A Pile of Wounded

"Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

Neji unleashed the strongest offensive Gentle Fist he had mastered, holding nothing back, pouring all his strength into an attack on Hinata.

"Heavenly Penetrating Fist!"

With a soft cry, Hinata met his attack, throwing a punch!

"Bang!"

Hinata's fist pierced Neji's Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms and shot towards him!

Seeing the fist rushing towards him, Neji gave up in his heart. So fate truly cannot be broken. The Main Family is the Main Family, and the Branch Family is the Branch Family. The Main Family possesses everything, while the Branch Family doesn't even own their own lives. How tragic!

Since this life was no longer valuable, he ignored Hinata's fist and struck at her with his 'Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms'!

"Boom!"

Hinata's fist dodged Neji, grazing his ear and slamming into the wall behind him.

With a loud explosion! Hinata's fist completely embedded itself in the wall, sending dirt and rocks flying. Cracks shot out from the impact crater in all directions, followed by a "rumble" as a large section of the wall collapsed. The entire wall was blown apart!

Neji's expression changed drastically. Feeling the power of that punch and the terrifying commotion behind him, his hand, which he couldn't retract, still hovered over Hinata.

Hinata spat out a large mouthful of blood, bright red droplets falling onto Neji's trembling hand.

"Why? Why didn't you fight back again!"

Neji's Byakugan had closed, his eyes trembling, unwilling to believe any of this.

"Because... you're my cousin!"

Hinata said weakly, then collapsed to the ground.

"Hinata!"

"Hinata!"

Kiba Inuzuka, Naruto, Shino, Kurenai, and Might Guy quickly jumped down from the spectator stands and rushed towards the fallen Hinata. Qinglong called out for a medical ninja and also rushed over.

Hinata lay on the ground, her breathing weak, nearly unconscious.

Neji stood to the side, trembling all over, unsure of what to do. Might Guy supported him, scolding him while also showing concern.

After simple first aid, the medical ninja prepared to take Hinata to Konoha Hospital for treatment. The distance from the central tower to the edge of the Death Forest was 5 kilometers, and it was even further to Konoha Hospital, not to mention the difficult roads within the Death Forest.

Qinglong ran out of the central tower and shouted into the sky.

"Flying Nimbus!!"

Under everyone's astonished gazes, a golden cloud descended from the sky.

"Quick, put Hinata on the cloud!"

Everyone scrambled to place Hinata on the Flying Nimbus. Even the Third Hokage curiously approached, looking at Hinata lying peacefully on the Flying Nimbus. He reached out to touch it but felt nothing. The Flying Nimbus was simply not something he could touch.

"Can I ride it too?"

The Third Hokage asked curiously, having seen Qinglong ride the Flying Nimbus.

Qinglong looked at him and said with a complicated expression.

"Only those with a pure heart can ride it!"

As Qinglong spoke, he mounted the Flying Nimbus and took Hinata high into the sky. Although it was her first time riding the Flying Nimbus, Hinata was not in high spirits. She lay on the cloud, gazing blankly at the sky.

"I've caused you trouble, I'm very sorry!"

Hinata said weakly. She always thought of others before herself, and even after causing trouble, she still apologized. She had long known about the matters between the Main Family and the Branch Family but was powerless to do anything. This was also why she had liked to escape the Hyuga Clan in her childhood, and it was also because of this that she met Naruto.

"It's okay! Hinata, you were already very brave. The matters between the Hyuga Main Family and Branch Family are not something you need to worry about yet! What you need to do now is rest and become stronger!"

Qinglong comforted her gently. This young girl had shouldered too much since childhood and was also too kind.

Neji's father died because of her, so she would never attack Neji in this lifetime, right?

Hinata looked at Qinglong's profile and suddenly said.

"Kiyotaki-kun is really gentle! No wonder Naruto admires you so much."

As she spoke, Hinata thought of Naruto, that carefree boy who had entered her heart since childhood. And she herself was so introverted and timid. When would she be able to let Naruto know her feelings?

Qinglong smiled gently, and soon they arrived at Konoha Hospital. The medical ninja quickly took Hinata in for treatment.

In the evening, after receiving treatment, Neji and Naruto came to see Hinata together. It seemed these two had just had an argument.

Looking at the severely injured Hinata, Neji felt both self-reproach and grief. Perhaps anger was the only way to cover his shame. He first inquired about Hinata's injuries, then walked to her bedside and questioned her as if grasping at a straw.

"You can end the tragedy of the Main Family and Branch Family, right? As long as you become the head of the clan! You can definitely end the tragedy of the Branch Family."

"As long as you agree, we in the Branch Family are willing to support you wholeheartedly in becoming the head of the clan! We will pledge our loyalty to you!"

Hinata was flustered by Neji's words. She didn't think she could do it, and she didn't even want to be the head of the Hyuga Clan herself.

"Hinata, agree to him!"

Naruto encouraged her from the side, saying indignantly.

"The system of Main Family and Branch Family like the Hyuga's should not exist at all! If I become Hokage, I will definitely abolish the unreasonable system of the Hyuga Main Family and Branch Family."