By the waterfall behind the Hokage Rock.
A bonfire continuously sparked as the wind blew.
A young man, with a black ribbon tied around his forehead, stared blankly at the cascading waterfall.
"Fate… at the moment of birth, everything is already determined." Neji murmured.
"If you truly believed that, you wouldn't have come here tonight." Shinji's voice suddenly sounded behind Neji.
Neji's pupils constricted sharply. Just as he was about to turn around, he found Shinji already seated beside him.
"I just…"
Neji opened his mouth to retort, but found himself unable to utter a single insincere word under the gaze of the man before him.
"Just what?" Shinji picked up a nearby branch, stirring the bonfire, and asked.
Neji closed his eyes, not responding.
Seeing Neji like this, Shinji sighed and said, "You must know, the Cursed Seal can only be on your forehead, but it cannot allow a cage to be in your heart."
"Cannot allow a cage to be in one's heart…" Neji felt that these words made him feel particularly dazed.
"I am actually not clear about the true circumstances of what happened back then."
Shinji looked sideways at Neji. To say he knew absolutely nothing would be underestimating Neji a bit. However, when he said he didn't understand the truth, he truly didn't understand it.
After all, it was only after the Hyuga clan had handled everything that Hiruzen was called over. It wasn't an excuse, but truly the case.
After all, given the suddenness and urgency of the situation at the time, Hiruzen might still have been frantically dealing with border affairs.
Moreover, handing over Hizashi's corpse, to put it unpleasantly, damaged Konoha's dignity.
Another point was that the ancient clan's tradition of high autonomy had never changed because the Hokage of Konoha was the leader. Otherwise, there wouldn't be the so-called Main House and Branch House.
From the Hokage's perspective, during wartime, he would wish for countless masters within the village. Even if these masters belonged exclusively to one clan, they could figure out how to balance them after the war ended. But they wouldn't do something like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.
If Hiruzen had truly demanded the Hyuga clan hand over Hizashi, countless clans would have defected from the village the next day.
And the Uchiha clan now…
If it weren't for the current clan head Fugaku's son having the Mangekyo Sharingan, plus the existence of Shisui who leaned towards the Hokage, did they really think the Uchiha clan would accept this so obediently?
However, as of now, Fugaku should have already resolved these unstable factors within the clan.
Shinji, his thoughts wandering, pulled them back and looked at Neji beside him. "I think perhaps the moment your father died was his freest moment."
As Shinji spoke, he pointed two fingers towards Neji's covered forehead.
For the Caged Bird…
Isn't resistance precisely about risking one's life to pursue freedom?
Hearing this, Neji clenched his fists, his voice cold. "How could someone forced to die in another's place feel 'freedom'?"
"Please do not say such things. This is blasphemy against the deceased."
Shinji lowered his gaze, not minding Neji's words. After all, the young man before him…
At this moment, the veins on his Byakugan were bulging, his eyes filled with hostility, yet tears were falling from the corners of his eyes.
That stubborn expression, trying to appear fierce, yet he couldn't stop the tears from dripping onto the ground.
"A person who dares to actively seek death cannot be said to be forced to die in another's place."
"Neji, are you willing to let the rumors of criticism become reality?"
Shinji's eyes narrowed slightly, smiling gently. "That would be the greatest blasphemy against your father."
Neji knelt, his pupils constricted, his body slightly swaying.
"I…"
That's right, if he said his father was forced to die in another's place, wouldn't that purely be blaspheming his father?
"I think, your father, the only thing he didn't consider, or rather, didn't fully consider, was you." Shinji sighed, reaching out to touch Neji's head.
It wasn't that he wanted Neji to change his mind, but that this young man shouldn't always grow up in such a state. No matter what happens in the future, at least for now, he should live like a young man.
Just like Naruto and the others now.
One can only say that Neji truly was Neji. Even at this point, he still maintained his composure, not wailing like a child.
After a long silence, or perhaps after releasing his tears, Neji slowly raised his head. The Byakugan, which had just been full of hostility, had now returned to calmness as he looked at Shinji.
"Shinji-sensei, I want to ask you to become my teacher."
After saying this, Neji knelt down, bowing his head towards Shinji.
"Stop…"
Shinji quickly reached out to stop him, but midway, he saw the look in Neji's eyes.
That stubbornness and confusion unique to a young man.
Thud—
A dull thud echoed from the bonfire area.
Shinji slowly lowered his outstretched hands, looking at Neji, who was bowing his head to the ground. A little blood was already slowly flowing from the ground there.
"Get up, I agree."
"Just as I said that day, I very much hope that in the future, you can become a force to drive this change. Before that, I will do everything I can for you."
"Thank you, sensei."
After Neji said this, he slowly raised his head.
Perhaps it was due to the sudden large movement, or perhaps the blood on his forehead. As Neji raised his head, the black ribbon that had been tied to his forehead quietly slipped off.
The Caged Bird symbol on it, which should have been dark green, seemed to be pierced by fresh blood, becoming incredibly dim.
Neji straightened his back, looked at Shinji, and slowly said, "Sensei, I'll be relying on you from now on."
"If you slack off, you'll have endless assignments." Shinji grinned, laughing heartily.
—
[Detecting Neji is willing to establish a master-disciple relationship.]
[Detecting trust level…]
[Detected Neji's current trust level is highest, obtained Caged Bird Cursed Seal Cracking.]
[Successfully accepted Neji as a disciple, obtained perfect reward: Hamura's Blessing (one-time).]
Under the dark night, Shinji, in a white haori outer robe with black clothing underneath, alowly walked out of Konoha's gate.
Closing the panel, he temporarily ignored the special reward. He would deal with it after he returned.
Besides, wasn't he going to flex his muscles this time?
Then, he would let himself collect some interest for his newly accepted beloved disciple first.
"Shinji, what's wrong?" Kakashi keenly noticed Shinji's difference and turned to ask.
Guy, beside him, rushed to Shinji, gripping his shoulders anxiously and asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Feeling the pain from his shoulders, Shinji couldn't help but grit his teeth. He said with a wry smile, "Guy-senpai, I'm fine, but if you keep shaking me like this, something really will happen."
"Hahaha, good that you're fine." Guy quickly released his hands, then vigorously patted Shinji's back.
Kakashi beside him couldn't help but shiver. The force with which Guy patted Shinji, if it were him, he'd probably be sore all over.
(End of Chapter)
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