Hiruzen's orders were quickly relayed by Takahiro, and the Ninja Academy instantly became a hub of activity.
As one of the instructors, Haruki received his own assignment, overseeing the graduation exam for Grade 6, Class A.
The test itself was simple. It required students to perform the Three Bodies Technique, the Clone Technique, the Transformation Technique, and the Substitution Technique.
To pass, a student had to successfully perform the Clone Technique, while the other two techniques were also part of the academy curriculum but not mandatory for passing.
Honestly, it was just a formality.
After six years of training, it was practically impossible for anyone to fail an E-rank jutsu test.
Arriving at the exam room on time, Haruki found most of the students looking relaxed.
"You all know what to do, so let's not waste time. We'll start with the first row," he said.
The first student stepped forward, bowed slightly, and formed a series of hand seals.
With a small surge of chakra, an identical clone appeared at his side. A moment later, he dispelled the jutsu and seamlessly replaced himself with a wooden log using the Substitution Technique.
"Congratulations, you've graduated," Haruki said with a smile as he tied a Leaf headband around the boy's forehead.
"Thank you, Sensei!"
Though he had expected to pass, the excitement on his face was undeniable. One by one, the students stepped forward, demonstrating their jutsu.
Twenty-seven times the process repeated until every single student had successfully graduated.
Now, all that remained was the team assignments, which would be announced the day after tomorrow.
"Sensei, I'll be on the same team as Kushina, right?" Minato asked expectantly.
Haruki smirked. "Minato, shouldn't you first be asking whether your team leader is me?"
"Ah?" Minato blinked, caught off guard.
"Tsk, so teachers aren't the most important thing, huh?" Haruki sighed dramatically, shaking his head.
"N-No! That's not it!" Minato panicked. "If it's not you, I'll refuse!"
"Oh?" Haruki chuckled. "The Hokage assigns team leaders. How exactly do you plan on refusing?"
"This... This..." Minato hesitated, suddenly realizing he had no way around a direct Hokage order.
Haruki grinned. It seemed all his training wasn't wasted.
"Relax, you and Kushina are in the same group. And not just that, you'll also have another cute girl as a teammate," he said with a teasing smile.
"Huh?" Minato tilted his head. "But... the Hyuga heir is a guy, isn't he?"
Haruki grinned mischievously. "What, are you hoping for a male teammate?"
"N-No, no!" Minato shook his head quickly.
"Oh? So you do want a female teammate. I should tell Kushina about this," Haruki said, smirking.
"Ah? No, no, no! Sensei, that's not what I meant!" Minato flailed, completely flustered.
"Then what do you mean?" Haruki pressed. "Would you rather have a male teammate or a female one?"
"...Male! Male!" Minato blurted out.
Haruki burst out laughing.
Minato looked utterly defeated, but he didn't dare argue back.
"Alright, I have a task for you today," Haruki said, ruffling Minato's golden hair.
"What is it?" Minato asked, still recovering from the teasing.
"I have something to do later, so I won't be able to train with you. Your progress is ahead of Kushina's, so I'm putting you in charge of helping her train for the day."
"R-Really?" Minato's eyes lit up.
"You don't want to?" Haruki raised an eyebrow.
"I do! Thank you, Sensei!" Minato perked up immediately, looking like he was ready to sprint to the training grounds that very second.
Haruki chuckled at his reaction.
"Alright, I'm off," he said before vanishing into thin air.
———
Haruki arrived at Orochimaru's research institute once again.
"Here you go." Orochimaru handed him a scroll.
"Thanks." Haruki skimmed through its contents but didn't put it away.
Instead, he placed the scroll on a bookshelf in the corner, paused for a moment, and then wrote "Bird in a Cage" directly on the surface.
"Nagata, take this letter to the head of the Hyuga clan," Haruki called out to one of his trusted subordinates, handing him the message.
Then, lowering his voice, he whispered something to Orochimaru.
Orochimaru seemed a little impatient but still nodded in agreement. Haruki vanished soon after.
An hour later, there was a knock on the door.
"Hyuga Hiashi greets Lord Orochimaru. Where is Lord Haruki?"
"He's busy. Please wait here for a moment," Orochimaru said, his piercing gaze sweeping over Hiashi.
"Understood." Hiashi remained polite, standing respectfully.
Orochimaru turned to head toward the laboratory but stopped just before entering. Without looking back, he warned,
"The research here is confidential. Don't go snooping."
Hiashi shuddered slightly at the ominous tone. "I wouldn't dare, Lord Orochimaru."
Orochimaru disappeared into the lab. Only then did Hiashi relax. 'As expected of one of the legendary Sannin...'
Hiashi sighed. His younger brother had become noticeably distant ever since the Caged Bird Seal was engraved on him.
The cheerful boy he once knew had faded away, leaving behind only a quiet, subdued shadow.
"Hmm?" Hiashi's sharp eyes narrowed as he caught sight of a scroll on the bookshelf in the corner.
The words "Bird in a Cage" stood out like stars in the dark, impossible to ignore. 'Why would a scroll about the Caged Bird Seal be in Orochimaru's research institute?'
His mind immediately flashed back to Orochimaru's parting words.
"Everything here is confidential."
'What exactly is in that scroll?' Curiosity gnawed at him, an itch he couldn't ignore. A secret held by one of the legendary Sannin, involving the Caged Bird Seal.
He struggled internally, weighing the risks. But after a moment, his instincts took over. Activating his Byakugan, he scanned the surroundings. Not far away, he sensed an enormous, chilling chakra, Orochimaru. Around him, several other chakra signatures flickered, but they were insignificant in comparison.
Hiashi's face tensed. 'If I don't check it now, I may never get another chance.'
Steeling himself, he stepped forward, snatched the scroll, and unfurled it.
His eyes darted across the text, and his body froze.
As the heir of the Hyuga clan, he understood the Caged Bird Seal better than anyone.
A curse etched in flesh, unbreakable until death.
But what was written in front of him deconstructed it completely.
His mind reeled. If he hadn't known how unyielding the elders were, he might have suspected a traitor in the main branch.
He had heard of Orochimaru's terrifying research capabilities, but one thing puzzled him.
'Why hasn't Lord Orochimaru completely dismantle the seal? Why did he only altered its control?' Hiashi's breath quickened.
If this scroll ever reached the branch family, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Exactly at that moment, a powerful chakra no weaker than Orochimaru's surged outside the door.
Like a startled bird, he stuffed the scroll into his robe, deactivated his Byakugan, and quickly composed himself.
The door swung open.
Haruki stepped in. His gaze swept over Hiashi.
"Hiashi," Haruki said casually. "Did you see the letter I sent?"
Hiashi forced a calm expression. "Master Haruki." He bowed slightly. "Thank you for your kindness, but I graduated long ago."
"I'm afraid I must decline."
Haruki sighed. "That's a shame." His expression was appropriately regretful.
Hiashi seized the chance to shift the conversation.
"If you're interested, the Hyuga clan has many young members of the right age. Any of them would be honored to be your students."
"I'll think about it," Haruki replied with a slight smile. "But I appreciate you coming all this way."
"It's no trouble," Hiashi responded smoothly.
"You've done a great favor for the Hyuga clan. It is my duty to repay it."
With that, he turned and left.
The moment the door clicked shut, Orochimaru emerged from the shadows.
His golden eyes gleamed with curiosity.
"What do you think he'll do?"
Haruki exhaled. "No idea."
Although, if Hiashi were anything like his future self, he would eventually abolish the Caged Bird Seal. But in the original timeline, that had been largely thanks to his son-in-law, the protagonist, Naruto Uzumaki.
Orochimaru tilted his head. "Actually, I've been meaning to ask. Why not just erase the Caged Bird Seal entirely? Why go through all this trouble? Do you really care that much about protecting the Byakugan?"
Haruki chuckled.
"No. There's a rumor that if someone breaks the seal on their own, their Byakugan will evolve."
A flicker of interest flashed through Orochimaru's reptilian eyes. "Evolution? You're saying the Byakugan can transform?"
Haruki smirked. "Do you think the Byakugan's legendary status is just Hyuga propaganda?"
Orochimaru's lips curled into a grin. "Fascinating."
His gaze drifted toward the door, as if his piercing eyes could still see Hiashi's retreating figure.
________________________
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