashing through her head.
Genya turned his head and glanced at Hinata. A faint, almost imperceptible look of satisfaction appeared in his deep eyes.
"It seems you, Hinata, are learning to think. Since you've figured it out, I'll leave the path ahead in your hands."
Lately, Hinata had become more composed, no longer timid like before. Her approach to things had changed greatly.
Knowing this, Genya felt more at ease leaving the journey to her guidance.
Besides, with him nearby, even if Hinata made a mistake, he could step in and fix it in time.
"I…" Hinata hesitated, still lacking complete confidence, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
But when she met Genya's serious, trusting gaze, a surge of strength rose from within her. She regained her confidence and said firmly, "I will ensure the safety of this journey!"
The group continued forward.
This time, they walked noticeably more relaxed, without the tension that had accompanied them before.
Only Hinata remained highly vigilant, her eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.
Whenever someone entered her line of sight, she immediately went on high alert, every nerve in her body tense.
Because of her constant vigilance, her Byakugan subtly evolved, gradually strengthening.
This journey had not only sharpened Hinata's mind but also enhanced the power of her Byakugan through this subtle training.
As they moved forward, Hinata suddenly stopped, her movements crisp and decisive.
Her fingers quickly reached for the kunai at her waist, gripping it tightly until her knuckles whitened.
At the same time, her eyes locked onto a large tree not far away. Her voice was low but full of authority. "Whoever's there… come out!"
At Hinata's sharp command, the previously relaxed group instantly became alert.
Everyone reacted quickly, taking defensive stances, nerves taut, eyes fixed on the same spot not far ahead.
However, they did not have the Byakugan, and could only see the dense leaves, completely unaware of the figure hidden behind them.
Just as everyone remained on alert, Hinata suddenly shouted again, "Watch out!"
Swish~~
At the sound of her warning, a massive blade, radiating fierce energy, flew directly toward them.
It moved at incredible speed, slicing the air with a whistling sound, brushing past Tazuna's scalp.
Tazuna felt a chill run across his head, as if the Grim Reaper had just passed by, and a cold sweat broke out over his body.
Finally, with a soft "thud," the blade buried itself deep into a nearby tree. Most of the blade was embedded in the trunk, while the handle still trembled slightly.
A figure, ghostlike and swift, appeared atop the blade, looking down at them from above.
His face was mostly covered with bandages, leaving only a pair of sharp, icy eyes visible.
He was shirtless, revealing well-defined muscles, each seeming to hold endless power. His gaze toward the group was full of disdain and certainty, as if they were nothing more than lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
The newcomer was Zabuza.
"Yo~~ A little brat discovered my hiding spot? That's embarrassing," he said, finally focusing on Hinata, his tone playful and teasing.
When his eyes landed on hers, he continued, "Oh, a Byakugan? But this one seems a little unusual!"
As Zabuza looked at Hinata, his expression grew more analytical, as if studying what set her apart from ordinary Byakugan users.
"No Caged Bird seal… so she's from the Hyuga Main House, huh? Heh," Zabuza muttered under his breath, a hint of interest in his voice. "A pair of Byakugan… even in the black market, that's valuable."
"Wait… we haven't even fought yet, and you're already thinking about taking body parts from us? Isn't that a bit much?" Genya spoke up, unable to hold back. Anyone familiar with him could see that he was clearly angry, though he was trying to contain it.
"Shut it~ You Uchiha trash with your Dual Pupils!" Zabuza sneered at Genya. "If you had Sharingan, I could sell them for even more!"
Genya was speechless for a moment, secretly cursing in his heart.
It seemed that Zabuza had put all his thoughts into making money, immediately checking whose parts were more valuable to sell.
"Oh~~ I remember now. I heard that the son of the Uchiha clan head, Uchiha Kinya, is a waste with Dual Pupil. That must be you!" Zabuza looked at Genya, excitement shining even more in his eyes.
"If I capture you, I could probably get a lot of money from your father~!"
His mind quickly shifted as he started thinking again about how to maximize his profit, planning various schemes in his head.
"Anyone who wants to touch Genya must go through me first!"
Hinata didn't hesitate, stepping firmly in front of Genya. Her small frame radiated unwavering determination.
Her eyes locked onto Zabuza, already filled with clear murderous intent.
In her heart, no one was allowed to harm Genya. Anyone daring to attack him would have to deal with her first.
"Hehe… you little girl dare protect your lover? Then I'll take your eyes!"
As Zabuza spoke, his body vanished like lightning, leaving only a blur.
His speed was so fast that no one had time to react.
Splash!
Then, everyone heard the sound of rushing water.
Following the sound, they saw Zabuza standing above a water surface. The surrounding water seemed to be controlled by a tremendous force, forming a massive whirlpool around him.
Zabuza stood at the center of the whirlpool, raising one palm high. His middle and ring fingers pressed together, pointing straight up, forming a special hand seal for a jutsu.
"He's channeling a huge amount of chakra to cast a jutsu!" Hinata exclaimed, watching the steady flow of chakra from him.
If it had been before, she might have immediately used her spatial technique to catch him off guard.
But because of Genya's earlier instructions—not to use her dojutsu in non-dangerous situations—she restrained herself.
After all, her eyes hadn't fully evolved yet. Using a powerful technique recklessly could cause irreversible damage, which wasn't worth the risk.
"This calls for a swift victory!"
Zabuza looked at them, a smug smile appearing in his eyes.
"Ninjutsu: Mist Concealment Technique!"
As he spoke, a gentle breeze stirred the water, raising thick mists around him.
The mists seemed alive, spreading rapidly.
In just a few breaths, the dense fog covered hundreds of meters, completely shrouding Genya and everyone else within it.
****
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