The tragedy of Hyuga
Hinata Nissa came to the backyard of the clan family no. At the meeting just now, the Third Hokage and the senior Konoha officials had made a decision, and the elders of the Hyuga family had also agreed with the result.
Although his elder brother, the patriarch, found it difficult to accept, this was the only way to resolve the dispute between the Cloud Village and Konoha.
Most importantly, he was not choosing to sacrifice his life for the sake of the clan but to protect Neji, his brother and relative, and even Konoha itself.
Now, he only wanted to meet Neji one last time before going to his death with dignity.
"Neji... there are so many birds flying today. They look so happy..."
Hinata Nissa raised his head and looked at the blue sky, feeling a long-lost sense of peace and freedom in his heart.
Ever since he had been branded with the Caged Bird Seal as a child and became part of the branch family, he had been taught to live solely for the clan.
Especially when he saw Neji grow up and display unparalleled talent, he had resented the clan more than once and cursed its traditions.
But at least this time, he had made a choice of his own.
A free choice.
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
Perhaps it was just an illusion, but he felt that standing on this land, his breathing was fresh and full of freedom.
"Neji?"
However, when he found Neji, he was surprised to see his son in an attacking stance. In front of him stood another boy with black hair and black eyes—clearly not from the Hyuga family.
"Hah!"
Neji didn't believe Xu Fan's words at all.
Not long ago, his sister, Hinata, had been kidnapped by the ninjas of the Cloud Village. Now, seeing a stranger here, he assumed the worst—that this person had also sneaked in.
Xu Fan appeared at least six or seven years older than Hinata. How could they possibly be classmates?
Most importantly, when Hinata saw Xu Fan, she had chosen to run away.
A fraud.
Neji swiftly stepped forward, aiming a palm strike at Xu Fan's face, attempting to subdue him.
Neji's movements were precise, with no openings in his stance. His skills were polished to perfection.
From a distance, Nissa watched. Every time he saw Neji display his talent, he felt a deep sadness.
Why…
Why was Neji not born into the main family?
Why did the system of the main and branch families exist?
Why was the Caged Bird Seal necessary?
Neji's talent far exceeded that of anyone else. At his young age, no one among his peers could compare.
Before Neji Hyuga, no one stood a chance.
And yet, Hinata, the eldest of the main family, was...
Nissa even felt that he could foresee the future.
If war between the ninja villages broke out again, Neji would surely make great contributions and become a hero of Konoha.
But...
Why?
Why must he be a branch member?
Nissa clenched his fists. He had come to see Neji one last time and to tell him that he had chosen his fate willingly.
But now, looking at Neji's determined posture, his heart was in turmoil.
If only he could see Neji grow up with his own eyes.
If only the Caged Bird Seal could become a thing of the past.
However, what Nissa did not expect was that despite Neji's perfect attack—his angle, speed, and power all meticulously calculated—the boy in front of him merely tilted his head slightly, avoiding the strike with ease.
It was not as simple as it seemed.
The Hyuga clan's unmatched taijutsu, paired with their unique dojutsu, made their attacks near impossible to evade.
By predicting an opponent's movements, they could strike with pinpoint accuracy.
Neji, seeing his first attack fail, quickly adjusted and prepared for another strike.
But even without the Byakugan, Xu Fan saw through Neji's offensive pattern effortlessly.
Even though Neji had no rivals among his peers and had the advantage of his Byakugan, Xu Fan's strength was far greater.
As Neji launched his next attack, Xu Fan simply stood still, channeling chakra into his chest to fortify his defense.
With a resounding impact, Neji's palm strike landed directly on Xu Fan, but instead of knocking him down, Neji felt a tremendous force rebound against him. A loud sound exploded in his ears as he was sent flying backward.
Neji, his feet leaving the ground, looked like a kite with a broken string, soaring over ten meters before crashing to the ground with a heavy thud.
Xu Fan glanced around and saw that Hinata Nissa had appeared without him noticing, standing exactly where Neji landed.
Nissa's face was filled with shock.
Even with the Byakugan, he had failed to track Xu Fan's movements.
From his perspective, Xu Fan had merely tilted his head to avoid Neji's first strike and then stood completely still.
Yet Neji, despite attacking with full force, had been sent flying.
Could Xu Fan's speed have been too fast for even him to see?
Was that even possible?
Even without activating his Byakugan, his visual perception far surpassed that of an ordinary person.
More importantly, Neji was a genius of the Hyuga clan—his title as a prodigy was unquestionable, even in all of Konoha.
Even if Xu Fan was older than Neji, it was inconceivable that he could be this much stronger.
And yet, the reality was undeniable.
Xu Fan had not only defeated Neji but had done so without even attacking.
"Father..."
Neji lay on the ground, just about to get up when he saw his father. He hesitated, unsure of what to do.
Had his father just witnessed his loss?
Neji clenched his fists tightly, frustration boiling inside him. At the same time, he activated his Byakugan, preparing to attack again.
Yet, doubts crept into his mind.
How had Xu Fan repelled him so effortlessly?
How had he done it?
Just as Neji was about to strike once more, Hinata, who had previously run away, returned—this time with a servant.
Despite returning, Hinata still hid behind a door, hesitant to step forward.
"Stop!"
The servant, seeing the confrontation, quickly ran over, carrying a baby girl in her arms.
Upon recognizing Nissa, the servant promptly explained the situation, clarifying that Xu Fan was not an intruder.
"Hyuga Natsume and Hanabi?"
Xu Fan recognized the servant immediately.
She was a maid of the Hyuga main family and was currently taking care of two-year-old Hanabi.
It seemed Hinata had run to her and explained what had happened.
Thinking this, Xu Fan glanced at Hinata subconsciously. But the moment their eyes met, she quickly shrank back to the door again, mustering only enough courage to give a small nod.
Xu Fan sighed, taking a deep breath before mentally complaining to himself:
"Hinata at this age is way too shy..."