READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 6: Chapter 6
No, but what a fool I am, playing games with a professional, by his rules, on his field. Naturally, he pointed out all the inconsistencies. Damn it. What do I do now? Reveal my cards? Oh yeah, and how long will I live after that? On the other hand, what do I have to lose? The future Hizashi painted for me was grim... What's worst, for me to end up in ANBU's torture chamber, all I had to do was remain silent. Though... why not? I made up my mind, and...
"Tell me, Hizashi-san, why did you suddenly stop talking? You were so diligently catching me on possible inconsistencies, painting the whip that was about to strike my back, and... then you just stopped. Where's the carrot, Hizashi-san? To implement the scenario you described, this conversation isn't needed. You could have just knocked me out, tied me up, and delivered me to the head of the Root."
"Carrot, you say, Akira-chan?" Hizashi suddenly burst into laughter, still as composed as ever. "Alright. You'll get your carrot, strange boy from an 'allegedly' peasant family. But first, you're going to tell me the full version. No cuts." Hizashi adjusted himself comfortably on the branch. "I'm waiting."
"Fine, Hizashi-san." I cleared my throat, took a deep breath, and began the story.
"This story started with me dying." I continued, ignoring the ironically raised eyebrow of the shinobi. "You see, in the world I lived in before, there was this manga, 'Naruto'." I couldn't exactly talk about a cartoon. Damn, there's no such word here. But manga, strangely enough, existed. After all, the Japanese are the Japanese, no matter what world they inhabit.
"So, after I died, I ended up in a strange place filled with darkness, where I had a conversation with some entity who claimed to be related to your Shinigami." Hizashi choked. Ah, there it is, I thought smugly, squirm a little, you analytic jerk, not only me who's sitting on pins and needles.
"This entity had its fun mocking me, then told me that I hadn't entered the reincarnation system of my native world. It read my memories and offered to send me to one of the fantasy worlds."
"I see..." Hizashi's lips parted as he absorbed the information, his expression turning pale. "And why would the god of death even get involved in all of this, Akira-chan?"
"Well, as I understood it, he was just bored, and wanted to entertain himself. He promised to implant my soul into the body of a boy who was destined to die and help me survive. Oh, and he also promised to assist me with mastering my abilities."
"Yes, that explains..." Hizashi cut himself off mid-sentence. "Never mind, continue.Did he help you?"
"Yes, that explains...," Hizashi interrupted himself mid-sentence. "Never mind, continue. Did he help you?"
"Yeah. First, he explained to me about the chakra sources in my body, helped me feel them. Then he performed, as you put it, the ritual to set up the Byakugan. That's all true."
"And how did he help you survive?" - Hizashi was clearly shaken by this information, his usual composure faltering.
"Well, as I understand it, your appearance on the road was the help." - Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow.
"Maybe, maybe..." - Hizashi thought deeply. "Boy, you do understand that you'll be interrogated with the truth serum, right? Since you don't have any mental protection seals?"
"Then why not have a conversation with a member of the Yamanaka clan?" - Since we're being so open, might as well clarify that.
"Simple, Aki-ra-tan. There are no Yamanakas in the Hyūga clan." - I see... So he suggests I join the Hyūga clan.
"Of course. And as a result, I'll get the cursed seal of the branch family, right?" - I almost choked with indignation. Sure, it's better than dying under torture, and even being blind, but I definitely shouldn't be looking forward to it.
"What?" Hizashi asked, confused. "The seal, yes, it will have to be applied, it's the only way to protect against the involuntary sacrifice of the Byakugan. But what does the branch family have to do with it?"
"How does it have to do with it? Isn't the Hyūga clan divided into the main and branch families?" - I'm really confused now. I clearly remember. Even Hizashi's son, Neji, was from the branch family! Seeing the shock on the shinobi's face, I realize I'm thinking aloud again.
"Wh-what son? Whose?" - Either they're going to strangle me now or I'm about to be interrogated in full. "Wait, stop. Let's go back to the branch family issue." - The guy's impressive, throwing all that at him, and he's still breaking it down step by step. Professional, that one.
"Well, according to the manga, the Hyūga clan was divided into the main and branch families. The main family included the clan head, that is, your brother Hiashi, the heir, or rather the heiress, and the elders. The branch family included all the others." - I've never seen someone laugh like that before. Genuinely, to the point of tears, yet completely silently.
"Manga, huh?" - Wiping his tears, the shinobi asked. After I nodded, he continued, "So, apparently, a lot of things were exaggerated in that manga. And it's strange that you even know anything about our world. Fine, let the clan council handle that. But for now, remember this: Yes, there is a branch family in the Hyūga clan. Just like there is in the Uchiha clan. For example, Kade is from the Uchiha's branch family, and the Sharingan is an unattainable dream for him. Be careful, judging by what I saw, he's already dreaming of taking your eyes." Hizashi smirked.
"There's no point in putting seals on the branch family, Aki-ra-tan. The branch family members are those from the genetic line who cannot awaken the dōjutsu. Everyone else is part of the main family. And they are the ones who get the seals. But those aren't cursed, they're protective. Got it? And also, I don't have a son. No Bijuu involved in any of this, and I'm not even married. Now look here, this little ceremony goes like this..."
After five minutes, the stunned chunin of the twelfth team witnessed a strange scene - a six-year-old boy kneeling in a ritualistic pose, saying these equally ritualistic words: "I, Akira - a peasant, being of sound mind and sober judgment, of my own free will and without coercion, give my life, my blood, my dreams, and my hopes into the hands of the Hyūga clan. I ask, Hizashi-san, take care of me!"