The four of them sat together as Hyuga Hoshishaku led the introductions.
Having spent some time together and had his personality tempered, Hyuga Yunfei spoke first under Hoshishaku's encouraging gaze.
"My name is Hyuga Yunfei. I'm twelve years old, a Genin who's mastered the Gentle Fist. Right now, I'm learning Eight Trigrams Palms: Rotation and the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms under the young master's tutelage."
"What I like is staying by the young master's side, eating delicious food, practicing the Taijutsu he teaches me, and soaking in hot springs with him. There's nothing I dislike anymore."
"As for my dream... I'll definitely become a powerful ninja someday and protect the young master with my life!"
As he spoke, he even grew a little worked up.
Hoshishaku rubbed his forehead, looking a little troubled, and said helplessly, "How can protecting someone count as a dream?"
Yunfei scratched his head and asked uncertainly, "Huh? Then what does count as a dream?"
"For example, marrying a beautiful wife and having an adorable child, becoming an elder, or becoming Hokage of Konoha?"
Hoshishaku sounded unsure. Then he realized what he'd said probably didn't fit the circumstances of the Hyuga Clan.
If the clan system stayed the same, neither marrying and having a happy family nor becoming Hokage seemed possible. He sheepishly fell silent.
Yunfei, on the other hand, pondered for a moment, then shook his head. Looking into Hoshishaku's eyes, he said earnestly in the tender voice of a young boy, "But my dream is to protect you. Because of you, I feel like I'm truly alive."
Hoshishaku's throat tightened at those words, and his heart felt heavy, but he smiled from the bottom of his heart.
He stood on his chair and reached out to pat Hyuga Yunfei on the head.
He spoke seriously to the boy, who was only twelve. "Don't worry. I won't let you down."
Meanwhile, the two women watched their exchange. They glanced at each other, and their earlier tension seemed to ease.
When Hoshishaku turned his gaze to the older woman, she took the initiative to introduce herself.
"My name is Hyuga Ziyin. I'm thirty-six years old and a Chunin of the clan. Before the village was founded, I carried out missions as a ninja. Afterward, I requested a transfer and began managing businesses. Until now, I've been helping the elders manage the clan's properties, because that way I could spend more time with my daughter."
As she spoke, she looked at the girl beside her.
Only then did Hoshishaku realize they were mother and daughter.
Hyuga Ziyin gazed tenderly at her daughter and continued, "What I like is watching my daughter grow up. What I dislike is being away from home for long periods. As for my dream, I hope Ren can be happy. I owe her far too much."
Hyuga Ren shook her head. "Mother, don't say that. You've already done so much for me."
Seeing how much more at ease they seemed, and how sincerely they'd introduced themselves, Hoshishaku had already given Aunt Ziyin a passing grade in his mind.
How could a mother who devoted herself entirely to her daughter be a bad person?
Next, it was Hyuga Ren's turn to introduce herself.
"My name is Hyuga Ren. I'm sixteen years old, and I'm also a Genin. Until now, I've been carrying out missions for the clan as part of its ninja unit. I specialize in reconnaissance and basic Medical Ninjutsu. What I like is having free time to read. What I dislike is..."
Ziyin suddenly took her daughter's hand beneath the table, stopping her from saying what she disliked.
But their action wasn't hidden—or, at least, not as hidden as they thought.
Hoshishaku glanced at the girl, who was biting her lip, her face set in a stubborn expression, then spoke up for her.
"What you dislike is the Caged Bird Seal."
At his words, all three of them went pale.
Even Yunfei, who had spent quite a while with the young master, looked terrified after his initial panic. The other two were even more shaken.
But the punishment from the Cursed Seal that they expected never came.
"It's all right. I acknowledge that the Caged Bird Seal protects the bloodline of weaker clan members, but I don't agree with certain beliefs behind it."
Hoshishaku took a sip of tea and spoke slowly.
His words eased the tension in the room a little, but the three of them were still nervous.
Hoshishaku continued, "I believe the weak do need protection, but the strong don't need shackles like that. So I haven't placed the Double Caged Bird Seal on any of you, and I don't intend to do so in the future."
As he spoke, he glanced at Hyuga Ren, then fixed his gaze on Hyuga Yunfei.
"Cousin Yunfei, I promise you this: if you help me claim the position of clan head, and you become strong enough to protect yourself—strong enough to reach the level of an elite Jonin—I'll release your Caged Bird Seal."
"Rumble!"
Yunfei felt an explosion go off in his mind. His vision blurred, and for a moment, it all seemed like a dream.
Hoshishaku then turned to the mother and daughter, whose faces showed their shock.
"The same goes for you. As long as you earn my trust and become strong enough to protect yourselves, there'll be no need for the Caged Bird Seal on you."
He blinked hard. "Of course, that's assuming I can defeat that foolish Yueye and successfully become the next head of the Hyuga Clan."
When Hyuga Ren came to her senses, she tore herself free from her mother's grip.
She hurried to Hoshishaku and dropped to her knees, her eyes red.
"I'll serve you. I'll prove my loyalty. I'll keep growing stronger. I'll break free from the fate that has trapped me!"
Looking at the girl's feverish expression, Hoshishaku nodded. He felt that the conversation probably couldn't continue.
So he cut straight to the point.
"Don't let what we discussed here get out. Until I have the power to act, the old fossils can't know that I intend to reform the clan."
He immediately laid out their future duties.
"Cousin Yunfei, you'll continue serving as my guard. Practice Taijutsu whenever you have free time."
"Sister Ren—I'll call you that, all right? You'll serve as my guard for now, too, taking turns with Cousin Yunfei. Use your free time to train. I'll get you the same training resources as him."
Then he looked at Hyuga Ziyin.
"Aunt Ziyin, you have the heaviest burden. I'll need money to train them, so you must manage my two businesses properly. We'll discuss the details of the businesses in a little while."
Once he had made the arrangements, Hoshishaku sent the two younger ones away, closed the reception room door, and began explaining in detail the plans for renovating the two shops and what he hoped to accomplish by opening them.
Hyuga Ziyin lived up to her reputation as someone who had helped manage the elders' properties for six years.
She understood almost everything as soon as it was explained. And when she didn't, Hoshishaku broke down the underlying principles, and she grasped them quickly.
And so Hyuga Ziyin was entrusted with the investment, reconstruction, and future management of the two shops.
The training resources he'd promised to procure for Hyuga Ren could also serve as the incentive Ziyin needed to work hard.
Before you continue