Chapter 12: Involution

Chapter 12: Involution

"School is a good place for socializing," Ryosuke said calmly. "Even if you're not there to study, getting to know more people—children from different families—will be useful for Hinata's development in the future."

Hyuga Hiashi frowned slightly at the boy's words, but Ryosuke continued without hesitation.

"Besides," Ryosuke said bluntly, "even though the Hyuga clan has the authority to grant Genin status directly, skipping school, the graduation exam, and mission quotas to jump straight into the Chunin Exams would be too conspicuous."

He looked Hiashi straight in the eyes. "That kind of exception would basically announce to the entire village leadership that you value me as a future son-in-law. That would bring me trouble."

"Until I'm strong enough to protect myself, I don't want to attract the attention of Konoha's high-ranking officials."

Konoha may have been formed through an alliance of powerful clans, but over time, many within the village had shifted their loyalty away from their families and toward the village itself.

Among these were leaders like Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzo, and the entire Ino-Shika-Cho trio. They all carried on the spirit of the Will of Fire—the ideal born from Hashirama Senju, who wanted every clan to set aside personal interests for the good of the village.

These men were Hashirama's ideological heirs, willing to sacrifice their own families if it meant protecting Konoha.

And for those clans who still held tightly to tradition and bloodline—like the Hyuga and especially the proud Uchiha—they became targets of suspicion and marginalization.

In this kind of environment, if a young genius like Ryosuke stood out too much, he would become a threat in the eyes of those in power.

To remain safe, the best approach was to stay low-key. No special treatment.

Graduating early like Uchiha Itachi or Hatake Kakashi might earn you praise, but what did it really give you in return? Nothing but the village using you again and again, squeezing out every ounce of your value.

"…I see," Hiashi finally said after a long pause. He lowered his head slightly. "You're right. I didn't think it through."

Still, remembering how quickly Ryosuke had just grasped the Gentle Fist techniques, he added with a sigh, "But with your talent, even if you don't go to school, I doubt I'd be able to keep up with your progress much longer."

"Don't worry," Ryosuke said with a smile. "I pick things up quickly, sure—but turning knowledge into real power takes time. What I need from you is one serious fight each week. Solo training gets too stiff and boring. I need to feel what a real battle is like."

"Or… you could help me sneak out of the village now and then, let me see how real ninjas fight outside these walls."

Hiashi's face turned serious. "I can agree to sparring, but leaving the village is out of the question. Not until you can protect yourself."

He looked Ryosuke directly in the eyes.

"The Hyuga appearance is too distinct. If you're spotted outside the village, and word gets out, enemy spies won't hesitate to target you."

"You're too important to this family," he said firmly. "I hope you understand."

Ryosuke sighed. "I get it. Really, I do. But I also hope you understand—no ninja is complete without blood on their hands. Training in safety forever doesn't make a real shinobi."

Hiashi remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. "I'll… find a way to make arrangements. Discreetly."

He knew Ryosuke wouldn't be able to stay inside Konoha forever.

Even the Hyuga couldn't avoid being drafted during wartime if the village deemed it necessary.

"One more thing," Hiashi added. "Since you've decided to go to school, I have a request. I want you to guide Hinata."

He glanced toward his daughter, who was still diligently training nearby.

"You've been trying to toughen her up lately, and it's working. As her father, it's a bit embarrassing to admit—but you've done more for her development than I have."

"I'll support you however I can. I'll encourage her, praise her from time to time… but I have one condition."

He turned back to Ryosuke, voice low but firm.

"Don't let Hinata fall too far behind Neji. The main family must never lose to the branch family."

Ryosuke's gaze followed Hiashi's, watching Hinata's petite form as she practiced her movements with stubborn persistence.

"She's my wife," Ryosuke said with a light chuckle. "Of course I'll take good care of her."

To him, all that main-family-versus-branch-family stuff wasn't important.

The Hyuga clan were descendants of Otsutsuki Hamura, brother of the Sage of Six Paths.

In truth, they were a branch of the Otsutsuki clan itself.

Thousands of years ago, Hamura had taken part of his bloodline to the moon, where his descendants continued to watch the world from afar.

Only the clan that remained on the moon still called themselves "Otsutsuki."

The Hyuga? They were technically just the earthbound branch.

All the rituals and restrictions—the caged bird seal, the main family's exclusive access to advanced techniques, the harsh divide between main and branch—all of it was just outdated tradition passed down for the sake of control.

But none of that mattered now. Not to Ryosuke.

He wasn't from this world. He saw it for what it was: a place where strength was everything.

Only the strong get to decide who is "main" and who is "branch."

"Father," Ryosuke said, turning back to Hiashi, "I think I've rested enough. I want to learn all of the Hyuga's secret techniques as soon as possible. The sooner I understand them, the sooner I can make them my own."

Hiashi nodded slowly. He wasn't going to hold Ryosuke back with empty words about pacing or tradition.

Five-year-old Neji was already qualified to learn the Eight Trigrams. Eleven-year-old Itachi had already become a Chunin.

Everyone else was working hard.

Ryosuke should be no different.

Even if he had to remain in the shadows for now, Hiashi firmly believed—

—Ryosuke would become the greatest genius of their era.

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