Chapter 24: Hinata and Neji Who Deviated From Fate
"Why don't you fight back?"
Unsure why, the gentle voice echoing in her ears, though unfamiliar, made the girl feel an instinctive fondness.
"Father... Father said... power shouldn't be misused... it should be used to protect."
The girl blushed, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
Meanwhile, the stone originally thrown at the girl had already hit the chubby boy on the head.
Menma hadn't used much force, but it still made the boy sit on the ground and start bawling "Waaah waaah".
"Still not leaving?"
Menma stood there, a glint of coldness flashing in his eyes.
The stunned brats suddenly shivered.
"Ah, woo woo woo! So scary! Mommy!!"
After snapping back to reality, they scrambled away crying and howling, scattering in all directions.
Menma looked down at the girl's flushed little face, the expression beneath his mask somewhat complex.
This timid girl was, in fact, the legitimate eldest daughter of the Hyūga clan main family head, Hyūga Hiashi – Hyūga Hinata.
However...
"The Hyūga young lady of the real world is too gentle. The only thing unchanged is this stubbornness."
Does protecting others count as protection? Isn't protecting oneself also protection? Menma mused.
Children are clearly ignorant, yet they use ignorance as a weapon to harm others.
And though there were many passersby around, they turned a blind eye to such bullying.
Because it had nothing to do with them.
If blame were assigned later, these people would just say: "Ah, sorry, if I did that, wouldn't it cause trouble for them? So there was nothing I could do, I could only watch from the side."
"Is this Konoha? Truly pathetic..."
Menma sighed inwardly, reaching out to take Hinata's small hand and pull her up.
"Such a gentle child. But you need to protect yourself too."
Then he gently ruffled Hinata's short blue hair, saying with amusement in his tone: "If you got hurt, who knows what would happen to those brats."
Although he didn't know why little Hinata managed to run out of the Hyūga clan grounds without even a guard nearby,
But if Hinata really got hurt, her outwardly indifferent old dad would definitely get angry.
However, when Menma came back to his senses, Hinata's small face was already as red as a boiled crab.
"Hiss, can she really steam?"
Under Menma's amazed gaze, heat seemed to faintly rise from the top of her head.
...He was genuinely charmed by her cuteness.
Menma thought again of the tsundere young lady from the Tsukuyomi world.
Comparing them, the Hinata of this world seemed more suitable as a wife.
But that young lady was more trustworthy in combat.
Glancing at his right arm, Menma hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Little Hinata."
"Do you want your father to look at you differently? Want your father to show you a gratified smile?"
"I..."
Little Hinata paused at his words.
Look at me differently...?
She twiddled her index fingers, her flushed little face showing complex emotions.
But finally, a touch more determination appeared as she said: "I do."
She also wanted to be praised by her father like brother Neji, not watched with disappointed eyes.
But even so, she still couldn't strike out with her full strength, nor did she understand what she was fighting for.
She hated this powerless self, hated her weak fists, and hated her own cowardice.
Although she didn't know who this big brother was, that inexplicable sense of closeness made her speak her heart.
Menma reached out his right hand and patted little Hinata's head.
His eyes grew profound as he said meaningfully: "Then, as you wish."
And just as his voice fell...
"Who are you! Let go of Lady Hinata!!"
Three Hyūga branch family members wearing Konoha forehead protectors arrived, having searched for her.
Seeing the young lady being touched by a masked stranger they had never seen before, they immediately shouted a reprimand, rushing forward.
Several figures from ANBU and the Guard Squad also appeared behind them.
"You're late."
Crack!!
Under everyone's gaze, Menma actually snapped off his own right arm directly.
Even stranger, no blood flowed from the wound, nor could any bone or flesh be seen.
Only glittering golden light scattered and flew about.
In another blink, the arm Menma had broken off transformed into golden motes of light, swirling around little Hinata before being gradually absorbed by her.
Looking closely, one could even see the golden light coalesce into a humanoid figure.
A figure bearing some resemblance to little Hinata.
"Just like that. Raise your head."
Looking at little Hinata's Byakugan, which now glowed with a faint blue light, Menma spoke with amusement in his tone: "Use your eyes to look directly at this world. Use your power to face all this directly. I will be watching you."
The next second, the three Hyūga branch ninja attacked.
Their speed was fast, but Menma's figure had already vanished from the spot.
"Byakugan! Activate!"
The Hyūga ninja's eyes turned white, veins bulging beside them. After scanning the surroundings,
"What's going on?"
Surprise showed on his face as he said incredulously: "That guy vanished!"
His Byakugan could see all things possessing chakra within a one-kilometer radius.
But that masked man had just simply and completely disappeared?
Could he have used Body Flicker to travel a kilometer in just a few seconds?
How is that possible?
Nearby, an ANBU member wearing a dog mask, revealing white hair, spoke up: "We'll go inform Lord Third. An unknown individual entered Konoha and made contact with the Hyūga main family's eldest daughter."
The Hyūga ninja nodded: "Thank you for the trouble. We'll take the young lady back to the Hyūga compound for a check-up first."
Subsequently, the Guard Squad began maintaining order at the scene, the Hyūga ninja carried little Hinata back towards the Hyūga compound, and the ANBU rushed towards the Hokage Tower.
...
Sunset. The Hyūga clan grounds were enveloped in twilight.
Inside Hyūga Hizashi's residence, however, sounds of hitting echoed.
Bang bang bang!
Hyūga Neji stood before a wooden post, continuously attacking it with the Hyūga clan's Gentle Fist.
But gradually, amidst the strikes, his fair, youthful face twisted ferociously, taking on a hint of savagery, losing its usual calmness.
The Gentle Fist in his hands gradually became fierce and hard.
This undisciplined way of striking would only injure his fists.
But even as they became mangled and bloody, bleeding profusely, he showed no sign of stopping.
His father's counseling words echoed again in Neji's ears.
"Neji, don't resent the main family. The Caged Bird is not a curse."
"I understand, Father."
"Our clan's Byakugan has always been coveted by outsiders. The main family does this solely to protect the Byakugan from falling into outside hands, for the future of the Hyūga house."
"I understand, Father."
"This is our fate. One day, the rest of the branch family members will understand this too."
"I understand, Father..."
Boom!!
Under Neji's relentless assault, the wooden post finally couldn't take anymore and snapped in the middle.
Pant~ Pant~
Neji gasped for breath, fresh blood dripping constantly from his hands, murmuring: "I understand, Father..."
But, I don't understand.
Why can the main family members accept all this with such peace of mind?
By what right can the main family members accept all this with such peace of mind!!
(End of Chapter)