After finishing up his paperwork, evening had arrived. The sun sank westward, and the sky gradually darkened.
Watching the last rays of sunlight vanish, Satori Hyūga chuckled lightly, put down his documents, and prepared to head back to his clan's compound.
The factory had just started operating, and there was a shortage of personnel, which meant he had to handle many things personally.
Hyūga Yui could assist in minor tasks, but she still wasn't skilled enough to take over directly.
Thankfully, the Shadow Clone Jutsu was reliable, allowing him to work and train simultaneously without any delay.
Just as Satori closed and locked the door behind him before leaving, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"Come out. No need to hide anymore. I've already noticed you."
He turned toward a nearby corner, where an empty wall now revealed a dark figure materializing from nowhere.
"Not bad, Hyūga Clan member indeed. You discovered my stealth jutsu so quickly."
The stranger wore all-black attire, his face hidden behind a mask. His age and appearance were indistinguishable.
But from his tone and demeanor, it was obvious—he wasn't a good person. More like an assassin.
Nearby, at the doorway, another silhouette remained hidden in the shadows, ready to assist at any moment.
Satori showed no fear on his face—only curiosity as he asked, "Who sent you?"
Recently, he'd often sensed faint waves of surveillance directed at him.
Ninjas employed bizarre and unpredictable techniques, with countless detection methods available. Satori couldn't possibly know them all.
However, thanks to the protection and interference from the Branch House Guard Ninjas, those daring to peek had found no chances to act.
Yet now, these two had managed to overcome the guard ninjas and reached straight before him—clearly possessing some skill.
The black-clad ninja replied gravely, "Hyūga Satori, this is none of your concern. Hand over the secret recipe of the seasoning, and we might spare your life."
"If you resist until the end, you'll lose both your eyes and the seasoning secret."
His words were bold—not only after the seasoning formula but also coveting Satori's Byakugan.
Satori laughed mockingly, replying with disdain, "You two? You're not even in my league."
"If you want my secret recipe and Byakugan… come and take them then."
He had long anticipated someone would attempt to seize the formula. After all, monosodium glutamate was an extraordinary seasoning capable of revolutionizing cuisine across this world.
Don't underestimate it just because it's small—its ability to enhance the umami flavor of food alone attracted countless eyes.
Whichever side controlled it could generate immense wealth.
And in a world full of elusive ninjas, anyone willing to pay could hire someone for any task.
That's exactly why the emergence of MSG immediately drew widespread attention.
Had Satori not been a Main House member of the Hyūga Clan in Konoha, the troubles drawn would have been far greater.
As for the Byakugan? There were even more people after it.
Countless spies and intelligence agents sought possession of a Hyūga's Byakugan—it was considered a strategic military asset in warfare.
Since establishing his own training regimen, Satori's strength steadily increased, leading to his growing arrogance.
For the ninja who dared to spy on him, Satori Hyūga felt no fear at all—instead, he felt eager to test his strength.
The two opponents before him were at most Jonin-level ninja. Even if he couldn't defeat them both, Satori Hyūga was confident he could still escape.
Seeing that Satori Hyūga remained calm and unshaken, the black-clothed ninja took out a shuriken and charged toward him at high speed.
"You want close-quarters combat?"
Satori Hyūga found this interesting and rushed forward without hesitation.
As a member of the Hyūga Clan—a family renowned for Taijutsu—Satori Hyūga was most proficient in hand-to-hand combat.
In one-on-one Taijutsu duels, he feared no one—not even elite Jonin.
Facing the incoming shuriken, Satori Hyūga struck directly with a punch, without flinching.
With a sharp *crack*, the enemy's shuriken was knocked away, and the attacker turned into smoke, leaving only a wooden log on the ground.
"Not bad for a Substitution Jutsu... but still not enough."
Without missing a beat, Satori Hyūga sharply turned around and threw a punch—a midair kunai was cleanly knocked aside.
Blocking both the kunai and shuriken barehanded made the hidden attacker hesitate in shock.
Quickly regaining composure, the enemy shifted focus, studying and analyzing Satori Hyūga's gloves to gather information.
"You're wearing special ninja tools—finger guards you use as weapons."
"But those attacks from earlier were just meant to confuse you. Your experience as a fresh recruit is still too limited."
[Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu]
With one hand hidden behind his back, the black-cloaked ninja completed the single-handed hand seal and activated a pre-prepared jutsu.
A subtle surge of chakra surged up from beneath the earth, suddenly grabbing Satori Hyūga's feet and pulling him underground.
In an instant, Satori Hyūga was buried up to his neck—only his head remained visible.
"Now you have no means to resist. Tell me the secret inside those spices right away, or else I'll have to resort to interrogation," threatened the black-clad ninja.
Satori Hyūga twisted his head slightly, showing no panic at all—his expression was instead filled with curiosity as he scanned the area.
"Your ninjutsu isn't bad… but I suppose that's all it can do."
Quickly channeling a massive amount of chakra through his body, he directed a thick flow through his muscles down to his legs, empowering his legs with incredible strength.
*Boom!*
With explosive force, Satori Hyūga broke free from the tightly packed earth and leaped out.
Scattered dirt tore through his clothes, revealing his chiseled, battle-scarred physique.
Bathed in the golden glow of sunset, his powerful muscles seemed like they were forged from solid gold—seemingly unbreakable.
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