Chapter 13: Splat~
Rustle rustle rustle.
Under the faint moonlight, one figure moved ahead unhurriedly, while another pursued closely from behind.
Even while being pursued, that figure continued humming softly, the song constantly echoing in Hizashi's ears.
Kagome, Kagome~
(Kagome Kagome~)
(Kago no naka no tori wa~) — The bird in the cage~
(Itsu itsu deyaru~) — When, oh when will it come out~
(Yoake no ban ni~) — In the night of the dawn~
(Tsuru to kame ga subetta~) — The crane and turtle slipped~
(Ushiro no shōmen dare~) — Who is behind you now~
"Who on earth is this guy?"
Hizashi's brow furrowed tightly. The song made him increasingly agitated, the gloom in his heart growing thicker.
This was the Hyūga compound, within Konoha.
Although most defensive forces were focused on the Cloud delegation and the main family daughter's matters, proactively singing to expose one's position was still an incredibly unwise act.
"Moreover, this guy keeps hovering right at the edge of my Byakugan's range. Is he trying to lure me somewhere?"
Wait! That's not right!!
Hizashi abruptly stopped, as if suddenly realizing something, jolted awake from a dream.
"Release!" He formed hand seals, disrupting the flow of chakra within his body.
The song that had been echoing in his ears instantly vanished. The scene before him gradually distorted and changed.
The quaint courtyard, scattered wood chips, and Neji lying unconscious nearby.
It turned out he hadn't left the courtyard at all from the beginning, merely running in circles within an illusion.
Hizashi gasped for breath, his chest heaving, face aghast: "Genjutsu? Since when?!"
After breaking the genjutsu, he immediately noticed numerous discrepancies in the details.
"Such an obvious trap to lure me in or lure me away – how could I have fallen for it, even abandoning Neji to pursue alone?"
But he hadn't realized it at all, following that figure for a full five minutes!
If he hadn't inadvertently noticed his Byakugan's blind spot disappear, he didn't know how much longer he would have remained lost in the illusion!
Hizashi was filled with lingering fear, a layer of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
But a glance sideways revealed a figure sitting silently in the corridor's passageway.
Hizashi subconsciously shielded Neji behind him, simultaneously preparing to signal an enemy intrusion.
"In the past five minutes, I could have killed you countless times. And the instant you send a signal is also enough time for me to slit your throat, pierce your heart, crush your skull, and kill the child behind you."
The cold, cruel words were accompanied by a violent, bloodthirsty killing intent.
It made Hizashi's body stiffen involuntarily, his hand movements instantly freezing.
This guy... is serious. And he has the power to do it...
Hizashi tensed his entire body, slowly turning to look at the figure.
The person's upper body was hidden in shadow, making their form and face unclear, but he could faintly see the three-eyed fox mask they wore.
Their attire was also completely unfamiliar, most likely not someone from Konoha.
Hizashi took the initiative to probe: "Your Excellency, the genjutsu you just used... was it an auditory-type genjutsu?"
Genjutsu are techniques that use chakra to interfere with the target's five senses, disrupt their chakra flow, and plunge them into illusions.
Visual-type is the most common category of genjutsu; the Uchiha clan excels most at using visual-type illusions.
Genjutsu activated through senses like hearing, smell, and touch are incredibly rare.
Hizashi had only heard rumors; this was the first time he had encountered an auditory-type genjutsu.
However, the person didn't answer him, merely reaching out to tease the bird in the cage, not even glancing at him.
They spoke in a monotone voice: "I am going to say a few words now, then leave. You are going to listen to my few words, then go home and take care of your child."
"In the years to come, you will look at his face and be glad you are still alive, glad you chose light instead of death."
"Because on a certain specific night, you chose not to walk a certain specific path."
The masked person turned to look at Hizashi, their tone utterly calm from beginning to end: "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Looking into the blue eyes behind the mask, calm like dead water, Hizashi couldn't help but feel a chill rise in his heart.
When did such a figure appear in the ninja world? How had he received no news at all?
Just then...
The masked person suddenly spoke: "Your time of death is near, yet you are completely unaware."
"You... What do you mean?"
The masked person ignored his reaction, reaching out and opening the cage holding the bird.
But perhaps because it had been caged too long and had forgotten how to fly,
the bird remained indifferent to the vast sky outside, continuing to peck gently at its food within the cage.
Menma began softly humming that song again.
"Bamboo cage, bamboo cage eye~ Little bird in the cage~ When can you come out?"
"On the night of dawn~ The crane and turtle slipped~ Who is the one behind?"
Hizashi, having just been caught in the genjutsu, subconsciously formed a seal upon hearing the sound.
But the next second, his white eyes widened instantly.
"You!"
The figure originally sitting on the corridor vanished in an instant, grasping the hands he was using to form the seal.
The grip felt light, yet it rendered him completely immobile.
"Isn't this children's song pleasant to hear?"
Although he couldn't see the face beneath the mask, Hizashi felt like this person was smiling.
But he didn't feel anything amusing at all.
Only fear.
With such eerie speed, if this masked person wanted to kill him, they really could sever his head in an instant.
"I heard this children's song on an island once. The children there were playing a game."
The masked person continued: "The child playing the 'oni' (it) squats in the middle with eyes covered. A group of children surrounds the 'oni', singing this song. When the song ends, if the child playing 'oni' guesses who is directly behind them..."
"That person must replace the bird in the cage and become the scapegoat."
The masked person's tone became profound: "The name of this children's song is Kago no Naka no Tori (Caged Bird)."
Through the faint moonlight, Hyūga Hizashi clearly saw the man's attire.
A white three-eyed fox mask, black fingerless sleeve-covers, dark red bandages on his forearms and lower legs, revealing only black medium-short hair.
The attire, voice, and figure were all completely unfamiliar.
Hizashi's tone was grave: "Your Excellency, who exactly are you, and what business do you have here?"
"Although my clansmen are currently gathered in the ancestral hall, if I send a signal, even if you kill me, you..."
"You can try."
The masked person cut off his threat directly, tone indifferent: "Although this clone's strength is weak and cannot destroy Konoha, destroying the Hyūga clan is still no problem."
...Clone?
Hizashi froze, veins bulging around his eyes, shock instantly flooding his face.
His Byakugan... actually couldn't see through it?
However, this terrifying chakra...
"If it's really as he says, then a single Shadow Clone possesses such power?"
Although chakra doesn't entirely represent strength, it reflects it to a certain degree.
And within his Byakugan's sight, the chakra density within this person was more dazzling and richer than the Third Hokage's!
"I only came here to release the bird in the cage. But it seems he doesn't want to leave."
The masked person extended his palm towards the cage, and the bird obediently stood on his palm.
However, as soon as he tried to pull the bird out of the cage, the bird began to struggle violently.
Watching the bird flapping its wings frantically, trying to escape his hand, the masked person's eyes hardened.
Splat!
"We... will meet again soon."
Under Hyūga Hizashi's horrified gaze, the masked person flicked the blood from his hand, said no more, turned, and left.