Rebellion in the Shadows
During the time Zixu was away, a series of unpleasant incidents occurred in the village.
There would always be people in the world who lacked conviction—those who simply followed the crowd. When the decision they once supported didn't meet their expectations, they would lash out, blaming the ones who led the way while never once reflecting on their own choices.
Back when Zixu and Orochimaru were present, things remained under control. The ninja still played the role of decent people, knowing the consequences of defiance. But with Zixu gone and Orochimaru buried in his research, many discarded their pretense.
"Bah! Laughing and joking with those damn civilians every day—it's disgusting. Have they really forgotten who they are?" spat a middle-aged man with a thick beard and a deep cross-shaped scar on his forehead, so deep it exposed the bone. He sat in the shade of a tree, his expression one of sheer disdain.
A group of men and women surrounded him, laughing along. A few bore the red flame crest of the Hyuga clan on their backs.
"You're just lowly commoners. Do you really think you can stand as equals to us? Hah! What a joke. If things keep going like this, where are the rules? It's absurd! Ninjas are supposed to be superior," sneered another, his words met with nods of agreement.
Many among them regretted ever following Zixu. They had thought leaving Konoha meant freedom—an escape from strict rules, a life of indulgence. Some believed that as the so-called "founding fathers" of the village, they could simply live off their past glory, never having to work again.
But reality was far from their expectations. Here, they had to work. Hunt. Collaborate with civilians.
No more free meals. No more privileges. Worse yet, they were expected to help with farming. It was unbearable.
Some, especially among the Hyuga branch members, struggled to adapt. They had fled Konoha's oppression but still clung to their old hierarchy. Though deep down they knew their entitlement was misplaced, change did not come easily.
And then there were those who refused to change at all. Instead of fighting back against the power that had once oppressed them, they sought satisfaction by looking down on those weaker than themselves.
Nearly all such people had gathered here.
"Brothers, let's talk about how to get out of this place," the scarred man smirked, his sharp teeth glinting.
"We already ran away from Konoha. What's stopping us from running away again? The other branch family members are still working their asses off over there. Security is weak right now—this is our chance."
His words carried temptation. Some hesitated, realizing how dangerous this discussion was. They wanted to leave, but when the scarred man fixed them with a cold glare, they froze, unable to move.
"We're all in this together now. Quitting halfway won't help anyone. And we sure as hell can't let our little plan get out, can we?" He chuckled darkly, the scar on his forehead twisting like two wriggling eels on crumpled paper.
A dozen people stepped closer, drawn into his plan. But a few still wanted no part of it. Though lazy, they would rather work than risk their lives running away.
Those who wanted no involvement tried to slip away, but the scarred man's group blocked their path.
"This is why I love uprisings. Some people can't stand being oppressed, so they rebel. Others accept their fate and live in disgrace…" The man sneered at the hesitant ones.
"By the way, who's on patrol duty today?" he asked one of his men.
"Some girl from the Aburame clan."
The scarred man smirked. He didn't know much about these younger shinobi. To him, this so-called patrol duty was just a childish game. What could a mere girl do against a dozen grown men?
"So we're actually doing this, huh? Exciting!" someone in the group laughed thoughtlessly.
The leader glanced at the speaker, unimpressed. Look at this idiot, he thought. Getting all excited over something as small as a rebellion.
His laughter stopped abruptly.
Wait a second…
Why did that girl look so familiar?
His pupils shrank. That was the girl from the Aburame clan!
"Zhao! Take her down!" the man roared. He knew they'd been exposed. At this point, there was no turning back. It was now an open act of rebellion.
"Why aren't you moving?! Do it, you idiots!" he snarled at his men.
Frustrated, he pulled out a handful of explosive tags and hurled them toward Aburame Hatsuizumi. The wind caught the scattered tags, sending them fluttering toward her like falling feathers. The inked seals on the paper darkened, turning a faint red as the tags prepared to detonate.
Flames flickered to life, eager to consume everything in their path.
But none of the rebels moved.
Why?
Because the moment Hatsuizumi had infiltrated their ranks, she had already placed her kikaichu (Parasitic Insects) under their feet. These specific insects secreted a paralytic toxin. First, their tongues went numb, preventing them from calling for help. Then, their limbs locked up.
One by one, the would-be rebels collapsed like statues, faces hitting the ground in stunned silence.
"Swoosh—"
A blue light glowed in Hatsuizumi's hand. Within it, the image of a beetle with an icy blue shell and two pairs of shield-like front legs flickered.
As she formed a seal, a translucent blue cloak of water rose around her, billowing like a living entity. At its center, a spinning sphere of water gathered, its pull growing stronger.
Suiton: Suijinheki (Water Release: Water Formation Wall).
The explosive tags, caught in the swirling current, were sucked in before they could detonate. Like a ship caught in a whirlpool, they vanished within the water barrier.
Then—
A muffled explosion rang out inside the cloak.
When the water finally settled, all that remained was a small trace of burned ash.
"Tsk, running away now?" Hatsuizumi sighed, brushing some dirt off her sleeve. She turned her gaze to a pool of blood nearby. One of her kikaichu—the small yellow spider-like one—lay on its back, lifeless.
The man had cut off the places where he'd been bitten to stop the paralysis from spreading.
Hatsuizumi turned toward the village's exit. Gekko Hayate, stationed at the gate, showed no signs of alarm. That meant the runaway was still within her reach.
A slow, cold smirk spread across her face.
Hunting time.
She carefully adjusted her glasses before drawing the Shigure from her waist.
The hunt had begun.
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