Konoha’s Black Plague

Breakout

"Uncle Hizashi, what should we do now?"

Yuyan's Byakugan was already activated, her pale eyes scanning the surroundings with tense precision. She understood immediately — they were in grave danger.

From what Bai Ye had said, this crisis had erupted because of her. She bit her lower lip, guilt contorting her expression. The burden weighed heavily on her heart, though a touch of frustration remained. She had kept her forehead protector hidden, meticulously concealed… So how had they noticed?

She finally understood why the clan forbade her from traveling alone — and why the Caged Bird Seal existed. This was reality. Ruthless and cold.

If it weren't for the seal's automatic destruction of the Byakugan upon death, countless Hyūga would've fallen victim to foreign exploitation. The clan would've vanished from history.

Yuyan silently vowed: If I survive this, I will become the strongest shinobi. I'll make sure no one ever dares covet the Byakugan again.

"I'll double back and draw their attention," Hizashi said calmly. "You three — Bai Ye, Yue, and Yuyan — flank right and break through the perimeter. We'll regroup in Qianyu Town once you're clear."

Hizashi gently placed his hand on Yuyan's head, a rare gesture of tenderness. He had already made up his mind. A direct retreat would only end in failure — they were surrounded. But if he caused a large enough diversion, the enemy might commit their forces to chase him instead.

The children understood his intent instantly. Yuyan and Yue's eyes welled with tears, but they held them back. There was no time for emotion.

"Listen," Hizashi said, squatting down and embracing the three of them. "When you hear the explosion, move. Yuyan, your Byakugan can still detect the traps, yes?"

She nodded, lips trembling. Her throat tightened, unable to speak.

"We'll act when the signal comes. If we make it, we can bring back reinforcements," Bai Ye said firmly, seizing the moment after Hizashi disappeared into the forest. He pulled the two girls along — time was slipping through their fingers.

Despite his reassurance, he knew the truth: the enemy wasn't after Hizashi. They were after Yuyan. And that made them the primary targets.

"Don't overthink it," Bai Ye added, glancing back at Yuyan, who remained distracted. "We're the vulnerable ones — not Hizashi-sensei. He can handle himself better alone."

"…Okay." After a moment of silence, Yuyan finally nodded. The ninja in her returned, even if reluctantly.

Then — BOOM.

The explosion ripped through the forest behind them. The signal. Hizashi was making his move.

Yuyan took point, her Byakugan wide open, eyes darting across the terrain. With her in front, they managed to weave through the trap-laden forest for a good stretch.

Until— "Boom!"

A sudden flash erupted from a nearby trap — one she hadn't detected. The shockwave barreled toward her, unstoppable. There was no time to dodge.

Yuyan instinctively crossed her arms over her head and braced, shutting her eyes tight. She didn't attempt to block with chakra or the Gentle Fist — preserving stamina was more important in their situation.

But… nothing hit.

When she dared to crack open her right eye, she saw the truth.

Bai Ye stood in front of her — his back shielding her completely. Blood stained the bark beneath him. His flak jacket was shredded, blackened from the blast. Charred skin and embedded splinters marked his exposed flesh.

"You misjudged the blast radius…" Yuyan muttered, her voice trembling with guilt.

Bai Ye didn't reply immediately. His breaths were shallow, but he still stood. "The enemy triggered it remotely. That's the only explanation. Yuyan, did your Byakugan catch anything?"

Yue reached them, her eyes widening at Bai Ye's injuries.

"No," Yuyan admitted. "My field of vision isn't as wide or sharp as Uncle Hizashi's. I only saw the traps — no chakra signatures, no movement."

"Then they're using camouflage or suppression techniques," Bai Ye muttered. "Could be puppeteers. The kind that hide underground and control from afar…"

Yuyan's eyes widened. "Sand Ninja?"

It made sense. The Puppet Brigade of Sunagakure was infamous for laying traps and staying hidden. Her Byakugan, while powerful, struggled with sub-surface detection — especially with terrain manipulation or chakra suppression techniques like Chakra Concealment Seals.

Bai Ye knelt for a moment, and to their relief, the bleeding slowed. His strange physique was already ejecting embedded shrapnel with unnatural efficiency. His skin — while burned — was beginning to close up.

"I'll recover, but I just blew most of my chakra on that movement burst. I can't do that again so soon," he grunted.

"We still can't just charge ahead blindly. They'll keep detonating traps the moment we're within range."

"Then we draw them out," Bai Ye said, his tone hardening. "I'll deliberately trigger the next trap. Once it explodes, you two follow immediately. If they're holding back, they're probably not confident in close-range combat."

"Bai Ye—" Yue began, but he cut her off.

"There's no time. We have to break out before the enemy realizes Hizashi-sensei's position was just bait."

Yuyan and Yue exchanged glances. Then they nodded.

This wasn't ideal — but at least it was proactive. They couldn't rely on stealth anymore.

Bai Ye dashed forward. Boom after boom echoed through the trees as he activated trap after trap, sending shockwaves and smoke into the canopy.

And then—

"Bang!"

A cloud of dust erupted beneath him. Something had been hiding underground.

Bai Ye didn't hesitate. The moment he sensed the change in terrain pressure, he drew his blade — not a standard kunai, but his Zanpakutō — and slashed downward with full force.

When the dust settled, he saw it clearly.

A puppet. Three glowing eyes. Four arms. Reinforced steel and chakra threads.

A Crow Unit.

Sunagakure. No doubt.

The puppet had been coated in sand to blend with the earth — a technique similar to Sasori's concealment strategy. That's how it avoided Yuyan's sight.

This wasn't just an ambush — it was a full-on hunt.

The real enemy was close. Still hiding. Still watching.

And the worst… was yet to come.