Naruto: I, who fooled the ninja world, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 15 is truly tragic; the unfortunate people...

The mansion of the clan patriarch was not well-lit, and the night air exuded a chill.

Bang…bang…

Silent hammering sounds echoed from the courtyard. A boy with fair skin and a bandage covering his forehead stood in the courtyard, continuously striking the wooden stake with fluid punches.

However, as he swung his fist, his dazed, youthful face gradually became distorted and ferocious, with a hint of ruthlessness. His usual peaceful expression was gone, and his soft fists gradually became vicious and violent.

He didn't use chakra with each strike. This self-destructive way of hitting gradually made his fists a bloody mess, and glaring bloodstains began to appear in the deep indentations on the surface of the wooden stake.

It was less of a practice and more of a venting session.

Even so, he showed no sign of stopping.

All that remained in Hyuga Neji's mind was the scene from a few days ago when he first witnessed the caged bird.

Just like every day for the past few years, I went to spar with that eldest daughter of the main family.

He had already been branded with that ugly curse mark, but he didn't understand what it meant at all. He naively thought it was what the other clansmen said, symbolizing the "responsibility" of protecting the main family when the branch family was separated.

responsibility.

These two words held no real meaning for him; in his view, protecting his younger sister was simply his duty as an older brother.

Even without this so-called "responsibility," he had done the same thing every day in the past, treating Hinata as his own little sister.

Until that day, that moment.

He witnessed his revered father clutching his head, his body convulsing, howling and screaming in agony on the ground like a dog.

He once couldn't understand why his father wouldn't take off his headband, even at home.

Until that moment, the headband fell off his father's forehead, revealing the forehead marked with a curse, the bulging veins like centipedes, and the ugly blue curse mark seemed to be writhing.

The so-called head of the clan, the man who should have been addressed as "uncle," merely stared coldly at him and his father, relentlessly activating the curse seal without a shred of pity.

"Just this once." Hiashi Hyuga's Byakugan gleamed coldly in the dark room as he said indifferently, "Don't forget your mission."

That was the first time Hyuga Neji saw the ugliness of the Caged Bird Seal, and the first time he understood what the seal truly meant to them.

The so-called cursed seal could easily destroy their brain nerves, which meant that the main family, which possessed the cursed seal, held the power of life and death over the branch family.

If a member of the branch family harbors rebellious or presumptuous intentions, or fails to fulfill their obligations and responsibilities, the head family can use a curse seal to execute that member.

In everyone's eyes, this curse-like mark can only be broken by death.

From then on, the once gentle Hyuga Neji became cold, and the look in his eyes when he looked at Hinata was no longer that of a doting older brother, but rather that of an enemy with disgust and hatred.

Crunch!

Hyuga Neji gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, as if his father's admonitions were echoing in his ears once again.

"Neji, don't resent the main family. The caged bird is not a curse, but a protective measure."

"I understand, Father."

"Our Byakugan is coveted by enemies. The main family is doing this to protect the Byakugan from falling into enemy hands, and for the sake of the Hyuga clan's future."

"I understand, Father."

"This is our mission as a branch family, and this is our destiny as a branch family. One day, you will understand."

“I understand, Father…” *Snap!*
With a piercing shriek as if the air were being torn apart, the wooden stake finally succumbed to the pressure and broke in half, sending splinters flying like snow.

Hyuga Neji staggered and knelt on the ground, looking down at his blood-dripping hand. His long black hair obscured his face as he murmured, "I understand, Father..."

But I don't understand.

Why are the members of the main family able to accept all of this so calmly?
How can the main family members accept all of this so calmly?!

Those who harmed their own kind, what right do they have to sit on the back of the branch family and accept everything with a clear conscience, and what right do they have to call the sacrifice of the branch family "fate"!
Click.

The door made a slight creak, breaking the deathly silence in the courtyard.

The dim, yellowish light behind him was turned on, and a figure gradually walked behind Neji, his broad shadow enveloping him.

"Neji..."

Looking at his child with his back to him, Hyuga Hizashi's expression was incredibly complicated.

In fact, after decades or even centuries of "inheritance", most children of the branch family have been instilled with the idea from childhood that "the branch family is born to protect the main family", and almost no branch family members would resist the main family.

They rejoice at the praise of the head family, fear at the anger of the head family, and rage at the sorrow of the head family.

Hyuga Hizashi should have instilled the concept of master and servant in Neji from a young age, just like everyone else, but he ultimately did not do so.

He may have regretted it over the past three years, but whenever he saw the genuinely doting smile on Neji's face when he looked at Hinata, he was glad that he hadn't done it.

He didn't want Neji and Hinata's relationship to become like his relationship with his older brother. He hoped that when Neji was branded with the Caged Bird Seal, he would genuinely feel that being branded with the Caged Bird Seal was no big deal and that he could treat Hinata like his older brother had always been.

In his opinion, given Hinata's personality, she would never use the cursed seal on Neji, and the two could still get along like they did when they were children.

However, Hyuga Hizashi never imagined that the scene he had witnessed, his impulsive act of wanting to kill Hinata, would have such a profound impact on Neji and change him so drastically...

"Father."

Hyuga Neji stood up and hid his hands behind his back.

Hyuga Hizashi snapped out of his daze, gently patted Neji's head, and smiled warmly: "Neji, you've already mastered the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms. In a little while, I'll be able to teach you the advanced Gentle Fist."

"Yes, Father." Hyuga Neji's expression was calm, without any joy.

Seeing Neji like this, Hyuga Hizashi couldn't help but fall silent, letting out a silent sigh.

"Go and treat your wound." He glanced at Neji's hand hidden behind his back. "Don't do that again next time."

"..." Hyuga Neji lowered his head, and after a moment he spoke, "Yes, Father."

Watching Neji stride into the house, Hizashi Hyuga stood there in silence for a long time.

He had once tried to resist so-called fate, but now he understands that fate is not someone standing in front of him who can simply strangle him.

Fate has no flaws; it can advance or retreat, and neither you nor I can escape it.

"I only hope that as Neji grows up, he can get rid of the resentment in his heart." Hyuga Hizashi said to himself in a low voice, "All the suffering I am experiencing now will become a treasure that makes Neji even stronger."

As soon as he finished speaking, just as he was about to leave, a sneer drifted into his ears on the wind.

"It's truly pathetic," someone said. "Unhappy people always create people who are even more unhappy than themselves."

(End of this chapter)