Chapter 117: Unlucky Hinata Strikes Again

The series of bizarre actions by “Sarutobi Vairo” was like a stone cast into a tranquil lake, swiftly stirring the vigilance and suspicion of the Hidden Leaf Village.

After an urgent deliberation among the village’s upper echelons, a considerable number of shinobi were discreetly dispatched to tail him.

Each of these trackers was swift and agile, lurking in the shadows with eyes fixed intently on the traces left by “Sarutobi Vairo.”

Yet, the peculiar behavior attracting these pursuers did not faze him in the slightest; his mechanical “heart” continued to beat steadily.

In his view, the purpose of assuming a shinobi’s identity was not to completely conceal his actions indefinitely but merely to secure an identity that would allow him unimpeded movement for the short term.

His figure flickered amid the dappled shadows of the forest as he advanced step by step deeper into the somber Death Forest.

There, towering trees soared as if to pierce the heavens; their massive trunks stood proud, while dense layers of foliage overlapped so thickly they blocked nearly all sunlight, leaving only scattered specks of light dancing on the ground.

Midway through his passage, the artificial eyes of “Sarutobi Vairo” suddenly flashed red, and as if frozen by a binding spell, he halted abruptly.

Within his eyes, the red light pulsed rhythmically, as if transmitting some cryptic signal. Then, beams of this red light shot forth like lasers, slowly forming a screen before him.

Information cascaded down the screen like a waterfall, scrolling endlessly, while “Sarutobi Vairo” remained motionless, his cold mechanical mind rapidly reading and analyzing the data.

[Mission Log Record: [SSM-Sπίθημα-003]]

[Communication Interruption Report:]

[[SSM-Sπίθημα-003] encountered signal disruption from [SSE-Ανάλυση-007] during the surveillance mission on potential Reincarnated Eye evolvers in the ninja world.]

[Assessment and Decisions:]

[After analyzing the current combat strength of the ninja world, [SSM-Sπίθημα-003] deduced that CIC has underestimated the actual military power. Considering the mission’s critical nature, [SSM-Sπίθημα-003] requests CIC to deploy reinforcements to enhance operational efficiency and security.]

[Protocol Activation:]

[According to the mission’s emergency protocol, [SSM-Sπίθημα-003] will adopt a more aggressive strategy. While ensuring mission success, [SSM-Sπίθημα-003] will take the risk of assassinating potential Reincarnated Eye evolvers.]

[Additional Reports:]

[The current combat strength analysis of the ninja world has been generated and sent to CIC.]

[The mission alert system has been activated to promptly respond to any emergencies during execution.]

[Surveillance system sensitivity has been adjusted to capture any critical information affecting the mission.]

[[SSM-Sπίθημα-003] will continue monitoring the ninja world’s dynamics and report progress to CIC in real-time.]

[End of Log]

…

Within the Death Forest, the journey of Hinata, Shino Aburame, and Kiba Inuzuka began with utmost caution.

Every step they took was light, their expressions tense and alert, ever watchful for lurking dangers.

Then Hinata activated her Byakugan; her gaze, sharp as a falcon’s, swept through the forest.

Soon, relying on the Byakugan’s exceptional insight, she locked onto an opposing team.

Upon careful observation, she was delighted to find they carried the scroll the three of them sought.

“There! Five hundred meters at four o’clock—that Rain ninja squad has the scroll we need!” Hinata’s heart lifted as she hurriedly relayed the news to Shino and Kiba.

Guided by Hinata, the two moved with the agility of leopards, swiftly closing in on their target.

Kiba, watching the flustered enemies, broke into a triumphant grin and laughed heartily:

“Hinata, you don’t have to make the first move this time!”

He harbored his own intentions—he wanted to showcase his strength in this battle. Tired of Hinata always charging ahead, he continued:

“Let Shino and me handle this! You’ve got your Byakugan Echo now; it’s time for us to test our own power!”

Shino, hearing Kiba’s words, furrowed his brow slightly and muttered under his breath, “Talkative as always.”

Then he gently twisted open the lid of the device strapped to his waist.

The instant the lid opened, countless kikaichū—parasitic insects—poured out like a tide.

A closer look revealed each insect was armored with miniature plating that gleamed dazzlingly under the sunlight.

These were Shino’s meticulously cultivated special kikaichū—the Armored Parasitic Insects.

These insects possessed a unique combat style: voraciously absorbing the enemy’s chakra while simultaneously piercing their bodies like sharp daggers.

Meanwhile, the ninjutsu and tools sealed within the Armored Parasitic Insects would sporadically erupt, unleashing powerful forces.

Their lethality was immense—ordinary genin participating in the Chūnin Exams could not withstand such ferocity and were forced into retreat.

Kiba’s eyes widened as he watched the enemies besieged by the kikaichū; anxiously, he shouted:

“Ah! Shino, you’re so devious! How could you handle all the enemies by yourself? Save some for me!”

At that moment, Akamaru on his head whimpered in agreement.

Seeing this, Kiba excitedly called out, “Akamaru, attack!”

“Woof!”

Akamaru’s youthful bark pierced the air as he lunged forward like an arrow released from a bow.

Though young, Akamaru harbored a fierce fighting spirit. He refused to be underestimated and sought to prove his strength.

Landing firmly on all fours, Akamaru swiftly intercepted an enemy attempting to flee.

The enemy, dismissive and contemptuous, regarded the small dog as a mere nuisance—easy to kick aside—and planned to break free from the perilous skirmish.

But what followed stunned him.

Akamaru shook his body violently, like a wet dog drying itself off.

Suddenly, a myriad of peculiar, miniature weapons emerged from his fluffy coat, glinting coldly in the sunlight and all pointed in unison at the foe.

A cacophony of banging, popping, growling, and howling erupted; the enemy was impaled by the weapons before he could react, collapsing like a hedgehog fried by electricity—utterly humiliated.

Kiba darted over, proudly rubbing Akamaru’s head while praising him repeatedly: “Good boy! Excellent, Akamaru!”

The dog lifted his head, beaming with pride and joy at being able to assist his master.

These weapons were part of the canine combat armor tools—a significant achievement in the collaboration between Naruto and the Inuzuka family.

Naruto had invested great effort in developing this gear for the Inuzuka, which became a key that unlocked a new chapter for the clan, greatly enhancing the fighting capability of their ninja dogs.

Since then, the Inuzuka clan ceased to be merely reconnaissance specialists; they evolved to possess considerable combat and assault abilities, injecting their missions with newfound confidence and assurance.

A faint smile of satisfaction appeared on Hinata’s face as she carefully retrieved the scroll from an enemy’s grasp, then held it high to show her companions:

“Excellent. This is exactly the scroll we need.”

Raising her chin slightly, she smiled confidently:

“Let’s go! We’re heading for the central tower now! We will be the first to pass this exam!”

If anyone were to see Hinata at this moment, they would be utterly astonished.

For the timid, faint-hearted girl she once was at the academy, this self-assured version was practically unrecognizable.

Now, she radiated confidence, a formidable aura that commanded respect.

Perhaps it was the result of her long, arduous study of spiritual machinery techniques that granted her formidable power, or the awakening of the Byakugan Echo revealing her boundless potential—these served as a solid foundation, bestowing upon Hinata the courage to face any challenge.

As for Kiba and Shino, they merely nodded slightly, remaining calm.

Having spent much time with Hinata, they had witnessed her gradual transformation, which seemed perfectly natural to them; they were fully accustomed to this confident version of her.

The three swiftly tidied the site and eagerly prepared to embark toward the central tower.

Their hearts brimmed with anticipation for the challenges ahead, utterly unaware that within this seemingly serene forest, a menacing aura permeated the air—like the ominous calm before a storm.