Escape From Konoha

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The moment he saw the mark on his forehead had disappeared, Hyuga Shingo understood that the "Caged bird" that had tormented him for years had become a thing of the past.

But there were still many doubts that remain unresolved.

"Are you confused? Actually, there is no need to be grateful to me. It just so happened that you became one of my experimental subjects," Shiraishi explained as Hyuga Shingo appeared bewildered and conflicted.

"Why do you wish to..."

"To unlock the caged bird?"

Upon hearing Shiraishi's rhetorical question, Shingo Hyuga began to understand.

Shingo was not ignorant of Shiraishi; as Konoha's top-ranking Jounin, Hatake Sakumo's prestige surpassed even that of the Sannin. The Hyuga family, a wealthy clan, held Sakumo in high regard and dared not overlook him.

As a former member of Sakumo's squad, Shiraishi was a relatively inconspicuous figure in terms of status. However, much of his information was observed by others.

Medical ninjas, unlike regular ninjas, did not require high combat skills; instead, they needed proficiency in medical ninjutsu.

Medical ninjutsu was more challenging to master due to its complex professional knowledge, requiring continuous practice and experience. Medical ninjas formed chakra at a much slower rate than regular ninjas.

"Is this for Ayane?"

As a leader among the younger generation of the Hyuga clan, a Jonin at sixteen, and a former member of Sakumo's team, it wss impossible for Shingo to not know anything about it.

After all, Ayane was considered a genius of the branch family, not the main clan.

"Let's not dwell on this. What are your future plans?" Shiraishi redirected the conversation, as he wasn't particularly keen on discussing this topic.

Plans?

The joy of Shingo's release from the "caged bird" had started to fade, leaving him deep in thought about what lay ahead.

What would his future hold?

"If you have nowhere else to go, would you consider working for me?"

"Do I have a choice?" Shingo smiled bitterly.

This boy, of the same age as Ayane, was far from ordinary. Shingo might not understand how Shiraishi had cracked the caged bird, but he understood its difficulty.

"It seems not. Returning to the Hyuga clan now would inevitably lead to torture, a forced confession, and execution. Your release of the caged bird has turned you into an extremely unstable element within the Hyuga clan. You could even implicate your parents, wife, and children."

This outcome required no reminder from Shiraishi; Shingo was well aware. After the caged bird was undone, the Hyuga family would undoubtedly face division.

The longstanding order of the clan would be disrupted because many in the Hyuga branch did not want to bear the unsightly mark on their foreheads. Resentment, hostility, and infighting would ensue.

At this point, Konoha's higher-ups would likely intervene. Their actions regarding the Hyuga ckan remained uncertain, whether they'd support the main clan, the branch, or attempt to strike a balance, creating a new Hyuga clan led by the original branch.

These scenarios were all possible.

Regarding seeking refuge in another ninja village or becoming rogues in the ninja world, aside from questions of survival, there were concerns about his family. Would they remain in the Hyuga clan? If Shingo brought them along, it was unclear whether they could even leave the Hyuga clan.

Even if they managed to escape, Konoha ninjas could easily block their exit from Konoha and the Land of Fire, with Anbu hunting them down. Death would be the only outcome.

"If I agree to become your subordinate, can I ensure my family's safety?" Shingo looked at Shiraishi with hope in his eyes.

Shiraishi gave him a reassuring answer, saying with a smile, "Absolutely. Your family is in my care, and I can ensure your loyalty without resorting to a curse."

Hearing Shiraishi's words, Shingo didn't know whether to be happy or bitter. Nevertheless, he concluded that it was far better than his previous situation.

And in this world, where could one find true freedom anyway?

"I'll arrange for you to go to the Land of Ghosts, an organization I established there. You'll be stationed at the organization's headquarters, working as a guardian. You won't be in the public eye for the time being."

In a few words, Shiraishi determined Shingo's fate. As a Jōnin with no blind spots in his Byakugan, Shingo was the perfect choice to serve as a guardian at the organization's headquarters.

At the very least, the organization had now bolstered its high-level combat personnel.

"Alright. And my family..."

"Don't worry; I have no immediate plans to leave Konoha. However, that time is approaching, so you won't have to wait too long."

"Understood." Shingo had no choice but to accept.

"By the way, there must be many branch members within the Hyuga clan who now harbor hostility towards the main clan. Create a list of these individuals; it will be of great use to me."

Listening to this, Shingo gave Shiraishi a deep look. He didn't need to ask; he knew what Shiraishi intended to do next.

Eliminate all the branch members of the Hyuga clan who hold enmity towards the main clan.

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Among the Hyuga clan, Ayane was immediately confronted by her colleague, Hyuga Fuyuma, as soon as she returned from outside. He wore a frown and asked, trying to maintain his composure, "Ayane, what were you doing outside?"

Ayane didn't respond directly. Instead, she looked up at him with a gentle smile, seemingly unfazed by Fuyuma's stern attitude. She held herself to high standards of reception etiquette.

"Well, Fuyuma-senpai, are you concerned about my whereabouts?"

Fuyuma refrained from replying but continued to question her. "After all, both you and I are guardians of Hiashi-sama. Unauthorized absences should be avoided."

"But I have already requested leave from Hiashi-sama, and he has granted it."

"That's not the issue."

"Isn't this a permit from the future patriarch? Isn't it the highest priority in the clan?" Ayane countered with a smile.

Fuyuma was left momentarily speechless.

"Fuyuma-senpai, you must understand that in the future, it will be Hiashi-sama, not the elders, who will lead the Hyuga clan. Honestly, they should retire and enjoy their later years. They've devoted their lives to the family, and it's time for them to reap the rewards."

Ayane walked over to Fuyuma, paused, and added, "I've been feeling a bit under the weather recently. It shouldn't be a problem for me to go out and buy some cold medicine, right? This is also to better protect Hiashi-sama."

She purposefully displayed the cold medicine she had purchased.

Fuyuma lowered his head slightly and apologized, saying, "I'm sorry if I offended you."

"No, Fuyuma-senpai, who is dedicated to his duties, has always been the standard I strive to meet. Please don't take my words to heart."

Despite Ayane's flattering praise, Fuyuma sensed that there was an underlying message in her words, but he couldn't quite decipher her intentions. He knew her character clashed with the rest of the Hyuga clan.

Why did Hiashi-sama treat her so differently?

Fuyuma understood that Ayane had followed Hiashi before he did, but their relationship was purely professional, without any hint of a personal connection.

He was puzzled.

As the sun began to set, evening descended upon them. Ayane left her post promptly.

As a guardian of Hiashi, her work was monotonous, with little chance of encountering any assassination attempts within the Hyuga clan. Their roles were closer to that of tools or weapons.

Meanwhile, Fuyuma remained behind as he was on the night shift that day.

Shortly after Ayane's departure, he approached Hiashi and raised a concern with the future Hyuga patriarch. "Hiashi-sama, with all due respect, you are excessively lenient with Ayane."

"Is this the consensus among the elders?" Hiashi inquired with an unchanged expression.

"No, it's not that. It's just my personal belief that Ayane is... quite dangerous."

Fuyuma was genuinely concerned about Hiashi. As a member of the branch family, he felt obligated to consider his master's safety.

"You worry too much, and even if something were to happen, don't you believe you can handle it?"

Hiashi responded calmly.

Fuyuma sighed, realizing that his attempts to persuade Hiashi were in vain.

Regardless, it was ultimately beneficial that the patriarch had his own reasons for his actions. As for Hiashi's remarks, Fuyuma did agree with his perspective.

His concern had perhaps been excessive. In terms of strength, Fuyuma was confident that he could subdue Ayane, who had only recently joined the ranks of the Jōnin. With the appropriate measures in place, he could restrain her if she displayed any suspicious behavior.

In this manner, Hiashi-sama would have no grounds for complaint, Fuyuma thought to himself.

◎

"I'm back, Ayane. How was work today?" Ayane's mother had already prepared dinner, anticipating her daughter's return.

"Fortunately, it was a typical day," Ayane replied with a smile.

After washing her hands, she joined her mother at the table for dinner. Her mother expressed her earnest wishes, "You must safeguard Hiashi-sama's safety. He is the hope of our clan."

Ayane acknowledged her mother's sincere words with a nod and a smile. She understood that each generation's leader was considered the family's hope.

However, she didn't expect any profound advice from her mother. Her mother likely couldn't remember what freedom felt like before being marked as a caged bird. But Ayane refused to forget, and as time passed, her desire for freedom only grew stronger, becoming an unshakable part of her.

After dinner, Ayane voluntarily took on household chores, assisting with the dishes. In the eyes of outsiders, whether she was a bodyguard or a dutiful daughter, Ayane appeared flawless.

Once the chores were done, Ayane retreated to her sparse room. It contained little more than a floor, a lamp, an alarm clock, and lacked any other furniture. Its emptiness provided a modicum of freedom that she cherished.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, she retrieved the "cold medicine" she had "purchased" earlier in the afternoon. This was the medicine given to her by Shiraishi. It looked like ordinary cold medicine but had a vastly different effect. It was designed to suppress the activation of the caged bird's curse.

There were twelve blue capsules in total, each capable of restraining the caged bird's curse for four hours. This meant she could go for forty-eight hours without the curse's influence.

Inside the medicine box was an instruction manual, appearing entirely normal. Ayane sealed the box with chakra to reveal its true contents. After lightly touching the paper, she infused it with natural energy.

The text in the manual shifted and rearranged itself. It detailed a technique for temporarily suppressing the caged bird's curse. Ayane was impressed by Shiraishi's careful consideration.

She surmised that the accident that had occurred earlier could have been prevented if she had taken the blue capsule in time. Likely, her brain's nerves had been restricted by the caged bird's curse, causing immense pain and ultimately her demise.

While this technique didn't eliminate the caged bird's curse, it significantly reduced its potency. It created a protective layer in the brain's nerves upon activation, reducing the pain and damage caused by the curse.

Ayane smiled at Shiraishi's meticulousness. With this technique, combined with the blue capsule, she could remain unaffected by the caged bird's curse for forty-eight hours—enough time to seek Shiraishi's help in removing the curse.

Escape from Konoha wouldn't pose a problem, as they had practiced it secretly multiple times. However, Ayane thought such an incident was unlikely, as the main family had no reason to target a loyal branch ninja like her.

Nevertheless, she considered these precautions necessary. She couldn't help but think, "Do we really need to wait? I hope the Third Ninja War comes soon..." Ayane, who initially had no interest in war, now looked forward to it. She hoped the Third Kazekage wouldn't disappoint and would drag Konoha into the quagmire of war.

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[T/NIndependence Day Today]

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