"Is that so…"
Neji nodded, turning toward his home.
After walking a short distance, a Hyuga branch member spotted him and ran over excitedly.
"Neji! Neji! We're free! Finally free! From today, we won't be oppressed by the main branch anymore! We're free!"
"Yeah…"
Neji responded listlessly.
"Neji? Why aren't you happy? Wait… your Caged Bird is still… s-sorry…"
The branch member suddenly realized, his expression shifting as he hurriedly left.
"…"
Neji touched his forehead protector, his heart heavy with complexity.
'Yes, my Caged Bird is still here, but others' aren't… Yet, why is there no anger in my heart, nor any joy?'
'All I feel is endless emptiness.'
He stared at the sky, continuing to walk.
Until… a faint sigh reached his ears.
"Why? The branch members gained freedom, and you're so sad? Is it because you're still a caged bird? No matter, I can free you right now."
"Who's there?"
Neji snapped to attention.
He was shocked to realize his surroundings were no longer the familiar streets but a dark, unfamiliar place.
A man in a yin-yang dual-colored robe, his face masked, stood behind him.
"You! The bastard who stole the main branch's Byakugan! How dare you show up in Konoha?!"
Recalling his earlier conversation with Hiashi, Neji roared in anger, swinging his right palm in a Gentle Fist strike at the masked man.
*BOOM!*
The Gentle Fist hit the masked man, who neither dodged nor blocked. The air around him trembled lightly before settling.
"You attack me with such anger. Is this how you treat a benefactor?" the masked man asked flatly.
"I'm glad you freed the branch members' Caged Bird. But you attacked Hiashi-sama and Hanabi! You made Hinata-ojousama sad! I'll never forgive you!"
Neji shouted, charging fiercely at the masked man. As he closed in, his arms moved swiftly, becoming blurs as he struck at various parts of the man's body.
"So… you've fallen… become a lapdog for this world's main branch, seeing your masters lose their eyes and grieve, then going mad? Truly… pathetic!"
The masked man's voice rose, tinged with anger.
Neji's palm struck the man's abdomen.
Just when Neji thought his attack landed, his right palm felt like it hit the slipperiest eel, as the man's waist twisted aside.
The palm strike merely grazed his opponent's body.
"Hm?"
Neji's brows shot up, his palms striking rapidly.
*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*
But no matter how fast his attacks, his palms always missed, the masked man's body weaving to evade every strike.
"What kind of technique is this?!" Neji said, slightly enraged.
The masked man didn't answer. His right hand slowly extended, his index and middle fingers pointing at Neji's eyes.
"No way!"
Neji shouted, trying to dodge, but found his body inexplicably felt like it was sinking into mud, unable to move.
This left him only able to watch as the masked man's fingers drew closer, fear flashing in his eyes.
'This guy is as strong as Hiashi-sama said—insanely strong!'
'Will I lose my eyes? But… I still have the Caged Bird… it seems… I'll die!'
'Die… just like that? Die here without clarity? Die worthlessly, like Father?'
"Scared?" the masked man asked.
Neji bit his lip, silent.
Instead, he widened his eyes, staring directly at the masked man, until his opponent's fingers touched his eyeballs!
His eyes began to shrink uncontrollably, but just as despair set in, a strange warmth spread through his body.
"This…"
"You're free, but… a pathetic lapdog of the main branch, if you want to avenge your masters, go ahead. But… someone as weak as you, what can you do?"
With those words, the masked man vanished completely.
Neji realized he was back on the original street.
"The Caged Bird is gone… that guy…"
Neji removed his forehead protector, staring at his smooth forehead, then muttered with a complex expression:
"Even so, I won't thank you! No matter how strong you are, you must have a weakness. I'll find it and defeat you! I will!"
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Elsewhere.
On the outskirts of Konoha.
Guy and Lee were walking upside down to train, shouting as they went:
"Aaaaa! Burn my youth! My spirit! Keep walking upside down around Konoha for three laps! If I can't, I'll jump rope five thousand times!"
"That's right, Lee! Training isn't just for youth or spirit, but to step up when friends need protection! Ooooh! Spirit!" Guy shouted.
"Amazing! Truly Guy-sensei! Lee! The burning of youth and spirit never ends! Ooooh ooooh!"
Suddenly, a spirited shout boomed.
A burly man over 190 cm tall, appearing from nowhere on Guy's right, mimicked their upside-down walk.
"Hm? Who are you?" Lee asked, startled.
"Magnificent muscles! I sense something extraordinary from you!" Guy said.
"My name's Tang! Like you, I'm someone who burns with youth and spirit!" the man said.
"Hahaha, Tang! Your body's well-trained, and your youth shines brightly! Let's burn our spirits even hotter!" Guy shouted.
"Ooooh ooooh! Ablaze!"
The three shouted in unison.
In an instant, they bonded like old friends, blending seamlessly.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
The next morning.
Having just finished breakfast, Neji sat cross-legged calmly in his small courtyard when an Anbu suddenly appeared.
"Hokage's orders! Urgent! Half an hour to reach the forest on Konoha's outskirts!"
Without waiting for Neji's response, the Anbu left.
"Hokage-sama's orders?"
Neji stood, left the courtyard, and moved swiftly.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
On Konoha's outskirts.
Neji, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Lee, Tenten, Ino, Choji, Shikamaru, Might Guy, Kotetsu, Izumo, Anko, their parents and siblings, and other elite ninja all gathered.
Everyone's expressions varied, exchanging glances, their faces full of surprise, clearly not expecting so many people to be summoned this time.
Shikamaru stared lazily at the sky.
"What's Hokage-sama calling us for? We just got back to Konoha, haven't even rested properly. Another emergency mission?"
"The Hyuga Clan faced such a huge issue. This meeting might be related to that. Otherwise, Hokage-sama wouldn't summon so many people." Tenten mused.
"So cruel! The Hyuga Clan's issue—definitely Akatsuki's revenge! Those bastards, if I meet them, I'll crush their bones!" Kiba said angrily.