After the hidden guard responsible for protecting the young master finally arrived, all suspense was lost.
Excluding the unpredictable dual personality and body-switching ability, Diavolo's own strength was only at the level of a special jōnin—moreover, the kind specialized in assassination, with frontal combat power that wasn't particularly strong.
Additionally, with Diavolo's left foot now injured, his agility was greatly reduced. What's more, his opponent this time was a genuine master ninja from the Hyūga clan.
For a master already highly proficient in using the "Byakugan," these Kirigakure practitioners of silent assassination and mist techniques were no different from clowns. No wonder Diavolo wore an expression like he'd just eaten shit.
Thud! Thirty seconds later, Diavolo was foaming at the mouth and collapsed to the ground. His body appeared unscathed, but his internal organs had been ravaged by the Gentle Fist. He was only one breath away from death.
"Young Master, should I kill him directly, or...?"
At that moment, the Hyūga hidden guard casually grabbed Diavolo by the hair, forcibly lifted him up, and placed his other hand on the man's neck.
With just a slight exertion, that hand could easily crush Diavolo's throat, completely erasing his existence.
"This guy should be a rogue ninja with a bounty. Can corpses be exchanged for money?"
"Yes, most bounties for rogue ninjas are dead or alive."
"Then kill him and hand him over to Father. Have someone take this guy in to exchange for the reward."
Seeing Diavolo reduced to dead meat, Yūki passed the death sentence on him without hesitation. After all, he had no intention of letting him go.
Of course, Yūki had no plan to hand this rogue ninja over to Konoha. This was a catch he, the young master of the Hyūga clan, had managed with his subordinate's cooperation. He would exchange it for money himself—why hand it over to Konoha?
Crack! Just as Yūki finished speaking, the hidden guard used his hands to crush the rogue ninja's throat, thus declaring the complete death of this A-rank rogue ninja.
What skilled killing techniques, along with that strong physical ability, abundant chakra, and full mastery of the "Byakugan" and "Gentle Fist"... Is this the capability of a qualified jōnin?
Just as the hidden guard took out a scroll, intending to seal Diavolo's body inside and take it away, Yūki secretly observed his figure.
As sturdy and powerful as a mountain—at least in the current Yūki's eyes, this Hyūga ninja was such an astonishing existence.
In the thirty-second battle just now, Diavolo had been thoroughly suppressed from start to finish, knocked unconscious without even a chance to fight back. This ability was at least ten times greater than the current Yūki's.
"Don't be envious, Young Master. With your talent, your future achievements will surely surpass mine."
As if sensing Yūki's admiring gaze, the hidden guard turned his head and smiled at him after sealing the corpse.
"No use flattering me."
"I'm not flattering you. Perhaps you aren't aware yourself, but Lord Hiashi actually holds you in very high regard. He believes your talent can even be compared to the clan's ancestors and that you will eventually reach the pinnacle of the ninja world."
Huh? Dad actually speaks so highly of me in front of others? Hearing the hidden guard's words, Yūki couldn't help but feel surprised.
But the fact was, although Hiashi hadn't praised Yūki to his face over the past two years, he had mentioned the glory of this talented young master to other clan members, especially when discussing matters with the elders.
After these two years, the vast majority of the Hyūga clan knew there was a next-generation clan head with extraordinary talent. This had also boosted the clan's internal confidence and cohesion.
"Hmph, let's go. Anyway, head back and find Father first."
At that moment, Yūki inexplicably felt a heavy pressure—the pressure of being expected to accomplish something in the future, to lead a group to glory.
But if channeled properly, pressure could also transform into motivation. Especially after experiencing his first life-and-death battle today, Yūki had clearly gained a deeper understanding of combat and training. He believed this would greatly benefit his future.
As the figures of the Hyūga pair—one older, one younger—departed, tranquility returned to the alley. Prosciutto and Bessie, who lay unconscious on the ground, were also taken away by Yūki and the others, presumably to be thrown directly into prison. So, shouldn't there be no one left?
Huh? Did I forget something? When Yūki returned to the Hyūga residence, he remembered he seemed to have overlooked something. But what exactly was it?
"Woo... I'm so hungry... Can't I get out?"
As the midday sun hung high, a loud rumbling sound came from a trash can in the alley.
Clearly, someone was very hungry, but the trash can he was in was weighed down by a large bag of garbage. With the strength of a five-year-old child, it was impossible to push it open.
"La la la, time to collect trash! Let's see what garbage we have today! ...Ah, just a dead person... There's a dead person!!!!"
After an indeterminate amount of time, an aunt collecting garbage finally removed the garbage bag atop the trash can. But when she opened it, she saw a yellow-haired, fox-like child drooling from hunger!
However, just as Naruto on that side was finally saved, Yūki on the other side enjoyed a sumptuous lunch with his parents—though it was inevitable that Hiashi would nag him during the meal.
"You brat, let's see if you dare to sneak out by yourself like this again next time—and even dare to shake off the hidden guards. You're getting bolder and bolder."
Watching his eldest son wolf down his food, Hiashi's face was full of displeasure.
Frankly, when he learned the whole story, Hiashi had trembled almost subconsciously, and his old face had immediately darkened.
After investigation, the Hyūga clan quickly uncovered the origins of the rogue ninja Yūki had brought back.
An A-rank rogue ninja, the elusive assassin Diavolo. And Yūki, that fool unafraid of death, actually dared to engage in a one-on-one fight with such a terrifying opponent in an alley!
A five-year-old child confronting an opponent with hundreds of lives under his belt wasn't just a case of "a newborn calf not fearing the tiger"—it was simply suicidal!
"Let it go and replenish your energy."
With his mouth full of food, Yūki could only respond to his father's anger with muffled words.
"You—!"
"Don't worry, Father. Look at this."
Sensing Hiashi's anger was about to erupt, Yūki timely smiled at him and then immediately focused on his pupils.
Soon, his pupils, which already showed cataract-like characteristics, emitted a brighter light, while blue veins bulged on the skin around his eyes.
"Oh! Your 'Byakugan' has finally awakened! Excellent!"
Naturally, Hiashi was all too familiar with this unique trait. When he saw his eldest son activate the Byakugan, his earlier anger was immediately forgotten, replaced by sheer surprise.
You must know, although the awakening process for the "Byakugan" was much simpler than for the "Sharingan," it wasn't that easy.
Generally, the average age for the Hyūga clan to awaken the Byakugan was around eight to ten years old. But Yūki was only five now—truly outstanding.
"Hehe, it's not that difficult. It's quite simple once you grasp the trick."
After successfully defusing his father's anger, Yūki showed a "mission accomplished" expression and then resumed eating from his bowl.
Yes, awakening the Byakugan was easier than Yūki had imagined because his Stand "Kaguya" had already awakened it first. Thus, mastering this ability became very straightforward for him.