---
"..."
The silence was so complete it felt like death itself had settled in the air. The only sound was a faint ringing in the ears, almost like an auditory hallucination.
Might Gai, acting purely on instinct, just now managed to raise his stance, while Unkawa Hyūga's body had already frozen in a crouched, spinning posture.
He stared blankly at Unkawa's long hair slowly drifting down behind him until he heard a tap, the sharp sound of blood dripping from Unkawa's palm—gathering at his fingertips before falling and shattering on the ground. Only then did he snap out of it.
"An enemy attack?"
Gai's expression immediately turned serious. His figure vanished in an instant, running without hesitation toward the direction the attack had come from.
But by the time he arrived, there was no one left.
Only a pool of fresh crimson blood remained, along with a right arm severed cleanly, its muscle and bone texture clearly visible.
Clearly, the kunai Unkawa had thrown hadn't killed the attacker. It had merely taken off their arm, forcing them to flee in disgrace.
Unkawa approached next, glancing at the severed limb on the ground before slightly lifting his head to look into the depths of the forest.
The trees swayed gently in the wind, their leaves trembling. Between the shadows and light, the forest looked fractured and eerie.
"Unkawa, did you see anything?" Gai asked beside him.
There were no blood trails, obviously because the attacker was careful not to leave any evidence behind and had quickly treated their wound.
"No," Unkawa returned his gaze, shaking his head. A faint trace of regret flickered across his face. "Too fast. I couldn't get a good look."
[Ding. Your lie has been identified as [Feigning Ignorance]. Might Gai experiences a strong emotional reaction, reaching the level of [Complete Belief], gaining 300 Reality Points...]
One of the reasons Unkawa chose to be close to Gai was, on one hand, for his potential—someone who in the future nearly kicked Six Paths Madara's ass with one kick. On the other hand, it was because of Gai's "sincere" and emotionally expressive personality.
Gai clearly had no doubt about what Unkawa said, once again contributing a small wave of points. His expression darkened with anger as he said gravely, "This incident must be reported to the Third Hokage. Someone actually dared to commit an assassination in Konoha!"
As if recalling something, Gai looked at Unkawa's hand and hurriedly asked, "By the way, your injury…"
"It's fine. That guy's Wind Release wasn't that advanced." Unkawa smiled and waved it off, showing him his palm with only a thin cut.
[Ding. Your lie…]
In reality, the situation had been quite dangerous. The opponent's Wind Release technique wasn't as simple as he claimed. If he had grabbed the blade instead of the handle, his whole hand would probably have been sliced off.
"Hmm, good," Gai exhaled, relieved. Though he believed Unkawa's lie, thinking back on the terrifying speed of that kunai, his serious expression didn't fade easily.
Even someone with a big heart like himself felt a lingering fear.
He even found himself wondering—if that assassin had targeted him instead, could he have survived?
His mind quickly answered.
"I would have died," Gai thought, frowning slightly.
If he had been able to open the Eight Gates, even just one, he might have reacted in time and dodged.
But the opponent wouldn't give him that chance. That strike had been too fast, too sudden. And who would expect someone to commit murder in Konoha? He would have been dead before he even realized what happened.
"Unkawa, you're amazing."
Realizing this, Gai's eyes held new determination as he clapped Unkawa on the shoulder, saying solemnly, "It looks like my training is still far from enough. Starting today, I'll add five hundred more backward walks every day."
Next time, even if Death himself came chasing him with a scythe, he'd punch his way through.
"Just luck," Unkawa shook his head with a wry smile.
This time, there was no system prompt. To Gai, it clearly wasn't luck—it was strength.
"Let's go," Gai said grimly. "We need to bandage your wound first, then report this to the Third Hokage."
"Never thought a spy had already infiltrated Konoha and attacked our comrade."
A spy?
Well, maybe not exactly.
Unkawa looked at his already healed palm, recalling the silhouette he had seen with his Byakugan moments ago. His eyes flickered slightly, deep in thought.
Who was it?
Sarutobi?
No, he hadn't revealed his true nature yet.
Then it must have been some leftover from Orochimaru's faction—or…
"Shisui Danzō," Unkawa mused silently, smirking inwardly. "So quick to act, truly skilled at internal politics but clueless when it comes to external affairs."
Meanwhile, at the edge of the Forest of Death.
A shadowy figure cloaked in black kept using Body Flicker Technique, stopping only two kilometers away from where Unkawa and Gai stood. Kneeling on a tree branch, they clutched their wounded arm.
"Ahrg."
Their face was obscured, but a suppressed cry of pain escaped between clenched teeth—pain laced with fear.
Damn it! Damn it! How could this happen!?
He had followed the intelligence closely and had been lying in wait at the training ground where the target often appeared.
When the target finally showed up, he felt relaxed. In his eyes, it was a mission as easy as breathing.
So he used the very jutsu he was most proud of, the one personally taught by Danzō-sama.
But at the same time, that brat suddenly stopped, tilted his head slightly, and activated the Byakugan—an ability not mentioned in the intel.
Still, he wasn't overly worried.
Because he was cautious. Even though the intel said the target didn't have Byakugan activated, he stayed over a kilometer away. Since Byakugan could only detect objects within a one-kilometer radius, he made sure to stay within its blind spot.
Until…
He saw that brat suddenly stop struggling and shut his eyes.
Then, the brat raised his hand and simply grabbed the kunai wrapped in wind chakra.
Yes, that brat—with closed eyes—bare-handed—grabbed his kunai!
And not just anywhere—the handle!
What the hell?!
Tall and dense trees stretched toward the horizon, their branches forming a loose, woven net.
But to the one using the secret perception technique, it felt like being two kilometers away and locked in a silent, lifeless gaze.
Then, before he could react, a piercing wind scream rang out.
Suddenly, it rained in the forest.
Like spring winds blowing through the woods silently, cutting off dead leaves with scissors, countless leaves fell around him, fragmenting his vision.
It was beautiful.
But soon after came the unbearable pain.
Pshh.
His arm, the one that had thrown the kunai, tore open. His sleeve split slowly, red lines circling his skin.
Blood splattered, his arm dropped to the ground with a clear thud.
"That brat… caught my jutsu bare-handed and sent it back!"
Instinctively turning and fleeing, the cloaked man knelt on the tree. Though he understood what had just happened, disbelief still filled him.
According to the intel, wasn't that brat supposed to be a waste of breath?
How could a waste possibly catch a Wind Release technique that Danzō-sama had personally taught and refined for decades!
Such terrifying reflexes—and you tell me he's a waste?
He's a waste, then what am I?
"Kaminari, what are you doing?"
As he lost himself in thought, a rough, gravelly voice reached his ears, making him shiver violently.
He slightly lifted his head to see the figure standing before him, then quickly lowered it, his voice trembling. "Danzō-dono, I…"
"Hmph waste. Looks like your mission failed."
Before he could finish speaking, Danzō coldly interrupted, glancing at the missing arm.
This man was one of the assassins he had specially trained.
Against most Jonin, under proper conditions, he could kill them in one strike.
But now…
"You've lost your dominant arm. You're completely useless now."
Danzō narrowed his shadowed eyes, thinking to himself: "Fascinating. That Hyūga brat isn't as simple as he appears. There must be something Orochimaru left behind in him."
Hmph. Since Sarutobi was unjust and took my Wood Release ninja, don't blame me for being unkind and taking action against this brat.
---