A scroll rolled to a stop before Jūzō Biwa's feet.
He glanced sideways at Hyūga Shinichi, whose hand rested firmly on his shoulder — and in that moment, Jūzō understood.
He had just made the greatest mistake one could make during a negotiation.
In any negotiation, the side that cares the least about the outcome is always the one most likely to win.
His desperate instinct to preserve his own life… had only bought him three more days.
"Three days…"
Jūzō's gaze dropped to the scroll at his feet. After a brief silence, he lowered his head and said in a deep, resigned voice,
"Fine. Three days it is."
At that moment, he didn't even notice what Shinichi had done when he touched his shoulder. He hadn't sensed any foreign chakra entering his body — but he knew full well that no ninja of Shinichi's level would approach him without purpose.
He assumed Shinichi had used some kind of advanced sealing technique — a curse mark so subtle it left no trace.
Having seen the Hyūga's power firsthand, Jūzō didn't doubt for a second that such a jutsu was within his reach. That was why, when agreeing to Shinichi's terms, Jūzō didn't hesitate. He feared that any delay might make the Hyūga change his mind.
"Good. I'll be waiting to see what you can do, Jūzō Biwa."
Shinichi waved a hand to Hyūga Hizashi, who understood immediately. The steel wires binding Jūzō's body loosened and fell away, granting him freedom once again.
Jūzō didn't resist. He simply bent down, picked up the scroll, and tucked it away in his cloak.
His eyes swept across the corpses of his fallen comrades lying in the sand. A shadow flickered across his face — grief buried deep under composure.
He reached for his beheading sword, slung it across his back once more, and without another word, leapt away into the mist, vanishing from sight.
The Hyūga didn't move to stop him. No words were exchanged. Their deal was sealed the moment Jūzō picked up that scroll.
"Shinichi," Hizashi finally spoke once Jūzō was gone, "did you leave a curse mark on him? You're really letting him go just like that?"
He frowned as his pale eyes tracked Jūzō's departing form. Hizashi could see clearly through his Byakugan that no sealing pattern or foreign chakra residue lingered on the man's body.
Perplexed, he turned to Shinichi for an answer.
"No," Shinichi said calmly. "Just a Flying Raijin mark."
"Let's find a place to rest first. If there's no movement in three days, we'll resume the mission."
Hizashi studied him for a moment, then nodded silently.
He'd come to realize that Shinichi was a man of clear judgment — someone who could make his own calls with confidence. As long as Shinichi didn't stray from the larger mission, Hizashi was content to let him lead.
After all, the stronger and wiser the Main House heir became, the more secure life would be for the Branch family.
What they feared most was an arrogant, impulsive Head who wielded the Caged Bird seal without restraint. A fool like that could make even life itself feel like a prison.
But Shinichi… was different. His steadiness gave Hizashi hope.
Meanwhile, far away —
Having escaped the Hyūga's grasp, Jūzō traveled through the night without pause.
He didn't stop until he had crossed the Fire Country's border and boarded a small boat bound for the Land of Whirlpools. Only then did he allow himself to breathe again.
"Damn it…"
As the Gentle Fist's chakra-suppressing effect finally faded, Jūzō flexed his fingers. The familiar rush of chakra surged back through his body, and a grin briefly flashed across his face — before anger quickly replaced it.
To think… a renowned jōnin like him, forced into submission and used as someone else's pawn. It was humiliating.
But rage or not, he had no choice.
He'd already examined every inch of his body and found no trace of any foreign chakra. That made him even more uneasy.
The Hyūga's mark — if it existed — was so advanced that he couldn't even detect it.
And if he couldn't find it, he couldn't remove it.
He wasn't naïve enough to believe Shinichi had let him go without leaving a safeguard.
That uncertainty only made him more determined. He had to find Ao — and complete the mission Shinichi demanded.
Compared to his own life, Ao's didn't matter.
Jūzō had no real loyalty to Kirigakure anymore.
He loved his homeland once… but he also hated it. Hated the corruption that had eaten it from within.
To him, the village had already rotted beyond repair. He had long since grown weary of the endless blood and hypocrisy, yearning for a clean break — a new beginning.
His encounter with the Hyūga had only accelerated what was inevitable.
It wasn't the cause of his betrayal — merely the final straw.
From the border of Fire Country to the Land of Whirlpools took less than a day.
By the time dawn broke after that fateful night, Jūzō had already stepped onto the soil of the Land of Whirlpools.
Moving carefully, he slipped past Konoha's patrol routes and barriers, eventually arriving at a small Mist outpost hidden deep within enemy territory.
Upon returning, he immediately filed a false report: claiming that during his infiltration of Fire Country, he and his team had been ambushed by a large number of Leaf shinobi — several hundred strong, likely reinforcements.
The news sent a wave of tension through the Mist's upper command.
They quickly ordered their frontlines to retreat slightly and called for an emergency meeting of all unit commanders to discuss countermeasures.
Exactly as Jūzō had planned.
Ao, as the second-in-command of Kirigakure's intelligence division, would have to attend such a meeting.
That would give Jūzō the perfect opportunity — a chance to get close enough to "discuss" matters privately without drawing suspicion.
During such high-level meetings, security would be tight, yes — but the influx of so many officers would also create chaos. Even if Ao disappeared, it would take time for anyone to notice.
Time that Jūzō could use to vanish for good.
His trap was set. All he needed now… was for the fish to bite.
Elsewhere, on a quiet beach, the Hyūga had set up camp.
Tents lined the shore, and a protective barrier shimmered faintly nearby.
At its center lay a scroll spread flat upon the ground, intricate sealing lines circling a single character — "Earth ."
Two days passed.
Then, just past noon on the third day, the scroll began to glow — blindingly bright.
"Movement!" one of the Hyūga sentries shouted.
Everyone turned toward the barrier.
BOOM!
An explosion erupted within the seal. Sand flew everywhere as the light burst outward.
When the smoke cleared, two figures stood within the barrier — both wearing Mist forehead protectors.
One of them, Ao, crouched low with minor scrapes across his arms. His single visible eye darted around sharply, scanning the surroundings.
He was inside a barrier — and outside it stood dozens of Hyūga, converging fast.
His heart sank.
Before him, Jūzō knelt on one knee, clutching his chest, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Yet, despite his injuries, a faint smile curved his lips.
"This is…"
Ao's expression darkened as realization struck. He turned on Jūzō, shouting,
"You… betrayed me?! You worked with the Hyūga — and sold me out?!"
Even a fool could see the truth now, and Ao was far from a fool.
Jūzō had approached him in private, pretending to discuss a joint mission — but when they were alone, he'd suddenly produced a strange scroll and activated it.
Ao's reflexes were fast, but the jutsu was faster.
Before he knew it, the world twisted — and when his vision cleared again, he found himself here, trapped inside a barrier and surrounded by the Hyūga.
Even Jūzō hadn't expected this outcome. He hadn't known that the scroll Shinichi gave him contained a space–time sealing technique powerful enough to teleport both of them directly into the Hyūga's prepared trap.
For a brief moment, he was stunned — but when he noticed the familiar faces outside the barrier, including Hyūga Hizashi, realization dawned.
A weak, bitter smile touched his lips.
"I've done what you asked," Jūzō shouted toward the Hyūga. "Our deal is complete! Whatever happens next has nothing to do with me. Let me go!"
As he spoke, he kept one wary eye on Ao, watching for any sudden movement.
Ao's right eye remained hidden behind its black eyepatch, but every Hyūga in the group already knew what was beneath it.
They had circulated his image throughout the clan. The man known as the Byakugan Killer was standing right before them.
Every Hyūga present glared at him with thinly veiled hatred.
Ao could feel it — the weight of a hundred killing intents pressing against his skin.
He'd fought Hyūga before, killed them before. That was how he'd earned the title. But facing them here, surrounded…
He broke into a cold sweat.
He knew exactly what this meant.
If the Hyūga had cornered him like this, he had no chance of leaving alive.
The soft sound of footsteps broke the tension.
Crunch…
Shinichi stepped out from among the gathered Hyūga. His eyes met Ao's through the barrier — calm, confident, and razor sharp.
"Finally…" he murmured, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"You didn't disappoint me, Jūzō Biwa."
"Well done."
As he spoke, a small opening appeared in the barrier behind Jūzō.
Jūzō didn't hesitate. He darted through it immediately.
Ao saw it — and lunged to follow — but before he could move, the gap in the barrier vanished again, sealing shut in an instant.
He stopped, breathing hard, frustration twisting his face.
There was no escape.
He looked around — at the countless Byakugan eyes fixed on him, at Shinichi standing calmly before him.
His jaw tightened.
If there was no way out…
Then he would fight to the death.
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