Chapter 9: Max-Level Observation Haki-Naruto: No início sacrifico o Byakugan e alcanço o nível máximo de Haki da Observação(Qian Ding escreveu até dez milhões de palavras.)

While Danzo Shimura and the others were bickering in the Hokage’s office, Kawaki Aoba, having been escorted home by Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi, made a monumental decision. He would completely discard the Byakugan that had brought him such immense trouble, hoping to trade it for a trump card capable of ensuring his survival in the current predicament.

To understand this, one must first address the foundation of Kawaki Aoba’s existence in this world: the Sacrificial Altar. It was a miraculous altar that had resided within his consciousness since the moment he arrived in this world. By sacrificing certain items, the altar would provide him with objects from other worlds. For instance, the Kido, Bakudo, and even the health and mana potions he had previously utilized were all obtained through this altar. Unfortunately, the altar seemed to operate on a strict mechanism of equivalent exchange. While not perfectly precise, the margin of deviation was extremely limited, making it impossible for Kawaki to trade common items for god-tier weapons of mass destruction. Though he felt a tinge of regret that he had never managed to achieve a high-stakes victory with a low-cost sacrifice, he was generally content with the ability to obtain items from other realities—at least, until the recent incident involving the awakening of his Byakugan.

Removing his goggles and stroking his eyes, Kawaki opened them once more, his pure white pupils now filled with grim resolve. He reached into his ninja tool pouch, retrieved a military ration pill, and placed it upon the altar within his mind. "Sacrifice," he whispered to himself. As everyone knows, when one is about to gamble, it is only natural to test one’s luck first. Kawaki was no exception. With a faint, eerie glow rising from the altar, the low-quality ration pill vanished, replaced by a thick blue vial. Kawaki knew this item well: it was a medium mana potion. Sacrificing ration pills most commonly yielded health or mana potions, so this was merely a standard result, though the medium size was a rarity. It seemed his luck was quite decent today.

A smile touched Kawaki’s face, yet his eyes betrayed a deep sense of loss as he gazed at his simple room with lingering attachment. From this moment on, he would likely be plunged into darkness for a very long time.

Immersing his consciousness in the altar, Kawaki steeled his resolve. The Byakugan in his eye sockets vanished instantly, reappearing upon the altar. "Sacrifice." A blinding light flared as the altar activated once more. Now truly blind, Kawaki could only hope this sacrifice would not disappoint him. After all, the price he had paid was far too great.

As the sacrificial light faded, a sphere emitting a silvery-white radiance appeared in Kawaki’s perception. He was no stranger to this; it was a skill from another world, much like the fourth Hado, Byakurai. However, this orb of light was several times larger than the skills he had obtained in the past. Sensing its size, Kawaki finally revealed a genuine smile. With a flicker of his thought, the orb surged out of his consciousness and into his body.

In that instant, Kawaki felt his consciousness clarify as never before. He perceived his mind sublimating, becoming resilient and formidable. Then, with a soft "pop," he felt his perception shatter a boundary, as if breaking through a cage. The light he had lost seemed to return. Kawaki could "see" the world again: the simple, rustic furniture in his room; the worried expressions of Kurenai Yuhi and the restless, pacing Asuma Sarutobi in the courtyard; the two teams of masked ninjas hiding in the shadows; and indeed... all of Konoha.

At this moment, Kawaki’s "vision" encompassed the entire village. Aside from areas protected by sealing barriers, not a single corner could escape his gaze. Even though this vision rendered the world in monochrome, lacking the vibrant colors of the past, it was more than enough for Kawaki. No, it was far more than that. He locked his gaze on his two companions in the courtyard, clearly sensing their anxiety, worry, and agitation. Furthermore, he "saw" Asuma’s intended trajectory in advance, and subsequent observation confirmed it.

A smile played on Kawaki’s lips; he understood the ability he had acquired. It was the fully mastered Observation Haki from *One Piece*. Beyond the basic twenty-mile perception, it included the ability to predict the future to avoid danger, the capacity to perceive the malice or goodwill of living beings through their auras, and the talent to probe their emotions and thoughts. Such a versatile form of Haki was far superior to a pair of Byakugan.

The value of a newly awakened Byakugan and a fully mastered Observation Haki were certainly not equivalent, especially with the latter possessing so many special traits—it seemed to encompass nearly every characteristic of Observation Haki seen in *One Piece*. Perhaps this was related to the high potential of the Byakugan, given its ability to evolve into the Tenseigan. Of course, this was merely Kawaki’s speculation. Whether it was true or not no longer mattered; he no longer possessed the Byakugan, did he?

"Whew." Kawaki let out a long breath and slumped onto the edge of his bed. Since he had won this high-stakes gamble, it was time to consider how to handle the coming trouble. First was the Hyuga clan. Kawaki was not naive enough to think they would let him go just because he had forfeited the Byakugan. Given those stubborn fanatics’ obsession with their bloodline, they would likely not rest until they found a way to finish him off. Because of this, he had to prepare for the worst.

Should he defect from the village and become a wandering ninja? Fortunately, his current state of blindness might deceive many and cause them to lower their guard. As for the Konoha higher-ups, the two teams of ninjas hiding in the dark were deeply unsettling. One team was likely Anbu, there to protect Asuma, but the other... it was hard for Kawaki not to associate them with a certain bandaged individual. The faint malice radiating from them seemed directed at him. Could it be? Was he truly being targeted by that old man?

Wait, what are they whispering about?