Chapter 63 Running Towards One's Own Freedom
The Hyuga clan harbors a hateful secret: the secret ninjutsu passed down through generations of the Hyuga main family—the Cursed Seal Technique. The cursed seal signifies a caged bird, proof of being bound by an inescapable fate.
Hiashi and Neji's father, Hizashi, were twin brothers. Hizashi was born 15 minutes later than Hiashi. From then on, Hiashi became the head of the main family, while Hizashi became the head of the branch family.
When Hinata Hyuga, the daughter of the main branch of the Hyuga clan, was three years old, the Hidden Cloud Village infiltrated Konoha and kidnapped her in order to obtain the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan. Hiashi Hyuga retaliated and rescued Hinata, but this led to a deterioration in the relationship between the Hidden Cloud Village and Konoha, indirectly triggering a war.
To avoid war, Konoha made a deal with Kumogakure, agreeing to hand over Hyuga Hiashi's body. However, the elders of the Hyuga clan proposed handing over Hyuga Hizashi from the branch family as his substitute.
Neji Hyuga had always believed that Hiashi Hyuga had pushed his father to his death, but he never expected that the truth was that his father had voluntarily become a substitute.
[Please tell Neji that I was not killed to protect the main family, but to protect my brother and the village.]
Neji Hyuga's hand holding the scroll trembled uncontrollably.
The usually arrogant clan leader, Hyuga Hiyori, suddenly knelt down before him, saying, "This is the truth. I'm sorry!"
“Please raise your head…”
The door could be easily pushed open, but when it was closed to leave, a sense of loneliness inexplicably lingered.
After Hyuga Hiashi left, Hyuga Neji silently closed the scroll little by little. Realizing that someone was still standing next to him, he said in a low voice, "It's getting late."
His cold exterior seemed no different from usual, but Haruko Hayama keenly sensed his chaotic emotions.
Rational people don't reveal their wounds to others and are often described as calm, but no one knows the world of emotional breakdown they experience alone.
Seeing him so unusually quiet, Haruko didn't leave, but gently patted his back.
"I'd like to talk to you a little longer."
Upon receiving this answer, Hyuga Neji fell silent again, and after a long while, his voice finally rang out.
“I always thought my father was murdered by the brothers of the main family, but I never expected that this was the first and last time my father resisted fate.”
The pain of the truth is more intense than that of falsehood; it is silent yet suffocating.
This kind of pain is not the excruciating pain of tearing flesh apart, but rather the pain of deep sorrow being peeled away layer by layer and dug deeper and deeper.
The image of Hyuga Neji removing his Konoha headband during the battle, revealing the blue curse mark on his forehead, flashed through Haruko Hayama's mind.
On the day Hyuga Neji turned four, an ominous mark was etched onto his forehead by a cursed seal technique.
This is the fate of a branch family: they can never defy the main family, must fight desperately to protect the main family at all times, and ultimately only death can free them.
As an outsider, she had no right to participate in the evaluation, but...
"Neji's father is truly admirable. He soared through the rigid and feudal family and ultimately achieved his own freedom."
"His eyes must have been filled with clarity and purity when he made this life-or-death choice."
"Perhaps that's what he wanted to tell you."
Hyuga Neji slowly raised his head to look at her, only to be met with a gentle light, like the soft sunlight at dusk, warm but not dazzling.
Father, is a person's fate like the clouds in the sky, drifting aimlessly, simply floating along?
Or... can one choose the direction they want to pursue?
I still don't quite understand, but choosing the latter way of life means striving towards a goal: I want to be stronger than anyone else and not lose to anyone.
So, will this become a choice in my life?
＊
When Haruko rushed back to the rest room in the morning, she found that Sasuke Uchiha was still not there. She was worried that he would be disqualified, but the proctor announced that his match would be postponed after being notified.
"Next match: Haruko Hayama vs. Shino Aburame."
Haruko Hayama, whose performance was inexplicably brought forward: How to put it, I'm happy for Sasuke, but I also really want to beat him up.
Before leaving the stage, Haruko glanced at Shino Aburame, who happened to be looking at her as well. Shikamaru Nara, who was walking over, patted her on the shoulder.
"Come on, you idiot, don't lose even worse than me."
Naruto Uzumaki wagged his tail and ran over, "Haruko, you'll definitely win!"
As for Gaara, perhaps because there were too many people around Haruko Hayama, he didn't go up to talk to her.
Standing in full view of everyone, facing Shino Aburame with her hands in her pockets, Haruko Hayama felt incredibly nervous when the proctor walked between them.
To be honest, Haruko Hayama has never really liked insects, snakes, or spiders. When she first encountered that strange person who crawled out of a snake's corpse, she prayed that she would never encounter such a person again.
Who would have thought, fate is so cruel!
After learning that her opponent was Shino Aburame, who was skilled at manipulating insects, Haruko Hayama went to scout out the enemy's situation before the official exam in order to avoid being scared by the insects and running around the field during the battle.
Because Hinata Hyuga was still recovering from her injuries, only Kiba Inuzuka accompanied Shino Aburame during their special training in the forest.
"However, it's really hard to ignore that gaze." Kiba Inuzuka looked at Akamaru, who was sniffing at his feet, feeling both helpless and troubled.
Shino Aburame did not answer; his insects had already spotted the person hiding in the shadows.
It was Haruko Hayama, who was about to face him, hiding furtively in the bushes, seemingly watching... the bugs on his body.
"Haruko Hayama," Shino Aburame whispered to him.
"Are they here to spy on the enemy? Akamaru, go!"
Akamaru received the order and dashed towards Haruko Hayama's location, a sound immediately coming from the bushes.
"Wait, Akamaru... Akamaru, you're so cute! Let me pet you!"
"Awooo—!"
"Don't run away, Akamaru! My sister isn't a strange person!"
That's so strange!
Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame thought at the same time.
A moment later, Akamaru ran back from the bushes, rushing towards his master in a flustered manner, followed by Hayama Haruko, who had been lured out by the fluffy fur.
Under the undeniable gaze from across the room, Haruko belatedly realized her embarrassment.
"Haha, you guys are here too! What a coincidence..."
Kiba Inuzuka crossed his arms. "What's wrong?"
Haruko shuffled her hands shyly, "Um... can I come and see Aburame's bugs?"
"Huh?" Kiba Inuzuka was taken aback, not expecting her to have such unique interests.
Unable to bear his complicated gaze, Haruko Hayama simply blurted out, "Actually, I'm a little afraid of bugs, so I wanted to come and see Aburame's bugs more often for desensitization treatment!"
“Okay.” Shino Aburame thought it was no big deal.
"Hey, really?"
Kiba nudged Shino Aburame with his elbow. After all, they were rivals, and this was the first time Kiba had ever helped his rival figure out a way to defeat him.
"Yu-chan is such a kind person!" Haruko Hayama exclaimed, her heart overflowing with gratitude.
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