At a sharp, wary shout, a middle-aged man with the Byakugan emerged from inside.
"Father!"
The little girl who had been running around the street outside saw the man come out and immediately ran over. Then she looked at Shirozumi, the unfamiliar man, with a puzzled expression.
Well.
Her parent had been inside, keeping watch over his child with the Byakugan.
Seeing Shirozumi staring at someone else's daughter and asking, "Why is no one here?"—looking like he was about to abduct a child—it was only natural for the man to react that way.
Still, that only made it harder for Shirozumi to understand how the Hyuga Clan's young lady could have been bullied and called a Byakugan monster.
It seemed even more difficult than some nosy neighbor trying to sneak into the Hyuga Clan's bedroom, wardrobe, or windowsill.
As for the little girl with the Byakugan, Shirozumi recognized her at first glance, naturally.
—The classic trick of recognizing people by their hairstyles.
"You're an outsider ninja who came for the Chunin Ninja Exams, aren't you? This is the Hyuga Clan's compound. You're not welcome here."
Hyuga Hiashi fixed Shirozumi with his Byakugan and directly told him to leave.
"Not very friendly, are you?"
"Clan Head Hyuga, don't rush me. I'll ask you one question, then I'll leave."
Shirozumi said with a smile.
"...Ask."
Though Hyuga Hiashi's tone was unfriendly, he really didn't dare to attack recklessly.
Shirozumi wasn't wearing any Forehead Protector, so Hiashi didn't know which ninja village he came from.
It would be a problem if things escalated and he ended up reliving the incident of his younger brother Hizashi's death.
"If you saw someone from outside the village with the Byakugan, what would you do?"
"Take the Byakugan back and defend the Hyuga Clan's dignity."
Hyuga Hiashi