Yūhi Kurenai and Asuma exchanged slightly awkward glances at the displeased Ōtsutsuki Kyokusen, unsure why this girl—whose talent seemed almost monstrous—had suddenly become angry.
They honestly thought their guess had been reasonable…
Perhaps the girl felt too strong a sense of belonging to the Ōtsutsuki family, which made her uncomfortable upon hearing their speculation.
"My apologies. Kyokusen grew up within the family from a young age, so she isn't particularly accustomed to the outside world,"
Toneri Ōtsutsuki said, shaking his head with a light smile as he addressed Yūhi and Asuma.
He understood Kyokusen's reaction; it was entirely natural.
After all, Kyokusen belonged to a branch of the family. Having been surrounded by the family for years, she did not have any particular fondness for the shinobi world.
But unlike others, she wasn't overtly extreme or fanatical—after all, she had always stayed close to Toneri.
"I understand. But Toneri, Kyokusen's Byakugan… if you go to Konoha, you'll need to be careful with the Hyūga family. Their reverence for the Byakugan goes beyond ordinary comprehension,"
Asuma said with a relaxed smile. He was generous by nature and didn't mind the matter much.
However, he then turned slightly serious to warn Toneri. Being the son of the Third Hokage, he knew Konoha's darker corners well.
He understood that if the Hyūga learned Kyokusen possessed the Byakugan, it would not end well.
The Hyūga were, after all, Konoha's most prestigious clan. Though Kyokusen's strength was extreme, the Hyūga's overbearing influence could easily make enemies.
Such tension would be bad news for Konoha.
"Thank you for the warning. I'll be careful," Toneri replied with a friendly smile.
He had considered this already, which was one reason he did not intend to stay in Konoha long.
Kyokusen's eyes would inevitably reach the Hyūga's ears. Given their obsession with the Byakugan, a cordial relationship would be impossible.
Not to mention, Toneri still intended to acquire a pair of pure Byakugan from the Hyūga himself.
"But don't worry. The Hyūga can't dominate Konoha completely.
If there's trouble, you can come to me. I still have some influence here,"
Asuma said cheerfully, a bright smile on his face.
He liked Toneri very much.
Besides, these two were extraordinary—and, most importantly, they were independent.
If they could be brought into Konoha's fold, it would be a tremendous boon for the village.
That was also why he had mentioned the Hyūga earlier—to give the pair a sense of danger, so he could later help them and gain their indebtedness.
Not a bad plan at all.
"Then thank you in advance, Asuma," Toneri said with a faint smile.
He had already guessed Asuma's intentions, though it didn't bother him.
Konoha would eventually become an enemy—no need to worry. At worst, he could simply make a scene when the time came.
A faint curve of a smile appeared on Toneri's lips. At present, Konoha, aside from the aging Third Hokage and the hidden Danzo, had no real strong figures.
The Sannin had defected or left—Konoha was at its weakest, and he was unafraid.
The four of them shared a meal and then set off toward Konoha Village.
The town near Konoha was close, and traveling slowly, they arrived within an hour.
Before Konoha's vast gates, Toneri tilted his head slightly, focusing toward the entrance, his palm opening just enough for the Rinnegan to perceive a faint gap.
He saw it—the distant massive Hokage rock face, perfectly clear even from this distance.
"So this is Konoha… finally here!"
Toneri's smile could barely be contained, a surge of inexplicable emotion rising within him.
The Prince and the Second Pillar—the two future strongest men of the shinobi world—were here now!
How old were they, he wondered?
Toneri was seven, so the two should roughly be his age.
But he couldn't be certain; the original story never specified Toneri's actual age, leaving him unable to judge accurately.
"It's very necessary to meet these two," Toneri thought.
Beyond his ultimate goal, the people he most wanted to test were these two—
two who had grown to their peaks.
Their final battle—the spiral shuriken and the lightning arrow—still left a deep impression on him.
Especially the Prince—this man…
"Byakugan Princess… this time it's mine,"
Toneri thought fiercely in his heart.
What's mine is mine!
He would never yield to anyone, not even the Prince.
At this moment, Asuma had already spoken to the two guard ninja and now approached the somewhat dreamy Toneri.
"All right, registration's done. Let's go in,"
Asuma said, smiling at the delicate boy, a cigarette dangling from his lips, giving him a roguish charm.
Toneri lifted his head, smiling at Asuma, then turned back toward Konoha, murmuring with deep meaning:
"Hmm… I've truly, truly looked forward to this place for so long…"