Hyuga Compound.
As soon as Hiashi Hyuga returned from the Hokage's office, he was informed that the Great Elder was summoning him—and that Hanabi should come along.
The room was dimly lit by flickering candles.
The scent of old incense hung heavy in the air.
"Hiashi," the aged Hyuga Elder rasped, his eyes milky white and clouded with age, yet sharp as daggers.
"You've caused trouble again. Explain yourself."
Hiashi walked in, knelt on the tatami mat, and recounted the day's events in excruciating detail to the Elder.
He explained the Amegakure representative, the dead "Zetsu," the baby with the Byakugan, and Makoto's threat.
"Hmph!"
The Elder slammed his cane on the floor.
"Are those Branch House rats trying to escape the Main House's control? Are they trying to bypass the sacred rules of the Hyuga clan through such despicable methods?!"
Upon hearing Hiashi mention that someone from their clan had partnered with an outsider during the Third Great Shinobi War and produced offspring, the Elder immediately concluded the worst.
It must have been Branch House members trying to breed children outside the village to avoid the fate of the Caged Bird Seal.
"Elder," Hiashi kept his head bowed low, sweat beading on his forehead. "What should be done about this matter? The Hokage is stalling."
"Hiashi!" The Elder roared, his voice cracking with fury. "Have you forgotten the lesson I taught you last time! With Kumogakure!"
"This..." Hiashi's expression stiffened. "Elder, you mean..."
"Regarding Hizashi's matter, I praised you at the time," the Elder hissed. "I never thought you'd forget why I praised you."
"No matter what the Third Hokage thinks, or what decision he ultimately makes, as the Hyuga Clan Leader, you can only express one attitude. Understand?!"
"Since you've forgotten, I'll teach you again!"
The Elder leaned forward, his face a mask of feudal cruelty.
"If you choose to resist, and the Third Hokage ultimately chooses to resist with you... then it means the Third Hokage yields to the Hyuga clan's influence. We win."
"If you choose to resist, and the Third Hokage ultimately chooses to compromise with the enemy... then it means conflict! Enmity! The village betrays the clan!"
"If you choose to compromise and offer yourself as a sacrifice, and the Third Hokage chooses to resist... that's the Third Hokage's benevolence. He values every person in the village. We owe him."
"But if you choose to compromise and sacrifice, and the Third Hokage also chooses to compromise... that's the Third Hokage respecting the Hyuga clan's choice. We maintain our honor."
"Understand?!"
"Our Hyuga clan isn't the Uchiha clan," the Elder sneered. "They had no brains, so they got wiped out!"
This reprimand made Hiashi break out in a cold sweat.
Such seemingly "strategic" words might feel out of place elsewhere, but appearing in the Hyuga clan—the most feudal, rigid, and politically savvy clan in the Shinobi World—was not strange at all.
They survived by being smarter than the Uchiha.
As for Hanabi, standing quietly behind her father, her young mind simply couldn't contain all these complicated matters from the adults' dirty world.
She felt dizzy just listening to their logic.
"Hiashi, do you understand? Regardless of what decision the Third Hokage ultimately makes, you should be prepared to offer yourself. That is the only way to force his hand."
After saying this, the Hyuga Elder turned his milky gaze toward the small girl.
"...Yes, yes," Hiashi nodded with a bitter expression.
"Then have you made your decision on the other matter?" The Elder asked, his tone shifting. "Who will inherit the Main House? We've given you so many years of leniency, Hiashi. You should give us an answer and fulfill the rules of our Hyuga clan."
Seeing Hiashi stiffen, the Elder appeared quite satisfied.
Back when Hiashi and his twin brother Hizashi were born merely ten minutes apart, the earlier-born Hiashi became the Main House heir, while the later-born Hizashi became a servant of the Branch House.
Hizashi received the Caged Bird seal at three years old—a cursed mark that allowed the Main House to destroy his brain or kill him instantly with a single hand sign.
If Hinata and Hanabi had been born as twins, the same outcome would have occurred.
But Hinata was five years older than Hanabi.
Normally, the firstborn become the heir.
But Hinata was... disappointing.
Her abilities fell far short compared to Neji, her Branch House cousin and training partner.
When Hizashi was alive, seeing his genius son Neji held back by a "weak" Main House heir filled him with visible resentment.
Hiashi had once activated the Caged Bird seal in response, forcing his own brother to writhe in agony on the floor just to remind him of his place.
Later, Hizashi died as Hiashi's sacrificial substitute to appease Kumogakure.
During Neji's sparring sessions with Hinata, Neji also once felt that same resentment boiling over.
Hiashi, protecting his daughter, activated the seal on Neji too, torturing the four-year-old boy.
However, this also made both Hiashi and the clan elders painfully aware of Hinata's shortcomings.
Inadequate abilities.
Weak character.
Too kind.
Coincidentally, Hanabi was born.
Hiashi proposed a delay in choosing a heir.
"Let Hanabi grow up first," he argued. "Let them fight. The winner takes the Main House; the loser takes the Caged Bird."
Hiashi's proposal actually stemmed from a tiny flicker of fatherly love—he was reluctant to brand any of his children with that slave mark if he could avoid it.
And Hanabi didn't disappoint.
She was fierce, talented, and cold—everything Hinata wasn't.
This matter could have been delayed further.
Maybe until the Elder died.
Maybe until a new Hokage changed the rules.
But unfortunately, due to Makoto's blackmail, Hiashi was cornered. If he had to go to Amegakure, he needed to secure the succession now.
"Before the Chunin Exams conclude, and before the Third Hokage makes his decision on the Amegakure matter, I will give my answer."
Just as Hiashi Hyuga was about to speak—likely to abandon Hinata right then and there—Hanabi tugged at his sleeve.
Seeing his younger daughter's stubborn, tear-filled expression, Hiashi swallowed his words.
Afterward, the father and daughter left the suffocating atmosphere of the Elder's residence and returned to their own courtyard.
"Hanabi," Hiashi sighed, crouching down to look her in the eye. "I know you've always loved your elder sister since childhood. But your sister truly isn't suitable to become Clan Leader."
"Putting aside her strength for now, her character is simply too timid. She lacks the killer instinct. Do you understand? If she leads us, the clan will falls."
Hanabi vigorously shook her head.
"This time it was clearly my mistake!" she argued. "I killed those people! I caused this mess! How can I let Sister suffer in my place? Father, I imagine you've been blaming yourself until now for Uncle Hizashi's sacrifice back then, haven't you?"
"..."
Hiashi's expression showed a flicker of shame.
It wasn't deep guilt toward Hizashi—he truly believed in the Main House's supremacy.
But hearing his daughter call out the cycle of sacrifice stung.
Was he completely shameless? No.
Humans are complex.
"Father, for this Chunin Exams, let's go watch sister's upcoming match!" Hanabi pleaded, clenching her small fists. "If my sister can demonstrate a proactive and determined attitude... then Father, please don't involve her in this matter. Please don't brand her."
"...Fine."
Hiashi reluctantly agreed.
However, privately, he didn't believe Hinata could show any "proactive performance."
It would be enough if she didn't trip over her own feet and embarrass the clan.
...
The Forest of Death.
The second round—the scroll survival competition—had ended and the surviving teams dragged themselves to the tower.
The 1v1 preliminary elimination matches were about to begin.
When Hinata returned home, exhausted and anxious, she noticed the house was quiet.
"F-Father," she stammered quietly. "Where is Hanabi?"
"Hmph."
Hiashi snorted coldly without answering, turning his back on his eldest daughter.
Hanabi had gone out after dinner.
Originally, Hiashi wanted to forbid it, fearing more "Amegakure spies." But seeing how stressed Hanabi was, he softened.
He sent Hyuga Natsu to tail her from a distance with Byakugan, allowing Hanabi some space to breathe.
...
So where was Hanabi?
She had asked around and found the VIP residence assigned to the Amegakure Village Head.
Knock knock.
Makoto opened the door.
He looked down to find Hanabi standing timidly at the doorway, clutching a small package wrapped in cloth.
"Um..." Hanabi shuffled her feet. "I came to apologize. And I brought a medical kit. Where's that big brother with the broken arm? The one my father hurt?"
"He returned to his village," Makoto said smoothly.
He stepped aside to let her in, then closed the door.
Outside, hidden in a tree, Hyuga Natsu watched with her Byakugan.
She could see them talking, but she couldn't hear a sound, so she decided to keep watching.
Inside the room.
"Actually, there were no casualties yesterday at all," Makoto said casually, sitting down on the sofa.
"You don't need to blame yourself."
"Huh?"
Hanabi froze.
She nearly dropped the medical kit in her hand!
"W-what do you mean no casualties?"
Hanabi took a sip of the hot tea Karin had served, her small face full of confusion.
She vividly remembered seeing her father explode seven people.
She saw the blood—wait, was there blood?