Hinata's small body trembled as her wide, pearl-white eyes welled up with tears. Her soft sobbing quickly grew into full-blown crying, the kind of uncontrollable wail only a child could produce.
Neji stiffened on the spot, unsure what to do. He could face down sparring matches, memorize training routines, and force his young body to endure pain far beyond his years, but this? Comforting a crying three-year-old? That was a battle he had never trained for.
"Why is she crying harder? What do I even say?" Neji muttered inwardly, his normally composed thoughts thrown into disarray.
Before he could attempt anything awkward, a hurried voice called out from behind them.
"Young Miss Hinata!"
A boy not much older than twelve came rushing over, his forehead protector glinting in the weak winter sunlight. He bowed quickly before scooping Hinata into his arms. His name was Hyuga Tokuma, Hinata's personal attendant, and like Neji, a child born into the Branch Family.
"Young Lady, it's time to return. The Clan Leader will grow worried if you stay out too long." Tokuma's voice was gentle, practiced, the tone of someone used to placating an easily frightened child.
Hinata sniffled, clutching her scarf tighter, but the tears began to fade at the sound of Tokuma's familiar voice. She tilted her head toward Neji, her cheeks still wet, and asked shyly,
"Brother Neji… can I play with you tomorrow?"
For a heartbeat, Neji froze. Then his gaze slid toward Tokuma, searching for any sign of disapproval. But Tokuma's expression remained perfectly neutral, calm as if the request meant nothing at all. Only then did Neji breathe out a quiet sigh of relief.
He crouched slightly so his eyes met Hinata's. With a rare softness in his tone, he reached out and brushed a hand over her forehead.
"Of course, Young Miss Hinata," he said gently. "Call for me, and I'll be there."
Hinata's watery eyes brightened, and she whispered in a tiny voice, "Promise?"
Neji nodded. "That's a promise."
---
The Weight of the Main Hall
The scene shifted to the heart of the Hyuga compound, to a mansion that loomed like a relic of another age. Inside, the air was heavy and cold. Dry branches outside scraped against the windows in the winter wind, producing creaking noises that sounded like the groans of a frail old man.
Within the main hall, Hyuga Hiashi, current head of the clan, stood before his father. The veins around Hiashi's pale eyes slowly receded as he suppressed the Byakugan. His voice, however, carried frustration.
"Father… why?"
At the center, an elderly man with stark white hair sat calmly with a steaming cup of tea. His name was Hyuga Gensuke, the elder patriarch who still held great influence. He took a slow sip before answering, his tone cool and unyielding.
"Neji is an extraordinary child," Gensuke said evenly. "It would be foolish not to nurture his talent. Is it not a blessing that he has already bonded with young Hinata? Their closeness will benefit the clan in the future."
"But the Caged Bird Seal—" Hiashi's words caught in his throat the moment he saw the sharpness in his father's expression. The calm, pale eyes suddenly carried an icy weight that made his scalp tingle.
"The laws of the ancestors cannot be changed," Gensuke declared. His tone remained soft, but the authority behind it was absolute.
"Hiashi, abandon these unrealistic dreams. You are the head of the clan, but you are not free to act against its traditions."
Hiashi lowered his head, bitterness curling his lips. In the depths of his heart, he could not accept it. He had long believed the Branch Family system was crippling the Hyuga.
Centuries ago, in the Warring States era, the Hyuga clan's strength rivaled even the Senju and Uchiha. But with the passing generations, their brilliance had dimmed. The true root of their decline lay in the very system Gensuke so stubbornly upheld.
Mediocre heirs of the Main Family continued to receive resources and status, while Branch Family geniuses like Neji were shackled with the Caged Bird Seal, their potential buried forever. Hiashi envisioned a restructured clan where talent, not birth, determined one's place. Those with power would rise, and those without would serve, regardless of lineage.
In his vision, the seal wasn't a prison but a protection for the weak. With such reform, perhaps the Hyuga could reclaim their lost glory.
But not a single elder supported him. Not even his own father.
The Main Family clung tightly to its privileges. As Hiashi bitterly thought, "Since ancient times, individuals may betray their class, but a class never betrays itself."
He clenched his fists, recalling the cautionary tale of Uchiha Madara. Madara had gone against his clan's will and was abandoned, reduced to nothing more than a mad dog howling alone. If Hiashi forced his reforms, his fate would be even worse—betrayed, isolated, and destroyed from within.
Finally, he exhaled and bowed. "Hiashi understands."
Gensuke nodded, satisfied. His eyes, however, were merciless.
"Giving Neji another year of freedom is already the greatest indulgence the Main Family can allow. When Hinata's birthday comes, the Caged Bird Seal will be placed upon him."
---
The Village Celebrates Peace
Meanwhile, in the bustling streets of Konoha, excitement was stirring.
"Look, the delegation from Kumogakure is here!"
"The war is finally over!"
"Long live Hokage-sama!"
The villagers gathered near the gates erupted in cheers as a group of foreign ninja entered the village. Many among the crowd wore wide smiles, some even waving flags or tossing petals. After nearly eight years of war, the announcement of peace filled hearts with relief.
Though they had despised Kumogakure for the endless conflict, their hatred for war itself ran deeper. For once, there was laughter instead of funerals.
Neji stood among the onlookers, his small hands tucked into his sleeves. He watched the joyous villagers with an expressionless face.
"They laugh now," he thought coldly, "but one day they'll cry just as hard."
To him, their joy was shallow, like flowers embroidered onto brocade or oil bubbling in a hot pan—beautiful for a moment, then gone.
For Neji knew the truth. The so-called "peace delegation" would attempt to kidnap Hinata, using the treaty as a cover. When the plot was exposed, the Kumogakure envoy would be killed by Hiashi. Later, Kumogakure would demand Hiashi's body as compensation. Instead, Hizashi, Neji's own father, would be forced to sacrifice himself as a substitute.
That tragic chain of events would shatter Neji's life.
But then, a dangerous thought struck him. His eyes widened, his small body trembling slightly with excitement.
"What if… they kidnapped me instead of Hinata?"
---
Neji's Dangerous Idea
The idea grew quickly in his mind, expanding until it consumed him.
Yes, Kumogakure valued strength above all else. They were cunning, ruthless when necessary, but they respected power. Unlike Konoha, where traditions like the Caged Bird Seal chained geniuses, Kumogakure thrived on merit.
If he were taken, what was the worst outcome? At worst, he would be raised as a weapon—a star forced to shine in their skies. But at least he wouldn't rot away as a Branch Family sacrifice.
Memories of Kumogakure's history flashed through his thoughts. They had once tried to kidnap Uzumaki Kushina, another rare bloodline carrier. Later, they attempted to steal Hinata. For them, strength was worth stealing if it couldn't be won.
And yet, unlike other villages, Kumogakure had no record of mistreating their Jinchuriki. The Raikage treated them as assets, not monsters. Their bloodline clans weren't systematically oppressed like in Konoha. Even rogue ninjas rarely emerged from their ranks.
Neji clenched his fists. "There's always a way out. Always!"
He would rather gamble his fate with Kumogakure than submit quietly to the cage.
A strange kind of excitement surged through him. For a moment, he even imagined the beautiful kunoichi he had glimpsed in rumors of Kumogakure—blonde, dark-skinned, strong and fearless. His young mind, despite its maturity, wandered briefly. "Perhaps being kidnapped wouldn't be the worst outcome…"
The thought made him chuckle bitterly. "Better a stallion running free than a bird rotting in a cage."
For freedom, he was willing to risk everything.
---
The Arrival of Kumogakure's Delegation
The streets grew livelier as the Kumogakure delegation marched through. Among them was a striking young woman, her long blonde hair swaying with each step, her figure tall and confident. Her name was Samui, a kunoichi known for her calm beauty and sharp eyes.
"This is Konohagakure? The strongest of the Hidden Villages?" she murmured, her gaze roaming curiously across the wide avenues and bustling shops.
Her eyes gleamed with emotion. Kumogakure's homeland, surrounded by mountains and plateaus, was harsh and poor in resources. Food, techniques, even scrolls often had to be seized by force. But Konoha—its fertile lands and thriving economy made it a paradise in comparison.
"Calling this place a 'village' feels wrong," Samui thought. "It's as vast as the capital of the Land of Fire itself."
Beside her walked a tall man with stern features and long purple hair. His tone was deep, steady, and somewhat nostalgic.
"It's been over twenty years since I last came here," he said.
Samui's lips curved faintly. "I hope it won't be another twenty before the next visit."
The man's eyes hardened with resolve. "It won't be."
As they turned a corner, a small child came running down the street, not looking where he was going. He crashed right into Samui's leg.
"Ah!" the boy cried out as he tumbled backward, landing flat on his back. His small hands scrambled for the tricolored dango he had been carrying, but the skewered sweets rolled across the ground, smearing onto Samui's leggings.
"You brat!" barked a nearby Konoha ninja, rushing over. "Watch where you're going! Do you realize who you just ran into?"
The atmosphere grew tense. With a fragile peace treaty hanging in the balance, even the smallest spark of conflict could prove disastrous.
Samui looked down at her legs, sticky with sugar. She frowned slightly, her usual calm composure undisturbed, and muttered in her flat tone,
"…I hate sweets."