After the Mixue Dessert Shop closed at 9 p.m.
Hyuga Kenshi dragged his exhausted body home, walking slowly.
He had worked from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Twelve hours wasn't much for a ninja, but for some reason, he still felt very tired.
Calling it home was a bit of a stretch.
It was just a tiny room in the Branch Family compound.
Ever since his parents passed away, he had lost his home.
That tiny room was the last place in the world that would take him in.
As he reached the entrance to the Branch Family compound, a shrill voice suddenly called out from the gate:
"Well, Kenshi, you're finally back after staying out so late?"
Hyuga Kenshi looked up and saw the young master of the Main Family he had once served.
That branch of the Main Family had recently chosen its heir, and it wasn't the boy standing before him.
So now, just like Kenshi, the boy had become one of the lowly Branch Family.
When Hyuga Kenshi didn't respond, the boy's eyes suddenly reddened. He shouted furiously:
"Why aren't you saying anything? Are you laughing to yourself because I've become just like you?"
As he spoke, he suddenly rushed over and started kicking and punching Kenshi.
A trace of pity appeared in Kenshi's eyes, so he let his former master hit and berate him.
But the boy seemed to take it the wrong way.
Seeing that Kenshi wouldn't even speak to him,
he spat out bitterly, "Your Double Caged Bird Seal hasn't been removed yet. What gives you the right to ignore me?"
As he spoke, he suddenly activated the Caged Bird Seal.
Watching Kenshi writhe on the ground in pain,
he felt no satisfaction at taking revenge—only an ever-growing sense of fear.
After letting out a scream, he stopped activating the seal and fled back into the Branch Family compound, hiding in a cubicle barely bigger than a toilet.
From now on, that would be his "home," too.
Hyuga Kenshi, his whole body aching from the Caged Bird Seal and his eyes stinging, lay where he was for over ten minutes before shakily getting back to his feet.
A few people had passed by during that time.
But most of the Branch Family had dull, numb eyes. They were used to seeing things like this.
He picked up the dessert that had fallen to the ground and walked home expressionlessly.
The desserts were a special treat from Manager Ziyin for every employee. He wanted to taste them; he couldn't just leave them behind.
Back home, Kenshi unwrapped the little cake, now mashed into a mess, and absentmindedly dipped his finger into it, eating it bit by bit.
The sweetness in his mouth should have been wonderful, but it tasted like wax.
The brain, just battered by the Cursed Seal, still throbbed faintly.
His thoughts drifted aimlessly.
Then he remembered his current job.
Right. His job was good.
Young Master Hyuga Hoshishaku was a good person, too. He didn't torment the Branch Family on a whim.
But there was no future in a good job like that.
He couldn't remember when it had started, but he had always hoped to take on dangerous work.
Maybe it was after the first time he was tormented by the Cursed Seal.
Or perhaps the first time the young master humiliated him.
He really couldn't remember when he'd first had that thought.
But he had always looked forward to saying goodbye to this world as soon as possible.
Even his motivation to get stronger came from that.
Unfortunately, that job had extinguished his hope.
A sudden knock sounded at the door.
Kenshi didn't react right away.
By the time he realized someone was knocking, Hyuga Hoshishaku had suddenly appeared in front of him.
"You really look like a mess."
Those were the first words out of his mouth.
Kenshi's pale lavender Byakugan were bloodshot.
His exposed skin was covered in cuts from struggling on the ground.
His clothes were soaked with sweat and caked in dust.
Hoshishaku sighed, formed Hand Seals, and touched Hyuga Kenshi's forehead.
"Sorry. It was my mistake not to notice the Double Seal in time."
As he spoke, he removed the Double Seal from the Caged Bird Seal on Hyuga Kenshi's forehead.
Kenshi's mind had stopped working.
He didn't know if it was because of the torment he'd just endured or because of the way this person was acting.
"I've taken you from Elder Hyuga Takashi. From now on, you're with me. Come live at my place."
"I promise to protect you and not let anyone bully you, but you mustn't betray me. Understand?"
"Hmm? Why aren't you saying anything?"
Hyuga Kenshi felt as if he were dreaming.
Afraid of angering the person before him and being tormented again, he didn't think too deeply about what Hoshishaku had said. He only nodded and answered quietly:
"I understand."
Hoshishaku patted his head and smiled happily. "Good. I'll let you in on a little secret. Once I become clan head, I'll remove your Caged Bird Seal as soon as you become a jonin."
After saying this, Hoshishaku ignored the shock on Kenshi's face and called outside:
"Yun Fei, Lian, find a stretcher and carry him back for me."
Then he turned back to the dazed boy and gently reassured him: "Good."
[System Notification: C-rank Commission Mission completed] [You have received the rewards for the C-rank Commission Mission: C-rank Ninja x1, Secret Scroll: Rebirth x1] [Congratulations, you have obtained the C-rank ninja "Young Uzumaki Naruto"] [Tip: Uzumaki Naruto's bloodline is incompatible with the host. The Byakugan has automatically devoured the Uzumaki Bloodline. Byakugan purity +10%]
After taking care of Hyuga Kenshi's situation,
Hoshishaku returned to the small house and saw a string of system notifications.
"The Uzumaki Bloodline is incompatible, too? What's going on with this Byakugan?"
Hoshishaku was a little displeased.
After all, in the Naruto world, the strongest constitution was Senju Hashirama's Sage Body, followed by the Uzumaki Clan's bloodline.
Both of these constitutions naturally granted enormous vitality and chakra reserves.
Now the system had simply declared the Byakugan incompatible and devoured his Uzumaki Bloodline. How was that reasonable?
Still feeling very dissatisfied, he opened his status panel to take a look.
[Name: Hyuga Hoshishaku] [Life Force: 460 (+300)]
Mental Strength: 540 (+150)
[Chakra: 5050 (15000)] [Jutsu: Natural Energy Body Tempering Technique, Gentle Fist techniques, Summoning Technique, Sealing Technique, Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique, Lightning Style: Chidori, Multi Shadow Clone Technique, Rasengan] [Special Abilities: Byakugan (Second Evolution: 40%), Lightning Style Chakra Shape Transformation, Space-Time Talent] [Secret Scrolls: Rebirth (Unlocked: 2/10)]
He wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it for himself.
Only after looking at the panel did Hyuga Hoshishaku realize he'd blamed the system unfairly!
Although his Uzumaki Bloodline was gone, his status panel had effectively gained Naruto, who possessed the Uzumaki Bloodline!
Never mind anything else—just look at that chakra.
He'd originally had only 5,050 chakra.
But Uzumaki Naruto had directly boosted him by 15,000 chakra.
That meant his reserves had quadrupled, bringing him to 20,000 chakra—almost as much as some of the jonin in the village!
Even his father, the strongest member of the Hyuga Clan, had only 60,000 chakra.
The clan's jonin bodyguard elder had only 30,000.
This C-rank commission had made him rich in one fell swoop!
Hoshishaku got up, beaming, and decided to check on his benefactor—the person who had triggered the commission for him.
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