Hyuga Asana's Inner Heart

Uchiha Yuan returned home and began calculating what supplies he would need to buy once the condolence money came through, so he could deal with the war that was about to arrive.

Before members of the Uchiha Clan went to the battlefield, the clan would issue some commonly used Ninja Tools and support items.

But these things were limited in number and would be used up quickly once he reached the battlefield, so he would definitely have to replenish some himself.

The things he needed to buy were actually more or less the same as what the Uchiha Clan issued.

He definitely had to stock up fully on all kinds of Ninja Tools, and he also needed to buy more support items like Soldier Pills and Explosive Tags.

To store these supplies, he also had to prepare Sealing Scrolls.

The other things were fine, but Sealing Scrolls were not cheap. Calculated like this, there probably would not be much left of two million Ryo.

Thinking of this, Uchiha Yuan sighed. He was wondering whether Konoha was handing out condolence money at this time precisely so the next batch of people sent to the battlefield would spend that money buying supplies.

If that was the case, then Konoha was truly rotten to the core!

In fact, this time Uchiha Yuan was overthinking it a little. Konoha was indeed about to dispatch the next batch of ninja to the battlefield, but it had nothing to do with most of the people receiving condolence money.

This money was basically being given to the families of ninja, and a large portion of them had no talent for being ninja.

At the current stage, aside from the forces that had to be kept behind to ensure the village's safety, how many normal ninja could still be left in Konoha?

Therefore, after this condolence money was issued, only a very small number of people would use their family members' condolence money to buy war supplies and head to the battlefield again.

The next day, Uchiha Yuan came to school. The atmosphere in the class today seemed a little off. The students had gathered in twos and threes, discussing something.

"Uchiha Yuan, we're going to graduate early at the end of this semester," Yamanaka Kizuki said as he came over, seeing Uchiha Yuan's expression as if he knew nothing.

Uchiha Yuan immediately understood. No wonder the atmosphere in class was strange today. So the village had announced the news.

Uchiha Yuan had heard about their early graduation from Hyuga Asana a month ago.

There was still a month before graduation now, and the village had announced the news at just the right time.

A month was enough for these children to prepare themselves mentally and head to the battlefield.

But then again, Uchiha Yuan felt that there actually were not many students who needed mental preparation.

Most of these students had been brainwashed by the Will of Fire. The moment they heard they were going to the battlefield to fight in defense of the village, many of them could hardly wait.

Uchiha Yuan swept his gaze over the people in the class. There was very little fear in their eyes. What they had instead was a sick, fanatical fervor.

"Yamanaka Kizuki, are you afraid of going to the battlefield?" Uchiha Yuan asked.

Yamanaka Kizuki looked around at the people in the class, then leaned close to Uchiha Yuan's ear and whispered, "I'm afraid. I'm scared to death. But I don't know why none of the classmates are afraid at all. Are you afraid?"

"I'm afraid too." After saying that, Uchiha Yuan ignored Yamanaka Kizuki and turned to go to his seat.

Today, Hyuga Asana and the Main House young lady, Hyuga Chiwa, had not arrived yet.

They entered the classroom one after the other with the teacher, right as the class bell rang.

This lesson covered some techniques for throwing Ninja Tools. Uchiha Yuan was already so familiar with these things that he could not be more familiar with them. He lay on his desk, looking at the scenery outside the window, countless thoughts running through his mind.

"Tap." A faint sound from the tabletop interrupted Uchiha Yuan's thoughts. He looked up and found that a small paper ball had landed on his desk.

Uchiha Yuan opened the paper ball. The handwriting on it was very familiar to him; it was Hyuga Asana's.

"Yuan, today our Hyūga Clan held a meeting. Among the ninja to be dispatched next time, the Branch House has a total of 103 people including me. Half of them were sent back from the battlefield and have only just recovered from their injuries. As for the Main House, they only dispatched one Genin who graduated several years ago and has barely carried out any missions."

"Do you feel wronged?" Uchiha Yuan wrote back, then tossed the paper ball onto Hyuga Asana's desk while the teacher was not paying attention.

"I just don't understand. When the Main House announced this today, not a single person from the Branch House voiced any objection. It was as if they all thought this was only right and proper."

"Then what do you think?"

"I don't know. My mind is in a mess right now, and I feel very uncomfortable."

"After school, I'll wait for you by the river. Let's talk."

After school, Uchiha Yuan went to the riverside alone. This time, his Mind's Eye did not sense anyone spying on him.

That made Uchiha Yuan let out a slight breath of relief.

After that, Uchiha Yuan trained while waiting for Hyuga Asana to arrive.

Uchiha Yuan waited for a full hour before Hyuga Asana finally rushed over.

Uchiha Yuan glanced at the soaked gauze on Hyuga Asana's forehead, then asked, "Why are you covered in sweat? Did you run here?"

"The clan had us Main House guards do a sparring session today.

My opponent was a Chunin who had just been promoted. But he had been injured on the battlefield before, and his body hadn't fully recovered yet. I fought with everything I had and only managed a draw with him," Hyuga Asana said, her face full of unwillingness.

Uchiha Yuan found it a little strange when he heard that. She had not even graduated from the Ninja Academy yet, but she could fight an injured Chunin to a draw. That was already very impressive.

Why did Hyuga Asana look so unwilling?

"Asana, aren't you being too hard on yourself? Being able to fight a Chunin to a draw is already very strong, isn't it?" Uchiha Yuan asked.

"That level doesn't count for anything. And even if I were strong, what use would it be? We're Branch House. No matter how good our talent is, we'll never receive the attention of the Hyūga Clan or the village," Hyuga Asana said, her expression downcast.

"The system of Main House and Branch House shouldn't exist in the first place," Uchiha Yuan said.

"I think so too. Perhaps in other people's eyes, as members of the Hyūga Clan's Branch House, we should accept our identity as Branch House members and have the Caged Bird Curse Mark engraved on us.

Because this has continued in the Hyūga Clan for who knows how many years, an inescapable fate.

But I would never think that way. We were all members of the same clan, and we all had the Byakugan, so why should I be trampled under someone else's feet? Why should I bow and scrape to someone who was inferior to me in every way? Why should my life and death hinge on another person's passing whim?

Main House, Branch Family—just because of birth, we had to become something like slaves to the Main House. Could a clan like that still be called a clan?"

Hyuga Asana had never expressed her emotions in front of Uchiha Yuan like this before.

This was also the first time Uchiha Yuan learned what Hyuga Asana truly thought.

"Yuan, do you know? I'm actually very envious of you. I envy your Uchiha Clan so much. We're both dojutsu clans, but you don't have to bear the Caged Bird, much less bow and scrape to your own clansmen.

The women of your clan can even marry out and pursue their own happiness.

But for us in the Hyuga Branch Family, forget marrying out—even our future spouses have to be appointed by the Main House."