Having gotten off work early, Zou Hyuga wanted nothing more than to shout hooray. Even spending his remaining time on D-rank missions would be better than having every last bit of value squeezed out of him.
In the shinobi world, however, becoming a tool seemed to be something worth celebrating. Quite a few ninja took pride in it.
After replenishing Oto's chakra, the two did not leave the village to spar or conduct experiments. The reason was simple: Orochimaru's defection had put the village on alert, and the area outside had been under lockdown for quite some time.
As they passed the village entrance, they saw the Ino-Shika-Cho trio patrolling the perimeter.
As Zou Hyuga remembered it, the combined Ino-Shika-Cho trio could hold their own against high-level opponents. They were among the village's few elite jonin, and they also seemed to be the Fourth Hokage's trusted followers, having fought alongside him.
After they parted ways, Zou Hyuga headed toward the clan compound. When he reached his doorstep, he ran into Hyuga Yu.
Compared with a few days earlier, Hyuga Yu had grown considerably thinner. For someone his age, sudden weight loss was not a good sign. It often meant that his days were numbered.
Family members did not really need to say much to one another. A single glance was enough.
Zou Hyuga understood what his uncle from the Main Family meant and followed him toward the Main Family's old residence.
There were few clan members along the road to the old residence. To the Branch Family, which made up most of the clan, it was not a place worth remembering fondly. After all, it was where the Caged Bird Seal ceremony was held.
"Zou, I may not have much longer to live..." Hyuga Yu suddenly turned around and said,