Chapter 8

After more than a decade of living in this world, Hyuga Kagami's memories of his past life had become distant and blurry. As a result, he could no longer recall whether Otsutsuki Toneri needed to form hand seals to enter the Tenseigan Chakra Mode.

"If hand seals are required, then what kind of seals should they be? What is the exact chakra circulation pattern within the body?"

In his confusion, Hyuga Kagami experienced firsthand the frustration of lacking a proper inheritance.

It was like standing before a treasure trove but being unable to enter!

Reflecting on figures like Obito, Nagato, Itachi, and the Fourth Hokage, all of whom were either influential now or destined to shape the future, Hyuga Kagami realized that each had received guidance from powerful mentors and inherited various legacies.

Meanwhile, he had nothing!

Hyuga Kagami was not one to wallow in self-pity. If there was a problem, he would find a way to solve it.

The most ideal inheritance would naturally come from Otsutsuki Hamura's lineage on the moon. However, Hyuga Kagami had no means of reaching the moon, and even if he did, Toneri's branch of the Otsutsuki clan and the giant Tenseigan guarding it posed significant obstacles. For now, this path was out of the question.

The Hyuga clan's main family might have some secret inheritance, making it worth investigating.

Orochimaru's research abilities were among the best in the world, so maintaining a connection with him would be crucial for further growth.

However, the nature of their relationship needed to change.

Continuing to act as Orochimaru's spy, a puppet with no autonomy, would lead nowhere. Hyuga Kagami had to transition from being a subordinate to becoming a collaborator in order to truly benefit from the association.

But this brought up another issue—strength. In the shinobi world, the weak had no right to negotiate with the strong.

After adjusting his mindset, Hyuga Kagami began evaluating his current combat prowess.

In terms of chakra reserves, he had undoubtedly reached the level of a Jonin. With the unparalleled insight of his Tenseigan, mastery of the Gentle Fist, and the mysterious, seal-less "Rotational Will," he believed he could defeat a Tokubetsu Jonin under normal circumstances. However, against a true Jonin, he would likely lose his life.

Of course, that was just for now.

With more experience and further development of the Tenseigan's abilities, he was confident he could reach the level of a Jonin, perhaps even an Elite Jonin, before long.

At that point, he would finally have the qualifications to negotiate properly with Orochimaru.

After envisioning the future, Hyuga Kagami refocused on the present.

He was still trapped within the village's cleansing operation, and his strength was far from the level needed to resist it. His current priority was to ensure his survival without exposing his Tenseigan.

Upon returning to the outpost, Mitsui Naka summoned him with a cold order: "Prepare yourself. There's a mission tomorrow."

Hyuga Kagami's expression sharpened. "What mission?"

Mitsui Naka replied, "I'll be leading the team myself. The details will be explained on the way."

Hyuga Kagami initially wanted to refuse, but after a moment of thought, he ultimately nodded.

He knew that faking illness had already allowed him to escape one round of the purge. Now that he had "recovered," he could no longer avoid the situation.

The next day...

Fully equipped, Hyuga Kagami set out with Mitsui Naka. Because Anko was still recovering from her injuries, only the two of them participated in this mission.

Along the way, Mitsui Naka briefly explained their task.

Similar to Anko and Oda's previous mission, their objective was to rendezvous with a Konoha spy embedded within Sunagakure and retrieve intelligence regarding the village.

After hearing the mission briefing, Hyuga Kagami was 100% certain that this was yet another trap designed to eliminate him.

His expression remained unchanged, but internally, he pondered, "Who will be the one to strike? Root? The Anbu? Or perhaps Sunagakure itself?"

If Root was responsible, then the mastermind behind the purge was almost certainly Danzo. If the Anbu was involved, then the Third Hokage was likely behind it. However, if it was Sunagakure, then the situation was far more complex.

If Sunagakure was the one to make a move, it would mean that Konoha had reached some sort of agreement with them.

In other words, this would no longer be an internal matter but a matter between entire villages. In that case, the mastermind would not be a single person, but rather Konoha's entire leadership.

As he sprinted forward, Hyuga Kagami rapidly analyzed the scenario he was about to face.

"To deal with a Chunin promoted during wartime, they wouldn't need to send a Jonin. The enemy is likely a four-man team composed of Chunin."

"Because I belong to the Hyuga clan, the enemy likely wouldn't set an ambush in advance, as that could expose them prematurely."

"They will probably wait until I arrive at the rendezvous point before attacking from all sides. Alternatively, they might disguise themselves as the contact and strike when I least expect it."

"What role will Mitsui Naka play? Will he simply lure me into the trap, or will he also join in the attack?"

With the Tenseigan awakening, Hyuga Kagami's mindset was changing. If, before, he was merely struggling to survive, now he had more ambitions and desires.

Moreover, the power of his Tenseigan gave him confidence. By eliminating fear, confusion, and other negative emotions, he could accurately assess the situation ahead.

After a long journey...

Mitsui Naka and Hyuga Kagami finally arrived at the rendezvous point—a rocky desert filled with scattered stones. It was an open area where everything could be seen at a glance, hardly a suitable place for a secret meeting.

In the distance, a lone figure stood amid the swirling sand, appearing somewhat hazy.

Hyuga Kagami focused his vision and immediately noticed that the person possessed an immense amount of chakra, far surpassing the level of a Chunin.

Additionally, he spotted several Sand shinobi corpses lying haphazardly beside the figure.

This eerie scene made Hyuga Kagami feel an immediate sense of danger. He stopped in his tracks and said in a low voice, "Captain, something seems off."

Mitsui Naka furrowed his brows deeply. Clearly, the situation was not what he had expected.

However, unlike Hyuga Kagami, Mitsui Naka lacked the powerful insight of the Tenseigan. Through the swirling sand, he could neither gauge the stranger's strength nor see the corpses partially buried in the dunes.

After a brief hesitation, Mitsui Naka ordered, "Come on, let's go!"

As the squad captain, Mitsui Naka's command left Hyuga Kagami with no choice but to follow him toward the mysterious figure.

Moments later, the two of them arrived face to face with the stranger.

The person was wrapped head to toe in a tattered brown cloak, with a cloth mask covering their face. Only a pair of bright, unsettling eyes were visible, like those of a predator fixated on its prey.

At that moment, Mitsui Naka finally noticed the Sand shinobi corpses lying at the stranger's feet. His expression darkened. "You... who are you?"

The stranger slowly pulled back his hood and removed the cloth mask, tilting his head with a playful smirk.

"Oh? So it was you they sent here."

"The Red Sand Scorpion!?"