Chapter 104: Departure to the Land of Rain

"Unexpectedly, the Moon God is actually Shinosuke Hyuga."

Returning to the Senju clan grounds, Tsunade remarked to Yuto. "The guy has wolf's ambition... Yuto, why would he do something like this? I heard some gossip in the village, saying he had a childhood friend in the clan, named..."

"It's Meiko-sama," Yuto chuckled.

"Sensei, you met them that night."

"Oh..." The blonde woman furrowed her brows, recalling her student's pained expression under the Caged Bird Seal's outburst, and affectionately ruffled Yuto's hair. "Damn Shinosuke... he's definitely not a good person." Tsunade quickly sided with her student.

He wasn't just a bad person; he wasn't even fully alive now.

Yuto silently laughed.

"Yuto, the Land of Rain is inherently more dangerous than the Land of Hot Water. Now, with the situation involving the assassination of the Moon God... be careful."

"Don't worry, Sensei. Your student is a seasoned shinobi now."

"You're still young, kid." Tsunade handed Yuto a package, "This is for Kushina. She wrote to me last time, saying she really missed the dorayaki from the Senju clan's vicinity."

"Sure," Yuto suddenly frowned.

"Is she in the Land of Rain?"

"Yes."

"I thought, given her status, she would stay in the village."

The identity of Kushina Uzumaki as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki wasn't widely known in Konoha, but it wasn't surprising that Yuto was aware of it due to his current status.

Tsunade didn't doubt him, shaking her head, "The front lines in the Land of Rain need her power. As the last descendant of the Uzumaki clan, Kushina's sealing techniques are very strong and can handle many special situations. Besides, Minato is there, and she carries a Flying Thunder God kunai with her."

"Indeed... Sensei, I'm off. According to protocol, I need to pay respects to the clan head."

"Don't go yet. Stay here tonight, and I'll share some more experience with you. As a vice commander, you can't see yourself as just an ordinary shinobi anymore." Tsunade yawned and smiled, "Besides, your clan head probably isn't in the mood to see you right now."

...

At the Hyuga clan grounds, it was late at night, but Hiashi Hyuga still sat silently on a wide chair.

"Hiashi-sama, I have arrived."

"Hmm."

Hiashi looked up at the main house girl who entered the room.

Since Shinosuke's death... disappearance a year ago, Meiko had become increasingly thin, often unable to eat. However, even though she looked sickly, she was still captivating.

As a shinobi, Meiko's will wasn't this fragile. If she had seen Shinosuke Hyuga's body, she would have cried bitterly but eventually moved on with life.

Unfortunately, Shinosuke was "missing" — neither dead nor alive. The enormous despair mingled with a glimmer of hope, making the wait for a miracle unbearable.

"Meiko," Hiashi spoke after a long pause:

"How have you been lately?"

"Clan leader, you didn't call me here at this late hour just to chat, did you?"

Meiko's tone was light. Due to her poor mental state, she wasn't very polite to anyone, and the Hyuga clan members were used to it.

Hiashi wasn't offended and calmly said, "I wanted to talk to you, Meiko. As a member of the main house, you're of marriageable age and should take on responsibilities..."

"Clan leader, if there's nothing else, I'll be going."

"Meiko! You should face reality. Shinosuke is..."

"You're going to say Shinosuke is dead and I should move on, right?" Meiko, already on edge, snapped and stood up, shouting, "What do you know? You don't understand Shinosuke at all!"

"Oh?" Hiashi's eyes flashed, pretending to be angry, and frowned, "As the head of the main house and Hyuga clan leader, I understand Shinosuke very well..."

Meiko interrupted him, "No! You know nothing! Shinosuke was a kind and gentle person! He would take care of small animals, collect colorful glass beads, and then make necklaces out of them to give to me... All you know is that Shinosuke mastered Revolving Heaven at twelve!"

The girl angrily stormed out.

In the spacious house, Hiashi was left alone.

"Indeed, we knew nothing about Shinosuke... but neither do you."

He murmured softly.

Meiko would explode at any mention of Shinosuke. Hiashi knew this well. He had hoped to glimpse Shinosuke Hyuga's true character tonight but found nothing.

It seemed that even to Meiko, Shinosuke had only shown a facade.

During the day in the Hokage's office, Hiashi had been shocked and fearful upon hearing the Third Hokage's hypothesis, worried that Hiruzen Sarutobi would blame the Hyuga clan.

But now, thinking about it, what was there to fear?

No matter what Shinosuke had done, the power he wielded was what the declining Hyuga clan desperately needed...

Flying through the sky, slaying the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki in an instant, suppressing the Third Hokage, and killing entire ninja squads with a flick of his finger!

The Byakugan was a useful kekkei genkai, ensuring any adult Hyuga clan member was at least a Chunin, but progressing to Jonin was much harder, making it incomparable to the Sharingan.

"Lack of high-end combat power" was a perpetual pain for the Hyuga clan.

If only they could obtain that power...

In the spacious house, the lights flickered.

...

After another five days, Yuto was finally ready to depart for the Land of Rain.

As the deputy commander, he wasn't going alone.

Yuto now understood the difference between a commander and an ordinary shinobi. Before departure, many people came to report and confirm various details, such as the departure time, supply routes, reconnaissance team configuration, and various codes. Every detail had to be communicated to him.

Yuto felt overwhelmed, but with Tsunade's help and after absorbing a lot of knowledge, he managed to handle everything quite systematically.

"The last time you went to the battlefield, I also helped you with your clothes. Then, you were just an ordinary Jonin. This time, you're already the vice commander."

Tsunade placed the necklace with the green crystal around her student's neck and smoothed his clothes, "As the vice commander, you must maintain your image. Many eyes are watching you. If you look disheveled, others might think there's a major problem on the battlefield."

"Sensei," Yuto suddenly laughed, "I can see the top of your head now."

"Hmph..." Tsunade lightly knocked on her student's head, "Kid, you're far from being able to look down on your Sensei."

"Yes, yes," Yuto put on the vice commander's armband and bid farewell to his teacher.

Leaving the Senju clan grounds, he arrived at the main gate where many shinobi were waiting for him.

Amidst the chorus of "Vice-Commander," Yuto walked to the front.

Ready for the departure to the Land of Rain.

(End of Chapter)

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