"Pretty capable, the little devil of the Hyūga clan."
Ao narrowed his remaining eye at the white-eyed kunoichi before him. His lips curled into a sneer. Despite the pressure he'd applied throughout the skirmish, Hyūga Aya had managed to take down two of his subordinates. She was bleeding, clearly exhausted, yet still on her feet and ready to fight.
"She's impressive," Ao thought grimly. "To think she'd choose to trade injuries for advantage in the middle of a clash. Cold-blooded. Tactical."
Aya Hyūga stood tall, blood seeping from a stab wound along her side. Her Byakugan was still activated—pupils dilated, veins bulging from her temples. Ao could see it: the defiance in her eyes. But she wasn't from the main family. He knew that much. There was no Caged Bird Seal on her forehead—perhaps hidden by a henge or subtle chakra weave—but her techniques spoke volumes.
Ao's expression turned grim. He still remembered the Hyūga he'd fought years ago, the one whose Byakugan he'd claimed and implanted into his right socket. After that incident, Konoha had become cautious, rarely sending Hyūga to the front lines—especially not those from the main family.
"A caged bird," he mused, scanning her chakra network through his own Byakugan. "Gifted, but ultimately shackled."
Even if she had potential, the Hyūga clan wouldn't let her rise far. Ao had no desire to capture her—she wasn't worth the trouble. But she deserved the respect of a warrior. He would end her with his best.
In a blur, he closed the distance with a Body Flicker, thrusting his index finger forward.
"Water Release: Azure Dragon Palm!"
Chakra gathered tightly at his fingertip, shaped with deadly precision. He had developed this technique himself—using his Byakugan to strike precise tenketsu, similar to Gentle Fist, but infused with high-pressure Water Release to forcibly disrupt the chakra network.
Aya barely managed to respond. Her body screamed in protest, but she moved.
"Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation!"
With practiced precision, she pivoted her foot and spun, unleashing a dome of chakra that repelled the incoming strike. Ao's chakra-infused finger met the swirling defense and was deflected, his momentum disrupted.
He leapt back, smiling slightly. She was faster than he expected.
"Water Release: Violent Water Wave!"
A torrent erupted from Ao's mouth, surging toward her. Already mid-spin, Aya had no time to readjust. The deluge slammed into her, lifting her off her feet and smashing her into the rocks behind.
Before she could recover, Ao launched another jutsu.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
A massive serpent of water twisted from the ground, roaring toward the drenched kunoichi.
Aya's hands glowed faintly, her chakra flaring.
"Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists!"
Blue lions of chakra burst forth from her fists. Despite being a branch family member, Aya had secretly memorized the main family's techniques through observation and sheer determination. Though incomplete, her mastery was close.
With one palm, she shattered the dragon's snout. With the next, she dispersed its body into a crashing wave.
"She copied it...?" Ao's brow furrowed. "Without instruction?" It was both impressive and dangerous.
But he didn't hesitate. As the water fell, Ao used the cover to approach from her blind spot.
"Azure Dragon Palm!" he called again—but this time, it was only a water clone.
Aya realized too late. The moment her lion fist pierced through the clone, a real hand struck her back.
THWACK!
Ao's palm slammed into her shoulder blade, chakra piercing through skin and muscle to strike a tenketsu. Aya coughed blood, staggering forward. But she spun on instinct, unleashing a Vacuum Palm in retaliation.
Ao dodged the burst of chakra, grinning as he landed lightly on his feet.
"Still fighting, even now? You're resilient."
Aya's stance wavered. She was barely standing. Ao shook his head.
"Too bad you're just a branch member." His tone turned somber. "Even if you survive me, your clan won't let you rise."
He raised his finger once more, chakra surging.
But then, his Byakugan twitched. Chakra signatures—familiar ones—approaching rapidly. His smirk vanished.
"Tch. Not now."
He dispelled the chakra in his hand and vanished in a blur, retreating toward the treeline.
Elsewhere...
"Rin! Where are you?!"
Kakashi sprinted through the underbrush, sword in hand, eyes sharp. Moments earlier, he had taken down two Kiri ANBU who had cornered him with coordinated strikes. His Sharingan had barely kept up with their water-style feints and flickers.
His mind raced. He should've regrouped with Kei and the others—but something gnawed at him. Rin hadn't been with the squad when he emerged from the skirmish.
"She shouldn't have strayed far…"
He slowed suddenly.
A kunai embedded in a tree trunk.
A few strands of light brown hair on a nearby branch.
Kakashi's grip on his tanto tightened.
"No... Rin?"
He turned toward the source of disturbance—unseen, but not unfelt.