"…The loser leaves the field."
As a branch family Hyūga mber withdrew unwillingly from the arena, Hyūga Neji slowly opened his eyes from ditation and waited for the referee's announcent.
His match against Lady Hinata would be the final bout.
Normally, before this point, the heads of the main and branch families would exchange a few ceremonial words.
But everyone in the Hyūga Clan knew that Neji's father had been the head of the branch family—
And last year, he had been forced to commit suicide as a sacrifice to appease Kumogakure's envoy.
Even his corpse had been taken away by Kumogakure.
Because Kumogakure wanted the Hyūga Clan's Byakugan.
It was a humiliation to the clan.
Thus, nobody ntioned it on occasions like this, nor did anyone tell Neji the full truth.
In fact, if not for young Neji's extraordinary talent and astonishing ability—enough for him to be hailed as the greatest genius the Hyūga Clan had produced in years—the branch family would have already selected a new leader long ago in order to stabilize internal emotions.
Instead, they still continued honoring the deceased Hyūga Hizashi as the branch family head.
Young Neji was far more mature than most adults.
Already attending the Ninja Academy, he deeply understood that his performance determined many things.
Because of that—
He never dared relax for even a mont.
"Main Family — Hyūga Hinata."
Following the referee's announcent, a tiny figure slowly stepped out from behind the main family mbers.
Under everyone's gaze, Hinata timidly lowered her head.
"Branch Family — Hyūga Neji."
Neji calmly walked to the opposite side of the arena and assud the Gentle Fist stance.
Seeing Neji's posture, Hinata hurriedly raised her own stance a mont later.
"Haa… the heir of the main family truly lacks promise."
"She's nowhere near Neji."
Though the spectators spoke quietly, Neji still heard every word clearly.
Truthfully, he did not dislike this girl who was nominally his younger cousin and practically the clan's young mistress.
But he hated the main family.
After learning the truth behind his father's death, he had co to utterly despise the Caged Bird Seal that bound the branch family.
Under that premise, all Neji could see was Hinata's identity as the main family heiress.
No matter what dreams or hopes he himself possessed, none of it mattered.
His entire life existed solely for her sake.
And Hinata's excessive weakness irritated Neji imnsely.
Because every ti he saw her, he couldn't stop questioning—
What aning did his life, and his father's life, truly have…?
"Take your positions—"
The referee had just begun speaking when—
"Do your best, Hinata-chan!"
A loud and completely out-of-place shout suddenly echoed across the Hyūga Clan courtyard.
Everyone imdiately turned toward the source of the voice, including the two participants.
Standing atop the towering wall was a blond-haired boy shining brightly beneath the sunlight.
Naruto stood there with his arms crossed, completely ignoring the nurous Byakugan fixed upon him as he loudly cheered again:
"Don't be scared! Fight your best!"
"Oh—and you too, uh… whoever-you-are! You fight your best too!"
Seeing the boy enthusiastically give him a thumbs-up as well, Neji subconsciously replied,
"Ah… thanks…"
But he imdiately realized sothing afterward.
This was an internal Hyūga Clan match.
How could outsiders possibly be allowed to watch?
Almost instantly, Naruto let out a startled yelp.
A branch family expert had already appeared behind him with a cold expression, reaching down to restrain Naruto imdiately.
This was one of the Hyūga Clan guards.
Although he wasn't officially registered as a shinobi within the village, most Hyūga Clan mbers trained in Gentle Fist and possessed the Byakugan.
Their close-combat ability vastly surpassed that of ordinary Konoha shinobi.
Even many Chūnin could not compete against them in taijutsu combat.
Especially not a tiny child like Naruto who appeared to be only four or five years old.
To this Hyūga clansman, the idea of failing had never even crossed his mind.
Yet the instant his hand was about to touch Naruto—
His vision blurred.
He grabbed nothing but air.
"Hm?"
Almost instinctively, he activated his Byakugan.
With nearly three hundred and sixty degrees of vision, the dōjutsu imdiately located Naruto already crouching on the ground behind the wall.
"He got lucky?"
The guard quickly rationalized his failure.
"He must've slipped off the wall by accident and dodged my grab."
Compared to believing a tiny brat had successfully evaded his move, he naturally preferred believing it had rely been coincidence.
"Naruto-kun…"
Hinata looked deeply worried.
"That child is… Uzumaki Naruto? The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?"
Standing among the clan mbers, Hinata's father, Hyūga Hiashi, had already begun considering sothing else entirely.
As the head of one of Konoha's oldest clans, he knew far more of the village's secrets than most people.
He knew Naruto's true identity—
The Fourth Hokage's son.
A descendant of the Uzumaki Clan.
At the sa ti, he also clearly understood the village leadership's attitude toward Naruto under the Third Hokage's rule.
Like the Uchiha Clan, the Hyūga Clan was one of Konoha's ancient noble clans.
In this regard, the Third Hokage likely did not want the Hyūga Clan becoming too involved with the child either.
"Enough. Don't make things difficult for him."
Thinking this through, Hiashi glanced toward his daughter's expression within the arena, as well as Neji, who was also watching Naruto closely.
Then he calmly gave the order:
"Just keep him outside the wall."
"And the rest of you, check the surrounding area for any other intruders."
"The match will continue."
Hearing the clan head speak, everyone finally withdrew their attention.
Hinata also sighed in relief after hearing her father say they wouldn't trouble Naruto further.
Quietly thanking Naruto in her heart for encouraging her, she forced herself to focus again.
Because of Naruto's shout, much of the tension in her heart had faded.
anwhile, Neji found himself increasingly curious about Naruto.
Knowing better than anyone how closed-off noble clans could be, he found it strange that the clan head showed no intention of punishing soone for spying on an internal clan match.
Just who was that guy…?
...
Still, Neji was a once-in-a-generation genius of the Hyūga Clan.
In the very next mont, he discarded all distracting thoughts.
The attention of both participants returned fully to the match, and Hinata once again raised her stance.
"Then…"
The Hyūga clansman acting as referee glanced at both children before swinging his hand downward.
"Begin!"
"Hmph. Beat it already, brat."
Hearing the commotion inside the courtyard, the Hyūga guard sneered while looking down at Naruto from atop the wall.
"But that uncle only said I had to stay outside."
Naruto rubbed his nose and looked up innocently.
"If I'm not allowed to watch, then fine, I won't watch."
"But I can still stay outside, right?"
"You little—"
Veins bulged on the guard's forehead as he prepared to teach the brat a lesson.
But suddenly—
He noticed sothing strange.
If this kid had really slipped off the wall just now…
Then why didn't he have a single scratch on him?
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