Chapter 16: Leaving the Village
For five consecutive days, the Uzumaki Maple Squad completed three D-rank missions daily, after which they would disband for training.
If Hyuga Mirai and the other two still had stamina, Kaminari Kaede would also give them pointers on Chakra control techniques, timing in combat, and so on.
With two members from the Hyuga Clan and Kurenai Yuhi specializing in her family's genjutsu, Kaminari Kaede didn't have much Ninjutsu to teach the trio.
He could only improve their combat experience and skill.
With a Konoha Jonin's strength serving as a sparring partner and guide, Hyuga Mirai and the other two gained a lot.
While there were still some minor flaws in their coordination when they first formed the squad, after several days of sparring with Kaminari Kaede, a Jonin, the synergy between Hyuga Mirai and the other two had significantly improved.
"It's time. Today, we'll take on a C-rank mission," Kaminari Kaede said calmly.
After he finished speaking, Hyuga Kiyomi and Kurenai Yuhi both let out deep breaths, and even Hyuga Mirai felt a sense of relief and liberation.
Finally, they could bid farewell to those trash D-rank missions.
If it weren't for Hyuga Kiyomi's stubbornness, he should be in Konoha Hospital familiarizing himself with Medical Ninjutsu right now.
Although Hyuga Mirai still went to Konoha Hospital to assist Dr. Nakano after training, the time he spent there was significantly reduced, as was the time to practice Ninjutsu and the income he earned.
If it weren't for the Jonin in his mission squad guiding him, Hyuga Mirai would truly have gained nothing.
C-rank missions already involve combat and fighting, but without the involvement of Ninja, they are appropriately assigned to Genin.
Hyuga Mirai's squad, with a Jonin as their leader, naturally had no problem taking on C-rank missions.
Moreover, all three of them had received Kaminari Kaede's approval, so C-rank missions would only serve as a test for them.
"Escort a merchant caravan to Grass Country."
Kaminari Kaede took on an escort mission, which Konoha Village had determined was unlikely to encounter Ninja along the way, hence it was a C-rank mission.
After showing the mission request form to Hyuga Mirai and the other two, Kaminari Kaede spoke, "Gather at the Konoha Gate at 1 PM. Now, prepare to leave the village."
Hyuga Kiyomi needed to inform her clan about leaving the village, but since she was already permitted to join a mission squad, leaving the village shouldn't be a big issue.
Hyuga Mirai had little to pack: Ninja tools, first aid supplies, military rations pills, and some outdoor essentials.
After packing a backpack, he quietly waited for the mission time.
However, not long after, there was a knock on the door.
Hyuga Mirai got up to open the door and found that the visitor was Hyuga Sosuke.
"Mirai-kun, I heard your squad is leaving the village for a mission?"
"Yes, Sosuke-sama," Hyuga Mirai nodded and replied, "The leader assigned us a C-rank mission to escort a merchant caravan to Grass Country."
Although missions should be kept secret, this was the Hyuga Clan, and Hyuga Mirai still had the Caged Bird Curse Mark on his head.
"Mhm."
Hyuga Sosuke was very satisfied with Hyuga Mirai's prompt answer; this was how a branch family member should behave.
"Then you should be clear about the mission you bear.
Our branch family has always been the protectors of the main family, and the purpose of the branch family's existence is to protect the main family.
This time, when you leave the village, you must not let Hyuga Kiyomi suffer any harm, even if it means sacrificing your life!"
"I understand, Sosuke-sama," Hyuga Mirai nodded softly in response, his face extremely calm, like a still, windless pond, without the slightest ripple.
Such a calm expression made Hyuga Sosuke feel a slight sense of unease, but he immediately thought that it must be Hyuga Mirai's first time leaving the village, and he was feeling a bit anxious.
"The purpose of the branch family's existence is to protect the main family!"
So, Hyuga Sosuke didn't think much further, reiterated the meaning of the branch family a few more times, and then left.
"Humans are humans.
Living like dogs is racial degradation.
My existence isn't to die for the main family, Hyuga Clan..."
Hyuga Mirai muttered to himself for a moment, then didn't continue.
For the past few years, he had been brainwashed by the so-called meaning of the branch family, and the distorted rhetoric made him feel a deep, visceral revulsion.
However, his inferior strength and the restraint of the Caged Bird Curse Seal forced Hyuga Mirai to endure again and again.
"After I return, I'll immediately look for an opportunity to perform a system extraction!"
He wanted to become stronger.
With a certain foundation already, Hyuga Mirai could take some shortcuts, instead of progressing gradually as he was now.
Hyuga Mirai thought with determination, the veins around his eyes bulging, instantly seeing the movements in all directions within two kilometers, except for the blind spot unique to the branch family behind him.
He could activate his Byakugan without forming hand seals; this was the result of Hyuga Mirai familiarizing himself with the Chakra circulation method required to activate the Byakugan.
Only a Hyuga Clan member with skilled Chakra control could achieve this step.
In Hyuga Mirai's vision, Hyuga Kiyomi, fully equipped, was walking towards his house step by step.
When Hyuga Kiyomi was about to arrive, Hyuga Mirai directly walked out the door with his backpack and waved to Hyuga Kiyomi.
"Kiyomi-sama, let's go."
"You had your Byakugan activated just now?" Hyuga Kiyomi asked, looking at Hyuga Mirai a few times after approaching.
Hyuga Mirai casually replied, "I felt like Kiyomi-sama you should be here, so I took a look."
Activating the Byakugan at eight years old, and almost mastering Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms, such talent, though not as good as hers, was still outstanding among their clan.
It's just that she couldn't understand why this guy wanted to learn Medical Ninjutsu so much.
She really didn't get it.
With this talent, he would definitely become a Jonin before twenty; if he could focus on training, becoming a Jonin at fifteen or sixteen wasn't impossible.
"Let's go!" Hyuga Kiyomi snorted, then turned and walked towards the Konoha Gate.
When the two arrived at the Konoha Gate, Kurenai Yuhi had already arrived early.
It was her first time leaving the village for a mission, so the young girl was inevitably a bit excited.
There was still some time before the mission, so the three chatted casually for a while, though it was mostly Kurenai Yuhi and Hyuga Mirai talking.
Hyuga Kiyomi, bound by the main family's etiquette, rarely let her personality loose when out, only speaking more when alone with Hyuga Mirai.
After a while, Kaminari Kaede and the merchant who needed protection also arrived.
There were ten carts loaded with goods, and besides the Uzumaki Maple Squad, the merchant himself had four guards and four porters.
Kaminari Kaede said faintly, "Let's depart."
"Understood, Ninja-sama," the merchant said with a fawning smile.
He would rely on the Konoha Ninja to protect him and his property throughout the journey.
Whenever students graduated from the Konoha Ninja School, many merchants would come to Konoha Village to make requests.
Because only at this time could they hire a Jonin at a cheap price; this was almost a tradition in Konoha.
A twisted world!
Seeing the scene before him, Hyuga Mirai suddenly thought in his heart.
There were electronics and a certain industrial foundation, guns and a military industry foundation, yet it gave him a very twisted feeling.
This world had something extra that shouldn't exist, and its existence distorted the entire world.
If it were to disappear, the world would surely develop better.
It was the Ninja!