Chapter 63: A Visit

Chapter 63: A Visit

"If you have a problem, just ask. What's the point of standing there deep in thought?" Tenten muttered, walking up to a man who was giving Neji strange looks. She grabbed his shoulder and demanded, "Hey! What's your problem? Why are you staring at my teammate so rudely?"

"Ah! Sorry! Sorry!" The man quickly turned his head away.

"If you're truly sorry, then explain yourself," Tenten said. "What happened to make you people act like this?"

Shikamaru, Neji, and the others gathered around at this point.

"Well... it's like this..." The man proceeded to explain what had happened to the Hyuga clan.

Upon hearing this, the group of young ninjas and Guy froze.

"You're saying the Hyuga clan is finished? They were attacked? The main house had their Byakugan taken, and when they tried to take the branch house's Byakugan as well, the situation escalated and the cage bird seal was released, causing a complete rupture between the two sides? Are you sure you're not joking with us?" Tenten asked, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"I'm not joking. If you don't believe me, ask anyone else. I have to go now," the man said, hurrying away.

The group asked several other passersby, and the answers were mostly the same.

At this point, everyone was at a loss for words.

Neji clenched his fists, his expression complicated.

The Hyuga clan was finished? The branch house would no longer be oppressed and restricted by the main house.

This... was something he had wished for since he was young, but now that it had happened, why did he feel so uncomfortable...

Neji felt empty inside.

"Neji... are you okay?" Tenten asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," Neji replied. "But the situation with the main house is serious. By the way... where's Hanabi?"

Neji asked in a low voice, suddenly realizing something.

He grabbed another passerby and inquired about Hanabi's situation.

"She also had her Byakugan taken... None of the main house members were spared... No, that's not quite right. Only the Hyuga princess, Hinata-sama, seems to have escaped this fate because she was on a mission," the passerby replied.

"Damn it! They even took Hanabi's Byakugan!"

"And she's just an eleven-year-old child!"

"Has that guy lost all humanity?"

"This is neither youthful nor hot-blooded!" Tenten, Ino, and Rock Lee cursed angrily.

"Damn it!" Neji muttered under his breath and then abruptly left the group, running toward the distance.

"Neji!" The others shouted and quickly followed, catching up with him.

After a while, they arrived at the Konoha Hospital.

In a spacious ward, Hiashi Hyuga and Hanabi Hyuga, who had been resting, heard a commotion outside the door, followed by the sound of the door opening.

Hiashi turned his head, his eyes, covered by a cloth, looking toward the entrance. "Wasn't the medicine just changed? Is there something else that needs to be done?"

"Uncle Hiashi, Hanabi," Neji called out softly.

Hearing his voice, Hanabi became excited. "Neji-niisan! You're finally back! Hanabi missed you so much!"

"Ah... I'm back. I'm sorry, Uncle Hiashi, Hanabi... I failed to protect everyone," Neji said guiltily.

"Neji-niisan! Neji-niisan... You don't hate Hanabi, do you? You won't leave us like the other niisan, will you?" Hanabi asked worriedly.

"Of course not," Neji said firmly.

"Phew... that's good... So many niisan from the branch house have started to hate Hanabi... and even uncles and aunts... I also overheard them arguing with Father..." Hanabi sighed in relief, then continued worriedly.

"Hanabi... your eyes..." Neji said.

"My eyes were taken... But thankfully, the hospital staff fitted me with new ones. The nurse said that in a few months, I'll be able to see again," Hanabi said with a smile.

"Hanabi..." Neji murmured, his heart filled with conflicting emotions.

"Neji, it's enough that you've returned safely," Hiashi said. "Now, there's no longer a distinction between the main house and the branch house. You don't have to call me 'Uncle Hiashi' anymore. Just call me 'uncle' like everyone else."

"Uncle Hiashi..." Neji was at a loss for words.

"You don't need to feel regret or sympathy for me," Hiashi continued. "This is the main house's comeuppance. For so many years, we stood above the branch house, claiming to protect them with the cage bird seals, but there were always some who would oppress them... This is the retribution we deserve."

Neji sighed. "Even if it's retribution, it should be those arrogant and unruly people who bear the consequences, not someone like you, Hiashi-sama."

Hiashi chuckled. "As the clan head of the Hyuga clan, it was my duty to curb such behavior. I failed to do so, and now I bear the consequences. Who else deserves punishment if not me?"

"Hiashi-sama..." Neji couldn't help but feel distressed.

"Ningzi, you have your teammates with you, right? Come, come, sit down, everyone. There's some fruit over here, help yourselves." Hiashi smiled and patted the bedside cabinet.

"Hiashi-sama," the group greeted respectfully.

"Hello, Uncle Hiashi," they added.

"Is that Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, Little Lee, Tenten, and Guy? Have you all returned?" Hiashi asked, his ears twitching.

"Hiashi-sama, you even remember us small fries?" Shikamaru said in surprise.

"Small fries? We're all just ordinary people among the many in Konoha," Hiashi said with a smile.

"Hiashi-sama... why do you seem so calm even after losing your Byakugan? It's like you're not angry at all," Shikamaru asked curiously.

"Losing my Byakugan has allowed me to see more. It might not be such a bad thing for me," Hiashi explained with a smile.

"Do you want to take revenge on the one who took your eyes?" Tenten asked.

"I... don't have such intentions, but others seem to be very angry," Hiashi said.

"You don't want revenge, Hiashi-sama? What about Hanabi's Byakugan? A Hyuga without the Byakugan..." Neji trailed off, his voice filled with emotion.

"Even without the Byakugan, I am still a Hyuga! The Hyuga clan has never existed solely because of the Byakugan! Ordinary eyes can also help us see everything in the world," Hiashi interrupted Neji, his voice firm.

"Hiashi-sama, can you tell us what exactly happened that day? Who did this? I will definitely take revenge for everyone!" Neji said, his voice gradually calming.

"Revenge? No... Ningzi, you must not think of such things," Hiashi said, shaking his head.

"Hiashi-sama, what are you saying? No revenge? Are you going to let the Hyuga clan split like this, and let your eyes and Hanabi's be taken for nothing?" Neji asked, his anger rising.

"Ningzi... it seems you don't know everything yet... Let me explain it to you slowly..." Hiashi sighed and shook his head, then proceeded to tell the group about what had happened that day.

When he finished, the group fell silent, stunned. "Just one person? It was really just one person?"

"Yes, just one person," Hiashi nodded seriously.

"That's too exaggerated, right? The Hyuga clan has several hundred members... and fifteen jonin-level shinobi lost to a single person? What kind of monster is that guy?" Shikamaru exclaimed.

"He feels... even stronger than the Hokage, maybe..." Tenten swallowed, her mouth dry.

"What a terrifying monster... Even if I open all seven gates, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to match that strength..." Guy said gravely.

"It feels like we're listening to a myth..." Ino murmured.

"A monster like that... how can youth possibly catch up?" Lee's face was filled with disbelief.

"Damn it! Even if he's as strong as a tailed beast, we still have each other, and we have Tsunade-sama. Together, we can definitely defeat that guy!" Neji clenched his fists.

"No... that guy doesn't fear group attacks. Having more people is meaningless! Ningzi, let go of your hatred..." Hiashi continued to persuade him.

"Hiashi-sama..." Neji's heart was filled with anger, but he didn't want to go against Hiashi's wishes, especially since he was still recovering in the hospital, so he remained silent.

The others chatted with Hiashi about other things, but Neji's heart wasn't in the conversation.

After some time, they finally left the hospital. Neji had intended to go home directly, but then he saw Hinata, Shino, and Kiba rushing toward the hospital.

Neji's steps faltered, and he stood there, frozen, for a long time. Eventually, Kiba and Shino emerged from the hospital.

"How's Hinata?" Neji asked.

"Neji... it's not good... Hinata is not doing well," Shino shook his head.

"After experiencing such a thing, with the Hyuga clan splitting and her father and sister losing their eyes, how could she possibly be okay? But Hiashi-sama is quite resilient. He even comforted Hinata, telling her not to drown in the chains of revenge..." Kiba said, spreading his hands.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end