The Calm Madman

Hyuga Tetsu, This person is a Branch Family ninja from the same year as Hyuga Yu at the Ninja Academy, though he is one year older.

He has brown hair tied in a neat ponytail, a stern face, and looks like a very serious person.

Previously, Hyuga Yu didn't have much interaction with him, only running into him a few times while on missions with the border Reconnaissance Unit. At that time, Tetsu was a member of the Ninth Squad of the Reconnaissance Unit.

Perhaps they chatted a few words during breaks between shifts, but Hyuga Yu, who was busy practicing the [Byakugan Invisibility Jutsu] back then, really couldn't remember what Hyuga Tetsu had said to him.

"You don't remember?"

"Last year, when the Eighth Squad and the Ninth Squad were on patrol duty, we talked."

At this moment, Hyuga Tetsu looked at Hyuga Yu, his brow furrowed slightly, and spoke in the tone of an older brother who was a year his senior:

"I asked you then, what exactly were you thinking?"

"Why can't you be more normal?"

"You've always held onto those strange methods, always disregarding the opinions of others, always doing as you please, believing yourself to be correct."

"But what's the result?"

"You managed to activate the Byakugan early through a clever trick, but you neglected the practice of the clan's secret techniques. The failure in the Chunin Exam is the consequence you brought upon yourself!"

Listening to these words, Hyuga Yu's eyes remained unfocused, and he simply responded indifferently:

"Oh."

"You—"

Receiving such a perfunctory answer, the veins on Hyuga Tetsu's forehead twitched slightly, and he was about to erupt.

Hyuga Yu interrupted him first: "Is there anything else?"

Hyuga Tetsu took a deep breath, suppressed the dissatisfaction rising in his heart, and with a stern face, brought up another matter, questioning:

"I heard you rejected Elder Chongguang's letter of appointment?"

Hyuga Yu gave him a strange look and calmly nodded: "That's right."

Hyuga Tetsu became even more furious at Hyuga Yu's indifferent attitude.

He clenched his fists, lowered his face, and looked at Hyuga Yu, shouting:

"What exactly are you thinking?"

"You, Hyuga Yu, have neither talent nor strength. You were merely lucky to have parents who saved a Main Family elder, which is why you received this opportunity and such preferential treatment as a Branch Family member to act so recklessly!"

"Do you know how precious an opportunity you just refused?"

"Do you know that Elder Chongguang has been waiting for the day to repay your parents' kindness?"

"Do you know how many people in the Branch Family envy you?"

Hyuga Yu laughed.

"Envy what? Envy that I can kowtow to people every day?"

Hyuga Tetsu's face turned ashen, he pursed his lips, and in his anger, pointed at Hyuga Yu and retorted:

"Hyuga Yu!"

"Are you still clinging to your unrealistic ninja dream that you believe in?"

"But even if you don't care about the ridicule of outsiders, don't care about the reputation of the Hyuga Clan!"

"Why don't you think about Natsu?"

"What did Natsu do wrong to end up with a loser like you?!"

"Starting as a servant, undergoing training all the way, and being entrusted with important responsibilities to become a steward for the Main Family lineage, Hyuga Yu, both I and you should understand that this is the highest ceiling for your life!"

"And it's the only thing that can match Natsu!"

"But now, but now... you've personally thrown away this opportunity!"

Hyuga Tetsu stared at Hyuga Yu, filled with hatred for his inability to achieve his potential. Blood vessels appeared like gnarled lines in the whites of his eyes. His gaze held regret, annoyance, and more than anything, a burning anger, an anger so intense he wished he could take Hyuga Yu's place.

Hyuga Yu understood.

He tilted his head, looked at Hyuga Tetsu with amusement, and asked:

"Do you like Natsu?"

Upon hearing this, Hyuga Tetsu's body trembled. The anger on his face quickly vanished like snow melting under the warm sun, replaced by a blush as intense as a scorched earth in midsummer.

He pursed his lips, trembled for a while, then, with a stern face and lowered head, he stiffly reached out, grabbed Hyuga Yu's arm, and said in a muffled voice:

"Come with me!"

"Go and confess to Elder Chongguang, beg him to withdraw his order, and you can continue to work in the Main Family."

"I... I will help you become a steward of the Main Family lineage, or even... even become the head steward in charge of all Hyuga Clan affairs."

Hyuga Tetsu was, after all, just a fourteen-year-old boy, unable to keep secrets. In a moment of impulse, he made such a twisted promise to Hyuga Yu.

However, Hyuga Yu shook his head and calmly withdrew his arm.

Hyuga Tetsu looked up in disbelief, glaring at Hyuga Yu with a dark expression, "You... I've already conceded this much, what more do you want..."

As he spoke, a hint of panic rose on his face, "I understand, I can also—"

"Enough, Tetsu." Hyuga Yu interrupted him, turning sideways to let him see behind him.

At this moment, In the second-floor corridor of the apartment, a wooden door marked with the number 205 was opened.

A young girl stood at the entrance, smiling. She was wearing a pure white slip dress and had her long hair tied up. Her skin was so fair and tender it seemed to glow, and the incandescent light from the ceiling illuminated her like a translucent, fair porcelain doll.

She looked this way like a virtuous wife, her face adorned with a gentle smile that no one could fault.

It was Hyuga Natsu.

"Natsu..." Hyuga Tetsu looked at the girl's figure, all the words in his throat caught at that moment. In the end, he could only helplessly look up, pleadingly at Hyuga Yu, who wore an amused expression.

As if begging Hyuga Yu to agree to his terms, As if he were so humble that he would sell his soul to the devil just to find a legitimate reason to appear before the girl.

But Hyuga Yu was not the devil.

He looked at Hyuga Tetsu with a calm, almost indifferent expression. A few obscure, gloomy glints gradually flickered in his eyes.

Then, He suddenly asked, "Tetsu, is the transfer order for Squad Nine tomorrow?"

"Yes, that's why I heard about this and immediately came to find you—" Hyuga Tetsu nodded subconsciously, but halfway through, his expression suddenly became awkward. He raised his hand to cover up, "No, don't misunderstand, I mean..."

Hyuga Yu frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then asked again, "Is the destination Grass Wave Coast?"

Grass Wave Coast, Located on the eastern side of the Land of Fire, it connects to the Land of Waves. At this time of year, it is one of the main routes to the eastern coastal front lines of the Land of Fire.

Hyuga Tetsu froze on the spot, his expression seeming to say, "How do you know?" But he forcibly swallowed back the words that were about to escape his lips.

There was a confidentiality clause for ninja missions, especially in wartime. Although the mission Hyuga Tetsu was about to undertake was not the most critical part, it was still of great importance.

He could not tell Hyuga Yu.

However, from Hyuga Tetsu's changing expression, Hyuga Yu had already guessed the answer.

Hyuga Tetsu's Squad Nine was led by a Jonin from the Hyuga Clan. They had just returned to the village from the Rain Country battlefield half a month ago. According to custom, they would rest in the village for a month.

But Hyuga Yu had seen the members of Squad Nine replenishing their ninja tools while passing by the training grounds. They had clearly received an urgent external mission on short notice. Currently, there were not many missions requiring Hyuga Clan members to go out specifically.

Based on this inference, The departure of the Main Family young master, Hyuga Genko, to the Kirigakure battlefield should be tomorrow.

Seeing Hyuga Yu suddenly fall silent and start spacing out, Hyuga Tetsu gritted his teeth and spoke forcefully again:

"In short, I don't have much time to chat about this with you, Hyuga Yu. You must go to Elder Chongguang's with me now."

"Tetsu."

Hyuga Tetsu's anxious voice brought Hyuga Yu back to his senses. His expression shifted slightly, as if he had made a decision. He interrupted the other party with unusual calmness.

"What?"

"I will not give Natsu to you."

Hyuga Tetsu's eyes widened abruptly. "What... what are you talking about?"

"I will become a Chunin, become a Jonin, become an elite Jonin."

"Then,"

"Become Hokage."

Hyuga Yu said with absolute certainty, calm, and even indifference, "You're right, I want to achieve this absurd ninja dream—"

"Until I die."

Listening to such a nonsensical reply, Watching Hyuga Yu, who was so calm and serious, For some reason, Hyuga Tetsu felt his mouth go dry, Yet, strangely, he also felt a sense of relief, as if he had been granted a great pardon.

"You... you're simply..."

"Crazy."