Chapter 101

Chapter 101 - 101 Natsuki listened quietly. He already knew all of this, but hearing it personally from Neji still made him sigh with sympathy. There was a sense of confusion and despair in Neji's voice, like a bird trapped in a cage, longing to soar freely but unable to do so—only able to cry blood. In the original story, Hiashi gave Neji Hizashi's letter. In it, Hizashi claimed to have willingly sacrificed himself. Hiashi even knelt down to beg Neji for forgiveness, and Neji let go of his resentment. It seemed touching on the surface—but if you think about it deeply, it's absolutely ridiculous. Kumogakure tried to kidnap the Hyuga clan heiress, failed, and had the audacity to turn around and demand Hiashi's life in compensation. The Third Hokage was spineless enough to entertain it. But the Hyuga clan—always boasting of being the strongest clan—didn't even try to resist. Instead, they gave in and acted cowardly. Hiashi himself kept proclaiming his willingness to die to prove his sincerity. If you're not even afraid to die, why not have the guts to defy the Hokage? Why not stand up to Kumogakure? You claim to sacrifice yourself for the sake of peace in the village, but would the Hyuga clan really let their clan head die just like that? That would be a complete disgrace. In the end, wasn't it Hizashi—who looked exactly like Hiashi—who took his place and died? Hizashi must've realized this too. Rather than be forced into death, he might as well volunteer for it. At least that way, Neji could receive some preferential treatment in return. But did the main family ever treat Neji better? No! Such a genius as Neji was constantly suppressed. He wasn't even allowed to learn Kaiten (Rotation). If not for his own extraordinary comprehension that allowed him to master it on his own, he'd have remained just an average genius, someone not worth mentioning. The Hyuga main family wanted the protection of the branch house, but feared the branch getting too powerful, so many secret techniques were never passed down to them. What a complete joke! The so-called strongest clan in the ninja world? More like the most laughable. "...Natsuki, can you imagine the despair of not being able to control your own fate?" Neji's voice trembled. "I feel that despair right now. I once believed that destiny was predetermined and unchangeable. But when someone like you, a commoner with no background, defeated me... When I saw you battle Orochimaru while I, born into a noble clan, was powerless... I started to believe in miracles. You were born with nothing, had no inherited knowledge, yet your efforts allowed you to surpass me—far beyond me. It's amazing. It feels like a miracle. I want to believe in miracles too. I want to break free from the cage. I don't want to be a caged bird anymore—I want to fly freely. Tell me, do you think I can do it?" Though Neji's eyes were pure white, Natsuki felt he could see hope in them. He really was starting to believe in miracles! And not because of Naruto's sweet talk, but because he had begun to think. He no longer blindly accepted fate as unchangeable. He changed... because Natsuki had defeated and surpassed him. Natsuki took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Neji, fate can be changed. Miracles must be made by your own hands. You need a smart mind, great strength, and clear direction." Neji's eyes lit up. He gripped his forehead protector tightly. "Then... what should I do?" Instead of answering directly, Natsuki glanced around, then shouted ahead, "Gai-sensei, Tenten, Lee! I'm taking Neji grocery shopping. You all come to my place for dinner tonight!" "Oh? You're treating us, Natsuki? Alright, you two go ahead!" Gai and Lee waved. "Go ahead, I'll bring them to your place later," Tenten added. Natsuki nodded, motioning to Neji to follow. Although confused, Neji quickly kept pace—only to discover that Natsuki didn't take him shopping at all. They went straight home. Natsuki smiled. "Don't worry about ingredients—we've got plenty at home. I mainly wanted to talk in private. Can you check if anyone's nearby? We don't want to be overheard." Neji immediately understood the seriousness of what Natsuki was about to say. He activated his Byakugan and scanned the area. Finding no one, he nodded. Natsuki poured two glasses of water and carefully chose his words. "Neji, have you ever thought about this? If the only goal was to protect the Byakugan, then why not mark everyone with the Caged Bird Seal? Why create a distinction between main and branch families? Even if the seal causes a minor blind spot, it's not a big deal—true strength doesn't worry about that, right?" Neji frowned. He'd honestly never thought about it in depth—most people probably hadn't. "Why?" he asked. "I think," Natsuki said, "maybe it's because the Byakugan can evolve." His words hit like a thunderclap. Neji shot to his feet, stunned and disbelieving—but when he thought carefully, it seemed... possible. As Natsuki said, if it was really just about protecting the Byakugan, there would be no need for this whole main-branch division. Everyone could be sealed. The main family wouldn't need to hide inside the compound. The branch family wouldn't need to devote themselves to protecting them. If everyone worked together, the Hyuga name would shine across the battlefield. But now? The main family are cowards hiding behind the walls. The branch house are nothing but their slaves. The once-great glory of the Hyuga clan is now a relic. The main family basks in the echoes of the past, having long rotted away. Surely the one who created the Caged Bird Seal system must have foreseen this outcome? No... they definitely did. Anyone with half a brain could've predicted it. Yet they still chose to enforce the main-branch system. Why? Now, with Natsuki's words, maybe this was the truth— The Byakugan can evolve. Or rather, a pure Byakugan can evolve! Neji's lips trembled. "Is it... is that really true?" Natsuki shrugged. "It's just a theory, but I think it's likely. Think about it: the Byakugan and Sharingan are both called two of the 'Three Great Dōjutsu.' Yet the Sharingan constantly evolves and grows stronger. Before their downfall, the Uchiha were known for producing powerful ninja non-stop. But the Hyuga clan? Who do you have? And if the Byakugan really is on par with the Sharingan, its performance has been disappointing. Everyone praises your Gentle Fist, but you're a dōjutsu clan, not a taijutsu clan." Neji nodded seriously. "You're right. The Byakugan and Sharingan are considered equals, but Byakugan has always lagged behind. Since the Sharingan can evolve, then surely the Byakugan can too—especially the pure Byakugan. That's probably why the main family avoids placing the Caged Bird Seal on themselves. They're waiting for a pair of eyes that can evolve and lead the clan to rise again!" With that, it all clicked into place for Neji. But the more he understood, the heavier he felt. In the end, he was still that caged bird. Still far from freedom. Even if he understood the truth of the main-branch division... It made no difference at all. (End of Chapter) [Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][/zaelum] [+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter] [Thank You For Your Support!]