Subduing Ayane didn't take much time and effort. Afterward, Shiraishi turned his attention to another matter—the Gentle Fist technique of the Hyuga clan.
Ayane willingly handed over all the scrolls containing the training methods and theoretical knowledge of the Gentle Fist technique, which the Hyuga clan strictly kept within their ranks and never shared with outsiders.
Once the Hyuga clan discovers this betrayal, Ayane will undoubtedly face execution.
But Ayane fears was more than just death; she dreaded the dark days that lie ahead. In her eyes, the family and the village have lost their significance and become dispensable.
Therefore, from Ayane's perspective, handing over the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist technique to someone unrelated isn't a betrayal but a natural act of resistance. The Hyuga clan holds no relevance for Ayane.
Shiraishi understood that although Ayane had become dependent on him and submissive, he still needed to gradually imprint his image more deeply in her heart.
Following Shiraishi's advice, Ayane unabashedly expressed her anger and hostility when within the clan.
Just as Shiraishi predicted, when the members of the main clan see Ayane's angry and hostile gaze, they simply glance at her lightly and don't pay much attention.
After all, Ayane is just one member of the hostile Hyuga branch.
The more hostile Ayane was towards them, the more reassured they felt. Their true fear lies in those within the family who conceal their hostility—the troublesome individuals the clan should be wary of.
.....
Success in anything requires sufficient strength. Ninja are masters of the most powerful force in this world.
There are various sources of ninka power, as Shiraishi learned from the books in the Academy's library. The library contains numerous books, but many of them are unavailable.
For example, the Gentle Fist technique of the Hyuga clan isn't openly shared.
Among the many types of fist techniques in the shinobi world, the Gentle Fist of the Hyuga clan is undoubtedly the strongest.
This greatly intrigued Shiraishi. He discovered that the Gentle Fist technique of the Hyuga clan bears a remarkable resemblance to Taijiquan and shares many underlying theories.
However, the Gentle Fist scroll that Ayane gave him is incomplete. As a member of the branch family, Ayane cannot access the core moves of the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist.
The division within the Hyuga clan is more severe than Shiraishi had imagined. Thus, Shiraishi fully understands Ayane's intense hatred for the Hyuga clan.
However, due to the long-standing dominance of the main branch, the branch family dared not speak out, and some even became slaves who truly joined the main family.
This branch of the Hyuga branch has lost their personal freedom and dignity.
They don't question whether the current traditions of the Hyuga clan are correct; their only concern is whether they are satisfying the clan members with their service.
They find joy in the main family's happiness and mirror their anger.
Among them, the position of the main family remains as stable as a rock, while the branches, referred to as the "caged birds," are planted and pose no threat.
"Shiraishi, do you think Ayane has changed a bit?" Ruri asked, using her exact words.
On the playground, Ayane's face no longer reflects the same level of indifference as before, and she is able to chat and laugh with her classmates again.
However, there are still differences compared to the original Ayane.
Ayane's smile always carries a touch of melancholy and low self-esteem.
"After all, it's only natural for her to have experienced what she has been through," Shiraishi remarked nonchalantly as he flipped over the horizontal bar and jumped down.
Ruri nodded in agreement. The traditions of the Hyuga clan were indeed extremely cruel. Even an outsider like herself could no longer tolerate them.
"Speaking of which, Ruri, does your Uchiha clan have a similar tradition to that of the Hyuga clan?" Shiraishi pondered, lost in thought.
Ruri rolled her eyes in anger and retorted, "The Uchiha clan doesn't have such degrading rules that look down on people."
The corners of Shiraishi's mouth twitched at Ruri's words. Her words lacked conviction and failed to convince him. Besides their interactions in class, most boys and girls kept their distance from Ruri.
Moreover, Shiraishi had observed other Uchiha students at the academy. While their talents might not have matched Ruri's, their attitude towards others was even worse than hers.
In comparison, Ruri was relatively low-key, except for her cold personality.
"By the way, let's do that again tonight," Ruri suddenly spoke, turning her face away with a blush.
"That?" Shiraishi blinked, a tinge of suspicion in his eyes.
"That one..." Ruri's voice suddenly became smaller.
Noticing Shiraishi's prolonged silence, Ruri's eyes grew fierce, and she stared at him with her black eyes.
"Don't you want to touch me? Is there someone else?"
Shiraishi was left speechless. He finally understood. Ruri was asking him to develop a suitable scientific exercise program again.
After all, it had been nearly a month since their last session. However, Shiraishi felt a twinge of guilt. Maybe it was just his imagination.
"I'm always with you. How could there be someone else? You're thinking too much, Ruri" Shiraishi responded weakly to Ruri's intense gaze.
Upon hearing Shiraishi's feeble explanation, Ruri nodded, satisfied with his response.
"Your method is very effective. I sparred with the Chunin from my clan, and he said that my strength surpasses that of most genin. At my rate of growth, I can reach Chunin level next year."
As Ruri spoke, Shiraishi roughly assessed his own strength. It was comparable to Ruri's, or slightly inferior, but not by much.
Admittedly, Shiraishi felt a sense of shame. Until now, he had never truly surpassed Ruri. Instead, he was always outperformed, resulting in draws at best.
It seemed that achieving his future goals would require more time and effort.
"Will you also turn seven next year?"
"Yes."
"Awesome."
Boys and girls easily grow closer when they share a common secret.
Shiraishi had previously doubted this, but now he believed it. However, he still couldn't figure out his own feelings.
.....
"Do you want books on medical ninjutsu?" Ruri looked puzzled by Shiraishi's request.
"Yes, can you get them?" Shiraishi asked eagerly, his gaze fixed on Ruri.
Although the school library had some medical books, they couldn't meet Shiraishi's specific needs.
Hence, Ruri seemed like the best starting point.
Unlike Ayane, Ruri was not only a prodigy of the Uchiha clan, but the Uchiha clan also lacked the impersonal traditions of the Hyuga clan. Ruri held a significant position in the eyes of the upper Uchiha members.
After some contemplation, Ruri nodded in agreement. While her status within the Uchiha clan wasn't particularly high, it wasn't bad either.
Furthermore, Ruri was acquainted with several medical shinobis from the Uchiha clan. These individuals were unable able to awaken their bloodline limit "Sharingan" and were designated as clan members who could only serve as logisticians. Their purpose was to support the Uchiha elites by learning sealing techniques, medical ninjutsu, and others.
Ruri believed that these medical shinobis would be happy to assist her request, considering her destined future as an elite Uchiha shinobi.
Additionally, as long as she didn't reveal the Uchiha clan's secrets to Shiraishi, there should be no problems.
As far as Ruri knew, there were occasional exchanges of resources and ninjutsu between the Uchiha clan and the village. Ruri wasted no time.
During the weekend, she went straight to Shiraishi's apartment. This marked her first time entering a boy's private room.