No one knew how much time had passed when Ryuma finally opened his eyes from his meditative state.
Seeing the sky had turned completely dark, he decided it was time to return and rest.
As he stood up, he noticed a snake slithering silently along a tree branch not far away, creeping toward a bird's nest.
The mother bird, unaware of the impending danger, was busy feeding her chicks with food she had just hunted.
The nestlings, too, were oblivious, still fighting for the limited scraps from their mother's beak.
The predator drew closer. It flicked its tongue in anticipation, preparing to strike. Its target was the mother bird.
This deadly hunter knew that once the adult bird was taken down, the helpless chicks would be easy prey, a full meal waiting to be devoured.
Ryuma scanned his surroundings, then walked a few steps forward and picked up a tree branch. With a light flick of his wrist in the direction of the tree branch—
"Gravity Slash!"
With a soft murmur, a ripple of purple energy shot forward at lightning speed.
The snake and the bird both sensed the sudden danger. The snake hissed violently, and the bird's feathers stood on end.
But before either could fully register what was happening, their bodies were suddenly yanked down by a force beyond their control, crashing violently to the ground.
It wasn't just them—even the tree branch, unable to bear the sudden weight, cracked off from the trunk and slammed into the earth with a loud crash.
"Chirp…"
"Hiss…"
Neither the snake nor the bird had died from the fall. When they saw Ryuma, both let out what sounded like warning cries.
But due to the immense gravitational pressure, they couldn't move a muscle. It was like being pinned beneath a massive boulder, unable to struggle or escape.
Ryuma ignored their cries. He dropped the now-flattened branch and walked over.
First, he picked up the bird, snapped its neck, and killed it swiftly. Then, he turned to the snake and ended it in the same crude fashion.
As for the nestlings, none were spared. Their necks were twisted one by one—this was simply part of tonight's dinner.
"Before heading home… might as well take a bath."
Carrying the prey in hand, Ryuma walked toward the top of the mountain.
Above this forest was a natural hot spring. It wasn't big—maybe enough for two or three people at most to soak at the same time.
But since Ryuma was the only one who ever came here, it never felt crowded.
Hot springs were a wonderful thing. They promoted blood circulation, sped up metabolism, eased fatigue from training, and helped the body recover faster.
Ever since discovering it, Ryuma had made it a routine to come soak here after training every day.
So, any talk of him "not bathing in ages," as some pesky mongoose might suggest, was nonsense.
...
After finishing his training and bath, Ryuma left the forest and stepped once again into the village streets.
Unlike during the day, most shops in Konoha were now closed for the night. Still, places like taverns were bustling with patrons coming and going.
So even at night, this village was far from quiet—it remained lively and vibrant.
To avoid attracting attention, Ryuma slipped into a side alley after entering the main street.
The scene changed immediately.
Unlike the bright and lively main roads, this alley was dark and grim. There weren't even streetlights.
Cockroaches and rats scurried around trash bins, and the occasional bark from stray dogs would send them fleeing in all directions to avoid becoming dinner themselves.
Ryuma was completely unfazed. Even in total darkness, he knew the path well and moved forward with ease.
…..
As he walked, barking and sobbing sounds emerged from up ahead.
Ryuma approached and saw a girl crouching in a corner, trembling uncontrollably. In front of her were several scruffy, drooling stray dogs.
Rather than her pitiful state, what caught Ryuma's attention were the girl's white eyes.
"Byakugan?"
...
Hyuga Hanabi was terrified. Truly terrified.
She had originally come out to play with her father and her twin sister.
As a daughter of the Hyuga clan's main family, she had carried the responsibility of strengthening the clan since a young age.
Unlike her peers, her playtime was limited. Her father had pushed her to train in Gentle Fist and to become an outstanding shinobi.
Her twin sister, lacking the same talent, had long been dismissed by their father.
So when, for once, their father agreed to take them out for the day, all of her exhaustion vanished in an instant.
Like a fledgling bird longing for the sky, she was curious about everything beyond her clan's walls.
But the streets were crowded, and at some point, she got separated from her father and sister.
By the time she realized it, she had wandered into this dark alley—only to be surrounded by vicious stray dogs.
She wanted to fight back, but her whole body was trembling. Aside from crying, she couldn't do anything.
As the dogs inched closer, she hugged her head and sobbed, despair filling her heart. She silently prayed that someone—anyone—would save her.
"Can someone please save me…?"
"Byakugan…?"
The sudden voice sparked hope in Hanabi's heart.
She looked up and saw a boy in a tattered black yukata standing not far away, holding the bloody corpses of some animals in his hand.
In the pitch-black alley, the dripping red blood looked terrifying and surreal.
Hanabi stopped crying. Her body stopped trembling—not because she felt safe, but because fear had frozen her stiff.
'Ryuma, it's Byakugan. And a very pure one. Kill her and take out her eyes. You could trade them for a sword. If you're lucky you may even get a Supreme Grade Blade…'
The mongoose had also seen the girl and leapt onto Ryuma's shoulder, sounding more like a devil than a pet, trying to tempt him.
Ryuma ignored it. A girl this age, and without the cursed seal of the caged bird, reminded him of the Hyuga clan's princess.
Though her appearance was a bit different from the one he remembered, the unmarked, unblemished forehead confirmed her high status.
At that moment, the stray dogs noticed Ryuma. With a few nervous whimpers, they backed off—then quickly turned and fled the scene.
Ryuma retracted his gaze. He didn't bother with the dogs or the Hyuga princess. He just continued on his way home.
"…Can you take me home?"
Seeing he had no intention of paying her any attention, Hanabi glanced around in fear and mustered her courage to speak.
Ryuma paused mid-step, looked back at her briefly, then continued walking—this time, in a different direction.
Hanabi immediately stood up and followed carefully, keeping a safe distance behind him.
No one knew how long they walked, but soon, Hanabi realized the surroundings looked increasingly familiar. She knew—home wasn't far now.
A bit further, and she recognized the path clearly. Her face lit up with a smile, and she broke into a small run.
Yes, this was her home. That boy had brought her back.
When she reached the gate of her compound, Hanabi felt like she had just survived a disaster.
She turned to look back—only to find the boy already walking away. She quickly shouted.
"Can you tell me your name?"
Ryuma didn't respond and kept walking.
Hanabi panicked and ran after him a few steps, calling louder, "My name is Hyuga Hanabi! I want to be your friend—can… can I?"
Hyuga Hanabi?
Ryuma froze for a moment, looking back at the girl. She did resemble someone he vaguely remembered.
But… how could that be?
"I don't need friends."
Ryuma quickly regained his calm, turned away again, and left those words behind as he disappeared into the night.
Whoever she was, it had nothing to do with him.
Hanabi stood frozen in place, staring blankly as the boy vanished into the shadows like a lone wolf.