Chapter 97: She Begins to Face Some Darkness and Cruelty
"While family heads and leaders enjoy their rights, they also bear corresponding responsibilities and pressure," Ryosuke said calmly.
"If someone without talent becomes the head of a family or a leader, the entire family—or the entire team—can be dragged down with them. One wrong decision could have a massive impact on everyone."
When people enjoy the benefits of a system without suffering any immediate loss, they tend to overlook its flaws—especially the ones that don't directly affect them.
But when Hinata started noticing these cracks, a different thought surfaced in her mind. She began to question the very system she was meant to inherit.
Logically, she knew that if she simply kept quiet, she would become the future head of the Hyuga family. No one would question her abilities—not openly, anyway. Whether she was truly capable or not wouldn't matter.
But instead of remaining silent, Hinata brought up her concerns. She even offered examples—concrete, thoughtful ones.
Her soft voice, though gentle, carried a firm tone. The words echoed throughout the spacious study. As she spoke, her thoughts became sharper. Her reasoning grew clearer. She was no longer viewing things from a single perspective, but from multiple angles.
Hinata was growing.
"Of course... there are problems with the system," Ryosuke said, stepping away from the bookshelf. He walked back to her and looked straight into her eyes. "But this system wasn't created by outsiders—it was built by the main family. And as a member of the main family, you've benefited from it."
He paused for a beat.
"Now that you know the system is flawed, are you planning to overthrow it?" he asked seriously. "Because if you do, there's a high chance you'll lose your status as the future head. Are you willing to take that risk? To carve off a piece of your own flesh, just to fix something broken?"
His words hit her hard. Hinata froze, startled by the gravity of the question. But then, slowly, she nodded.
"Yes," she replied firmly. "It is a broken system. And those who are truly capable should rise to the top. That's the foundation for a strong family—or even an entire village. You said that to me once, remember?"
Ryosuke blinked. He hadn't expected her to remember that casual comment from when they were training.
"You're right," he said after a pause. "Merit should always take precedence. But before anything else, there's something important you need to fully understand."
He looked her in the eyes once more.
"It's time you learned the full truth about the Hyuga system."
Hinata listened intently.
"As you know, the Hyuga clan is split into two: the main family and the branch family," Ryosuke began. "Members of the main family are born into a direct bloodline. There's only one lineage that matters—the clan head and their heirs. Everyone else, whether they're elders or powerful figures within the clan, belongs to the branch family."
"In order to 'protect' the main family's bloodline and prevent it from leaking out, branch family members are branded with the Caged Bird Seal once they reach a certain age. That seal doesn't just suppress their Byakugan. It also lets the main family control—or end—their lives at will."
Hinata's face shifted as she absorbed his words. First solemn. Then disturbed. And finally, silent.
She had never heard the system explained this way before. She had always known of it—but never truly understood the weight of it all.
By the time Ryosuke finished speaking, Hinata was too overwhelmed to respond. She left the study quietly, her mind spinning.
Unnoticed, night had already fallen.
Even though she had class the next day, and could have easily asked for leave, Hinata wasn't the type to skip unless something serious happened. She was still the good girl she'd always been, even if her world had just been shaken.
After she left, the study grew quiet.
Ryosuke sat for a moment, lost in thought, before he slowly rose to clean up the room. Then he returned to his own room, moving silently through the dim hall.
When it came to something as serious as family reform, you couldn't prove your resolve with a few bold words. Not in a world like this.
People here grew up fast. But even so, expecting a child to fully understand and take on that kind of burden was rare. Few could shoulder that weight. Uchiha Itachi was one of those rare exceptions—taking the burden of his entire clan on his shoulders at just thirteen.
In less than a year, Hanabi would be old enough to receive the Caged Bird Seal.
Ryosuke could easily stop it.
But it would mean more if Hinata—the future clan head—was the one to do it.
In the original timeline, after learning the truth about the clan's structure, Hinata chose to run away from it. Her gentle personality didn't allow her to confront something so cruel, let alone take responsibility for it.
But this was a different world now. Hinata had changed. She had already begun to take on responsibilities.
Still, change didn't mean she was ready to lead the entire clan. Ryosuke knew that. That's why he hoped this revelation would serve as a trial—something to temper her spirit.
He could've just arranged everything for her. Set the pieces in place and ensured the outcome.
But Hinata wasn't his puppet. She was his wife.
He wasn't raising a tool to follow his commands—he was guiding someone he cared about to grow into her own strength.
She needed to make her own decisions, no matter how painful.
---
Over the next few days, Hinata remained heavy-hearted.
She still wore a cold mask in front of outsiders, but even at home, she had changed. Her expression was often tense, like she was carrying a weight that never left her.
Ryosuke noticed. But he didn't comfort her.
This was something she needed to face. Family responsibility wasn't something you could share—it was something you had to carry yourself.
And besides, he wasn't her teacher or babysitter. He was her partner.
Ryosuke had his own responsibilities.
His father was busy working with high-ranking members of the clan on matters related to the Land of Waves. The village leadership was also deeply involved. Several high-priority missions had been declined outright, all so they could focus on forming an alliance with the Wave Country.
Oddly enough, the person who started this entire diplomatic effort—Ryosuke himself—had the most free time.
He didn't need to make public appearances. His father kept him updated on everything happening behind the scenes.
So Ryosuke focused on training.
As for school... he wasn't attending. Not with Uchiha Sasuke always keeping an eye on him. Taking leave had become a routine for him, anyway.
In fact, ever since he first enrolled in the Ninja Academy, he'd spent maybe less than three months actually attending.
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