Young Master Hizashi."
It was Monday morning, just as dawn broke, around six o'clock, when Ayane arrived punctually to wake Hizashi.
A faint sound came from the room, and soon after, Hizashi emerged.
He didn't spare Ayane a glance, walking past her directly.
To him, whether this maid would survive until the end was an unknown question.
For the Main Family, the lives of Branch Family members were not that important.
However, only a very small number of Branch Family members would resist; most were accustomed to being ruled.
And this custom would be deeply ingrained in their bones and souls, passed down through generations.
They rejoiced in the Main Family's joy, raged in their anger, and grieved in their sorrow.
Ayane naturally understood Hizashi's indifference; she simply followed her duty as a maid, quietly trailing behind him.
Around her, many eyes must have been watching her.
She could feel it.
In dark corners, in silent crevices, her every move was being monitored.
Becoming a maid to the Hyuga Main Family's young master was not a joyful experience.
But this attention, which could be called surveillance, was not something Ayane could resist.
"Lord Hizashi."
Ayane followed Hizashi through several courtyards. As they neared the training ground, a young man, slightly younger than Hizashi and bearing a striking resemblance to him, appeared at the end of the corridor.
Upon seeing Hizashi, he lowered his head and spoke, his voice betraying a hint of gritted teeth, and his fists clenched tightly.
"Hizashi, as a ninja, you must always control your emotions. This appearance is truly unsightly. Surely you haven't forgotten your duty as a member of the Branch Family, have you?"
Hizashi stopped, cast a cold glance at Hizashi, and reprimanded him in a stern tone, speaking as an elder brother.
"Yes."
He seemed to regain his composure, and his fists unclenched, but Ayane knew the anger, dissatisfaction, or perhaps hatred of this Branch Family ninja.
Hyuga Hizashi.
That was the young man's name.
Like Hizashi, he was the son of the current Hyuga clan head. The difference was that he was born a little later than Hizashi, making him part of the Branch Family, while Hizashi belonged to the Main Family.
He was destined to die for Hizashi; all his honor and disgrace, his rise and fall, were no longer for himself, but for his once most respected and beloved elder brother, Hizashi.
That former respect and affection must have now been replaced by hostility and loathing.
If he weren't the clan head's son, openly displaying such killing intent towards the next Hyuga clan head would likely have led to him being taken to a secluded corner and cursed to death.
Sometimes, even the status between Branch Family members could differ.
The encounter with Hizashi was just a minor interlude; for Ayane, it wasn't something worth particular attention.
Upon arriving at the training ground, a skilled Hyuga jōnin was already waiting for Hizashi to begin his morning practice.
Because she was a maid, Ayane was specially permitted to stay there.
After she was assigned as Hizashi's maid, her status was also slightly higher than that of an ordinary Branch Family member.
Hizashi trained in the Hyuga clan's Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, which, combined with the Byakugan, possessed immense power.
Ayane had not fully learned the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms; she had only mastered the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms.
On one hand, the Main Family desired the Branch Family to be strong, but on the other, they didn't want them to learn all of the Hyuga family's secret techniques.
Because if a Branch Family member surpassed the Main Family in a secret technique, it would cause the Main Family to lose face.
And if the Main Family lost face, the Branch Family member would inevitably be punished.
If a Branch Family member performed well, they would be allowed to learn the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.
However, there was an absolute defense technique called 'Eight Trigrams Palms: Revolving Heaven,' which only Main Family members were qualified to learn.
As Hizashi's maid, Ayane didn't actually have much to do. Since she also had to attend school during the day, there were many times when she wouldn't be constantly by Hizashi's side.
Hizashi didn't particularly care about such matters. Ayane was merely a Branch Family member who could die at any time, and he never questioned or cared about anything concerning her.
She, like the previous deceased Branch Family maids, was just a dispensable tool by his side.
This was how his father, the clan head, had educated him.
The Main Family was the root of the Hyuga clan; as long as the root remained, it didn't matter whether the branches and leaves withered or flourished.
◎
Konoha Year 32, October.
Shiraishi had spent a full six months in the First Medical Ninja Experimental Class, with average grades. However, as one of the village's first medical ninja to be trained, no matter how ordinary he was, the village's subsidies for him were still very generous.
After graduating from the sixth grade, he would be dispatched to the battlefield to officially work as a medical ninja on the front lines.
Just as Shiraishi was thinking this, a piece of news suddenly arrived—
The war had ended.
Yes, the war had ended.
Konoha was victorious, and Amegakure was defeated.
Hanzō of the Salamander, the leader of Amegakure, bestowed the title of 'Konoha's Legendary Sannin' upon three Konoha ninja, acknowledging Konoha's victory and thus ending the three to four-year war between Amegakure and Konoha.
The so-called 'Konoha's Legendary Sannin' were the three Konoha jōnin: Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade.
They were the disciples of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The three of them had secured Konoha's victory on the battlefield in the Land of Rain, earning them great honor.
Thus, most people in the village were immersed in an atmosphere of joy.
Shiraishi was also very happy; after graduation, he finally wouldn't have to go to the battlefield to participate in the Great Ninja War.
The Sannin returned with a large number of Konoha ninja, and countless people eagerly awaited them at the village entrance.
Shiraishi was among them, an inconspicuous member of the crowd.
At that time, he saw the so-called Konoha's Legendary Sannin.
A slender, handsome man with long, straight black hair, radiating killing intent.
A large-chested female ninja with light golden hair and a beaming smile.
Hmm... wait, why were there only two of the Sannin?
Shiraishi remembered it was 'Konoha's Legendary Sannin,' but only two had returned. Where was the third one?
Could it be that they had unfortunately sacrificed themselves at the very moment the war ended?
Shiraishi couldn't help but wonder.
But at that moment, people weren't concerned about why only two of the Sannin had returned; they cared about the joy and relief after the war ended.
Although they would still have to attend funerals later.
Great joy and great sorrow... these were the trivialities after a war.
Konoha Cemetery Park.
After the adults had left, Shiraishi, dressed in black, still lingered there.
The atmosphere of the funeral was somber, yet the weather today was beautiful, with a clear blue sky.
Not all funeral days were rainy or cloudy.
Ruri, dressed in black mourning clothes with her long black hair unbound, stood before the gravestones inscribed with the names of Uchiha clan ninja, diligently placing white chrysanthemums before each deceased's monument, offering her respects.
According to Ruri, this war had claimed the lives of three Uchiha jōnin, eleven chūnin, and nine genin. More than ten others were severely injured and disabled, unable to continue living as ninja.
"It's over."
Shiraishi walked over and softly said to Ruri.
There wasn't much sadness on Ruri's face; she had grown accustomed to parting with her clan members in life and death.
Every year, the bodies of clan members were transported back from the front lines.
She had also witnessed the despair and breakdown of disabled Uchiha ninja.
Ruri placed the last bouquet of white chrysanthemums and said in a low voice, "How could it be over? War can be without reason, but it must have a purpose, and it must generate profit. As long as there are humans, war will never end."
It was as if she foresaw that a new battlefield would soon arrive.
So pessimistic... one couldn't call it pessimistic, because there was no trace of pessimism on Ruri's face; she was merely stating a fact.
Shiraishi was slightly stunned, wanting to say something.
"Don't worry, I'm not so fragile that I need comforting. Born in battle, dying in battle—that is the destiny of us Uchiha."
Ruri would not idly pray for peace.
Compared to such things, how to improve her own strength was the most meaningful thing at the moment.
If one day the Uchiha were to lose this strong belief in seeking survival through power, perhaps that would be the moment of their demise... (PS: The contract has finally been sent out...)