Konoha Village, Hyuga Main Family.
"Lift your hands higher, straighten your waist! Yes, just like that."
"Brother, Miss Hinata is not even three years old yet, isn't it too early."
"Continue practicing the Gentle Fist starting stance I just taught you."
Hyuga Hiashi stood with his hands behind his back, his expression stern. However, Hinata, who was already timid, became even more nervous upon seeing someone observing. She completely forgot what the next move was and where she was supposed to be.
"Hiashi, what do you think of Hinata?"
Hyuga Hiashi glanced at Hinata, who was practicing her cute Gentle Fist in the training ground, and said softly, "Miss Hinata has excellent talent and will be an outstanding successor."
Hyuga Hiashi nodded; he also felt Hinata would not disappoint him.
"Hiashi, did you bring Neji too?"
"Yes."
Hyuga Hiashi patted Neji's head and said, "Neji, do you see? This is the person you will protect in the future, Young Lady Hinata."
"Mhm!"
Neji nodded, his pure white eyes looking at the soft, cute figure in the arena who had fallen and gotten back up. He thought to himself: Is she Cousin Hinata? She's so weak at fighting!
Hyuga Hiashi said, "Brother, Neji's talent is exceptional. I believe he will surely become a strong member of the clan in the future!"
"Mhm."
"Brother, I..."
Hyuga Hiashi sighed, "Hiashi, Hinata is almost three years old. You should know what that means."
"But, I... Okay, I understand."
Hyuga Hiashi lowered his head, his face showing self-reproach, unwillingness, and heartache.
The branch family members had to have the cursed mark of the "Cage Bird" branded on their foreheads when the main family's eldest son turned three years old. How could he not know this? But precisely because he knew, he had come to find his brother.
However, this was clearly wishful thinking on his part. Whether the Cage Bird was branded or not was not something his brother could decide. This was a tradition of the Hyuga clan for generations. Even if his brother agreed, those elders of the main family would absolutely not allow it.
But Neji's talent was truly strong, and Hiashi couldn't bear to have the Cage Bird branded on him and limit Neji's potential. It was a waste!
Neji didn't understand at all what his father and the clan leader were talking about. He hadn't realized yet that soon he would be forced to get the tattoo and become a delinquent.
Neji was intently watching Hinata in the dojo, observing her flawed Gentle Fist. His heart felt a stir, and he forced himself not to correct her mistakes.
"Hiashi, I hope you can understand me. The Hyuga clan can only have one main family."
"I am very clear on that, Brother. I am just very regretful, Neji he..."
Bang bang bang!
A loud knock interrupted Hyuga Hiashi's words. Hyuga Hiashi looked at the door with some surprise. Who would come looking for him at this time?
Since the Cloud Village envoy was coming to visit Konoha, most of the Hyuga clan's ninja had joined the patrol team. The guards who were originally stationed at the main family's residence had also been dispatched elsewhere.
The main family's residence was guarded by him, Hyuga Hiashi! Who could break in!
Boom, bang!
A thick iron door was flung open and landed in front of Hyuga Hiashi, only a millimeter away from his toes. A drop of cold sweat slid from Hiashi's forehead. Fortunately, it was just a little bit!
"Hiashi, I'm here to see my precious disciple. Hurry up and bring her out for me to see!"
Hyuga Hiashi, with a dark expression, looked at Lin Yu, who was swaggering in. All the members of the Uzumaki clan were abnormal!
"Uzumaki Lin Yu! This is the Hyuga main family's residence, and you are not allowed to..."
"Nonsense! You understand the principle of 'a bet is a bet,' don't you, Hiashi?"
Lin Yu completely ignored Hyuga Hiashi's pretense of authority. That act was useless on him!
"Besides, I knocked for so long and no one opened the door. Hiashi, have you reached the end of your rope as clan leader? How can you not even have any guards?"
"You!"
Hyuga Hiashi was so angry he almost had a heart attack. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down, then waved his sleeve and said, "Hmph, our Hyuga clan is full of talented individuals, all of whom have been conscripted by the Hokage to guard the village. Unlike your Uzumaki clan."
Lin Yu smiled and said, "Alas! I thought of that too, so I came to find my precious disciple!"
What does this have to do with my Hinata?
Despite being married and in his sixties, Hyuga Hiashi couldn't immediately grasp Lin Yu's meaning.
He could only say with a stern face, "Of course, I won't go back on my word. Hinata is inside, and it depends on whether you can persuade her. If she doesn't agree, then you..."
Whoosh~
Before Hyuga Hiashi could finish speaking, a gust of wind blew past his eyes. The iron door, which was only a millimeter away from him, was moved slightly by the wind, intentionally or unintentionally, and landed precisely on his toes.
"Hiss! Oh~"
Uzumaki Lin Yu! Hyuga Hiashi, I will not let this go!
In the Hyuga dojo, Hyuga Hiashi, who had intended to go to the door, was left behind. Now, hearing the shouts from outside, his expression suddenly changed.
It's Brother's voice! Could it be a surprise attack?
"Neji! Sit here and don't move. I'm going out to see! Protect Young Lady Hinata!"
"Yes, Father!"
Neji nodded, his young face filled with determination!
After Hyuga Hiashi left, Neji walked towards Hinata. He was determined to make this soft and cute little girl understand how Gentle Fist should be performed!
"Hello, my name is Hyuga Neji. You must be Young Lady Hinata."
Hinata took a slight breath and said weakly, "H-hello..."
"Gentle Fist isn't supposed to be fought like that. It should be like I..."
"I, I am Hyuga... Hinata!"
Neji froze. Was the lag finally kicking in?
Neji wanted to say something more, but he found that the scene before him slowly rose, then inverted, and then a not-so-handsome, but very enduring face appeared before his eyes. It was delicate and gentle, but the words that came out didn't quite match his appearance!
"What are you doing, kid! Are you trying to fight my precious disciple?"
"Who are you! Put me down quickly!"
Lin Yu dangled Neji by his ankle and spun him in the air. It had to be said that Neji's talent was quite good. Even after being spun around more than ten times, he didn't faint. He was indeed a genius from the branch family who could learn "Rotation."
Lin Yu casually tossed Neji into the hands of the arriving Hyuga Hiashi, then bent down and smiled at the somewhat frightened Hinata, "Don't be afraid. Let me introduce myself. From today on, I am your teacher. My name is Uzumaki Lin Yu."
Perhaps because Lin Yu looked relatively gentle and didn't have the same oppressive aura as her father, Hinata lowered her head and said weakly, "Y-you, hello, I..."
"You're called Hinata, right! Such a cute child!"
Hearing Lin Yu's praise, Hinata immediately became shy. She clasped her small hands together, unsure of what to say.
"Uzumaki Lin Yu, what exactly do you want?!"
Hyuga Hiashi, who had just arrived and was walking with a slight limp, couldn't help but speak. He absolutely could not let Hinata become his disciple!
"Isn't it obvious? I'm taking Hinata with me!"