In the end, Hyūga Tetsu followed Hyūga Yu's orders and chose to leave.
The reason Yu gave once more was that he needed Tetsu to use the gap he had opened in the encirclement to quickly reach the Konoha camp and seek reinforcements from Hyūga Hizashi, who was stationed there.
What he didn't say was that this was the only way to lighten the punishment the Main House would inflict on the Branch House shinobi for failing this escort mission.
Once Tetsu had vanished from sight, Yu turned his head and looked at Benimaru with an expressionless gaze.
It wasn't the look one gave a human being; it was more like looking at a slab of pork displayed on a butcher's block.
At that moment, Benimaru felt his heart drop. A chill surged from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head, and his heart nearly leaped out of his throat.
"What are you looking at!?"
"You think you've won?"
"What a joke. You're a Hyūga—don't you understand the situation yet?"
"You've already failed! Your Main House member has probably already had his Byakugan gouged out by now! Hahahahaha!"
He laughed with forced bravado, but the laughter gradually died away. His face turned ashen as he stared at Yu, a flicker of uncontrollable terror flashing in his eyes.
"What... what do you want to do?"
Yu watched him calmly and asked softly, "Tell me, besides the wielder of the Blastsword, Munashi Jinpachi, who else is participating in this mission?"
"Heh," Benimaru sneered. "In your dreams!"
Yu's expression didn't change at all. "Tell me, and I won't kill you."
Benimaru wavered.
Yu saw his hesitation and raised his hand. Several large chakra needles, twenty centimeters long, condensed between his fingers.
He calmly plunged a needle into the skin of Benimaru's face. Throughout the entire process, the Ranmaru's Kekkei Genkai [the Ranmaru/Kagemaru's "Red Eye"] failed to trigger any warning of danger.
Yu stated indifferently:
"Your 'Red Eye' is useless against me."
"Next, the methods I use will all be Medical Jutsu intended for healing. However, you should understand—"
"Even the most skilled physician can make a mistake. I could accidentally treat you to death at any moment."
"Likewise, it is unavoidable that some side effects will occur during the treatment."
As he spoke, Yu raised his hand again and drove a needle into Benimaru's Ashi point.
In the next instant, Benimaru's eyes snapped wide. An uncontrollable agony erupted within him, as if ten thousand ants were tearing at every corner of his body!
"Ugh... hiss... ahhh!"
"I am a man of my word. So, speak, and I won't kill you. I also don't have time to keep torturing you, because I'm very busy."
Yu looked at him, not pulling the needle out, just watching him calmly.
"You... hiss! You're just a Genin, what use is there in you going?"
"Do you think... do you think you can change the tide of battle?! Arghhhhh!!"
"Ha... ha..."
"That is none of your concern." Yu shook his head and raised his hand again, looking as though he was about to plunge the next massive needle in.
This was technically an acupuncture technique. Yu didn't know acupuncture—he only knew the Gentle Fist—but he knew well enough where to strike to cause the most pain. Furthermore, modern acupuncture isn't that painful because the needles are microscopic.
The thickened, elongated chakra needles in Yu's hand were an entirely different story.
Benimaru's eyes were wide and his whole body trembled. Finally, he gritted his teeth and choked out a name:
"Kuri... Kuriare Kushimaru!"
Yu drove the needle in without hesitation anyway.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
"Damn it, you bastard! I said it! I said it!! AHHH!!"
"It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It's killing me!"
"Don't stab me again! Please, I beg you, don't stab me again!"
"Waaaaahhh!!"
Yu stared at him expressionlessly. "Say it again."
"It's true! It's really the truth! AHHH!"
"Munashi Jinpachi always teams up with Kuriare Kushimaru. They're called the 'Heartless Duo' and are highly valued by the Third Mizukage!"
"Everything I said is true!"
Yu let the chakra needles in his hand dissipate and looked up at a tree overhead.
To be precise, he was looking at a mass of Kikaichū [Parasitic Giant Insects] writhing in the canopy.
Yu suddenly asked in a loud voice:
"Lord Ryōma, are you satisfied with this answer?"
As the words fell, the insects in the canopy seemed to react. They buzzed into the air, coalescing into a mass that dropped to the ground.
Quickly, they transformed into a human figure clad in a hooded black jumpsuit.
It was the second-in-command of Root: Aburame Ryōma.
At this moment, behind his pitch-black lenses, Ryōma looked at Yu with a hint of surprise. On the surface, however, his face remained unchanged. He offered a brief, curt evaluation:
"Barely passing."
Then, Ryōma frowned slightly, ignoring the trembling Benimaru beside them, and asked another question:
"Where did you learn my name?"
Those who join Root have no past, no future, and not even a name.
Especially for a shinobi like Ryōma, who frequently performed infiltration missions; his name was clearly not something a Genin of Yu's level should know.
And since information is more important than life itself, every Root shinobi is extremely sensitive to such questions.
Yu did not answer directly, saying only:
"I grew up in the estate of the Main House Elder, Hyūga Takahiro."
Ryōma frowned and pondered for a moment before dropping the subject.
Under Shimura Danzō's instructions, Root had once approached the Hyūga Main House, attempting to demand gifted Main House shinobi join their ranks. The internal politics of the Hyūga Clan were exceptionally complex; some supported Root, while others were fiercely opposed. Ultimately, the matter had been brushed off by Hiashi's branch of the family and came to nothing.
The information regarding his name might have been leaked back then.
Ryōma made a mental note of this and then looked at Yu.
The appearance of the "Red Eye" in this incident was an unexpected development.
Danzō, who was perpetually wary of the various clans in Konoha, would certainly be interested in a Kekkei Genkai that could counter the Byakugan. Furthermore, the status of a Red Eye wielder within the inner circle of the Mist's scouting units was highly valuable; much intel could likely be squeezed out of him.
Even without Yu, Ryōma would have attempted to capture the target.
However... the medical techniques and control methods Yu had displayed were very valuable. He had directly prevented the Red Eye wielder from destroying his own eyes or committing suicide. Since Yu had been personally scouted by Ryōma to become an external member of Root, Ryōma didn't mind giving him a small reward.
Otherwise, given Root's completely unreasonable way of doing things, he would have simply taken the prisoner by force.
Both were clever men, and Ryōma didn't play games with Yu, asking directly:
"What do you want to exchange him for?"
However, Ryōma heard an answer from Yu's mouth that caught him by surprise.
Yu said:
"Lord Ryōma,"
"I am not trading with you. I am simply following your wishes and demonstrating my 'value'!"
"Not the value of the Byakugan or the Hyūga Clan, but—"
Yu looked at Ryōma calmly and said seriously:
"The value of a shinobi named 'Hyūga Yu'."
Hearing this, Aburame Ryōma smiled.
————
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