Konoha: Gu master

"Are you, a self-proclaimed genius, actually afraid?" Shinho Aburame asked with a faint smile, noticing Neji's reaction.

"T-This isn’t about fear," Neji Hyūga replied, taking a deep breath.

We were talking about the Hyūga main family, and now you’ve started saying the Will of Fire is flawed? Aren’t you being a bit too extreme?

Moreover, how could the Will of Fire be wrong? It was passed down by the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju, and reinforced by the Third Hokage, becoming deeply rooted in everyone's heart. Countless shinobi of Konoha have shed blood for this ideal.

"Does the Hyūga clan truly follow the Will of Fire?" Shinho asked again.

"Of course," Neji responded without hesitation.

"Does the Caged Bird seal align with the Will of Fire?" Shinho continued.

"Of cour—" Neji paused mid-sentence, suddenly stunned.

Does it really?

The Will of Fire, at its core, means that the youth are the future of Konoha, and the older generation must trust and protect them. But how does branding someone with the Caged Bird seal show trust and protection?

Neji wanted to say "of course," but he couldn't force the words out. He looked at Shinho, a growing sense of doubt in his heart.

Why have I never questioned this before?

"Don't focus on what they say; look at what they do," Shinho said calmly. "The Will of Fire has its virtues, but in its execution, it has been twisted and compromised."

"W-What are you saying?" Neji's mind was racing.

After criticizing the Will of Fire, now he’s questioning how the Hokage and Konoha’s higher-ups who enforce it? This isn’t just extreme—this is beyond extreme. How can you say something so dangerous without a care in the world?

Neji suddenly felt like he had boarded a pirate ship with no way back.

"It’s the Hokage who has betrayed the Will of Fire," Shinho said after a moment. "The Will of Fire has become a tool. It has become disconnected from the people."

"S-Stop!" Neji shouted, feeling as if a bolt of lightning had struck him. He instinctively wanted to cover his ears.

If he kept listening, this would lead to serious—irreversible trouble. He only wanted to escape his fate, not drag the entire Hyūga clan into ruin.

"Let's focus on the issue of the Caged Bird," Shinho said, smiling as he observed Neji's panic. "What do you think the true nature of the Caged Bird is?"

"It’s… fate," Neji hesitated for a moment before responding.

Shinho couldn’t help but smile wryly.

Here I am trying to discuss facts with you, and you’re still talking about destiny and whatnot?

"It’s a jutsu," Shinho said thoughtfully. "More precisely, a sealing jutsu, and perhaps there’s a connection to the soul."

Neji blinked in surprise.

As a member of the Hyūga clan, he was naturally familiar with sealing jutsus. Especially the ones originating from the Uzumaki clan, which were said to be the strongest—even powerful enough to seal tailed beasts.

"If it’s a jutsu, then it’s not without a solution," Shinho continued with a calm tone. "Combining medical ninjutsu, sealing techniques, and jutsu related to the soul… Isn’t it possible to break the Caged Bird?"

Neji opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but his mind was already starting to accept the idea.

The fear that had always accompanied the Caged Bird was beginning to dissipate.

"The Caged Bird is a relic of an old era," Shinho said seriously. "Times have changed. Gather a group of geniuses among geniuses, and breaking it is just a matter of time."

"Is that… your plan?" Neji asked, realizing what Shinho was getting at.

But could a group of geniuses really come together just to break the Caged Bird? That seemed far-fetched. Coupled with Shinho's earlier statements, it was becoming clear what Shinho really wanted.

He’s gone mad! Truly, utterly mad!

And the most insane part was that Neji found himself intrigued by the idea.

"What do I need to do?" Neji asked, his face set with determination.

No matter if it was a pirate ship, he had already decided to be on board.

"You don’t need to do anything special. Just focus on becoming stronger," Shinho replied with a smile. "As for a genius in sealing jutsu, I already have someone in mind. You don’t need to worry."

He was referring to Karin from Kusagakure. In the original story, Karin was mostly treated like a walking medical kit. But she also had strong potential in sealing jutsu.

Without formal training, she mastered techniques like Kagura's Mind Eye and Adamantine Sealing Chains. Such talent couldn’t be casually overlooked.

Bringing her under his wing would be simple. Her life in Kusagakure was like living in hell. Rescuing her from that would guarantee her loyalty.

The more difficult part was finding a genius in soul-related techniques. So far, the only candidates Shinho could think of were Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi.

Orochimaru was currently in Otogakure, and Kabuto was still acting as a spy. Snatching Kabuto away from Danzo wouldn’t be that easy.

"I understand," Neji nodded.

He knew that both he and Shinho were still young, and their power had limits. But the most valuable thing Shinho had given him was hope.

He had glimpsed the possibility of breaking the Caged Bird seal and defying fate.

As long as he kept moving forward, he could reach that destination.

"What do you think of the name 'Heaven's Will'?" Shinho asked with a grin.[1]

"Does it have a special meaning?" Neji thought for a moment before asking.

"It’s something you’ll figure out as you go," Shinho said, pulling out a piece of paper seemingly from nowhere.

Neji stared at him in shock.

Did he prepare this in advance? He knew I would come?

Neji looked down at the paper and read:

"We are the shinobi of Konoha, the correctors of the Will of Fire. We gather in honor of our faith and peace. Our steadfast will is like iron armor, protecting the future and prosperity of Konoha. We act on behalf of the heavens, and we will never compromise."

Neji subconsciously clenched the paper in his hands. He felt a fire burning in his chest, igniting his resolve.

"From today, your code name will be 'Azure Lord,'" Shinho said smoothly. "The god of the Northern Star, the Azure Lord, vast and boundless, soaring freely through the skies."

Neji nodded firmly. He liked the name.

From today onward, he would search for the freedom that was rightfully his.

Achievement Unlocked: 'A Spark in the Dark.' Reward: Nine-Leaf Vitality Grass.

Nine-Leaf Vitality Grass: A Rank-2 Gu insect with healing properties.

Shinho couldn’t hide his inner joy. This was a truly valuable item.

The Nine-Leaf Vitality Grass could produce nine leaves, each one capable of being consumed for healing, much like a consumable medical jutsu.

For Shinho, it wasn’t particularly useful. But for ordinary shinobi or even the wealthy nobles, it was priceless.

A walking gold mine.

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