Ch-6 A Place to Call Home

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Jiryoku left the meeting hall and headed straight to his house to collect his belongings. Afterwards, the Hyuga Ninja escorted him to a decrepit, two-story building.

The Hyuga Ninja instructed Jiryoku to remain in place, assuring him that he would be back shortly. Jiryoku acknowledged the directive with a nod of his head.

The Hyuga Ninja departed for the Hokage building, traversing through the bustling streets of the village until he finally arrived at his destination. Upon entering the building, he navigated his way to the logistics department. Just as he was about to inquire, a familiar voice called out to him.

"Hey Ko, what are you doing here?" the person asked.

The Hyuga Ninja turned to face the source of the voice and recognized an old acquaintance from his days in the ninja academy.

"Good to see you again, Kakutu," the Hyuga Ninja greeted his acquaintance with a nod. "I was hoping I could count on your assistance. I need some paperwork done for a house transfer involving an orphan. Here's a scroll with all the necessary details."

Hyuga Ko handed Kakutu the scroll, confident that his old academy friend would be able to handle the task.

"Yeah, why not," Kakutu responded as he accepted the scroll from Hyuga Ko. However, as he scanned through the document, his expression turned slightly sour. He furrowed his brow and looked back up at Hyuga Ko with a hint of confusion in his eyes.

"I see that this individual is a member of your family. Why would you want to transfer him out to the orphan building?" Kakutu inquired, hoping to understand the reason behind the unusual request.

Hyuga Ko sighed, feeling a pang of discomfort at the mention of the family matter. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, hesitating for a moment before responding to Kakutu's query.

"It's a complicated family issue, and I'd rather not discuss it further," he explained, his tone slightly subdued. "Besides, I'm sure you'll learn more about the situation as you go about your business in the village. For now, could you please prepare the necessary papers?" he asked, hoping to expedite the process and avoid any further discussion on the matter.

"Alright, I won't press the matter any further," Kakutu acquiesced. With a quick nod, he set to work preparing the necessary documents and transferring the property over to the orphan in question. Once everything was in order, he handed the keys and papers to Hyuga Ko, wishing him luck with his undertaking.

Hyuga Ko thanked his old friend and made his way out of the building, eager to complete the task at hand. With the keys in hand, he made his way towards the designated residence, where Jiryoku was patiently waiting for him to arrive.

"Come with me," Hyuga Ko beckoned to Jiryoku. He made his way to the front door, inserted the key he had just received from Kakutu, and opened the door with a creak. As he stepped inside, he gestured for Jiryoku to follow.

"From today onwards, this will be your home," Hyuga Ko announced, turning to face Jiryoku. "And behind the house, there's an open space where you can practice your skills if you so desire. For now, you are the sole occupant of this two-story dwelling. As for the future, I can't make any promises," he added, his tone thoughtful.

"Thanks for your hard work," Jiryoku expressed his gratitude, feeling a sense of relief now that he had a place to call home. "I am very grateful that you helped a blind person like me in settling into a new house."

Hyuga Ko nodded, feeling a sense of satisfaction that he had been able to fulfill his duties as instructed by the clan head. "This is what the clan head ordered me to do, so you don't have to thank me," he replied modestly. "I'm just glad that I could be of assistance."

"Would you be kind enough to tell me your name?" Jiryoku asked politely.

Hyuga Ko paused for a moment, considering the request, before finally speaking up. "My name is Hyuga Ko," he replied in a calm tone.

Jiryoku nodded in acknowledgement and waited for a moment before speaking again.

As Hyuga Ko turned to leave, he hesitated and turned back to Jiryoku. "I'm not sure whether what you did was right or wrong," he said with a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "But I do know that I don't have the courage to take the same risks you did for the sake of freedom." With those words, he quickly made his exit, leaving Jiryoku alone with his thoughts.

Jiryoku smiled upon hearing Ko's words of encouragement. Taking a deep breath, he set to work cleaning his humble abode, determined to make it spotless. Despite his blindness, Jiryoku relied on his other senses to guide him, feeling his way around his home and using his sense of smell to identify any areas that needed extra attention.

_______

Meanwhile, inside the Hokage building, the news of Jiryoku's expulsion from the Hyuga clan had just reached the ears of the Hokage. The Hokage himself was pleased to hear that the clan had taken his words seriously and had only punished Jiryoku by expelling him from their ranks.

The Hokage knew all too well the delicate balance of power that existed within the village and between the various clans. He had worked tirelessly to maintain peace and harmony among them, and he was glad that the situation with Jiryoku had been resolved without any further conflict.

For Jiryoku, however, the future was uncertain. And Hokage didn't care about him.

_______

Deep within the secret base of the Root organization, a ninja was reporting back to Danzo on the recent events that had unfolded in Konoha. The ninja relayed all that they had witnessed at the Konoha hospital and the subsequent expulsion of Jiryoku from the Hyuga clan.

"He won't amount to much in life, there's no need to keep tabs on him," declared Danzo, dismissing the blind man as useless. Though he didn't say more, Danzo believed that someone like Jiryoku had no place in his organization. The Root required absolute obedience, something that could only be achieved through the Curse Tongue Eradication Seal. Jiryoku's independent spirit and unwillingness to be controlled by others made him an unsuitable candidate for the organization.

Danzo knew that the Curse Tongue Eradication Seal was a necessary evil in his line of work. It ensured that members of the Root were fully committed to him and would never betray him. However, it came at a cost. The Seal robbed individuals of their free will and their ability to make their own choices so someone like Jiryoku would die rather than joining him.

(A/N: If you like the story vote power stones.)