The World of Naruto in the Eyes of Reincarnation

As soon as Hyuga Kagami stepped into the ruins of Roran, he was immediately struck by a sense of oppressive tension.

It wasn't a chakra-based pressure, but rather a psychological one—the kind of unease a person might feel after unknowingly stepping into a predator's hunting ground.

"Byakugan, activate!"

With a low command, Kagami activated his Byakugan while cautiously walking toward the central tower of the Roran ruins, staying alert to his surroundings.

Through the vision of his Byakugan, everything around him was shrouded in silence and stillness. There was no sign of life throughout the entire ancient city—let alone any chakra fluctuations.

"Hmm, that's odd."

A wave of suspicion rose in Kagami's heart. Even in the barren desert, there should still be creatures like insects or rodents. With so many remaining structures, this place should offer ample shelter from the wind and sand. Yet, there was not a single sign of life.

Still, despite his concerns, Kagami didn't hesitate. No matter what was wrong with this place, it posed little threat to him in his current state. Even in the worst-case scenario—if the chakra of the Dragon Vein went berserk—he was confident in escaping unharmed.

Before long, Kagami reached the site where the Fourth Hokage had sealed the Dragon Vein.

"As I thought, it's a composite sealing technique."

With just one glance, Kagami could tell the Fourth had used a mix of several different sealing methods to secure the Dragon Vein.

He moved closer and crouched down, carefully examining each of the intricate sealing patterns.

While analyzing, he muttered, "The foundation appears to be the Four Symbols Seal, but it's also interwoven with Contract Seals… and another unfamiliar technique..."

After a preliminary analysis, Kagami was sure that at least three powerful sealing techniques were involved. He could identify two—the Four Symbols Seal and the Contract Seal—but the third remained a mystery. It didn't seem to originate from the Uzumaki clan.

"Back then, the Fourth hadn't yet become Hokage, so he would've learned sealing techniques from only two sources: his wife Kushina, who passed on the Uzumaki clan's methods, or his teacher Jiraiya, who had ties to Mount Myoboku."

With that in mind, Kagami developed a hypothesis.

The third sealing technique in the Dragon Vein seal likely came from the Mount Myoboku lineage.

Taking a few steps back, Kagami propped his chin on his hand and considered his options. With his current understanding of sealing arts, he figured he had a decent chance of breaking the Fourth Hokage's seal.

After all, the core of the Dragon Vein seal was the Four Symbols Seal—his specialty. A forced release was possible, though not without risk.

But the presence of the Contract Seal also hinted at something else—a probable bloodline connection between the Roran royal family and the Dragon Vein. To play it safe, he'd need a descendant of the Roran queen present to help stabilize the chakra if it went wild.

"But where can I find a descendant of the Roran queen?"

Back in the Hidden Leaf Village, Root Division Base.

*Shff...*

A figure dropped down and knelt before Danzo.

"Lord Danzo, we've completed the autopsy on Ding You's body."

Danzo, leaning on his cane, struck it heavily against the ground. "Give me the results."

The kneeling Root member responded, "We found thirty-seven wounds on Ding You's body. The fatal injury was to the head. The brain tissue was completely destroyed, so we couldn't extract any information."

Danzo's face grew darker with every word.

When he first heard of Ding You's death, his gut reaction was that Hyuga Kagami was behind it. But after thinking it through, he wasn't so sure.

In his estimation, Ding You was stronger than Kagami.

Ding You had carried out numerous high-level assassinations, including targets on par with Jonin. In both strength and experience, he ranked among the top operatives in Root.

Even if he lost to Kagami, he should've at least managed to send a message before dying so mysteriously.

The Root member continued, "During the autopsy, we also found traces of iron sand in Ding You's body."

Danzo's eyes narrowed. "Iron sand?"

"Yes. The particles were fine, uniform in size, and highly conductive to chakra. They appeared to have been refined over time—almost like..."

The ninja hesitated, unwilling to voice his full theory.

But Danzo, a master of intelligence and espionage, quickly grasped the implications.

"So, from the Sand Village..." Danzo murmured. Then, abruptly, he asked, "Have you looked into the Chunin who delivered Ding You's body to the village?"

"Yes. His records are clean, and he has no ties to the Hyuga clan."

Danzo barked, "Search his mind. I want to know everything!"

The Root member froze. "Lord Danzo, if we do that... the Third Hokage..."

Forcibly probing a ninja's mind carries serious risks and can cause irreversible brain damage. It's a method usually reserved for enemy captives or rogue ninja.

Danzo waved his hand dismissively. "Just do it."

"Understood."

The Root agent obeyed and left.

Not long after, he returned to report, "We've completed the probe. The Chunin had no connection to Hyuga Kagami."

Danzo asked, "When Kagami handed over Ding You's body, was he injured?"

"No. In the Chunin's memory, Kagami appeared completely unscathed."

Danzo followed up, "Did he say where Kagami went afterward?"

"He didn't know."

Danzo frowned in thought. "So was Ding You killed by Kagami... or by one of the bounty hunters targeting him?"

The Root ninja added hesitantly, "During the probe, we... accidentally damaged part of the Chunin's brain. He might not be able to serve as a ninja anymore."

Danzo replied coldly, "Dispose of him."

"But..."

The Root operative knew what "dispose" meant. He'd carried out such orders before—but always against enemies or traitors, never an innocent.

Danzo stared at him, unflinching. "Don't make me repeat myself."

Wiping sweat from his brow, the operative nodded. "Yes, sir."