Neji Hyuga

"...The loser will leave the ring."

As a branch family member of the Hyuga withdrew, his face filled with resentment, Neji Hyuga opened his eyes after resting them and waited for the Referee's announcement.

He and Young Lady Hinata were in the final match.

Before this, the heads of the main and branch families were supposed to exchange a few words.

But everyone in the Hyuga Clan knew that Neji's father had been the Branch Family Head. Last year, the Family had made him take his own life in humiliation to avoid angering Kumogakure's envoys. Even his body had been taken away by the people of Kumogakure.

Because the people of Kumogakure wanted the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan.

This was a disgrace to the Family, so no one would mention it on an occasion like this, nor would anyone tell Neji the truth.

In fact, had young Neji's talent and performance not been so outstanding that he could be called the Hyuga Clan's greatest genius, they would not have kept putting off choosing a new Branch Family Leader to soothe his feelings, continuing to honor the deceased Hizashi Hyuga as the Branch Family Clan Head.

Young Neji Hyuga was more mature than most adults. Already attending the Ninja Academy, he understood all too well that his performance determined many things.

He did not dare let up for even a moment.

"Main family, Hinata Hyuga."

At the Referee's call, a small figure shuffled out from behind the Main Family crowd. Under everyone's gaze, she lowered her head timidly.

"Branch family, Neji Hyuga."

Neji slowly walked to stand opposite Hinata and assumed the opening stance of the Gentle Fist.

Seeing Neji's stance, Hinata belatedly hurried to raise her hands as well.

"Alas, the main family's heir will never amount to much."

"She falls far short of Neji."

The spectators spoke quietly, but Neji could still hear them.

To be honest, he did not dislike this girl who was nominally his younger cousin, but in reality his Young Lady.

But he hated the main family. After learning of his father's tragedy, he hated the Caged Bird Seal that bound him to them even more. With that hanging over him, all he could see was Hinata's identity as the main family's young lady.

Whatever dreams or hopes he had for the future were meaningless. His entire life existed to revolve around her.

And Hinata's overly timid behavior irritated Neji immensely.

Because it kept making him wonder what meaning his life, or his father's life, had at all...

"Take your..." The Referee looked over both contestants and was just about to give the command.

"You can do it, Hinata-chan!"

Suddenly, a loud, ill-timed shout rang out over the Hyuga Clan Compound.

Everyone turned toward the voice, including the two in the ring.

There atop the tall wall, his blond hair gleaming in the sunlight, stood Naruto with his arms folded. Completely unfazed by the many scowls from the Hyuga, he encouraged Hinata again. "Don't be scared! Give it your best... Oh, and you over there, give it your best too!"

Seeing the boy give him a thumbs-up as well, Neji Hyuga reflexively replied, "Ah, thank you..."

But he quickly came to his senses. This was an internal Hyuga Clan tournament. How could outsiders possibly be allowed to watch?

Almost the very next instant, Naruto cried out in surprise atop the wall. A skilled branch family member of the Hyuga had appeared behind him, his expression cold, and reached down to seize him.

He was a Guard of the Hyuga Clan. Although he was not registered as a ninja in the village, he was an expert within the clan. Most members who practiced the Gentle Fist and Byakugan were far stronger than ordinary Konoha ninja. Even among chunin, few could fight them at close range.

All the more so with Naruto, who looked like a child of only four or five. The Hyuga never even considered the possibility that he might miss.

But just as his hand was about to touch Naruto, something blurred before his eyes, and his grasp suddenly found nothing.

"Hm?" Almost instinctively, he activated his Byakugan. The special visual Jutsu, with its nearly three-hundred-and-sixty-degree field of vision, immediately revealed Naruto, who had left the wall and was now lying on the ground behind him.

Did he get lucky? Did he lose his footing and slip down, dodging me by accident? Seeing Naruto at the foot of the wall, the Guard found an explanation for his failure. After all, rather than believe a little brat like this could evade his grasp, he was far more willing to believe it was merely a coincidence.

"Naruto-kun..." Hinata's face was full of worry.

That child is... Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki? Hinata's father, Hyuga Hiashi, stood at the center of the crowd, but his thoughts turned to other matters. As the Clan Head of Konoha's oldest clan, he knew more of the village's secrets than most.

He knew Naruto's true identity: the Fourth Hokage's son, a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan... And he understood even better the attitude of the village's leadership, headed by the Third Hokage, toward Naruto.

Like the Uchiha Clan, the Hyuga Clan was an ancient lineage. In this regard, the Third Hokage probably did not want the Hyuga Clan having much contact with this child either.

"Stop. Don't give him a hard time." At that thought, Hyuga Hiashi glanced at his daughter's expression in the ring, then at Neji, who was also watching what was happening over there. He called off the clan member who still intended to pursue Naruto. "Just keep him outside. And you few, check the surrounding area for anyone else. Continue the match."

Only after hearing the Clan Head speak did everyone turn their attention back.

Hearing her father say they would no longer trouble Naruto, Hinata breathed a sigh of relief. Then she silently thanked Naruto for cheering her on and focused once more.

Naruto's shout had eased much of her nervousness.

Neji, meanwhile, had grown curious about Naruto. He knew just how closed off the clan was, yet despite someone spying on their internal tournament, the Clan Head had shown no intention of pursuing the matter.

Who exactly was that guy?

But Neji was, after all, a genius the likes of whom the Hyuga Clan rarely produced. Almost immediately, he cast his distracting thoughts aside.

The two contestants soon turned their attention back to each other. No longer afraid, Hinata assumed her stance again.

"Now then, take your positions." The Hyuga acting as Referee glanced at the pair, swept his hand down, and called, "Begin!"

"Hmph. Get lost, brat." Hearing the sounds from within the compound, the Hyuga Guard chuckled and looked down at Naruto from atop the wall.

"That man clearly only said I had to stay outside." Standing on the ground, Naruto wiped his nose and looked up. "Fine, I won't watch. Can't I even stay outside?"

"You little... Hm?" A vein bulged on the Hyuga Clan guard's forehead. He was about to teach the brat a small lesson when he suddenly noticed—

If this brat had just slipped off the wall, why didn't he have a single scrape on him?