Back in the waiting room of the Chunin Exams, although Lord Hiashi had fallen into a coma.
But the words spoken to him by the First Mizukage, Yuto, should have been heard by Lord Hiashi to some extent before he lost consciousness.
During the Chunin Exams, the talent Neji displayed had already drawn Lord Hiashi's attention.
If Lord Hiashi knew that the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead had already disappeared...
Thinking of this, Neji couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.
As the head of a clan, when facing a genius—especially one who harbored hatred toward him—there were only two possible outcomes.
One was to eliminate the hatred in the other's heart and bring them under control.
The other, naturally, was to suppress them, or destroy them.
Re-planting the seal on Neji was likely the best outcome.
But knowing that it could be cracked, the reverence Neji held for the Main Family in his heart had probably long since vanished. Added to that was the terrifying talent Neji had displayed.
What Lord Hiashi would do went without saying.
Moreover, the fact that the seal had been cracked was enough to shake the very foundation of the Hyuga clan. The Main Family would absolutely try to cover up this information.
And Neji, with his seal broken, would likely be taken away by the Main Family to be studied so they could figure out how it was done.
Thinking of this, a bitter smile appeared on Neji's face. He originally thought that man had done him a huge favor by removing his Caged Bird.
Now, it seemed the other party had likely predicted this scene all along.
Neji clenched his fists slightly. Whether it was the Hyuga Main Family or the First Mizukage, Yuto, with his current strength, he was powerless to resist.
Strength!
He needed enough strength—enough to change his destiny, to completely take control of his own fate!
A determined look flashed through Neji's eyes, and his pace involuntarily quickened.
The sound of breaking air suddenly came from one side at that moment.
In the blink of an eye, a Hyuga clan Jonin appeared in front of Neji.
"Neji, the Clan Head wants to see you."
This Hyuga clan Jonin cast an indifferent glance at Neji and spoke in a calm voice.
So fast!
He summons me just after waking up; I underestimated Lord Hiashi.
Neji felt his back turn cold, though he maintained his usual indifferent expression:
"Now?"
"Now." The Hyuga clan Jonin's gaze landed on Neji as he spoke again.
Neji took a light breath and lifted his foot, walking toward the direction of the Hyuga Main Family's residence.
The Hyuga clan Jonin followed unhurriedly behind Neji, his eyes occasionally glancing over him.
Lord Hiashi summons this Branch Family brat the moment he wakes up; he seems to place great importance on this one named Neji.
However, given the talent Neji displayed during the Chunin Exams, he is indeed worth paying attention to.
The Jonin didn't think much of it, simply assuming Lord Hiashi valued Neji's talent.
As one of Konoha's oldest noble families, the Hyuga clan could be said to be, apart from the former Uchiha clan, the family occupying the largest area.
Inside the clan, there were various facilities, and they had long since achieved complete self-sufficiency.
After all, Hyuga clan members basically married within the clan to prevent their bloodline from spreading outside.
Unlike the numerous Branch Family members, the Main Family members were pitifully few in number, yet their consumption in all aspects equaled the total of the entire Branch Family.
Furthermore, combat-related matters were almost always handled by the Branch Family, which was also a major reason for the internal conflict between the Main and Branch families.
However, there were existences where this conflict was suppressed before it could be ignited.
In Neji's view, the next head of the Hyuga clan would be chosen between Hinata and Hanabi.
However, given the talent Hanabi had displayed, she might be able to take Hinata's position as the direct heir.
As for Hanabi's husband, they naturally wouldn't let an outsider take the role; perhaps they would select a Hyuga clan member who was easy enough to control.
This was perhaps the tragedy of being born into a large family.
Walking in front, Neji raised his head slightly to look at the vast sky above, a look of longing flashing through his eyes.
Before long, Neji walked into the area where the Main Family resided. Ancient yet dignified houses appeared before Neji's eyes.
In an extremely spacious room, aside from a few cushions on the floor, there was almost no furniture.
Lord Hiashi sat with his eyes closed, kneeling on a cushion. Although he still bore some injuries, his back was perfectly straight.
Before long, the door was slowly pushed open. Neji, looking just as usual with a cold expression, stood quietly by the entrance.
At this moment, Lord Hiashi also opened his eyes, revealing a kindly smile as he looked at Neji:
"Come, sit down."
Neji's body stiffened slightly, but he walked over nonetheless.
Finding a cushion nearby, Neji sat down as well, speaking with a cold expression:
"Lord Hiashi."
"I didn't expect the person who attacked us back then to actually be the First Mizukage of Kirigakure, Yuto. To survive from his hands, my luck is truly not bad. You weren't injured, were you?"
Lord Hiashi sized up Neji, chuckling softly before speaking kindly.
Neji didn't speak, merely shaking his head indifferently.
Lord Hiashi had likely already investigated these matters before he arrived.
"Did he say anything to you? It might be important intelligence for Konoha."
Lord Hiashi nodded slightly and then suddenly spoke.
Neji felt a slight movement in his heart, but his voice remained indifferent as he replied:
"Not long after Lord Hiashi fell into a coma, members of the Konoha Anbu arrived."
Lord Hiashi remained noncommittal. Neji's answer, in his view, held no surprises. Whether true or false, it didn't really matter.
"I know you hold resentment toward the Main Family. I assume you've already read the scroll Hizashi left behind, so I won't offer too much explanation."
"I just hope your heart isn't filled with resentment. The purpose of the Main and Branch families is to better protect the Bloodline Limit. I'm sure you know this."
Lord Hiashi sighed softly, his voice remaining kind.
Neji lowered his head and said nothing. At this moment, saying less was most important.
"Go back for now."
After a brief silence, Lord Hiashi's voice sounded by Neji's ears again.
Hearing this, a look of confusion flashed through the eyes of the still-bowed Neji.
Lord Hiashi had summoned him specifically; how could he be asking such simple questions?
Though he harbored doubts, Neji still bowed slightly, then stood up and walked toward the door.
Watching Neji's retreating figure, Lord Hiashi narrowed his eyes slightly.
Just as Neji's foot was about to step across the threshold, Lord Hiashi suddenly raised his hand, formed a special hand seal, and softly chanted a string of special incantations.
"Ahhh!!!"
Neji fell violently to the ground, letting out a shrill scream.
Neji clutched his head with both hands, seemingly in such violent pain that his body convulsed uncontrollably on the ground.
Seeing this scene, Lord Hiashi's originally straight posture relaxed slightly, and he lowered his hand.
Neji's body continued to twitch on the ground, but after a while, it finally calmed down.
Neji, with sweat covering his face, crawled up weakly, looking at Lord Hiashi opposite him with an angry expression.
Seeing Neji's angry face, Lord Hiashi's expression remained calm as he spoke softly again:
"The clan has the clan's rules. Consider this your punishment for laying a hand on the Main Family."
At this point, Lord Hiashi paused slightly, his kindly smile returning as he looked at Neji:
"Given your talent, the Main Family will certainly focus on cultivating you. That Rotation you displayed during the Chunin Exams—did you develop it yourself? It still has many flaws."
"I have already sent someone to place the complete training method for Rotation at your home. You should be able to see it when you get back."
After saying this, Lord Hiashi looked toward the door:
"Hikado, please take Neji back."
"Yes, Clan Head-sama!" The Hyuga Jonin standing guard outside walked in. He glanced in Neji's direction and spoke respectfully.
With that, the Jonin grabbed Neji and walked toward the door, closing it slowly behind him.
Hikado held onto Neji until they were some distance away from that house, then his voice carried a tone of admiration:
"You brat, you actually dared to lay a hand on someone from the Main Family. You really are bold. This punishment is already considered light."
Seeing that Neji didn't speak, Hikado didn't mind. His figure flickered slightly, and he rapidly vanished from the spot.
With a few leaps, the two appeared in front of Neji's house.
"Go in yourself. Since we are both from the Branch Family, you should watch yourself."
Hikado put Neji down, reminded him with a sentence, then turned and disappeared.
Neji dragged his weak body and slowly walked into his room. The moment the door closed, Neji straightened up abruptly—where was the weakness?
"Byakugan!"
With a thought, Neji instantly activated his Byakugan to observe his surroundings. Only after discovering that no one was around did he let out a heavy sigh of relief.
Neji had once seen the miserable state of his father when the curse was activated.
That scene was still firmly etched in Neji's mind. It was thanks to witnessing that scene back then that Neji was able to bluff his way through today.
Otherwise, Neji might not have been able to walk out of that room today.
Neji leaned his whole body against the door and slowly slid to the ground. Only then did he feel his body turning somewhat soft.
Moreover, the clothes all over his body were already soaked through.
Neji slowly raised his head and looked at the table in the center of the living room. A scroll was placed right there.
This should be the scroll regarding training that Lord Hiashi mentioned.
If he had seen this scroll in the past, Neji would have been happy for a long time. But now, Neji felt a chill in his heart.
His room had probably already been searched as well.
Unlock 30 chapters instantly (for the price of the old 20-chapter tier) and get 50–55 new chapters every month.
If you're enjoying the story, consider supporting me here:
patreon.com/anish_44
{I need to be real with you for a moment. I'm reaching out because I'm in a genuinely tough spot financially right now, and I need your help to keep the stories flowing. Writing these chapters for you is my passion, but circumstances have put me in a position where I desperately need monetary support to continue dedicating time to what we both love—this fic.
Here's what I'm offering if you join my highest tier:
🚀 The moment you sign up, you get 30 chapters immediately—no waiting, no delays. Just a massive backlog of content to binge.
📅 Consistent Monthly Rewards: After that, you'll receive 60 fresh chapters every single month—double the story, double the excitement, all for your favorite fic.
But it doesn't stop there. Your support means everything, and I want to repay your generosity with mass releases, bonus chapters, and exclusive content that won't be available anywhere else. The more support I get, the more I can pour back into creating the stories you love.
If you've ever enjoyed this fic, if you've ever stayed up late reading "just one more chapter," if this story has been there for you during hard times—please consider joining. You're not just funding chapters; you're keeping this story alive and helping a creator in dire need.
Join today, get those 30 chapters instantly, and let's keep this journey going together.
Thank you for even considering it. You mean the world to me.}