CH_128

Back home, Tōji laid out his plan to his parents—

He intended to formally ask Haruka to teach him the 【Healing Palms Technique】 tomorrow. If he could master it, he'd apply for a position at Konoha Hospital.

His parents didn't give him an immediate answer. They went into their room, closed the door, and discussed it for a long time without reaching a conclusion.

And that "no conclusion" basically meant they didn't want to support it. Usually, if they were on board, they'd say so on the spot.

So Tōji didn't bother waiting any longer. He went back to his room and stared at the ceiling, making his own plans.

His parents probably weren't going to support this decision. If they did, they'd lose the standing they had within the clan.

After all, they'd been proud for five years of having a promising shinobi child.

Five years. Did anyone know what those five years had been like for them?

Every time they walked through the neighborhood with their child, they basked in the praise. When talking about him, they were full of pride. Their family had always been treated well by the clan…

And Tōji hadn't even told them that the old clan head had already privately decided he would be the next clan leader.

If the clan had been flourishing, it would've been fine—even if most of the shinobi in the clan went for decent positions, that was still a good outcome. As long as they were Konoha "civil servants," they'd be securing more influence for the clan within the village.

But a dwindling clan tends to develop an all-or-nothing mentality.

And after years of basking in the "your son is so talented" glow, his parents had probably forgotten there was any other path besides "hoping for their child to become a dragon."

Tōji thought that with his level of talent, if he'd been born into a major clan like the Uchiha or Hyūga, he'd definitely be a fringe figure. Even if he'd been born into a moderately sized clan like the Inuzuka, Aburame, Akimichi, or Sarutobi, he still wouldn't have stood out.

In reality, the new chūnin selected in today's departmental recruitment showcase weren't exactly anything to brag about.

The only one truly worth being proud of was Tatami Iwashi, who'd become a member of the Hokage Guard Platoon.

Those assigned to the Security and Defense Department were basically just sent to the Barrier Corps to watch barriers or stand guard at gates…

Of course, climbing to a high position and having a chance at success was possible—if you were from a major clan.

For someone from a minor clan, the odds were overwhelmingly against you.

The Hokage faction's master-disciple lineage occasionally produced one or two exceptions. If you were branded as part of the Hokage faction, even a commoner could rise from nothing to prominence—but that was a different story.

Likewise, going to Konoha Hospital meant just being an ordinary medical-nin, not climbing to the position of hospital director.

An ordinary medical-nin had no real status—even if they reached jōnin level as a medic, they still couldn't earn military merit!

A combat shinobi, even without any special title, had far more opportunities to take on important missions and achieve great feats!

So among all the newly promoted chūnin, Tōji was the only one who envied those who'd been assigned to important departments in the morning. Those who craved fame and achievement were never willing to "waste their years" in such positions.

Clearly, Tōji was one of the rare slacker types, while most "clan people" were ambitious and driven.

Burdened by his family's expectations, Tōji found himself in this awkward position.

Joining Konoha Hospital would mean completely shattering the Kazamatsuri clan's current hopes. And the two young children in the clan might not even have the aptitude to become shinobi…

No matter how dark or cynical Tōji's heart was, he couldn't bring himself to abandon his parents or ignore the clan's kindness…

Repaying his parents and the clan versus ensuring his own safety—that was the conflict at the heart of Tōji's dilemma.

If he wasn't mistaken, Natchi—who'd been spared the Land of Water mission—would soon be sent to the border.

Though the Third War was over, Konoha hadn't officially signed a ceasefire with Kumogakure or Kirigakure.