Interrogation

"Branch Family Members have the Caged Bird Seal on their foreheads. Don't you know that?"

Hyuga Sho withdrew his kunai and asked again.

"Hehe, of course I know that."

The Iwagakure Female Ninja named "Kōseki" smiled.

"Though that little Branch Family girl is still young... we can wait for her to grow up slowly~."

"What do you mean...?"

Morino Ibiki said he was still just a child and did not understand what she was talking about.

Well, he truly did not understand.

"Hehe... a brat is still a brat..."

Kōseki rolled her eyes and mocked him disdainfully.

The next moment.

She saw Hyuga Sho's expressionless cheeks.

There was no confusion, no anger, and no surprise.

His reaction was completely different from Morino Ibiki's.

"Eek..."

Kōseki was startled, then seemed to realize something.

An ambiguous smile appeared on her gorgeous cheeks.

"Looks like this little brother from the Hyuga Clan understands quite a lot~."

"Understands what?" Morino Ibiki was even more confused.

"Quick~, let me go, hurry!... Big sister promises to let you know what the adult world is like..."

Kōseki leaned forward, making the chains clatter.

Unfortunately, her scheme was doomed to fail.

"I don't understand either."

Hyuga Sho calmly rejected the older woman's temptation and asked his next question.

"When the Caged Bird Seal activates, Branch Family Members will die as well. Even if you kidnapped her, you would only be taking away a corpse."

"I see..."

Kōseki looked slightly regretful.

Then, an interested expression appeared on her face.

"It seems you still don't know that the Caged Bird Seal has a range limit, little brother."

At that moment, her face was full of smugness.

"Did you really think the Main Family's control over the Branch Family was absolute? Once they leave ten meters, twenty meters... even 100 Meters, 1,000 meters! Wouldn't the Caged Bird Seal's effects plummet? Or perhaps become completely undetectable?"

"!"

Kōseki did not know.

That when she said those words, though Hyuga Sho's face remained expressionless, a storm had already risen within his heart.

If it was truly as she said.

The farther one was from the Main Family, the weaker the Caged Bird Seal would become, perhaps even failing entirely...

No... she only has a partial understanding, or she could be setting a trap to harm me... I can't trust her so easily.

After thinking it over, Hyuga Sho immediately answered with a stern expression.

"Next question."

And so.

Over the course of two hours, Hyuga Sho asked every question he could.

Kōseki was a Genin from Iwagakure.

Ninjas of different ranks had different uses.

Sometimes, being too strong was not necessarily a good thing.

Aside from basic information.

Hyuga Sho even questioned her thoroughly about what she liked to eat.

Beside him, the admiration in Morino Ibiki's eyes was practically overflowing.

"Actually, you got one thing wrong."

After the interrogation ended.

Hyuga Sho gave her a fixed look.

"I'm not from the Main Family. I'm a Branch Family Member!"

"What?!"

The still-smug Kōseki's expression became extremely colorful when she heard the truth Hyuga Sho revealed.

Her eyes were filled with utter disbelief.

Seeing this result, Morino Ibiki puffed out his chest, his admiration for Hyuga Sho reaching new heights.

Not only did he interrogate the enemy's intelligence, he understood psychology throughout the entire process, and in the end... he even dealt her a final blow. Incredible, truly incredible.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!!"

Kōseki suddenly burst into laughter.

Endless resentment was hidden within her laughter.

Because she refused to accept that she had actually lost to a Branch Family brat.

"Brat... I admit defeat. But don't get cocky! Iwagakure now has over 10,000 ninjas! Twice as many as your Konoha!! A mere Branch Family Member like you will definitely become Cannon Fodder protecting the Main Family when the Shinobi World War begins! When that time comes... let's see how you die!"

Then.

She clenched her teeth, seeming to swallow something.

"I'll wait for you in hell..."

After speaking, blackened blood flowed from the corner of her mouth. She twitched a few times... and died.

"She actually committed suicide with poison..."

Morino Ibiki widened his eyes, having completely forgotten about that possibility.

Meanwhile, Hyuga Sho beside him.

Furrowed his brows tightly.

Kōseki's final words echoed in Hyuga Sho's mind.

10,000 Rock Ninja, twice the numbers, Shinobi World War, the Branch Family protecting the Main Family, Cannon Fodder...

It seems... my status as a Branch Family Member and the Caged Bird Seal cannot bring me any benefits...

If Branch Family Members not only had to endure the Caged Bird's restrictions.

But also become Cannon Fodder and protect the Main Family in the Shinobi World War.

Then...

His identity as a Branch Family Member offered no sense of security at all.

The Shinobi World War was extremely brutal.

Even a Kage could die.

If Ordinary Persons went to war, they would most likely face certain death.

Feeling pressure regarding his future, Hyuga Sho could not help but clench his fists.

Become stronger...

This thought.

Had never changed.

And the woman's words only made Hyuga Sho more determined.

It seems the effort I put into preparing to graduate early was not wasted.

In the nearly three months since coming to this world.

Hyuga Sho had always treaded carefully and had never given up on training.

Just as Morino Ibiki and this woman said... the next Shinobi World War could break out at any time. Without strength, I can only become Cannon Fodder.

"Hyuga Sho... what, what should we do with this woman's corpse?"

Beside him.

Morino Ibiki, who was dumbfounded, was somewhat flustered.

His first time catching a criminal, his first interrogation, and his first time... seeing a corpse.

It all seemed a little too exciting.

"Hand it over to the Police Force."

Hyuga Sho shook his head. He was no longer interested in the dead.

"That wouldn't be good..."

Morino Ibiki repeatedly shook his head, seeming somewhat concerned.

"I originally planned to wait for my dad to come back and let him handle it. Now that she's dead, neither option would be easy to explain..."

Handing her over to the Police Force would mean they had conducted an unauthorized interrogation.

Handing her to his dad meant that by the time he returned, the body would have become part of nature's ecosystem.

"Then just dig a hole and bury her."

Hyuga Sho, a man of swift action, stepped forward and placed his hand on her corpse.

At that instant.

An inexplicable voice sounded in his mind.

[Detected an Earth-attribute heart. Evolution Chart evolution requirements met.]

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