Naruto: I, who fooled the ninja world, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 116 Everyone Feels Insecure, People Become Disunited

The dawn's glow resembled a blood-stained gray veil.

The crimson glow of the sunset barely managed to seep into this desolate place through the air vents of the forbidden library.

The dust that had settled in the air over the years tumbled in the beam of light, mixed with a nauseatingly sweet, rusty smell.

"How, how is it possible?"

The two young ninjas from the Hyuga main clan were ashen-faced, their bodies stiff with fear, and their pupils trembled violently in the dim light.

"Another member of the main family has been killed..."

"The white eye... is gone..."

"It was poached..."

The Hyuga clan members gathered outside the ancestral hall whispered among themselves, their fearful voices breaking the morning's tranquility. The news instantly spread throughout the vast Hyuga clan territory.

The last time an elder of the main family died, the Hyuga clan, which lost a pair of Byakugan, was shaken. It was eventually discovered that Orochimaru, who had defected, was responsible. It seems like that was a long time ago.

But now, once again!
Another member of the main family was killed and had his eyes gouged out!
"Scatter! What are you all doing gathered here?"

A majestic voice rang out from behind the crowd blocking the ancestral hall, pushing through the crowd with an undeniable sense of oppression, and walked steadily into the scene that reeked of blood.

Hyuga Hizashi, still disguised as Hyuga Hiashi, had his tall and slender figure outlined in his main family robes, and his cold and stern face was as meticulous as if carved from stone.

Behind him followed Hyuga Higo and several elders of the main family. His pure white eyes swept over the people present, and the depths of his eyes seemed to be frozen with an ancient, unyielding ice.

"Home, head of the family..."

A young member of the main family stepped out of the ancestral hall, looked at 'Hyuga Hiashi', and said in a trembling voice, "Grandpa Kurozuka's Byakugan was..."

“It must be a family split…” another young member of the main family blurted out in fear.

"Shut up!"

Hyuga Hizashi's two slightly somber words interrupted his subsequent speech.

However, many people present had already heard it and knew what he was trying to say.

The air seemed to thicken and become heavy. The branch family members lowered their heads and held their breath, their eyes instinctively darting away, not daring to meet the gazes of the main family members.

A chilling atmosphere suddenly descended, gripping everyone's throat.

Under this oppressive silence, both the main family and the branch families were on edge.

Without a doubt, the only person capable of doing something like this without anyone knowing is either a high-ranking member of the village like Orochimaru, or someone from a branch family.

"Don't say anything before the facts are clear. Go back to where you belong."

Hyuga Hizashi gave a stern reprimand, then led several elders of the clan into the ancestral hall, and then into the forbidden library deep inside.

However, before entering the forbidden library, Hyuga Higo glanced at the door, frowned, and approached Hyuga Hiashi to remind him, "The seal has been broken."

"..."

Hyuga Hizashi's eyes widened slightly, but he shook his head without showing any emotion: "Don't rush to conclusions. It's also possible that Hyuga Kurozuka solved it. Let's examine the body first."

Higo Hyuga nodded, without the slightest doubt.

Soon, they saw the body, the hunched body of the old man, and their hearts sank.

On that deeply lined face, where the whites of the eyes should have been, only two empty holes, two holes filled with congealed blood, were now visible!

The remaining eye socket tissue, after being forcibly torn apart, had long since turned black and dried up, and the eyelids drooped and rolled up like withered fruit peels that had drained all their juice.

The gruesome scene of someone having their eyes gouged out caused several elders of the clan to feel a pang of pain in their eyes, and fear and anger appeared on their faces.

"The time of death was approximately 2 a.m. last night."

The head clan ninja in charge of the autopsy approached and whispered, "First, they crushed his throat, then smashed his neck to kill him. There were no other external injuries. The methods were extremely ruthless and decisive..."

"Killed in one blow?" Hyuga Higo asked with a frown. "Could the culprit have come to steal the secret technique, but didn't expect Kurozuka to suddenly return, so he could only hide in the forbidden library as an ambush?" Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts skipped a beat, and they instantly understood what the elder meant.

If the murderer's motive was to steal the secret technique, then it could only be someone from a branch family.

"It's not certain yet. No books are missing, so it doesn't seem like they're here to steal secret techniques; it's more like they're here to give you a dirty look..."

The man hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and sighed, "Grandpa Kurozuka is too old. If the murderer is very good at hiding, it's possible to follow him and strike when he enters the deserted forbidden library."

"However, there is another point: the way the murderer gouged out the eyes was extremely brutal."

He paused for a moment, his voice hoarse, and said, "Therefore, we can rule out the possibility that Orochimaru returned to Konoha, infiltrated the clan's territory, and struck again."

"..."

These words, like a stone thrown into an icy lake, stirred up a silent yet turbulent undercurrent in their hearts, causing the elders' eyes to flicker slightly.

If it weren't for Orochimaru, that bastard with a criminal record and a penchant for human experimentation.

Therefore, the possibility that the murderer came from within is greatly increased...

For a time, doubt spread like a real plague in the hearts of everyone in the main family.

If the problem really lies within, then why would the murderer want to take the Byakugan?

Will he make another move?
Who will be next?
Or, would elderly members of the main family become his primary targets?

Thinking of this, the scene fell into a suffocating silence, with only heavy breathing intertwined, and shock, anger and fear clinging to the bones like maggots.

Finally, Hyuga Hizashi spoke.

Hyuga Hizashi knew that now that he had replaced his brother as the head of the main family, he had to speak up.

"Complete lockdown."

A chilling voice broke the silence, each word like an icicle striking the ground: "No one in the clan may enter or leave without permission."

"All guards on duty last night, whether from the main family or branch families, must be immediately questioned and interrogated. Even the slightest sound, like a rat's movement, must be recorded. No detail should be overlooked!"

Hishi's tone was resolute, carrying an undeniable chilling intensity.

"Yes!" The main clan ninjas present responded in unison, their expressions becoming tense.

But at that moment, Higo Hyuga spoke up.

"There's one more thing." He looked up at everyone present and said coldly, "Investigate. Find out everything that happened to everyone last night, starting with those from the branch family!"

"This……"

Upon hearing this, the main clan ninjas present exchanged glances, some of them hesitant to speak.

Although they also suspected those who had split up the family, they hadn't gone so far as to target the split-up family.

Once an investigation is launched into those who have separated from the family, suspicions are already out in the open.

"Elder Riwu."

Hizashi frowned and spoke up at the opportune moment: "Investigating the branch family without obtaining any evidence, won't that cause everyone to feel insecure, or even..."

"Disloyalty and alienation?"

Higa Higo's expression remained cold as he finished Hiashi's sentence, saying earnestly, "Hiashi, I know what you're worried about, but the safety of the main family must come first."

"It's just an investigation, it won't have a big impact. If they have nothing to hide, they won't object."

"But if anyone resists or opposes... Hmph, just treat them as the real culprit and punish them!"

No one dared to question the chilling killing intent emanating from Hyuga Higo at that moment.

He means it.

(End of this chapter)