The current Hyūga Neji was like a caged bird with broken wings.
He wanted to rebel against fate, yet deep down he was drowning in despair.
In the original story, Neji was able to comprehend the Hyūga clan's secret technique—Eight Trigrams Palms Rotation—on his own. Wasn't that his silent struggle against destiny? He always claimed that fate was immutable, but in truth he clung to a faint glimmer of hope, yearning to shatter the shackles of the Caged Bird.
But this time… Naruto would not let him hurt Hinata again, not even if he was her elder cousin.
Tekkai: Iron Wall!
Naruto didn't dodge. Instead, he activated his Iron Body technique and stood firm, letting Neji's strikes rain down on him.
Neji's palms struck again and again, yet every blow felt as though it landed on solid stone. When his assault ended, Neji's hand trembled from the impact.
In reality, even a boulder would have been reduced to rubble under his Gentle Fist. But Naruto had taken it head-on, with nothing but his own body.
Neji's Byakugan widened, disbelief flashing across his face.
"…What's going on with you?" he demanded, his voice low and uncertain.
The boy before him was not as simple as he had believed. Naruto's body had turned as hard as iron.
Naruto didn't answer directly. Instead, he spoke slowly:
"Hyūga Neji. The genius of the branch family. The son of Hyūga Hizashi, younger twin brother of the clan head, Hyūga Hiashi… What a pity. No matter how gifted, you're still only a branch family member."
Naruto's gaze hardened.
"The Caged Bird seal must be unbearable for you, isn't it?"
Neji stiffened, his eyes flashing with a dangerous light. He clenched his teeth and barked, "How do you know that?!"
Such things were clan secrets. A mere Academy failure shouldn't even be aware of them.
Naruto's voice cut like a blade. "You hate the main family. You hate them for your father's death, don't you?"
"Shut up!!!"
The words were like tearing away his last defense. Neji lunged again, only to be intercepted and kicked back by Rock Lee.
"You will not hurt Naruto-kun!" Lee declared firmly.
Neji ignored him, rage consuming him. "Out of my way, dead last!" he roared, thrusting his chakra-laden palm forward—only to strike empty air.
A blur. Lee's afterimage danced away, and Naruto countered, striking Neji squarely.
For the first time, Neji realized: the so-called failure before him had defeated him.
Then Naruto's voice came again, unrelenting:
"Do you know why your father died?"
The question froze Neji in place.
"This is all the main family's fault!" Neji snapped back, his voice breaking under the weight of his hatred. "It was because of them—because they forced my father to take the blame—that he died!"
His eyes burned with fury, his voice cracked with pain.
But Naruto did not yield. He pressed on.
"Oh? Is that what you believe? That it's so simple?"
Naruto's tone carried disdain.
"Your father died to prevent Konoha from being plunged into war with the Hidden Cloud. At that time, Konoha was weak—the Fourth Hokage was dead, the Sannin had left the village, and Konoha had never been more vulnerable. The Cloud emissaries were aggressive, demanding compensation for the death of their shinobi."
Naruto's gaze bore into Neji's.
"That shinobi had tried to kidnap Hinata. Hiashi killed him protecting her. But the Third Hokage… he chose compromise. To hand someone over. And your father, Hizashi, stepped forward in Hiashi's place. He sacrificed himself to protect both the clan and Konoha, ensuring the Byakugan wouldn't fall into enemy hands."
Neji's breath caught. His expression wavered.
Naruto's voice thundered like a hammer in his heart.
"Isn't it ironic? Your father wasn't betrayed by the main family—he was sacrificed by Konoha's politics. The elders would never allow Hiashi to be handed over, and so Hizashi became the one offered up. A political pawn."
Naruto's words echoed sharply.
"It was the Hidden Cloud that caused it. It was the Third Hokage's weakness that sealed your father's fate. If Konoha had stood firm, if Sarutobi had shown the will of fire instead of hesitation, your father might have lived. And the Hidden Cloud could never have risked war in their state!"
Naruto's words shook Neji's very soul.
"At that time, the Fourth Raikage of the Hidden Cloud had only just taken power. Their village was still in recovery and would never have risked an all-out war with Konoha. Which means… your father died for nothing!"
Naruto's words struck like thunder. Neji's face twisted, unable to accept it. He lashed out with his fist, but Naruto easily blocked the blow.
Grabbing Neji's wrists, Naruto drove a kick into his chest and sent him skidding back. His voice cut through the silence:
"Konoha looks prosperous on the surface, but under the rule of its so-called elders, it has entered its weakest era. This is the corruption of those in power."
Neji staggered, shock written plainly across his features.
Off to the side, Lee ignored the deeper meaning of Naruto's words, but Sasuke narrowed his eyes, thoughtful.
Neji collapsed onto the ground, staring at Naruto in disbelief. How could someone his own age understand the darkness of Konoha so clearly?
"Neji!" Naruto's voice rang out. "Fate is never set in stone. You must believe this—man can defy even heaven itself!"
Then he sneered, stepping closer.
"Do you know who I am? I am the son of the Fourth Hokage."
Neji's entire body jolted.
"What…?!"
Disbelief and confusion surged through him.
"My mother was Kushina Uzumaki. My father, Minato Namikaze. And I… I am the current Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails—the very demon fox the villagers curse and despise."
Naruto's tone was mocking, but the truth in his words pierced Neji's heart.
Even Sasuke and Lee were stunned. They didn't know why Naruto would reveal such a secret here, of all places. Was he trying to sway Neji?
Naruto's gaze locked onto him.
"Neji, so-called fate is never unchangeable. If you truly want to defy your destiny, then come find me in three days. I'll show you how."
Neji wavered, his heart in turmoil. Without another word, he turned and staggered away, uncertain of everything he thought he knew.
When Neji's figure finally disappeared, Sasuke stepped forward.
"…Was it really wise to tell him all that?" he asked quietly.
Naruto glanced at him and smiled.
"Sasuke, I understand your doubts. But if we want to one day take revenge on Konoha, we'll need more than just our own strength. We'll need allies."
Six months ago, Naruto had revealed the truth about the Uchiha massacre to Sasuke—that it had been ordered by Konoha's own leaders. Sasuke had nearly lost himself to rage, but Naruto had stopped him with a single truth:
Without strength, you can do nothing.
Those words had struck deep. And under Naruto's guidance, Sasuke chose patience—the patience to wait, endure, and grow strong enough to change everything.
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TN:
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