Becomes a Rebel Ninja After Annihilating the Hyuga Clan

Chapter 41

Kurenai Yuhi was dead.

From the dust, Kakashi lifted his head and witnessed this scene.

A butterfly flapped its wings, stirring small ripples in the river of memories.

The powerlessness of seeing a comrade die in front of him resurfaced after so many years, sweeping over Kakashi.

Countless phantoms shifted in Kakashi's eyes.

He remembered a similar forest, where a massive rock fell, and the boy who pushed him out of the way but got trapped under it.

"Kakashi… this is for you… a gift for becoming a Jonin…"

The dying boy had gouged out his eye and handed it to Kakashi.

That helplessness felt like the immovable boulder on the boy's body.

On a rainy plain, the girl implanted with the Three-Tails, destined to be a source of chaos for Konoha, had looked at him with hope and despair.

"Kakashi… kill me…"

The explosive lightning, as the girl wished, pierced through her chest.

That helplessness was like the blood on Kakashi's hands that he could never wash away.

…

"Those who break the ninja code are scum; but those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum!"

To Kakashi, Kurenai didn't hold more significance than the other two in his heart.

They just happened to be born in Konoha at the same time, graduated from the Ninja Academy together, and were instilled with similar values, working together, completing missions, and growing together.

It was the same with Guy and Asuma.

If anything, Kurenai was closer to Asuma.

But the term "comrade" was never simply defined by proximity.

To a ninja, a comrade was someone you could trust completely, even with your back.

And for Kakashi, with the sacrifices of Rin and Obito, the weight of comrades had an even heavier meaning.

In the battle with Neiki, Kamizuki Izumo was first, then Kotetsu Hagane, and now Kurenai Yuhi.

—Kakashi's pupils trembled.

It was like the long-dead boy and girl were whispering in his ear:

You couldn't save us back then… why haven't you saved anyone now?

Why do the comrades you cherish keep dying, and you're still so weak?

Why did you bring your comrades to die, knowing how dangerous Neiki is?

Why…

Why?

Why!

"Shut up—!!"

With a roar, lightning shattered the surrounding bushes, scraping past Neiki.

The Chidori had deviated too much… Neiki blinked and then suddenly realized something. He looked down.

Kurenai's body, which had been at his feet, had vanished with lightning.

Neiki looked curiously to the side, and sure enough, there was Kakashi, cradling Kurenai's body, slowly laying her down.

He took off his jacket, covering the ugly wound on Kurenai's chest, and gently closed her eyes.

"I thought she was Asuma's girlfriend, not yours," Neiki, still referring to Asuma as "senpai," seemed puzzled by Kakashi's anger.

This was nothing short of an insult.

"My mission was to bring you back alive if possible. But now… it seems that might not be feasible." The Mangekyō Sharingan, cold and dangerous, Kakashi stared at Neiki, slowly standing up.

"You definitely can't," Neiki said with a faint smile.

Though they both said "can't," their meanings were different.

They stared at each other.

Due to the killing intent, the surrounding air grew tense.

Several Konoha ninjas watched Neiki closely, waiting for the right moment. Although Neiki seemed disadvantaged overall, his confident demeanor put significant pressure on many presenters.

This renegade Hyuga, who had ambushed Izumo and Kotetsu, then quickly and ruthlessly killed Kurenai with genjutsu, had a combat intuition and difficulty far beyond ordinary Jonin. In any other place, this would be a battle where Konoha would win but also suffer heavy losses.

Fortunately, although they were outside, they were close to Konoha, and Kakashi had already called for backup. They had left markers along the way, so the longer they held out, the more victory would tilt in their favor.

In the coming battle, they needed to harass Neiki to prevent his escape until Konoha's reinforcements arrived, thus securing their position.

As long as Neiki didn't flee, they didn't need to risk their lives. It wasn't out of fear, but this was the most sensible approach.

It's not like at the start when they thought they could easily take down Neiki with numbers, only to end up with three comrades down.

The ninjas exchanged coded signals, formulating a strategy. Kakashi glanced at them, pretending not to see.

He thought I must kill Neiki before reinforcements arrived, unlike his comrades.

If reinforcements arrived, Neiki would likely be captured alive. The thought of not being able to kill this mass murderer personally filled Kakashi with unease.

"All at once!" Kakashi shouted, forcing his way forward.

An Inuzuka clan ninja, unable to stand by, joined Kakashi's attack, and the two, along with the dog, quickly closed in on Neiki.

Neiki swung his sword, engaging them in battle.

"Fang Over Fang!"

Neiki sidestepped the attack.

After missing their target, the Inuzuka ninja and his dog transformed back into human form, coldly watching Neiki but not engaging further.

After knocking Kakashi away, another ninja joined the fight, but his attack faltered after two moves and a blocked ninjutsu.

Each time a new opponent faced Neiki in this cycle, he quickly sensed something off.

Aside from Kakashi, the others' fighting spirits were weak. When the battle escalated, they would retreat, only rejoining when Kakashi was under pressure. Were they trying to dissuade Kakashi with passive resistance?

Either way, this choice by the Konoha ninjas made the overall battle pace slow.

"We're waiting for Konoha's reinforcements. What are you waiting for?" Kakashi, knocked aside again, couldn't help but ask.

What a joke!

What kind of battle is this?

Kindergarten play-fighting!

Neiki wasn't running, nor was he fighting earnestly. His lazy demeanor made Izumo and Kurenai's deaths seem like a cruel joke.

Neiki blinked, then realized.

Kakashi was anxious.

Anxious for a conclusion.

Anxious to kill him.

But he couldn't.

Neiki shook his head, his gaze piercing through Kakashi towards Konoha, his lips curling into a smirk.

"Actually… I'm waiting too."

…

In Konoha.

After the Uchiha rebellion and the second Nine-Tails attack in the afternoon, the area around the Uchiha compound and the Nine-Tails' appearance was mostly desolate ruins.

Trees were uprooted, buildings collapsed, tiles and bricks scattered across the streets, and distant fires burned in the debris.

A water pipe protruded from the ground.

An orange cat, frequently lost but always found by new Genin on their first missions, heard familiar water droplets and navigated narrow gaps in the water pipe, licking the pooled water.

Its elderly owner lay crushed under a stone wall; no one would come looking for it now.

Civilians emerging from shelters wept outside their ruined homes.

A burly man, trying to comfort a neighbor with jokes, repeatedly shoveled rubble until he uncovered fragments of his child. Instantly, the man offering solace broke down, crying uncontrollably.

A woman, clutching her husband's unrecognizable body, wept. Both were ninjas, but she had been assigned to evacuate people while he died in the Uchiha attack.

Being a ninja was always a high risk; dying because of incompetence was common. According to Konoha's rules, she shouldn't show such weakness in public, but today, there were too many tears, and no one cared. The woman expressed her sorrow freely.

These tragedies were numerous but still fewer compared to the first Nine-Tails attack.

Firstly, many civilians gathered at the Konoha theater were evacuated to remote shelters, avoiding the disaster.

Secondly, those who stayed or returned home during the chaos had, over the years, experienced well-established evacuation protocols. Only those deemed "sacrificial" by Konoha's higher-ups suffered severe losses. For most, the danger was minimal—although many homes were destroyed, lives were generally spared.

After the disaster, people lit fires among the ruins, discussing the day's events and casualties with a sense of shared grief.

"I heard the Uchiha summoned the Nine-Tails to revolt!"

"That Naruto kid really is the reincarnation of the demon fox…"

"I've seen those Uchiha at school; they're all hotheads!"

"The Hyuga clan was nowhere to be seen today; these ninja clans are all the same…"

Such complaints were rampant.

The truth about the Nine-Tails' appearance spread quickly.

If Fugaku's coup succeeded, these "rumors" could hinder his rise. If not, these "truths" would further alienate the remaining Uchiha from Konoha. Hiruzen Sarutobi might show leniency, but the wounded civilians wouldn't.

The villagers' animosity would aid subsequent actions against the Uchiha—even though some had already fled, others remained hidden in Konoha.

"Has the Hokage not returned yet?" Iruka Umino asked outside the Hokage's office.

Behind him, a tattered little girl clung to his sleeve, her expression dim.

The girl, named Kaori,

was one of Iruka's students.

Unfortunately, her parents, designated as "sacrificial" by Konoha's high command, had died in the chaos. Protected by her parents' bodies, Kaori survived until Iruka found her.

Iruka heard the Hokage had aid and compensation for people like Kaori, so he brought her to see.

He didn't know about the "sacrificial" plan, thinking the compensation was an extra effort by the higher-ups for these victims.

"He received news and went after the rogue ninja. Come back tomorrow." The Anbu at the door glanced at Kaori and shook his head.

"Alright."

Iruka sighed, intending to take Kaori to the temporary shelters.

Watching them leave, the Anbu hesitated, then spoke:

"The Anbu rest area downstairs has beds and hot water. It's more comfortable and safer than the temporary shelters. She can stay there tonight, and it's easier to meet the Hokage when he returns."

Iruka's face lit up, thanking the Anbu profusely.

He took Kaori to the Anbu rest area.

Though narrow, it was much better than the shelters.

Before leaving, Kaori wouldn't let go of his sleeve.

Iruka smiled wryly:

"You've had a long day. Get some rest; I'll see you tomorrow."

After much reassurance, Kaori finally let go.

Outside, Iruka could still see Kaori staring at him through the small window.

"Goodnight."

Iruka waved high, then walked away.

The gentle night breeze blew.

After a few steps, Iruka sniffed the air, sensing something burning…

The next moment, he froze.

Hmm?

Iruka turned back.

In an instant.

The Hokage's office.

Collapsed like a mountain.

—Boom!!!