Chapter 80: Mission Command
"Did Uchiha Sasuke fail the graduation exam?"
Hinata delivered the message to Ryosuke after returning home from the Academy.
Ryosuke only nodded slightly in response. As expected, the news didn't stir much emotion in him.
This was Sasuke's first attempt at the graduation exam, and Ryosuke had already predicted the result. He was certain Sasuke would try again soon.
The recent changes to the ninja school system—along with the increased difficulty of graduation—clearly pointed to Sarutobi Hiruzen and the higher-ups in Konoha intentionally suppressing Sasuke's growth. It seemed they wanted to keep him in a controlled, stable environment.
However, Ryosuke also remembered seeing a future where Sasuke graduated early and became a Genin, skipping the standard group assessment. That might've only happened because of Ryosuke's future interference.
If Ryosuke hadn't meddled, Sasuke might've followed the same path as the original timeline—graduating at age twelve alongside his peers during the regular group assessment.
That was the problem with glimpsing too far ahead—the longer the time span, the fuzzier the details. The future Ryosuke saw wasn't set in stone. Unless it involved massive, unchangeable events—like a meteor striking a planet—most things were uncertain.
But to be honest, Sasuke wasn't on Ryosuke's radar right now. He didn't care about him unless he did something truly worth paying attention to.
For now, Ryosuke had bigger things to deal with—like the mission to the Land of Waves.
---
The next morning – Konoha's village gate
Ryosuke and his team left Konoha openly. There was no need to sneak around. On paper, this mission was a diplomatic one, commissioned by the Fire Daimyo. The Hyuga clan was being sent to the Land of Waves for official matters.
In truth, their real mission was far more serious—they were going to take control of the entire Land of Waves.
The higher-ups in Konoha probably already knew. But because of the peaceful resolution of the earlier conflict with the Hidden Cloud envoys, and because they owed Hinata a favor for that, they chose to look the other way.
"Hizashi-sama, are we heading directly to the Land of Waves?" one of the two Jonin in the team asked.
The moment he spoke, everyone else in the squad—except for Ryosuke and Hoshicai—turned toward Hyuga Hizashi.
Somehow, not even ten minutes into the trip, the group had already split into two factions.
Ryosuke and Hoshicai stood on one side.
The rest—led by Hyuga Hizashi and including several Hyuga Chunin handpicked by Hoshicai—stood together on the other.
Ryosuke, unfazed, continued walking for a few moments before stopping. He turned back, wearing a calm, easygoing smile as he looked at the group behind him.
He already knew everything there was to know about the situation in the Land of Waves—and more importantly, he now had the freedom to act.
Getting there quickly was ideal. He didn't need to ask anyone; Hiashi had already assigned two capable Jonin to accompany him the night before.
Only two, but both were top-tier.
One was Hyuga Hizashi—Hiashi's younger brother and Ryosuke's uncle. As the head of the branch family and someone who frequently left the village on missions, Hizashi was arguably even stronger than Hiashi.
The other was Hyuga Iroha, an elite Hyuga with an extremely pure Byakugan—at least by clan standards.
Both were seasoned Jonin, and with their bloodline abilities, they were powerhouses. Adding Ryosuke, Hoshicai, and a dozen other trained ninjas to the mix, they had enough firepower to take down a small hidden village.
Still, the presence of these powerful Jonin created tension. Technically, Ryosuke was supposed to lead this mission, but because of his age—and the respect Hizashi commanded—some of the branch family ninjas leaned toward following Hizashi's lead instead.
Even if Ryosuke was from the main family—even if he was exceptional—he was still young. Too young.
But the tension didn't last long.
Hizashi stepped forward, pausing as the others held back. "Ryosuke," he called out, "what's your plan?"
His voice was calm but carried weight.
He took a few steps closer, the rest of the team falling in behind him without a word. Even Jonin Iroha followed his lead.
Ryosuke didn't skip a beat. "I've already mapped out our route. If everything goes according to plan, we'll reach the border in three days."
"And if there are ambushes?" Hizashi asked, continuing the impromptu debrief.
Ryosuke nodded. "We'll stop periodically to rest. During those breaks, we'll have those with Byakugan sweep the surrounding area to check for enemies or trackers. Once we confirm it's clear, we move on."
The two exchanged plans naturally, each question-and-answer flowing like a tactical briefing.
Everyone else in the squad quickly realized what was happening.
Hizashi was handing over command to Ryosuke—openly, respectfully, and without resistance.
None of the others objected. If Hizashi trusted Ryosuke to lead, they would follow.
While it might've seemed like routine mission planning, Hizashi was carefully studying Ryosuke. Calm, composed, confident—he handled everything with ease.
Hizashi's thoughts drifted back to the night before...
---
The night before – Hyuga compound, at the branch family boundary
The stars were dim, and the shadows long. Hizashi stood across from Hiashi for the first time in a long while.
"Is the real mission to protect Ryosuke?" Hizashi asked quietly.
Hiashi, pale and visibly weakened, nodded.
Hizashi frowned slightly. "Who exactly is Ryosuke to you? Why are you going this far to train him?"
As head of the branch family, Hizashi was more informed than most. He knew Ryosuke held a special position—more than just a mere relative or in-law.
Sometimes, he even suspected Ryosuke, not Hinata, was the true future heir of the Hyuga clan.
Hiashi didn't give a straight answer. He simply looked at his brother and said firmly, "You'll understand during the mission."
Then his voice turned serious. "If he reveals his strength at any point, and if there's any risk of that information leaking... eliminate everyone who isn't one of us."
Hizashi's eyes widened slightly.
Hiashi didn't stop.
"He is the hope of the Hyuga clan. If anything happens—anything beyond our control—abandon the mission and bring him back alive."
"Ryosuke's life is more important than the family, Hizashi."
There was no hesitation in his voice.
And Hizashi understood.
He understood the weight of those words.
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