The next day.
Sakumo went to the Hokage building alone.
None of his former squad members were with him, because starting today, the Hokage would assign him new companions to form a brand new Sakumo Squad for missions.
Reaching the office door, Sakumo gently knocked. After hearing a 'come in' from inside, Sakumo entered, closing the door behind him.
"Lord Hokage."
"Ah, Sakumo, you've arrived."
Now in his prime, Sakumo had completely reined in his aura. If he were wearing ordinary clothes, he would seem like a common person standing there.
There was no hint of the sharp edge expected of Konoha's White Fang.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, nodded inwardly. Among Konoha's many jōnin, Sakumo truly stood out.
Neither the talented jōnin of the new generation nor his peers could match his brilliance.
This would also significantly alleviate the pressure on him.
Currently, various merchants and foreign officials who came to Konoha to entrust missions would specifically request Sakumo, a testament to his renown and trustworthiness.
"I apologize, but the original Sakumo Squad needs to be disbanded."
"From the day I started leading them, I was prepared for this. They are all capable ninja now, able to stand on their own."
Sakumo said.
Hiruzen agreed with Sakumo's assessment.
Since its formation, the Sakumo Squad had completed countless S-rank and A-rank missions.
Leaving aside the squad's only medical ninja, who wasn't a combatant, the other two came from prominent clans and had recently been promoted to jōnin, becoming key figures in Konoha.
Disbanding the Sakumo Squad was a multi-faceted consideration.
Most importantly, it involved the attitudes of the Uchiha and Hyūga clans.
"I'd like to ask, what arrangements will be made for them next?"
Sakumo still asked this question out of concern.
"Hyūga Ayane will serve as the guard for the next Hyūga clan head, and Uchiha Ruri will be selected for the Uchiha Police Force, becoming a squad leader. As for Chiba Shiraishi, I plan to assign him to work at the Konoha Hospital, or perhaps as an assistant instructor at the Ninja Academy. Tsunade said his theoretical knowledge is very solid; he made no common-sense errors during his studies and is a rather excellent medical ninja."
In recent years, due to extensive training of medical ninja, Konoha now has twice as many medical ninja as it did during the Second Shinobi World War a few years ago.
However, Konoha is one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, with an extremely large number of ninja. Even doubling the number of medical ninja from the original base still wouldn't cover all aspects.
Therefore, both the Ninja Academy and Konoha Hospital are currently lacking medical ninja.
"Is that so? I heard Tsunade is currently teaching at the Ninja Academy..."
"Yes." At this, a flicker of sadness passed through Hiruzen's eyes, as if regretting something, before he quickly composed himself and said, "Tsunade happens to need an assistant there; we can send him over."
Sakumo smiled, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
He wasn't too worried about Ruri and Ayane, but Shiraishi's future path was what concerned him most.
Working at the Ninja Academy or Konoha Hospital meant his life would likely stabilize, with no significant risk to his life.
As for any political factors involved, Sakumo didn't want to dwell on such troublesome matters.
He himself had little interest in politics; how to improve his strength, protect his comrades, and perfectly complete missions—those were his concerns.
"These are the members of your new squad. See if they're suitable."
Hiruzen placed the information files of the other three new squad members on the table. Sakumo went over, picked them up, and quickly scanned through them.
"No problem. A sensory ninja, a medical ninja, and a jōnin for combat assistance. The configuration isn't much different from before."
"As long as you're satisfied. For some reason, I've been feeling my physical condition deteriorating lately. Having a squad led by you can relieve a lot of pressure on me."
Hiruzen said with a smile.
"Lord Hokage, you jest. You're not even fifty yet."
"Almost. And sitting in this office all day, only occasionally getting out to practice ninjutsu, I wonder if my strength has declined."
Hiruzen was quite melancholic.
"You are the Professor of Ninjutsu, the Hokage that Konoha relies on."
"Haha, don't worry. Before I hand over this position to the next Hokage, I can still hold on."
Hiruzen also knew that after a ninja reached fifty, they generally started to decline.
Furthermore, he had fought on the front lines with the Second Hokage in his early years, accumulating many old injuries. Recently, he felt increasingly powerless.
It was indeed time to consider the matter of the next Hokage.
In another two or three years, the ceremony for electing the Hokage candidate should be held, Hiruzen thought.
Hiruzen hadn't yet decided who to entrust the position of Fourth Hokage to.
Mainly, there were too many options.
The White Fang, the Sannin, and many excellent jōnin from the new generation—each had the qualifications to contend for Hokage.
They were all excellent ninja capable of inheriting the Will of Fire.
This was the so-called burden of happiness.
Thinking of this, Hiruzen felt much lighter.
◎
Hyūga Clan Compound.
Along the corridor of the vast courtyard, people walked.
At the front of the group was Hyūga Hiashi, the next head of the Hyūga household. Behind him followed a man and a woman.
The man was around twenty years old, with a calm demeanor. He was an exceptionally outstanding jōnin of the Hyūga clan, serving as a guard for Hiashi, the next clan head, and deeply committed to this mission.
The woman beside him was still in her teens, dressed in white kimono ninja attire. She was also a Hyūga jōnin, and like the man, served as Hiashi's elite bodyguard, protecting his safety.
The young woman was Ayane.
Having completed her training missions with the Sakumo Squad, it was only natural for her to now follow the clan's arrangements and directives.
Her becoming Hiashi's guard had been decided from the very beginning.
Remembering the mission to protect the Main House was also a duty she, as a member of the Branch House, had to fulfill.
While the overall strength of the Hyūga clan was inferior to that of the Uchiha clan, in terms of strict family rules, the Uchiha could not compare.
"You two can wait here now."
"Yes."
Ayane and the man bowed slightly, creating distance from Hiashi.
On the path ahead, only Hiashi walked forward alone.
At the end of the path, a young woman in a kimono was waiting for Hiashi.
Her forehead was not adorned with a forehead protector, nor was it covered by anything, but similarly, she also lacked the 'Caged Bird' seal.
Although not of the main branch of the Main House, she was still a branch of the Main House, and her status and position were far beyond what a member of the Branch House could compare to.
"It seems the time for Lord Hiashi to inherit the clan head position is not far off."
The male Hyūga jōnin murmured softly.
"What do you mean?"
"This is an engagement ceremony. After he marries, Lord Hiashi will soon become the clan head... This is also a tradition of the Main House."
"Winterma-senpai is very familiar with this process."
Ayane said with a smile.
Hyūga Tōma was the name of this Hyūga jōnin.
He was a ninja of Ayane's previous generation, and in terms of talent, he was absolutely no weaker than her. His use of the Byakugan and Gentle Fist surpassed most in the Hyūga clan.
Furthermore, as a member of the Branch House, he possessed a strong spirit of sacrifice for the Main House at any time, which is why he was chosen as one of Hiashi's guards.
Branch Houses also differed from each other.
Most Branch House ninja were not taught the core Gentle Fist techniques of the Hyūga clan, such as many derivative moves of the Gentle Fist, or the 'Rotation' which was considered an absolute defense.
These were advanced techniques that only Main House ninja could learn.
Ayane and Tōma were granted the privilege to learn them, so they could better protect Hiashi, as the head of the Main House.
"It's nothing. Oh, by the way, I heard you performed exceptionally well under Jōnin Sakumo and became a jōnin at such a young age. That's truly remarkable."
Jōnin Tōma said with a smile.
Becoming a jōnin in her teens was rare even within the talent-rich Hyūga clan.
Especially as a woman.
"It was exhausting. We often had to complete high-difficulty missions, and there were several times when we barely escaped death. I don't want to experience those days again. Life in the clan is much more peaceful."
Jōnin Tōma agreed with Ayane's complaint.
Although the Second Shinobi World War had ended three years ago, ninja still had to work during peacetime.
Especially elite squads like Sakumo's, whose missions were at least A-rank.
"However, you also need to be a little careful. Don't get too deeply involved with outsiders, especially romantically. The Hyūga clan is not like the Uchiha; they won't allow women to marry outside, and even a man marrying in is impossible. Furthermore, you are Lord Hiashi's guard, and this position is extremely important."
Tōma said meaningfully.
"What do you mean?"
Ayane tilted her head and glanced at Jōnin Tōma.
"Nothing. It's just that as a fellow member of the Branch House, I don't want an excellent jōnin like you to be neglected by the elders."
Jōnin Tōma sighed.
"I don't understand."
"You are a smart person; you must understand what I mean. Don't do anything unnecessary. Your every move is watched by the elders. This is the Hyūga clan; for this clan, the Branch House needs no secrets. As Lord Hiashi's guards, our lives become different from those of other Branch House ninja."
Seeing Ayane's incomprehension, Jōnin Tōma gave a wry smile.
"..."
Ayane fell silent.
"My life has already been arranged by the elders. My wife was a Branch House woman I didn't know at all before, and we married hastily under those circumstances. Because that was the safest option. Your future life will be the same; don't try to resist. The Hyūga clan's power is not something you can fight against. Besides this, you can enjoy many benefits that other Branch House ninja cannot obtain."
"Should I thank those understanding elders for thoughtfully arranging even my future?"
Ayane said with a smile, no anger or hint of resentment on her face.
In her pure white eyes, there was only the most innocent smile.
"Only in this way can the Hyūga clan's bloodline remain pure. Our Byakugan is a very noble kekkei genkai; genetically, we are a different class from those common ninja. I don't want to hear news of you dying an unnatural death someday."
Jōnin Tōma looked up at the blue sky, where a flock of birds flew freely, and showed a faint smile.
To wish to be a freely flying bird... what a luxurious wish.
"Don't worry, Tōma-senpai, I will fulfill the mission of a Hyūga ninja."
Ayane gave a convincing, gentle smile.
"You truly are a terrifying woman."
Staring at Ayane's beautiful smile, which contained nothing but the smile itself, Tōma couldn't help but utter these words.
No, he had no idea what she was thinking.
A monster? Jōnin Tōma felt a sense of alarm rising in his heart.
Working with such a monstrous woman, he couldn't relax for a single moment.
◎
After the engagement ceremony, Hiashi returned to his residence and let out a long sigh.
A wave of exhaustion instantly washed over him.
Practicing Gentle Fist and Byakugan, learning how to manage the family, and now having to foster feelings for a woman he had never met before.
Apart from sleeping, his entire schedule was already packed.
For the first time, he felt that being the clan leader was not an easy task.
"If only Hizashi were here…"
He murmured to himself.
Come to think of it, it had been a long time since he last saw Hizashi.
But as soon as he thought of the indifferent, awestruck, and even hateful gaze Hizashi now directed at him, Hiashi's mood became complicated.
He truly wished he could return to the carefree days of his childhood, when Hizashi's gaze held the respect and affection of a younger brother for an older brother, not this look of a stranger.
From the moment the Caged Bird seal was placed, the destinies of the two brothers diverged completely.
One was the high and mighty Main Branch, and the other was the Branch Family dominated by the Main Branch.
Once marked as a Branch Family member, then no matter how many children they had later, they would all be marked as Branch Family members.
Only the descendants of the Main Branch could potentially become part of the Main Branch, with a portion having the risk of becoming part of the Branch Family.
This also led to the Main Branch having very few members, while the Branch Family grew increasingly numerous.
Thinking of this, Hiashi felt even more exhausted.
"If there were no Branch Family system, Hizashi would…"
But this was just his personal sentiment.
The will of the clan would not change based on his individual will.
The fate of the Branch Family and the fate of the Main Branch were decided from the very beginning, and no one could shake them.
"Please don't say that, Lord Hiashi. Protecting the Main Branch is precisely our duty as the Branch Family. Lord Hizashi will understand Lord Hiashi's kindness one day."
Hyuga Tooma comforted Hiashi in this way.
In his eyes, Hiashi was not the cold young master that outsiders perceived; he also had his soft and kind side.
But in the face of the clan's greater good, he could only choose to be ruthless.
If he were to follow such a person, Tooma felt that his life would have no more regrets.
The treatment of the Branch Family would also improve appropriately.
"Senior Tooma, saying that is too cruel. Lord Hiashi is merely acting out of an older brother's love for his younger brother."
Ayane said with a smile from the side.
Tooma glanced at Ayane and said in a steady tone, "Lord Hiashi is the future of the Hyuga. Our destiny is already set, and Lord Hizashi's destiny is also set. As members of the Branch Family, we only need to protect Lord Hiashi; we should not have any other thoughts."
"Tooma, don't blame Ayane. I was just letting off some steam occasionally."
Hiashi defended Ayane.
"Yes."
Tooma respectfully stepped aside, but his gaze remained fixed on Ayane.
This woman was too dangerous, and Lord Hiashi seemed to trust her greatly. Tooma narrowed his eyes.
To be honest, he didn't want to work with Ayane.
It was fortunate that such a woman, whose thoughts he couldn't even guess, was still controlled by the Caged Bird seal.
Otherwise, it would not be a good thing for the Hyuga clan or for Konoha.
"Lord Hiashi, what are your thoughts on the future clan head's wife?"
"She is a good woman."
But she was also too rigid and uninteresting, like a delicate doll. Hiashi added this in his heart.
Every move she made was full of decorum, not deliberately put on, but rather she was inherently destined and molded into such a gentle and compliant woman.
Her smile was also full of genuine tenderness, but Hiashi couldn't develop an interest in such a good woman.
His mother, the maids in the house, including his future wife, all followed this template.
Like exquisite products manufactured from a factory.
But among them, only one was an exception.
That was Ayane.
Beneath her gentle exterior was an intensely strong and complete personality that had never been eroded by the strict clan rules.
Hiashi could feel the difference between Ayane and those other women.
On a fundamental level, she was no longer a rigid and serious Hyuga clan member.
What had she experienced in the past to undergo such a transformation?
Who would she marry in the future?
Hiashi didn't know why, but lately, he was always very concerned about such things.
◎
"After completing a strenuous mission, I still ended up back in this familiar place…"
Standing at the main gate of the Ninja Academy, Shiraishi felt at a loss for words.
When he was on Sakumo's team, he occasionally passed by the Ninja Academy, but since graduating, this was the first time he had officially stepped onto this familiar ground.
However, this was good; compared to the hospital, the work at the Ninja Academy would be relatively easier.
The only headache was having to pay attention to the mischievous children in the school.
"What's wrong, kid? You've come all this way, are you scared stiff?"
A teasing laugh came from behind him.
Shiraishi turned around, scratching his head, and said, "No, that's not it, Teacher Tsunade. I'm just thinking about how to get along with my adorable junior classmates."
"It's good that you have that thought."
Tsunade walked up and patted Shiraishi's shoulder. He had grown much sturdier and taller than before.
As for Tsunade's changes, Shiraishi only felt that her chest seemed to have developed further.
It was too overwhelming.
As expected of a jonin.
Although he didn't know what essential connection there was between large breasts and being a jonin, Shiraishi still thought so.
"Don't worry, this isn't a dragon's den or a tiger's lair. Working here with me is much safer than working with Sakumo."
Tsunade still highly recognized Shiraishi's medical knowledge.
He still had shortcomings in many areas, but as long as his knowledge base was solid and his experience was rich enough, he was very suitable to be her assistant and teach those newcomers.
"Yes, I am very satisfied with this job."
Shiraishi nodded.
But honestly, there wasn't much danger on Sakumo's team either, because every mission was completed very quickly. The other three would rush forward and slaughter the enemies whenever they encountered them, and he only needed to cheer from the side, and the battle would end spectacularly.
"Come with me."
Tsunade led the way, heading in a direction that Shiraishi still clearly remembered.
It was towards the class where he had originally learned medical knowledge.
By now, several generations of the experimental class must have passed.
He was truly looking forward to meeting the young and adorable junior classmates.
To avoid conflicts with the main courses, the class time for the Medical Ninja Training Experimental Class was still from 3 PM to just after 5 PM.
In the graduation exam, the passing score for the experimental class students would be lowered, and there were also regular subsidies.
The class had more students than Shiraishi's original class, almost forty people. It seemed that the vigorous internal promotion of the importance of medical ninjas over the past few years, coupled with many subsidies, had yielded significant results.
Most of them were girls, with only a few scattered boys.
Both boys and girls were very curious, looking at the young man next to Tsunade, guessing who he was.
"This is your senior, Chiba Shiraishi. He was also one of my students a long time ago. Now he will be assisting me in my work. Everyone, please welcome him."
After Tsunade finished speaking, the students below applauded.
Shiraishi also nodded friendly, showing the demeanor a senior should have.
Next, it was the official class time.
Compared to before, Tsunade's teaching methods were more groundbreaking, and many problems could be analyzed incisively.
And the students here were all convinced by Tsunade; their learning attitude was much more serious than that of Shiraishi's generation of students.
When Tsunade got tired of lecturing, she would let Shiraishi continue. With his abundant knowledge, Shiraishi quickly adapted and almost kept up with Tsunade's pace.
He could also cooperate with Tsunade in experiments, leaving her with few faults to pick.
This kid has grown a lot too. If he's here, maybe I can slack off a bit and go to the casino and pub…Thinking of this, Tsunade smiled.
It was indeed the right choice to poach this kid from Sakumo.
A perfect tool.
"Seriously, it's only the first day, and she's already dumped all the work on me?"
After class, Shiraishi sighed, looking at Tsunade's seat, which was already empty, not knowing what to say.
"Um, Senior Shiraishi, can I ask you some questions?"
After everyone left, a girl came up to him. She had shoulder-length dark brown hair and a gentle smile, looking very well-behaved and cute.
"No problem."
Shiraishi readily agreed to her request, letting her sit next to him to discuss the medical knowledge she didn't understand.
Just as he was about to speak, a furious roar suddenly came from outside the classroom door:
"What are you trying to do to Rin?! You're standing so close, damn it, take this!"
With that, he recklessly pounced towards Shiraishi without any hesitation.
Shiraishi immediately dodged, and the other person flew spectacularly over his head, sticking to the opposite wall.
His shouting also stopped abruptly, and he slid down from the wall.
"Obi-Obito!?"
The girl, Rin, recognized the identity of the boy who attacked Shiraishi as her classmate Obito, and immediately ran over in a panic to see if he was okay.
"Are you alright?"
"Haha, no, I'm fine. This little scratch is nothing. Look how strong I am! This little thing is nothing!"
Saying that, he immediately blushed and jumped up from the ground, doing exaggerated stretching exercises to show that he was perfectly fine.
"Classmate, were you trying to demonstrate how to be a gecko just now? Although it's after class, you still need to be mindful of your behavior."
Shiraishi walked over, looking at the boy with a headache.
There he was, the mischievous child who often troubled teachers during school.
"Hmph, don't think I don't know your background. You're that 'freeloader Shiraishi' in our Uchiha, aren't you?"
The other party seemed to want to embarrass Shiraishi.
Shiraishi nodded: "That's right, I certainly am."
Huh? He admitted it? Without hesitation?
Is that something to be proud of?
Obito was speechless.
"When a woman is willing to support a man, don't you think that's also a man's capability?"
Shiraishi said.
Obito was at a loss for words, wanting to refute but not knowing what to say.
"Speaking of which, you just said 'our Uchiha'… Are you also from the Uchiha?"
"Of course, didn't you see the symbol on the back of my clothes?"
"Didn't see it. Maybe you're impersonating, and you secretly drew it on yourself."
Obito was about to explode with anger.
He threw another punch.
Shiraishi dodged, and the other person landed on the ground with his butt in the air.
"Freeloader… You're really despicable! You set a trap under my feet!"
"Obito, you clearly slipped yourself. It has nothing to do with Senior Shiraishi."
Rin walked over, also feeling helpless with Obito.
"…"
Shiraishi looked at this scene, a little speechless.
This guy… Is he really from the Uchiha?
Ruri's clansman?
Without a doubt, this was a true idiot.