Bang Bang, Two Punches

"Kurenai, is that Senkaku Byakuya? A classmate from our year? How strange, I don't have the slightest impression of him."

"Byakuya's grades at the Ninja Academy were only slightly better than the dead last. How could someone like that catch the eye of a lady like you from the Hyuga Clan?"

"Stop teasing me. I'm just from a branch family of the Hyuga; how could I dare call myself a lady?"

The barbecue restaurant wasn't very crowded, and the voices of Yuhi Kurenai and her friends drifted vaguely into Izumi Orange's ears.

"Does Byakuya know about the Hyuga Clan?"

"I have heard of them."

Izumi Orange whispered, "The Hyuga are divided into the Main House and the branch families. It's fine if you're born into the Main House, but if you become a member of a branch family, your fate becomes like duckweed without roots."

"What does 'duckweed without roots' mean?"

"Your life is entirely in the hands of the Main House. It's as if your 'root' has been snatched away by others—isn't that exactly like duckweed without roots?"

Izumi Orange pointed to her forehead. "The Hyuga branch family members are branded with the Caged Bird Seal by the Main House. They can take or discard them at will, treating them like puppets."

Byakuya feigned ignorance: "Teacher, what power does this Caged Bird Seal have?"

"I hear it was developed by the Hyuga to protect the Byakugan. The Main House can use the seal to actively destroy a branch member's neural pathways and their Byakugan. Whether that's true or not, I don't know."

Izumi Orange leaned in close to him, whispering mysteriously: "The Uchiha Clan in the village also possesses the Sharingan, yet I've never heard of them developing any seal for it. Compared to them, the Hyuga Clan is small-minded. No wonder they are always suppressed by the Uchiha."

Byakuya only listened, offering no reply.

"Classmate Byakuya doesn't seem close to Yuhi Kurenai?"

The meat was grilled. He picked up the communal chopsticks to select the sizzling pieces, placing them onto Izumi Orange's plate.

"Thank you."

"We aren't close. As you know, Teacher Izumi, I've always been invisible at the Ninja Academy. Why would I ever catch Yuhi Kurenai's attention?"

"Oh my, that's hot."

"Eat slowly, Teacher. Perhaps you should drink some oolong tea first; it tastes better than the last time."

"Let me try... hmm, it really is good. You're right, too. Kurenai's talent for genjutsu is unique; she was always the pride of the Ninja Academy. Her father, Yuhi Shinku, is even a jonin of Konoha."

"Teacher, how many jonin are there in the village?"

"How would we know such things? But every jonin is a pillar of strength for the village. Classmate Byakuya, you must continue to work hard and strive to become Jonin Senkaku Byakuya."

"Don't joke. With my meager talent, surviving the war would be a stroke of immense luck."

"Oh? Is that really so?" Izumi Orange chewed her meat, smiling as she asked casually: "Byakuya, I haven't seen you for a few days. I suspect it wasn't illness, but something else, right? Don't forget, I am also a confidante of Principal Hiroya."

He countered, "If that's the case, Teacher, why ask me?"

She looked left and right. Aside from a casual glance cast over by Yuhi Kurenai, no one else was paying them any mind. She then lowered her voice: "How does it feel?"

"What?"

"How does it feel to carry out missions for Root? Classmate Byakuya, there is no need to be on guard against me. Perhaps I am the only one who can save you from this sea of misery, because I know you were deceived and coerced by Vice Principal Hiroya. You are a pitiful soul, Byakuya."

He had expected them to spar verbally for a while longer, but he hadn't expected her to be so candid, so quickly.

The last time they ate barbecue, Byakuya had sensed that Izumi Orange was holding something back.

He thought quickly about who she might be affiliated with...

"The principal of the Ninja Academy is the Third Hokage, not Hiroya, who fancies himself a cuckoo in another's nest. In fact, it was I who reported Hiroya's recruitment by Root to the Hokage. The Hokage ordered me to monitor Hiroya's actions at the Academy."

Izumi Orange seemed to see through Byakuya's thoughts and introduced her true identity. "Hiroya once tried to recruit Yuhi Kurenai, but she refused. Because her father is a jonin of Konoha, Hiroya didn't dare to force her and had to give up in frustration."

"What kind of organization is Root?" He didn't rush to reveal his own stance, wanting to see what cards Izumi Orange held.

"Root? It's a secret organization established and led by Shimura Danzō, handling matters that cannot be brought into the light."

Based on this alone, Byakuya knew she was still hiding her true identity. How would an ordinary academy teacher know such things?

Her so-called candor was merely a calculated, partial truth.

"I see. No wonder Principal Hiroya had to recruit people in private; it fits the secret nature of the organization. But... what exactly are you trying to say, Teacher Izumi? I really don't understand."

"I will be blunt: I want you to tell me about the missions you undertake in the future."

Byakuya waited a moment, but even when Izumi Orange spoke again, she didn't mention what benefits he would receive.

This was an attempt to get something for nothing—trying to "freeload" off his efforts and take credit for his work. Where in the world was such a good deal?

He immediately felt a sense of disgust toward Izumi Orange.

Over there, Yuhi Kurenai, who had been eating with her friends, stood up and waved. "Teacher Izumi, Classmate Byakuya, we're finished. Enjoy your meal, see you next time."

"Goodbye."

"Take care, Classmate Yuhi Kurenai."

After they left, Izumi Orange said, "For the sake of Konoha, for the sake of the Will of Fire, Classmate Byakuya, you must make a choice."

Fine, fine, fine. She was resorting to moral blackmail.

He shook his head. "Teacher Izumi, I will never reveal anything you said today. I am suddenly feeling a bit unwell, so please forgive my rudeness."

Byakuya bowed to take his leave, ignoring her attempts to make him stay, settled the bill, and exited the barbecue restaurant.

Yuhi Kurenai and the others had not yet gone far, chattering away about their dreams for the future.

Their voices were naturally loud, and Byakuya had already heard them back in the restaurant; it was nothing more than talk of having Special Jounin and Jounin as team leaders to teach them combat and increase their strength.

"Byakuya, wait."

He turned his head to see Izumi Orange chasing him out of the restaurant.

Yuhi Kurenai cast a curious glance at them, while Izumi Orange pulled Byakuya into a corner. "I hope you will reconsider. I've received news that, given it is a time of war, the village intends to promote a large number of Genin who have performed meritorious service to Chunin. You work in the Ninja Academy warehouse and lack solid achievements, but if you do as I say, you too could become a Chunin of Konoha."

Byakuya did not refuse directly, nodding instead. "Give me some time."

"You must realize that the treatment of a Chunin is completely different from that of a Genin."

"Understood. Goodbye, Teacher Izumi."

"Goodbye, student Byakuya."

To get home, he would have to pass by Yuhi Kurenai's group, so Byakuya chose a side path to take the long way home.

He opened the door.

The house had been empty for several days and was covered in a thin layer of dust.

After cleaning the place inside and out and taking a refreshing hot shower, he collapsed onto his bed and let out a long, weary breath.

The Hyuga branch family had the Caged Bird Seal branded on them by the main house, but were they, the low-level ninja, any different?

It was just that the Caged Bird was clearly branded on the forehead, while the low-level ninja were bound by invisible ropes.

The ninja world was just that realistic; weakness was the original sin.

Give me some more time. Once my Heaven Rewards Diligence has accumulated enough, if anyone dares to treat me like a piece of cargo to be fought over again, I'll just smash them with a couple of punches.

As for the so-called Chunin rank, he cast it to the back of his mind.

Being a Genin was fine; hiding away in the Ninja Academy was just fine too.

Early morning.

He pulled up his Fate Grid panel.

The mission refreshed.

[Heaven Rewards Diligence, the persistent shall succeed.

Time limit: 1 day: Sword swings (0/20,000)

Reward: Improvement in swordsmanship talent]