Chapter 81: Hinata, Don't Casually Call Me Father
Soon, Hinata followed Akiyama Makoto into the bathhouse.
The owner's service attitude remained professional, showing no change in emotion despite him bringing a different girl into the room.
It wasn't until Hinata was kneeling on a cushion that it finally dawned on her that she was in his room. A blush once again crept onto her cheeks. Makoto even wondered if she would crawl under the table if he stared at her for another minute.
Unable to bear the atmosphere any longer, Hinata mustered her courage. "Um... Makoto-kun, didn't you say you knew a lot about the Hyūga clan? Is there something you wanted to tell me?"
"Actually, I was just teasing you. I don't know anything about the Hyūga. I just wanted to trick you into coming in here."
"Eh?!"
Hinata cried out in alarm, instinctively shrinking back and holding her hands up in front of her.
"Makoto-kun, even though you're very strong, if you come over here... I will still fight back with all my might!"
Hinata tried to sound threatening, but to him, it sounded like the bleating of a little lamb—not dangerous at all, and in fact, a little cute. After all, who threatens someone while blushing and using polite language?
With a pained expression, he spoke again. "Hinata, I think you've misunderstood. I did trick you into coming in here, but I never said I was going to do anything to you!"
"Why did your thoughts go in that direction? Do you really see me as that kind of person?"
Hinata froze, and then her face exploded in a crimson blush before she unconsciously fell backward.
With quick eyes and nimble hands, Makoto moved to her side, supporting her back with one hand while holding her wrist with the other to inject his Yang chakra.
Only then, leaning against his shoulder, did Hinata manage to remain conscious—and only just. In fact, his proximity had made her shyness even worse. Her ears and neck turned pink, and she lost almost all ability to move.
"It seems you still need some time to recover. Let me tell you a little story."
Makoto pondered for a moment, then began to recount a tale from the childhood of Hyūga Hiashi and Hyūga Hizashi. Of course, the story was his own invention; he was good at that. He didn't even use their real names, just casually speaking of two brothers from the main family of the Hyūga clan during the Warring States period. Hinata was very familiar with their story, so she would naturally make the connection.
The story's content was also very simple.
The two brothers had a great relationship since childhood, training and growing up together, even willing to lay down their lives for each other in battle. But because of the Hyūga's clan system, the elder brother became the heir, while the younger could only be branded with the Caged Bird Seal. From then on, the two were almost at odds with each other. This hatred was exposed when the younger brother's child was also branded, and the younger brother was punished by the elder with the very same seal. The hatred was then passed down to the next generation.
However, one day, when the elder brother made a grave mistake and should have atoned with his life, the younger brother stood up and redeemed him with his own. Their brotherly love had never soured; it was just separated by the tragic chasm of the Caged Bird Seal.
As if in a cycle, the elder brother also had two children. He watched them, who had a great relationship and trained together since they were little, and he knew he had to make a decision about which one to brand. But he couldn't bear to do it. He used the excuse that he hadn't decided on an heir to delay the matter, a delay that had now lasted for three years, and he intended to keep delaying. As for how to solve it in the future, he didn't know. He could only hope that time would resolve everything.
The story wasn't long and was finished in just a few words.
But from the very beginning, Hinata was immersed in it, realizing that he was talking about her and Hanabi's current situation. Normally, a Hyūga clan member was branded at the age of three. That she and Hanabi had been spared, was it not because of their father's indecision in choosing an heir?
In the past, Hinata had thought her father's hesitation was simply because she was too weak and pathetic. But now, he had given her another explanation, one that lit a candle of hope in her heart.
Come to think of it, if her father had truly given up on her completely, why hadn't he already branded her with the Caged Bird Seal?
"Father..."
Hinata's eyes grew moist, and her hand subconsciously clutched his collar.
Makoto's expression became a little unnatural. After all, a girl grabbing his clothes and calling him "Father"... this scene usually only occurred in two specific types of situations.
He guiltily glanced around. After a few seconds, when Hyūga Hiashi did not burst through the door, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. The range of the Hyūga's Byakugan was greater than his own perception, so for now, only when facing them did he feel unsure.
"Alright, Hinata."
He cleared his throat and helped her sit up straight. It was safer for them to maintain a normal distance.
"I've finished the story. I hope you'll listen carefully to what I say next."
"Yes!" Hinata quickly wiped her tears, adopting an attitude of complete obedience. No one had ever spoken to her like this before. If he hadn't told her the truth, she didn't know how long she would have remained in her awkward state. Perhaps she would have never known that she was still loved by her father, not even until the day she was branded.
"Through these past few days of training, I can see that you don't have the killing intent a ninja should have."
Hinata trembled slightly but did not deny it. Her weakness was multifaceted. Not only were her manifested strength and talent lacking, but her mindset was also not strong enough. In these respects, she was indeed not suited to be a ninja.
"But who made the rule that you must have killing intent to be a ninja? All those benevolent and skillful medical-nin in the Konoha Hospital, who work tirelessly to save the wounded—are they not ninja?"
A look of realization dawned on Hinata. "Are you suggesting I switch to becoming a medical-nin, Makoto-kun... Ow!"
He tapped her on the head.
"What I'm trying to say is, why can't someone who only knows how to defend and protect their teammates be an excellent ninja?"
He stated his understanding plainly. "If you can't bear to kill, then focus on defense and let your teammates handle the offense."
"For example, if you and Hanabi coordinate, with her on offense and you on defense, what's wrong with that?"
Hinata's eyes lit up. His words didn't actually contain any profound wisdom. When Hyūga clan members fought, they already divided labor based on their mastery of different techniques. But she and Hanabi had been stuck in a dead end, insisting that one person had to protect the other.
But the next second, her gaze dimmed again. He had not yet taught her how to solve the most central problem.
"But one of us will inevitably be branded with the Caged Bird Seal..."
This was the essence of their twisted relationship. Was it not also the essence of the entire twisted Hyūga clan?
To this, he also had an answer prepared.
"Then treat the people who want to put the Caged Bird Seal on you as the enemy, and you and your sister can defeat them together."
"If you and your sister both have the strength of an Elite Jōnin or a Kage, and you are united as one, who can force you to do anything?"
"Or do you think that getting along well with Hanabi is more difficult than defeating the Caged Bird Seal?"
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