"Is it a rainy day..."
From the moment he woke up in the morning, Neji heard the pattering sound coming from outside the house, which was obviously the sound of rain.
Judging by the size of the sound, it seems that the rain is not too heavy.
Walking to the corridor outside, there is water on the eaves, flowing continuously into the courtyard.
The sky was overcast, and thunder could be heard faintly in the distance.
In this hot weather, it is a little pleasant to occasionally encounter rainy days.
Even if Neji could endure hardships and stand in the sun for a long time, it wouldn't be a problem, but after all, he didn't like this sweltering weather.
The gentle breeze carried the smell of dampness and earth, and my mind, which was still a little sleepy, suddenly became clear.
It has been a few days since I returned from the Kingdom of Ghosts.
Although he was discourteous during the game and was scolded by the Zong family after returning, in essence, he did not receive any substantial punishment. This was not something he could control.
Recalling the game scene that day, even though I simulated it countless times in my brain, the result was still a disastrous defeat.
And rather than defeat, he felt that the Zong family's distrust of the branch family made him feel even more gloomy.
Perhaps after returning from the Kingdom of Ghosts, he became particularly sensitive to certain things and was able to detect things that he had never taken the initiative to pay attention to before.
In fact, if you think about it carefully, the woman named Hyuga Ayane is right. The Konoha Hyuga clan is indeed full of all kinds of conflicts, and the relationship between the main family and the branch family seems to be very strange.
Recalling that his father had also vaguely revealed that there was strong hostility between the clan family and the branch family, it didn't feel like a family getting along at all.
Therefore, he began to become hesitant about whether to ask his father for a certain truth.
He wanted to know the answer, but he was also afraid that the answer he would get would plunge his heart into pain and despair.
Separating a family...what exactly is it?
A village...what exactly is it?
It seemed that something was constantly preventing him from integrating into the family and the village.
"Neji."
A gentle voice came from the other end of the corridor, and his father, Hizashi, walked over wearing casual black casual clothes.
"Father."
Neji turned around and gave a slight greeting.
"You've been getting up late these days."
Yes. "
Neji nodded.
It is now seven o'clock in the morning. Normally, he would get up at five o'clock in the morning and do morning exercises.
"Are you still feeling aggrieved by what the clan elders said?"
Hizashi was also present at the clan meeting that day, but it was not appropriate for him to speak for Neji on that occasion.
He was worried that he would make things self-defeating and complicate something that was already simple.
Neji fell silent and did not speak.
"You haven't mentioned this kind of thing since you came back from the clan meeting. I thought you didn't care about this kind of thing. But now it seems that you don't seem to care at all in your heart."
Hizashi smiled.
Neji didn't know how to answer.
"They've always been like this, there's no need to be upset about something like this."
Hizashi comforted.
I'm not upset about this. Neji said in his mind.
His heart is not so fragile that he dare not even admit failure.
He will not feel depressed because of the Zong family's punishment and put himself in a dilemma.
But seeing that his father would be wrong, Neji had no intention of explaining.
Father, do you think it is really good for the clan to continue in this state? "
Neji asked.
"You mean..."
"Through the competition, I can see more clearly that the Hyuga clan in the Ghost Country is completely different from what we have here."
Although the elders of the clan here, after watching the game video, will regard the soft fist of the Hyuga clan of the Demon Country as a crooked way that deviates from the Hyuga orthodoxy, secretly they are still trying to break their heads and want to delve into that It's a trick used by the Bian people.
Because they are enemies, they do not want to acknowledge the other party's achievements and will use the name of orthodoxy to completely deny them.
But since it did bring a powerful deterrent effect, I could only despise and reject it while studying secretly, thinking hard to get the powerful secret of the Hyuga clan in the Kingdom of Ghosts that was different from the orthodox soft fist.
Regarding these dishonest clan elders, Neji suddenly understood a truth. It was meaningless to preach with words. Only actions could make them obey physically.
"This is something the Zong family needs to consider."
Hizashi said.
In other words, there is no reason to separate the family and no conditions to intervene in such a dispute.
Although they also belong to the Hyuga clan in name, they are essentially at a disadvantage. They only exist as a subsidiary branch, and cannot communicate directly with the Hyuga clan in the Kingdom of Demons like the Clan.
Neji looked at the water in the yard and said nothing.
"Speaking of which, your friend just came here and seems to be in the same team as you."
Hizashi said suddenly.
Neji realized, it must be Xiao Li and Tiantian.
"Then I'll go out first."
"It doesn't matter if you come back later. Just relax when it's time to relax."
Hizashi smiled.
Neji glanced at Hizashi, nodded slightly, and turned to leave.
"Neji, this way!"
Next to a shop not far from the Hyuga Clan's land, Neji saw Tenten waving to him.
She and Xiao Li were sitting on a bench under the eaves outside the shop, eating breakfast there.
"Isn't Teacher Kai here again?"
Neji asked without seeing Kai's figure.
"Yes, it seems that many Jonin have become very busy after coming back. Yesterday, I only had a quick meeting with Teacher Kai."
Tenten took out the extra hot rice balls and placed them in front of Neji.
"Here you go, Neji, you probably haven't had breakfast yet."
Thanks. "
Neji felt a hint of warmth and a slight smile appeared on his face.
Compared with that family where the atmosphere is always dull and serious, and there are all kinds of rules, it is more relaxed to get along with the companions here.
Don't think about superfluous things.
Sometimes, he would also think that it would be better if he was not born into the Hyuga clan.
There's nothing wrong with being an ordinary ninja.
Although you don't care on the surface, you still feel a desire in your heart - the happiness called freedom.
Freedom...what does it feel like?
It seems that in this family, he has never known what freedom feels like.
Even without the Caged Bird Curse Seal, the family's various rules and regulations still made him feel stressed.
"Is the injury no longer a problem, Lee?"
Neji looked towards Xiao Li and asked about his injury.
"The doctor said that he will be fully recovered in another week."
Xiao Li said enthusiastically.
His injuries were largely caused by excessive use of the Eight Gate Dunjia. It can be said that this is a dangerous move that can injure the enemy a thousand times and damage yourself eight hundred times.
"In this case, don't do any extreme exercises during the recovery period. What if the injury relapses and a mission suddenly comes?"
Tiantian said dissatisfied.
She knew that Xiao Li had been secretly doing overloading physical exercises in the past two days, and she was worried that his injury, which was about to heal, would be prolonged by excessive exercise.
"Tiantian, youth is not allowed to waste time!"
Xiao Li said seriously.
Tiantian rolled his eyes, knowing that his words were in vain.
"What are your plans for today?"
Neji bit into the hot rice ball and after swallowing it, he asked.
"Teacher Kai is not here, so we can arrange whatever we want. But today is a rainy day, so it is not suitable for going out for training."
Looking at the gloomy sky every day, I don't really want to practice in this kind of weather.
Moreover, the Chuunin exams had just passed, and she didn't want to spend her rare leisure time focusing on training.
She is not a cultivator like Xiao Li.
"In other words, Tiantian is a girl."
Xiao Li seemed to be thinking about something.
His unintentional words made Tiantian's lips twitch. Didn't she behave like a girl before?
"Neji, what are your plans?"
"As for me, I probably want to rest at home."
Neji said without hesitation.
"I thought you would be like Li and insist on training in such bad weather."
Tenten was surprised, she had rarely seen Neji so leisurely.
But she can also guess something, probably related to the competition.
On the surface, I don’t care, but I’m sure I’m unwilling to do so on the inside.
Therefore, Tiantian Shiqu did not extend the topic to this.
"Even I occasionally want to take a break. And I don't want to get all wet and catch a cold."
I don’t like hot weather, but it’s too much to say I like rainy days.
"But it's not good to be too leisurely. You must become a chuunin as soon as possible. So let's go to the Hokage to take over the mission!"
Even on this rainy day that can dampen people's enthusiasm, Xiao Li's whole body is full of enthusiasm to perform tasks, and wants to train himself through various hardships and let himself grow rapidly.
After passing this chuunin exam, he seriously felt that his strength was insufficient. Compared with those top genin, he was still far behind.
"No, you will definitely take on those tiring tasks."
Tiantian refused without hesitation.
"why is it like this?"
And Teacher Kai is not here either. Let’s talk about the mission later. "
"Yeah, it's a bit inappropriate to accept a mission like this."
Neji nodded, he was not very enthusiastic about carrying out the mission at the moment.
"That's not entirely true. It would be different if it was a parent-child mission."
"Parent-child mission?"
This new term made Xiao Li and Neji look at Tenten in confusion.
"To put it simply, it is to go on a mission with your family members who are also ninjas. Because the difficulty is very small, and the mission process is easy and pleasant, it will not appear boring. By the way, you can get close to your family and enjoy the warmth of family affection... Therefore, compared to missions , it’s more like a family trip. This is where the parent-child mission comes in. Why, don’t you know?”
Tiantian asked strangely.
Xiao Li shook his head without hesitation and said, "No, my parents are not ninjas. I have no idea that such a mission exists."
“Then Neji hasn’t experienced it either?
Tiantian asked curiously.
Neji hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No, I have never carried out a mission with my family."
Tiantian doesn’t know what to say.
It would be understandable if they were genin who had just graduated, but they were graduates from the previous year, and the life of genin had lasted for more than a year. Neji should have time to do this kind of task with his family.
"That's such a pity. I heard that after Ino and the others take a few days off, they will go on such a mission with their families. It's really admirable."
Like Xiao Li, Tiantian's parents are not ninjas. They are just businessmen who run a ninja shop. They have never experienced what it is like to perform missions with their family.
Neji remained silent.
In fact, not only is it a so-called parent-child mission, he has no experience of even traveling with his family.
Every time he wanted to travel with his family, his father would refuse his request on the pretext of work.
Thinking of this, Neji couldn't help but feel a layer of gloom in his heart.
Neji suddenly stood up from the bench. Tiantian and Xiao Li looked at him. They always felt that something had happened to Ningji, and their expressions didn't look good.
"What's wrong, Neji?"
"Sorry, I suddenly remembered something happened at home, so that's all for today."
"But, you just...came...
Tenten wanted to say something, but he saw Neci getting up, walking through the rain, and returning to the Hyuga clan's homeland. Tenten's words of persuasion stopped in his mouth, unable to continue.
"Neji's state seems a little not right. This is the first time I've seen him with such a serious expression. I always feel like something big is going to happen."
Xiao Li looked at Ningci's back and felt that it was a bit unusual for Neci to return suddenly.
"Will something happen to Neji?"
Tiantian is also worried, did he say the wrong thing?
However, looking back on what he said before, there was no intention to offend anyone at all.
"At this time, it would be better to leave him alone. We would only be doing a disservice in the past."
This is Xiao Li’s sincere statement.
He knows very well that there are some private matters that cannot be helped by others.
As a companion, he could only pray that Neji could come out safe and sound.
"Really, it would be great if Teacher Kai was here. I really don't know what he is busy with."
He complained every day in frustration.
noon.
The rainy weather has not improved, but is getting worse.
Hizashi, who had just returned from the Zong family's territory, was slightly stunned when he saw Neji returning.
"Are you coming back so early today?"
According to his guess, Neji would be enjoying lunch with his companions, and maybe he wouldn't come back in the afternoon and wouldn't come back until after dinner.
"Did father come back from the Zong family?"
Neji asked instead without answering.
"Yes, it's brother... No, it's the patriarch who asked me to come over to discuss some private matters."
Ri almost nodded.
"Private matter?"
"It has something to do with Hinata."
Neji blinked, even more confused.
He didn't understand that Hizu, as the clan leader, called his father over just to discuss Hinata's matter.
If he was running for the heir of the clan, then there was no point in looking for his father.
In the matter of deciding the successor of the clan family, although the branch family has a little participation right, it is only a participation right. The decision-making power has always been in the hands of the clan family.
The vote for family separation was just a formality.
And private matters... This made Neji even more confused.
Hizashi did not explain directly, but took Neji into a nearby room. The door was not closed, and the rain in the courtyard could be seen from here.
Father and son sat down on the floor facing each other.
"Speaking of which, Neji, do you have a girl you like?
Neji looked very strange when Hizashi suddenly asked such a question.
Tiantian's voice and appearance instantly appeared in his mind, but only for a moment, because Tiantian was the girl of the same age that he had interacted with the most. As for the other girls, he didn't have much contact with them.
During his time at the ninja school, he was often alone. Although many girls had a crush on him, to say that he liked this kind of thing,
Neji thought it was a little too early.
"Why did father ask that?"
"Isn't it true? I thought that with your ability, many girls would pursue you."
Hizashi said jokingly.
"I haven't thought about it."
"It really seems like your style."
"So, what is the so-called private matter?"
Neji dropped the topic, a little curious about Hizashi's personal matters going to the clan leader Hizashi to discuss.
"I heard from the clan leader that Hinata seems to have a boy she likes."
Neji thought of the yellow-haired boy who defended Hinata and quarreled with him on the way back.
Compared to her own relationships with the opposite sex, her cousin Hinata seems to have fewer relationships with the opposite sex.
If Hinata really secretly likes a man, Neji would immediately target him.
"They are impossible."
Neji said directly.
Although there are people in the Hyuga clan who marry outside the family, the number is very small and they are subject to many restrictions.
What's more, Hinata is the young master of the clan who may inherit the position of clan leader.
Even if Hinata takes a step back and fails in the fight for the position of clan leader, she is also the daughter of clan leader Hizu and the sister of the next Hyuga clan leader, which is of great significance to the clan.
For example, his father is the younger brother of the clan leader Rizu.
With this blood relationship, his father can be said to be the most trusted members of the clan.
Therefore, whether Hinata succeeds in her bid for the position of clan leader or not, she cannot marry outside.
Therefore, if Hinata really has feelings for a foreigner, Neji believes that it would be better for both parties to end it as soon as possible.
"That child's name is Naruto Uzumaki."
Hizashi looked at the rainy scene in the courtyard.
"Um."
"That child's identity is a bit unusual."
?
Turning his head, Hizashi smiled slightly when he saw Neji's stunned expression.
"Whether it is in the past or today, it is very common for the Ninja clan to intermarry with each other. Especially in the chaotic Warring States period, since there were no villages, the alliance between the Ninja clan and the Ninja clan usually relied on in-laws. To establish friendly relations. For example, the first Hokage-sama who founded our Konoha Village, and his wife Uzumaki Mito-sama, represent the union of the two families."
"swirl…"
Neji suddenly thought of something.
He thought of Uzumaki Kaoru who appeared in the finals of the Chunin Examination, and she also had the same surname as Naruto.
This surname probably represents an unusual meaning.
"Although it's a bit premature to say this, the clan leader is actually undecided. The things behind that child are so huge that even our Hyuga clan has a hard time dealing with them. Moreover, it is said that he and one of the Sannin Jiraiya-sama, we have a lot of connections. The Muji Ninjutsu he used to defeat Gaara in the Chunin Exam was taught by Jiraiya-sama."
Neji didn't recover from the shock.
In his opinion, the Hyuga clan can be said to be the role model for all ninja clan in Konoha. He could not imagine that the entire Hyuga clan would give in because of a Uzumaki Naruto.
"I didn't expect he had such a network of connections."
"Lord Hokage also values him very much. Because of this, the Zong family seems to be in a dilemma."
Hizashi sighed.
Because the initiative in this matter is not in the hands of the Hyuga clan, but in the hands of the Hokage.
Naruto's guardian is the Third Hokage.
Even if the Third Hokage resigns as Hokage, the fact that the guardian is Hokage will not change.
What's more, there are three ninjas behind him, and even the ANBU minister is inextricably linked to him.
Although the Hyuga clan has long been aware of this kind of thing, considering the complicated relationship behind Naruto, even the Hyuga clan did not dare to intervene at will, and could only let it develop naturally.
After all, if Hinata really loses her status as the clan leader, then picking it off and marrying someone else is also an option.
Judging from the results, it doesn't seem to be a bad thing.
But the issues of face and tradition are still things that the Zong family needs to consider.
After the split, the Hyuga clan was too weak after all. If it were like the Uchiha clan in the past, even the Hokage could confront them head-on without fear.
Hizashi couldn't help but sigh, moving forward twenty years, the Hyuga clan would not be so cautious. That split severely damaged the strength of the Hyuga clan.
Neji nodded absently.
It is not too early for the family to consider the issue of marriage so early.
Even today, it is not uncommon for families to get married and have children at the age of fifteen or sixteen.
Compared with the Warring States Period, although the average life span today has improved a lot, it is not much higher. Therefore, the population issue is still one of the major issues facing the village and even the country.
The only task for those tribesmen who have no ability is to contribute to the family in terms of population.
Not only the Hyuga clan, but also other ninja clans, and the village has specially introduced many preferential policies for this purpose.
"What about Hinata-sama's thoughts? Has the clan leader ever gone to talk to him?"
Neji asked.
"Not yet. The clan leader and the other clan elders plan to wait and see what happens."
In the final analysis, I dare not put the initiative in my own hands.
With how protective the Third Hokage was of Naruto, he knew exactly what color underwear Naruto was wearing today. Hizashi did not believe that the Third Hokage knew anything about the secret love of the eldest daughter of the Hyuga clan.
Is that so? "
"You should pay more attention to this matter in the future. After all, she is your cousin. She is different from the rest of the clan."
Hizashi said looking at Neji.
"I know, I will pay attention to this aspect in the future. Master Hinata is not suitable for the clan's environment."
Neji nodded and agreed, even if Hizashi didn't ask for it, he planned to do it.
"Okay, okay, it's almost time for lunch, let's..."
"Father."
Neji suddenly stopped Hizashi and sat still.
"What's wrong?"
Hizashi looked at Neji suspiciously and sat down again.
"I want to go on a parent-child mission with you later."
Neji raised his head and met Hizashi's eyes, showing a hint of longing.
Parent-child mission? "
Hizashi was stunned, he didn't know why Neji would suddenly make this request.
He knew about parent-child missions. It was a novel way for the whole family to travel together when the children and their parents were both ninjas.
"Well, since I've never experienced anything like this, I wanted to know what it feels like. Is that okay, Father?"
Neji looked at Hizashi with hopeful eyes.
Hizashi was silent, a trace of guilt and sadness flashed across his face because not only was it a parent-child mission, he found that he couldn't even give Neji the so-called travel.
"Sorry, the recent affairs in the clan..."
The only excuse for a day difference is that we are busy.
"Actually, I returned to the family three hours ago and found the other branch ninjas who are as old as me and asked some questions."
Hizashi's eyes were a little evasive, as if he was looking at Neji in fear.
"Father, do you know? It's a coincidence that those genin of the branch family who are as old as me are also like me. They have never performed parent-child missions with their families. No, they have not even experienced traveling with their families. It's an interesting coincidence."
As Neji spoke eloquently, Hizashi took a deep breath and looked at Neji with complicated eyes.
There is also relief in this complicated look.
Because he suddenly realized that his child had grown up and was able to think about problems on his own, instead of being sheltered under his wing.
But what followed was a burst of sadness and helplessness.
"What do you want to ask?"
"When I went to the Kingdom of Wind and the Kingdom of Ghosts to take the exam, my father was not on a mission at all, but was being monitored, wasn't he?"
Neji stared at Hizashi's face, as if trying to find the answer he wanted.
He clenched his fists, almost digging his nails into his flesh.
Looking at Hizashi, there was desire, worry, and more of anger, and a strong hatred that even he himself was not aware of!
For the sake of the family, they separated themselves through life and death, only to get this ending.
Zong family!
