Chapter 25: This Is Konoha!
“Is this Konohagakure?” When the merchant caravan arrived at the Konoha Gate, Kado curiously poked his head out from the sedan and carefully examined the entrance to this ninja village.
This was his first time coming to Konoha.
Thinking of the task assigned by ‘that lord,’ Kado didn’t dare to slack off in the slightest, urging his subordinates’ merchant caravan to enter the village quickly.
The ninjas at the Konoha Gate weren’t too strict in checking ordinary merchant travelers, only requiring routine registration and simple inquiries.
After all, the mysterious person who had infiltrated the village earlier absolutely couldn’t have entered through the main gate.
After entering the village, Kado first followed the procedure, going to the administrative zone where the Hokage Building was located to register at the mission center and directly state his intentions to Konoha.
Kado Company would open a branch company in Konoha, mainly operating specialty goods from various countries.
And the company’s location was chosen on Konohagakure’s most prosperous commercial street.
“Additionally, I see that Konohagakure is also a place of outstanding people and fertile land. I want to purchase a house here.” Kado said to the Konoha chunin who was receiving him.
“Oh~ That’s very welcome!” The chunin immediately enthusiastically introduced the real estate in the village.
Although Konoha was ninja-centric, it was equally dependent on merchants and nobles.
Because ninjas weren’t good at commerce and economics, even some ninja families engaged in business mainly dealt in ninja tools, ninja beasts, or industries related to ninjas.
Kado looked at the street blocks on the Konoha map and pointed to one adjacent to the Hyuga Clan Territory, asking, “How’s the housing price in this street block?”
“As expected of a great merchant, sharp eyesight! This area is right next to the Hyuga Clan Territory, the surrounding security is famously good, very suitable for living, and the prices aren’t expensive…” The Konoha chunin began promoting it.
And personally took Kado to see these houses.
After all, this was a big benefactor!
“Hmm, the environment here is indeed nice.” Standing on the engawa under the eaves, Kado satisfiedly surveyed the courtyard.
In the small pond in the courtyard, some stones were piled up, the bamboo tube knocked against the stones under the impact of flowing water, and raising some ornamental fish would surely be very tasteful.
“This residence has a serene environment, and the courtyard is also very large. You and your wife will surely live very comfortably!” This Konoha ninja smiled and flattered.
“Actually…” Seeing that the groundwork was sufficiently laid, Kado suddenly looked gloomy and lightly sighed, “Due to some reasons, I have never been able to have my own child.”
“Ah, this—” The Konoha ninja panicked a bit, how did he open someone’s wound.
“Huh? If I adopt a Konoha orphan, can he attend your ninja academy?” Kado suddenly thought of something, clapped his hands, and asked full of joy.
“As an ordinary merchant like me, I long lost my ninja talent, but I still yearn for ninjas. If I can adopt a child, even if he’s just an ordinary ninja!”
Kado got more and more excited as he spoke.
“Adopt a Konoha orphan?” This Konoha ninja was also a bit stunned by this sudden request.
Such a flighty idea, in any other world, would be suspicious if not doubted.
But this was the Ninja World!
This was Konoha!
The application from Fire Country great merchant Kado to adopt a Konoha orphan as his foster son in Konoha was quickly sent to Hiruzen Sarutobi’s desk in the Hokage’s Office.
“Great merchant Kado…” Hiruzen Sarutobi’s pipe rose with wisps of green smoke, as he looked at the application in his hand and then at the background check done by the intelligence team.
Although Kado was just a merchant, behind him were Fire Country nobles, and he might even have subtle connections with the Fire Country Daimyo. Whether settling down or adopting, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no reason to refuse.
Moreover, selecting a war orphan from Konoha to attend the Konoha Ninja Academy.
This meant that Kado’s foster son would grow up in Konohagakure from a young age, receiving education in Konoha’s Will of Fire, with playmates, classmates, and friends all being Konoha ninjas.
After much deliberation, Hiruzen Sarutobi stamped the seal of the Hokage’s Office on the application.
——————
Hyuga Clan Territory.
The four-year-old Neji held the lunchbox prepared by his mother, standing in front of a study room, his forehead bearing the blue Caged Bird curse mark, full of worry.
Yesterday, after Hizashi Hyuga returned from the hospital, he had locked himself in the study room for a day and a night, seeing no one.
“Father…” He softly called.
“Neji, don’t mind me, let me be alone for a while.” From inside the study, Hizashi’s voice sounded somewhat hoarse and weak.
“Please at least eat some food!” Neji placed the tray at the door, knelt in front of it, and said, “Mother is also very worried about you.”
Inside the room, there was a period of silence.
Neji continued kneeling at the door.
Although only four years old, the precocious Neji was very sensitive to major events in the family and village.
A few days ago, the mysterious person attacked the Hyuga Clan Territory, his father was severely injured and hospitalized for many days, and Neji went to visit with his mother every day.
From that time, Neji felt his father was somewhat abnormal.
But at his young age, Neji didn’t understand the profound meaning in Hizashi’s Byakugan eyes, only thinking it was that his mindset hadn’t adjusted after being defeated by the mysterious person.
“Sigh, you go back and rest first, Neji.” From inside the room came Hizashi’s sigh.
“I’ll eat in a bit.”
Seeing his father say this, Neji, as a son, could only stand up and silently retreat.
Inside the study, Hizashi Hyuga, dressed in casual home clothes, was frantically flipping through the branch family’s classics and history books with bloodshot eyes, scrolls scattered all over the floor that were only half-read.
“None… How could that be… Not a single one…” After finishing the classics in the study, Hizashi shook his head, his Byakugan filled with despair.
That day, the mysterious person found him and showed him the ‘truth of the Caged Bird’s birth,’ but there was no record of it in the branch family.
As the branch family head, Hizashi had received many classics from the previous head, including the Hyuga Clan’s Byakugan usage secret techniques, Gentle Fist essences, and some history books.
Hizashi tried to find historical materials to refute the mysterious person.
But the more he found no traces, the more shocked Hizashi became.
The more lacking in evidence, the more that terrifying ‘truth’ seemed real and credible.
A wave of desolation hit, Hizashi’s trembling right hand unconsciously touched the back of his head.
The 24-hour ‘Caged Seal’ was very short, making Hizashi miss that feeling of freedom every moment.
When the ‘Caged Seal’ just ended, Hizashi felt the Byakugan perspective disappear, feeling like thousands of ants crawling all over his body, that unbearably itchy feeling almost destroying his sanity.
He desperately restrained the impulse to seek out the mysterious person.
‘Pledge loyalty to me!’ The mysterious person’s words still echoed in his ears.
‘Do you want to be a coward for life, or be the branch family’s hero? Even if just for a few minutes.’
Hizashi painfully shook his head, trying to dispel that devilish whisper.
Trying hard not to think about that guy who looked extremely evil at first glance!
But the fate of the Hyuga Branch Family…
Neji’s future…
Cha—
The study door finally opened, and Hizashi, who had locked himself in the study for a day and a night, walked out somewhat mentally disheveled.
Looking at the tray placed on the ground at the door, and the food on it, he slowly knelt down.
“Neji—” Hizashi softly murmured, his brow furrowed with insoluble worries.
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