Naruto: The Primal Hyuga Pierces the Shinobi World.

For Shinichi, training in taijutsu with Neji wasn't a waste of time. Even someone as strong as Madara Uchiha couldn't succeed by fighting alone.

If Shinichi Hyuga wanted to survive in the ninja world, he needed a truly outstanding ally. Neji Hyuga, a fellow clansman with exceptional talent, was naturally one of the best choices.

Investing time in Neji is essentially an investment that guarantees at least a minimum return.

Even though Neji couldn't break through the limits of his talent under his own tutelage, he could still grow into a qualified Jonin. Given the opportunity, with Neji's aptitude, he might have even greater potential in the future.

At least... they won't die like cannon fodder in a war under unknown area-of-effect attacks.

As darkness fell and the sun set, the once brightly lit temple was now bathed in the red glow of the setting sun.

Shinichi Hyuga's training ended at this time. Neji, who had been observing for an afternoon, had long since abandoned his image and sat cross-legged, completely losing his initial uprightness and caution.

Although his father, Hyuga Hizashi, often admonished young Neji to maintain proper etiquette in front of the main branch of the family, how much binding force did such a thing have on a child his age?

Moreover, Shinichi Hyuga has always treated Neji as one of his own, and his guards can naturally see Shinichi's affection for his cousin. No one has ever corrected Neji's manners.

Neji is also very relaxed when he's with Shinichi.

Having finished his training, Shinichi took the towel handed to him by his subordinate, wiping away his sweat as he walked to Neji's side:

"I've been at the dojo all afternoon, watching me practice. It must be so boring, right?"

Once Shinichi gets absorbed in his own affairs, he becomes so focused that he sometimes neglects Neji.

"No, it can't be!"

Neji gently shook his head, and the look in his eyes made Shinichi pause slightly in surprise.

The child's character was far more remarkable than he had anticipated.

"That's good." Shinichi liked Neji's personality very much. Although he was young, his composure was ingrained in his bones.

Let's go!

After tidying up the dojo briefly, the group left.

As for Hinata, who had been peeking outside the door earlier, a child her age simply didn't have Neji's patience. After watching for nearly half an hour, she got tired and bored and left long ago.

Although the brother and sister are only one year apart, their very different personalities lead them to react very differently when faced with the same thing.

Only after finishing his training did Shinichi finally have time to spend with his younger siblings. His "spending time" consisted mostly of watching Neji and Hinata chase and play in their room; his job was simply to keep an eye on the two little ones so they wouldn't get hurt.

As for Hanako, she also had some rare free time. She chatted with Shinichi in her room while knitting sweaters and scarves for her son and daughter.

Hanako was the kind of extremely traditional mother Shinichi knew. Shinichi and Hinata were at the age where they were growing, and their clothes and shoes were changed almost every year. Hanako was very skilled at handicrafts, and almost all of their clothes were made by her.

The warm moments spent with his family made Shinichi truly feel that he was in a real world.

The fatigue from training gradually dissipated during casual conversations with Hanako. The deep-seated fear of the unknown future also deepened with time spent with family.

Hanako never cared how many techniques Shinichi mastered or how much his physical abilities improved during his training. What she cared about most was whether Shinichi had a happy day, and she would ask him what interesting things had happened to him.

Or they might inquire about the family situations of Shinichi's teammates, knowing more about Shinichi's interpersonal relationships than they do about his census.

Perhaps this is a traditional way for mothers to express their care.

The warm atmosphere vanished as Hyuga Hiashi opened the room door. In the evening, few guests arrived or left for the funeral, allowing Hiashi to escape and have a short rest.

After a brief discussion with Hizashi, Hiashi was unable to reach a satisfactory answer after talking with Orochimaru. In the end, he discussed the matter with the elders of the Hyuga clan.

The clan elder is Hyuga Shin, Hyuga Hiashi's uncle. Shinichi needs to call him Great-Grandpa. He is an old man who is much more old-fashioned than Hiashi.

Shin Hyuga, who spent his entire life experiencing war, never married or had children due to some experiences in his early years. His younger brother, Shinichi's grandfather, also died in the Ninja World War in his prime.

The Hyuga brothers, Hiashi and Higashi, are essentially the children of Shinichi Hyuga.

He dedicated his life to the Hyuga clan and held a high position within the clan. Moreover, as a ninja who survived the war years, he possessed experience and decisiveness that the younger generation could not match.

What Orochimaru said concerns the entire Hyuga clan, and even Hiashi wanted someone to help him with the planning.

The discussion naturally yielded a result, but... the solution that was reached left Hiashi Hyuga feeling heavy-hearted.

With a serious expression, Hiashi pushed open the door and entered the room. Neji and Hinata, who were playing around, turned their heads to look at the door after hearing the noise. When they saw that it was Hiashi, the two children immediately fell silent, stood up straight, and bowed respectfully to Hiashi.

The once lively room suddenly became quiet and deserted.

Forcing a smile, Hiashi glanced at Neji and Hinata, then turned to Shinichi and Hanako, beckoning to Shinichi and saying in a deep voice:

"Shinichi, come here."

Hiashi's somber expression made Hanako's heart sink. After being married for so many years, she and Hiashi had developed a tacit understanding that no one else could match. As soon as she saw Hiashi's expression, Hanako knew that something had happened.

However... she managed to remain calm at this moment, gently patted Shinichi's arm, and said softly, "Your father is calling you, hurry up and go."

Shinichi naturally noticed this as well, got up and went to the door. Led by Hiashi, he walked out of the room.

As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Hyuga Shin and Hyuga Hizashi standing there.

It turns out that not only Hiashi, but also Hizashi and Hyuga Shin were present.

"Keep up."

Hijiri didn't say much, but after giving a brief reminder, he led the way towards the study in his home.

The group moved through the darkness, and a sense of oppression permeated the air.

After entering the study and closing the door, Hiashi addressed Shinichi directly:

"Shinichi, Father, I'm going to the battlefield."

"While I'm away, you must listen to your great-grandfather, study hard, and cultivate diligently!"

"Please take care of things at home!"

Hiashi Hyuga spoke solemnly to Shinichi, his expression as if he were giving his final words, his face heavy with grief.

......................