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Chapter 80: When Adults Are Talking, Kids Don't Interrupt
Those present who lacked dōjutsu saw nothing more than a fleeting afterimage when Shiromo moved.
Those who did possess dōjutsu, however, saw every single one of his actions clearly.
The scene was utterly absurd.
The sheer physical power alone made Hyūga Hiashi think of one of the legendary Sannin, Senju Tsunade.
It had often been said that ninja generally had high offense and low defense, where "low defense" was relative to "high offense."
Even so, a ninja's so-called "low defense" still meant a physical toughness far superior to that of ordinary people.
To achieve a result like shattering a skull with a single punch, or punching straight through someone's heart, instead of simply sending them flying, required terrifying levels of both strength and speed.
A fist was a blunt weapon, not a sharp one like the Lightning Cutter.
Even the A–B Brothers had to use the Guillotine Drop, exerting force from both sides to clamp the target in between, just to achieve a similar effect. (Righteous Lightning Sinking Anger Lightning Axe)
Of course, that time their target had been Kisame, and Kisame's normal form didn't specialize in defense either.
The Hyūga clan practiced the Gentle Fist, but that didn't mean Hiashi was ignorant of the Strong Fist.
The power of Shiromo's punch just now was already horrifying, but even more terrifying was the fact that this punch was not meant to kill. In an extremely short span of time, it had precisely locked onto Hanabi's Caged Bird seal and taken it away.
As for that final phenomenon, something like "time reversal," which he had never witnessed before, Hiashi could only treat it as Shiromo's unique Bloodline Limit.
"Your strength is already on par with the Sannin. Why, then, are you so fixated on the Hyūga clan's Byakugan?"
Hiashi asked with a bitter smile.
"Who's fixated on the Byakugan? Clan Head Hiashi, don't flatter yourself. Even if you gouged out your eyes on the spot and offered me the Main House's Byakugan in exchange for Hanabi, I wouldn't agree."
"…Huh?"
Hearing this exchange, Hanabi tilted her head up, looked at Shiromo, and widened her eyes.
"With the Caged Bird gone, there's no longer any restraint, and no more protection either. I hope you'll protect Hanabi well. This is my request as her father."
Hyūga Hiashi bowed deeply to Shiromo.
As a father, Hiashi naturally wished that both of his daughters could have special treatment, that neither of them would ever be branded with the Caged Bird.
But relying on himself alone, he clearly could not achieve that.
Now that Shiromo had helped Hanabi break free of the Caged Bird, Hiashi felt a measure of relief in his heart.
At least in his view, Hanabi's talent and future potential far exceeded that of his elder daughter, Hinata.
There were not many Hyūga clan members who came to see them off. The Elders were too old, and given their status, they naturally did not come.
This gave Hiashi room to maneuver.
Regarding the fact that Hanabi, already designated as a Branch Family member, had her Caged Bird seal removed, Hiashi chose to turn a blind eye.
Even when Shiromo explicitly asked, "Do you want to go back and carve it again?", Hiashi acted as if he hadn't heard a thing.
After returning, if the First Elder or others questioned him, Hiashi only needed the Hyūga members who had come along today to recount exactly how Shiromo had broken the Caged Bird seal.
Even if they carved it again, Shiromo could simply wait until leaving Konoha to break it once more. The outcome would be the same.
While Hiashi was bowing, Shiromo looked past him at the Branch Family members behind him.
Aside from Neji, who looked visibly stirred, the other Branch Family members showed no particularly intense emotions.
This was normal.
Neji wanted to rebel against fate, he had talent and he had dreams.
But the rest of the Branch Family members either lacked talent and ambition, or had long since had their dreams ground down by reality.
To them, the Caged Bird truly was a "protective" cage.
At its core, the Caged Bird was merely a matter of entrusting one's life and freedom to the Main House.
And judging by the way Shiromo had just broken Hanabi's seal, removing the Caged Bird would mean entrusting one's life to Shiromo instead.
After all, what if he punched their head apart and didn't restore it?
To the Branch Family members, Shiromo was much like Orochimaru. Unless someone among them was a "Sasuke," someone desperate for power, they would rather remain as they were.
"Um…"
Hanabi tugged at Shiromo's sleeve. "Why are you so amazing? Is it because you train harder than my sister and I?"
"Mm. Effort is necessary, but mainly, it's because of 'bloodline.'"
Shiromo stroked his chin and said something that ran completely counter to the so-called Will of Fire.
"B-bloodline? You mean a Bloodline Limit?"
Hanabi looked confused.
"More or less."
"I'm fully aware that the power I've gained can't be replicated by others, it's uniquely mine. Isn't that exactly what a 'bloodline' is?"
"Even if I really did put in a great deal of effort for it, I still wouldn't tell others that all they need is hard work to become as strong as I am."
"Oh."
Hanabi nodded thoughtfully.
Compared to Hinata, Hanabi was younger, yet more perceptive, sharper, and more rational.
Shiromo's words were cruel, but they were true.
On the other side, Sasuke, who had been lost in his own thoughts, subconsciously glanced at Naruto after hearing Shiromo's words.
He guessed that Shiromo was probably talking about Naruto.
Effort had been made, yes, but the most critical factor was still "bloodline."
In the ninja world, "bloodline theory" was not taboo.
After all, before Shiromo ever appeared, daimyō ruled entire countries for generations on end purely by bloodline.
"Brother Shiromo, I think what you said is wrong…"
"When adults are talking, kids don't interrupt."
Naruto stepped forward, about to argue, but Hanabi shot him a sharp glare.
Naruto instinctively yelped and stepped back.
Only then did he realize something was off.
Who had just called him a kid? Who exactly was the kid here?
"I, mmph!"
Naruto tried to say more, but Sasuke casually flicked a soldier pill into his mouth with shuriken technique, jamming it there.
"Effort is important, but choosing the right direction for that effort is what truly matters."
"Two cavemen go out to chop wood. One caveman stubbornly punches the tree with his fists, tirelessly persisting. The other uses branches and stones to make an axe."
"In the first caveman's eyes, the second one isn't working hard and lacks perseverance."
"Effort alone can't change fate, but knowledge can."
After saying this, Shiromo bid farewell to the people of Konoha and, together with Konan and Karin, left the village, taking Hanabi with him.
"Choosing the right direction…"
Sasuke stood there, mulling over the meaning of Shiromo's words.
Was staying in Konoha truly the right direction for his efforts?
"…Strange."
Kakashi picked at his teeth, feeling that something was off ever since he had woken up from his earlier collapse.
After hesitating for a moment, he took leave from Team 7 and returned to the medical division, found the bed he had been lying on that morning, and lay back down.
He closed his eyes, planning to take another nap, and wait and see…
Sure enough.
After some time passed, the sound of footsteps approached. Kakashi woke up, but did not open his eyes.
"Kakashi-senpai, I'm here~"
The masked ANBU with the codename Tenzo, real name Yamato, sneaked in quietly, then pried Kakashi's mouth open.
What is he doing?
Kakashi was utterly baffled.
The next second, a thick, hard piece of wood was shoved straight into his mouth.
"Kakashi-senpai, I couldn't think of any other way. Just try eating some of my Wood Release."
"Mmmph!!!"
(End of this chapter)