The border outpost sat in a valley, surrounded by forest. Small. Defensible. Four buildings arranged in a square with a central courtyard.
Team Taka observed from the treeline for six hours, mapping patrol patterns and guard rotations.
"Misaki patrols the eastern perimeter every two hours," Karin reported, her sensing ability tracking the chakra signatures. "Takeshi stays at the command post most of the time. The two chunin alternate guard duty at the main gate."
"Shift change is at midnight," Suigetsu added. "That's when they're most vulnerable. Everyone's tired, attention is divided."
"We strike at midnight," Sasuke decided. "Karin, you maintain position here. Sense for external reinforcements and relay enemy positions. Suigetsu, Jugo—take the main gate. Eliminate the chunin on duty there. I'll enter through the eastern side and engage the Hyuga pair."
"What's the signal to converge on Takeshi?" Jugo asked.
"You'll know. You'll hear the screaming when I start the absorption." Sasuke checked his equipment. "After that, move fast. Takeshi will be enraged and desperate. Don't give him time to coordinate a defense."
They waited. Midnight approached. The outpost settled into quiet routine.
Then Sasuke moved.
He crossed the distance in seconds, silent as death. The eastern wall was unguarded during shift change—a two-minute window of vulnerability.
He dropped into the courtyard just as Misaki completed her patrol route.
She saw him. Her Byakugan activated instantly. "Intruder! Uchiha!"
Alarms blared.
Takeshi burst from the command post, his Byakugan already active. "Misaki, defensive formation!"
They moved into position—back to back, covering each other's blind spots. Perfect Hyuga coordination.
Sasuke's Sharingan spun. "You should have stayed in the compound."
He attacked.
Lightning Release coated his hands as he closed distance. Misaki tried to intercept with Gentle Fist, but his Sharingan predicted every strike. He wove between her attacks, forcing her to overextend.
Takeshi tried to cover her, but Sasuke was too fast. A feint toward Misaki, then a real attack on Takeshi. Chidori grazed his shoulder, disrupting his chakra network.
Takeshi stumbled. Misaki moved to protect him, leaving herself exposed.
Sasuke's hand caught her wrist. Twisted. She gasped as he pulled her off-balance and slammed her into the ground.
"Misaki!" Takeshi roared, trying to rise.
But Sasuke was already on her, hand pressing against her face. Mangekyo activated. Takama-ga-hara blazed.
Misaki screamed as the absorption began.
At the main gate, Suigetsu and Jugo struck simultaneously.
The two chunin on guard duty barely had time to register the attack. Suigetsu's water whip caught one around the throat, crushing his windpipe. Jugo's curse mark activated, his transformed fist punching through the other's chest.
Both guards died within seconds.
"Command post!" Suigetsu shouted, hearing Misaki's screams from the courtyard. "Takeshi's still active!"
They sprinted toward the center of the outpost.
Sasuke's left eye burned as Misaki's Byakugan transferred to him. Eight seconds. Seven. Six.
"Get away from her!" Takeshi was back on his feet, rage overriding pain. His Byakugan blazed. "Eight Trigrams: Rotation!"
He spun, generating a massive chakra sphere that tore toward Sasuke.
Sasuke released Misaki—absorption 90% complete—and dodged. The Rotation tore through the ground where he'd been standing.
Five seconds. Four.
Takeshi didn't give him space. Palm strikes, rapid-fire, targeting every vital point. Sasuke's Sharingan tracked them all, but the sheer volume of attacks forced him back.
Three seconds.
Suigetsu and Jugo arrived. Suigetsu liquefied, his body wrapping around Takeshi's legs. Jugo struck from above, forcing Takeshi to defend.
Two seconds.
One.
Complete.
Sasuke felt the Byakugan integrate with his eyes. Misaki's ocular structure merged with the five he'd already collected. Sixty-five percent became seventy percent effectiveness.
He looked down at her. She was unconscious now, eyes normal and powerless. Her Byakugan was gone.
Lightning blade formed in his hand. Strike through the heart. Death was instant.
"Misaki!" Takeshi saw her die. Saw her eyes—normal, lifeless, empty of the Byakugan that should have been there. "What did you do? What did you DO?!"
Comprehension and horror warred on his face.
"You took her eyes," Takeshi whispered. "You... you can steal the Byakugan..."
Sasuke's Mangekyo fixed on him. "You won't be reporting that."
Takeshi tried to fight. Tried to escape. But rage made him sloppy, and grief made him slow.
Sasuke's Ame-no-Sakahoko activated. Black-red crystalline chakra coated his hand. He thrust forward.
The chakra shattered through Takeshi's Rotation like it was paper. Pierce through defense. Fundamental breakdown of protection.
His hand caught Takeshi's face. Takama-ga-hara blazed again.
Seven seconds. Takeshi's Byakugan transferred.
Execution. Lightning through the heart.
Two Hyuga down. Two Byakugan absorbed.
"The chunin?" Sasuke called out.
"Dead," Suigetsu confirmed.
"Good. Karin, status?"
"No external signatures!" Karin's voice came from the treeline. "We're clear!"
"Burn everything," Sasuke ordered. "Buildings, bodies, all of it. Make it look like a raid. We have five minutes before I want to be gone."
Team Taka spread out. Fire Release from multiple sources. The outpost erupted into flames. Wood, paper, cloth—everything burned. Within three minutes, the entire site was engulfed.
Sasuke watched the flames consume the evidence. His eyes throbbed—two Byakugan absorptions in rapid succession was pushing it. But manageable. His body was getting better at this.
Seven total Byakugan collected now. Maybe three more operations like this and he'd have what he needed.
"Move out," he commanded.
Team Taka melted into the forest. Behind them, smoke rose into the night sky.
By the time anyone investigated, there would be nothing left but ash and questions.