Hyuga Yunfei

Not long after Hyuga Hoshishaku returned to his room, Hyuga Yunfei suddenly came to visit.

Hoshishaku looked at his cousin, kneeling outside the door, and felt something he couldn't quite put into words.

After all, only moments ago, he'd been sprawled on the ground like a dead dog, tormented by the Cursed Seal.

And judging by the bloodstains on the bandages exposed beneath his clothes and the dense web of blood vessels in his eyes, he'd probably come straight here after Hoshishaku left the training ground.

Thinking of this, Hoshishaku quickly said, "Stand up before you talk. I don't like people kneeling at the drop of a hat."

At once, Hyuga Yunfei rose. He picked up the tray beside him, lowered his head, and said in a subdued voice:

"The elders have swapped the family resources you and Young Master Yueye are entitled to receive. This Sealing Scroll contains your training resources for this month."

Hoshishaku took the Sealing Scroll with some interest, untied its cords, and spread it out on the table.

Honestly, he was curious about what kind of training resources Yueye had been given.

He couldn't use a Sealing Scroll, but he could at least read what was written on it.

[1000-tael banknotes x100, Body-Tempering Elixir x3, Healing Elixir x3, Family Weapon Exchange Voucher x1]

A hundred thousand taels?

Hyuga Hoshishaku felt a little dissatisfied, but also a little happy.

He was dissatisfied because, as the second-in-line heir to the Main Family, he'd previously received only two thousand taels in pocket money each month, and nothing else.

Of course, he was happy because he had money now!

Of the system's three daily missions, he'd only been able to complete the exploration mission before.

Now that he had money and the strength of a Genin, he could get started on the other two daily missions as well.

That meant that instead of saving up for a ten-pull over two years, he could probably save enough for one in about eight months now that he had money and strength.

If he received a randomly assigned commission, he might be able to save up for a ten-pull even faster.

That meant that even decades from now, when the original story reached its conclusion, he wouldn't have to fear any enemy.

Thinking of this, Hoshishaku looked at Yunfei and asked, "You know Sealing Techniques, right? Help me open this scroll."

Yunfei quickly bowed and agreed. He took the Sealing Scroll and placed it on the table. With a light tap, a pile of banknotes and several bottles appeared on the tabletop.

Hoshishaku watched with fascination.

He knew that Sealing Scrolls were common in the original anime and were associated with the wealthy.

But he was fascinated by the way they worked like storage spaces.

"Teach me how to use a Sealing Scroll when you have time," he told Yunfei.

The other boy parted his lips, about to say that he, as Hoshishaku's guard, already knew how to use one. Then he remembered that this young master seemed to have a notoriously bad temper, and quickly nodded in agreement.

Hoshishaku picked up the banknotes from the table and quickly counted them.

The amount was correct. He was just about to stuff them into his pocket when he realized he didn't have one.

He looked at his cousin, who stood before him with his eyes lowered, then at the patch of redness spreading beneath the bandages. An idea came to him, and he asked, "You're not leaving?"

Hyuga Yunfei kept his eyes lowered. "Young Master Hoshishaku, I received instructions from the clan head. Starting today, I'll be your personal guard and follow your orders."

Hoshishaku gave a strange little click of his tongue.

Yunfei thought he was dissatisfied with him and grew even more nervous.

But to his surprise, the young master pushed the contents of the Sealing Scroll toward him.

"Then carry the money for me. I don't have pockets. Damn these traditional clothes."

Yunfei froze. He hadn't expected his young master to trust him so much that he would entrust him with all that money.

Then Hoshishaku added, "Oh, and take those elixirs and the weapon exchange voucher, too. Consider them a reward for guarding me."

"Especially the Healing Elixirs. I suggest you use them right away."

Hyuga Yunfei was stunned. "But those elixirs are very precious..."

Hoshishaku waved a hand, cutting him off.

"Cousin Yunfei, I know you're a genius of the Branch Family, but even geniuses need time to grow. You're better off with these elixirs than my foolish older brother. All right, that settles it."

Yunfei stared at him in disbelief.

It wasn't until Hoshishaku's expression began to grow impatient that he realized he was being rude. He quickly knelt on the ground, wanting to thank him but unsure what to say.

"Enough. Go treat your injuries first. Come report to me at four this afternoon. I'm planning to eat out, so remember to bring my money."

After giving his instructions, Hoshishaku waved for Hyuga Yunfei to leave.

The latter picked up the things from the table and walked away, glancing back at him every few steps.

He still seemed unable to believe the young master had given him such precious elixirs.

But as a member of the Branch Family, his upbringing had taught him not to question orders or disobey.

After the boy left, Hoshishaku let out a breath.

He was still just a child, yet he looked so downtrodden that Hoshishaku's conscience couldn't take it.

Besides, Yunfei's father had died several years ago protecting Hoshishaku's father.

Now, as Hoshishaku's cousin, he was injured and still had to serve as his bodyguard.

It was just too pitiful.

He had the system, anyway. He could stack other ninjas' attributes and chakra.

Eating elixirs and training hard had a poor return on investment, so he might as well forget about it.

"Ugh, damn this rotten Japanese-style tradition... Wait, Cousin Yunfei is only twelve this year, right?"

As he sighed, Hoshishaku remembered when he'd been twelve in his previous life. He'd still been back in his rural hometown, catching frogs in the stream, raiding bird nests, and shooting little birds with a slingshot.

He'd been a carefree little kid who didn't know a thing.

Then he thought of his cousin, wrapped in bandages, with a Caged Bird Seal on his forehead and a look of utter fear and unease on his face.

It was heartbreaking.

Hoshishaku rubbed his brow. His older brother's words seemed to echo in his ears again: "A scapegoat's child will be a scapegoat, too!"

How was that any different from the saying he'd often heard in his previous life: "A poor man's child will be poor, too"?

Maybe the difference was that in this world, the truth of life was laid bare before every unfortunate person in an even more bloody way.

So he, Hyuga Hoshishaku, had to change all of this.

Maybe the world was filthy, but at the very least, his own little patch of it had to be clean.

That was the ideal he'd first held when he came to this world.

"Ha..."

Hoshishaku yawned sleepily.

Before he could realize his ideal, he'd better take an afternoon nap first.

That afternoon, Hyuga Yunfei was waiting outside Hoshishaku's door a full hour early.

The twelve-year-old boy showed no sign of slacking off. He stood there ramrod straight.

If the Hyuga Clan compound didn't have such unusual buildings with long eaves, Hoshishaku figured his cousin would soon have been sunburned when he came out.

He put on his wooden sandals and straightened his sleeves as he looked at Yunfei, who had fallen in behind him. "From now on, come when I tell you to. I'm giving you free time so you can be more useful when I need you. Understand, Cousin?"

A strange look flashed in Hyuga Yunfei's eyes. His lips moved as though he wanted to say something, but in the end, he simply nodded and agreed.

Hoshishaku walked ahead, shaking his head to himself.

Looking at his cousin, who walked half a step behind him, he casually asked, "What do you like to eat? Any recommendations?"