Evening.
Anko and Kotani came to visit Hyuga Kagami in his room.
As former subordinates of Orochimaru, Kagami, Anko, and Kotani shared a common past. Being of similar age and part of the same squad, their relationship was relatively harmonious.
After chatting for a while, Kotani suddenly laughed and said, "Kagami, you really fell sick at the worst possible time."
Kagami was puzzled. "Why?"
Kotani explained, "The captain just assigned Anko and me a special mission. If we complete it successfully, we might get reassigned back to the village and no longer have to endure the harsh winds and sands of this place!"
"A special mission!?" Kagami was momentarily stunned before saying, "Then I wish you both success on your mission."
For some reason, an uneasy feeling crept into Kagami's heart, but it was an unspoken rule among ninja not to pry into each other's missions. So, despite his suspicions, he didn't ask further.
Kotani patted Kagami on the shoulder and grinned. "Don't worry. The village won't forget excellent shinobi like us who have survived wars. You'll be reassigned soon enough, too. For now, just focus on getting better."
Kagami nodded and advised, "Be careful out there."
After a few more words, Kotani and Anko left Kagami's room.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
During this adaptation period, Kagami continued to endure bouts of dizziness and pain, but these struggles weren't discouraging. Each wave of pain brought noticeable improvements in his strength.
Though he hadn't performed precise tests, Kagami estimated that his chakra reserves had grown to at least ten times what they were before he injected the genetic serum.
The classification of ninja levels lacked strict standards. The definitions of genin, chunin, jonin, and even kage-level varied depending on the era and circumstances.
Before injecting the genetic serum, Kagami was essentially just an experienced genin. Apart from the most basic substitution, transformation, and clone techniques, along with gentle fist, basic summoning, and rudimentary sealing techniques, he had little proficiency in other jutsu.
Yet, despite this, the village had still promoted him to chunin and entrusted him with leading reconnaissance missions.
That said, a broadly accepted evaluation standard did exist:
A ninja capable of using E-rank jutsu or wielding a kekkei genkai met the minimum criteria for genin.
A ninja proficient in multiple C-rank jutsu could be considered a chunin.
A ninja capable of repeatedly using B-rank jutsu while excelling in one of the three major ninja arts—ninjutsu, genjutsu, or taijutsu—or possessing a powerful bloodline limit qualified as a jonin.
As for kage-level ninja, they were merely the strongest among their village's top fighters, meaning the standard fluctuated between different eras.
Because of these variations, chakra reserves remained one of the key indicators of a ninja's strength.
If Kagami's previous strength was barely at the genin level, his current chakra reserves had already exceeded that of an average chunin and were rapidly approaching the level of a typical jonin.
After three days, Kagami finally adapted enough to use his eyes again.
Upon close examination, he found that his eyes now resembled pure, translucent blue gemstones, radiating an almost hypnotic brilliance that could easily captivate anyone who gazed into them.
At the same time, he noticed that the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead still existed, but it seemed to have lost its effect.
This made sense. The Caged Bird Seal was designed to suppress the Byakugan and its corresponding neural pathways. However, Kagami's eyes were no longer Byakugan—they had evolved into Tenseigan. Thus, while the seal's markings remained, its function had been nullified without any need for direct removal.
Just as Kagami was estimating how much longer his adaptation period would last, he suddenly sensed a familiar chakra signature rapidly approaching the outpost.
Without hesitation, Kagami steadied himself against the wall and stepped out of his room.
Moments later, a small figure rushed into the outpost.
It was none other than Mitarashi Anko, who had left with Kotani on that special mission a few days ago!
At that moment, Anko was in terrible condition. Her face was deathly pale, her body covered in wounds, and her breathing erratic—clear signs that she had narrowly escaped a life-or-death struggle.
With instincts honed through war, Kagami had already reached for a kunai in his pouch the moment he identified Anko. Behind his goggles, his Tenseigan shone brilliantly, scanning for any pursuers that might be tailing her.
But after a quick sweep, he found no enemies behind her and sighed in relief.
By now, the other ninja in the outpost had gathered around. Some began dressing Anko's wounds, while others questioned her about what had happened.
Amidst this commotion, Kagami noticed something strange.
With the unparalleled perception of his Tenseigan, he caught a fleeting, inexplicable expression on the face of his squad leader, Mitsui Naka. It was a mix of surprise and anxiety—an expression that raised alarm bells in Kagami's mind.
Instantly, an ominous suspicion took root in his heart.
In truth, he had already considered this possibility before. He just hadn't wanted to believe it.
Instinctively, Kagami took a small step away from Mitsui Naka.
However, Mitsui Naka was entirely focused on Anko and failed to notice Kagami's subtle movement. Instead, he maintained a stern expression and asked Anko, "Did you complete the mission?"
Anko glared at Mitsui Naka coldly. "The moment we reached the rendezvous point, we were ambushed. It was a trap. Kotani was killed on the spot. I barely managed to survive by hiding in the desert for two days before escaping!"
Mitsui Naka's face twitched slightly. "Perhaps our mole within the Sand Village was exposed, leading to the ambush. I'll report this to the village."
With that, he quickly left.
Kagami, remaining silent, helped Anko to her feet.
Once they were in her room, Anko suddenly asked him, "Have we been abandoned by the village?"
Being chosen as Orochimaru's apprentice, Anko was anything but stupid. The so-called 'special mission' reeked of conspiracy, and she had keenly sensed it.
While wrapping Anko's wounds, Kagami replied, "Don't let your thoughts run wild. Missions going wrong isn't unusual. You just haven't seen enough of them yet."
Perhaps Kagami's words offered some comfort. Anko didn't press the matter further, and her expression returned to its usual indifferent state.
After ensuring Anko's wounds were properly treated and confirming that no enemies were approaching the outpost, Kagami returned to his room.
The moment he lay down, his expression darkened, his teeth clenched in silent fury.
"How could they do this?! How dare they?!"