Chapter 8: Shadows of the Clan
Arata rubbed his eyes, still half-asleep, as Hizashi stood at his door, practically bouncing with excitement. "Arata! Is it true? You got into Class A and humiliated Mori? Tell me everything!"
Arata yawned, leaning against the doorframe. "That's what you're freaking out about?" he said, voice flat but with a hint of a grin.
Hizashi's jaw dropped. "What do you mean, 'that's it'? The whole Hyuga clan's talking about you! Spill it!"
Arata shrugged, stepping outside to let the morning air wake him up. He gave Hizashi the short version—how he outsped Fuzen, faced down the Anbu, and knocked Mori flat with one move. He mentioned his Byakugan but kept the seal-less jutsu and inner vision under wraps. That was his ace, not something to share, even with Hizashi. He'd played it smart in the exam too, faking hand signs to hide his real trick.
Hizashi's eyes got wider with every word. "Unbelievable," he said, shaking his head. "If I hadn't trained with you, I'd think you were hiding your strength this whole time." He grinned, clapping Arata's shoulder. "The branch family's calling you a hero, you know. You gave us some pride back."
Arata blinked, surprised. "Hero? Me?"
"Yeah," Hizashi said, his face turning serious. "But watch out. You embarrassed Mori bad. He won't let it go, and the main family? They're not happy. Be ready for trouble."
As if on cue, a sharp voice cut through the air. "Hyuga Arata! Get out here!"
Arata's lips twitched into a smirk. "Speak of the devil," he muttered. He and Hizashi stepped outside, finding Mori standing there, his eyes burning with hate. If looks could kill, Arata would've been ash by now.
Beside Mori stood three adult Hyuga, their faces hard. Arata's stomach tightened. This wasn't just Mori's tantrum—something bigger was up. Hizashi's expression darkened too.
"Hyuga Mori," Hizashi snapped, stepping forward. "You think being the elder's son means you can do whatever you want?"
Mori sneered but stayed quiet. One of the adults, a tall ninja with a stern face, spoke instead. "Are you Hyuga Arata?"
Arata straightened, meeting his gaze. "Yeah, that's me."
The ninja's eyes were cold. "Come with us. The clan head wants to see you."
Hizashi's jaw dropped. "The clan head? Why?"
The ninja ignored him, staring at Arata. "Now." Two others moved in, boxing Arata between them like they were herding him.
Mori smirked, his voice dripping with venom. "Let's go, Arata. Maybe you're getting a reward."
Hizashi's face paled, but Arata stayed calm, giving him a small nod. "I'll be fine." As the group led him away, he heard Hizashi curse and run off, probably to warn the branch family.
The Hyuga compound was split like Konoha itself—main family on one side, branch on the other. Arata had never set foot in the main family's area before. The meeting hall loomed ahead, all polished wood and heavy air. Inside, a handful of elders sat in a semicircle, their white eyes locked on him. Some looked curious; others, not so friendly.
One elder, his face creasing with a grin, spoke first. "So, the Hyuga's crane's tail got into Class A? Hah! Let's see the Uchiha brag about their geniuses now."
Another chuckled. "We've one-upped them this time."
Arata stood still, unsure. Were they… proud of him? It didn't add up, not with Mori's smug grin in the corner. Something was off.
Sure enough, a scarred elder—Arata's memory pinged him as Mori's father, Hyuga Ryosuke—spoke up, his voice like ice. "Hyuga Arata brought honor to the clan, yes. But he got cocky. Attacked a main family child. Stirred up the branch family. They're calling him a hero now."
The room's mood shifted, heavy and cold. The elders who'd laughed before now frowned. Arata felt their eyes turn sharp, like knives sizing him up. Mori's smirk widened.
Ryosuke's words hung in the air. The branch family was just a tool to the main family—guards, servants, nothing more. A tool daring to rise above its place? That was trouble. Arata's "hero" status was a threat, a crack in their control.
The hall filled up, tension thick enough to choke on. Finally, the clan head, Hyuga Taro, stepped in. His presence silenced the room. He looked at Arata, his face unreadable, then spoke, his voice carrying weight.
"We have a genius in the branch family," Taro said, gesturing at Arata. "Hyuga Arata, admitted to Class A at the Ninja Academy, outshining even the Uchiha. He's brought pride to our clan."
The main family scoffed, their faces sour. The branch members, though, stood a little taller, their eyes bright with quiet pride. Arata didn't let it go to his head. Taro's tone had no warmth, no joy. This wasn't praise.
And then it came. Taro's voice turned sharp, like a blade. "But Arata has overstepped. He broke clan rules, attacked a main family child, and stirred unrest among the branch family. This cannot stand." He fixed Arata with a hard stare. "Today, in front of both families, Hyuga Arata will admit his mistake and apologize."
(End of Chapter)
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