Don't Be Stubborn—Learn to Listen

Hyuga Shunichi, who had just put on his last coat, froze at Yuichi's words and turned back to look at Hyuga Yuichi beside him in surprise.

"Tell the clan head what?"

"Tell... tell the clan head... what just happened."

Keenly sensing the change in Shunichi's mood, Hyuga Yuichi almost instinctively took two steps back. Lowering his head, he spoke softly to Hyuga Shunichi.

"No..."

Shunichi rubbed his brow in frustration, as though trying to restrain something.

"Bang!"

With a dull thud, Hyuga Shunichi kicked Hyuga Yuichi straight in the stomach.

In the end... he still couldn't hold back.

"Ugh!"

With a muffled groan, Hyuga Yuichi's body toppled uncontrollably to the ground.

"Are you insane?! Tell the clan head that I got pinned to the ground and beaten by a six-year-old brat?!"

Hyuga Shunichi glared down at the fallen Hyuga Yuichi and shouted at him in exasperation.

"Do you have any proof? Even if you do, the clan head punishes Hyuga Shuji, and then what? We go through exactly what happened today all over again?!

I'm begging you, use your brain!"

Whether from anger or something else, a hint of color appeared on Hyuga Shunichi's previously pale face.

"Forget everything that happened today."

After leaving Hyuga Yuichi with those words, Hyuga Shunichi turned and headed toward the Hyuga Clan Compound.

Hyuga Shunichi never looked back, so he failed to notice the trace of venom in Hyuga Yuichi's eyes behind him.

Konoha Hospital.

Shuji, carrying a huge pile of snacks into the ward, froze the instant he opened the door.

"What's wrong? Go in!"

Seeing this, Nawaki shoved Shuji aside. But the moment Nawaki saw who was inside the room, he too froze in place.

Seeing the reactions of the two in front of him, Hiashi silently pursed his lips and began backing away in the direction they had come from.

He had no idea why they were frozen there, but Hiashi had no desire to find out.

"Hyuga Hiashi!"

The instant Hiashi raised his foot, Hyuga Tokuhiro's voice rang out.

Hiashi's half-raised foot instantly stiffened in midair.

"Come in."

As Tokuhiro spoke, Shuji and Nawaki moved aside at the same time. They revealed Hiashi behind them while leaving him a path inside.

"Father..."

Only then did Hiashi understand why Nawaki and Shuji had frozen in place.

With a stiff smile on his face, Hiashi first lowered his head toward his father, Hyuga Tokuhiro.

"Lord Hokage... Uncle Kiyosada... Aunt Chinatsu..."

Then, Hiashi greeted each of the adults sitting in a row on the balcony.

"Shuji, come here."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded with a light chuckle, then beckoned to Hyuga Shuji with a smile.

"Grandpa Hiruzen..."

Shuji gave a bitter smile and glanced at the crystal ball Hiruzen was idly turning in his hand.

Telescope Technique?

Honestly... I never thought the Hokage would come...

"Smack!"

As Shuji stepped before Sarutobi Hiruzen, Hiruzen immediately slapped a hand down on Shuji's shoulder.

"Shuji, you've got some skills, don't you?"

"You... you flatter me..."

Feeling the force coming from Sarutobi Hiruzen's palm, Shuji slowly crouched under the pressure of Hiruzen's hand.

"Was I praising you?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen raised an eyebrow and asked Shuji.

"I was wrong. I know I was wrong."

Without the slightest hesitation, Shuji answered Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Oh? What did you do wrong?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled. Releasing Hyuga Shuji, he smiled and asked him.

To be honest, after watching Shuji's entire handling of Hyuga Shunichi through the Telescope Technique, Sarutobi Hiruzen could not help but feel somewhat concerned.

It had been too aggressive.

Sarutobi Hiruzen knew perfectly well that Shuji's approach would minimize the chance of Hinagiku and Hizashi being targeted again.

But this method...

Sarutobi Hiruzen was worried that this exceptionally gifted child would set foot on the wrong path from now on.

"I shouldn't have treated Hyuga Shunichi like that."

Shuji pursed his lips and answered Sarutobi Hiruzen without any intention of arguing.

Everyone had their own perspective. There was no point in debating how to handle a matter when standing from different positions.

Especially when the two parties did not hold equal status.

Right now, Shuji understood clearly that it no longer mattered whether what he had done was right. What mattered was that, in Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes, what he had done was wrong.

And if that was the case, then his actions were wrong.

Don't be stubborn. If you want to get by in life, you have to learn to listen.

"Ah..."

Looking at Hyuga Shuji before him, Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed helplessly.

"Your little sister was hurt so badly, and you became angry because of it, leading you to do something extreme. I can understand that."

If Hyuga Shuji had merely been a genius of the Hyuga Clan, Sarutobi Hiruzen would not have said any of this.

At most, he would have become wary of the boy. He might not even have learned of this matter in the first place.

But Hyuga Shuji was not merely a genius of the Hyuga Clan. He was also Tsunade's disciple.

That naturally gave Shuji a certain connection to him.

That was why Sarutobi Hiruzen had come here to teach Shuji.

Because in Sarutobi Hiruzen's view, Shuji was only six years old. At that age, making mistakes was perfectly normal.

But by the same token, after making mistakes, one needed guidance.

"Yes, Hyuga Shunichi did do something wrong. But what is the essential difference between your actions and Hyuga Shunichi's?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked into Shuji's eyes and asked quietly.

Shuji pursed his lips but said nothing.

"Do you want to become someone like Hyuga Shunichi too?"

Seeing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen continued.

Before Shuji could say anything, Sarutobi Hiruzen placed his hand on Shuji's shoulder once more.

"Shuji, you must understand that the strength we gain through hard training is meant to protect, not to humiliate others. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I understand what you mean."

Shuji nodded. Simply sitting quietly and listening to the Third Hokage's lecture would not do.

Hiruzen could easily think that Shuji had not taken his words to heart at all.

So Shuji needed to raise some questions and obtain a solution from Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"I know that, as a member of the village, I should use my strength to protect the village and everyone in it.

That is also why I want to learn Medical Ninjutsu.

But, Grandpa Hiruzen, when someone I want to protect harms someone else I want to protect, what should I do?"