Chapter 25: Standing on the Shoulders of the Original Work
The Kumogakure ninja had been lingering outside the Hyuga clan compound for what felt like forever, and Chinatsu could understand the caution behind his delay but…
Understanding didn't mean she had to tolerate it.
Just as her patience was about to snap and she nearly abandoned her carefully planned "hero saves the damsel" scenario in favor of simply ending things herself the Kumogakure shinobi finally moved.
Small steps… glancing left and right… then
A swift leap over the wall!
Chinatsu's eyes lit up beneath her fox mask.
Finally!
She immediately adjusted her breathing, chakra flowing steadily as she prepared to step in at the perfect moment.
Still, one thought lingered in her mind.
The Hyuga clan's security… was questionable.
Hyuga Hinata was the eldest daughter of the main family, the heir to one of Konoha's most powerful clans, possessing the Byakugan, a dōjutsu rivaling even the Sharingan in perception.
And yet
She had been taken this easily?
Not long after entering, the Kumogakure ninja reappeared, exiting the compound just as silently as before.
Only now
There was a small figure in his arms.
Hinata.
The young girl was unconscious, her breathing faint but steady.
"Heh… so this is the famed Hyuga clan?" the Kumogakure ninja muttered quietly. "Too easy. If time permits… maybe I should take more Byakugan users. And I heard Konoha still has a few Sharingan left after the Uchiha clan incident…"
Greed flickered in his eyes.
Even after the fall of the Uchiha clan, the Sharingan remained one of the most coveted Kekkei Genkai in the shinobi world, alongside the Byakugan.
But just as he turned
He froze.
A figure stood ahead of him.
Leaning casually against the outer wall of the compound, arms folded, head slightly lowered
An ANBU.
A fox mask.
Silent. Still.
Radiating a presence that made it impossible to ignore.
"You… who are you?!"
The Kumogakure ninja stopped instantly, pulling Hinata closer with his remaining arm.
There was no hesitation now.
His mission had already succeeded if he could escape with the Byakugan, nothing else mattered.
Even exposure.
Lightning chakra crackled violently around his free hand.
This was a standard Kumogakure technique channeling Lightning Release chakra to enhance speed and lethality, similar in principle to the Raikage's combat style.
In the next instant
He moved.
Like a flash of lightning, his arm shot forward, chakra forming a sharp, blade-like extension aimed directly at Chinatsu's neck.
Fast.
Blindingly fast.
But
Under the gaze of the Sharingan, everything slowed.
The trajectory. The muscle tension. The chakra flow.
Chinatsu stepped lightly to the side.
Effortless.
The attack missed.
The Kumogakure ninja's pupils shrank in shock as he turned to follow up
Only to see
Lightning gathering in Chinatsu's palm.
The same nature.
The same principle.
Lightning Release.
"What ?!"
Before he could finish
A flash.
Clean.
Precise.
His arm the one holding Hinata was severed instantly.
At the same time, Chinatsu stepped forward, catching Hinata gently before she could fall.
Smooth.
Flawless.
As if rehearsed countless times.
The Kumogakure ninja staggered backward, clutching the stump of his arm, blood dripping heavily. His teeth clenched so hard they nearly cracked.
The pain was unbearable
But he didn't scream.
A shinobi on such a mission understood one rule above all:
Noise meant death.
What… what is she…?
His vision blurred slightly as he stared at Chinatsu.
But Chinatsu?
Her attention had already shifted.
"Wow… so this is Hinata as a kid…"
She lowered her mask slightly, unable to resist pressing her cheek gently against Hinata's soft face.
"So cute…"
Hinata stirred faintly, her pale Byakugan eyes half-opening, her face instantly flushing red.
"H-huh…?"
Confusion. Embarrassment.
Hinata's mind couldn't process the situation at all.
If this had been a man, the scene would have been unacceptable.
But with Chinatsu
The atmosphere was strangely… harmless.
The Kumogakure ninja, still bleeding, made his decision.
Retreat.
Without hesitation, he turned and fled.
As long as I survive, there will be another chance!
But
He had barely taken a few steps
When a figure appeared ahead of him.
Blocking his path.
Hyuga Hiashi.
The head of the Hyuga clan.
His expression was cold. Controlled.
But his eyes
Burning with fury.
"…ANBU? Hinata?"
In a single glance, Hiashi understood everything.
His daughter.
Kidnapped.
His veins bulged slightly as chakra surged.
The Byakugan activated instantly, veins protruding around his eyes as his vision expanded in all directions, perceiving chakra pathways, tenketsu, and internal structures with perfect clarity.
"How dare you…"
He raised his hand.
Gentle Fist.
One strike
Would be enough to stop the enemy's heart.
But just as he was about to strike
A streak of lightning cut in.
Clash!
Chinatsu intercepted him.
Her lightning-enhanced hand meeting his palm mid-motion.
The Kumogakure ninja collapsed behind them, completely frozen in terror.
"…ANBU. What are you doing?" Hiashi asked coldly, his voice heavy with dissatisfaction.
Chinatsu withdrew her hand calmly.
"Think carefully," she said. "If you kill him here what happens next?"
Hiashi paused.
"…!"
In that instant, clarity returned.
If he killed this Kumogakure shinobi
It would escalate into a diplomatic crisis.
Just like in the original timeline
Konoha would be forced into a disadvantage, possibly even sacrificing a Hyuga body to appease Kumogakure.
His expression darkened.
"…I see."
From the shadows nearby
A figure landed silently.
Hatake Kakashi.
Behind his ANBU mask, his visible eye narrowed slightly, surprise flashing across it.
Calm. Rational. Immediate judgment…
Even he had to admit
In that situation, stopping Hiashi instantly and considering the political consequences wasn't easy.
Chinatsu, however, simply waved her hand lazily.
"Relax~ relax~"
Her tone was light.
Almost playful.
"I'm just…"
She paused slightly, a faint smile forming beneath her mask.
"…standing on the shoulders of those who came before."