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Iwagakure:
Far from the bustle of Konoha and the sands of Suna, in the heart of the towering mountains that shield the Hidden Stone Village, Iwagakure, the Art Store sat on an open rocky ground. Sunlight flooded the area, casting an aura of awe and tranquility.
However, tranquility was far from the souls of the shinobi gathered inside the store, where the scorching sun's rays could not reach.
At the forefront sat the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, perched on his chair, hovering his small body a few inches off the ground thanks to his flight technique.
He held the manga volume, his small eyes gleaming with years of experience and cunning.
"Hmph… the Hyuga and their 'Main and Branch House' drama," Onoki muttered, stroking his pointed beard. "Konoha always claims idealism, but in reality, it's a nest of contradictions. What is the deal with this system? It turns the strong into slaves for the lesser just because of birth. If this boy Neji were in Iwa, he would have been forged into a devastating weapon, not a servant harboring a grudge."
Beside him, his son Kitsuchi, a young shinobi with a powerful build and stoic features, watched the manga pages with focus.
"Father, how can they force someone as talented as Neji to submit? The manga says he's from the 'Branch House,' but it hasn't explained how the Main House ensures their loyalty. Is it just fear of tradition? Or is there something hidden?"
"It's the shackle, Kitsuchi, the shackle that prevents the stone from rolling," Onoki replied philosophically, staring at Neji's face.
"Great clans don't rely on words alone to ensure loyalty. There is always a price paid to stay at the top, but the manga hasn't revealed the 'mechanism' yet. And that mystery is what makes it truly terrifying."
In another corner of the store, the Jinchuriki Han stood in solemn silence, his body covered in steam armor emitting a faint heat. He watched the manga pages calmly, but his fist was clenched.
"Fate… a word used by the weak to justify their shackles, and by the strong to justify their oppression," Han whispered in his deep voice, resembling the hiss of steam.
"Neji isn't wrong in his anger, but he is wrong in directing it toward someone weaker than him. He attacks Hinata because he cannot attack the system that imprisoned him."
Beside him, Roshi, the other Jinchuriki, growled in annoyance.
"Tsk… these Hyuga remind me of dormant volcanoes. Calm on the outside, with lava of hatred boiling within. If this system ever explodes, it will burn Konoha to the ground."
In another corner, where some eccentric individuals sat, officially known in Iwa as the Explosion Corps, Gari, a young and impulsive boy who had not yet joined the squad, laughed mockingly as he saw Neji's toxic words. "This kid has a sharp tongue! He's blowing up her morale before he even touches her. Go and fight, and stop spitting nonsense!"
Of course, his mockery wasn't directed at Hinata, but at Neji himself!
Sitting next to him was a member of the Explosion Corps, Bakuto, a man with long blonde hair tied back and sharp blue eyes. Bakuto had a special obsession with art, which made him incredibly drawn to the manga.
"Art is an explosion… but true art is this conflict," Bakuto said, staring at Hinata's trembling face.
"Neji is trying to paint a portrait of despair, and Hinata is trying to paint a portrait of resistance. Kid, what do you think of this contradiction?"
"…It's devastatingly beautiful, isn't it? But this class system… it lacks beauty. It's just a monotonous shackle that kills creativity."
Hearing that, Kitsuchi nodded seriously.
"With Naruto's shout interrupting him, he shattered that portrait Bakuto is talking about with just a few words!… 'Stop deciding people's fates!'… I liked that!"
"What a brave boy, even though he seemed like a failure at first."
Onoki laughed loudly, "Haha! This boy Naruto, he possesses something everyone here lacks. He has the audacity to spit in the face of everyone he doesn't like."
"Well, in the future, Iwagakure will need to watch these children closely…"
"The future depicted in this manga is already shaking the foundations of the Stone."
The atmosphere in the Iwa store was charged with a strange appreciation for Neji's mood, a muted sympathy for Hinata, and a general surprise at Naruto's boldness.
For the Stone shinobi, who value solidity and loyalty, the Hyuga division was a lesson in how the strongest fortresses crumble from within.
After all, no seal had appeared on Neji's forehead yet, and no one in the store knew of the dark secret of the 'Caged Bird,' making their questions about how the Main House maintained control increasingly exciting and mysterious.
And this was indeed happening in all the other art stores as well.
…
Konohagakure:
Back in Konoha, the title of the next chapter, "The Hyuga Clan," was intriguing, causing the momentum of reading the chapters to more than double.
All readers were intensely focused on the events of the new chapter.
What caught their attention most was the chapter cover, which bore a Yin and Yang pattern, with Neji placed on the black side and Hinata on the white side. This was particularly curious.
[— Manga Scene —]
"I don't want to run away anymore!"
'Not anymore..'
After hearing Naruto's encouragement and remembering how he didn't back down in the past, Hinata's eyes regained their sparkle and courage.
"Byakugan!!"
"Neji-niisan… let's fight." Hinata activated her Byakugan and took a combat stance.
'This..'
Both Rock Lee and his teacher Guy-sensei were shocked by this sudden turn of events.
"Hmm… fine." Neji was also surprised but quickly adjusted his stance accordingly.
"Just as I expected, she's using the same Hyuga style. Her stance is exactly the same as Neji's." Rock Lee pointed it out.
"Hyuga style?" Naruto wondered.
"The strongest taijutsu in the Leaf Village."
"Huh?"
"I told you before… that the strongest genin in the Leaf Village is likely on my team.."
"And he is…."
"Hyuga Neji."
Rock Lee said with an annoyed expression, not because he wanted to admit it, but for him, this was the truth.
[— End Scene —]
At this moment, breaths were held, and the reason was the moment Hinata shouted: "Byakugan!!".
Inside the section dedicated to the Hyuga clan, the silence that had prevailed moments ago was broken, replaced by rapid whispering and exchanged looks among the clan members who were surprised by how quickly Hinata's mood had changed.
"That look in her eyes…" Takeo Hyuga, one of the veteran shinobi in the clan, whispered as he stared at the manga page in awe.
"Moments ago, she was practically already withdrawn, and now… that aura surrounding her, it's the perfect 'Gentle Fist' stance."
Beside him, Hana Hyuga, a medical ninja from the clan, wiped imaginary sweat from her forehead.
"But she's facing Neji. Lee might not be exaggerating when he says Neji is the strongest genin in Konoha. Look at his stance too… it's devoid of any opening."
"This fight won't just be an exchange of blows; it will be a struggle over who possesses a purer Byakugan and a firmer will."
Masanori, the clan leader, watched the scene, his eyes never leaving the image of Hinata taking her combat stance.
"That blonde boy did it…" Masanori muttered, audible only to those around him. "He shattered the wall of fear with a single word. Hinata is now fighting not just Neji, but the fate that Neji tried to impose on her."
Hiashi, who was still reeling from the shock of seeing his future cruel self, felt a strong throb in his heart as he saw Hinata regain her courage.
"Hinata…" he whispered to himself, as if trying to atone for a sin he hadn't committed yet. "She possesses a strong spirit."
As for Hizashi, he watched Neji in the manga with a mixture of pride and concern.
'Neji… don't be too cruel,' he said to himself.
"Just fight on the principle of combat, not revenge." This was what Hizashi wanted to see; despite his current young age, the Naruto manga had made him more sensitive and aware of good versus evil.
…
Far from the Hyuga, Minato was smiling gently as he saw the effect of Naruto's words.
"Naruto has a rare talent, Kushina. He doesn't just change himself; he changes everyone around him. Hinata turned from weakness to strength just by hearing his voice."
Kushina, who was wiping away tears of emotion, shouted enthusiastically: "That's my son! Hit him, Hinata! Show that arrogant guy that 'Fate' can be kicked away!"
"Your son? Who is your son?" Minato was shocked to hear that. Was Kushina already married?
Hearing that, Kushina's face suddenly turned red.
How could she explain to this idiot that she had a strong feeling, growing over time, that Naruto was her son!?
…
In another corner, Might Dai was gripping his son Gai's shoulders and shaking them violently.
"Strongest taijutsu in Konoha!? What is this brat Lee mocking!? How did you teach him, for heaven's sake!?"
"Dad, I haven't taught Lee anything yet… even Lee doesn't exist yet…"
"Ahem… sorry for pushing you so hard."
"Dad, you're still shaking me hard…!"
"Oh, sorry…"
"Daaad, stop shaking me!"
"For heaven's sake! The strongest taijutsu in Konoha will truly appear later in this manga, just wait everyone! Hmph!"
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 178: Gentle Fist!
Chapter 179: That's My Ninja Way Too!
Chapter 180: An Unbreakable Will
Chapter 181: An Expected Defeat
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