The Shadow of Konoha

"This is not looking good..."

The next day, just a few hours after leaving the scene of the incident, Hanyu realized the seriousness of his situation. Crossing the jungle and sneaking across the border from one country to another should have been a familiar task for him, but all this was only possible if he was in good physical condition.

The problem was that he was injured yesterday, and it was a very serious injury. Then he got caught in the rain. Due to various reasons, his physical condition was extremely bad: he had a high fever, his head was dizzy, and every step felt like torment.

Bringing the news of Senju Tobirama's death back to Konoha was a rare opportunity for Hanyu. Not to mention any profound plans, at least Konoha was a place where he could settle down in these troubled times, so it wasn't hard for him to decide to agree.

Entering Konoha meant an unpredictable turn in Hanyu's life. The direction of the turn might not be better, but at least it wouldn't be worse than his current situation. Moreover, the sooner the news of the Second Hokage's death was brought back to Konoha, the better it would be for the ninja village, and for Hanyu himself.

But the problem now was that his physical condition didn't seem capable of supporting such a high-intensity journey.

Passing through the jungle, crossing the border, entering the Land of Fire, and then heading towards the center of the country—Hanyu estimated that it would take him half a month to reach Konoha. Although Konohagakure is called the "Hidden Village" of ninjas, its location is actually very well-known. Even if Hanyu knew nothing about it, he could still find Konoha, one of the five major ninja villages. Its fame and the connections with the Land of Fire made its location easy to pinpoint.

Hanyu's physical condition at this time was far worse than "not very good." The damp soil in the forest after the rain, the steaming humidity from the towering trees and lush leaves—all made the air unbearably heavy. His clothes clung tightly to his skin, and he could hardly breathe.

In the current situation, Hanyu needed a good rest, and it would have been best if he could recover somewhat before heading to Konoha. However, first Because of the battle that had erupted here before—one involving figures like the Raikage and the Hokage—Hanyu was worried that other ninjas might come to investigate the area. Second The little dry food he carried wasn't enough to support him if he rested in the forest for too long.

And thirds He had no certainty that his injuries would improve simply by resting; he needed medicine and proper treatment.

Given these factors, he had no choice but to press forward.

Under yesterday's circumstances, the Second Hokage's ability to help him had likely been limited. Senju Tobirama wasn't a ninja known for extraordinary medical skills. Moreover, it was hard to expect much from someone at the end of their life.

Hanyu's head spun as he trudged forward, dragging his injured arm. Although he could still barely identify his direction, he didn't realize that as he passed through a certain area, a pair of hawk-like eyes had locked onto him.

As Hanyu had guessed, this dense forest—normally desolate—was now filled with reconnaissance ninjas from various forces.

An hour later, Hanyu reached a stream. Parched with thirst, he knelt to draw some water when an unfamiliar voice sounded behind him.

"Don't move."

At the same time, a sharp kunai pressed against his neck.

The situation unfolded suddenly, but Hanyu understood that at this moment, he had no choice but to comply. He raised his only movable arm, signaling that he wouldn't resist.

In the reflection of the stream, he could make out half of the stranger's face behind him, as well as the symbol on the forehead protector—it identified the ninja as being from Iwagakure.

However, the forehead protector alone wasn't absolute proof. The individual could have been a ninja from another village disguised as one from Iwagakure. Given the location—this forest lay in the Land of Fields, a small country bordered by the Land of Earth, the Land of Lightning, and the Land of Fire—it wasn't unusual for ninjas from these nations to appear here.

"Don't look back. I'll ask the questions, and you'll answer them... How did you get injured?"

The stranger's cold voice sounded again. From his observations, the Iwagakure ninja had confirmed that Hanyu wasn't a ninja but an ordinary person. Yet, this raised contradictions: why was an ordinary person in such a location, and how could his injuries be explained?

That's why Hanyu had become a target.

Compared to the Second Hokage's attitude towards him yesterday, the stranger's current demeanor was far more typical of a ninja dealing with civilians. If the Iwagakure ninja judged him to be worthless—or a threat—he would be killed without hesitation.

Understanding this, Hanyu answered without hesitation, "Yesterday, I accidentally wandered into a battle between ninjas and got caught in the crossfire. Both sides ended up dead, and one of them asked me to deliver a message to his village before he died."

He didn't hold back. Instead of saying "passing on a message," he directly used the more serious term: "intelligence."

"Which village is the information for?"

"Konoha."

"What's the intelligence?"

"Here."

Carefully, Hanyu pulled out a note from his pocket and handed it back slowly. The stranger took it with one hand while keeping the kunai firmly pressed to Hanyu's neck. However, Hanyu noticed the kunai momentarily lift from his skin.

The note contained a short code. Unless the stranger was a Konoha ninja—or a member of its intelligence department—it would be impossible to decipher it quickly.

Still, the Iwagakure ninja could infer details from Hanyu's account and try to deduce the contents of the note.

"Turn around slowly. There are some things I need to confirm."

"Ah?"

Hanyu turned instinctively. At that moment, a powerful, irresistible will overwhelmed him.

"Genjutsu..."

If he could still speak, that's what he would have said.

"You know what happens next."

With Hanyu now under the influence of the illusion, the ninja had no concerns about lying during the interrogation. To obtain the most accurate information quickly, genjutsu interrogation was the best method.

Just as Hanyu was about to reveal the name "Senju Tobi," his unfocused eyes suddenly regained clarity. Simultaneously, his severely injured arm shot up, grabbing the enemy's hand that held the kunai.

A ninja unable to perform hand seals could not use most techniques. By physically restraining the enemy's hands, Hanyu had effectively neutralized the majority of the ninja's abilities.

"Impossible! How can you break free from my illusion? You're just an ordinary person..."

In an instant, the tide had turned, leaving the Iwagakure ninja utterly bewildered.

Genjutsu manipulate chakra to interfere with the target's five senses. Breaking free required disrupting one's own chakra flow—something only achievable by those with chakra. For an ordinary person who supposedly lacked chakra, breaking the illusion should have been impossible.

"If your companions haven't shown up during this whole encounter, it means you really are acting alone," Hanyu muttered, finally able to relax—if only slightly.

This conclusion seemed to reassure Hanyu, but his reaction provoked a sneer from the Iwagakure ninja. Did this kid really think he had a chance?

The enemy tried to break free from Hanyu's grip, but what happened next shocked him further: no matter how much strength he used, he couldn't budge Hanyu's arm. It was as though an unexplainable force held him in place.

It was only then that the ninja noticed the sudden surge of chakra emanating from Hanyu. Following the trail of energy, he saw the hollow wound on Hanyu's shoulder. From the wound, dark, bulging blood vessels spread like twisted tree roots, pulsing ominously.

With all his strength, Hanyu gritted his teeth and drove the kunai into the enemy's chest. He knew this was his only chance to escape. If the ninja broke free, there would be no second opportunity.

The burst of energy within him was so intense that the Iwagakure ninja couldn't resist it. The kunai plunged into his chest, and the ninja collapsed to the ground, blood pooling beneath him.

"Are you...a ninja?" the enemy asked weakly, his voice laced with despair and disbelief.

"I wasn't before," Hanyu replied coldly, "but I might consider it in the future."

"What...is going on?"

Hanyu wanted to ask the same question. But instead of answering, he let the ninja fall silent forever.

At the moment Hanyu had been caught in the genjutsu, it felt as though something inside him had been triggered. A strange power had erupted from his body—not only breaking the illusion but giving him the strength to kill a trained ninja.

However, the mysterious power vanished as quickly as it appeared. Moments later, Hanyu could no longer lift his arm.

Looking down at his wound, Hanyu noticed the abnormal changes in his body. Whatever had happened wasn't natural.

He retrieved the note from the enemy's lifeless hand and reclaimed the kunai. But as he staggered to his feet, he realized he was surrounded by another group of ninjas.

"Can't I even have a moment to celebrate surviving?" Hanyu muttered bitterly, a wry smile on his face.

He had done everything he could. His body had reached its limit.

"Weren't you acting alone? Then why is there backup?" Hanyu thought but didn't have the strength to ask aloud. His vision blurred, and the world spun before him.

Exhausted and feverish, Hanyu collapsed, falling unconscious before he could see the group of ninjas clearly.

What he failed to notice, however, was that the forehead protectors worn by the newcomers bore the symbol of Konoha.