Chapter 46 (Patreon)

White feathers drifted down across the stadium.

The audience members who had been cheering only moments earlier suddenly felt their eyelids grow heavy. One after another, they slumped into their seats and fell asleep.

Even some of the weaker shinobi were unable to resist the overwhelming drowsiness. Their heads slowly dropped as the genjutsu took hold.

Whoosh!

Two figures leaped from the waiting area and disappeared into the passage below.

Hinata watched Temari and Kankurō leave before looking up at Mihawk.

“Mihawk-kun, this is…”

“It’s a genjutsu,” Shino Aburame answered before Mihawk could speak.

The three of them exchanged a glance, formed the necessary hand seal, and disrupted the flow of chakra within their bodies.

“Kai!”

The white feathers drifting toward them scattered and vanished.

Once the genjutsu had been broken, Mihawk pointed toward a section of the audience.

“Hinata, bring your sister here. A battle is about to begin.”

“Yes.”

Hinata did not understand everything that was happening, but she trusted Mihawk completely.

She activated her Byakugan, immediately located Hanabi, and jumped from the waiting area. Her figure raced toward her younger sister’s position.

Mihawk considered remaining behind for a moment, but he was still uneasy about letting Hinata go alone.

Before following her, he turned toward Shino.

“Hide yourself and watch the situation for now.”

Shino gave a calm nod.

“Understood.”

Mihawk vanished from the waiting area and quickly caught up with Hinata.

The two of them soon reached Hanabi’s seat.

Hinata caught her younger sister before her unconscious body could fall. Supporting Hanabi with one arm, she formed a hand seal and placed two fingers against her forehead.

“Kai!”

Hanabi’s eyelids slowly opened.

Still dazed from the genjutsu, she looked at the girl holding her.

“Onee-sama…?”

“Shh.”

Hinata raised a finger to her lips.

Hanabi immediately became alert. She looked around and saw that fighting had already broken out throughout the stadium, then quickly nodded to show that she understood.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two rows behind them, several spectators who had appeared to be asleep suddenly sprang from their seats.

They tore away their civilian disguises and rushed toward Hinata and Hanabi with kunai in their hands.

Before they could reach the sisters, a brilliant white slash flashed across the space between them.

The attack was so fast that the naked eye could barely follow it.

Slash!

Blood erupted through the air.

Mihawk calmly opened the red oil-paper umbrella he had been carrying and pulled both Hinata and Hanabi against him with one arm, shielding their heads beneath it.

A shower of blood struck the umbrella and poured down its surface, splattering across the seats and staining several unconscious spectators nearby.

When the rain of blood finally stopped, Mihawk casually tossed the umbrella aside.

He looked at Hinata and the red-faced Hanabi.

“Stay close to me. We’re leaving the stadium together.”

“Mm.”

Hinata took Hanabi’s hand and nodded several times.

The three of them quietly made their way through the audience toward the exit.

Hinata kept her Byakugan active as they moved.

Beside her, Hanabi continued stealing glances at Mihawk’s calm expression.

He had entered the stadium with her sister.

Then, the moment something happened, both of them had come to protect her.

Just what kind of relationship did this boy have with Hinata?

Suddenly, Hinata spoke.

“Mihawk-kun—”

Shing!

A sword light flashed in front of Mihawk before she could finish.

A man charging at them from the side abruptly collapsed.

His severed head struck the floor and rolled across the ground, revealing an Otogakure forehead protector.

Hanabi’s eyes widened.

“A-Amazing…”

She had seen the enormous Ranged Slash Mihawk released during his match, but watching an attack from a distance could not compare to witnessing his swordsmanship from only a few steps away.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two figures suddenly appeared in front of Mihawk.

Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy landed back-to-back, each facing a different direction as they guarded against the enemy shinobi around them.

“Mihawk, in the name of the village, I’m assigning you an A-rank mission,” Kakashi said quickly. “I need you to—”

“Sorry, but I’m refusing.”

Mihawk interrupted him before he could finish.

“I’m taking Hinata’s sister back to the Hyūga compound. After that, I’ll help the civilians outside the stadium. Sunagakure and Otogakure shinobi have probably already begun attacking the village.”

Mihawk had no interest in hearing the rest of the mission.

Kakashi was most likely going to order him to pursue Sasuke and bring him back, or to assist Sasuke in dealing with Gaara.

Mihawk had no intention of accepting that kind of assignment.

“I see.”

Kakashi did not insist.

“Then get them out of here. Hurry. I’ll cover you.”

Mihawk nodded and turned toward the Hyūga sisters.

“Move faster.”

He immediately ran toward the stadium exit.

Hinata and Hanabi followed closely behind him.

Several Otogakure shinobi fighting nearby noticed the three of them leaving and appeared ready to intercept them.

Before they could move, Kabuto Yakushi, wearing a dark mask, stopped them.

“Let them go,” Kabuto warned. “Unless you’re eager to die.”

Kabuto had witnessed Mihawk’s slash during the first match.

He understood that the boy’s strength could no longer be judged by his age.

Mihawk was the kind of genius who should have been born during an age of war.

Had he lived in a more chaotic era, his name might already have spread throughout the shinobi world.

He possessed a slash with destructive power comparable to an S-rank jutsu.

Even Kabuto had no desire to confront him directly. Sending ordinary Otogakure shinobi after him would accomplish nothing except increasing the number of corpses.

As though he had heard Kabuto’s warning, Mihawk suddenly turned his head while running and glanced in his direction.

Kabuto froze for a moment beneath his mask.

Mihawk then looked away and left the stadium with Hinata and Hanabi.

Before passing through the exit, he turned his gaze toward the roof above the Hokage’s viewing platform.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru had already begun their battle.

Mihawk knew this would be the Third Hokage’s final fight.

Once the invasion ended, the man known throughout the shinobi world as the Professor and the Strongest Hokage would be dead.

However, if Mihawk chose to interfere, Hiruzen would not have to die.

Mihawk had complete confidence in his own strength.

The Four Violet Flames Formation could not stop his sword.

He could hear the barrier’s breath.

One slash would be enough to cut through it.

Mihawk knew that entering the battle would allow him to prevent the Third Hokage’s death.

Even so, he had no intention of helping.

As Orochimaru had said, Konoha was like a windmill that needed a strong gust of wind to move again.

The Third Hokage had already lost the resolve he once possessed. He was no longer suited to remain in power.

Konoha needed a powerful new Hokage.

Deep down, Mihawk wanted Hiruzen to die.

Only after Hiruzen’s death would Jiraiya leave the village to bring Tsunade Senju back.

Once Tsunade became the Fifth Hokage, she would possess enough strength and authority to restrain Danzō Shimura.

Otherwise, if Hiruzen survived and the news that Mihawk could release slashes comparable to S-rank jutsu reached Danzō, there was no telling what the man might do.

Danzō had already shown that he did not truly fear the Third Hokage.

For that reason, Mihawk had no intention of involving himself in the battle on the rooftop.