Soon, Hinata followed Ryun into the hot spring house.
The proprietress's service attitude remained professional. She showed no emotional change because Ryun brought different girls into the room.
Only after Hinata knelt down on the cushion did she suddenly realize she had entered Ryun's room. Another blush appeared on her cheeks.
Ryun was even curious, if he watched her for one more minute, would Hinata hide under the table.
Hinata really couldn't bear this atmosphere anymore. Summoning her courage, she said, "Um... Nojuro-san, didn't you say you know the Hyūga clan very well? What did you want to tell me?"
"Actually, I was just teasing you earlier. I know nothing about the Hyūga clan. I just wanted to trick you into coming in."
"Eh!"
Hinata cried out in surprise, instinctively moving backward, placing her hands in front of her.
"Nojuro-san, although you are very strong, if you come over... I will still fight back desperately!"
Hinata tried to sound threatening, but to Ryun, it was completely like a little lamb bleating. Not only was it not dangerous, it was actually a bit cute.
After all, who threatens someone while blushing and using polite language?
Ryun spoke again with a pained expression, saying, "Hinata, you seem to have misunderstood. I did trick you into coming in, but I didn't say I was going to do anything to you!"
"Why did you think in that direction? Am I that kind of person in your eyes?"
Hinata was stunned, then her face turned bright red, and she unconsciously fell backward.
Ryun reacted swiftly, moving to her side. One hand supported her back, the other grasped her wrist, infusing her with Yang Release chakra.
Only then did Hinata, leaning on Ryun's shoulder, manage to stay conscious, but that was all she could manage.
On the contrary, her shyness symptoms became more severe due to Ryun's closeness. Her earlobes and neck turned pink, and she almost lost all ability to move.
"It seems you still need time to recover. Then, let me tell you a little story."
Ryun pondered for a moment, then told a story about Hiashi and Hizashi's childhood.
Of course, the story was made up by Ryun. He was good at that.
He didn't even mention their real names, just casually said that during the Warring States period, the Hyūga clan once had two brothers from the main family.
Hinata was very familiar with Hiashi and Hizashi. She would naturally think of them.
The story's content was also very simple.
The two brothers had a very good relationship since childhood, grew up sparring together, and could even give their lives for each other in battle.
But because of the Hyūga clan's main and branch family system, the older brother among the brothers became the heir. The younger brother could only be branded with the Caged Bird Seal. From then on, the two brothers almost became enemies.
This hatred was further exposed when the younger brother's child was branded with the Caged Bird Seal. The younger brother was punished by the older brother using the seal, and the hatred thus extended to the next generation.
However, one day, when the older brother made a major mistake and should have atoned with his death, the younger brother stepped forward and used his own life to redeem the older brother's sin.
Their brotherly affection had never actually deteriorated. It was just that the Caged Bird Seal had added a tragic, unbridgeable gap between them.
As if in a cycle, the older brother also had two children.
He looked at the children who had a good relationship and had been sparring together since childhood. The time had come to decide who would be branded with the Caged Bird Seal.
But he couldn't bear to do this. Using the reason that the heir hadn't been decided yet, he delayed this matter. He delayed it for three years and intended to continue delaying it.
As for how to solve it in the future, he didn't know. He could only hope that time would solve everything.
The story wasn't long. It was finished in a few words.
But Hinata was immersed in the story from the beginning, realizing that what Ryun was talking about was her and Hanabi's current life situation.
Ordinary members of the Hyūga clan are branded with the Caged Bird Seal at the age of three. That she and Hanabi had been spared, wasn't it because Hiashi was indecisive in selecting an heir?
In the past, Hinata thought her father's indecisiveness was solely because she was too weak and poor. Now, Ryun gave her another explanation, making a flame of hope flicker in Hinata's heart.
Come to think of it, if her father had really given up on her completely, why didn't he brand her with the Caged Bird Seal?
"Father..."
Hinata's eyes moistened. Her hand instinctively grabbed Ryun's collar.
Ryun's expression became somewhat unnatural. After all, being grabbed by a girl calling him Daddy... this scene usually only appears in two kinds of situations.
He looked around guiltily. After waiting a few seconds and Hiashi didn't rush out, he breathed a sigh of relief.
The Hyūga clan's Byakugan scouting range is farther than Ryun's sensory perception. So, currently, only when facing the Hyūga clan does Ryun feel unsure.
"Alright, Hinata."
Ryun cleared his throat lightly, helped Hinata sit up properly. It was safer for the two of them to maintain normal contact.
"I've finished the story. Next, I hope you listen clearly to what I say."
"Yes!"
Hinata quickly wiped her tears, adopting an attitude of one hundred percent obedience.
No one had ever said such words to her before. If Ryun hadn't told her the truth, she didn't know how long she would have remained awkward.
Perhaps until she was branded with the Caged Bird Seal, she wouldn't have known that she was actually still loved by her father?
"From the training these past few days, I can see that you lack the killing intent that a ninja should have."
Hinata trembled slightly, not denying this.
Her weakness was multifaceted. Not only was her displayed strength and talent lacking, but her mentality was also not strong enough. From these aspects, she really wasn't suited to be a ninja.
"But who says one must have killing intent to be a ninja? There are so many benevolent and skilled medical ninjas in Konoha Hospital, willing to work tirelessly to treat the wounded. Are they ninjas?"
Hinata suddenly understood. "Nojuro-san, are you telling me to switch to being a medical ninja... Ouch!"
Ryun tapped Hinata's head.
"What I want to say is, if you only know how to defend and protect your teammates well, why can't you be an excellent ninja?"
Ryun simply stated his understanding. "If you can't bear to kill, then focus on defense and let your teammates handle the offense."
"For example, if you cooperate with Hanabi, Hanabi is responsible for attacking, and you are responsible for defending. What's wrong with that?"
Hinata's eyes lit up.
Ryun's words actually didn't have much substance. When Hyūga clan members fight, they already divide tasks and cooperate based on their different mastery of ninjutsu.
It's just that Hinata and Hanabi had walked into a dead end, insisting that one person must protect the other.
But the next second, Hinata's gaze dimmed again. Ryun hadn't taught her how to solve the core problem yet.
"But between us, one person will inevitably be branded with the Caged Bird Seal..."
This was the essence of the distortion in their relationship, and indeed, the essence of the entire Hyūga clan's distortion.
For this, Ryun also had an answer prepared.
"Then treat those who want to brand you with the Caged Bird Seal as enemies. You sisters, work together and defeat it."
"If you sisters both have the strength of elite jōnin or Kage level, and are united as one, who else can force you?"
"Or do you think being good sisters with Hanabi is more difficult than defeating the Caged Bird Seal?"
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