I Refuse to Accept This

Yuun fell silent. He knew Hiashi was referring to Orochimaru's Konoha Destruction Plan. He had known Danzo was involved, but he had never expected the plan to be tied to the shinobi clans as well. From Hiashi's words, it seemed that Konoha's various shinobi families had all taken part. No wonder Orochimaru's ragtag forces had infiltrated Konoha so easily. With so many traitors within, even the tightest defenses were nothing more than decoration.

If Yuun's memory was correct, the various shinobi clans had only emerged after the Third Hokage's death. Before that, no one knew which corners those people had been hiding in.

"Heh, getting old has made me rather talkative." Hiashi patted Yuun on the shoulder. "It's getting late. Stay here tonight and leave tomorrow."

"Yes." Yuun nodded. It was only for one night; it was no big deal.

Yuun lay in bed all night without closing his eyes. His conversation with Hiashi had made him think of himself. If he continued along this path, he was confident that he could surpass Hiashi within two years. After all, he was still in a period of rapid growth, while Hiashi had already reached his peak and had little room left to improve.

But what would that accomplish? Even if he could rival an Elite Jonin in a year and reach Semi-Kage level in three, he would at most be on Kisame's level. Forget facing Pain—even the gravely ill Itachi might still be stronger than him. What meaning would all his years of effort have then?

When the Fourth Shinobi World War broke out, Kage-level fighters would be everywhere, and Semi-Kage level shinobi would be worth less than dogs. Even the Five Kage joining forces had been unable to stop Madara Uchiha once he became serious. If Yuun entered that kind of battlefield, he would be nothing but cannon fodder.

Yuun had never believed he was some chosen hero who could shout, "My fate is mine, not heaven's." But accepting a destiny set in stone was not so easy either. In his previous life, Yuun had been neither a business tycoon nor an expert in officialdom, but neither had he been a useless loser who had accomplished nothing. He had no background, and his talent had been nothing extraordinary, yet he had still built a small company through hard work. No matter how many difficulties he encountered, he had never given up. If he had not transmigrated, perhaps he might have barely joined the ranks of the wealthy second generation by now.

Of course, being a shinobi and making money were entirely different matters. But that did not mean Yuun would give up easily. As long as there was even a sliver of hope, he would not abandon it, even if he was facing something nearly invincible.

The short night soon passed. Early the next morning, Yuun presented his idea to Hiashi.

"You want to leave Konoha for a year?" Hiashi frowned deeply. If he had not been so satisfied with Yuun as his future son-in-law and unwilling to make their relationship too strained, he would have cursed him out on the spot. Fortunately, more than a decade as clan head had given him considerable restraint. Coupled with his confidence in Yuun, he still gave him a chance to explain. "Why? If it's about strength, then at your age, cultivating the Gentle Fist to this extent already makes you a genius. Besides, there's no need to leave the village to train. The clan has plenty of places for that, and if you need an opponent, I wouldn't mind sparring with you."

"Lord Hiashi." Yuun spoke only after Hiashi had finished. "Forgive my disrespect, but I don't want to become a second you."

Without caring about Hiashi's expression, Yuun continued, "Granted, you are very strong, and with the Hyuga Clan behind you, even the Hokage must show you some respect. But what comes after that?"

"..." Hiashi's face darkened somewhat, yet he remained where he stood in silence, waiting for Yuun to continue.

"I refuse to accept it, Lord Hiashi! I refuse to accept it!" Yuun clenched his teeth, his voice trembling slightly. "I'm no worse than anyone else. I don't want my future to amount to nothing more than this!"

"If the plan succeeds, then in the future, the position of Hokage might not necessarily..." Hiashi tried to persuade Yuun, but Yuun interrupted him before he could finish.

"You know that isn't what I mean. I'm not talking about becoming Hokage." Yuun cut him off without ceremony. "I deeply admire the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha. They founded Konoha and made the position of Hokage the highest honor a shinobi could attain. But I don't want to become Hokage. Sitting in that position is no different from losing one's freedom."

Hiashi's expression changed slightly when Yuun mentioned freedom. Ever since the Hyuga Clan had been divided into the Main House and Branch House, freedom had become the thing the Main House hated most and the Branch House yearned for most.

"You're too arrogant, Yuun." Having had a little time to compose himself, Hiashi barely calmed down and rebuked him.

"Arrogant? No, Lord Hiashi. I only want an opportunity." Yuun also realized that his tone had been too forceful, but he did not want to give up now. Without Hiashi's support, he probably would not even be able to leave Konoha, much less accomplish anything else. "One year. Please give me one year. I'll prove everything."

Seeing Yuun's utterly sincere expression, Hiashi wanted to refuse, but when the words reached his lips, they inexplicably changed. "I'll help you submit an application to the Third Hokage, but I can't guarantee that Lord Hokage will approve it."

"Thank you, Lord Hiashi." Having received Hiashi's answer, Yuun gave him a heartfelt bow. Even as the Hyuga Clan's head, getting the Hokage to approve a Jonin's year-long departure without reason would not be easy.

"Stay here for three more days. I'll entrust the secret scrolls to you during that time. Read as much as you can." At this point, Hiashi looked at Yuun's forehead and pondered for a long time. "Protect yourself. If necessary, you know what to do."

Yuun, who had been holding his breath, finally relaxed. Hiashi had not demanded that he accept the Caged Bird. Although a Byakugan with the Curse Mark was only slightly weaker than the complete version, Yuun still did not want to place his life in someone else's hands.

With Hiashi's promise, Yuun nearly memorized the Hyuga Secret Scroll over the next three days. As for the Hokage, there was no need to worry too much. Although Yuun was a Konoha shinobi, he was also a member of the Hyuga Clan. Even the Hokage generally would not interfere in the affairs of shinobi clans, as that could easily breed resentment. Therefore, after confirming Hiashi's opinion, he approved the request.

The three days quickly passed. Hiashi handed Yuun a travel pass and a backpack containing his luggage. Even though Yuun was already a Jonin, he still needed to prepare some supplies before heading out. Basic shinobi tools went without saying. While it was not difficult to acquire them while traveling, he still had to bring some himself. A few changes of clothes, a small bag of salt, and dry rations made up the bulk of his luggage. Any more than that would affect his fighting. Of course, he also brought various odds and ends, including needles, thread, and some medicine.