Chapter 203: Hyūga Hiashi is Summoned
Uchiha Akira's words, spoken with a calm, analytical precision, made Hinata habitually lower her head again.
She had indeed been deliberately hiding her strength.
On one hand, it was due to her gentle personality. She truly disliked conflict.
On the other hand, it also stemmed from a faint, underlying, deep-seated fear of that family. A fear that had been conditioned into her since birth.
Hinata was afraid that if she performed too well, if she showed her true power, it would attract the attention of the Main Family elders. She would be reprimanded. She would be told she was 'unfit.'
Or worse, she would once again be drawn into those complex, cold, and unforgiving family disputes.
Uchiha Akira seemed to have seen through her thoughts, his Rinnegan eyes missing nothing.
"Some things, Hinata, you can't run away from."
"You are the eldest daughter of the Hyūga Main Family. And you are my disciple."
He leaned forward slightly, his presence filling the room.
"From the moment you agreed to the challenge, this match ceased to be just between you and Hyūga Neji."
Akira picked up his teacup and took a light sip, the picture of calm.
"However, with your current strength, dealing with a Hyūga Neji should be... more than enough."
He put down his teacup, the porcelain clicking softly in the quiet room. A deep, dangerous glint appeared in his eyes.
"Since he likes to talk about fate so much... and he loves to judge people with his preconceived, arrogant notions..."
"How about this," Akira said, a cold smile touching his lips. "Let's use this opportunity. We will go directly back to the Hyūga Clan, and we will let all of them open their eyes wide and see clearly."
"See just how far my disciple, the disciple of Uchiha Akira, has grown."
"And we will let them understand, in no uncertain terms, that what they call 'fate'... to me, is worthless."
After speaking, Uchiha Akira called out towards the door, his voice not loud, but carrying absolute authority.
"Kenji."
"Here, Clan Head-sama."
Uchiha Kenji's figure, clad in the dark uniform of the Uchiha Clan's elite, appeared at the doorway as if from a shadow.
"Go to the Hyūga Clan compound. Summon Hyūga Hiashi for me. Tell him I require his presence."
"Yes, my lord."
Kenji acknowledged the order with a bow. His figure disappeared into the night once more, without a sound.
Naruto, listening from the side, was practically boiling with excitement. His eyes were wide, and he was bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"Wow! Master is so cool! Are we going to make a big fuss? Are we gonna crash their place?! I like it! Believe it!"
Hinata, however, felt her heart tighten. A cold knot of anxiety formed in her stomach. Her palms, she realized, were unconsciously seeping with sweat.
[Are… are we going to the Main Family?]
[And... everyone has to watch?]
[This… what if I fail? What if I disappoint him?]
Uchiha Akira looked at her nervous, pale expression and smiled.
"What? Scared?"
"I… I'm not!" Hinata quickly shook her head, but her voice was a small, unconvincing squeak.
"Then stand tall."
Akira's voice was not harsh, but it was firm.
"You are my disciple. In this Village, under my rule, no one has the right to make you feel afraid. Not your family. Not their elders. No one."
"Yes… Master!"
Hinata nodded heavily, the strength in his voice flowing into her. She straightened her back.
Half an hour later.
The Clan Head of the Hyūga Clan, Hyūga Hiashi, hurried to Uchiha Akira's residence. He was still in his formal night robes, clearly having been pulled from his personal quarters.
"Lord Hokage," Hiashi said, bowing deeply at the entrance to the room. "May I ask what urgent matter requires my presence so late at night?"
Hyūga Hiashi's attitude was one of extreme, almost subservient, respect.
In front of Uchiha Akira—the man who had deposed the Third, eliminated Danzō, and held the Uchiha and Senju power—he, the mere Clan Head of the Hyūga, dared not show the slightest disrespect.
The Hyūga's 'all-seeing' Byakugan was nothing before this man's divine Rinnegan.
"Clan Head Hiashi, please sit."
Uchiha Akira pointed to the chair opposite him.
"Thank you, Lord Hokage."
Hyūga Hiashi cautiously sat down on the edge of the chair, his posture rigid. His gaze inadvertently swept over Hinata, who stood to the side by her master, and a complex, unreadable expression flashed in his eyes.
[She is... different. Her chakra... it's so calm. So controlled.]
"Today, I heard from my disciple," Uchiha Akira said directly, getting straight to the point.
"That 'genius' of your Branch Family, Hyūga Neji, wants to have a match with Hinata."
"This matter… I… I was not aware of it."
A single bead of cold sweat appeared on Hyūga Hiashi's temple. His mind was racing.
[That arrogant, branch-family boy! He dared?!]
In his mind, he had already cursed that arrogant Neji countless times.
[Isn't this putting the entire Hyūga Clan on the spot! Challenging the Hokage's personal disciple?! He has endangered us all!]
"Lord Hokage, this matter is a complete misunderstanding!" Hiashi stood up, bowing again, his voice urgent.
"It's Neji, that child, being young and impetuous! Not knowing the rules! After I return, I will definitely punish him severely! I will have the Caged Bird seal activated! I hope, Lord Hokage…"
"There's no need for punishment."
Uchiha Akira waved his hand, his voice calm, interrupting Hiashi's frantic words.
"It's normal for young people to have a little friction. Since it's agreed, then let them fight."
"I called you here today precisely for this matter."
Uchiha Akira's gaze sharpened, his Rinnegan seeming to glow in the dim light.
"I want you to arrange this match. I want it held at your Hyūga Clan's Main Family training ground."
"At the same time," Akira continued, his voice dropping, "notify all members of your Hyūga Clan. Both Main Family and Branch Family. They must be present to watch."
[Inorin's Note: The Hyūga Clan is rigidly divided into the Main Family (宗家, Sōke) and the Branch Family (分家, Bunke). The Branch Family exists only to protect the Main, and its members are branded with the 'Caged Bird' cursed seal, a symbol of their servitude.]
"I want everyone to see how my disciple, Uchiha Akira, defeats your so-called 'genius'."
These words made Hyūga Hiashi's heart sink sharply.
[He... he wants it to be a public spectacle. He wants to humiliate Neji... to humiliate us.]
Hyūga Hiashi's face showed a troubled, pained expression.
"Lord Hokage, this… perhaps it's not appropriate."
He carefully chose his words, his voice cautious: "Although Hinata has become your disciple, she… you know her personality. She has always disliked conflict. Moreover, her strength…"
Hyūga Hiashi hesitated, not daring to finish the sentence.
Although he knew Hinata had become the Hokage's disciple, Hinata's performance in every Ninja Academy combat test he had on record was mediocre, even below average.
And Neji... Neji was a recognized prodigy, a true genius of the Gentle Fist, perhaps the strongest of his generation.
To have these two fight... in front of the entire clan…
[Wouldn't this be like Hinata being publicly executed in front of everyone? She will be crushed.]
[At that time, not only Hinata's reputation, but also his own face as the Fifth Hokage... it would be lost!]
[Why would he set himself up for this humiliation?]
"...Do you think my disciple will lose?"
Uchiha Akira's voice suddenly turned cold. Ice-cold.
An invisible, crushing pressure instantly enveloped the entire room.
Hyūga Hiashi felt his breath catch, as if an invisible hand had gripped his throat. The sheer, terrifying killing intent made his Byakugan activate involuntarily in fear.
"No… I wouldn't dare! I... I absolutely did not mean that!"
Hyūga Hiashi quickly stood up from his chair and bowed low, begging for forgiveness.
"Hinata just doesn't like to show off," Uchiha Akira's tone returned to normal, the pressure vanishing as if it had never been.
"Her strength is far beyond your... beyond your entire Hyūga Clan's imagination."
"Just arrange it as I instructed."
His voice was final. "Remember, what I want is a grand, public match that everyone will remember. A lesson."
"Understand?"
"…Yes! I understand!"
Hyūga Hiashi dared not offer any further rebuttal.
After speaking, Hyūga Hiashi bowed deeply to Uchiha Akira once more. Then, filled with profound doubts and a deep unease, he exited the room.
As he walked into the cold night air, his mind was a storm.
[Had his daughter... whom he had once considered a "failure"... had she truly become strong enough to defeat Neji?]
[Lord Hokage was so certain... so absolute. Could it be... that I, with my 'all-seeing' eyes, had misjudged her all along?]
A few days later.
The Hyūga Clan's residence, abandoning its usual, zen-like quietness, became exceptionally solemn.
The spacious central courtyard, usually reserved for formal ceremonies, was filled with Hyūga Clan members.
They stood in two distinct, silent rows. Main family on the right, branch family on the left. Their expressions were solemn, their white eyes all facing the entrance.
When Uchiha Akira's figure, flanked by his two students, appeared at the main gate, all eyes immediately focused on him.
Naruto followed on his left, hands in his pockets, glaring unhappily at the Hyūga Clan members who cast strange, disapproving glances at him.
Hinata followed on his right. Her head was lowered, her long bangs obscuring the emotions in her eyes.
But her tightly clenched fists, held at her sides, betrayed her inner nervousness.
"Welcome, Lord Hokage!"
Led by Hyūga Hiashi, a group of Hyūga elders bowed in perfect, practiced unison. Their voices were perfectly synchronized.
"No need for formalities."
Uchiha Akira said indifferently, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.
Every Hyūga Clan member who met his gaze involuntarily lowered their heads, unable to meet the power of the Rinnegan.
"Are the grounds ready?"
"Yes! Everything has been prepared according to your instructions," Hyūga Hiashi replied respectfully. He then made a "please" gesture.
"Lord Hokage, please follow me."
Everyone passed through the long, dark-wood corridor and arrived at the Hyūga Clan's largest training ground.
This was a huge, open-air dojo, paved with perfectly-cut bluestone slabs, surrounded by rustic wooden grandstands.
At this moment, the grandstands were already packed with people.
Main Family elders, Branch Family elites, and even Hyūga youths still attending the Ninja Academy... all were present.
It was the entire clan.
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