After parting ways with Hinata, Neji returned home.
In the empty courtyard, he was truly alone now.
Although there was some sadness in his heart, he had no tears left to shed, because he had personally dug out his own eyes. With no tears in his heart, how could they flow?
Ultimately, his feelings had faded!
Entering his room, he found an old medical kit, gently wiped and disinfected it, and placed prosthetic eyes in his eye sockets to prevent them from growing crooked later.
His idea was simple: if he was going to be branded with the Caged Bird Seal, then these Byakugan… he might as well not have them!
Mere eyes, it wasn't as if they couldn't be restored. For him, who was currently Cultivating Kenbunshoku Haki, even without them, there was no impact.
On the contrary, it could make his Kenbunshoku Haki (Mind's Eye) even stronger!
It was like learning from Uncle Issho and GSD: listening with the ears, striking with the heart, the blade cutting the Physical Body, the heart cutting the Soul!
Of course, as a Transmigrator, he was a failure!
Because this was his second Transmigration; the first time, in the Pirate World, he was too naive and ultimately died.
He used all his worldly possessions to exchange for one opportunity.
And became the current Neji!
"If I hadn't been so naive back then, perhaps it wouldn't have come to this!"
With a slight sigh in his heart, he directly opened the System, looking at his Rank, which had fallen to LV1, and his profession was still DNF Qi Master.
He said, rather self-deprecatingly, "Now I've become blind, but it's a pity I'm not an Asura; otherwise, I'd just be missing selling stainless steel basins."
This time, he didn't plan to expose too much, but since he had dug out his eyes, developing a new fist technique was not a problem.
After all, Gentle Fist required the Byakugan to be used, and he had essentially crippled this method for himself.
In reality, with Mind's Eye, Cultivating was not an issue; listening to others, the so-called Chakra points were easily located.
And this self-inflicted eye removal caused a huge stir in the Hyuga Clan.
However, with Hizashi's sacrifice and Hiashi's suppression, there wasn't too much impact, which seemed to make Neji a free man.
No one dared to say anything either; after all, he was a ruthless person who had dug out his own eyes. Even the Family didn't dare let his peers interact with him.
After all, a Hyuga Clan member without Byakugan, the Branch Family couldn't say anything.
Hiashi also protected him greatly; he neither stopped him from developing new fist techniques nor withheld teaching Gentle Fist.
Instead, he taught Gentle Fist without any reservations, and even helped him obtain Medical Ninjutsu for Cultivation.
This made Neji busy: Cultivating Chakra, comprehending Nen, and refining the two types of Haki.
It wasn't until a year later, when it was time to enter the Ninja Academy, that this lifestyle stopped… at the entrance of the Ninja Academy.
Hiashi personally brought Hinata to see Neji off to school, which drew some glances.
Some rumors reached Neji's ears through his Kenbunshoku Haki—things like digging out his own eyes, his father committing suicide, etc.—but they did not shake his inner resolve in the slightest.
"Neji, study hard at the Ninja Academy. Your excellent perception ability convinced me, and it also convinced Hokage-sama."
"Ah, if only your eyes were still…"
Hiashi, who looked regretful, was interrupted by Neji.
"Clan Leader, let's not bring up old matters again!"
Hiashi looked at Neji, who at only six years old already behaved like a small adult, and sighed in his heart.
"No more words. I hope you study well at the Ninja Academy. I have already spoken to the teachers, and they will look after you a bit."
This made Neji frown. Had his cheap uncle been influenced by him in some way back then?
He could only say helplessly, "I understand!"
This satisfied Hiashi, who said nothing more, though Hinata spoke softly.
"Neji-nīchan, you can do it!"
Hearing Hinata's voice, Neji's brow relaxed, and he softly hummed in response.
"I'm going!"
Even though he was blind, it didn't affect his acting, ahem!
It didn't affect his movements; it was as if he was born with eyes as he walked into the Ninja Academy.
This made some parents and children who had heard many rumors look askance. Among them, a little girl with a bun hairstyle looked at him with great curiosity.
"Is that boy with the eye patch the Hyuga Neji who supposedly dug out his own eyes? Why does he look a little handsome? What if I'm assigned to the same class as him?!"
Little Tenten mumbled to herself and then left her parents to enter the Ninja Academy.
On the way, she also saw a bushy-browed boy with a ponytail, whose clothes were out of place compared to everyone else.
Neji naturally noticed this unique way of entering school.
He could only say that the current Lee still had good looks, just a bit unconventional!
…The opening ceremony was boring, but the arrival of the Third Hokage did excite many children.
The Third Hokage eloquently spoke about the Will of Fire for a full half hour.
Finally, before leaving, he glanced at the upright Neji and sighed softly in his heart.
What a pity!
At this moment, Neji's breathing was steady, his rhythm gentle, as if he had fallen asleep.
Whether by Destiny or coincidence, Tenten and Lee were sitting on either side of Neji.
Tenten was muttering in her heart, 'So scary, but so handsome!'
'What should I do? He seems to be asleep. He dares to sleep during Hokage-sama's speech; he's too bold.'
'But the speech is over, and the homeroom teacher is already calling for assembly. Should I wake him up?'
"Um…"
Just as Tenten was hesitating, a robust voice rang out, startling her.
It was the bushy-browed boy with a ponytail, sitting one seat away from her on Neji's other side, who directly called out to Neji.
"Hello, I am Lee! Our homeroom teacher is calling us; let us go immediately!"
This made Tenten instinctively say, "I am Tenten!"
The seemingly sleeping Neji's ears twitched, and Tenten next to him was utterly dumbfounded. What was she doing just now?!
Hey! That bushy-browed idiot, what are you doing?!
Tenten was practically going crazy. Didn't he know Neji? Wasn't he afraid of him?
Neji, who was in meditation, heard everything. He sighed softly, sensing the two people beside him.
"My name is Hyuga Neji. Let's go!"
His gentle voice rang out, blowing into Tenten's heart like a breeze. The rumors were indeed false.
Seeing is believing; indeed, only what she saw with her own eyes was true. Tenten clenched her small fists.
The three of them went together… After assembling, they were led back to the classroom by their homeroom teacher to arrange seating.
Seeing Tenten and Lee getting close to Neji made his eyes light up.
"Lee and Tenten, you two will sit with Neji, and also look after Neji."
"And everyone should have heard about Neji's situation, but no one should look at him with strange eyes."
"Neji's admission was approved by Hokage-sama, and his strength is not weak!"
After these words, there was a sudden buzz of discussion below, only Lee was still confused.
Is this Neji special in some way?
(Scratching his head innocently?)
Neji, as if no one else was there, paid no attention to their clamor. He only wanted to pass through until graduation normally.
Only then could he accumulate enough foundations to deal with most situations.
Covering his hand with Chakra to perceive, he gently ran it over a book, and the words on it appeared in his mind. Reading presented no obstacle.
To be fair, the Caged Bird Seal itself existed to protect the Byakugan, not the Bloodline, so digging out his eyes to avoid it was very normal.
Also, if Bloodline limits were easy to inherit, all the great Families would have branched out long ago, instead of waiting for you to get computer components.