Hyuga Compound, main hall.
Hyuga Hiashi sat in the center, his pure white eyes calmly watching the two figures standing opposite him.
At this moment, the two figures intertwined, palms flying, and from time to time, clear Chakra could be seen gushing out from the points of collision, emitting faint popping sounds.
Despite being only seven or eight years old, their Gentle Fist Art was already skillful and experienced.
However, one side fought with heavy momentum, charging fiercely, while the other was clearly flustered and timid.
In just a dozen exchanges, the situation had already devolved into a one-sided suppression.
Finally, a fierce palm whistled through the air, aimed directly at the timid girl's smooth forehead.
"Stop."
"Hoo—"
Her light hair flew up and scattered in the violent palm wind.
Hyuga Hinata's expression was frozen in fear, her eyes fixed on the hand that had stopped precisely before her, not daring to move an inch.
On the other side, Hyuga Neji, his forehead wrapped in layers of bandages, had a cold gaze as he slowly retracted his palm.
"Well done, Neji-kun."
"You've made a little more progress these past few days."
Hyuga Hiashi's voice was steady, but his face showed no expression, and his tone had no discernible fluctuations. His gaze lingered on his nephew's face for a moment before slowly retracting.
Vaguely, there seemed to be a hint of regret.
If only this were his son.
Calm, resolute, persistent, and yet exceptionally talented and gifted.
The Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist Art was inherently easy to learn but difficult to master, requiring extremely strict control over taijutsu and Chakra. Most people needed decades of continuous arduous training to reach the level this child possessed.
However, he was from the Branch Family.
Turning his head to look at his eldest daughter, Hyuga Hiashi's eyes couldn't help but show a clear hint of disappointment.
To say she was poor would be too harsh.
Among the Main Family, Hinata could be considered above average.
However, with a genius like Neji as a comparison, the difference became too obvious.
The daughter of the Clan Head, the next heir to the Hyuga family, could not simply be 'average.'
Seemingly noticing the displeasure in her father's eyes, Hinata flinched, instinctively lowering her head, her lips tightly pressed together.
"Hmph!"
Seeing this, Hyuga Hiashi's dissatisfaction grew.
What bothered him most was Hinata's timid personality.
How could such a Main Family member control the Branch Family in the future?
Hearing her father's cold snort, Hinata's head immediately dropped even lower, almost shrinking into her chest.
"That's enough for today."
"Yes, Clan Head-sama."
Hyuga Neji responded steadily and quickly walked out of the main hall, without any lingering attachment.
Only at the moment he turned, a hint of coldness appeared in the half-grown child's white eyes, and his entire demeanor seemed to grow a few shades colder.
Watching Neji walk away, Hyuga Hiashi sighed inwardly.
How could that child's slight hidden thoughts escape him?
It was only out of respect for Hizashi's death for the family that he showed some tolerance.
However, he truly disliked this attitude.
Hyuga Hiashi thought, then turned his head to look at his eldest daughter.
Little Hinata had already knelt before her father, sitting opposite him, anxiously awaiting the coming reprimand.
To her surprise, this time her father's words were much gentler than usual:
"Hinata, you must remember."
"In our Hyuga Clan, the Main Family is the Main Family, and the Branch Family is the Branch Family."
"Whether the other party is a genius or a mediocrity, no one can change this inherent truth."
"You are already seven years old this year, and you have long since mastered the control of the Caged Bird Seal."
"Now, you don't even dare to go all out against a Branch Family member who has been branded with the Caged Bird Seal. How will you lead this family in the future?"
Towards the end, Hyuga Hiashi's tone became slightly sterner, as he seriously stared at his daughter.
Just the atmosphere alone made the timid Hinata tremble all over. Her small hands pressed tightly on her knees, her lips quivering slightly:
"B-but Father, that's Neji-nii-san..."
How could a genius like him be comparable to an ordinary person like herself?
Inferiority, timidity, fear, sensitivity.
Growing up in a high-pressure environment, Hyuga Hinata, despite her privileged background and extraordinary status, could not change any of this.
After all, most people's personalities are accumulated from their personal experiences.
However, this faint rebuttal had barely left her lips when Hyuga Hiashi, who had uncharacteristically shown patience, suddenly furrowed his brow and sharply raised his voice:
"Enough!"
Little Hinata flinched at the reprimand, the words she hadn't managed to speak immediately caught in her throat. She bowed her head deeply, not daring to say another word.
Seeing her like this, Hyuga Hiashi sighed, completely losing his patience to continue speaking, and waved his hand at her:
"You may leave too."
"Yes!"
Little Hinata immediately felt as if she had received a great pardon and quickly scurried out of the main hall.
Watching his daughter's fleeing back, Hyuga Hiashi couldn't help but rub his temples.
Was he affected by recent events?
It seemed the pressure was still a bit too much.
Hyuga Hiashi looked out the door, his gaze somewhat distant.
Ever since that night of the Uchiha Clan, his heart had involuntarily tightened.
With the Uchiha suffering heavy losses, the Hyuga Clan was now the largest Shinobi Clans force in all of Konoha, even subtly taking on a representative role.
But Hyuga Hiashi knew very well that they were being pushed out as a target.
Moreover, the Hyuga Clan did not possess high-level combat power comparable to the Hokage. If they truly stood completely against the Konoha Leadership, it would be pure death.
These past few days, the Hokage faction had already begun to silently suppress many of the Hyuga's businesses within the Village.
This strong threat made him unconsciously start focusing on the cultivation of the next generation.
However, Hinata, already seven years old, was so unreliable... Not only that, but the attitudes of the various Main Family branches were also somewhat ambiguous; uniting them to resist the Village was simply absurd.
Indeed, it was time to make a stance early.
However, a politician's every word and action could not be arbitrary.
If he suddenly prostrated himself before the Sandaime, then the Shinobi Clans behind the Hyuga would not be good either; they might turn their attitude and start attacking them.
Even expressing loyalty to the Sandaime-sama required finding the right balance.
Hyuga Hiashi frowned in deep thought.
After a long while, he seemed to remember something.
"If I remember correctly, Kakashi-kun should still be recuperating at Konoha Hospital, right?"
It wasn't just Kakashi Hatake.
It hadn't been long since the Blood Moon Night incident, and many of the clan members who participated in that battle were still hospitalized.
With this thought, Hyuga Hiashi immediately found a breakthrough... Konoha Hospital.
Kakashi Hatake held his orange book, leaning comfortably against the headboard.
Outside the window, the sun was bright, and the air was clear and refreshing.
He hadn't enjoyed such rare leisure time in a long while.
If there was anything bothering him, it was probably just the guy next to him.
Kakashi Hatake mumbled in confusion while reading his book:
"I say, is your job that idle?"
"You come here every other day. It's not like I'm really dying."
"Just consider it a follow-up visit from your attending physician. I'm also taking advantage of my position to relax for a bit."
Aizen Sōsuke, sitting on one side of the bed, held a kunai and slowly peeled an apple, a smile brimming on his face:
"And you say you're not really dying."
"If I recall correctly, when you were first brought in, you were shaking all over like you had epilepsy."
"If I had arrived a few hours later, you'd be buried by now."
Kakashi's face instantly darkened, but his voice lacked conviction: "What do you know? That was a Dōjutsu of the Mangekyo Sharingan!"
Even now, he felt a lingering fear when he recalled the scene from that night.
In front of a true Mangekyo Sharingan, his three-tomoe Sharingan's resistance was like paper.
In an instant, he was dealt with by Uchiha Fugaku; even his Raikiri seemed so fragile before him.
He couldn't imagine how Itachi managed to survive alone.
Perhaps, he had also awakened those eyes?
Kakashi Hatake thought, becoming somewhat lost in thought.
"Yes, yes."
"I don't understand the Sharingan." Aizen said, taking a bite of the apple, "It's quite sweet. Who sent this?"
Kakashi's face darkened even further as he watched Aizen's self-serving actions: "So you weren't peeling it for me?"
"If you want to eat, peel it yourself. It's not like you're really dying."
Sōusuke had a matter-of-fact expression.
Kakashi lay back on the bed, feeling helpless.
This scoundrel.
However, he was actually relieved in his heart.
Someone like himself, adrift and without anchor, perhaps only a gentle person like Sōusuke would still remember him?
Too bad he was a bad friend.
Kakashi Hatake shook his head slightly, continuing to read the romance novel in his hand.
Just as the room fell silent again.
"Thump-thump."
Outside the door, two soft knocks sounded.
Aizen Sōsuke paused his actions, a gentle smile returning to his face, and he rose to open the door.
Meeting the young man who opened the door directly, Hyuga Hiashi was first startled, then spoke steadily:
"Is this Kakashi-kun's hospital room?"
"I am Hyuga Hiashi, here to visit."
"May I ask who you are?"
Hearing the other party introduce himself, even Kakashi Hatake, lying on the bed, subconsciously frowned and sat up from the hospital bed.
Aizen smiled broadly and said gently:
"A pleasure to meet you, Hiashi-sama."
"I am Aizen Sōsuke."