Escape From Konoha

On the wide open-air training ground, figures of large and small sizes intertwined with each other. They concentrated chakra in their palms and swung at each other with seemingly soft force. It was a physical technique called "Soft Fist".

Different from rigid fist, which is fierce and direct, and focuses on external damage, soft fist focuses on the implementation of skills, which is the so-called use of softness to overcome rigidity.

The seemingly soft attack is powerful and continuous, once it is hit by Rou's fist, it will cause internal damage invisible to the naked eye.

Among them, the soft fist of the Hyuga clan is the most.

Coupled with the white eyes that observe the meridian system of the human body, Xueji Jiejie has been developed to the extreme by the successive ninjas of the Hyuga clan in the soft fist. And soft boxing has gradually become the signature physical skill of the Hyuga clan. Speaking of Soft Fist, the first thing ninjas think of is the wealthy Hinata.

Standing under the corridor under the eaves, Rizu, the head of the clan, was wearing only a thin coat and holding a light green teacup in his hand. There was half a cup of hot tea in the teacup, and it was steaming with white steam. .

He stared at the large and small figures on the training ground not far away without blinking.

Hyuga Hanabi, and a special jonin from the Hyuga branch.

Looking at the two figures whose bodies were intertwining back and forth and whose footsteps were turning sharply, Hiashi's eyes showed approval, and the occasional nod gesture meant that he fully recognized the growth of his second daughter Hanabi and had no dissatisfaction with it. meaning.

"Hizu-sama."

A relatively immature voice came from beside my ear.

Rizu turned his head, and a thirteen or fourteen-year-old white-eyed boy stood in front of him and bowed respectfully to him. It was his nephew Hinata Ningji.

As a very famous genius of the branch family, he has shown talents that are envied by many clan ninjas since he was a child. If he hadn't grown up in the branch family, perhaps a very amazing ninja would have appeared in the Hyuga clan.

But since you are a member of the branch family, no matter how outstanding your talents are, no matter how pitiful your opponent's abilities are, they can only be locked in a birdcage by the clan and bound by the iron laws of the family.

"You're here, Neji."

"Yes. I don't know if Nizuzu-sama came to me, do you have any orders?"

Neji looked at Nizuzu with a trace of complexity in his eyes, but he quickly disappeared, lowering his head to avoid being seen by Nizuzu.

As he grows older, Neji's understanding of the world becomes more and more mature, and the older he grows, the more he feels the restrictions and constraints placed on him by his family.

This kind of restraint is not only the usual code of conduct, but the clan is the priority in everything, and even the strength is suppressed if it wants to go further.

Because in the Hyuga clan, only the clan is qualified to learn advanced soft fist skills, but if the branch clan wants to learn, it requires extremely harsh conditions and requires the consent of the clan before it can be learned.

This is to prevent the division of families from mastering too much power, thus threatening the benign rule of a family. Because only the clan occupies an absolute dominant position, the Hyuga clan can continue in a stable manner.

However, the Zong family often requires the branch family to protect them, but does not grant them more powerful soft fist techniques. Instead, it restricts the growth of branch ninjas... So what's the point of such protection?

For Neji, the longer he stays in this family, the more he can feel the strangeness of his family.

Not only the rules of the family, but also the members of the family, and every existence in the family that has a 'history' seems extremely absurd and strange.

But his father told him to learn to 'forbear', learn to hide his true emotions, and not to show hatred and dissatisfaction with everything about the Zong family.

Because if you resist, you will die.

Betrayal leads to death.

Neji thought again of the 'caged bird' planted on his forehead when he was young. Even when facing relatives like Hizu, on the one hand he wanted to get close, but on the other hand he felt that such relatives were too strange and alienated.

Because we are in two worlds.

There is a division of 'personality level' between them.

Not only Nizuzu, but even the cousins ​​Hinata and Hanabi who were very fond of when they were young, after graduating from the ninja school, Neji also felt strange.

What is my cousin in their eyes?

tool? Guard? Or relatives?

"You should know about the joint Chunin exam soon."

Although Nizuzu was wondering, he was sure that Neji knew about it.

Ning Ci also put away his thoughts from his wild thoughts, nodded, and replied: "Yes, Mr. Nizuzu, Teacher Kai has already told us about this matter."

"Kai Jōnin? He's an excellent Jōnin."

Rizu showed admiration.

Neji also agreed with Hizu's praise.

His mentor, Jonin Maitekai, is indeed a powerful Jnin.

Although he is good at soft fist, which is the opposite of rigid fist, in many cases, it can also give him a lot of inspiration in soft fist.

After all, the Soft Fist and the Hard Fist are very similar in some places, but the way of exerting power is somewhat different.

"For this joint Chunin exam, the elite ninja from the six major countries will gather together. As for the family, it is decided that you and Hinata will take part."

Rizu stared in the direction of the training ground and said calmly.

"Miss Hinata?"

Neji's face moved slightly.

"Any questions?"

"With all due respect, Ms. Hinata... is not suitable for such an exam."

Ning Ci hesitated for a moment, and finally said this sentence.

Whether it was because of his 'master' concept towards Hinata or because of the undying family affection in his childhood, Neji felt that a young lady with a gentle personality like Hinata was not suitable for the chunin exam. Such a brutal knockout match.

In particular, this joint Chunin Exam was not held by the Konoha family, which also meant that the death rate of this Chunin Exam was far higher than previous ones.

As a member of the main family, it is too risky for Hinata to take such an exam. If the other party made a mistake, Neji felt that he couldn't bear such responsibility.

"...Actually, this is Hinata's own request."

Rizu was silent for a while, took a sip of tea from the teacup, and spoke slowly.

Ning Ci raised his head slightly, with surprise and incomprehension flowing in his eyes.

Miss Hinata...your own will?

"Hinata was grown up by me. I know her character very well. Sometimes she is weak, but sometimes she is stubborn and troublesome."

Hizu smiled bitterly.

"But……"

"That's why I called you here. I just hope you can help me take care of Hinata during the exam. She doesn't need to pass the Chunin exam, I just need to ensure her safety."

Nizu said.

"Yes, I understand."

In fact, Neji had no right to refuse.

Rizu is not only his elder, but also the head of the clan. This is not only the request of the elders, but also an order.

Just like Hinata's dual identity, she is both his 'master' and his sister.

The purpose of the existence of the branch family is to protect the clan. This rule, even in this era, must still be firmly implemented.

"Also, there is one more thing. This time, Hanabi will represent me and visit the kingdom of ghosts during the Zhongnin exam period."

Hizu remembered something and then said to Neji.

Neji's eyes widened with a look of disbelief on his face.

"Visiting the Oni Country? Why does Miss Hanabi want to..."

Not only Hinata, but also Hanabi, the second daughter, has to leave Konoha during the chunin exams. Isn't the clan concerned about the safety of these two people at all?

"Before that, I want to ask a question."

Hiashi turned his head and stared at Neji's shocked face.

"question?"

"Do you know Hinata Ayane?"

"..."

Neji frowned, thinking hard in his mind, and found that there was no memory of 'Hyuuga Ayane' in his mind, so he shook his head.

"For people of your generation, not knowing is normal."

Hizu sighed softly.

Not only did Konoha's top brass block information, but within the Hyuga clan, any clan member was also prohibited from discussing the name 'Hyuga Ayane' in private.

It's as if erasing this name can treat him as if nothing happened.

But unfortunately, even if the scars are hidden, sooner or later the truth will be revealed.

"she is……"

"The Hyuga clan is a treasonous sinner. However, since you don't know, forget it. After you go to the Kingdom of Demons, you will understand everything. I will make arrangements for Hanabi, and I will leave it to you for Hinata. If nothing can be done, Hinata's eyes will be destroyed."

After hearing what Hizu said, Neji's body froze, and he slowly raised his head. What he saw was Hizu's calm and indifferent face, and he felt chilled in his heart.

"……yes."

He felt heartache for no reason, and Neji didn't know what this feeling was.

But for the first time, he felt extremely disgusted with his family, making him not want to stay by Rizu's side for a moment.

◎

"Father."

"What?"

At the dinner table, hearing Neji's cry, Hizashi raised his head slightly and looked at his son.

"What is the significance of the existence of clan and branch families?"

When Neji asked this question, confusion appeared in his eyes for the first time.

After returning from the Zong family, he fell into this confusion.

In the past, he would never ask these topics that had nothing to do with cultivation.

Hizashi noticed something was wrong with Neji's mood, and knew that something happened to him that he didn't know about.

"Can you tell me, did you hear something?"

As a person who has been through this, Hizashi knew very well that Neci was aware of some of the 'dirtyness' in the family. Although he awakened to this awareness very late, Hizashi hoped that Neci would not think about such things.

Because the more I understand, the more I feel how depressed and confused I feel every day as a member of a separate family.

"Hisashi-sama asked me to protect Miss Hinata during the Chuunin Exams."

"anything else?"

"If it doesn't work, let me destroy Miss Hinata's eyes."

Neji told the truth because his father was the only one he could talk to about his anguish. He also hopes to get answers from his father Hizashi.

After hearing this, Hizashi fell silent briefly.

"...Did he say this himself?"

"Yes."

"This is the 'love' the Zong family has for their children."

Rizai replied like this.

"like?"

"In order to avoid the loss of white eyes, this is the only way. It's just like... the curse mark carved by the clan on our foreheads. Now it's just the way of carving the curse mark, presented in another form to the clan's own people. It’s just on my body.”

Hizashi sighed.

If you want to live in the Hyuga Clan, you must suppress your feelings. Especially between the main family and the branch family, the existence of family, friendship, and love that transcends "levels" means the birth of tragedy.

When the life of one party is completely in the hands of the other party, even if the dominant party shows kindness, from the perspective of the dominated party, this is just a hypocritical mercy and charity from the other party.

When emotions need pity and charity, it means injustice, and it also means that such emotional concepts are gradually distorted during the growth process.

That's not 'love', but the desire to dominate.

Even if this is not the intention, such dominance will eventually form.

Ningci felt mixed emotions for a moment.

"Neji, don't have the so-called brother-sister relationship with Hinata and Hanabi from now on. Treat them as 'superiors', so that you will live easier. The main family has its own way of living, and so does the branch family. The way of living in separate families. Although they are of the same clan, they are also enemies."

Risashi warned Neji like this, biting heavily on the word 'enemy'.

Neji ate the rice, which tasted like chewing wax.

"Father...has he accepted all this?"

Neji asked unwillingly.

Hizashi sighed, took a mouthful of food, and said with a smile: "Everyone in the family once wanted to resist the world, but in the end they were changed by the world. We are not losers, we are just born in this way."

"Then, if you gain the right to speak in the village..."

"Do you think a person whose life is controlled by others is qualified to be the decision-maker of the village? From the beginning, the separated ninjas do not have the power that normal ninjas should have."

Hizashi denied it without hesitation.

"However, the family division has made a lot of contributions to the village over the years. If the village is willing to intervene..."

Looking at Ningji, who was getting more and more excited as he talked, Nishizai still had a calm face, and asked Ningji:

"Ningji, do you think... our branch family really loves this village?"

"What's the meaning?"

Ning Ci looked at his father who was a little strange, and his breathing was a little suffocated.

"Just as the village doesn't care about us, the ninjas of the branch family will not have any sense of identity with the village. The branch family performs life-or-death tasks for the village, which is only subject to the orders of the clan. You have to understand, the will of fire That is something the Zong family may believe in, but our branch family is not qualified to believe in the will of fire."

They don't even have human rights, how can they have the qualifications and time to believe in the will of fire.

The branch family only needs to follow the Zong family.

For example, it is impossible for a branch family to enjoy the opportunity to make decisions in the village, so naturally, the will of fire has nothing to do with the branch family.

The reason why the branch families fight for Konoha is only because of the clan.

The branch family relies on the Zong family to exist, and the Zong family relies on Konoha to exist, but it does not mean that the branch family belongs to Konoha. The branch family is only the private property of the clan and has nothing to do with Konoha.

Neji felt that his original three values ​​​​were trampled on by others, and then he picked them up again and created a new outlook on life.

But because this new outlook on life is too rough and straightforward, it feels a little unreal to him now.

Looking at his father who fought bloody battles for the village on weekdays and was fighting on the front line, the true feelings hidden in his heart were probably complete indifference and disregard for the village.

Only a young bird like him who can't see the truth can be complacent there, work hard to integrate into the village, and have a good relationship with his companions.

And I'm afraid there are many such ninjas who are separated from each other.

If most of the separated ninjas were outwardly enthusiastic about the village but inwardly indifferent, Neji would shudder just thinking about it.

"If you want to deceive your enemy, you must first deceive yourself, Ningji... I don't want to interfere too much in your path, but I hope you can live well."

For Hizashi, who has become numb to the future, the only hope of survival is the child Neji.

He once had extravagant hopes for brotherly love and father-son love, but in the end he got an extremely desperate fact.

That's why he hoped that Neji would end his brother-sister relationship with Hinata and Hanabi as soon as possible and regard them as his 'superiors', the best choice for him and them.

"I know, father, I will seriously consider it."

Neji put down his bowls and chopsticks, left the dining table and walked into his room.

Hizashi looked at the rest of the food at Neji's place and sighed softly again. He didn't say anything. He just hoped that Neji could recognize his position in the family as soon as possible and do what he should do.

Regardless of the village, companionship, or separation, people can only hug together for warmth.

Because only from here can people separated from each other find a trace of warmth that belongs to the world and prove the fact that they are still alive.

◎

September 11th, morning.

Four days before the opening of the Joint Chuunin Exams.

Although there are still four days until the official start of the Joint Chuunin Examination, the genin from various countries participating in this Joint Chuunin Examination have already prepared in advance.

The first exam will be held in Konoha. In other words, they must arrive in Konoha before September 15th.

Ninjas from countries far away from Konoha, the Land of Fire, either started setting off yesterday or starting today, arriving at Konoha Ninja Village one or two days before the exam to conduct the first test of the Joint Chunin Examination.

Because it is a joint exam of various countries, the ninja who participated are very excited. For some genin who are confident in their strength, they can't wait to fly to Konoha immediately to show off their powerful power and bring honor to their ninja village.

The situation in the Kingdom of Ghosts is similar.

At the train platform in the capital Ziyuan City, there was already a sea of ​​people, and there were scenes of farewells everywhere.

Parents who are worried about their children traveling to other countries bid farewell to their children at the platform.

In such an atmosphere, even powerful ninjas such as Shiraishi, Ruri, and Ayane, who are famous in various countries, are just ordinary parents who come to see off their children.

"You two, remember that although the first test of the Chunin Exam is a written test, it is usually not difficult, but if you are not careful, you may fall into someone else's trap."

Looking at Asuka and Cai standing in front of him, Shiraishi said earnestly.

Although he was very confident in his child's strength, at this moment, Shiraishi, like an ordinary father, began to worry about gains and losses.

The mentality of not being afraid of 10,000 but being afraid of the worst is fully exposed.

It also makes sense for Shiraishi, who is used to planning everything before he does anything.

"I understand, Dad, you have been saying this since last night. Cai and I have already memorized it."

Asuka sighed.

This is the first time in my memory that I have seen a father who is so worried about gains and losses.

Obviously, as the parties involved, they didn't feel nervous, but as the elders who were outsiders, they became worried.

After practicing outside a few days ago, they returned to the Kingdom of Ghosts and had already adjusted their condition to perfection.

Even if I go to a strange country to take an exam, my heart will not fluctuate.

No matter how difficult the exam is, it will definitely not be as difficult as their previous experience of fighting to the death with two jounin.

"After all, the old man is getting old. It is inevitable that he likes to look forward and backward when doing things these years. Don't worry about it."

Yiji on the side said in a rude tone.

Shiraishi glared over dissatisfied.

But she was ignored by Yi Ji, and she continued to say to Asuka and Cai: "Before the third exam begins, I will go to the Kingdom of Wind to pick you up. If you are defeated in the first or second exam by then, If you are eliminated, don't blame me for writing the word 'miscellaneous fish' on both your faces with a grease-based pen, and show it to everyone."

Whether it was Asuka or Sai, they couldn't help but shudder when they heard Ichiji's words.

They knew that Yi Ji was the kind of person who would definitely do what he said.

In other words, if the two of them were eliminated in the first and second exams, the other party would definitely write the word "miscellaneous fish" on both their faces.

"Oh, it looks like fun. Then, let me give you a punishment. If you fail the first two exams, I will write some interesting words on your forehead."

Ayane walked over with a smile, as if she didn't think it was a big deal.

"Don't come here to join in the fun, Aunt Ayane."

Asuka got a headache.

"Don't listen to them, you two just do your best."

Liuli said something at this time.

Before Asuka and Cai were touched, Liuli said again:

"If you lose, your personal account will be frozen."

"..."

Asuka and Sai's bodies began to tremble with fear.

Compared with getting some strange words written on the face, no matter how you look at the punishment of freezing the personal account, it can be called a devilish act.

Asuka and Cai looked at each other, and both could see the seriousness in each other's eyes.

In order to avoid freezing the bank's personal account, it's not enough to give 100%. You must take the Chunin Exam seriously with 1,000% enthusiasm!

"Then I'll leave first, and it's almost time for the departure."

Asuka looked at the time, it was time for the train to leave.

"Go ahead, be careful in the second exam. If you can pass it, kill it. Don't leave any hidden dangers. If you can't beat it, just run away. Don't feel ashamed."

Shiraishi gave one final advice.

As the original sponsor of the Joint Chunin Exam, he naturally knows what the specific content of the three exams is.

Compared with the written part of the first round, the second exam is a real knockout round. The process of elimination is bound to be accompanied by fighting and death.

It's just that due to the rules, he couldn't tell Asuka and Cai the specific exam content, so he could only tell them to be careful.

"yes."

Asuka and Caizheng nodded, and under the watchful eyes of Baishi and others, they slowly boarded the carriage with their travel bags on their backs.

"Then, it's time for me to leave for the Land of Winds. At that time, the handover work before the third exam must be done well."

Although she was not the examiner of the third exam, Kazuki was also responsible for the extradition task in the third exam.

Candidates who pass the first and second exams will gather in the Kingdom of Wind and then transfer from the Kingdom of Wind to the Kingdom of Ghosts. The person responsible for the extradition of the candidates on behalf of the Kingdom of Ghosts will be Ichiji.

Shiraishi and the others didn't say anything about being careful. With Yiji's established strength, as long as they didn't encounter some special circumstances, they would basically not encounter any danger.

After Kazuhime and Shiraishi said goodbye, they walked towards another train, where there were already several Jōnin from the Kingdom of Demons waiting for her to move together to the Kingdom of Wind.

(PS: I typed the wrong time for the Chuunin exam before. It should be September, not October. Please change it here)