I Won't Let You Die!

I Won't Let You Die!

Hizashi knew far more than the average Branch House member about Hinata's kidnapping. When he saw Natsu Hyuga step forward, he quickly realized what was going on.

However, for various reasons, Hizashi said nothing more and simply treated Xu Fan as Hinata's classmate.

"My sincerest apologies."

Once he realized Xu Fan was not an intruder, Neji Hyuga immediately apologized to him.

He had only attacked so suddenly because he wanted to protect his adorable little sister.

"It's nothing." Xu Fan nodded, indicating that Neji need not take it to heart, but his gaze fell upon the infant in Natsu Hyuga's arms.

Hanabi Hyuga.

Although Xu Fan had read the Naruto manga and watched the anime before crossing over, he no longer remembered many of the finer details.

Only upon seeing Hanabi did he recall some things about the Hyuga Clan.

Hiashi and Hizashi were clearly twins, yet the one born a few minutes later was branded with the Caged Bird Seal.

That meant the Main House was inherited by the eldest son, while the younger son was reduced to the Branch House.

But by that logic, the Hyuga Main House should have consisted of only one person.

Yet in reality, the Main House was an entire clan. Especially in Neji's recollections, there had clearly been a Hyuga Elder from the Main House who was neither Hiashi's father nor bore the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead.

Could it be that whether one belonged to the Main House or the Branch House was entirely decided by the Hyuga Elders?

If that was true, then weren't the Branch House members simply slaves selected by the Main House?

At that thought, Xu Fan could not help sympathizing with Neji's life.

His father had died in such a humiliating way, and before dying, he had told Hiashi to pass on his final words to Neji.

And what happened?

Years passed, and he still said nothing!

No one present had ever told Neji why his father had truly died!

And the reason Hiashi had finally made up his mind to tell Neji the truth was because he had witnessed Neji's clash with Naruto.

He had seen the talent Neji displayed.

In other words, if Neji had not become the strongest among his peers and fought his way into the Chunin Exams finals, would Hiashi Hyuga have kept silent forever?

And the most tragic part was...

In the end, Neji merely repeated Hizashi's fate.

He sacrificed himself for Naruto and Hinata.

"Thank you."

Suddenly, Natsu Hyuga turned toward Xu Fan and thanked him, then explained Lady Hinata's situation.

Although Hinata belonged to the Main House, she was extremely shy by nature. Even knowing that Xu Fan had saved her, she still did not dare approach a stranger like him directly.

Natsu Hyuga hoped Xu Fan could understand.

"It's fine. Seeing that she's all right puts my mind at ease." Xu Fan nodded. "Don't mind me. Once the Third Hokage finishes the meeting, I'll head back with him."

Since Hinata was too embarrassed to come over, Xu Fan had no intention of going to comfort her.

He would just look at the flowers here and wait for Hiruzen Sarutobi to finish before heading back.

However, just as Xu Fan was about to casually kill some time, his sign-in assistant sounded once more.

Receiving two missions in a single day caught Xu Fan by surprise, but naturally, he was delighted.

Because as long as he signed in, he could receive rewards and grow stronger.

But the contents of this mission surprised Xu Fan.

Special sign-in mission issued!

Please proceed to the Hyuga Main Family meeting room and sign in by changing Hizashi Hyuga's certain death. Upon completing the sign-in, you will receive a sign-in reward!

Xu Fan: "???"

Change Hizashi Hyuga's certain death?

It wanted him to change Hizashi Hyuga's inevitable fate?

For a moment, Xu Fan even wondered if he had misheard.

Weren't sign-in missions just about reaching the designated location and waiting ten seconds?

He had not expected there to be this kind of sign-in method.

"A special sign-in mission..."

"If I complete it, will the reward be better...?"

Although Xu Fan sympathized with the fates of Hizashi and Neji, he was not some saint.

Moreover, saving Hizashi would inevitably put him against the Hyuga Clan and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

So Xu Fan's original plan had been to turn a blind eye and stay out of it.

But now...

Things were different.

What rewards had his previous sign-ins given him?

Hashirama-level Chakra, the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai, mastery of all five Chakra nature transformations, The Solitary Gourmet.

Any one of them would have been enough to stand on its own in this world.

And those had only been ordinary sign-in missions.

What about special ones?

The Byakugan?

The Tenseigan?

"Gasp..."

Xu Fan sucked in a breath, and his mindset quickly changed.

Judging from the mission prompt, even if he failed to complete the sign-in, he would not be punished.

But...

Passing up a reward would be a total loss!

"Hizashi Hyuga."

Xu Fan raised his head, his eyes falling directly on Hizashi.

At that moment, Hizashi was undoubtedly a gentle father. Half-crouched on the ground, he softly rubbed Neji's head, wearing a brilliant smile unlike any he had shown before.

A man could be hard as steel, but as a father, he became gentle!

Xu Fan believed that no one who witnessed this scene could remain unmoved.

Humans were not plants or stones. If the world was round, they rolled with it; if it was square, they stopped.

When the world was unjust, it deserved condemnation!

"Hm?"

Hizashi had been watching Neji, wanting to etch his final image firmly into his heart, when he noticed Xu Fan walking toward them.

"Hello."

"Is something the matter?" Hizashi straightened up and asked softly.

No matter what, Xu Fan was the one who had saved Lady Hinata. Everyone in the Hyuga Clan owed him a debt of gratitude.

Besides, Xu Fan had been personally brought here by the Third Hokage.

Who would dare neglect him?

Neji also looked at Xu Fan, but all his thoughts were focused on his father.

Normally, his father had always been stern and unsmiling. Yet for some reason, Neji felt that his father today seemed like a completely different person.

He was incredibly gentle.

Neji found it strange, but he also liked this version of his father.

"I need to see the Third Hokage."

Xu Fan got straight to the point.

Getting to the meeting room would be easy. Even if Hizashi did not lead the way, Xu Fan had ways to find it.

The difficult part was how to change Hizashi's certain death.

After all, Hizashi bore the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead. With a single thought from the Main House, his brain nerves could be killed.

If the situation reached a stalemate, who knew whether those Main House people would pull such a move?

And in this situation, even if Xu Fan told Hizashi to stay away from the Main House, Hizashi probably would not agree.

Because Hizashi was not being forced to die. He was willingly going to his death.

There was only one option...

He had to persuade—or physically persuade—those people to abandon that stupid idea.