Chapter 1005

The Konoha, thrown into chaos by the attack, was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief as night was about to fall, because the unidentified invaders, who had been attacking relentlessly like taffy stuck to one's hand, all began to retreat at the same time.

However, none of Konoha's ninjas looked pleased, especially the Third Hokage, who, gazing at the Uchiha clan compound currently ablaze with towering flames, wished he could beat the mastermind behind the invasion to death with a single staff strike.

"Do not pursue. Immediately organize people to put out the fire! The priority is to locate and confirm Uchiha Sannai's safety."

If one absolutely had to evaluate, although it was the invaders who withdrew, the side that suffered the greater overall loss was probably Konoha.

Setting aside whether there had been non-combatant casualties from the start of the raid until now, the property damage to the entire village alone was already an absolutely considerable expense. Sarutobi Hiruzen had no mind to organize a pursuit; he believed that Young Yuanzi, who had earlier seemed to sense something and left, would give those invaders a lesson impressive enough to leave a mark.

"Truly unexpected—in less than a single week, managing to collect two Tailed Beasts from the Cloud ninjas, that really is doing a great service!" Black Zetsu said with satisfaction, nodding as he looked at Yugito, who was already bound to one side.

Probably even the Raikage himself hadn't anticipated that a spur-of-the-moment secret plundering operation would end up in such an awkward predicament, to the point that even the Two-Tails, Matatabi, could stumble.

This couldn't be blamed on him either; after all, no one would expect a Tailed Beast, whose rampage was enough to destroy a country, to be so terrified before a teenage girl that it couldn't even move.

Unlike the One-Tails' jinchūriki, aside from the Cloud ninjas who couldn't show themselves, absolutely no one would care whether you lived or died, because in their eyes you should still be safely hidden in the depths of Lei Zhiguo.

Black Zetsu looked Yugito up and down; the fear of Hyuga Lin Cheng had still not faded from her eyes—or rather, it was a near-instinctive evasion.

"The One-Tails only yielded a single claw, but you can provide a far greater reward."

A strange smile spread across Black Zetsu's face as he slowly walked toward Yugito, who could offer no resistance.

"Found her! Phew!" A flash of green light appeared beside Hyuga Lin Cheng, then returned and stood properly. Seeing that the other was safe and sound, Young Yuanzi finally relaxed. She didn't know why she cared so much about Lin Cheng, but at this moment it was still best to send her back to the Hyuga residence first.

"Why go through such trouble searching? Lord Yuanzi, you should have scouting手段 no inferior to the Byakugan, shouldn't you?" Lin Cheng, not wanting Young Yuanzi to know his true identity, deliberately asked in a curious tone, while shifting his puzzled gaze from the still-burning Konoha village to Young Yuanzi.

This question caught Young Yuanzi off guard. Subconsciously, she touched her lower back, then realized she hadn't carried her ninja tool pouch—which for other ninjas never left their person—for a long time. Naturally, the Uzumaki clan ceremonial demon mask kept inside it, more as a memento and symbol than for any practical use, was also not on her.

"Probably because I didn't want a certain someone to know?" Young Yuanzi answered awkwardly. Perhaps holding a similar kind of goodwill, she instinctively blurted out words she would never say to anyone else.

Lin Cheng turned his gaze back toward Konoha village.

Young Yuanzi shook her head. Her hearing must have been playing tricks; she thought she had just heard the obedient, well-behaved Lin Cheng let out a cold snort?

No no no, that must be her own illusion.......

Unharmed, and not having encountered any kidnappers after Konoha was suddenly attacked, the target the group of invaders—who had planned for a long time to infiltrate Konoha and set fires everywhere—were searching for sat in the park without a single companion by her side. Young Yuanzi even noticed that, because the match had originally been scheduled for the afternoon, from the morning the enemy launched the attack until now, Lin Cheng's outfit was simply not the attire prepared for the arena.

"Appearing in public now, won't it draw the invaders' attention?" Kaguya-hime looked at Young Yuanzi, skillfully concealing her true inner thoughts and the impulse to rush over and embrace her, still every inch the refined, dignified young lady of a great clan.

Young Yuanzi looked around, and after confirming there were no stragglers, her entire demeanor relaxed.

"Don't say it like that. If any trouble comes up, of course I'll deal with it directly."

"Mm, that's not unacceptable either." Lin Cheng nodded, then very naturally took Young Yuanzi's hand.

By the time there were no longer any fully armed invaders inside Konoha village, it was already late at night.

After briefly smoothing her slightly wrinkled clothes and tidying her appearance, Young Yuanzi set off on the task of escorting Lin Cheng back to the Hyuga residence. Through her keen senses, she clearly perceived that Lin Cheng had actually not been frightened at all, not even a trace of tension.

It really was utterly unlike the Lin Cheng she knew.

She didn't try to make conversation along the way; after all, Young Yuanzi hadn't yet figured out how to organize her words to have a deeper exchange with Lin Cheng. So after entering the Hyuga residence, she headed straight for Hyuga Hiashi, and after simply handing Lin Cheng over to her father, she "fled in disarray."