Chapter 27: Thunder Release Ninja Technique
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Half an hour later, Sasuke left the Hyuga clan compound. At the door, Hiashi Hyuga smiled and said goodbye to him.
In reality, it was Sasuke's shadow clone that departed, while his true body remained hidden within the compound.
Even Hiashi's Byakugan couldn't distinguish between the clone and the original in such a brief moment.
Sasuke carefully concealed his presence, trying his best to avoid detection. As night fell, his senses were on high alert.
Suddenly, several fleeting presences caught his attention, rapidly moving away from the Hyuga compound.
Sasuke was shocked. When did these Hidden Cloud Village ninjas become so adept at hiding? He hadn't even noticed their arrival! If he hadn't been so focused, he might have missed them altogether.
A sneer formed on Sasuke's lips. So, the Hidden Cloud Village was at it again.
First, they tried to abduct Kushina, the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki, and now they were after Hinata. Back then, Minato had saved the day. Now, Sasuke would do the same.
Without hesitation, Sasuke formed a series of hand seals, summoning three shadow clones. The first clone rushed to inform Hiashi, Hizashi, and Neji.
The second headed to the Hokage Building to alert the Third Hokage and the elders. The third clone was sent to inform Fugaku, Sasuke's father, who was now a member of the Konoha Security Force.
Meanwhile, four figures clad in black were sprinting through the woods, a sack slung over one of their shoulders. Blue arcs of electricity crackled across their bodies, enhancing their speed.
The clothes they wore were soaked in special ink from the Eight-Tails, which could seal chakra, making them undetectable by conventional means.
Inside the sack, Hinata was panicking. She wanted to cry but held back her tears.
She had no idea who these people were or why they had kidnapped her. She tried to resist, but the sack seemed to block her chakra, leaving her powerless.
The Hidden Cloud ninjas were approaching the border of Konoha. The barrier had been temporarily disabled by two other ninjas, giving them a small window of opportunity to escape. They were determined to take the Hyuga heiress back to their village.
Sasuke, however, was in hot pursuit, though he struggled to catch up. Taking a cue from the Hidden Cloud Village, he infused his body with Lightning Chakra.
Instantly, his speed increased, and he began to close the distance. This was the Thunder Release Chakra Mode, a secret technique of the Hidden Cloud Village.
As the four Hidden Cloud ANBU neared the barrier, which was only 500 meters away, a flash of lightning struck. The sack on the ANBU's shoulder suddenly disappeared. Sasuke had snatched Hinata from them in an instant.
"Don't worry, I'm here," Sasuke whispered reassuringly to Hinata as he held her close.
The four ANBU exchanged glances and nodded, then charged at Sasuke with all their might. But Sasuke's Sharingan spun, transforming into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Dark flames of Amaterasu erupted from his eyes, reducing the ANBU to ashes within moments.
"Don't be afraid," Sasuke said softly, holding Hinata gently. "I'm always here."
Hinata's cheeks flushed red, and she nodded shyly. Then, in a moment of courage, she gave Sasuke a quick, gentle kiss on the corner of his mouth.
While Sasuke's Amaterasu had incinerated four of the ANBU, two more Hidden Cloud ninjas remained near the barrier, attempting to flee.
Sasuke's eyes focused, and dark flames appeared at their feet, burning off their legs in an instant.
The ninjas, realizing they were cornered, looked at each other and chose to end their own lives to avoid capture.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated the scene, and the Fourth Raikage appeared, his voice booming, "Who dares to kidnap the daughter of the Hyuga clan?"
The Raikage's upper body was exposed, showing his powerful muscles, which crackled with electricity. His chakra was immense.
"I've already taken care of them," Sasuke replied calmly. "They've been turned to ashes."
The Raikage's heart tightened. "Well done!" he said, trying to maintain his composure.
At that moment, the Third Hokage, Hiashi Hyuga, and Hizashi Hyuga appeared behind the Raikage. Hiashi rushed to his daughter's side, relieved to find her unharmed.
"Who were the kidnappers?" Hiashi asked.
"There are two bodies just outside the barrier," Sasuke answered.
Hiashi approached the corpses and examined them. Removing their clothing, he found Kirigakure forehead protectors on their foreheads.
"They're from the Hidden Mist Village!" Hiashi declared.
Sasuke, however, wasn't convinced. "Uncle, forehead protectors can be faked."
Raikage glared at Sasuke, his voice low and dangerous. "Kid, what are you implying? Do you think the kidnappers were from the Hidden Cloud Village?"
"I never said that," Sasuke replied evenly. "But when those men in black ran, the arcs of electricity on their bodies looked exactly like yours, Raikage-sama."
The Raikage stepped closer, his towering presence and overwhelming chakra bearing down on Sasuke. "Be careful what you say, kid. Are you certain of your accusations?"
Sasuke's Mangekyō Sharingan flared, the pattern in his eyes shifting. A purple skeleton began to form around him, quickly developing into a half-bodied Susanoo clad in armor.
Holding Hinata close, Sasuke stared down the Raikage without a hint of fear. "Raikage-sama, are you threatening a child?"
At that moment, Fugaku appeared beside Sasuke. "Lord Raikage," he said, his tone respectful yet firm, "we still need to investigate the identities of these men in black. But it seems inappropriate to threaten Sasuke here."
The Raikage's eyes narrowed as he studied Sasuke's Susanoo. This wasn't the reaction of a frightened child.
And for Sasuke to have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan at such a young age, he would undoubtedly become a serious threat in the future.
Though the Raikage's Lightning Release Body Flicker Technique was incredibly fast, Fugaku's own ability, the "Heaven's Stand," was the perfect counter.
It slowed down any opponent who got too close, rendering their speed advantage useless.
Sasuke had the upper hand here, both morally and strategically. He had informed everyone about Hinata's kidnapping, including the Raikage.
By defeating the kidnappers, Sasuke had placed himself on the moral high ground. The Raikage, on the other hand, couldn't openly retaliate without incriminating himself.
Although the Raikage's plan had failed, Sasuke's had not. The Hidden Cloud Village's scheme had been thwarted, and Konoha was safe—for now.
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