"To become a lion, one must first bow one's head and become a camel..."
This was a saying Shinji Hyuga had heard in his previous life.
It was Nietzsche who said that.
He said the most fundamental human drives are the will to survive and the will to power.
Based on this,all social disciplines, moral dilemmas, and the oppression suffered by slaves are illusions. If one wants to see through this illusion and break free from this predicament...
Then,first you must become a camel.
You need to learn and master all kinds of knowledge,especially the kind that can help you survive and gain power.
However,all this knowledge is packaged in slave morality; it's all about how you should be. But at this moment, you are nothing more than a pitiful camel, a slave to knowledge. This knowledge is on your back, but you cannot use it; instead, it becomes your shackles.
Shinji Hyugahad been a camel for thirteen years.
The passage of time had almost made him forget what kind of life he had hoped for when he first opened his eyes in this world thirteen years ago.
Was it to roam freely across the vast and open land as a ninja?
Was it to uphold his own ninja way,speak his mind freely, and keep his word in this world of shonen manga?
Or was it simply that he'd had enough of constantly bending over backwards to make a living in his past life,fawning over people with round beer bellies, and was tired of continuing to bow and scrape to others?
But fate played a cruel joke on Shinji Hyuga.
Awakening from a drunken,hazy dream, he found himself in a world brimming with passion, friendship, and bonds.
Yet he had become the least passionate member of the Hyuga branch family.
"Lion-kun, hey~, Lion-kun, what are you thinking about?"
Shinjiwas awakened by a sudden, clear voice. In his hazy state, he saw a very pretty little girl, about twelve or thirteen years old.
She was wearing a well-fitting grey kimono with a coat over it.
A pure white maid outfit with petal-like pleats on the shoulder straps.
At this moment,her fair and smooth little hand waved in front of Shinji, and through that hand, Shinji's gaze fell on her face.
A pert nose,rosy lips, delicate and curled eyelashes, and a pair of white eyes with a gentle smile.
"Oh, it's Natsu."
Hyuga Natsu,
Twelve years old,but a member of the Hyuga branch family who was in the same grade and class as Shinji at the Ninja Academy.
UnlikeShinji, she had great talent. She had made rapid progress in the three major Hyuga techniques: Gentle Fist, Byakugan, and Eight Trigrams Palms. Last year, she had been promoted to Chunin in the same batch as Uchiha Obito, Might Guy, and others.
She had then joined the main family's guard as a bodyguard and maid,receiving a monthly allowance of 300,000 ryo.
Incidentally,she would also become the personal bodyguard of Hyuga Hanabi, the future heir to the main family. Shinji made a simple estimate based on the clan's requirements for the main family heir's personal bodyguard; by then, this genius young lady from the branch family...
Would be at least a Jonin.
Looking at the genius girl from the branch family before him, whose circumstances were completely different from his own, Shinji smiled helplessly and corrected her:
"Didn't I already tell you not to call me'Lion-kun' anymore? My name is Shinji, the characters mean 'true' and 'govern'."
He paused,recalling the meaning behind what the elder of the main family had just said, his gaze darkening slightly.
"I am an'inauspicious one'."
"It's not——"
Hyuga Natsu pouted her little lips,shook her head like a rattle-drum, gave him a bright smile, and immediately interrupted:
"Shinji-kun,you've always been very courageous in my eyes. That nickname suits you very well."
"Back at the Ninja Academy,Shinji-kun was as dazzling as a lion."
Shinji knew the other person was referring to his experience training with Might Guy in a green jumpsuit at the Ninja Academy, and his lips twitched slightly.
"Let's drop that,Natsu. How's the matter I asked you to help with?"
Hyuga Natsu nodded.
"No problem.Young Master Genkou is also very curious about you. As far as medical ninjutsu is concerned, no one in the clan our age is more skilled than you."
Hyuga Genkou,
This person was a member of a collateral branch of the Hyuga main family.His father was Hyuga Sosuke, the one the elder had mentioned, and his cousins were Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Hizashi of the main family.
Shinjihad come here to join the young master of the main family as a medical ninja.
Having refused the appointment letter from the head of the Hyuga clan, as a registered Konoha ninja and a clan ninja of the Hyuga, it was expected that Shinji Hyuga would soon receive orders to join a reconnaissance team and be sent to the battlefield of the Third Shinobi World War.
Of course,
Even as cannon fodder,the posture is different.
At this juncture,the battlefronts in the three countries of Kawa, Ame, and Kusa had become blood-soaked grinding stones, with each side practically willing to risk everything.
If sent there,the survival rate for cannon fodder ninjas like Shinji Hyuga was less than 10%.
On the contrary,
The Hidden Mist front,where ninjas from various clans would soon be conscripted, was not very intense overall because the war had only just begun.
Furthermore,once the Byakugan's power was overcome, the main force of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist would encounter Might Dai, who had opened the Eight Gates of Death by burning his life force. The Mist's offensive would be further thwarted and slowed down until the end of the war.
On this battlefield,Shinji Hyuga needed to pay attention to three key points:
The first was to evade the enemy's hunt targeting the Hyuga main family.
The second was to avoid the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
The third key point was after the Kannabi Bridge incident;he had to be careful not to get involved in the plot points where Kakashi killed Rin Nohara, or where Uchiha Obito turned to the dark side.
Therefore, based on the comprehensive military merit contributed by the length of time spent on the battlefield,
After the war,Shinji Hyuga would be awarded the rank of Chunin.
Becoming a Chunin meant thatShinji Hyuga was qualified to form a team to take on missions independently, enter the Ninja Academy system as a teacher, or serve in organizations such as the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force or the Reconnaissance Squad.
Although he would still nominally have to obey the clan's orders,at least by keeping a distance, he wouldn't have to bow and scrape every day.
Well,distance makes the heart grow fonder, that's probably the idea.
By joining Hyuga Genkou's guard,and through his connections, Shinji could avoid being directly transferred to the front-line reconnaissance team and instead remain at the rear camp as a medical ninja, safely riding out the storm.
It was a win-win situation.
Hyuga Genkou obtained a clan medical ninja who could remain at the rear camp at any time.
Shinji Hyuga,on the other hand, was given the chance to survive the chaotic battlefield.
As for the rest...
The fate of the eldest son of the main family,who was targeted by the Hidden Mist ninja,
Whether he would run into one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist,or Might Guy, and whether he would live or die,
The fate of Nohara Rin,a classmate from the same school, and Uchiha Obito...
Shinji Hyugafelt his strength was too weak; he couldn't even protect his own life, let alone change the situation that had him stuck in this predicament.
These were major events at key plot points.
While Shinji was pondering these matters, Hyuga Natsu looked at him with some distress as his thoughts drifted away again, ignoring her.
She didn't quite understand whyShinji had been so preoccupied ever since his failure in the Chunin Exams.
Seeing him so troubled,she couldn't help but clench her fists.
Then,
She tilted her fair face up,her gentle...
Byakugan eyes looked atShinji Hyuga, and she mustered her courage to speak earnestly:
"I've also been transferred to Young Master Genkou's guard this time,and I'll be going to the battlefield with you."
"Shinji-kun,I will protect you!"
Hearing this, Shinji Hyuga, who was in a daze, was jolted awake as if struck on the head with a hammer.
He involuntarily opened his eyes wide,looking at the girl before him, and suddenly felt his throat become incredibly dry and hoarse.
"Wait,Natsu, what...did you say!?"
"I will definitely protect you!"