Chen Xing's route to the Land of Water required passing through several minor countries.
The group moved swiftly through the forest canopy.
Chen Xing traveled at the front, with Ao and the Kirigakure escort close behind. Their chakra control was precise, branches barely shaking as they passed.
As they ran, Chen Xing glanced sideways.
"Ao," he asked calmly,
"Your Byakugan—was it taken from the Hyūga Clan during the Third Shinobi World War?"
Ao's hand instinctively touched the eye patch over his right eye.
"…Yes," he replied after a pause.
"The Hyūga shinobi was named Hyūga Hizashi's branch-line relative. He was killed during a border conflict. I nearly died in that battle myself."
Chen Xing nodded.
That matched what was recorded in Kirigakure's wartime intelligence—Ao was the only non-Hyūga known to possess a transplanted Byakugan.
---
Ghost Valley — Border Region
By nightfall, they entered Ghost Valley, a wide ravine shrouded in shadow.
The terrain was bleak.
Broken gravestones, scattered bones, and remnants of abandoned burial mounds lined the valley floor. Even seasoned shinobi avoided this place unless necessary.
Suddenly—
Two figures stood motionless ahead.
Both wore black cloaks patterned with red clouds.
One was tall and broad-shouldered, carrying a massive triple-bladed scythe. His forehead protector bore the scratched symbol of Yugakure.
The other wore a mask and moved with unnatural stillness. His presence felt ancient, heavy, and wrong.
Ao's pupils shrank.
"Akatsuki…"
Chen Xing's gaze hardened.
---
Kakuzu and Hidan
The scythe-wielding man grinned impatiently.
"Kakuzu, are you sure this is the place?"
"All I see are graves and bones."
Kakuzu's voice was cold and flat.
"The intel is recent. A Byakugan user passed through here with a high bounty.
The eyes alone are worth a fortune."
"Tch," Hidan clicked his tongue.
"If he's already gone, I'm not waiting all night."
"He hasn't left yet," Kakuzu replied calmly.
Then—
He looked forward.
"…There."
Chen Xing stepped out from the treeline.
Ao and the Kirigakure ninja immediately spread out, chakra flaring defensively.
---
Confrontation
Kakuzu's masked gaze locked onto Chen Xing.
"…The Peacock King."
There was no excitement in his voice—only calculation.
Hidan laughed loudly.
"So this is him?"
"Doesn't look like much."
Kakuzu shot him a warning glance.
"Don't be careless. He's not ordinary."
Ao's Byakugan activated instantly.
His breath caught.
"That man…" Ao said grimly,
"He has five separate chakra cores."
That wasn't human.
Chen Xing took a slow step forward.
"Akatsuki," he said evenly.
"Your cloaks make you easy to recognize."
Hidan tilted his head, eyes gleaming with interest.
"Heh—heard you've got weird eyes too."
"Doesn't look like it to me."
Chen Xing's gaze sharpened.
"Kakuzu of Takigakure… and Hidan of Yugakure," he said calmly.
"So even you've noticed us now."
The air grew heavy.
This was no coincidence.
---