Naruto's Talk-no-Jutsu was most effective on Gaara, followed by Sasuke and Nagato, and least effective on Obito and Neji.
For the latter two, it was less about Naruto convincing them and more about them convincing themselves.
Just like now.
When Hanabi shouted what Bai Mo had told her towards the arena, Neji was flustered.
How could he refute that?
It was a double bind!
If he truly wanted to prove that fate was predetermined, then he shouldn't resist the main family, nor should he even refute Hanabi.
If he did refute it, then it would mean he wanted to defy fate, believing that fate was not predestined.
"What do we do now?"
Hanabi looked at Hinata and Neji below, standing like two scarecrows, motionless, and sought help from Bai Mo.
"You tell him that you are now doing the same thing with the same feelings as his father, the sacrificial substitute. It's not the Branch Family sacrificing for the Main Family; it's for your sister, and it's your own willing choice."
"Oh!"
After receiving guidance, Hanabi ran to the edge again, preparing to speak to those below.
"Wait... wait!"
Hiashi hurriedly stopped her.
He looked at Bai Mo with astonishment.
How did this person know the contents of his brother Hizashi's will?
Could there be a traitor in the Hyūga clan?
That didn't seem right either.
The will had always been in his hands, and only he had read it. Surely, he couldn't be the traitor himself?
"Father, Sister has already done it, you won't go back on your word, will you?"
Seeing her father call her, Hanabi walked back with a worried expression.
By revealing this matter in such a public setting, Hanabi knew the outcome: there would be no room for negotiation.
She also understood that her father, Hiashi, surely knew this too.
If her father didn't agree, wouldn't that mean he intended to break the agreement?
"I..."
"Hiashi, let little Hanabi speak."
An old voice sounded behind Hiashi.
"Elder?"
Hiashi turned his head, looking at the newcomer with surprise.
He hadn't expected the Elder, who usually stayed within the clan and rarely went out, to appear here.
Was it also for this match?
"Hehe, thank you, Elder Grandpa."
Hanabi, having received approval, ran back again.
"Brother Neji, look at me~"
"Brother Neji, soon I will also leave the village, just like Uncle Hizashi, and become a Caged Bird, just like you.
But I don't regret it at all; this is my own choice!
I'm not doing it for the Main Family or Branch Family; I'm doing it for my beloved sister. It's what I want to do!
I believe Uncle Hizashi felt the same way back then!"
"What?!"
Neji snapped back to reality upon hearing this, looking at Hiashi in shock.
Hiashi said nothing, merely nodded at Neji.
"Hanabi, you..."
Neji's psychological defenses finally broke.
"Hanabi..."
Hinata, listening to Hanabi's words, also clenched her hands tightly.
"Phew, come on, Lady Hinata, use your full strength, let's have a fair fight."
Neji took a deep breath, once again assumed his starting stance, and challenged Hinata.
Only this time, his eyes no longer held resentment or anger.
"Mm!"
Hinata's gaze returned from Hanabi, and she nodded vigorously.
In the stands.
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned deeply.
He had originally planned to discuss this after the Chūnin Exams.
He hadn't expected the Hyūga clan to reveal this matter publicly.
However, since the Hyūga clan had agreed, he couldn't interfere much.
Fortunately, this time was different from the incident with Kumogakure; Amegakure didn't demand any bodies.
Hanabi could return after a few years.
There wasn't much loss.
"Elder, do you really want Hanabi to..."
While the two below began fighting, Hyūga Hiashi looked at the Elder with some confusion.
He recalled that when he chose to give up on Hinata and train Hanabi, the Elder and others had all agreed.
They had also witnessed Hanabi's efforts and excellence over the years.
Why would they suddenly change their minds now?
"How do you think Hanabi's talent compares to Neji's?"
The Elder didn't answer directly but first asked Hiashi a question.
"No matter how talented he is, he's still just from the Branch Family..."
As Hyūga Hiashi answered, Neji below used Rotation, which instantly stunned him.
Not just Rotation.
After using Rotation to repel Hinata, Neji even adopted another Gentle Fist stance, and a Tai Chi Bagua diagram appeared beneath his feet.
"Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
Neji avoided vital points, but he did complete sixty-four palms within a second, completely defeating Hinata.
Now it was Hiashi's turn to be stunned.
"E-Elder, I didn't teach him..."
Hiashi's first reaction was to explain to the Elder beside him.
Rotation and Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms were secret techniques of the Main Family, only taught to heirs.
"I know. He comprehended it himself."
The Elder spoke calmly.
"What?!"
"Then... then Neji can be said to be the most talented genius of our Hyūga clan. Hanabi is completely incomparable... but he is still only from the Branch Family."
After his shock, Hyūga Hiashi let out a deep sigh.
"Hinata lost to Hanabi, but the gap between them isn't large; character is the key.
In terms of strength, with Neji from the Branch Family to protect, there's no need to worry in the future.
Now that Hinata can change, and with this situation, as the Main Family's eldest daughter, she is naturally more suitable to stay.
Hanabi going out for a few years and then returning, with the 'protection' of the Caged Bird Seal, is insignificant. But Hinata is different, Hiashi, do you understand what I mean?"
The Elder spoke earnestly to Hiashi.
"U-understood!"
Hiashi was momentarily lost in thought.
Reminded by the Elder, Hiashi realized he had overlooked a problem from beginning to end.
That was their ages.
The Elder's earlier words simply meant that while Hanabi and Hinata had a talent gap, it wasn't a generational leap.
No matter how strong their talents were, they couldn't compare to Neji, who could independently comprehend Rotation and Sixty-Four Palms.
And the later words... the Elder was reminding him that Hinata was already twelve this year. Thinking of Bai Mo at his worst, if Hinata went with him to Amegakure for a few years, would she be treated as a Byakugan breeding tool?
The Caged Bird Seal could only protect the eyes, not other parts. It wasn't a chastity belt.
Conversely, Hanabi was only seven now. In a few years, she would be the same age as Hinata is now. As long as the Caged Bird Seal was carved to protect her Byakugan, there would be no need to worry about the Byakugan being leaked.
~
"Brother Neji is amazing."
Hanabi leaned on the railing, watching Neji defeat Hinata and win, her eyes shining.
At this moment, Might Guy was also nearby, explaining the difference between Neji's Gentle Fist and his and Lee's Strong Fist to other teams.
"Amazing? He completely wasted the Tai Chi Bagua diagram beneath his feet."
Bai Mo pouted.
"Eh?"
Hanabi turned her head to look at Bai Mo in confusion.
Was that not amazing?
"Someone named 'Wudang King' once told me that Tai Chi isn't just about gentleness. It's about combining hardness and softness, the convergence of yin and yang – that's what true Tai Chi is."
"Combining hardness and softness?"
Hanabi tilted her head, deep in thought.
"Hanabi, stop! Don't listen to his nonsense! An outsider has no right to evaluate our Hyūga clan's Gentle Fist Art! No, no one in the entire Ninja World has the right to evaluate it!"
Hiashi, seeing Hanabi actually pondering Bai Mo's words, hurriedly spoke up to scold her.
"You'll know if I have the right when you get hit by an Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack."
Bai Mo glanced at Hiashi, then patted Hanabi's head, "Since this matter has been made public today, Hanabi will be a member of our Amegakure for the next five years. As for after five years..."
"If she wishes to return to Konoha, then she can."
"Hmph."
Hiashi didn't refute, because hearing these words, he only found it somewhat amusing.
Could Hanabi possibly not want to return home after five years?
....
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