Small talk

"Was Uchiha Itachi really that strong?" Sasuke did not believe a word of it.

If Uchiha Itachi were that strong, he should not have been the rogue ninja. Konoha should have been the one to defect.

"I never said Uchiha Itachi was that strong." Neji spread his hands.

Sasuke wanted to give Neji a couple of solid punches. That look on his face was practically begging for it, and it really made Sasuke's blood boil.

"Then who were you talking about?" Sasuke asked irritably.

"Madara Uchiha!" Neji said.

"Heh, relax. Uchiha Itachi definitely isn't that strong. According to legend, Madara Uchiha was so powerful because his Mangekyō Sharingan absorbed the eye power of his younger brother's Mangekyō Sharingan," Neji said.

"The Sharingan can absorb another pair's eye power?" Sasuke was intrigued.

Neji spread his hands. "Like I said, it's a legend."

"Tch." Sasuke was thoroughly annoyed.

"Come to think of it, are you asking because you've made progress with the Rasenshuriken?" Neji returned to business.

Sasuke shook his head. "I'm nowhere near that yet. I've only just started learning wind nature transformation and shape transformation, and I only recently mastered that Rasengan without hand seals. I'm still a long way from the Rasenshuriken."

"Got my hopes up for nothing." Neji shook his head. "I thought you were making rapid progress."

"I have way too much to do right now. I have to train in taijutsu every day, practice the transformations for wind chakra, then secretly work on the Rasenshuriken at night. I feel like even a donkey turning a millstone has an easier life than I do." Sasuke felt as though his workload had already been scheduled a year in advance.

Neji nodded. "A donkey really does have it easier than you."

That was the plain truth.

"Neji, I'm heading home." Tenten's voice rang out just then.

Neji turned to look. Tenten, who had been practicing with ninja tools on the other side of the training ground, had walked over.

"Tenten, I'm going to train a little longer," Neji replied.

"This is Sasuke Uchiha, the current top student in sixth grade. He's my friend, and a genius too," Neji introduced him.

"I'm Tenten, Neji's teammate." Tenten greeted him.

"Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke calmly returned the greeting.

"I'll be going, then. Get in touch if anything comes up." With that, Sasuke left the training ground too.

"Neji, this Sasuke Uchiha seems pretty aloof. He looks like he'd be hard to get along with." Tenten had been planning to leave, but had not expected Sasuke Uchiha to leave before her.

"Tenten, it's not what you think. He only looks aloof. He's actually not that hard to get along with," Neji said.

Tenten looked at Neji, then at the departing Sasuke Uchiha. Isn't that just because you're both the aloof type?

Although that was what Tenten thought, she said, "Oh, I see. I guess I misjudged him."

"Neji, are you free tomorrow evening?" Tenten looked a little bashful, her face flushed red.

Seeing her expression, Neji shook his head immediately. "Sorry, Tenten. I need to help Lady Hinata practice Gentle Fist."

That was no lie. With graduation approaching, Hinata had noticeably increased her training lately, and she needed Neji as a sparring partner more and more often.

Tenten wilted, disappointment written all over her face. "In that case, never mind."

"Right. If that's all, I'll head home," Neji said calmly.

The incident did not stir his emotions at all. There was no way he could fall for a twelve-year-old child. Even if anything were to develop, it would have to wait until she was an adult.

After returning to the Hyuga Clan compound, Neji went to the clan head's courtyard as usual. This was where Hyuga Hiashi taught Hinata Hyuga Gentle Fist, and where she sparred with Neji.

When he arrived, Neji happened to see Hinata and Hanabi sparring.

It was obvious that Hanabi, despite being several years younger, held an overwhelming advantage. Hinata could only defend, with no chance to strike back.

What a waste of such pure Byakugan. Neji inwardly shook his head at the sight.

Hinata's physical gifts were not poor. What she lacked was awareness and understanding.

"Lord Clan Head." Neji lowered his head in greeting.

Hyuga Hiashi gave an almost imperceptible nod. "Mm."

"Hanabi, that's enough. Come with me." Hyuga Hiashi seemed unable to watch any longer and called a halt.

Hearing him, Hanabi Hyuga released a burst of chakra from her palm, abruptly driving Hinata back several steps, then returned to stand behind Hyuga Hiashi.

Hyuga Hiashi nodded in satisfaction as he looked at his younger daughter. Then he turned to Neji. "Neji, give Hinata some guidance. I'm taking Hanabi to practice Gentle Fist."

"Yes, Lord Clan Head," Neji answered.

He knew that what Hyuga Hiashi would teach Hanabi next were the secret Gentle Fist techniques reserved for the Main Family, such as Rotation.

He never taught Hinata or Hanabi those things in front of Neji. Neji had worked out the secret Gentle Fist technique Rotation himself, bit by bit, after watching a few members of the Main Family use it.

"Big Brother Neji..." Hinata still looked as frail as ever.

"Lady Hinata, you shouldn't keep going on like this," Neji said seriously.

Hinata lowered her head to look at the tips of her shoes, clutching the hem of her clothes. "Big Brother Neji, I know this isn't good, but I really have done my best," she said quietly.

"Never mind. It wasn't my place to say those things anyway. In that case, let's start sparring, Lady Hinata." Neji shook his head and said no more.

He had only said those things because this girl named Hinata Hyuga genuinely treated him as a person, unlike the other members of the Main Family, who regarded him as a slave.

That was the last shred of affection Neji had left for the Hyuga Main Family.

"Okay, Big Brother Neji." Hinata settled into her stance and charged.

No improvement whatsoever! That was Neji's assessment of Hinata's Gentle Fist.

Indeed, in Neji's eyes, Hinata's Gentle Fist was no different from what it had been a few months ago.

She has absolutely no idea what she's doing! Neji felt he could thrash her with one hand.

Could she have spent all her time pining over her crush? Neji's thoughts wandered.

Even with his mind elsewhere, Neji could handle Hinata with ease.

Hinata Hyuga's problem was simply that she was far too useless. In short, she was a hopeless case.

Interesting... The thought suddenly occurred to Neji as he watched Hinata.

The Main Family keeps boasting that the Hyuga are Konoha's strongest clan, yet they've raised an heir who's utterly lacking in confidence and cowardly to boot. How interesting... Neji sneered inwardly.

Neji did not know whether this was what people called karmic retribution, but he never placed his hopes in such things. That was merely something powerless people clung to when they had no options left.