Hyuga Hiashi

The two greeted each other and shook hands. Uchiha Izuna's hand was a whole size larger than Hinata's. As they shook, Hinata couldn't help thinking, His hand is so warm.

Uchiha Izuna only felt a smooth, slippery sensation in his palm. He couldn't help but... ahem, better not say any more. That would be way too criminal.

"How did you end up here?" Uchiha Izuna asked curiously, looking at the little girl beside him.

"I-I was just about to run away from home!!!" As she said this, the girl's expression turned resolute, and she looked at Uchiha Izuna.

"Run away from home??? What happened? Is someone bullying you?" Uchiha Izuna furrowed his brow. He'd already realized that this was the moment Hinata and Naruto were supposed to meet.

At that very moment, Naruto, who was asleep at home, suddenly woke with a start. He felt as though he'd lost something. He got up and checked the fridge, then sighed in relief. His milk and instant noodles were still there.

Then he went back to bed and fell asleep again.

Hyuga residence

Hinata's eyes reddened, and tears welled up. She nodded. "Mm."

Uchiha Izuna patted her on the head. "Would you like to tell me about it? I'll listen carefully, and I won't laugh at you."

Hinata nodded. "Of course." Then she began pouring out her troubles to Uchiha Izuna, who listened attentively.

At last, he said, "You're upset because you think your big brother Neji doesn't like you, and because he hits you so hard every time you train?"

Hinata nodded. "At home, I don't dare talk to Father about it. He'll think I'm useless and tell me to train harder if I can't beat him."

Uchiha Izuna knew the reason. It had happened about one or two years ago. A Kumogakure delegation had tried to steal Konoha's Byakugan and kidnapped Hinata. Hyuga Hiashi arrived in time, killed the Kumogakure envoy with a single palm strike, and brought Hinata home.

When Kumogakure learned what had happened, the Fourth Raikage A flew into a rage. He sent a letter to Konoha, demanding they hand over the person responsible or go to war with Kumogakure.

Kumogakure had picked the perfect time. Konoha had just suffered the Nine-Tails Incident and was in ruins. The Third, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had only recently returned to power, and he didn't want a war with Kumogakure.

So he personally went to negotiate with the Hyuga Clan. No one knew what was said during those negotiations, but that evening, after Sarutobi Hiruzen left, the sound of things being smashed echoed through the Hyuga Clan compound.

The next day, Hizashi's body was sent to Kumogakure. From then on, Hyuga Hiashi never again attended any of the Hokage's meetings.

The Hyuga Clan had completely fallen out with the Hokage's faction. After that, the major clans all felt threatened. They understood the principle that when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold.

Still, Uchiha Izuna couldn't bring himself to tell young Hinata about what had happened. Besides, even in his fury and grief, Neji—the victim's son—had never brought it up to take revenge on Hinata.

Uchiha Izuna fell silent. Then he patted Hinata on the back and said, "In a little while, I'll talk to Neji for you and make sure he doesn't dare bully you again."

Hinata froze. Her bright eyes gazed at Uchiha Izuna, as if asking, Really?

Uchiha Izuna smiled without answering. "Come on. I'll introduce you to the two greatest prodigies in our clan."

He took Hinata by the hand and led her over to Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi.

Uchiha Shisui frowned, and Uchiha Itachi immediately stood up. You animal! How could you go after someone so young?

The girl looked only four or five years old, didn't she? Uchiha Izuna, you thick-browed, honest-looking rascal—you were five years older than her!

"Shisui, big brother, why are you looking at me like that?" Uchiha Izuna asked with a frown.

Uchiha Itachi was appeased by those words. Uchiha Izuna hadn't called him big brother once in the last twenty-four hours!

The Uchiha were all sister complexes. How could they possibly tolerate that?

But now that Uchiha Izuna had called him big brother, Uchiha Itachi's anger vanished at once. He sat back down, looking calm and composed.

That amused Uchiha Shisui. He watched Uchiha Izuna with a hint of suspicion and asked, "Izuna, is this a new friend you've made?"

After hesitating for a moment, Shisui still couldn't bring himself to ask the girl whether she was Izuna's girlfriend. She might just be a friend, after all.

Uchiha Izuna nodded. "Mm. This little one was peeking at us just now. I noticed her, so I went to ask what was going on..."

Uchiha Izuna briefly recounted everything that had just happened. Uchiha Shisui's expression softened, while Uchiha Itachi nodded repeatedly. That was how the Uchiha were: if they saw injustice, they drew their swords to help.

Just then, Hyuga Hiashi emerged from inside, dressed in a white kimono. He stood about 1.8 meters tall, which was quite tall in the Shinobi World.

His expressionless face, measured steps as he descended the stairs, and unwavering gaze gave him the bearing of a noble and the head of a great clan.

The three Uchiha noticed him and turned to look in unison.

Hyuga Hiashi looked at them too. He was curious about why the Uchiha had sent those three to the Hyuga Clan, but the moment he saw them, his expression changed and his mood soured.

He didn't address the three Uchiha first. Instead, he looked at Hinata with a dark expression and asked, "Hinata, what are you doing here?"

At the sound of her name, Hinata trembled all over and instinctively looked toward Uchiha Izuna.

Uchiha Izuna stepped forward. "Clan Head Hiashi, why are you so impatient with your own daughter? Surely you can't blame a two-year-old girl for what happened back then?"

He showed no fear, smiling as he looked at Hyuga Hiashi.

Hyuga Hiashi was taken aback. It was probably the first time anyone had ever dared speak to him like that.

"What business is it of yours? You're an outsider. Do you think you can interfere in the Hyuga Clan's family affairs?" Hyuga Hiashi released his chakra.

Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui exchanged glances, then moved in front of Uchiha Izuna to shield him. Hyuga Hiashi was at a loss for words, and even Hinata grew anxious.

"Big brothers, please help Izuna! How can he withstand Father's pressure all by himself?" As Hinata spoke, tears began to fall.

"Heh, don't worry. Your father might not be able to beat Izuna, let alone the Hokage," Uchiha Itachi said with a laugh.

The next second, Uchiha Izuna released his chakra. His aura surged like a deep, boundless sea, and the floor shattered.

Uchiha Izuna's hair fluttered in the wind, and his eyes were cold. "I merely spoke up for what was right, and Clan Head Hiashi responded by releasing his chakra to pressure me. Do you really think the Uchiha have no one to stand up for them?"

Watching this, Hyuga Hiashi couldn't help but marvel. The Uchiha Clan was about to produce another genius. Three prodigies in one family—how fortunate.