Chapter 43: Where's the Head?
Though the original story doesn't go into much depth about the Hyuga clan's Byakugan, the long-standing rivalry between the Uchiha and Hyuga clans since the founding of Konoha proves one thing—the difference between their kekkei genkai isn't as large as people think.
In fact, in real combat scenarios, the Byakugan is often more practical than the Sharingan. Especially during war, the Byakugan's utility can be decisive. That's why the village's attitude toward Hyuga has shifted for the better.
The Byakugan grants three major abilities:
Insight: It allows the user to notice subtle changes in their surroundings.
Telescopic Vision: Users can see across great distances, and the range can grow with training.
X-Ray Vision: It lets the user see through objects—buildings, trees, even human bodies—clearly identifying meridians, bones, and acupoints.
When combined, these abilities mean that any Hyuga with decent talent can awaken the Byakugan and push its potential to terrifying levels. In combat, it doesn't matter how well an enemy hides, cloaks themselves in chakra, or uses illusions—once a Byakugan user locks onto them, there's nowhere to run. No tricks. No escape.
The Hyuga clan can read all enemy movements, see when ninjutsu is cast, how much chakra it consumes, and what's happening inside the enemy's body. Nothing is hidden.
So then... how do you lose against that?
Even if a Hyuga can't win outright, they can always escape early.
And that's not even counting the Byakugan's other, still-developing powers. So it's not that the Hyuga bloodline isn't strong enough—it's just that there haven't been many geniuses capable of evolving its potential.
But now... such a genius exists.
"Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
A scorching blaze, shaped like a roaring dragon, surged from the Uchiha Jōnin's mouth, tearing through the dense forest. Nothing stood a chance.
This B-rank fire ninjutsu displayed its full destructive force under the Jōnin's expert chakra control and elemental transformation. But just like before, it was blocked by the Hyuga twins, Souji and Hoshicai, who unleashed a dual strike of Eight Trigrams Air Palm. The fire dragon exploded mid-air, igniting the forest canopy and blanketing the battlefield in smoke and fire.
The Eight Trigrams Air Palm, a secret Hyuga technique passed down for generations, was no weaker than the elemental jutsu of the other clans. Its power was directly tied to the user's chakra control and intensity.
As the forest filled with thick smoke, the two Uchiha ninjas began moving again, flickering through the trees, attempting a counterattack.
"Genjutsu: Shiranui."
The Byakugan's strength lies in its superior perception—it can track enemy movements with pinpoint accuracy. But that same reliance on vision also makes the Hyuga particularly vulnerable to visual-based illusions.
Souji and Hoshicai, who had been chasing them across the treetops, suddenly froze. They hadn't closed their eyes in time when the Genjutsu activated.
The Uchiha Chunin, who had appeared weak and ordinary up to now, suddenly revealed a terrifying truth—the mask came off, and beneath it was a fully awakened Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
The moment the illusion hit, both Hyuga felt the dizzying disorientation and mental chaos of being caught in a powerful Genjutsu.
On its own, Shiranui was only a C-rank illusion—nothing special. But under the hypnotic power of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, it became dangerously deceptive, far beyond its rank.
Dispelling it would take time.
The Sharingan's real strength lies in its ability to copy—mimic movements, ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and even taijutsu. But against the Hyuga, a clan that relied on secret, internalized techniques that couldn't be copied just by watching, that strength was blunted. In this case, only the hypnotic ability had true value.
As the Chunin cast the Genjutsu, the Uchiha Jōnin was already weaving hand seals.
"Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
Another massive flame dragon roared from his mouth—this one even more powerful than the last.
The first attack had been a setup: create fire, create fog, and obscure the battlefield.
In that confusion, if the Hyuga twins had recognized the coming illusion, they would've shut off their vision in time. But if they hadn't, and got caught—then the illusion followed by this second Great Dragon Fire Technique would've been a deadly combo.
As for the third Hyuga hiding in the shadows—clearly a gifted little Genin—he wouldn't have been able to stop it either. At the end of the day, a Genin is still just a Genin.
That was their thinking.
"Eight Trigrams Palm!"
To the shock of the Uchiha, the Hyuga twins—despite supposedly being trapped in an illusion—reacted instantly. Their chakra surged, and with seamless precision, they released another synchronized palm strike, obliterating the fire dragon in mid-air once again.
The Uchiha had no choice but to retreat.
Again, the game of cat and mouse began—Hyuga chasing, Uchiha fleeing.
"I'll stay behind and cover our retreat," the Jōnin said firmly. "This mission is a failure. You must survive and report everything to Chief Fugaku. If I don't make it back... take care of my family."
The words were delivered with calm resolve. He had no idea why the illusion failed—but it had. That was a fact.
The illusion had definitely worked. The chakra flow of the Hyuga had indicated confusion. But somehow, they'd broken free instantly. And that was supposed to be impossible.
The Hypnotic Sharingan-enhanced Genjutsu should have taken much longer to dispel. It wasn't something a normal ninja could break so easily.
That terrifying realization shattered the Jōnin's confidence. He wasn't thinking about how to complete the mission anymore—he was only thinking about how to get back alive.
The younger Uchiha Chunin was stunned by the order.
The entire mission—from ambush to counterattack to now—had taken less than ten minutes. But his head was spinning.
They were supposed to be the hunters.
Now they were the ones running?
They had the element of surprise. They were stronger. The targets were only two Chunins and a child. So how had it come to this?
Why were they the ones retreating?
"You've got more talent than I ever had," the Jōnin said, cutting off his junior's thoughts. "You've already awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. All you lack is experience. Go back. Live. The clan needs you."
Emotion surged through the Chunin's chest. Fear and anxiety clawed at him, but he wanted to resist.
"I... I can't leave you. I want to fight—"
He was about to protest, to say he wouldn't abandon his comrade. That he would stay and fight.
But suddenly—sharp pain seared through his neck.
And then... everything went dark.
His vision dropped to the ground, and for a brief, surreal moment—he saw something horrifying.
But... where was the head?
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