Chapter 150: Overcorrection Must Go Too Far! “hizashi! Save Me!”
A statement from Neji Hyuga made Hyuga Jin Fu and the Main Family Special Jonin both look extremely unpleasant.
Who could have imagined that the one who dragged Uchiha Ikeizumi into this was actually a Hyuga Clan Junior attending the Ninja Academy.
This kid Neji Hyuga, on the surface, spoke so righteously, as if he held some great moral high ground.
But they believed that Neji was absolutely harboring extreme hatred and dissatisfaction toward the Main Family because of what happened to his father.
That was why he was taking such actions to retaliate against the Hyuga Main Family.
‘This little white-eyed wolf who leans outwards! Has he forgotten what his surname is?!’
‘How exactly did Hizashi teach him before dying?’
‘If he can betray the Main Family today, he can betray Konoha tomorrow!’
After cursing inwardly a few times, Hyuga Jin Fu warily looked at the expressionless Uchiha Ikeizumi. The already somewhat shrinking and fearful mentality became even more panicked at this moment, and layers of cold sweat had already oozed from his wrinkled face.
Intense survival instinct made him strike first, proactively saying to Uchiha Ikeizumi: “Uchiha Ikeizumi, are you going to listen to the nonsense of a kid who hasn’t even graduated from the Ninja Academy? Your eyes that can see through others’ evil must have clearly seen that this old man has no sin on him, right?”
Hyuga Jin Fu hurriedly said: “The Branch Family Elder Hyuga Yokogari who died last night was already too old and suffered from hidden illnesses. We Hyuga Clan have also investigated his main cause of death.”
“He died one hundred percent from internal disease!”
“He…”
Just as Hyuga Jin Fu wanted to continue, Uchiha Ikeizumi’s cold voice abruptly interrupted him: “Hyuga Jin Fu, fifty-seven years ago, suspected of raping and murdering a Hyuga Branch Family female member, and also killing her husband, then dismembering both corpses and dumping them into the river for fish to eat.”
The icy tone revealing past evil struck Hyuga Jin Fu like lightning.
He suddenly recalled that he had indeed done such a thing back then.
But at that time, Konoha Village had not yet been established, and the order of the entire Ninja World was chaotic and disordered; such behavior of his fundamentally didn’t count as anything back then, not even morally corrupt.
“Uchiha Ikeizumi, that was a different era! Moral and justice views depend on the era!”
Hyuga Jin Fu anxiously shouted: “Moreover, after that incident, this old man has never done evil again, and has always been working hard for the interests of the Hyuga Clan and Konoha!”
However, he did not expect that every word he said was just wind in the ears to Uchiha Ikeizumi, going in one ear and out the other.
“Last night, using the Caged Bird Seal to torment the victim Hyuga Yokogari. Even under Hyuga Yokogari’s bitter pleas clearly stating he no longer dared to research breaking the Caged Bird Seal, you did not stop the technique of activating the Caged Bird Seal; you tormented him for half an hour.”
Uchiha Ikeizumi looked at Hyuga Jin Fu with eyes carrying no emotion whatsoever.
Not like looking at a living person, but like looking at a dead object.
These words also made the victim’s grandson widen his eyes.
The not-yet-adult Hyuga Branch Family Junior stared at the shocked Hyuga Jin Fu with an unthinkable gaze.
“So…”
He murmured: “You tormented my grandfather for a full half hour.”
Hyuga Jin Fu’s cold sweat had already soaked his back; he tried to defend: “How was this old man supposed to know if he was deceiving me at the time? Moreover, ninjas’ physical qualities are inherently much stronger than ordinary people. Even if aged, he could endure half an hour of Caged Bird Seal punishment! After all, if he couldn’t bear it, he would have died suddenly during the process!”
Half an hour…
Endure it?
Neji Hyuga suddenly felt it absurd. Back then, when Hyuga Hiashi triggered his father’s Caged Bird Seal, it was only a short minute, and his father had suffered immense pain, his whole body drenched in fine sweat.
Neji couldn’t even imagine how unbearable half an hour of Caged Bird Seal would be!
This absolutely exceeded the scope of punishment for breaking family rules!
This was deliberate torment!
This was the Main Family treating Branch Family lives as less than human!
Uchiha Ikeizumi utterly shattered Hyuga Jin Fu’s defense and gave the final verdict on his behavior: “Half an hour later, you ended the technique. But the half-hour torment of pain caused Hyuga Yokogari’s old illness to recur, leading to myocardial infarction and sudden death. Your behavior has already plunged you into the abyss of sin.”
Hyuga Jin Fu’s pupils trembled slightly.
“「Absolute Justice」’s final judgment on your two evil deeds—with life pays for life!”
Hyuga Jin Fu’s whole body trembled.
His aged and frail body erupted with the last potential of life at this moment; he pushed away the Main Family Special Jonin blocking his path and ran toward the Hyuga Clan Compound behind without hesitation.
“Save me! Save this old man!!!”
“Hiashi! Clan Leader!!!”
“Come save me quickly!!!”
Hyuga Jin Fu’s shrill shout filled with fear and despair quickly alarmed many clan members in the Hyuga Clan Compound.
Some Branch Family ninjas were startled and hurriedly ran out to look, only to discover that the one screaming for help was actually Hyuga Jin Fu!
The startled Main Family ninjas also had some hurrying forward, kindly asking: “Elder Jin Fu, what’s wrong with you?”
Clan Leader Hyuga Hiashi also unhesitatingly walked out of the residence.
“Senior Jin Fu…”
Just as Hyuga Hiashi frowned and wanted to go up to greet him, and question why he hadn’t left quickly yet… he suddenly saw several people directly entering the Hyuga Clan Compound.
Hiashi was stunned.
The movements under his feet and the words about to come out of his mouth all stopped at this moment.
“Ikeizumi…”
“Hiashi! He says this old man must pay with life!” The moment Hyuga Jin Fu saw Hyuga Hiashi, it was as if he had seen reinforcements; he rushed toward Hiashi at full speed, completely ignoring the somewhat suddenly tense expression on Hyuga Hiashi’s face.
“Hiashi! That kid Neji Hyuga is a white-eyed wolf of the Hyuga Clan; he betrayed our Main Family!”
“Hiashi! Uchiha Ikeizumi wants to…”
Just as Hyuga Jin Fu shouted this, he suddenly felt the ground under his feet trembling slightly, as if some weird thing was about to burst out from the soil.
As he lowered his eyes to look, several tree roots abruptly burst out of the ground and quickly wrapped around his legs.
“This is…”
Hiashi, only less than ten meters from Hyuga Jin Fu, had his pupils contract slightly; he immediately activated Byakugan and saw that the only one with abnormal chakra fluctuation at this moment was Uchiha Ikeizumi!
Sure enough, the several tree roots wrapping Hyuga Jin Fu rapidly climbed to his neck at a visible speed.
In less than one breath’s time, the python-like thick tree roots completely enveloped Hyuga Jin Fu.
“Hiashi… save…”
Hyuga Jin Fu’s desperate voice, labored with breathing, abruptly cut off.
Everyone in the Hyuga Clan heard a “bang” dull thud!
The thick tree roots rapidly tightened, directly twisting and exploding Hyuga Jin Fu’s body from the neck down! Physically “exploded”! Splashing blood and morsels of meat rained down around, with quite a few blood spots splattering onto Hyuga Hiashi’s robe.
One by one thick tree roots stained with scarlet blood and hanging morsels of meat stood erect on the open ground of the Hyuga Clan Compound.
Forming a bloody, weird, spine-chilling “architectural wonder”.
The intact large head rolled down, tumbling several times on the ground, revealing an old face frozen in despair and pain, dyed completely red by scarlet blood.
The entire Hyuga Clan Compound instantly fell silent.
Only the sound of blood dripping from the thick tree roots remained.
……
“Wood Style…” At some point, Kakashi, who had quietly blended into the Hyuga Clan Compound, couldn’t help but widen his dead fish eyes.
Kakashi was certain he wasn’t under any Illusion Technique; he had absolutely personally witnessed Uchiha Ikeizumi using Wood Style.
Besides Sharingan and Lava Release, also Wood Style Bloodline Limit?
“That’s three special Bloodline Limits, right?”
“And all extremely powerful Bloodline Limits!”
Kakashi was slightly stunned inwardly; in his memory, Uchiha Ikeizumi had never used Wood Style. At least, from what he had personally seen, this was definitely the first time.
So the question was, where did Uchiha Ikeizumi get Wood Style Bloodline from?
This question puzzled not only Kakashi.
Hyuga Hiashi was equally baffled.
Hyuga Hiashi couldn’t help but gently wipe beside his cheek with his hand, then lower his eyes to stare at the bloodstain on his fingertip, glance at the head rolling on the ground, and finally let his gaze fall on that “wooden wonder” covered in blood and morsels of meat.
The shock in his heart could not be eliminated no matter what.
Moreover.
What Hyuga Hiashi hadn’t expected even more was that Uchiha Ikeizumi had truly, right in front of him, this Hyuga Clan Leader, personally executed one of their Main Family’s highly respected elders!
All of this was witnessed by other clan members!
Looking around, there were at least twenty or thirty clan members at the scene!
And more clan members were rushing over!
At this time.
Hyuga Hiashi also noticed Uchiha Ikeizumi looking over at him; that indifferent gaze actually made him somewhat palpitating.
Before Hyuga Hiashi could think of a topic to break this silence, a sudden anguished shout rang out.
“Father!!!”
Hyuga Jin Fu’s second son came running over in a panic, but as he was about to step on the ground full of blood and morsels of meat, he suddenly stopped. His whole face was somewhat dazed as he stared at the large head on the ground.
Just over ten minutes ago, Father had instructed him from the Main Family and his brother from the Branch Family on some matters.
But ten minutes later, the father he saw was one left only with a head!
“Eh? There’s an unexpected ‘harvest’ too!” But at this moment, Uchiha Ikeizumi’s somewhat cold voice suddenly rang out.
Hyuga Jin Fu’s second son hadn’t reacted yet.
Hyuga Hiashi’s pupils shook.
……
Meanwhile.
The blade of the Executioner’s Blade faintly reflected in the pupils of a Hidden Mist Anbu Ninja with a flash of cold light, growing larger and larger, passing by his face in the blink of an eye.
Puchi—
The heavy blade body and sharp blade easily severed half the head of this Hidden Mist Village Anbu Ninja.
Juzo Biwa glanced to the other side and saw Uchiha Ikeizumi’s Wood Style Clone already surrounded by two Hidden Mist Anbu.
The two Hidden Mist Anbu Ninjas, under the cover of layers of mist, respectively wielded different strange ninja tools to assault the Wood Clone.
“Trouble!”
Juzo Biwa could only vaguely see three figures; as he stuck the Executioner’s Blade into the ground and rapidly formed hand seals to go forward and help,
A scroll suddenly emerged from the left wrist of the Wood Clone.
The scroll was instantly unrolled, and as the Wood Clone leaped upward, both hands slammed onto the scroll.
“Fire Sealing Seal·Release!!!”
In an instant, the unrolled Ninjutsu Scroll surged with rolling scorching lava; the extremely scalding lava gushed downward like a tide, directly swallowing one Hidden Mist Anbu.
The opponent didn’t even get to scream; his body and weapon in hand were engulfed and vaporized by the lava!
When the lava splattered to the ground, it even ignited flames on the surface.
The other Hidden Mist Anbu’s pupils contracted; the scorching heat in the front air made him squint his eyes. He hurriedly stopped his steps and rapidly retreated backward in full horror.
“Water Release·Water Turbulence Bullet Technique!!!”
Juzo Biwa’s seals were finally complete; he spat toward that Hidden Mist Anbu, several water bullets flying out like bullets, drilling into the opponent’s body in a blink and splashing blood flowers.
The Hidden Mist Anbu grunted muffledly, the whole person kneeling directly to the ground, a mouthful of blood spraying out and dyeing the inside of his mask red.
Before he could hurriedly stand, a heavy Executioner’s Blade was already resting on his shoulder.
Cold words from Juzo Biwa also rang from behind him.
“Did the Fourth send you to hunt me?!”
The surrounding mist slowly dissipated; the half-kneeling Hidden Mist Anbu Ninja coughed heavily several times. The mask on his face also fell off, revealing a bloodied face with a ferocious grin.
“Cough cough cough…”
“Juzo Biwa! The Hidden Blood Mist Village absolutely does not allow the existence of defectors! Didn’t expect your companion to be so strong too; it was our Anbu squad’s miscalculation. But as long as we don’t return to Hidden Mist Village in time, the Fourth will know our operation failed, and he will send more Anbu squads.”
Puchi—
Juzo Biwa unhesitatingly slit the man’s throat, his tense face carrying a hint of fatigue and sorrow: “The Bloody Mist Policy in the village has ultimately brainwashed some people completely; they have become killing tools without any humanity.”
After slowly exhaling, Juzo Biwa looked at the Wood Clone: “Looks like Uchiha Ikeizumi left many means on you.”
The Wood Clone jumped down from the tree and avoided the lava on the ground.
It said: “You have already joined Akatsuki, yet Hidden Mist Village’s Fourth wants to hunt you. Rather than saying it’s the Fourth Mizukage’s order, it’s better to say it’s Uchiha Obito and their arrangement.”
Juzo Biwa was stunned, somewhat uncomprehending: “What does this have to do with Uchiha Obito?”
The Wood Clone said: “Your Fourth has long been controlled by Uchiha Obito using Mangekyo Sharingan power. The reason Hidden Mist Village became a Blood Mist Ninja Village is also Uchiha Obito meddling, using the Fourth Mizukage to reignite the Bloody Mist Policy.”
“This Anbu squad should be his backup to hunt you; if he didn’t successfully kill you and you luckily escaped, this Anbu backup would carry out the hunting mission.”
Juzo Biwa: “!!!”
Fourth Mizukage… controlled by Uchiha Obito?
The culprit behind Hidden Mist Village’s Bloody Mist Policy is Uchiha Obito?
He was stunned.
Juzo Biwa instinctively wanted to question what evidence the other had, but on second thought, Uchiha Ikeizumi even knew more about the small organization than he did, only simply unaware of Akatsuki’s specific location. In this case, it seemed reasonable that he knew the Fourth Mizukage was controlled by Uchiha Obito.
He believed it.
Juzo Biwa tightly gripped the hilt of the Executioner’s Blade, his face cloudy and uncertain, eyes brewing cold killing intent.
“So the beginning of all tragedies in Hidden Mist Village was that cowardly bastard hiding his head!”
Juzo Biwa’s teeth were nearly grinding to pieces.
Over these years, he was very clear how much pain the Bloody Mist Policy had brought to Hidden Mist Village. The entire Hidden Mist Village, even the entire Land of Water, reeked of blood in the air every moment, and the livelihood was a miserable sight not worth seeing.
The education system where same-class students must kill each other to graduate, Bloodline Limit ninja clans massacred nearly to the last blade of grass, extremely oppressive rule and closed borders…
Making the Land of Water and Hidden Mist Village the darkest place in the Ninja World.
Juzo Biwa had defected from Hidden Mist Village precisely because he couldn’t stand the Bloody Mist Policy there. Even one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist couldn’t stand it, showing just how pathological it was.
Staring at the corpse with blood spraying from the neck at his feet.
“Uchiha Ikeizumi.” A hint of confusion flashed in Juzo Biwa’s eyes; he suddenly spat a turbid breath and said: “You should have some understanding of why Hidden Mist Village is called the Village of the Bloody Mist, right?”
“If you were a Hidden Mist Village ninja, if you personally witnessed Hidden Mist Village step by step into the bloody abyss… what would you do, you who believe in the 「Absolute Justice」 Ninja Way?”
Uchiha Ikeizumi’s Wood Clone said: “Asking me such a question, do you want validation from me?”
Juzo Biwa was taken aback.
He always felt like the other could read minds; he hadn’t said anything, yet the other could see what he was thinking.
“The main body wouldn’t make a choice like yours, identical to a coward.” The Wood Clone said coldly: “Evasion only lets you temporarily not see Hidden Mist’s sins, but it doesn’t make Hidden Mist Village’s sins disappear. Moreover, precisely because of believing in 「Absolute Justice」, the dictionary of justice has no word for evasion.”
“The main body would use every method to kill all the sins of the Hidden Blood Mist Village clean. With the most absolute and iron-blooded means, purge the entire Hidden Mist Village, even the entire Land of Water.”
“Considering the extremely severe and extreme situation in Hidden Mist Village, the main body would unhesitatingly use even more absolute means than in Konoha. Because in chaotic times, only harsh laws can correct.”
“To overcorrect, must go to the extreme!”
Juzo Biwa fell silent. As one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, choosing to defect from the Hidden Blood Mist Village, in his own eyes, he possessed tolerance beyond ordinary people.
Such tolerance kept him from being polluted by the Bloody Mist Policy, from becoming a tool with only killing in his eyes.
But in Uchiha Ikeizumi’s eyes, his tolerance was instead cowardice, evasion…
Juzo Biwa instinctively wanted to retort, to defend himself.
Yet he found himself speechless.
“Evasion…”
“Cowardice…”
“Hah!”
Juzo Biwa slowly shouldered the Executioner’s Blade, looking at the Wood Clone with complex expression, saying: “Maybe one day you can visit Hidden Mist Village. If you want to change this Ninja World with your justice, at least first sweep the darkest place in the Ninja World with your 「Absolute Justice」.”
“Hidden Mist Village… Land of Water…”
Juzo Biwa paused, continuing: “The situation there is ten or even a hundred times worse than Konoha Village or the Land of Fire; you can never imagine to what extent human nature can twist. From nobles and ninjas at the top of the Land of Water to commoners and beggars at the bottom, all are ‘sick’, and terminally ill.”
He sneered: “Uchiha Ikeizumi, if I had met you earlier. Perhaps I wouldn’t have joined this Akatsuki. Because although you are extreme too, I can see that your extremity is only aimed at the sins in the Ninja World.”
“Your 「Absolute Justice」 ideology…”
“Is more appealing to me.”
……
On the other side.
Konoha Village.
Sarutobi Hiruzen learned from Yamanaka Yoshinobu—Uchiha Ikeizumi had gone to the Hyuga Clan.
“Homura, are you sure the Hyuga Clan has handled this matter?”
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned as he asked Homura Mitokado.
Homura Mitokado sighed: “The Hyuga Main Family thinks they handled it. Their method was—to have Hyuga Jin Fu retire completely, exit the Hyuga Clan’s power center, and leave Konoha.”
“Hiruzen, you should know that for an over-eighty-year-old leaving Konoha, who knows if he can even return alive in two or three years? After all, at that age, death can come anytime.”
“So, cold-handling it this way?” Sarutobi Hiruzen mused: “The Hyuga Main Family’s method might make those Branch Family people swallow their anger, and prevent serious conflict within the Hyuga Clan…”
“But with Ikeizumi’s way of handling things, he wouldn’t accept this muddling approach. If he deems Hyuga Jin Fu guilty, what he wants is Hyuga Jin Fu’s life.”
At this point, Sarutobi Hiruzen had a headache.
His understanding of Uchiha Ikeizumi was probably deeper than his understanding of the Will of Fire!
“If Hyuga Jin Fu had heeded this old man’s warning, perhaps he is now at least dozens of kilometers away from Konoha. Ikeizumi would likely find nothing.”
Homura Mitokado said expressionlessly: “If Ikeizumi chases out of Konoha because of this, then Konoha can catch a breath too.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen was stunned.
……
“Hyuga Kenjiro.” Uchiha Ikeizumi named Hyuga Jin Fu’s second son, and under the other’s shocked, angry, and stunned gaze, he said coldly: “Cooperating with Kato to operate a sea route transporting contraband drugs from the Land of Water to the Land of Fire, smuggling hundreds of tons of contraband drugs into the Land of Fire over ten years.”
“Nine years ago, brutally murdering a Hyuga Branch Family ninja who advised you not to get involved in such black business, and using the excuse ‘he was assassinated by enemy ninjas’ to deceive the Hyuga Clan Leader.”
The moment he read out line after line of blood-colored text expressionlessly.
Hyuga Kenjiro, Hyuga Jin Fu’s second son, changed color.
His shocked and angry expression instantly turned to disbelief.
Hyuga Hiashi, who had somewhat sunk in expression from personally witnessing Hyuga Jin Fu’s death, suddenly paused. He couldn’t help looking at Hyuga Kenjiro, his face immediately becoming extremely serious as he sternly questioned: “Nine years ago? That Branch Family member who died miserably back then was killed by you?!”
“And you’re using the Hyuga Clan name to cooperate with the notorious great merchant Kato in transporting contraband drugs to the Land of Fire?”
Hyuga Kenjiro, sweating profusely, vehemently denied: “Lord Hiashi, this is just his one-sided…”
Before he finished, Uchiha Ikeizumi’s voice listing his crimes again interrupted him.
Crime after crime made Hyuga Kenjiro start to panic.
Father had mentioned that this guy called Uchiha Ikeizumi had eyes that could see through others’ “evil”, and many people had already fallen to those eyes.
This… was actually real!
Because no one knew better than himself whether the crimes Uchiha Ikeizumi listed were true or false.
“Two months ago, reselling tons of contraband drugs to Uchiha Hayata and two others, causing tons of contraband drugs to flow into Konoha Village.”
This…
Was the last crime Uchiha Ikeizumi listed for him.
Under Neji Hyuga’s gaze from behind, Uchiha Ikeizumi slowly drew the ninja sword at his waist. The snow-silver blade reflected Hyuga Kenjiro’s terrified gaze and Hyuga Hiashi’s somewhat hesitant expression.
Although Hyuga Kenjiro was also a Special Jonin.
But his father’s blood and morsels of meat on the ground clearly told him how terrifying the Uchiha Clan ninja before him was!
He was absolutely no match for this Uchiha madman!
“Uchiha Ikeizumi! This… this is the Hyuga Clan Compound, Lord Hiashi is standing right beside me!” Hyuga Kenjiro grabbed Hyuga Hiashi’s sleeve like clutching a lifesaver, refusing to let go.
“You can’t possibly in front of Lord Hiashi…” But at this moment, he suddenly discovered Hyuga Hiashi raise his hand, forcefully shaking off the hand grabbing his sleeve.
Hyuga Kenjiro was dumbfounded.
He heard Uchiha Ikeizumi question Hyuga Hiashi: “So, you’re going to shield him? Hyuga Hiashi?”
“…” Hiashi was silent for a moment.
Under the watchful eyes of numerous Main Family and Branch Family clan members.
He deeply sighed, the tense clan leader aura completely deflating at this moment.
Although he didn’t answer Uchiha Ikeizumi’s question, silence spoke louder than words.
Everyone knew what answer Hyuga Hiashi had given.
“Wait, wait! Lord Hiashi, I’m part of the Main Family! My father is a Main Family Elder! You’re abandoning me? You can’t abandon me! The money I earned through special means, I also gave part to the clan!”
“Lord Hiashi?!”
“Lord Hiashi!!”
Puchi—
The large head flew skyward; the nearest Hyuga Hiashi’s right half-face was splashed and dyed red with blood, and half his clothes were splattered with blood flowers.
Hyuga Kenjiro’s falling head coincidentally bumped Hyuga Hiashi’s shoulder.
This bump smashed Hyuga Hiashi’s spirit to the bottom.
……
……
