Chapter 3 The Bird in the Cage
After that day, Shiroshi felt that his relationship with Ruri had become strange.
Although on the surface it was the same as always, when it was time to pass a note in class, and practice as usual in the evening, Ruri seemed to be the same as when he first saw her, she was silent and cold, and rarely spoke.
And so a few days passed.
Shiroshi went to school as usual that day, but when the first class was about to start, Shiroshi found that Ayane on his left had not arrived.
Shiroshi found this very strange.
As a branch member of the wealthy Hyuga clan, Ayane's status is definitely not as good as that of the main family, but she also maintains the code of conduct that a wealthy family should have, and it is impossible for her to skip classes and be late.
When the first class was about to end, a footstep sounded outside the door.
It was a girl with straight black hair that reached her waist.
Ayane stood alone at the door, without saying a word, biting her lip, as if she was about to bite it till it bleed, an atmosphere of sadness and despair enveloped her.
What's even more strange is that Ayane's forehead is tied with a white ribbon,I always feel that the sudden change is a little too abrupt.
Before that, Ayane wouldn't wear such a ribbon ornament on her forehead.
The head teacher, Mr. Fujimura, glanced at Ayane and wanted to reprimand her, but when he noticed the deep despair and sadness of Ayane, he sighed softly, as if he knew something, and said plainly: "Come in, don't be late next time."
Ayane nodded, and under the strange and puzzled eyes of everyone, she walked to her seat and sat down.
"Shiroshi-kun, good morning."
Ayane tried to greet Shiraishi as usual, but the smile was reluctant, and the tears in her eyes seemed to be unstoppable.
Then, without waiting for Shiroshi to respond, she buried her head on the table, as if it was a shame to be seen like this, and she would be laughed at and despised by others.
And all this happened,the rest of the students looked at her with a strange look, whispered, pointed, and seemed to know what happened.
But the students who don't know the truth are just curious and worried about Ayane.
Shiroshi's face was full of question marks, but he didn't ask.
Ruri looked past Shiroshi and glanced at Ayane, but did not speak.
—Ruri, do you know what happened to Ayane?
Because their relationship has gone further, the 'classmate' suffix is removed.
Passing the note with this question to Ruri.
As someone from a wealthy family, Ruri must know something.
—What else could it be, of course,it is the the 'fine' tradition of the Hyuga clan.
The two words "fine" were put in quotation marks. Obviously, Ruri's sentence was full of sarcasm.
The 'good' tradition of the Hyuga clan?
Shiroshi didn't know what it was, but Ayane's change must have something to do with the 'fine' tradition of the Hyuga clan.
What exactly is it?
Since he couldn't think of anything, Shiroshi gave up.
At noon, Shiroshi and Ruri were eating bento together.
"Hey, Ruri, what is the tradition of the Hyuga clan that you were talking about?"
Shiroshi, who couldn't help but be curious, asked such a question.
Ruri was silent for a moment, then replied: "This matter is not a secret among the ninja clans, and the Chunin and Jonin in the village have basically heard of it.
The Hyuga clan has a very strange tradition since ancient times. An unacceptable tradition. That's the distinction between the main clan and the branch family."
"Is there a problem with the distinction between the clan and the branch?"
"The branch family must assume the responsibility and obligation to protect the clan."
"That's normal too."
Shiroshi couldn't understand.
A low-status protect's the high-status, while not very fair,it is a solid 'social' structure.
Society is divided into classes after all.
Therefore, in Shiroshi's eyes, it is a normal development trend for the people of the Hyuga branch to protect the people of the Hyuga clan.
"If it's just like this, it's really not a rare thing. But in order to let the branch family wholeheartedly protect the clan, and in order to prevent the blood of the Hyuga family from spreading, there is a predestined relationship to control the branch family."
"Control?"
Shiroshi was taken aback.
"Yes, control, control in the true sense." Ruri glanced at Shiroshi and said solemnly: "For the safety of the main family, the branch family must take the initiative to bear a curse called 'bird in a cage', which means that the main family has control over the life and death of the branch side of the family. Once the person who comes from the branch side of the family has any misconduct, or fails to fulfill the obligations and responsibilities of the branch family, the main family can use the curse to instantly execute the person who bears the curse."
"..."
"In other words, Ayane is now... her life and death has been controlled by an outsider. If Ayane is dissatisfied with this and shows any hostility to the people of the main clan, the people of the clan have the right to beat and scold Ayane, or even execute her."
Shiroshi thought of something and said, "Then, is the location of the curse mark at..."
"That's right, the curse that was planted is on Ayane's forehead. That's why Ayane blocked it with a cloth belt. Whether it's for justice, or for genuine protection of the branch family, it is said by members of the branch family. That the true meaning of it's existence is to control and enslave them, that curse mark, is a genuine 'slave' mark."
Shiroshi was silent.
A voice kept telling him that Konoha was a terrorist organization, and it was normal for this kind of thing to happen in a terrorist organization.
Although repulsive, Shiroshi found himself unable to do anything.
This is the helplessness called reality.
For Ayane, having a 'slave' mark engraved on her forehead was more cruel than killing her outright.
Really, what terrible times these are !
If this kind of thing appeared in a dark corner, Shiroshi could reluctantly accept it, but the rules of the Hyuga clan were actually public knowledge.
What does it mean to openly raise the other half of your clan as 'slaves' without any cover up?
From here, Shiroshi looked at Konoha's Hokage Rock. There were three Hokage sculptures carved there, symbolizing the great achievements of those three.
Especially the first-Hokage and the second-Hokage these brothers, who are known by the world as the ones who ended the turbulent times of the Warring States.
But so what?
The war continues.
It is no different from the Warring States Period, and children will still be sent to the battlefield.
Nothing seems to have changed.
The only thing that changed was that the ninjas formed larger villages from the small ninja tribes and established a system of one country and one village.
Shiroshi suddenly felt that the village's existence was full of irony.
If the so-called family was really important, then the tradition of the Hyuga clan from the very beginning is incompatible with Konoha.
Logically, such a ninja clan should not be allowed to join Konoha Village which is dominated by the 'Will of Fire'.
The tradition of this family is the best interpretation of denying the 'will of fire'.
You can't even cherish your own clan, can you believe that such a family will care and love the entire village?
Shiroshi put a big question mark on this issue.
He finally sighed and said nothing.
Growing up with Ruri these days, he almost forgot that he was a 'heretic' to this village, and that he would become a 'traitor' sooner or later.
But the peaceful life made him almost forget his identity as a 'traitor' and he couldn't help but want to integrate into the village.
Thinking of this, a cold sweat broke out behind Shiroshi's back.
Ease degrades.
From the beginning, he did not have the slightest idea of obeying Konoha.
He was grateful to Konoha for teaching him about ninjas, but it was only this kind of teaching gratitude.
In the following days, Shiroshi often saw Ayane being alone at school.
Suddenly, she had no friends or so-called desire for life, her eyes were empty, like a walking corpse.
This may be the real life attitude of a 'slave'.
It is estimated that in this lifetime, it is impossible for her to come out of this shadow.
Shiroshi didn't know what kind of mood a girl who clearly yearned for freedom had after being defined as a 'slave' by her closest clan.
But it must be full of despair and pain that is unimaginable to ordinary people.
After that day, Ayane's grades plummeted, and the head teacher Fujimura Okawa didn't say anything about her. He could only give her some trivial comfort and encouragement, so that she could study with peace of mind and not think about anything.
Although he really wanted to help his students, the traditions of the Hyuga clan would not be changed by a school teacher who can do nothing.
About this point, Fujimura Okawa is very clear, and he also knows that there is no way to find the help of the third Hokage for this kind of thing.
These wealthy families are like small villages in Konoha Village.
Many of the regulations of Konoha Village are under their control.
Shiroshi saw it very clearly.
Comforting words were of no use to Ayane.
She can only be helped in another way.
Mental wounds can only be healed with spiritual pressure.
...
Tormenting one's body with pain has always been a good medicine to transfer mental numbness.
Only by using this physical pain can Ayane feel that she is truly alive now.
I am still a human being, not some 'cattle' that is being kept in captivity by the main family.
She didn't understand what the traditional meaning of the family was, and she didn't want to.
Although those adults kept enlightening her, they said that the 'caged bird' curse was planted on her for her own good and for the sake of the family's Kekkai Genkai.
All her sacrifices are not meaningless, but valuable.
If so, why didn't the people of the main family sacrifice anything?
Ayane's kept on having these toughts in her mind.
The more she thought about it, Ayane felt that her heart was filled with a dark feeling that wanted to destroy everything.
The hatred also started to grow.
With such thoughts of hatred and anger, her fair and gentle face also became a little hideous, with a hint of ferocity, without the gentleness of the past.
She used the gentle fist of the Hyuga clan to attack the stake. Gradually, during her swing, her gentle fist gradually changed its flavor. To vent, becoming harder.
Even if the fist is broken and bleeding, the pain will not stop, and there is no tendency to stop.
Using this pain to divert her mental numbness was exactly what she hoped.
After a while, she stopped this self-mutilation-like way of venting, squatting next to the stake, clasping her knees with her hands, her head lowered, her face covered by her long black hair, and only a slight sob could be heard.
The sun was setting, and the woods were shrouded in darkness.
It's almost dark.
The air in the forest also became a little cold.
Dark green leaves fell on Ayane's shoulders, and she was still sobbing in a low voice.
—Suddenly at this moment, the sound of slow footsteps came from the dim woods, making her stop crying abruptly.
"It turns out that you are hiding here, but this place is indeed suitable for a person to lick their wounds alone."
This voice, Ayane, was so familiar with it that she couldn't help but raise her head to look at the person coming.
That was her tablemate, Chiba Shiroshi.
A truly ordinary person.
A civilians, with unremarkable grades, a mediocre school students.
That's all he is.
Although she had a relatively harmonious relationship with him before, she was not in the mood to pay attention to an unrelated outsider like him now.
"Why are you here?"
Instead of calling out the other party's identity with the gentle title of 'Shiroshi-kun' as before, her voice became stiff and unfamiliar.
Ayane was confused as to why Shiroshi came here, but there was a feeling of being spied on and her secret being discovered, which made her very angry.
"There are many reasons, but i am mostly drawn to the hatred and anger in you. I'm actually just like you."
A meaningful smile appeared on Shiroshi's face.
"The same as me?"
Ayane was stunned, not understanding what Shiroshi was talking about.
Shiroshi walked out of the darkness with a faint smile in his steady black eyes:
"Yeah, just like you, I'm part of this twisted and boring village. Even sharing the same fate of being controlled by others."
Ayane gasped for breath.
Shiroshi's ordinary image suddenly became another stranger in her mind.
It's like re-acquainting with her tablemate.
Is he expressing dissatisfaction and hostility to the village?
Why does he think this way?
After hearing what Shiroshi said, Ayane didn't know why, but her heart was suddenly filled with resonating pleasure.
"You're suspicious, aren't you?"
Shiroshi asked again with a smile.
Confused?
What do i doubt ?
Facing Shiroshi's inexplicable question, Ayane frowned, and there was a hint of vigilance in her pure white eyes.
"Do you already feel that you are inferior?"
As soon as Shiroshi said those words, Ayane's chest was filled with a strong murderous aura.
This sentence has hurt her personality and self-esteem.
All the negative emotions flooded into her heart, causing Ayane to lose her sanity in an instant. Her figure quickly rushed towards Shiroshi, and threw her fist against Shiroshi's body.
Shiroshi smiled slightly, and Ayane, who was dominated by anger, has lost her calm, and her attack had become weak and predictable.
There is absolutely no need to be on guard for an attack of this oshi said in his heart.
So, he caught Ayane's fist, and then countered, pressing her entire body against the tree next to her, preventing her from moving at all.
The situation was reversed in an instant.
Maybe the defeat was too sudden, so Ayane froze.
She totally did not expect such an outcome.
"Have you been hiding your strength? Why do you do this?"
Ayane recovered and asked this question.
"Why i hide my strength? But before we explore this question, how about we talk about your business?"
Shiroshi said calmly in a warm voice.
"Hmph, what could a commoner like you know? Stop making me laugh."
Ayane said in a voice that wanted to crush Shiroshi's throat.
What could a commoner who knows nothing possibly know?
She was planted with a 'caged bird' seal, and everything in her future life will be dominated and planned by those people from the main clan.
Her so-called freedom and dignity has been ruthlessly deprived from now on.
Whenever she sees the arrogant expressions on the faces of the main family, she has a feeling of wanting to trample on the soles of there feet.
Let them experience it too, how humiliating and desperate it is to be played around with and losing once dignity and freedom.
"Indeed, I don't quite understand how painful your mood is now. Why does a family that should love each other separate the clan and the branch, and even the clan wants to enslave the life and death of the branch? What's more unfortunate is that you are the One of those who were enslaved."
"..."
Ayane bit her lip and looked at Shiroshi stubbornly without fear.
"Then think more deeply, what do you think of this village?"
"The village?"
"In short, do you think the village is doing the right thing? Is the Will of Fire correct?"
"Are you an idiot? Of course the will of fire is correct. It is the seed of will that was passed down by the first Hokage-sama."
Ayane answered bluntly.
For those who grew up in Konoha, the first Hokage was a very great and amazing ninja.
He ended the disputes in the turbulent times of the Warring States Period and established a system of one country and one village.
Konoha's glory today is inseparable from the outstanding contribution of the first Hokage.
Ayane's words made Shiroshi clap and applaud, seemingly cheering for Ayane's answer.
"Really? That ninja god is indeed an amazing man. However, why is it that in the Will of Fire, it is clearly mentioned to protect young children, and now children under ten years old are sent to the battlefield? Is this not an obvious contradiction ?"
"But of course it is…"
Having heard that, Ayane couldn't answer.
She was stunned.
Although she really wanted to refute, what Shiroshi said didn't seem to be a lie.
Because this kind of thing is really happening in Konoha.
"Have you not seen the truth of the matter? Let's look at it from another angle. Trying to turn everything inside into equality and the will of fire is all about loving each other, why does the tradition of your Hyuga family continue? After having been labeld as a 'slave', will you really love anyone in this village again? Do you see the the clan who enslaved you as family? If you do,you really are an amazing person youre masters would be proud of you."
After listening to Shiroshi's deviant remarks on the 'Will of Fire', Ayane's eyes suddenly became complicated.
Thinking about it carefully, what Shiroshi said was not a lie way, but the truth that was clearly in front of everyone.
That's right, she was planted with a caged bird curse and marked as a 'slave' by the people of the clan. What else is there for the Hyuga clan to love?
Always promoting friendship and mutual assistance, everyone who belives in the will of fire is family, and as a result, the cruel tradition of the Hyuga clan is indulged, why did the Hokage not restrict it or abolish it ?
Are people from the branch families born to be slaves to the main family?
Is the life and dignity of the branch family so worthless?
Why do they do this?
Is this what the so-called family should do to each other treat your own family as 'slaves'?
At this moment, Ayane only saw the cold-blooded and ruthless side of the family.
Ayane also suddenly realized that the 'will of fire' she had belived in was so hypocritical and ridiculous.
Gradually, even everything in this village made her feel extremely dirty and disgusting.
"What are you... going to do? I don't believe that somone like you, who hides his true strength in the school, does not have some unknown purpose?"
Ayane hesitated for a moment and asked in a low voice.
"I do have a purpose, but it's a bit too much to say that know. In your eyes, can I be more hypocritical than the Hyuga clan and Konoha?"
Shiroshi smiled and said.
He couldn't agree with what Ayane said.
He wasn't doing something shady.
He was just explaining the truth to Ayane, helping her come out of her despair and getting her back up on her feet.
And this kind of truth, Ayane couldn't refute, and there was no need to refute it.
Because everything Shiroshi said was based on the truth,
No matter how you try to cover it up, to after you splash dirty water one something,it will always still exist no matter how you try to hide it.
Shiroshi stepped back and loosened Ayane's body. The steady smile contained an undeniable power, which made Ayane immediately lose her mind:
"I just think that this village and this world are boring. Whether it's the war going on outside or the will of fire in the village, to me, it's just boring."
Shiroshi didn't feel that his posture was very arrogant, he just expressed his true thoughts.
Although the will of fire is the will created by the god of ninjas, Shiroshi believes that as long as people have enough knowledge about society, they will disdain this illusory and empty will.
There is nothing to be commended about this will.
It's completly vague in content, because even those who inherit this will have no way to fully implement it.
This is the greatest sadness.
In the final analysis, it is Shiroshi and the inhabitants of the ninja world who have different understandings of society, the world, and the realm of comprehension, which caused this ideological deviation.
"So, Ayane, you can entrust all the hatred and grievances in your heart on me. I'm here to endure this pain with you, because now we are the ones who truly understand the truth about the Will of Fire. ."
While speaking in a gentle voice, Shiroshi held out his palm steadily.
Ayane also stretched out her hand involuntarily. In this short moment, she felt that her future days would be dominated by the boy in front of her.
But she has no regrets at all.
She hated her family.
I also began to hate this village full of hypocrisy and emptiness.
I want to live a more real life, live filled with freedom and flesh and blood.
I don't want to be anyone's slave, I have to be happy and live freely.
Shiroshi put his other hand on Ayane's face and wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes very gently.
"That's good, let me wipe your tears for you. Remember, you should always show hatred for the main family in your eyes, because the more you hate them, the more assured they will be of you."
"...Well, I see, Shiroshi-kun. To be honest, I didn't expect you to be such a terrible person..."
Ayane pressed her long black hair, showing a sigh-like smile, with a light blush on her face.
"horrible?"
When Shiroshi heard Ayane's comment, he shook his head and smiled:
"What are you talking about. I'm not even a ninja now, just an unknown person in the ninja world. You have to remember this, Ayane."
Shiroshi looked up at the moon that had risen in the night sky. The moonlight was gentle and quiet, and the radiance that fell down made the dark woods feel more warm.
"The moonlight tonight is really beautiful, it seems that tomorrow will be a sunny day..."
"Yes…"
(Chapter End)