The news of the Eldest Miss of the Hyuga Main Family killing an invading Ninja alone spread secretly among the Konoha Leadership and major clans like wildfire, causing a shock that far exceeded the death of the Kumogakure Envoy itself.
Four years old, defeating a well-trained Ninja?
This completely exceeded their understanding of a Genius; they even suspected the Hyuga Clan was helping her build momentum—it was simply nonsense.
The next day, Hinata's courtyard became unprecedentedly lively.
The clan Elders came with probing gazes, their words filled with testing.
Some children from the Branch Family were brought by their parents, ostensibly to accompany the Eldest Miss, but in reality, they wanted to observe this suddenly talented Main Family Princess up close.
Hiashi was also incredibly busy, having no time at all to ask Hinata how exactly she had done it.
Hinata didn't care about this; it wasn't something a four-year-old child should have to face anyway.
She either stayed behind closed doors to continue her great cause of Cultivation within the Legacy space, or she sat under the veranda, holding a cup of hot tea served by a trembling maid, her white Byakugan eyes staring blankly at the dry landscape garden, ignoring the prying eyes and whispers around her.
That level of composure and detachment, far beyond her years, made those curious people afraid to approach easily.
Hiashi only observed from a distance; he found that Hinata was much more mature than her peers, at least she didn't seem like a child who only loved to play.
"Geniuses are often precocious, but is Hinata a bit too early?"
Hiashi muttered to himself in the distance, even beginning to recall what he was like at four years old... "Lady Hinata."
A slightly timid child's voice sounded at the courtyard gate.
Hinata looked up to see a Byakugan boy with bandages wrapped around his forehead, his eyes showing a mix of stubbornness and nervousness—Hyuga Neji.
Beside him was a gentle-smiling young man with a refined temperament, none other than Hyuga Hizashi.
Hinata's brow twitched slightly.
Oh? Neji actually made an early appearance?
Looking at the current Neji, she found him much more pleasing to the eye; he wasn't suppressing Hinata like in the anime, so he wasn't annoying.
Of course, this was likely due to her display of strength.
Hyuga Hizashi led Neji closer, his tone gentle and apologetic.
"Miss Hinata, sorry to disturb you. This child, Neji... heard about last night and was very worried, insisting on coming to see you."
Worried? Hinata looked at little Neji, who immediately avoided her gaze, his small face tense, but his clenched fists betrayed his lack of calm.
Hinata's eyes seemed able to see through the bandages on Neji's head, seeing the mark of the caged bird seal.
Sensing Hinata's gaze, Neji covered his forehead with his hand and hid behind Hizashi.
The caged bird seal is already there. The next stage would be showing talent and rebelling against injustice, but this time, the target of your provocation cannot be me.
Hinata's white Byakugan eyes moved away from the bandages on Neji's forehead.
Tsk, branded with the caged bird seal at such a young age, how tragic.
A thought crossed her mind, and she felt a bit playful.
"I'm fine."
Hinata turned her gaze to Hizashi.
"On the other hand, Uncle Hizashi, you don't look very well. Did you not sleep well last night?"
Hizashi was stunned, not expecting Hinata to suddenly show concern for him, and gave a bitter smile.
"Thank you for your concern, Miss Hinata. It's just... the clan's affairs are complicated."
Yeah, busy thinking about how to die for your brother, of course you can't sleep well. Neji's rebellious spirit and dissatisfaction with himself—this incident probably played a significant role.
Hinata pondered, but a smile appeared on her face as she spoke.
"No matter how busy you are, you must take care of yourself. After all, Brother Neji is still young and needs a father."
These words sounded like ordinary concern from a Junior, but to Hizashi, who was already heavy-hearted, they made his body stiffen imperceptibly.
Hinata stopped looking at him and turned to the still-tense little Neji, suddenly asking.
"Brother Neji, do you think destiny can be changed?"
Neji snapped his head up to look at Hinata, a flash of confusion and a forced-down, instinctive resistance to the topic appearing in his eyes.
He opened his mouth and finally replied stiffly.
"Destiny... is decided from birth."
"Oh?"
Hinata drawled, her tone playful.
"For example, the destiny of the Main Family and the Branch Family? The destiny where someone is fated to be sacrificed for certain things?"
Hizashi's face turned pale instantly.
Neji clenched his fists, clearly struck where it hurt.
Hizashi spoke with difficulty.
"Miss, how do you know about these things?"
Hinata replied.
"I overheard it. They were discussing it at the time. Did I mimic the tone well? Hee-hee, don't tell anyone, or Father will scold me."
Hinata's smile was innocent and bright.
After speaking, she didn't wait for an answer and got up to walk into the house, leaving the father and son, Hizashi and Neji, standing there with changing expressions.
Having dismissed the visitors, the real trouble began.
Hokage Office.
Hinata was led by Hiashi to stand before the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, and two Hokage Advisors. The head of the Kumogakure Delegation was also there, making accusations against the Hyuga Clan with a face full of grief and indignation.
"Hyuga Hinata killed someone from our Village; you must give us an explanation!"
The Kumogakure Leader spoke with stern severity.
Hinata stood to the side, her heart unmoved, even wanting to laugh a little.
No originality at all.
Is Danzo going to come out next to smooth things over and persuade my dad to sacrifice family for the greater good?
Sure enough, Danzo leaned on his cane and spoke in a deep voice.
"Hiashi, for the peace of the Village, sometimes necessary sacrifices..."
"Sacrifice?"
Hinata suddenly spoke up, interrupting Danzo. Her voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone in the office, making them all freeze.
She raised her white Byakugan eyes and looked directly at the shouting Kumogakure Leader, her tone carrying an innocent confusion.
"Are you saying that I, a four-year-old child, could defeat and kill a well-trained Ninja?"
The leader was stunned, not expecting the child to speak up and refute him.
This question was actually what most people wanted to ask. Hinata was just a child; it might just be the Hyuga Clan building momentum, or the other party slandering them.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand holding the pipe paused, a light flashing in his eyes as he looked at this four-year-old little thing.
"Heh, regardless of whether you killed him or not, my man died in Konoha. That is a fact."
The leader argued, still using the same rhetoric, but Hinata continued.
"He trespassed into the Hyuga Clan without permission, even entering my room. The Hyuga Clan has the right to kill him on the spot. Konoha hasn't even come to you for trouble, yet you've come to us first?"
"We were merely acting in self-defense."
Hinata's words were sharp, and indeed, no fault could be found in them.
Beside her, Danzo's face darkened.
"Enough!"
Danzo shouted sharply, trying to regain control of the situation.
"Hinata, this is not a place for you to act out!"
Hinata still wore that innocent expression, her white Byakugan eyes turning to Danzo.
"Elder Danzo, in your view, should the Hyuga Clan not resist when facing an invader?"
She paused, her tone carrying a faint, subtle mockery.
"If Konoha's rules are to make the victim bow to the perpetrator, then what is the point of protecting such a Village?"
"Or is it that Konoha has no one left? Must we act according to the whims of others?"
A single sentence, like a heavy hammer, struck the hearts of all the Konoha Leadership present.
The office fell into a dead silence.
The Kumogakure Leader's face turned ashen; he knew his plan would likely fail.
Hinata stopped speaking and just stood there calmly. She knew that after her speech...
If the Konoha Leadership wanted to easily sacrifice the Hyuga or her, they would have to weigh it carefully; public opinion turning against them would be the least of their worries.
She didn't actually care about Konoha, or rather, she didn't care about these leaders.
She was just unhappy being treated as a pawn that could be sacrificed at will.
Looking at the stalemate, Hinata was very satisfied. This was her only way to save Hizashi.
Next, it remained to be seen how this group of leaders would wrap things up.
She had said enough to put all the leaders on a pedestal with no way down.
"The leadership should stay high up. Just stay hanging up there for me..."