Chapter 20

"Master Nisoku."

On Monday morning, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, around six o'clock, Ayane arrived on time to wake Nisoku up.

A faint sound came from inside the room, and soon, Nisoku came out.

He did not even glance at Ayane, walking past her directly.

To him, whether this maid would survive to the end was an unknown question.

To the main family, the lives of the branch family members were not so important.

But only a few members of the branch family would rebel; most were accustomed to being ruled.

This habit would be deeply etched into their bones and souls, passed down from generation to generation.

They would be happy when the main family was happy, angry when the main family was angry, and sad when the main family was sad.

Ayane naturally understood Nisoku's coldness. She simply followed her duty as a maid, walking obediently behind him.

There must be many eyes watching her, she could feel it.

In the dark corners and silent gaps, her every move was being monitored.

Being a maid to the young master of the Hyuga main family was not a pleasant thing.

But this kind of attention, which was called surveillance, was not something Ayane could resist.

"Master Nisoku."

As they passed through several courtyards, Ayane followed behind Nisoku. Just as they were about to reach the training ground, a young boy, slightly younger than Nisoku, appeared at the end of the corridor.

He looked very similar to Nisoku.

Upon seeing Nisoku, he bowed his head and called out, his voice filled with suppressed anger, his fists clenched tightly.

"Nisaku, as a ninja, you must always control your emotions. This appearance of yours is truly unseemly. Have you forgotten your duty as a member of the branch family?" Nisoku stopped, giving Nisaku a cold look, his tone stern and authoritative as an older brother.

"Yes."

Nisaku seemed to have calmed down, his fists loosening, but Ayane knew the anger and resentment, or even hatred, of this branch family ninja.

Nisaku.

That was the name of the young boy.

Like Nisoku, he was a son of the current Hyuga clan leader. The difference was that he was born a little later, making him a member of the branch family, while Nisoku was of the main family.

He was to die for Nisoku, and all his honor and disgrace were no longer for himself, but for his once most respected and beloved older brother, Nisoku.

What was once respect and love had now turned into enmity and hatred.

If he were not the son of the clan leader, such open hostility towards the next Hyuga clan leader would likely have already led to his being taken to a secluded corner and killed.

Sometimes, even the status among the branch family members was different.

Encountering Nisaku was just a minor incident, not something particularly noteworthy for Ayane.

When they arrived at the training ground, an excellent upper-level ninja of the Hyuga clan was waiting for Nisoku to begin morning practice.

Because she was a maid, Ayane was specially allowed to stay there.

After being assigned as Nisoku's maid, her status was slightly higher than that of an ordinary branch family member.

Nisoku trained in the Hyuga clan's Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, which, when combined with the Byakugan, was extremely powerful.

Ayane had not learned the complete Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms; she had only learned the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms.

On one hand, the main family wanted the branch family to be strong, but they did not want them to learn all the Hyuga clan's ultimate techniques.

If a branch family member surpassed the main family in these ultimate techniques, it would be very embarrassing for the main family.

And embarrassing the main family would inevitably lead to punishment for the branch family member.

The Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms could be learned by branch family members if they performed well.

However, a technique called "Eight Trigrams Palm: Kaiten," an absolute defensive move, could only be learned by members of the main family.

As Nisoku's maid, Ayane did not have much to do. Since she still had to go to school during the day, she often did not stay by Nisoku's side all the time.

Nisoku did not particularly care about this. Ayane was just a branch family member who might die at any time, and he never inquired about or cared for her.

She was like the previous branch family maids who had died, just a tool that could be present or absent.

This was how he had been educated by his father, the clan leader.

The main family was the root of the Hyuga clan. As long as the root remained, the withering or flourishing of the branches did not matter.

◎

In the 32nd year of Konoha, October.

Shiro had been in the first medical ninja experimental class for half a year, his grades average. But as one of the first batch of medical ninjas trained by the village, even if he was ordinary, the village still provided him with generous subsidies.

After graduating in the sixth grade, he would be sent to the front lines to work as a medical ninja.

Just as Shiro was thinking about this, a sudden message came back—

The war was over.

Yes, the war was over.

Konoha had won, and the Hidden Rain Village had lost.

The leader of the Hidden Rain Village, Hanzo the Salamander, after bestowing the title "Konoha's Three Great Shinobi" on three Konoha ninjas, acknowledged Konoha's victory, thus ending the war between the Hidden Rain Village and Konoha, which had lasted for three to four years.

The so-called "Konoha's Three Great Shinobi" were Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade, three upper-level ninjas of Konoha.

They were the disciples of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

They had brought victory to Konoha on the battlefield of the Land of Rain, earning them great honor.

Thus, most of the villagers were immersed in a joyful atmosphere.

Shiro was also very happy. After graduation, he would not have to go to the battlefield to participate in the Great Shinobi War.

The three great ninjas returned with a large number of Konoha ninjas, and countless people were waiting at the village entrance, looking up in anticipation.

Shiro was among them, an unremarkable figure.

At that moment, he saw the so-called "Konoha's Three Great Shinobi."

A man with long, straight black hair, exuding a gentle and handsome aura, full of killing intent.

A female ninja with light golden hair, a broad chest, and a smiling face.

Wait... only two of the three great ninjas?

Shiro remembered that it was the "Konoha's Three Great Shinobi," but why were only two of them back? Where was the third one?

Could it be that he had unfortunately been sacrificed at the moment the war ended?

Shiro couldn't help but wonder.

But at that moment, people were not concerned about why only two of the three great ninjas had returned. They were focused on the joy and relief of the war's end.

Although they would still have to attend the funeral.

Great joy and great sorrow... this was the aftermath of war.

Konoha Memorial Park.

After the adults left, Shiro, dressed in black, remained there.

The funeral atmosphere was very somber, but the weather was beautiful, with a clear blue sky.

Not every funeral day was rainy or overcast.

Ruri, dressed in black mourning clothes, with her long black hair loose, stood before the monument inscribed with the names of the Uchiha clan's ninjas, carefully placing white chrysanthemums at the graves of the deceased, paying her respects.

According to Ruri, in this war, the Uchiha clan had lost three upper-level ninjas, eleven middle-level ninjas, nine lower-level ninjas, and over ten more were severely injured, unable to continue as ninjas.

"It's over."

Shiro walked over and said softly to Ruri.

Ruri's face did not show much sorrow; she was already accustomed to the parting and death of clan members.

Every year, the bodies of clan members were brought back from the front lines.

She had also seen the despair and collapse of Uchiha ninjas who had been severely injured.

Ruri placed the last white chrysanthemum and said softly, "How can it be over? War can be without reason, but it must have a purpose and produce benefits. As long as there are humans, war will never end."

As if she could foresee that a new battlefield would soon arrive.

So pessimistic... but it wasn't pessimism, as there was no trace of pessimism on Ruri's face. She was simply stating a fact.

Shiro was slightly taken aback, wanting to say something.

"Don't worry, I'm not so fragile that I need comforting. Born in battle, dying in battle, this is the fate of the Uchiha."

Ruri would not vainly pray for peace.

Compared to that, improving her own strength was the most meaningful thing to do now.

If one day the Uchiha lost the strong belief in seeking survival through strength, perhaps that would be the moment of their downfall...