Neji

It was evening.

The setting sun's afterglow bathed the earth.

Uzumaki Menma and Naruto walked Hinata home.

"Actually, I can go home by myself. Menma, Naruto, you two should head back first."

Hinata was almost certain that when she got home, her father would sternly reprimand her.

If Uzumaki Menma and Naruto went back with her, they might end up getting reprimanded along with her.

As their friend, Hinata did not want Uzumaki Menma and Naruto to be scolded because of her.

Uzumaki Menma smiled reassuringly. "It's fine. We already told your dad we'd walk you home. If we let you go back alone, wouldn't that mean we broke our promise? Right, Naruto?"

Naruto agreed, "That's right! We don't break promises!"

Seeing the determined expressions on Uzumaki Menma and Naruto's faces, Hinata was deeply moved.

But moved as she was, she was still very worried.

They were about to reach the Hyuga Clan.

Yet Uzumaki Menma kept feeling as if someone was following them.

But whenever he turned around, he could not find anyone.

Seeing Uzumaki Menma repeatedly look back, Naruto asked in confusion, "Menma, what's wrong?"

Uzumaki Menma scratched his head puzzledly. "I have this feeling... like someone's following us."

"Huh? You feel it too? I feel like there's someone behind us as well. Hinata, do you feel it?" Naruto turned to ask Hinata.

Hinata nodded as well. "Mm, I feel it too."

Since all three of them had the same feeling, someone really was secretly tailing them.

Uzumaki Menma pointed at a garbage bin ahead and quietly said to Naruto and Hinata, "I'll hide behind that bin. Naruto, you and Hinata keep walking forward. Don't look back, understand?"

Naruto and Hinata nodded. "Got it."

Naruto and Hinata walked ahead while Uzumaki Menma hid behind the garbage bin.

Sure enough.

After Naruto and Hinata left, a set of footsteps sounded.

Once Uzumaki Menma sensed that the person tailing them had gone forward, he suddenly darted out from behind the bin, trapping the person between himself and Naruto and Hinata.

"Let's see who's got the nerve to follow us!"

Uzumaki Menma took a closer look and found that the person following them looked somewhat like Hinata.

Hinata froze when she saw him. "Brother Neji?"

Uzumaki Menma suddenly understood. So he was Hinata's cousin, Hyuga Neji.

Naruto had been about to march up with a fierce expression and question him, but when he heard Hinata call him "Brother Neji," he asked her in confusion, "Hinata, is he your brother? Why is your brother following us?"

Neji, somewhat embarrassed at being discovered, stiffened his neck and retorted, "Following you? I was protecting her!"

"Protecting? Protecting who?"

"Of course, Lady Hinata!"

Naruto's brain began to overload. "Aren't you Hinata's brother? Why are you calling her Lady Hinata?"

Neji put his hands on his hips. "That's none of your business. My duty is to protect Lady Hinata from being influenced by all sorts of riffraff!"

Naruto thought Neji was simply worried about Hinata, so he patted his chest and promised, "Don't worry one bit. We'll protect Hinata properly."

Neji merely stared silently at Uzumaki Menma and Naruto.

Uzumaki Menma's expression became slightly strange. "Naruto, I think the riffraff he meant is us."

Neji sneered. "Looks like you have some self-awareness, unlike that blond idiot."

Naruto clenched his little fists. "Menma, he's asking for a beating. I really want to punch him!"

Neji provocatively crooked a finger at Naruto. "If you can so much as touch the edge of my clothes, I'll count it as my loss!"

"Heh, you've got some nerve! Just watch me knock all your teeth out!"

Naruto rolled up his sleeves and charged at Neji.

"Wait, Naruto!"

Hinata wanted to stop Naruto, but he had already rushed forward.

Naruto charged up in front of Neji, his fist smashing toward him.

Neji swiftly caught Naruto's wrist and pulled with the motion. Naruto stumbled and lurched forward.

Just as Naruto was about to fall, Neji grabbed the back of his collar and kept him from hitting the ground.

Naruto reflexively said, "Thanks."

Neji rolled his eyes at Naruto. "Idiot."

Then he kicked Naruto in the butt, sending him tumbling beside Hinata.

Hinata hurriedly helped Naruto up. "Naruto!"

Naruto was thoroughly unconvinced, feeling that he had only been careless just now.

"Again!"

Hinata grabbed Naruto when he tried to charge over again. "Naruto, Brother Neji is the clan's genius. You can't beat him."

Naruto pouted unhappily. "Hinata, why are you putting down your own side and cheering for the other side?"

Neji's expression was as awful as if he had eaten shit.

Who exactly was the other side, and who was their own side?!

"Enough, Naruto. Leave this to me! I'll teach him a lesson for you!"

Uzumaki Menma stepped forward.

After training like a demon under Yamanaka Fu for so long, Uzumaki Menma was brimming with confidence. He felt beating Neji would be a piece of cake!

Neji once again provocatively beckoned Uzumaki Menma over. "Then you come."

Uzumaki Menma walked up to Neji, then suddenly threw a right roundhouse kick at him.

But Uzumaki Menma's legs were a little short, or perhaps Neji was simply too agile. Uzumaki Menma's toes brushed Neji's clothes and missed.

Neji caught Uzumaki Menma's right leg, intending to use the same trick he had used on Naruto.

But Uzumaki Menma gave Neji no such chance. He leaped into the air and kicked at Neji with his left foot.

Neji immediately gave up on holding Uzumaki Menma's right leg, released it, and raised his arms to block.

Uzumaki Menma's left leg struck Neji's arm.

Neji retreated several steps while Uzumaki Menma fell to the ground.

"That was awesome, Menma! Go on, teach that annoying guy a lesson!" Naruto loudly cheered Uzumaki Menma on.

Hinata, however, was full of worry.

One was her brother, and the other was her friend. It did not seem right to cheer for either side.

Neji brushed the footprint from his arm and looked at Uzumaki Menma as he got back up. "Interesting. You're much stronger than that blond idiot. Then I'll get serious too."

Neji assumed the stance of the Gentle Fist and beckoned Uzumaki Menma over again. "Come!"

Uzumaki Menma rushed at Neji and raised his left fist toward Neji's face.

Just as Neji prepared to block the left fist, Uzumaki Menma's right fist suddenly shot out as well, driving toward Neji's abdomen.

"Heh, a feint? How naive!"

Neji did not panic in the slightest and simply traced a circle with both hands.

Uzumaki Menma's left and right hands seemed to stick to Neji's hands of their own accord, moving in a circle along with them.

Then Neji sharply pulled both hands to the left. Uzumaki Menma staggered several steps left before steadying himself.

Neji looked down at him proudly. "This is the ultimate technique of our Hyuga Clan!"

Uzumaki Menma had trained for less than two months at most. No matter how hard he trained, he could not possibly be a match for Neji, who was already four years old and had trained for over a year.

After all, Neji was a genius, and he trained just as diligently.

Seeing that Uzumaki Menma was no match for Neji either, Naruto was about to join Uzumaki Menma and attack together.

A tall figure appeared between Neji and Uzumaki Menma and Naruto.

That tall figure was Hinata's father, Hyuga Hiashi.