Chapter Forty-Nine: Midnight Operation

As the sun set, the festivities that had raged all afternoon finally drew to a close. The sky was thick with dark clouds; though no rain fell, the atmosphere grew even more oppressive. Gradually, the entire village of the Hidden Leaf slipped into silence, all sounds fading into stillness.

Yet, in a shadowed corner of the village, two figures lingered, their forms hidden in the gloom as they watched intently into the distance. These figures were Uchiha Rei and Uchiha Fugaku, their eyes fixed upon the residence where the Cloud Hidden's diplomatic delegation was stationed.

"Rei, are you truly certain the Cloud ninja will attempt to steal the Hyuga clan's Byakugan?" Uchiha Fugaku asked, his gaze unwavering from the distant building.

Uchiha Rei remained motionless, replying softly, "Clan leader, the information comes from a trusted friend."

"Very well. And you're sure your friend is not mistaken?" Fugaku shook his head, unable to dispel Rei's stubborn certainty.

Even now, Fugaku struggled to believe it. Not because he doubted Rei, but because the idea itself seemed so improbable. Why would the Cloud Hidden act with such folly—attempting to steal the Hyuga's Byakugan while signing a peace treaty? The two villages had already fought to exhaustion; any further escalation would mean true war. Did the Cloud Hidden really not care about such consequences?

"Clan leader, tonight the Cloud must act—they have no choice," Rei said, his tone shifting. "But what about your arrangements? Are they ready?"

At this, Fugaku's heart grew heavy. He looked at Rei with a complicated expression, understanding now what he meant—that the Cloud ninja not only would act, but must. For a moment, Fugaku was silent, then finally drew a deep breath and said, "Don't worry. All those involved are my most trusted men. There will be no problems."

"That's good." Rei nodded, falling silent as he continued to watch the courtyard.

Seeing this, Fugaku could only settle beside him, keeping vigil. In truth, he found it hard to accept that he was standing here, indulging the whims of a younger clan member. By nature, even if he knew the Cloud intended to steal the Byakugan, he would have preferred to avoid further trouble.

And yet, here he was.

Time slipped by, minute after minute, until the night was well advanced. Just as Rei was growing impatient and considering whether he should lend the Cloud ninja a hand, a sudden stir broke the darkness of the diplomatic compound. The Cloud delegation's leader, Kamoi, vaulted the wall under the cover of night, then melted into the shadows, making straight for the Hyuga clan's domain.

"They really went through with it. The Cloud are truly reckless," Fugaku breathed, his disbelief finally crumbling in the face of undeniable evidence.

Rei, meanwhile, wasted no thought on the Cloud's boldness. Since they had acted on their own, there was no need for him to interfere. "Clan leader, I'll follow him. You can begin your part as well," Rei said, tilting his head. "It’s best if you lead the team yourself."

Fugaku nodded slowly, this time without hesitation. "Understood. Leave it to me."

At this point, there was no turning back. All he could do was see that everything unfolded according to plan. Without another word, Fugaku slipped into the darkness, his figure vanishing from sight. Rei, watching his clan leader depart, hurried toward the Hyuga compound as well.

He deliberately kept his pace measured, careful not to alert Kamoi ahead. Thanks to having scouted the area before, Rei had little difficulty following Kamoi, and the two made their way—one in pursuit, one pursued—into the Hyuga’s territory.

The Hyuga compound was steeped in silence. Here and there, red lanterns and other remnants of celebration lingered in the streets. In one corner, empty wooden barrels from the festivities were stacked, not yet cleared away. The air still carried the faint, stubborn scent of alcohol.

Rei found himself lost in thought at the scene. He’d never quite understood, even in the original story, how the Cloud ninja had managed to infiltrate the Hyuga compound and abduct Hinata from the main household—it had always seemed more than a little far-fetched. Had the target been any other family, even the Uchiha themselves, he could find some plausible explanation. But for the Cloud to infiltrate the Hyuga, and not only that, to successfully kidnap Hinata from the very heart of the main house?

Though, in the end, they were discovered by Hiashi Hyuga, and the Cloud ninja was killed, Rei still couldn't make sense of it.

The Hyuga possessed the Byakugan, after all—one of the most formidable abilities for detecting ambush and intrusion in the entire shinobi world. Yet, here it was: the impossible had happened.

"If the Hyuga's defenses after such gatherings are always like this, I suppose it could just about be believed," Rei mused. In all this time, he had not glimpsed a single Hyuga patrol. He stood out in the main street of the compound, not particularly well hidden, yet no one noticed him. All signs pointed to the Hyuga being entirely unguarded at this moment—a truly absurd state of affairs.

There was no point in dwelling on it. Kamoi had already been moving toward the main household for some time. Rei judged the moment right, activated his Sharingan, and leapt forward to pursue.

Just as he reached the main house, he saw Kamoi fleeing the courtyard at speed, Hinata—already rendered unconscious—slung over his shoulder. Behind him, Hiashi Hyuga was in hot pursuit, murderous intent etched across his face. As an elite jonin, Hiashi easily outmatched Kamoi, who was only a regular jonin; in no time at all, Hiashi overtook him, striking with his Gentle Fist and inflicting serious wounds.

Seeing Kamoi’s injuries, Rei decided it was time. In a flash, he darted forward, placing himself between the Cloud ninja and Hiashi.

As he blocked Hiashi’s path, Rei called out, "Clan head Hiashi, spare him! This man is the leader of the Cloud delegation!"

At the same time, Rei used his Sharingan to cast the Illusion: Shackles of Binding, temporarily immobilizing Kamoi.

Hiashi’s eyes widened, the killing intent fading rapidly from his aura. As head of the Hyuga clan, he knew how sensitive the Cloud delegation’s presence was. Had Rei not intervened, in his fury he might well have killed the Cloud ninja—an act with consequences too dire to contemplate.

With a sigh of relief, Hiashi’s confusion took its place. "Uchiha Rei? What are you doing here?"

Rei was prepared. "It’s a long story. Our clan leader has a friend who…"