章節 22: 22. What Hit Them

(Second Bonus Chapter for 100 Powerstones , Keep them coming, we are nearing Weekend and are very close to Top 70, last time I checked it was 78th position)

Chapter 12: Red Dawn at the Hyuga Compound

The sun was setting over Konoha, painting the sky in vibrant hues of orange and pink. Atop the Fourth Hokage's stone head on the Hokage Monument, a small figure sat cross-legged, his red hair rustling gently in the evening breeze. Sora's eyes were closed in concentration, his hands forming an unfamiliar seal as he focused intently on the chakra flowing through his body.

Chakra, the lifeblood of every ninja, was a fascinating and complex energy. Sora had always been intrigued by its nature, and lately, he'd been experimenting with it in ways that would make most seasoned shinobi raise an eyebrow – or possibly run for cover.

As he sat there, Sora reflected on what he'd learned about chakra. It was generated by converting one's stamina into a potent mixture of physical and spiritual energies. The amount of chakra circulating through a person's body at any given time was their chakra reserve. When depleted, a ninja could choose to convert more of their stamina to replenish it – though this, of course, had its limits.

Sora, like his adoptive brother Naruto, was blessed (or cursed, depending on who you asked) with chakra reserves that dwarfed those of their peers. It was as if they had miniature chakra factories running at full tilt inside them, churning out energy faster than they could use it.

But for Sora, having an abundance of chakra wasn't enough. No, he had to push the boundaries, to see just how far he could take this whole chakra business, which led to his current experiment: chakra compression.

"Why am I doing this again?" Sora muttered to himself, his brow furrowing in concentration. "Oh right, because it's there. And because maybe, just maybe, if I can compress my chakra enough, I'll be able to create a jutsu so awesome it'll make the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God look like a party trick."

He grinned at the thought, imagining himself teleporting all over Konoha, leaving a trail of confused and slightly singed ninja in his wake. Of course, he was nowhere near that level yet. For now, he was focusing on compressing the chakra in each part of his body, starting with his toes and working his way up.

The theory was simple enough: by compressing his chakra, he could potentially increase his chakra output when he reached his limit. It was like cramming more air into a balloon – when you finally let it go, it would fly faster and farther. At least, that's what he told himself. The fact that no one had ever tried this before (to his knowledge) only made it more exciting.

As an added bonus, this exercise was doing wonders for his chakra control. Manipulating chakra on such a fine scale required precision that would make a surgeon jealous. Sora could almost hear Iruka-sensei's voice in his head: "Chakra control is essential for any ninja who wants to perform high-level techniques without blowing themselves up!"

Of course, Iruka-sensei probably didn't mean for that lesson to be applied quite so literally, but Sora had always been a creative interpreter of rules and lessons.

As the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the horizon, Sora opened his eyes, a mischievous glint replacing the earlier look of concentration. It was time to put his improved chakra control to the test, and he had just the plan in mind.

For weeks now, Sora had been plotting his most audacious prank yet: infiltrating the Hyuga compound. It wasn't just about the challenge, though that was certainly part of it. No, Sora had a point to prove. The Hyuga clan, with their all-seeing Byakugan, thought themselves untouchable. Well, he was about to show them that even the mightiest clan in Konoha wasn't immune to a well-executed prank.

Sora had spent weeks observing the guards and their schedules, using shadow clones to gather intelligence without arousing suspicion. He'd memorized shift changes, noted the patterns of patrols, and even identified a few Hyuga clan members who regularly left the compound. All of this information had been meticulously compiled into what he liked to call his "Prank Playbook."

The plan was simple in theory, but complex in execution. Step one: distraction. That's where Naruto came in. His brother from another mother (and father, and probably entire genetic lineage) was a master of causing chaos, and Sora knew he could count on him to draw the guards' attention.

Step two: infiltration. This was where Sora's newly honed chakra control would come into play. He planned to use the Yang Transformation Jutsu to disguise himself as a Hyuga clan member. But simply looking like a Hyuga wouldn't be enough – he needed to feel like one too, at least as far as chakra-sensing abilities were concerned.

To mask the chakra used for the transformation, Sora had developed a technique of circulating chakra throughout his body, just beneath the skin. It was subtle, almost undetectable unless you were specifically looking for it. If anyone asked, he had a cover story ready: he was working on a new technique he'd picked up. And if they pressed for details? Well, a ninja never reveals all his secrets, right?

With his plan set, Sora leapt down from the Hokage Monument, using his chakra to stick to the rocky surface and control his descent. He landed lightly on the ground, his eyes already scanning for a mop of spiky blonde hair.

He found Naruto at Ichiraku Ramen, because where else would he be?

"Oi, Naruto-nichan!" Sora called out, sliding onto the stool next to his brother. "Ready for Operation: Red-Eyed Surprise?"

Naruto, his cheeks bulging with ramen, tried to respond. What came out was a muffled "Mmph mmph mmph!" accompanied by a spray of broth that would have made a fountain jealous.

Sora wiped his face, grinning. "I'll take that as a yes. Remember, your job is to get both guards away from the gate. Think you can handle it?"

Naruto swallowed his mouthful of ramen with an audible gulp. "Are you kidding? I was born ready! Those stuck-up Hyugas won't know what hit 'em!" He paused, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "Hey, Sora? Why are we doing this again?"

Sora's grin widened. "Because, my dear brother, nothing says 'good morning' quite like waking up looking like you've been dunked in a vat of tomato soup. Plus, can you imagine Sasuke's face when he hears about this? He'll be so jealous he didn't think of it first!"

Naruto nodded sagely as if Sora had just imparted some great wisdom. "Alright, I'm in. When do we start?"

"Tonight," Sora replied, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "The moon is waning, which means less light for the guards to see by. Plus, I heard old man Hyuga complaining about how the night shift has been slacking off lately. It's the perfect time to strike."

As night fell, Sora and Naruto made their way to the Hyuga compound. They crouched in the shadows of a nearby building, observing the two guards stationed at the main gate.

"Okay, Naruto," Sora whispered. "Remember the plan. Your clones need to be painted on both sides of the wall. Make it flashy, make it loud, but most importantly, make it orange."

Naruto nodded, his face set in an expression of determination that was usually reserved for ramen-eating contests. "Leave it to me, dattebayo!"

With a series of hand signs, Naruto created a dozen shadow clones. They immediately sprang into action, armed with paint cans and brushes that seemed to materialize out of thin air.

The clones split into two groups, each tackling one side of the compound wall. They worked with a speed and coordination that would have impressed even the most hardened jounin – if said jounin wasn't too busy being horrified by the rapidly spreading sea of orange.

As expected, one of the guards immediately rushed to investigate the commotion on the left side of the wall. However, the other guard remained stubbornly at his post, his Byakugan activated as he scanned the area for any signs of a more serious threat.

Sora cursed under his breath. It looked like they'd have to go with Plan B.

Fortunately, during his weeks of observation, Sora had identified several Hyuga clan members who frequently left the compound. One of them, a middle-aged man named Hoheto Hyuga, was currently out on a mission. Sora had studied Hoheto's mannerisms and chakra signature, preparing for just such a contingency.

With a deep breath, Sora formed the hand signs for the Yang Transformation Jutsu. In a puff of smoke, he transformed into a perfect replica of Hoheto Hyuga. But the physical transformation was only half the battle. Now came the tricky part.

Sora began to adjust his chakra, carefully modulating its flow and intensity to match Hoheto's signature. It was like trying to play a complex piece of music on an instrument he'd only just learned – one wrong note and the whole performance would fall apart.

To further sell the illusion, Sora created several shadow clones, each one a perfect copy of Hoheto. He then dispersed most of them, keeping only enough to match Hoheto's usual chakra levels. It was a delicate balancing act, one that required every ounce of concentration and control he possessed.