"System, open my status panel."
[Host: Hyuga Neji]
[Age: 13]
[Chakra Nature: Fire, Earth, Water]
[Kekkei Genkai: Byakugan (Pure)]
[Taijutsu: Gentle Fist, Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation, Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms]
[Ninjutsu: Clone Technique, Transformation Technique, Substitution Technique, Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu]
[Overall Strength: Elite Chunin]
"Elite Chunin, huh... Not bad."
Neji grinned, quite satisfied with his current strength. He had certainly risen above the average someone who could now be considered a prominent figure among his peers.
As everyone knows, an elite chunin is already a formidable combatant in any ninja village.
Even during the Fourth Great Ninja War, elite chunin could hold their own in battle.
"I didn't expect Hyuga Neji to have three chakra natures." Neji was visibly pleased.
"Taijutsu is crucial, no doubt, but by the later stages of Naruto, ninjutsu is really where it's at."
Neji clicked his tongue in thought, his mind already made up.
He would train both taijutsu and ninjutsu equally.
After all, if he were to face something like the Rinnegan one day, taijutsu might be his only hope.
Just think about Madara with the Six Paths power practically unstoppable yet he was nearly killed by one kick from Might Guy. That said everything.
But for now...
Neji instinctively touched the forehead protector he wore and gave a bitter smile.
He still wanted to remove the Caged Bird Seal before anything else.
The Caged Bird Seal was used by the Hyuga Main Family to control and suppress the Byakugan of the Branch Family. It would only disappear upon death.
Moreover, the Main Family could activate the seal at will, destroying the brain tissue of the person bearing it.
While Neji didn't believe Hiashi Hyuga would ever use it to kill him, that didn't mean he wanted his life hanging by someone else's whim.
"This seal is a real problem."
"If there's any way to remove it... I wonder if the Main Family has a method."
"Or maybe, once my Byakugan evolves into the Tenseigan, it'll automatically get rid of the seal?"
...
Lying in the middle of the training field, Neji stared unblinking at the sky, his pale eyes calm.
"All I have to do is interact with the opposite sex? Seriously?"
After some intense internal debate, Neji suddenly flipped upright and strode out of the training grounds.
"Alright, let's give it a shot."
Along the way, he passed many clan members, all of whom looked at him with admiration.
At such a young age, he was already so composed and mature. He had even been the strongest of last year's rookie group.
In just a single year, his strength was already comparable to most chunin.
And this was all achieved by a mere thirteen-year-old boy.
To many, Neji was more promising than either Hinata or Hanabi.
It was a shame, really such a brilliant talent born into the Branch Family, burdened early on with the Caged Bird Seal.
His mother had died on the battlefield, and his father had given his life for the Main Family and the Leaf Village.
That's why, in the eyes of many clan members, Neji held more weight, more gravitas, than Hinata or Hanabi.
Neji ignored their stares and walked directly toward the Ninja Academy.
He had come to pick up Hanabi from school.
It felt a little out of character for him, sure.
But it was all in the name of growth.
If there truly was no way to remove the Caged Bird Seal, then he would simply have to become strong enough to break it by force.
After all, he refused to believe that something like the Caged Bird Seal could ever bind someone on the level of Madara Uchiha or Hashirama Senju.
...
At the gates of the Ninja Academy, a small crowd had already gathered.
When they saw Neji approaching, several people looked on with mild surprise.
Hyuga Neji what was he doing here?
Seeing their expressions, Neji couldn't help but smile wryly. "I really don't fit in here."
That was the only phrase he could think of to describe the moment.
He sighed slightly, eyes drifting toward the school building. A wave of emotion welled up.
Don't get the wrong idea.
He had no actual memories of this school.
Or rather, his subconscious simply didn't want to remember any of it.
Anything that had to do with studying gave him a headache.
A universal truth, really.
Before long, a swarm of children came running out of the school, full of laughter and life.
Neji stood quietly watching, unsure of what to feel.
This world was never fair to begin with.
Most civilian children received only the most basic education. Even if they trained their whole lives, the best they could hope for was to become chunin.
Only a small handful of civilians, blessed with talent, would ever get the chance to receive the same level of training as noble-born ninja.
The next generation of jonin, or even Hokage, would come from those few.
They were the true pillars of their villages' futures.
As for the rest the majority those were the tens of thousands who would become cannon fodder during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Seeing the bright, innocent faces of these children now, Neji didn't know whether to feel joy or sadness.
Then, a small, delicate figure caught his eye.
It was Hanabi the reason he had come.
"Hanabi, time to go home," Neji called, striding toward her with a tone that left no room for argument.
"Huh?"
"Neji-nii-san?"
"You came to pick me up today?"
Hanabi bit her thumb softly, her wide eyes full of curiosity.
She was adorable.
Just like her sister. Two peas in a pod when it came to cuteness.
Neji quickly shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts of anything inappropriate.
No, no, no. She's a loli. Off-limits.
Touch a loli, and you're going to jail minimum three years!
"Yes," he said simply.
"Ehhh…"
"Mmm," Hanabi nodded, placing her small, soft hand in his.
She giggled happily.
Truly, cuteness is justice.
[Host has held hands with Hyuga Hanabi. Reward: Caged Bird Seal removed.]
Neji froze.
There really was a reward.
And it was exactly what he'd been hoping for.
His wish had come true.
He instinctively reached up to touch his forehead, but with so many people around, he couldn't just take off his protector to look.
"Huh? Neji-nii-san, what's wrong?" Hanabi asked, noticing he'd suddenly stopped.
"Nothing. Let's go," Neji replied, patting her gently on the head.
With the seal now gone, Neji was in such a good mood that his tone unconsciously softened toward her.
[Host performed a head pat on Hyuga Hanabi. Reward: Wind Chakra nature unlocked.]
Neji's mouth twitched.
If the system counted every little interaction like this...
He gave Hanabi's hair another gentle ruffle, but this time, nothing happened.
"Looks like each type of interaction only works once per person," Neji thought to himself.
Hidden in the shadows nearby, a member of the Hyuga clan assigned to guard Hanabi watched with wide eyes.
If he hadn't activated his own Byakugan, he would've thought someone had transformed and tricked the girl.
Before long, Neji arrived at the gates of the Hyuga compound with Hanabi.
"We're here," he said.
"Mhm! Thanks, Neji-nii-san," Hanabi replied with a bright smile.
Then, arms outstretched, she darted inside with excitement.
[Host escorted Hyuga Hanabi home. Reward...]