Chapter 9

In the days that followed, Bai Shi often saw Ayane living alone at school.

She suddenly had no friends and no desire for life, her eyes hollow, like a walking corpse.

This was perhaps the true posture of a 'slave'.

It was unlikely that she would ever be able to escape from this shadow in her lifetime.

Bai Shi did not know what the feelings of a girl who aspired for freedom and ideals were like after being defined as a 'slave' by her closest clan members.

But it must have been filled with despair and pain that were hard for ordinary people to imagine.

After that day, Ayane's grades plummeted, and her homeroom teacher, Fujimura Daigoro, did not scold her. He could only offer her some insignificant comfort and encouragement, telling her to focus on her studies and not to think too much.

Although he wanted to help his student, the traditions of the Hyuga clan could not be changed by a mere school teacher like him.

Fujimura Daigoro understood this very well and knew that seeking help from the Third Hokage would not solve the problem.

These noble families in Konoha were like small villages.

Many of Konoha's regulations did not apply to their internal affairs.

Bai Shi, however, saw through it all.

Words of comfort were useless to Ayane.

She needed to be guided on a different level.

Mental trauma could only be healed with mental medicine.

◎

Using pain to torment one's body had always been a good way to distract from mental numbness.

Only by using this physical pain could Ayane feel that she was truly alive.

She was still a person, not a 'livestock' raised by her family.

She did not understand the meaning of the family's traditions, nor did she want to understand them.

Despite the adults constantly trying to guide her, telling her that the 'Caged Bird' seal planted on her was for her own good and for the continuation of the clan, she felt that her sacrifices were not meaningless but valuable.

If that was the case, why didn't the main family members make sacrifices? This thought kept popping up in Ayane's mind.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt a desire to destroy everything dark inside her.

Her hatred also began to intensify.

With this hatred and anger, her gentle and soft face became somewhat fierce, losing its usual warmth.

Using the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist to attack the wooden post, her technique gradually changed. Her Gentle Fist lost its form, and she began to use her fists to vent her anger on the post, becoming harsh and rigid.

Even as her fists bled and the pain continued, she did not stop.

In fact, using this pain to distract from her mental numbness was exactly what she wanted.

After a while, she stopped this self-destructive way of venting, squatting beside the wooden post, hugging her knees, head hanging low, her black hair covering her face, and only the sound of her soft sobs could be heard.

The sun was setting, and the forest was shrouded in darkness.

It was almost dark.

The air in the forest also became somewhat cold.

Dark green leaves fell on Ayane's shoulders, and she continued to sob softly.

Suddenly, light footsteps were heard in the dim forest, making her stop crying abruptly.

"Looks like you were hiding here. But this place is indeed suitable for someone to lick their wounds alone."

Ayane recognized this voice and couldn't help but look up at the person.

It was her desk mate, Chiba Bai Shi.

A truly ordinary person.

A civilian, with unremarkable grades, an average student.

That was all he was.

Although their relationship had been relatively harmonious before, she had no mood to deal with this irrelevant outsider now.

"Why are you here?"

She did not use the gentle title 'Bai Shi-kun' as she used to, but her voice became harsh and unfamiliar.

Ayane was confused about why Bai Shi would come here, but the feeling of being spied on and having her secrets discovered made her very angry.

"There are many reasons, but mostly I was drawn by your inner hatred and anger. I'm actually like you."

Bai Shi's face showed a meaningful smile.

"Like me?"

Ayane was stunned, not understanding what Bai Shi meant.

Bai Shi stepped out of the darkness, his steady black eyes carrying a faint smile.

"Yes, I'm like you. I'm part of this twisted and unaware, utterly boring village. Even a trivial part, commonly known as a lowly being controlled by others."

Ayane's breath caught in her throat.

Bai Shi's ordinary image suddenly became that of a stranger in her mind.

It was as if she was getting to know her desk mate all over again.

Was he expressing dissatisfaction and hostility towards the village?

Why did he have such thoughts?

But as Bai Shi spoke, Ayane felt a sudden sense of resonance and satisfaction.

"Are you confused?"

Bai Shi asked with a smile.

Confused?

Confused about what?

Faced with Bai Shi's inexplicable question, Ayane frowned, her pure white eyes showing a hint of caution.

"Do you already feel inferior?"

As soon as Bai Shi said this, Ayane's chest was filled with a strong surge of killing intent.

This sentence had deeply hurt her dignity and self-respect.

All negative emotions surged to her heart, and in an instant, she lost her reason, quickly rushing towards Bai Shi and swinging her fist at him.

Bai Shi smiled slightly. Ayane, driven by anger and losing her composure, had become weak and unstructured in her attack.

This level of attack required no defense, Bai Shi thought.

So, he caught Ayane's fist, then countered, pressing her entire body against a nearby tree, preventing her from moving.

The situation was reversed in an instant.

Perhaps because the defeat was too sudden, Ayane was completely stunned.

She had not expected such a result.

"Have you been hiding your strength all along? Why?"

Ayane, regaining her senses, asked this question.

"What is it? But before we explore this question, let's talk about your situation, shall we?"

Bai Shi said in a calm and gentle voice.

"Hmph, what do you, a mere civilian, know? Don't make me laugh."

Ayane said with a voice that wanted to tear Bai Shi's throat.

What did a mere civilian know?

She had been branded with the 'Caged Bird' seal, and everything in her future life would be controlled and planned by the high-ranking main family members.

So-called freedom and dignity had been mercilessly stripped away from her.

Every time she saw the arrogant expressions on the faces of the main family members, she wanted to crush that arrogance under her feet and make them experience the humiliation and despair of having their dignity and freedom toyed with.