Chapter 11
"Good morning, Zixu."
"Good morning, Hatsuizumi. Chinano is here too—morning."
After yesterday's planning and organization, the three of them now shared a common secret, and their bond had unknowingly deepened. The usually indifferent Chinano seemed a bit more approachable today.
However, whether it was just their imagination or something else, the atmosphere on the streets felt off. The adults around them seemed strange, and a faint, sweet scent lingered in the air.
"Do you remember what we discussed yesterday?" Zixu asked in a low voice, noticing that Gouda Takeshi had yet to arrive in the classroom. He pushed aside the strange feeling gnawing at him and focused on their plan.
Hatsuizumi had lost his usual timid demeanor and nodded seriously. Chinano clasped her hands together, following up on Zixu's words.
"We should act as normal as possible until we find a way to free ourselves from Konoha's control. Breaking free won't happen overnight, and searching for a solution within the village is difficult. If we want a real chance at removing the seal, we'll need to look beyond Konoha."
She paused for a moment before adding, "Of course, the easiest way would be to get rid of the one controlling the curse... but that's impossible for us right now."
Since the moment she was branded with the Caged Bird Seal, Chinano had never stopped looking for a way to remove it. Though she had found nothing so far, she refused to give up.
"You're right," Zixu agreed. "The Academy only teaches us non-lethal jutsu and academic subjects. The growth in strength is minimal. If we really want to get stronger, we need to learn more powerful techniques outside of school."
He had long realized how inefficient the Academy's curriculum was. The system seemed more focused on shaping students' loyalty than their actual strength. From Konoha's standpoint, this was effective, but Zixu wasn't a child in the true sense.