One Year, The Caged Bird's Struggle

He had only wanted access to advanced medical resources, yet he had unexpectedly forged a connection with Tsunade.

It was truly an unexpected delight, and Yayoi could not help but marvel at it.

He did not waste this hard-won opportunity in the slightest. Whenever he encountered something he did not understand, he went to consult Tsunade and absorbed knowledge from her.

Even topics involving sensitive areas were naturally guided by him from harmless subjects toward those matters.

Whenever that happened, Tsunade would marvel at how solid Yayoi's foundational knowledge was. Sometimes, he could even give her inspiration.

And in the eyes of this medical master who stood at the forefront of the Ninja World, inspiration represented an entirely new step toward the unknown.

Over the course of that year, Yayoi's medical knowledge was put into practice and steadily improved.

This was inseparable from Tsunade's guidance and his observations at the hospital.

The war grew increasingly brutal, and more and more wounded were sent back from the front lines. The hospital was overflowing.

Yayoi was sent to intern at the hospital, where he saw all kinds of Ninja.

Missing legs, blind eyes, deaf ears, single arms, people barely clinging to life—there were too many to count.

The brutality of the war was plain to see.

Thanks to the abilities of the Mirror Eye, Yayoi could practically be called a miracle worker in the hospital. He never made a mistake, and for particularly troublesome injuries, the doctors would even have Yayoi serve as the lead surgeon.

This made Tsunade teach Yayoi with even greater devotion. She even wanted to take him as her disciple.

After all, he was one of her clansmen and possessed the same talent as her. No one could have been more suitable.

But war was cruel in the end. As the fighting on the front lines intensified, Tsunade returned to the battlefield.

As a result, Yayoi could no longer reasonably skip class all day, and his research into Medical Ninjutsu stagnated after Tsunade left.

Yayoi had already learned most common Medical Ninjutsu. He had even mastered the Mystical Palm Technique, once a secret transmission of the Senju and now widely known.

Compared with Medical Ninjutsu, which would not produce results anytime soon, he decided to devote his time to new experiments.

Research into Uchiha Clan blood, Hyuga bloodstains, and the Byakugan.

During the lunch break, Rin was eating her boxed lunch alone when Yayoi walked over.

He took a deep breath and sensed the movements around him. Once he found no sign of surveillance, he stepped forward.

This was one of the results of his training over the past year: Chakra perception.

He possessed this talent, perhaps because the Divine Tree Bloodline within him made him sensitive to Chakra.

After mastering sensory Ninjutsu, he could detect traces of Chakra within a certain range. This was also to guard against the Third Hokage's spying technique.

Rin was usually rather withdrawn when alone. Though whenever others gossiped, she would always prick up her ears and listen attentively, overall, she was an extremely routine-oriented person.

Perhaps the etiquette of a great clan had bound her, or perhaps it was simply her nature.

She had even cared about others in the past, but ever since what happened to Raikou, Rin had completely closed herself off.

To the point that she usually ate alone.

"Rin, I want to study the Branch Family's Caged Bird. Maybe I'll be able to undo it someday."

Yayoi said it directly.

For Rin, fancy words had no meaning. Yayoi chose to speak honestly.

Even if Rin reported him, it did not matter. It was just a child's joke—you would not take it seriously, would you?

Besides, given Yayoi's current status, he had already begun to catch the attention of Konoha's upper ranks.

His Ninja talent was average, but he had exceptional talent as a medical Ninja. He was also a Senju clansman and had Tsunade's attention.

His buffs were stacked high enough.

After all, although the Senju had disbanded, their influence remained extremely strong even now.

It was just a joke. Even the Hokage would only smile and call it childish talk.

"Are you joking?"

There seemed to be mockery in Rin's eyes, though it was impossible to tell whether she was mocking Yayoi for overestimating himself or mocking herself.

"How would we know without trying? My mentor is Lady Tsunade now. Maybe, with her guidance, I'll find some clues."

As soon as he said that, Rin fell into deep thought.

Tsunade's name carried too much weight. She was like an unreachable monument.

"And how can you guarantee that Lady Tsunade will help you? After all, you're nothing but a commoner."

Rin said coldly.

"That's not necessarily true. Maybe I'm a Senju."

Yayoi shrugged.

"A Senju?"

"A dead-last Senju?"

Yayoi was certain that the look in Rin's eyes was mocking.

"What the eye sees may not be the truth."

Yayoi's gaze sharpened.

"Hmph!"

Rin's eyes grew increasingly fierce. She set down her lunchbox, sprang forward, and struck with a Soft Fist attack.

She was fast, far exceeding a Genin, but she was still a Genin. In Yayoi's eyes, she was far too inexperienced.

Before her hand could even touch Yayoi, he grabbed it. It was as though she had been clamped in a hydraulic press, completely unable to move.

"You were hiding your strength?"

Rin's expression shifted as she spoke in shock.

She was very strong. Even some of the clan's Chunin would not dare claim they could defeat her with certainty, yet she had been subdued in a single move.

"This doesn't count as hiding my strength. I'm just usually too lazy to move. Compared to knowledge, I've never been particularly fond of boring fights."

Yayoi spoke calmly, and it was indeed the truth.

Compared to the childish practical combat exams, fighting Yan better matched Yayoi's definition of a Ninja.

Methods did not matter. Techniques did not matter. Confuse the opponent, use Genjutsu, get close—then give them a knife.

Yan was like an elegant assassin. She was as light as a butterfly, yet the instant she landed on you, she held your life in her grasp.

It was terrifying. Even Yayoi found the feeling of a blade suddenly pressed against one of his vital organs deeply unpleasant.

Even though he had remained wary of Yan throughout their fights, as long as he did not cheat by using Word Spirit, she could always appear behind him.

"Aren't you afraid I'll report you?"

Rin returned to her usual expressionless face.

"You won't."

"Why?"

"I don't think you will. You're not someone willing to accept her fate.

Of course, if you've accepted your status in the Branch Family, then I can only admit defeat."

"What baseless trust."

Rin gave Yayoi a strange look.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Collect as much Hyuga Clan Blood as you can."

Yayoi had known the answer from the moment he heard her first sentence, so he stated it openly.

"You..."

Rin's gaze turned even stranger, as if she were looking at an idiot.

"Although I don't know much about the Caged Bird, I know it's a curse mark. It has nothing to do with the clan's bloodline."

"Researching the Caged Bird will involve human experimentation. I have no research materials, so I can only start with the basics. Once I have materials, I'll also be better able to begin breaking the Caged Bird."

"You can't possibly obtain the materials you mean."

Rin clearly understood what Yayoi meant by "materials."

"No, I have one opportunity."

"War." ×2

The moment Yayoi finished speaking, the two said it in unison.

Clearly, the battlefield was a good place. Even members of the Main Family could die there, let alone those of the Branch Family.

It was a massive meat grinder. No matter one's status, everyone was treated equally. Strength was the passport to the battlefield.

Without strength—or with bad luck—death was the most ordinary thing in the world.