In that case, even Lord Hokage probably wouldn't say anything.
The two Hyuga Chunin had a simple plan: strictly follow the mission assigned by the elders. It never occurred to them that, should something go wrong, they might be sacrificed as a way for the Hyuga clan to appease the Third Hokage after the mission was complete.
"So, in the end, it all comes down to strength," Kawa Kiqing Yu sighed, then swiftly used the Body Flicker Technique to evade the two's Gentle Fist strikes.
Kawa Kiqing Yu darted back and forth with the Body Flicker Technique, deliberately staying away from his designated point, while the two Hyuga relentlessly pursued with their Gentle Fist. After creating some distance, a smile curled at the corner of Kawa Kiqing Yu's mouth.
"Alright, the traces of battle now completely prove that you two attacked first."
Whether it was an active attack or passive defense under duress was crucial to Kawa Kiqing Yu, who still lacked strength.
With the necessary traces now left behind, the next step was to deal seriously with these two 'loyal dogs' of the Hyuga clan.
"Hado No. 4: Byakurai (Pale Lightning)."
Kawa Kiqing Yu's lips curved upward. As a transmigrator, how could he not have a standard golden finger?
Lightning flickered from his fingertips, and thunder rumbled in the air—cough, cough, it was just the air. White lightning pierced the atmosphere, striking one of the Hyuga ninja with speed rivaling that of lightning.
This low-level Kidō from the Bleach world could be adapted for chakra use. It was one of the abilities Kawa Kiqing Yu had acquired through his cheat. Its power was moderate, roughly equivalent to a C-rank Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique.
However, compared to the Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique, which was a slow and cumbersome jutsu that rarely hit anyone, Pale Lightning was faster to activate and required no hand seals. Ordinary opponents couldn't dodge it, especially close-combat specialists. It was an ideal counter.
Yes, he was referring to the two ninjas in front of him.
"You damn bastard, not only do you dare defy your superiors and disobey the elders' orders, but you also attack us. You deserve to die!" The Hyuga Chunin who had been struck by Pale Lightning was furious, his eyes burning with rage. He looked as if he were about to rip Kawa Kiqing Yu apart.
Well, alright, low-level Kidō had its drawbacks. Although it could control these two nuisances to some extent, the power, after abandoning the incantation, was indeed lacking.
But that didn't matter. This wasn't a life-or-death battle, and he didn't have any loved ones in the hands of the enemy to be used as leverage. He had all the time he needed to deal with these two.
"Hey, hey, hey, I can't pretend I didn't hear that. What do you mean, 'defying your superiors'? As a member of the vast Konoha civilian ninja force, our supreme leader has always been Lord Hokage. Since when did it become the Hyuga clan?
Could it be that the Hyuga clan has become the master of Konoha without my knowledge? Inherited the Hokage's position? If that's the case, I'll have to verify it."
His words elevated his moral stance, placing the Hyuga clan—and even the entire clan—on the fire.
Such behavior would inevitably infuriate the two, making them even more hostile toward Kawa Kiqing Yu, but if that were all, he wouldn't have cared.
The two Hyuga Chunin, now fully enraged, attacked Kawa Kiqing Yu with even greater force. Their Gentle Fist was extremely skilled, and the transitions between their strikes were seamless. At least at Kawa Kiqing Yu's current level, defeating them in a two-on-one fight would be impossible.
But so what if he wasn't confident in winning? He, Kawa Kiqing Yu, wasn't a taijutsu ninja, so there was no need to fight these two idiots head-on.
"Hado No. 4: Byakurai (Pale Lightning), Hado No. 4: Byakurai (Pale Lightning)..."
Using the Body Flicker Technique to dodge constantly, Kawa Kiqing Yu made sure the two couldn't get close, while occasionally turning around to reward them with a Pale Lightning. With experience, the two ninjas had learned to react quickly—whenever Kawa Kiqing Yu raised his hand, they dodged in advance.
This method worked quite effectively. The frequency with which the two were hit by Pale Lightning had clearly dropped.
However, Kawa Kiqing Yu couldn't keep running indefinitely.
Having been struck by Pale Lightning repeatedly, even the weakened version of Pale Lightning without the incantation had turned the two Hyuga Chunin into electrified ghosts. Their skin seemed to darken, and if this continued, people might start suspecting they were spies from the Land of Lightning—even without their Byakugan active.
"Damn brat, do you only know how to run? If you have even a shred of pride as a member of the Hyuga clan, then come and fight us head-on."
Unable to take Kawa Kiqing Yu down, one of the Hyuga Chunin attempted to provoke him into a head-on battle.
But Kawa Kiqing Yu responded with a contemptuous gaze, as if looking at an idiot.
"Fair and square? Please. I'm a ninja. It's good enough if I stay in the shadows and strike when the opportunity arises. You expect me to fight 'fair and square'?"
"You're probably living in the era of Uzumaki Naruto."
Kawa Kiqing Yu's disdainful look made the two on the opposite side understand exactly what he was thinking.
The one who had suggested a fair fight had turned red, whether from anger or shame, probably a combination of both.
"Next, no more nonsense. Since that little brat wants to drag this out, then let's drag it out. No matter how fast Body Flicker Technique is, how much chakra can a brat who just graduated from the Academy a year ago have?"
As one of the Hyuga Chunin spoke, he closed his Byakugan. Since he couldn't fight Kawa Kiqing Yu in close combat, activating the Byakugan no longer made sense. It was better to conserve chakra.
The other followed suit, closing his Byakugan as well.
Now, the two Hyuga Chunin began their war of attrition against Kawa Kiqing Yu, hoping to drain his chakra. A ninja without chakra was like a toothless tiger.
With their plan now laid out, they put pressure on Kawa Kiqing Yu both physically and psychologically.
But Kawa Kiqing Yu seemed unhurried. He was completely unphased by their strategy.
Wasn't it just dragging things out? Fine, he'd do exactly as they wished. He'd make sure the two understood what it meant to face the despair of running out of chakra.
The battle continued, with one fleeing and two chasing.
The two Hyuga Chunin aimed to exhaust Kawa Kiqing Yu's chakra while keeping him from escaping to a more populated area where he could attract more attention. It was a technical challenge.
As the battle continued, the situation tilted in their favor, just as they'd planned.
"Heh, just as I thought. A rookie fresh out of the Academy. How much chakra can you possibly have at your age?" The psychological warfare was working—dirty, but effective.
This time, Kawa Kiqing Yu didn't stay silent: "Heh, is this what the Hyuga clan's ninjas are like? So-so, using tricks just to deal with a genin who graduated a year ago. Your combat skills are truly lacking."
"Oh, I almost forgot. You're from the branch family—loyal dogs raised by the main family your whole lives. No wonder this is all you're capable of."
"Oops, calling you ninjas was my mistake. I should call you 'ninja-dogs' instead."
Capture Alive
When it comes to disgusting people and messing with their mentality, Kawa Kiqing Yu believes you're all younger brothers compared to him.
And the truth proves it: Kawa Kiqing Yu was much more skilled at offending people.
His words hit hard, and the two Hyuga ninjas were like exposed to long-standing wounds, their anger flaring up again.
"Damn brat, you'll pay for this."
"Brat, you'll regret being born. Our orders were just to bring you back, but they didn't say we had to bring you back unharmed. Your chakra is already depleted—prepare for hell."
Kawa Kiqing Yu's use of Pale Lightning had visibly decreased, causing the two Hyuga ninjas to grow hopeful. Seeing a chance, they increased their attack speed again.
At that moment, both of them thought that once they captured Kawa Kiqing Yu, they'd have the perfect opportunity to torture him.
Looking at Kawa Kiqing Yu, although he could feel his chakra running low, he didn't panic at all and continued to mock: "You're just threatening me. Can't refute it? Does that mean you admit your ninja-dog status?"
"Bastard."
"Damn."
The two Hyuga Chunin's hatred for Kawa Kiqing Yu spiked, but just as he had said, despite the insults, they couldn't deny it.
At that moment, Kawa Kiqing Yu's Body Flicker Technique sped up dramatically, creating a larger gap between them.
"Not good, stop him!"