Chapter 86: [Bonus] 83.1: Escape From Konoha

Chapter 86: [Bonus] 83.1: 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.

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.

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"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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