The Konoha Envoy's Eyes

Chapter 66 The Konoha Envoy's Eyes

The border between the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Frost.

With the arrival of the main force, Konoha built a small city here, cutting down the nearby forest for timber and using earth-style techniques to construct the city walls, which were thick enough to withstand a certain intensity of ninjutsu impact.

Seven days ago, Orochimaru arrived here with a large army, making the three-way battle between Konoha, Kirigakure, and Kumogakure even more dangerous.

As for Iwagakure and Sunagakure, Jiraiya led the combat troops to guard against them. Due to the mysterious disappearance of the Third Kazekage, the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind were engaged in a fierce battle and had no spare capacity to expand their armies to the east.

However, everyone knows that a five-nation war is inevitable.

Hyuga Yuto returned to Konoha's newly built camp, showed the guards Minato Namikaze's token, and was then led by a genin messenger to the central area.

Along the way, many people recognized him. Even if they didn't know his face, they could recognize him by the black bandage wrapped around his right arm. This was the rising star, the Lion.

Hinata Yuto stopped in front of a tall, domed building. After giving his name at the door, the guards let him in.

There were many people inside, including several other "free agents." Minato Namikaze sat on a high seat in the center, his gentle, azure eyes revealing a smile.

"Yuto, you must be tired from rushing back."

"Commander." Hyuga Yuto bowed. With so many people around, he didn't say much and stood aside with his arms crossed.

Minato coughed lightly, and seeing that everyone had arrived, he said:

"Commander Orochimaru is still at the front lines. There's no need to bother him with this. I hereby announce..." He glanced around, his voice calm:

"From now on, everyone in this room except for myself and the village envoy shall rest for a few days."

The atmosphere suddenly froze.

There were thirty-two ninjas summoned to this room. Whether they were commoners or powerful clansmen of Konoha, none of them were greenhorns. They were at least senior elites among the Chunin, and their positions in the military were not low.

Taking a few days off... isn't that just house arrest?

Everyone's attention gradually focused on the area behind Minato Namikaze.

The masked men in robes standing behind the yellow flash were likely the "village envoys" that Commander Namikaze had mentioned.

"These people are envoys sent by the village. They're all on our side, so don't be nervous. Just cooperate." Minato Namikaze paused, then chuckled.

"After your rest period, come back to me to report and continue your duties, or I may assign you more challenging tasks as appropriate... In the end, wars between nations still depend on people like you who are on the front lines."

Hinata Yuto raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of amusement in his expression.

Minato Namikaze's words were very skillful. He not only informed his subordinates to cooperate with the village's investigation, but also promised to reinstate them to their original positions or even promote them further after the investigation was completed. Most importantly, he also subtly warned the village's special envoy not to forget who was risking their lives on the front lines.

Come to think of it, what a general leading troops in the field fears most is betrayal and distrust from the rear. It's normal for Minato Namikaze to express his dissatisfaction when the village envoy investigates so many pillars of the state at once.

An envoy wearing a monkey-face mask said softly:

"Commander Minato, please rest assured, it's just a routine investigation."

The yellow flash nodded noncommittally and left the house first.

The remaining people looked at each other, and then went out one by one to await the questions from the village envoy.

Hyuga Yuto followed the crowd and left, arriving at the small house that Namikaze Minato had assigned to him the previous week. He lay on the bed, not training, but pondering how to deal with the village's inquiries.

Before it was completely dark, the envoy summoned him back to that room.

It's a very old-fashioned interrogation method. They call in suspicious people separately for questioning, which suggests that ninjas had been following and monitoring them beforehand.

Hyuga Yuto stood with his hands at his sides.

The man still wearing the monkey-face mask spoke first:

"Hyuga Yuto, Hyuga Shinji, and their branch family assassins are either missing or dead; their fates are likely grim."

An unfamiliar voice, perhaps from one of the Anbu captains? Hyuga Yuto thought to himself, but remained outwardly calm.

"I know about this. Minato-senpai told me about it after our Konoha vanguard first clashed head-on with Kumogakure."

"Oh? What do you think?"

"Young Master Shinji sacrificed himself for Konoha and his clan, and he is Yuto's role model."

"A role model, huh?" the monkey-faced mask approvingly asked.

"As expected of Lady Tsunade's disciple, besides Commander Orochimaru and Vice Commander Minato, you are the most famous person here... Before we set off, the name of the Lion had already spread back to the village."

"It's all thanks to the Hokage's guidance."

"Your combination of [Flowing Cloud Steel] and [Lion Fang Bite] is indeed an extremely powerful ninjutsu, with unparalleled frontal damage and thrusting capabilities. That's why Commander Minato allowed you to act freely as a 'free agent'."

"Yes."

"So... no one knows what you usually do, no one can prove your exact location, and your lion's teeth are very powerful, capable of easily killing a Jonin-level expert."

"That's right," Hinata Yuto readily admitted.

"So, where were you that night?"

"Ambush and kill the Hidden Cloud Village within the territory of the Frost Country."

Therefore, no one can prove whether what you said is true or false.

"Indeed." Hyuga Yuto sighed.

"But that's the truth."

On the way here, he figured out the best response strategy—to deny it no matter what!

The traces of the battle have been cleaned up by the slugs, and the corpses have been moved between the Wet Bone Forest and the secret base, making it impossible for outsiders to find any evidence.

Having the ability to do something like that doesn't mean you actually did it.

If ability is used as evidence, then the first person to be interrogated should be Minato Namikaze!

Using the Flying Thunder God Technique to travel through space, I could wipe out the entire Konoha vanguard in one night.

The monkey-faced mask looked helpless. Not only Hyuga Yuto, but all the other "suspects" summoned also had irrefutable arguments—

"I didn't do it, so why would I kill Shinji Hyuga?"

Why would I kill them?

"Ha... We're fighting to the death with the Hidden Cloud Village and the Hidden Mist Village here, and you're targeting your own people?"

"I have rendered service to Konoha! I have shed blood for the village! I have been wounded several times on this border! How dare you slander me... I will report this to the Commander-in-Chief... no, I will report this to the Hokage in person!"

These kinds of unsolved cases, where there's no body, are the most difficult to handle. There are very few usable clues, and you just end up offending people for no reason.

Seeing that the other party had not spoken for a long time, Hyuga Yuto breathed a sigh of relief, but unexpectedly, at this moment, an envoy wearing a cat-face mask suddenly stepped forward and used the Body Flicker Technique to move in front of the branch family boy.

Their eyes met, and Hyuga Yuto saw a pair of eyes filled with unbearable grief.

"You bastard! As a member of the branch family... why are you still alive when Shinji is dead?"

Although shrouded in a black robe, Hyuga Yuto could still tell from the outline of the waist and chest that this person was a woman, and that voice...

Looking into those eyes filled with hatred and sorrow, Hyuga Yuto felt inexplicably better.

You have a wonderful girlfriend, Shinji.

(End of this chapter)