Disciple of the Sannin

After breakfast, Hyuga Mirai could not wait to head to the courtyard where Hyuga Kiyomi lived.

The place was fairly spacious, with a small training ground in the courtyard. Although Hyuga Kiyomi had lost her Byakugan, her grandfather, Hyuga Souya, had paid a heavy enough price to secure her right to remain in the clan as a member of the Main Family.

This courtyard was included. Though somewhat dilapidated, it covered a large area. It simply no longer had maids or guards. Aside from her Main Family status and this courtyard, everything Hyuga Kiyomi possessed had been taken away.

Even Hyuga Mirai’s service to her had been voluntary. Furthermore, he had to earn his own money by taking missions. After becoming a ninja, the clan would no longer provide him with living expenses.

"Kiyomi-sama!"

Hyuga Mirai called out at the courtyard gate before entering. Although Hyuga Kiyomi had told him several times that he did not need to follow such rigid etiquette when no one was around, Hyuga Mirai had never changed.

"Mirai, why are you here so early today?"

Hyuga Kiyomi was somewhat surprised to see him. In the past, Hyuga Mirai would take on two D-rank Missions in the morning, then hurry to train. He would only return to keep her company after lunch.

Had Mirai not given up on what he said yesterday?

Hyuga Kiyomi thought to herself. No matter what happened, she could not let Mirai leave her sight later.

"Kiyomi-sama, something very strange happened last night. While I was sleeping, I seemed to dream that someone was teaching me the Gentle Fist."

Hyuga Mirai quickly told Hyuga Kiyomi about what had happened in his dream.

At first, Hyuga Kiyomi merely listened to it as morning entertainment. But as Hyuga Mirai began describing the training method for the Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation Heaven, her expression gradually turned solemn.

It was exactly the same as the Main Family ninjutsu she had learned before. Hyuga Kiyomi even felt that the Rotation Heaven training method Hyuga Mirai described was simpler than what she had learned from her grandfather.

There was nothing wrong with the Rotation Heaven training method, nor was there anything wrong with the Air Palm. As for the other tips regarding Gentle Fist training, Hyuga Kiyomi had not participated in Hyuga Mirai’s dream, so she had no direct understanding of the techniques he described.

Hyuga Kiyomi pondered for a moment, then pulled Hyuga Mirai toward the training room in the courtyard. "Let’s spar. While we fight, carefully recall what you learned in the dream."

Soon, Hyuga Kiyomi and Hyuga Mirai arrived at the training room, which covered more than three hundred square meters.

"Kiyomi-sama, then I won’t hold back."

After exchanging bows, Hyuga Mirai attacked. Before her accident, Hyuga Kiyomi had been far stronger than Hyuga Mirai. Now, she had merely lost one Byakugan. Aside from the decline in her physical stamina, her strength had only been slightly affected.

If Hyuga Kiyomi got serious, she was absolutely certain that Hyuga Mirai would not be her match.

However, what happened in their following exchange greatly surprised Hyuga Kiyomi.

Hyuga Mirai’s experience with the Gentle Fist seemed to have improved enormously all at once. In a spar focused solely on Gentle Fist techniques, no matter how she attacked, it was as if Hyuga Mirai could see right through her moves. Several of his counterattacks even left Hyuga Kiyomi struggling to keep up.

If Hyuga Mirai had not also worn a shocked expression, Hyuga Kiyomi would have thought he had been hiding his abilities all along.

After sparring for a while, Hyuga Kiyomi took the initiative to stop because she lacked the stamina to continue. Since leaving the battlefield, she had not trained at all. Though her experience remained, her physical strength was already far inferior to what it had been before.

"Mirai, let’s stop here. I understand your strength now."

Hyuga Kiyomi smiled softly, her face slightly pale. "Very impressive. If you keep training like this, you will become a Jonin sooner or later."

"Hehe, you’re flattering me, Kiyomi-sama." Hyuga Mirai scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly.

Then Hyuga Kiyomi took out several scrolls and placed them in Hyuga Mirai’s hands. "These are scrolls containing the Gentle Fist training experience I organized from Grandfather’s teachings. You can use them as a reference while training. I removed the parts concerning Main Family ninjutsu, or they would definitely come looking for trouble with you."

"Also, do not tell anyone else about your ‘dream.’"

Holding the scrolls, Hyuga Mirai said emotionally, "Thank you, Kiyomi-sama."

Before he could finish speaking, a commotion suddenly came from the front courtyard.

This was considered a remote area within the Hyuga compound and was normally very quiet. The moment Hyuga Mirai heard the noise, anger surged within him.

"Those bastards are here again today!"

With that, Hyuga Mirai stormed toward the front courtyard, preparing to settle the score with those bastards.

"Mirai, wait."

Hyuga Kiyomi wanted to stop him, but she had just expended a great deal of strength and could not catch up to Hyuga Mirai immediately.

After catching her breath, she hurried to the courtyard gate, only to find that Hyuga Mirai was already arguing with the people who had come looking for trouble.

The people who had been causing trouble these past few days were all Branch Family members who revered the Byakugan to an extreme degree. They believed the Byakugan to be supreme, the strongest Kekkei Genkai in the Ninja World. No one was allowed to tarnish such noble blood.

Hyuga Kiyomi, who had lost one Byakugan and allowed this Kekkei Genkai to fall into outsiders’ hands, was the greatest sinner in the clan.

Though these people did not know why Hyuga Kiyomi had escaped the clan head’s punishment, their reverence for the Byakugan meant they would not easily let this sinner go.

Moreover, when they first came to trouble Hyuga Kiyomi, they had not been punished. It was as if the cage in their hearts had been opened, making them increasingly bold and reckless.

"You bastards, this is not a place for you. Get lost!"

By the time Hyuga Kiyomi arrived, Hyuga Mirai was already confronting several Branch family ninja.

"Hmph. Following a sinner has certainly made you much bolder, Hyuga Mirai," one Branch family ninja said coldly. When he saw Hyuga Kiyomi emerge from the house, the disgust on his face deepened.

"Sinner who lost the precious Byakugan, have you finally dared to come out today?"

Hyuga Mirai could not help roaring, "You bastard, are you looking for a beating, talking to Kiyomi-sama like that?"

"Kiyomi-sama? Do you still think she is Main Family? If there were not risks in carving the Caged Bird Seal after adulthood, this sinner would have long since been demoted to the Branch Family. No, a sinner like her does not even deserve to be in the Branch Family. She should be expelled from the Hyūga Clan!"

"What did you say?"

"Hehe, this is quite lively."

Just as Hyuga Mirai was about to teach that man a lesson, a laugh suddenly sounded nearby.

Everyone turned to look and saw several people walking toward them. One of them was the Hyuga Clan head, Hyuga Hiashi.

The person beside Hyuga Hiashi had golden vertical pupils and pale purple eyeshadow. Under the gaze of those eyes, it felt as though one were being watched by the most venomous predator in a dense forest.

"Clan head, Lord Orochimaru!"

Few people would fail to recognize Orochimaru, who had just competed for the position of Fourth Hokage. Although he had failed to become the Fourth Hokage, the Sannin’s fame and strength still far surpassed Hyuga Hiashi, the clan head.

"Hiashi, I didn’t expect to see such an interesting scene. Is that the person who had an accident on the Kirigakure battlefield some time ago?"

Orochimaru asked with a hoarse laugh. When those snake-like pupils swept over Hyuga Kiyomi, she stepped back half a step in slight fear. However, Hyuga Mirai noticed and immediately stood in front of Hyuga Kiyomi to shield her.

"My apologies for letting you see such a spectacle, Lord Orochimaru."

Though Hyuga Hiashi was somewhat angry that an outsider had seen the clan’s ugly side, his refined manners kept his expression calm. After speaking to Orochimaru, he turned around.

"Leave at once. Do not come here again in the future."

Hyuga Hiashi had never known about such a trivial matter. Even if he had, he likely would not have cared.

Hyuga Kiyomi, having lost one Byakugan, had only one remaining use within the clan: bearing children and shouldering the responsibility of passing on the bloodline.

"So, you are Hyuga Mirai?"

Orochimaru took two steps forward. His golden vertical pupils continuously studied Hyuga Mirai, but in such a short time, Orochimaru could not discern anything unusual about this young man from the Hyuga Branch Family.

Could it be just because they share the same name that someone asked me to take him as my disciple?

Orochimaru chuckled. "Forget it. Since I am acting at someone’s request, I won’t think too much about it. Hyuga Mirai, are you willing to become my disciple?"

"What?"

Hyuga Mirai froze. He had not expected Orochimaru to want to take him as a disciple.

"A disciple? Me? Why did you choose me?"

After recovering from his daze, Hyuga Mirai hurriedly asked.

"I’ll explain later. Hiashi, from now on, Hyuga Mirai will be my disciple."

Orochimaru did not want to say too much about Hyuga Mirai in front of others. Although he had said that he was acting at someone’s request, if he had not, it would have seemed strange for one of the Sannin to take a young man from the Hyuga Branch Family as his disciple.

After hearing that he was acting at someone’s request, the Hyūga Clan would shift their attention away from him and begin searching for anything suspicious about Hyuga Mirai. What sort of person had a minor Branch Family member connected with to make Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, personally offer to take him as a disciple?

Hyuga Hiashi said, "Of course. Being able to become Lord Orochimaru’s disciple is Hyuga Mirai’s good fortune."

With the Caged Bird Seal on a Branch Family member, Hyuga Hiashi was not worried about the Kekkei Genkai being lost. Moreover, Hyuga Mirai becoming Orochimaru’s disciple would benefit the Hyūga Clan, so he agreed on Hyuga Mirai’s behalf without hesitation.

"But…"

Hyuga Mirai had wanted to say something else, but in the next moment, Hyuga Kiyomi tugged on his sleeve from behind. At her quiet urging, Hyuga Mirai nodded and stepped before Orochimaru.

"Teacher Orochimaru, please guide me from now on."

"Hehe, I will, Mirai-kun!"