As everyone knows, the Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan allows its user to see within a one-kilometer radius. This is not its maximum range; rather, it's what they can perceive just by activating the Byakugan. With further training and development, the Byakugan's range can be extended, but even at its peak, it usually extends only a few kilometers—at most, a dozen. This information had been compiled by various forces during the Third Ninja World War.
If Hyuga Hiashi had said this, Kurenai Yuhi wouldn't have been surprised. As the head of the Hyuga Clan, it wouldn't be strange for him to have surpassed the usual limits of the Byakugan. But Hinata? Hinata was still just a few years old. She had graduated only a little over a month ago, and now, her Byakugan could see a twenty-kilometer radius. What kind of monster was she becoming?
Izanami couldn't help but smile inwardly as he watched the surprise play out across their faces. Even Hyuga Hiashi had been taken aback by Hinata's growth.
Izanami, with his Otsutsuki Bloodline (Red), and Hinata, the princess of the Byakugan, were indeed a match made in heaven. When he had revealed his connection to Hinata, it was like transplanting his power into her. With the help of his Sage Art - Eye (Red) acceleration cheat, he had already seen the first signs of her unlocking her potential.
Hinata, whose bloodline had not yet reached the red level, only needed to absorb his Chakra to stimulate her latent abilities. Over the past months, she had begun to surpass even her family's expectations.
In Konoha Year 58, a pivotal moment came: Izanami had awakened the unique ability of the Uzumaki Clan—physical recovery. Each day after training, regardless of whether Hinata and Hanabi had sustained injuries, Izanami would let them bite him and absorb his Chakra. This didn't just heal them; it also unlocked their potential.
Hinata's Byakugan, with its purity, had undergone the most noticeable transformation. Her farsighted range now exceeded even Hyuga Hiashi's. At this rate, by the time of Shippuden, Hinata's Byakugan might evolve from its purple form to a golden one.
"What's wrong?" Hinata asked, tilting her head in confusion, unaware of why Kurenai Yuhi and Shino Aburame looked so surprised.
Kurenai Yuhi quickly composed herself. With a serious expression, she turned to Hinata. "Hinata, don't reveal the extent of your farsightedness to anyone in the future. It could make you a target."
Hinata, still not fully understanding, nodded seriously, though she didn't know the gravity of Kurenai's warning.
Kurenai continued, "A Byakugan without the Caged Bird Curse Mark, and one that can see within a twenty-kilometer radius... once the other Great Ninja Villages learn of your abilities, you will become a target. You could be sold in the Black Market, or worse, put on assassination lists."
"Yes," Hinata answered, her voice quiet but firm.
Kurenai Yuhi's expression softened slightly as she patted Hinata on the head. "This range of farsightedness will be a huge asset to us. I'll leave the rest of the journey in your hands."
Shino Aburame, sensing the shift, silently retracted the insects he had sent out. With Hinata's Byakugan, the insects' sensory abilities seemed insignificant in comparison.
For the next two days, Hinata activated her Byakugan intermittently, scanning the twenty-kilometer radius around the convoy. During this time, Team 8 encountered two groups of bandits, both of which they quickly dispatched. One group had been scared off after they sensed the Ninja escort, while the other had attempted to attack, only to meet a swift end.
The steep mountain roads had become a perfect hiding ground for bandits and rogue ninja who knew the terrain. Despite the danger, these criminals often didn't hesitate to attack, either out of desperation or miscalculation.
The experience was unsettling for Izanami and his teammates, but they quickly adapted. The school had taught them how to break Genjutsu, and their sensei had even cast Genjutsu on the entire class to show them the grim realities of battle. While many would still struggle with the trauma of such experiences, the top students, including Izanami, were already well past the point of fear.
On the third day of their journey, as the convoy climbed higher into the mountains, Hinata activated her Byakugan once more. But this time, something unusual caught her attention. Her expression shifted from calm to alarmed.
"Everyone, stop! Quickly!" she shouted, her voice laced with urgency.
The convoy came to an immediate halt. Kurenai Yuhi, sensing the tension, quickly turned to Hinata. "Hinata, what is it? Did you sense something?"
Hinata nodded, her face pale with disbelief. "Yes. About seventeen kilometers ahead, there are two mysterious individuals. Their Chakra... it's incredibly strong. Stronger than Red Sensei's—much, much stronger."
Kurenai's eyes widened in shock. She immediately turned to Mr. Nishimura and the others. "We need to turn around. Change the route—now. There are S-rank missing-nin ahead."
"Quickly! Turn around!" Mr. Nishimura shouted, his voice betraying his concern. Clearly, he knew what S-rank missing-nin meant.
Hinata blinked, the realization dawning on her. "So they are S-rank missing-nin?"
Izanami, standing quietly nearby, remained unfazed. But in his blue pupils, a white pattern flickered briefly, signaling that he, too, had sensed the impending danger.
Izanami's gaze pierced through the mountains, traveling nearly seventeen kilometers ahead. There, two figures came into view: one tall, one short; one grounded, the other flying. His eyes narrowed as he recognized them—S-rank missing-nin, as Kurenai Yuhi had warned. The tall figure riding a clay bird was Deidara, and the shorter one, hidden inside a mechanical shell, was Sasori of the Red Sand.
Why were they here? What were they after?
Deidara's gaze swept the surroundings as he hovered on his clay bird, scanning for something—or someone. Izanami's mind raced, considering the possibilities. His focus then shifted to Sasori, who was concealed within his Hiruko puppet. A sudden thought flashed through his mind.
To control puppets remotely with the Reincarnation Eye, the user needed to have knowledge of creating puppets—an essential skill, and one that required both materials and funding. But here, Sasori had ready-made puppets, already crafted and prepared.
Izanami quickly calculated the situation. Changing the course of their route, he had the team walk for a few minutes before excusing himself under the pretense of needing to relieve himself. As soon as he was out of sight, he formed a shadow clone, one filled with a large amount of Chakra.
The clone would remain with the group, while Izanami, the main body, surged forward at an incredible speed, heading directly toward Sasori and Deidara.
Hinata, who had been quietly observing, noticed the sudden movement. Her Byakugan's sharp sight caught the flicker of Izanami's shadow clone. She glanced briefly at it, and the clone, catching her gaze, shook its head subtly, as if to reassure her.
Hinata's expression returned to normal, a slight tension fading as she accepted the situation. In her Byakugan's view, Izanami was a blur, flickering and darting through obstacles as if bending reality to his will. After witnessing his mastery of the Attraction and Amenotejikara techniques, she knew there was no danger to him. If Izanami wanted to escape or attack, there was no force on earth that could stop him.
And so, while the group continued their course, Hinata had faith in Izanami's ability to handle whatever awaited ahead.