Naruto: Hatake's No Misfortune

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The agonizing effects of the Caged Bird Seal brought even a seasoned Jonin to his knees, begging for mercy. Such was the horrifying nature of this curse.

Muzan looked down upon Nishikawa, who knelt before the elder, trembling with fear. To Muzan, his pitiful display was almost laughable. However, his gaze soon shifted to Hizashi, who stood firm, refusing to beg for mercy.

Now this, Muzan thought, is the resolve befitting one of the Twelve Kizuki. If Hizashi had cowered like Nishikawa, Muzan would have questioned his worthiness to join the Twelve Kizuki at all.

The elder, a member of the Hyuga's Main Branch, swiftly formed a series of hand seals. Nishikawa's Caged Bird Seal activated, inflicting excruciating pain that forced him to scream and collapse. The elder showed no signs of stopping; he intended to crush any potential rebellion from the Branch family.

"Hizashi, your turn!" the elder commanded coldly, giving Hizashi no chance to defend himself as he activated Hizashi's Caged Bird Seal.

But before the seal could fully take effect, Hizashi struck. With a fierce thrust of his Gentle Fist, he slammed his palm into the elder's chest.

A resounding crack echoed as the elder staggered back, blood spurting from his mouth, his ribs shattered under the impact. Shock and outrage erupted among the Hyuga members present.

"Hizashi! What are you doing?"

"Seize him! Such treason cannot go unpunished!"

"Are you openly defying the Main Branch?"

The scene stunned everyone, even Hiashi, who hadn't anticipated his brother would take such drastic action.

"Are you out of your mind, Hizashi? Do you realize the consequences of this?" Hiashi shouted, his voice a mix of shock and urgency, knowing that if Hizashi didn't surrender, he would be executed here and now.

"Mad? No! I'm fighting against an unjust fate!" Hizashi's voice rang with defiance.

Perhaps the demon blood in him played a part, but Hizashi had always harbored a deep resentment toward the Main Branch. Today's events ignited the long-standing anger within him. He felt no regrets—his son Neji was next in line for the curse. Hizashi was willing to risk everything to shatter this cruel destiny.

As Hizashi clenched his fists, it was clear he would not be taken easily. However, the Hyuga members around him were formidable, and they wouldn't allow a traitor to escape.

"What a pathetic spectacle," Muzan said coldly, stepping forward. Drawing his blade, he heightened the tension in the air. The Hyuga members exchanged wary glances, uncertain of whether Muzan would assist Hizashi—and if he did, what implications it would have for their alliances with powerful figures like Hatake Sakumo and Orochimaru.

"Remember our arrangement, Hizashi," Muzan said quietly. Then, in a swift, calculated movement, he grasped Hizashi by the neck, pressing his blade against Hizashi's throat.

Their conversation was inaudible to others, but Muzan and Hizashi had once discussed the possibility of leaving Konoha.

"If you wish to break free from the Main Branch, you must follow the plan," Muzan had advised him.

The next moment shocked everyone.

Crack!

"What?! Hizashi!" Hiashi cried out in horror as he witnessed the scene.

Blood dripped from Muzan's blade as Hizashi's head fell to the ground, his body collapsing lifelessly. There was no doubt—this was no shadow clone. Hizashi had been killed by Muzan.

The Main Branch members were speechless. Muzan's act had been unexpected, but it appeared he had killed Hizashi swiftly to spare him further suffering.

The issue seemed settled, though the Main Branch would likely spin the narrative to avoid political complications. A public account of Hizashi's "execution" would ensure the clan's honor remained intact, despite the painful loss of a fellow Hyuga.

The only person who felt genuine sorrow was Hiashi, who glared at Muzan, torn between anger and caution. Deep down, he knew Hizashi would have faced death regardless. Perhaps, in a twisted way, Muzan's intervention had been merciful.

"Hizashi was my friend," Muzan said calmly. "We both understood the severity of this situation. I only wished to spare him unnecessary suffering. Now, allow me to handle his remains."

Without waiting for a response, Muzan lifted Hizashi's body and head, carrying them to a shaded area.

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In the quiet shadows, Hizashi's eyes opened, his body rejuvenating as Muzan's demon blood restored even his fatal wound.

"As planned, you'll escape Konoha under a new identity," Muzan instructed.

Hizashi Hyuga was dead. From now on, he would live as one of the Twelve Kizuki—the Fifth Moon of the Lower Rank.

"Thank you, Muzan-Sama," Hizashi murmured, filled with gratitude.

There was no need to worry about his son, Neji; Hiashi would surely care for him. Yet Hizashi knew he would not see him for a long time.

"Before you depart, I'll use my Blood Demon Art to ensure our path is secure," Muzan assured.

The timing of their escape was crucial. Muzan's betrayal would only happen once Orochimaru had cleared the way. Otherwise, they would risk confronting Kage-level opponents like Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze and others who could complicate their plans.

"Understood. I'll ensure my identity remains hidden," Hizashi replied.

The existence of the Twelve Kizuki was still concealed in the shadows of the ninja world, awaiting the right moment to emerge.

The Hyuga clan's conflict settled down quickly, and news soon reached the Hokage, who was in tense discussions with the Cloud Ninja.

Though outraged, the Hokage was relieved the enemy hadn't succeeded. Losing the Hyuga's kekkei genkai would have been a devastating blow. Still, Hizashi's "death" caused a public stir, giving the Fourth Hokage a diplomatic headache.

Had Muzan seen the Hokage's frustration, he would have laughed.

Troubled by this? Muzan thought. The Hokage hasn't seen anything yet.

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The peace negotiations were interrupted for suspicious reasons, though no evidence directly implicated Kumo. Minato quickly responded, assigning a large number of ANBU to keep a close eye on them, effectively stopping any Kumo ninja from gaining influence within Konoha.

Once tensions eased, the talks resumed smoothly, with troops withdrawing from the borders and granting the ninja world a rare period of peace. However, true peace was elusive, as each village quietly prepared for the next ninja war, developing secret weapons and strengthening their forces in anticipation.

Meanwhile, Pakura had already departed from the Land of Waves, tasked with protecting Muzan and assisting him in his escape from Konoha.

With Orochimaru's rebellion still pending, Muzan remained close to Orochimaru, aiding him in a series of unethical experiments. These large-scale experiments led to significant advances in genetic development.

"It's finally stable!" Orochimaru exclaimed, momentarily dropping his usual composure as his long-suppressed ambitions surged.

Before them lay a struggling test subject, the cursed seal on their neck finally stabilizing after countless trials. The seal now had the capacity to contain a fragment of the soul.

Despite Muzan's warnings about the risks of integrating a soul fragment—impurities that could strain the body—Orochimaru was undeterred. At least, they had achieved the initial breakthrough.

"Fushi Tensei (Living Corpse Reincarnation)! We've created an immortal jutsu!" Orochimaru declared, though the test subject's body was far from ideal. After recording the crucial data, the subject was discarded.

Orochimaru cast a greedy glance at Muzan but restrained himself before saying, "It's unfortunate Danzo's progress is so slow."

"This is only the prototype. We'll need more test subjects to refine the process. Capturing more is essential," Orochimaru continued, his voice filled with resolve. They had proven the method's potential; now, it was a matter of perfecting it and finding suitable vessels. Orochimaru was on the verge of achieving immortality.

"Madman…" Muzan muttered under his breath, his assessment of Orochimaru unwavering. War and mortality had driven Orochimaru into madness, and his ambition for eternal life knew no bounds.

"Congratulations on your success, Orochimaru-sensei. We should push Danzo to expedite his efforts for more test subjects," Muzan said with a subtle, devilish encouragement. Orochimaru needed no further motivation, yet Muzan's words urged him onward.

"Yes, for the sake of our ideals! Hahaha!" Orochimaru's laughter echoed through the cold, dim laboratory.

Meanwhile, the end of the war ushered in a period of recovery for Konoha. The Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, diligently managed the village, though one particular report troubled him deeply.

"Why are so many people disappearing from the village lately? It started with beggars, but now even ordinary villagers are going missing. Investigate this immediately; there may be kidnappers at work," Minato ordered.

The population was vital to Konoha's stability. Even after the war, maintaining a strong economy required a steady population. Kidnappers were often dealt with harshly, their punishment immediate.

"Understood, Hokage-sama!" replied an ANBU agent. While the investigation was quickly kept quiet, relatives of the missing villagers grew increasingly vocal.

"You're supposed to protect us! Why are our loved ones missing?"

"Find them! They can't be far."

"Konoha feels more dangerous now. Maybe we should consider leaving."

"Stay inside for a few days. Rumor has it kidnappers are in the village."

Danzo, alarmed by the rumors, confronted Orochimaru in his laboratory.

"Have you lost your mind? Using enemy ninjas is one thing, but villagers? That crosses a line! The Hokage has already begun investigating. Stop this immediately!"

Using villagers as test subjects was beyond even Danzo's ethical boundaries. If this scandal were exposed, even ROOT couldn't shield them from retribution.

"We're close," Orochimaru replied, attempting to conceal his growing insanity but unable to hide the gleam of greed in his eyes. "Just let me finish. I'll give you everything you desire—just don't interfere now."

Even if the Third Hokage himself stood in the way, Orochimaru would not yield. The door to immortality had opened, and Orochimaru would not let a shortage of test subjects stop him now.

"Fool…" Danzo muttered, one of the few who could tolerate such audacity. Orochimaru was indispensable to ROOT's progress in developing Uchiha bloodline capabilities. For now, Danzo could only give a final warning:

"If this leaks, your life is forfeit. ROOT cannot protect you."

"Do as you wish."

While Danzo's words were a warning, Orochimaru merely smirked. His disillusionment with the decaying village had grown. Without Danzo supplying test subjects, Orochimaru might have left Konoha after the war.

"It seems Orochimaru-sensei's plan is progressing," Muzan observed, removing his cloak to reveal his polished form. His ruby-red eyes glinted, hypnotic even without genjutsu. As Muzan's body evolved, he became increasingly refined, possessing three powerful hearts that enhanced his already formidable strength.

"Yes, I plan to leave Konoha, but I intend to take everything with me!" Orochimaru declared, unaware of Muzan's deeper intentions. The two were bound by shared goals, but each remained cautious of the other.

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