Neji, Hinata, Hanabi.
The three stood obediently at the front.
Shen Mo was meeting Naruto's heroine for the first time.
Hyuga Hinata.
First impression: cute enough, but clad in plain, simple long clothes and pants, her stance tense, her gaze instinctively avoiding others. Timid, lacking confidence, fragile-looking—her demeanor left much to be desired.
At this point, Hinata was still raw, far from the gentle, devoted, and strong woman she'd become.
In contrast, Hanabi beside her…
Though only seven, she wore a vibrant orange kimono, exuding delicate charm, her eyes lively.
Her presence was striking.
"She's a Hyuga 'elite' too?" Shen Mo smiled at the smallest figure in the crowd.
"Well…"
The elders looked embarrassed.
They'd called for elites.
Yet here was a little girl.
But as a main branch prodigy with high hopes, Hanabi couldn't be excluded. In truth, the elders preferred she open cans.
"This is my younger daughter," Hyuga Hiashi said, bowing. "Though young, Hanabi has shown remarkable ninja talent. Hanabi, come greet Lord Shen Mo."
Hiashi, too, pinned hopes on Hanabi.
It felt like a father nervously presenting his daughter to a teacher.
Hanabi stepped forward gracefully, bowing to Shen Mo, her misty white eyes fixed on Hiju atop his shoulder.
Such an adorable cat!
Hiju, a rule-breakingly cute creature, was irresistible to a girl Hanabi's age. One glance, and she was hooked.
She wanted to pet it…
Hiju, lounging lazily, noticed Hanabi's gaze.
Opening her big eyes, she studied the human girl.
Suddenly…
Hiju leapt from Shen Mo's shoulder onto Hanabi's head.
Hanabi's face lit up.
She reached to hold Hiju.
"Meow—"
A soft meow froze her movements. Hiju's indescribable aura, though subtle, felt tangible.
From her perch, Hiju patted Hanabi's head with her tiny paw, her cute face somehow radiating authority in everyone's eyes.
"Lord Shen Mo…" Hiashi said, tense.
This cat, always with Shen Mo, wasn't ordinary.
Beyond its current aura…
It was Shen Mo's cat!
"No worries," Shen Mo said, smiling. "Hiju seems to like your daughter. As long as she doesn't touch her, it's fine."
He hadn't expected Hiju's move.
But after her bloodline upgrade, Hiju could sense emotions.
Perhaps she sensed Hanabi's young heart captivated by her cuteness and felt a bit smug.
"Hanabi…"
Hiashi remained worried, unsure how to caution her.
The other ninjas, seeing Hiju "lording" over their second princess and Hiashi's suppressed concern, were beyond shocked.
Who was this stranger?
Why were they summoned?
Shen Mo decided to waste no more time.
"Hyuga Neji," he said directly. "Among everyone here, only he's… interesting."
In the Hyuga clan…
Only Neji, with talent and a strong drive to spend, met his criteria. Perhaps Hinata, with resolve in the future, but not now.
His words shifted the elders' expressions. Hiashi's gaze grew complex.
Finally…
An elder said, "Neji stays… Hinata too. The rest, return. Today's events are the Hyuga clan's highest secret. No leaks!"
"Yes!" The others, confused but obedient due to the clan's disciplined nature, left.
Only Neji, Hinata, and Hanabi remained.
"Lord Shen Mo," the elder who kept Hinata spoke boldly. "Even if they can't draw destiny-altering items, can Hanabi and Hinata buy cans?"
They still wanted to nurture the main branch.
Decades of tradition weren't easily changed.
"If you want to strengthen them, qualified members can open non-limited series cans and share items," Shen Mo said. "Cans reflect the opener's fate, but I won't forbid this."
Tsunade had given Kakashi plenty of potions before.
If tycoons wanted to open cans and gift items, let them.
More money for him.
The elders' faces brightened.
They figured…
Even without destiny-altering items, enough money could make someone strong.
Tsunade, seeing their intent, frowned.
But she couldn't object.
Wasting resources was their choice.
"Neji."
Shen Mo ignored them, focusing on Neji.
"You crave freedom, to break the curse on your forehead."
That single line changed Neji's expression.
In front of the elders…
But they maintained kind, oblivious facades.
"Yet you believe fate is unchangeable," Shen Mo continued, his tone carrying an enigmatic weight. "A desire to change, mixed with pessimistic fatalism, hatred for the clan, yet loyalty to it… Without this world's fetters, you could walk a vastly different path."
Neji's path hinged on a single choice.
Saved from hatred.
Or consumed by a darker road.
Neji's muscles tensed, his gaze lowered, afraid to meet Shen Mo's gentle eyes.
His heart felt exposed.
Would he die?
Branded a traitor and eliminated by the main branch?
The Caged Bird seal on his forehead seemed to burn, mirroring his unease.
"Now," Shen Mo said clearly, slowly, "an opportunity to change your fate lies before you. Do you dare seize it?"