Naruto: From Konoha to One Piece

The slash was primarily intended to test Susanoo's power, so Shin hadn't used his full striking speed. These ninjas were, after all, Konoha's elites, and in the end, they managed to evade and weren't killed by the attack.

But as they observed the scale of the destruction, all the Konoha ninjas fell silent.

From kilometers away, this single strike had sliced an endless canyon!

This move was directed outside Konoha, so no casualties occurred in the village despite the commotion. Yet the surrounding landscape was effectively cleaved in half.

Considering this, the remaining Konoha ninjas had no will to continue the fight. Without Minato Namikaze to control the battlefield's location, further combat would risk devastation. Winning or losing wouldn't matter; Konoha would be left in ruins.

And frankly, they doubted all of Konoha could stand against this Susanoo.

This was like a weapon of mass destruction wielded with a casual swipe. Who among them could oppose such a force?

The Third Hokage, visibly aging as he gazed up at Shin standing atop Susanoo, called out, "What do you want? Name your terms!"

Shin tilted his head, looking down at the Third Hokage, and said plainly, "I want to find a boy named Hyuga Neji. Hand him over, and I'll leave immediately."

At this, many ninjas exchanged confused glances. "Hyuga Neji…? Who is that? Is he part of the Hyuga clan?"

"I haven't heard of him; he can't be a prominent ninja. Could he be a new member of the clan? The Kurogami already gathered the Sharingan from the Uchiha—has he now set his sights on the Byakugan?"

"But isn't the Hyuga Patriarch supposed to have only had a daughter recently? Haven't heard of any new male members."

As they whispered, their eyes fell on Hyuga Hiashi, who immediately felt the mounting pressure, sweat gathering on his brow.

Hiashi never expected this intruder would target his nephew of all people. He thought if any trouble came, it would fall on himself or his daughter, not his branch-family nephew.

Under the tense stares of his Konoha colleagues behind him and the towering 40-meter blade of Shin's Susanoo ahead, Hiashi felt trapped in a nightmare.

Gritting his teeth, he stepped forward. "Kurogami, my nephew, is only four years old and marked with the Caged Bird Seal as a branch member. What could you possibly want with him?"

Shin's gaze turned cold. "Just answer me: will you hand him over or not? You don't need to know anything else."

That single question had taken all of Hiashi's courage. He knew that if he refused, Konoha would have to fight Shin to the death. But even then, win or lose, the Hyuga clan's future might not fare any better.

If they lost, there'd be nothing left to say. Even if they won, Konoha would inevitably suffer heavy losses and likely vent its anger on the Hyuga clan.

Hiashi had spoken up because Neji was his nephew. If it were any other branch member, he wouldn't have hesitated to hand them over without question.

Feeling the expectant gaze of the Third Hokage and the other Konoha ninjas, Hiashi felt a cold sweat down his spine and finally forced a bitter smile.

"I understand, Kurogami. Just promise you'll keep your word."

Hearing this, Hyuga Hizashi clenched his fists as he stood near Shin.

'This is why I betrayed Konoha. I refuse to let my son face this fate!'

'No matter your talents or strength, when the main family decides to sacrifice you, there's nothing you can do. They won't even inform you.'

'I can sacrifice for the clan, but it should be my choice—not a fate forced upon me!'

Shin glanced at Hizashi, sensing his agitated emotions, though he didn't know his exact thoughts. He understood that the scene before them stirred powerful feelings in him.

Soon, Hyuga clan members brought the four-year-old Neji Hyuga to the battlefield, and his young face displayed apparent confusion.

Susanoo extended a colossal arm, creating a black vortex that enveloped Neji and pulled him into a dark space.

After all, Neji was still marked with the Caged Bird Seal. If Shin had tried to take him out of Konoha Village immediately, the seal might have activated, causing unnecessary trouble.

Typically, the Hyuga clan wouldn't make such a mindless decision, which would only provoke a backlash against themselves. But Shin couldn't trust an old, conservative clan like the Hyuga too much.

After drawing Neji into the dark space, Shin activated his power, transferring Neji's Caged Bird Seal onto the head of a rabbit he had stored there.

"Thanks for cooperating, Patriarch Hyuga. I'll take my leave now." Shin spoke with a smile, and Susanoo suddenly sprouted wings. He soared into the sky with a mighty leap, quickly vanishing from sight.

"Damn it, he can fly!" muttered the Third Hokage, grinding his teeth as he watched Susanoo disappear.

Then he turned to see the clenched fists and expression of anger on Hiashi's face. The fury had slightly subsided from Hiashi's expression, yet his eyes were still steely. Next to him, the Uchiha clan members, renowned for their pride, also looked deeply unsettled.

The Hyuga clan had suffered a significant loss, effectively sacrificing for Konoha's safety. While the Third Hokage didn't necessarily regard a branch member of the Hyuga as highly important, Konoha still owed them an explanation.

As for the Uchiha, their clan had always been volatile. Who knew how they'd react this time?

There were times when he appreciated the Uchiha's passionate, driven nature, yet at the moment, he felt only the headache of managing their unpredictable responses.

"I hope the Uchiha refrain from stirring trouble. Konoha's facing enough problems without added turmoil."

Shin, with Hizashi, flew using the Susanoo for over ten minutes, putting distance between them and Konoha before landing.

Then, he opened the dark space and released Neji, now free from the Caged Bird Seal.

Still confused, Neji stared up at him, a mere four-year-old unaware of what had just happened or the world-shaking events he had unintentionally been part of.

*******************************

BONUS CHAPTER: 50 Powerstones achieved

For each power stones milestone—25, 50, 100, 150, and beyond—I will release a bonus chapter.

If you would like to gain early access, you can join me at www.patre on.com/bookbattalion