Chapter 61: The Uchiha Are Gone
The three-year training period was a slow grind, a process of cumulative effort. How much you put in determined how much you got out. It was a progress bar that only moved forward with sweat and grit. Without consistent hard work, any transformation would be negligible.
This was Ryosuke's second transformation, and in his mind, he couldn't help but speculate about how that progress bar worked. Of course, whether his theory held any truth would only become clear after the third transformation.
This time, however, Ryosuke planned to be more precise. Over the next three years, he would pay close attention to what he focused on and what he neglected—he wanted to see just how wide the gap would grow between those two.
"How do you feel?"
Hyuga Hiashi approached quickly as Ryosuke emerged from the forest of silence. His voice was urgent. "That technique just now… does it put a heavy strain on your body?"
Every form of power came at a cost. According to Hyuga clan records, back in the Warring States Period, Uchiha Madara temporarily went blind after awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan. It was suspected that his body couldn't handle the massive drain from the eyes' awakening.
No one knew how Madara resolved that issue later. But Hiashi feared that Ryosuke might face a similar problem. After all, it had taken the Byakugan thousands of years to evolve, and Ryosuke was the only one in the clan who had managed it.
"Don't worry, Father. I'm fine," Ryosuke said with a relaxed smile. "Aside from chakra depletion, there's no burden on my body at all."
Despite the explosion of energy earlier, his chakra wasn't even fully drained. In fact, if he had to do it again right now, he absolutely could.
This transformation had strengthened both his body and spirit. His Byakugan had evolved even further, and his chakra reserves had grown massively—about three times what they were before. He now had more chakra than most average ninja.
"You should still be cautious with your Byakugan."
Hiashi frowned. "A lot of the illnesses caused by bloodline limits start with small, almost unnoticeable signs. They build up over time. And once they erupt... your body might not be able to handle it."
"I understand," Ryosuke nodded seriously.
He knew better than anyone how dangerous bloodline diseases could be. Whether it was the Shikotsumyaku, Ice Release, the Sharingan, or the Rinnegan—they all came with devastating side effects.
So Ryosuke was already being careful, even without his father's warning. During every training session, he closely monitored how his body reacted to the Byakugan. As long as his chakra reserves were solid, using the Byakugan had never caused him any pain—visually or physically.
"Let's head back. It's time to rest," Hiashi said, scanning Ryosuke again with his own Byakugan. Once he confirmed nothing was wrong, he deactivated it with a sigh.
"These past few days, I've barely slept either—been keeping watch, just like you."
"You should go lie down. There's still time before dinner," Ryosuke said as he retracted his own Byakugan.
Together, the two—one tall, one short—left the training ground at a slow pace. As for the destruction caused by Ryosuke's power earlier, someone else would clean it up.
"I won't be eating dinner," Hiashi said as they walked. "I've got work piling up that I need to handle tonight. I'll probably be up all night. I'll eat after I wake."
"You should handle it tomorrow," Ryosuke said with concern. "That kind of work drains you mentally. If you don't rest properly, it'll wear down your body fast."
"If it were just minor tasks, I'd agree," Hiashi replied, his tired face hardening into seriousness. He turned and looked at Ryosuke. "But something happened while you were in seclusion. The Uchiha clan... has been wiped out. And you'll never guess who did it."
"Uchiha Itachi."
Hiashi paused mid-step, surprised. He had been planning to keep it from his son for now, but Ryosuke just smiled faintly and said the name without hesitation.
"You saw it with your eyes, didn't you?" Hiashi murmured. "Still… why didn't you try to stop it?"
"The Uchiha have always been our rivals," Ryosuke said, his smile fading into something unreadable. "But their annihilation isn't necessarily good or bad for us. It just is."
He then added calmly, "Either way, the Hyuga shouldn't get involved. Father, go to bed and take care of things in the morning."
By the time they reached the entrance of the house, the heavy topic was left behind.
"…Alright, I'll listen to you," Hiashi finally said after a moment's hesitation. "But keep this in mind—the story behind the massacre isn't simple. There are likely others in the village involved."
He glanced at Ryosuke seriously.
"The intelligence gathered by our clan is in my study. Go take a look. From now on, you don't need my permission to access it."
"There's a hidden compartment behind the third bookshelf—top row. Inside, you'll find sensitive files. Pay special attention to the red and black scrolls."
"Got it."
Ryosuke gave a crisp nod.
After entering the house, Hiashi went to rest. Ryosuke, still full of energy from his transformation, didn't feel tired in the slightest.
Since Hinata hadn't come home yet, he skipped playing with Hanabi and headed straight for the study.
Following his father's instructions, Ryosuke found the hidden door behind the bookshelf and pulled it open. Inside were several scrolls, all neatly arranged by color.
He immediately pulled out the red and black scrolls and brought them to the desk. Climbing down the ladder, he sat where his father usually sat and switched on the desk lamp.
He unfurled the red scroll first.
The first thing he saw were four large words: Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Ryosuke's smile widened.
As he expected, this information was on a completely different level from the sanitized intelligence he had access to before. Those earlier reports were just publicly known trivia.
This scroll, however, detailed everything about the Third Hokage—from his days as a student at the Academy, to his tutelage under the Second Hokage, to his rise as the Third.
It was an exhaustive record, first compiled by Ryosuke's grandfather—Hiashi's father. Later additions had been made by Hiashi himself.
The contents were a bit messy, interspersed with personal opinions and commentary from both men. What stood out, however, was how those opinions shifted over time.
Sometimes, they described Sarutobi Hiruzen as a selfless hero who gave everything for the village.
Other times… they painted him as a hypocritical opportunist who masked selfish ambitions behind the guise of peace.
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