The Hyuga Clan's Restlessness

Elsewhere, Akira Hyuga returned to Konoha, to the Hyuga Clan's territory.

Although he was somewhat angry at Chiba Shun's excessive demands, he did not actually want others to leave their bloodlines in Kumogakure like he had.

For one thing, the more people who knew about this, the more danger he would be in.

For another, if his child was the only ninja in Kumogakure with the Byakugan, then his child would certainly receive the best training. On the other hand, if Kumogakure had other options, then his child would not be so important.

Lastly, if he were the only one in the entire Hyuga Branch House to leave behind a bloodline elsewhere, that feeling of quietly making a fortune was quite wonderful.

So he was still hesitating and had not immediately shared this opportunity.

Until a few days later, a Hyuga Branch House Jonin who was usually close to him suddenly asked, "Akira, what's wrong with you lately?"

"Why do you keep zoning out?"

Akira Hyuga froze for a moment, immediately becoming vigilant. Had he exposed a flaw?

He had indeed exposed a flaw. Because he knew he had already left behind a bloodline, his mentality had changed.

The state of being full of resentment toward the Hyuga Main House while having no choice but to desperately suppress it was gone.

His behavior had become different from that of the other Hyuga Branch House members.

Fortunately, he had not interacted frequently with others these past few days. Only this Branch House member, who was closest to him, had noticed something was off.

However, the other man had not thought much about why. He was merely showing concern.

Akira Hyuga looked at his expression and relaxed slightly. After remaining silent for a long time, he finally said, "Momoya, let's go have barbecue at the Akimichi Family's barbecue restaurant."

Momoya Hyuga paused. The Akimichi Family's barbecue restaurant?

He seemed to realize something and instinctively glanced toward where the Hyuga Main House was located before nodding.

The Akimichi Family's barbecue restaurant was far from the Hyuga Clan's territory. Whenever Hyuga Branch House members wanted to secretly complain about the Main House, they would go there.

This was a secret of the Hyuga Branch House. The Main House members did not know about it.

After all, in the eyes of the Hyuga Main House, the Branch House was utterly loyal to them.

Soon, the two arrived at the Akimichi Family's barbecue restaurant together.

The restaurant owner did not seem surprised at all and thoughtfully arranged a quiet private room for them.

Akira Hyuga directly activated his Byakugan. Only after confirming that no one was spying on them did he slowly explain what had happened at the izakaya in Sunshine Town, Land of Moon.

After hearing Akira Hyuga's words, Momoya Hyuga trembled so hard that he could not even hold his wine cup steadily.

It took him a long time to calm his excitement. Then he activated his Byakugan as well, stared intently at Akira Hyuga, and asked, "Did you leave behind a bloodline?"

Akira Hyuga nodded.

Upon hearing that, Momoya Hyuga suddenly shed two streams of tears. They were tears of excitement.

A moment later, he dropped to his knees before Akira Hyuga and said, "Thank you!"

Momoya Hyuga knew that since Akira Hyuga had told him this news, it meant he could also go and leave behind a bloodline.

Akira Hyuga understood how he felt and did not say much.

The next day, after seeking approval from the Hyuga Main House, Momoya Hyuga led a team out of Konoha.

Once there was one, there would be two. Akira Hyuga had friends he considered closest to him, and Momoya Hyuga was no different.

Over the following year, more and more Hyuga Branch House members voluntarily accepted missions outside the village.

Without exception, they all headed to the Land of Moon...

They not only left behind bloodlines, but also their insights into cultivating the Byakugan and Gentle Fist.

Chiba Shun had only gone to Sunshine Town once when persuading Akira Hyuga. After that, he no longer paid attention to it.

However, even though he did not actively keep track, Yozuki A still told him good news from time to time.

Whenever someone became pregnant, Yozuki A would notify Chiba Shun at once.

Those were matters for later. After obtaining the Gentle Fist secret technique written by Akira Hyuga, Chiba Shun returned to Kumogakure.

The Third Raikage read through the cultivation method for the Gentle Fist secret technique, then shook his head and said, "This is useless to ordinary people. Copy it down, and give it to those children once they are able to cultivate."

Chiba Shun froze for a moment and cautiously asked, "Lord Raikage, do you mean... you want me to look after these children?"

The Third Raikage nodded. "That's right. Once these children are a little older, the Ninja Academy will train them collectively."

"They must develop a sense of belonging toward the village."

"You know about this matter too, so you're the right person to handle it."

"From now on, make a copy of every insight on the Gentle Fist."

Chiba Shun suddenly understood. The Third Raikage had put it vaguely, but Chiba Shun got the meaning. He valued Chiba Shun's ability to indoctrinate people.

Sakai Yushi had really called it. The Third Raikage also regarded him as someone who played schemes.

Chiba Shun sighed inwardly and could only comfort himself. This is fine too. At least it means I've gained the Third Raikage's attention.

Chiba Shun carefully made a copy, then handed the original to the Third Raikage.

After leaving the Raikage Building, he went straight back to the Ninja Academy.

Sakai Yushi had gone out on another mission.

Unlike Chiba Shun, he had not independently completed several S-rank Missions and did not have much money on hand.

Although Chiba Shun would give him money, he did not want to become a burden. Before Chiba Shun became a Chunin, he had been the one earning more money between them.

That was why Sakai Yushi had recently been actively taking missions.

After thinking it over, Chiba Shun decided to visit Aoki Yuyi's office. Some matters were better discussed openly.

Besides, judging by what the Third Raikage had said, Chiba Shun probably would not be transferred away from the Ninja Academy.

When Aoki Yuyi saw Chiba Shun arrive, his expression was complicated.

Chiba Shun had once been a newly promoted Chunin, while Aoki Yuyi, as his superior, had been a Jonin. There had been no issue in how they got along.

But now Chiba Shun had also become a Jonin, while Aoki Yuyi was still only a Jonin. Their relationship had become somewhat awkward.

Actually, if Chiba Shun had become a Jonin ten years later, then even if Aoki Yuyi were still only a Jonin at that time, it would not have mattered.

Chiba Shun's seniority would have been insufficient, and he still would not have been able to threaten Aoki Yuyi's position.

But the problem was that Chiba Shun was a fourteen-year-old Jonin.

When Aoki Yuyi had been fourteen, he had only been a Chunin. He had not even been a Special Jonin.

The gap in their talent was far too great. In the eyes of the higher-ups, their status was surely different as well.

Aoki Yuyi especially understood Chiba Shun's true strength, because he watched Chiba Shun train every day.

Chiba Shun's chakra level had only just reached that of a Jonin, allowing him to use A-rank Jutsu. Yet he was still unfamiliar with the Jonin level, and his various methods had not caught up. The Third Raikage had been somewhat hasty in promoting him so early.

Aoki Yuyi did not know Chiba Shun's specific role during the Eight-Tails' rampage. He guessed that Chiba Shun's promotion was because the village needed a batch of newly promoted Jonin to fill the vacancies left by the Eight-Tails' rampage.

He was very worried that the higher-ups would have Chiba Shun replace him and send him to fill another Jonin's position.

That was because Aoki Yuyi felt extremely guilty. He knew that the Ninja Academy's current scale was mainly due to Chiba Shun's many wildly imaginative ideas.

Aoki Yuyi could do some of the things Chiba Shun did, but there were many things he could not do.

For example, Chiba Shun could always promote the Will of Lightning in ever-changing ways, easily turning a crisis into an opportunity to spread the Will of Lightning.

In truth, Chiba Shun's thoughts were the same as Aoki Yuyi's. He had also been very worried about being transferred away from the Ninja Academy.

Although he had played a very important role in the Ninja Academy's reforms, he did not have enough connections in Kumogakure.

The Ninja Academy was not an independent institution. Many times, it had to cooperate with other village institutions, or rather, ask them for help.

Aoki Yuyi had extensive connections and could easily get things done, but Chiba Shun could not.

Chiba Shun was also worried that he would be transferred away from the Ninja Academy to fill the vacancy left by some Jonin who had died at the Eight-Tails' hands.

After all, the Ninja Academy was a good place. It was safe, free, and allowed him to get in touch with the village's future ahead of time. He did not want to leave.

So after Chiba Shun was promoted to Jonin, both men were afraid of each other and did not want to meet.

If the Third Raikage had not said that he wanted Chiba Shun to indoctrinate the future Hyuga Clan children, he would not have had the confidence to speak face-to-face with Aoki Yuyi.

Chiba Shun remained respectful toward Aoki Yuyi on the surface and got straight to the point. "Senior Aoki, you actually don't need to be wary of me."

"Your original intention in becoming the Ninja Academy's principal was to cultivate your own trusted subordinates. And I can be considered someone who came from the Ninja Academy. Aren't I one of the trusted subordinates you cultivated?"

Aoki Yuyi replied flatly, "Is that so?"

Aoki Yuyi believed he had treated Chiba Shun well, but that was only good treatment for a newly promoted Chunin.

The resources he had given Chiba Shun were far from enough to support Chiba Shun's cultivation to the Jonin level.

Chiba Shun's expenses for cultivating A-rank Jutsu came from the S-rank Missions he had completed himself.

He had never asked his superior for help.

Chiba Shun's S-rank Mission had been the plot against White Fang during his trip to Konoha, which had nothing to do with Aoki Yuyi.

Aoki Yuyi had not even known Chiba Shun's true purpose for going to Konoha, because it had been a top-secret mission personally arranged by the Third Raikage.

However, Chiba Shun had only been a Chunin at the time, so Aoki Yuyi had not thought much of it.

Chiba Shun said, "Senior Aoki, even if you don't consider me a junior cultivated by the Ninja Academy, that's fine."

"But I have no intention of competing with you for control of the Ninja Academy."

"My goal is different from yours. What you value are the talented students."

"But what I value are children with special talents."

"For example, Ayana, who went with me to Konoha. Her talent probably isn't enough to catch your eye, Senior, but she is interested in Sealing Scrolls, so I want to train her."

Aoki Yuyi's heart stirred. He remembered that Ayana, and he also knew that Chiba Shun had taken fifty thousand ryo from his mission rewards as a prize for her.

This had puzzled Aoki Yuyi greatly. Fifty thousand ryo was no small sum even in his eyes. For an orphan like Ayana, who could not yet take missions, it was an enormous fortune.

Fifty thousand ryo was actually a lot for Chiba Shun as well. His monthly salary was only fifty thousand ryo.

If he had not independently completed several S-rank Missions, Chiba Shun would not even have been able to sustain intensive training now.