Graduation

Time flew by, and five years passed in the blink of an eye.

Border skirmishes were like the stifling thunder of a summer afternoon—sometimes near, sometimes far, yet the rain of war had never truly fallen. Amid this delicate balance, the village welcomed the graduation season for a new class of Ninja Academy students.

The children of the past had grown into teenagers. Cangshu Qianyu, thirteen years old, had shot up to over 1.7 meters tall, already standing out among his peers. His long black hair was still tied behind his head, with a few loose strands brushing his forehead and accentuating the increasingly defined contours of his face.

Whenever a trace of sharpness or contemplation inadvertently showed in his eyes and brow, people could almost glimpse a forbidden shadow long buried in history. Yet his usual gentle, smiling demeanor softened the unease brought by that resemblance.

His growth in strength had been even more astonishing. Under Tsunade's wholehearted instruction, coupled with the incredible potential of his fused bloodlines and the nourishment of that great restorative pill, Qianyu's chakra reserves, control precision, taijutsu mastery, medical ninjutsu, and preliminary combined use of the three bloodlines—Wood Release, the Sharingan, and the Byakugan—had all firmly reached the level of an elite jonin.

If he unleashed all his trump cards, combined with combat wisdom beyond his age and his bizarre combinations of multiple bloodlines, he might not lack the power to contend even against a true Kage-level expert.

The higher-ups had long tacitly acknowledged his uniqueness. Graduation team assignments? That process no longer held any meaning for him. Months earlier, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Tsunade had made it clear that he would become Tsunade's direct disciple, undertaking deeper, more personalized training and mission experience. Qianyu gladly accepted. He knew full well that the secrets and potential he carried made the standard ninja squad model unsuitable for him instead.

On graduation day, he was more like a guest there to watch the ceremony. He watched Naruto noisily scramble to speak, watched Sasuke accept his forehead protector with an indifferent expression, watched Sakura, Ino, and the other girls react with excitement or reluctance, watched Shikamaru yawn with a look of utter annoyance... The campus was filled with clamor and youthful energy, the bustle that belonged to ordinary graduates.

That evening, the excitement continued at the barbecue restaurant run by the Akimichi Clan. After several years together, the outstanding members of Konoha's new generation had already formed a close-knit circle—centered around Team 7, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura; extending to Team 10, Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino; Team 8, Shino, Kiba, and Hinata; as well as Hyuga Neji, who had often joined because of Hinata before gradually becoming part of the group.

This gathering of heirs and core members from the major clans could be called Konoha's hope for the future. Through mission coordination and daily sparring, they had also forged deep bonds with one another.

The atmosphere at the dinner was lively. Fat sizzled on the grill, its aroma mingling with the teenagers' boisterous laughter. Neji had initially followed along out of concern for Hinata, the main family's young lady, and because Tenten often went looking for the blondie. Over time, he too had been infected by the liveliness so different from the stifling atmosphere within the Hyuga Clan. Along with Qianyu's deliberate yet seemingly casual guidance, the tightly drawn string in his heart had relaxed considerably. Though he still appeared reserved, he could now blend in naturally.

After a few cups of juice, Qianyu raised his glass. His gaze swept over the familiar faces, each now carrying a little more maturity, and he said loudly, "Congratulations on officially graduating today and becoming ninjas capable of standing on your own! From now on, missions may take you anywhere, and danger will be unpredictable. Remember, missions are important, but your comrades' lives are even more important! Stay safe, all of you!"

"Yeah—!" Everyone raised their glasses in response, with Naruto shouting the loudest.

Carried away by the mood, Ino threw herself over and wrapped her arms around Qianyu's arm, her flushed cheek resting against his shoulder. "Got it, got it! Qianyu, you're the biggest nag! But I'll be careful!" Her intimate gesture no longer surprised anyone. Everyone had long understood, and they would even occasionally tease them good-naturedly.

Over the past few years, Ino's unwavering companionship and candid warmth had long seeped into Qianyu's heart. Though he had never explicitly responded, his indulgence, concern, and the occasional tenderness he revealed were enough for Ino and everyone around them to understand his feelings. Still, the two tacitly chose not to pierce that final layer of paper, enjoying the warmth and ambiguity between childhood friends that felt as natural as water finding its course.

When the gathering ended, the clamor gradually died down. Qianyu stopped Sasuke and Neji as they prepared to leave.

"Wait a moment. There's something I want to talk to you about."

Rather than return to the brightly lit streets, the three of them followed a quiet path toward the towering Hokage Rock, which overlooked the entire village.

The evening breeze brushed their faces, carrying the faint chill and scent of grass and trees characteristic of an early summer night. Standing on the shoulder of the First Hokage's statue, they looked down at Konoha's brilliant lights, like a river of stars reflected upon the earth.

The three sat down on the ground, silent for a time. Qianyu lowered his head, his calm gaze drifting across the countless lights below. Only after a long while did he softly speak.

"Neji, to you... what kind of existence is this village?"

Neji's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. Ever since the Caged Bird curse mark had been branded onto him at the age of three, he had been like a bird with broken wings. Never again had he looked down upon the land that had raised him yet also imprisoned him from such a free perspective as this. His fists clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white, while his thin lips pressed into a straight line. After a long silence, he finally forced out a hoarse voice from his throat.

"Prosperous... lively. Like these lights, it looks warm and bright." He paused, his voice dropping lower and carrying a chill carved into his bones. "But behind that prosperity... lie countless untold sorrows and... sacrifices, like my family's." He thought of his father, Hizashi Hyuga, the substitute who had willingly died merely to preserve the absurd rules between the main and branch families.

Qianyu offered no judgment and instead turned toward Sasuke. "And what about you, Sasuke?"

Sasuke slowly rose to his feet, the night wind stirring his black hair. The two tomoe Sharingan in his eyes silently emerged, gleaming with a cold, ghostly light in the darkness as he stared toward a certain part of the village—the former site of the Uchiha Clan Compound. Most of it had now been turned into training grounds, while the bloodstains and cries of grief from the past had long been buried beneath time and vegetation.

"The village..." Sasuke's voice was low and suppressed. "It is the soil that nurtured my hatred, an accomplice that allowed that massacre to happen." His fists clenched with a crackling sound, but the blood-red light in his eyes soon softened slightly. "But the civilians here, the many people here... Naruto, all of you... you are not my enemies. My vengeance is only for Itachi Uchiha, and for the Konoha higher-ups who allowed all of this to happen!"

After years of Qianyu's subtle influence, especially his tireless analysis of the pros and cons and his guidance in helping Sasuke see responsibility and the true meaning of strength beyond hatred, the darkness in Sasuke's heart remained heavy—but at least he had not become as completely twisted as he would have in his original fate, blindly treating all of Konoha as the target of his revenge.

His goal had become clearer, and more dangerous, aimed directly at the shadows at the heart of Konoha's power.

Qianyu nodded, unsurprised by either of their answers. He drew a deep breath, as though making some sort of decision.

"Look at these lights," he said, his voice especially clear in the night wind. "Simply watching them, or hating them, won't change anything. What we need to do... is change things."

He suddenly turned his head, and his eyes transformed in an instant! Pure pale white replaced his black irises, while veins near his eyes bulged slightly—the Byakugan had activated!

Neji and Sasuke both shuddered violently!

Neji cried out in shock, "Y-Your eyes?! The Byakugan?! How is that possible?!" As a member of the Hyuga branch family, there was no way he could mistake the Byakugan! That unique flow of chakra, that sensation of seeing through things... But Qianyu clearly was...

Qianyu's Byakugan stared quietly at Neji, as though it could pierce through his flesh and see the ugly curse mark beneath the bandages on his forehead. "Neji, in this world, nothing is impossible. Just like that thing on your forehead—it is far from some absolute law that cannot be broken."

Neji seemed to have been struck by lightning. He stood frozen in place, his mind in complete chaos. The Byakugan? How could Qianyu possess the Byakugan?!

Qianyu gave him no time to process the shock and continued, "I'm telling you this not because I want you to let go of your hatred for the main family or for fate. On the contrary, I want you to use that hatred—not let it consume you, but let it become the force that drives you to break your shackles and tear apart this absurd fate!"

His words carried an unwavering power. "Grow stronger—strong enough to make that stubborn main family bow their heads! Strong enough that one day, you can personally set foot in the Land of Lightning and make the Fourth Raikage kneel and apologize for his despicable actions back then! Seek justice for your father and for every member of the Hyuga branch family sacrificed because of these foolish rules!"

Neji's heart pounded like a drum. Crush the main family? Make the Raikage apologize? He had buried such thoughts deep within himself, never daring to think about them too closely. Yet now Qianyu had spoken them so directly, so boldly! But... "I am already a bird in a cage." He bitterly pointed at his forehead. "As long as this remains, even leaving the village too far may be nothing more than a dream, let alone anything else."

"Caged Bird?" Qianyu gave a scornful laugh, filled with contempt. The pale white in his eyes faded, and in the next moment, vivid red appeared alongside three slowly revolving tomoe—the three-tomoe Sharingan!

This time, although Sasuke had long suspected it, his pupils still contracted upon seeing it with his own eyes. As for Neji, he was completely dumbfounded, his brain nearly ceasing to function. The Sharingan?! The Uchiha bloodline limit?! The Hyuga Byakugan and the Uchiha Sharingan appearing in one person at the same time?! This completely overturned everything he knew about bloodline limits!

"See clearly, Neji." Qianyu's voice carried an absolute certainty that could not be questioned. "What has happened to me is proof that the impossible can be broken. No matter how powerful the Caged Bird is, it is merely a sealing technique created by those before us. As long as it is a technique, there is a way to break it. Every technique has the limits and flaws of its caster!"

He deactivated the Sharingan, restoring his ordinary black eyes, and looked intently at Neji. "I promise you: three years at most. Within three years, I will find a way to remove it for you—or at the very least, greatly weaken the Caged Bird's restraints on you!"

Three years... Neji's heart trembled violently. Looking into Qianyu's clear, unwavering eyes, recalling the unbelievable growth and strength he had displayed over the years, a flame of hope—long extinguished by despair—began to flicker weakly back to life within Neji's frozen heart. This peer who had created so many miracles... perhaps he truly could?

"I... what do I need to do?" Neji's voice was dry, carrying a tremor and expectation that even he had not noticed.

Qianyu smiled, his expression relaxed and sincere. "I don't need you to do anything for me, and I'm not trying to take you in as a subordinate or a slave. We are friends. Comrades. I'm helping you because I can't stand those damned rules, and because I believe you have the right to freely choose your future."

Back when Qianyu watched Naruto in his previous life, Neji had been the character he liked most—and the one whose fate filled him with the greatest grief and indignation.

He patted Neji on the shoulder. "What you need to do now is grow stronger without distractions! Train like mad and squeeze out every last bit of your potential! Strength is the foundation of everything! Without power, any ideal or promise is just empty talk."

Sasuke, beside them, nodded firmly. He agreed with that statement wholeheartedly.

"As for you, Sasuke." Qianyu turned toward him. "For now, learn properly under Kakashi. His experience and his use of the Sharingan are crucial to you. Once your foundation is more solid and you've graduated from under him... I'll find you a new teacher."

A glint flashed through Sasuke's eyes. "A new teacher? Who is it?"

"You'll find out when the time comes." Qianyu kept him in suspense, not revealing Orochimaru's name. Though their paths might differ, Orochimaru's research into the Sharingan and forbidden techniques would undoubtedly hold immense appeal for Sasuke. The key was how to keep the wind under control. "But first, you have to reach a level I recognize."

As night deepened, the three of them discussed cultivation insights and vague hopes for the future a while longer before parting ways and returning to their homes.

Qianyu returned to the wooden house he had shared with Tsunade for several years. Shizune had long since moved out and taken a position in the medical department. The house was silent; Tsunade seemed to have gone gambling again.

Over these years of living together, their original master-disciple relationship had undergone subtle yet profound changes. Tsunade was still the teacher who smacked him on the head when she lost her temper and lazily ordered him to cook, but she was also family—the one who patiently guided him whenever he hit a bottleneck in his training, and silently kept him company whenever he occasionally showed confusion over his origins.

And Qianyu had grown from a child in need of protection into a companion capable of discussing advanced ninjutsu with her side by side, even making her take him seriously during their occasional taijutsu sparring sessions. A bond beyond that of ordinary master and disciple, mingled with familial affection, trust, and mutual recognition, had quietly taken root through their days spent together.