The Branch Family head's residence was not brightly lit; a chill permeated the night air.
Thump... Thump...
A series of silent thuds echoed from the courtyard. A fair-skinned boy, his forehead bound and concealed by a bandage, stood in the center, relentlessly striking a wooden post with fluid fist techniques.
However, as he struck, his dazed, youthful face gradually twisted into a狰狞, ferocious expression, devoid of its usual peace. The Gentle Fist in his hands grew ruthless and violent.
He used no chakra with each palm strike. This self-mutilating method of striking gradually turned his fists into a bloody mess. The deep indentations on the wooden post's surface began to show glaring traces of blood.
It was less like practice and more like venting.
Even so, he showed no signs of stopping.
The only thing in Hyuga Neji's mind was the scene from a few days ago, when he had witnessed the Caged Bird Seal for the first time.
Like every other day for the past few years, he had gone to spar with the Main Family's young lady.
At that time, he had already been branded with that hideous curse seal, but he didn't understand what it meant. He naively believed what the other clansmen said, that it symbolized the Branch Family's "responsibility" to protect the Main Family.
Responsibility.
Those two words held no real meaning for him. In his eyes, as an older brother, it was his duty to protect his younger sister.
Even without this so-called "responsibility," he had done so every day in the past, cherishing Hinata as his own sister.
Until that day, that moment.
He saw his revered father clutching his head, his body convulsing, wailing and screaming in agony on the ground like a dog.
He had never understood why his father refused to take off his forehead protector, even in their own home.
Until that moment when the forehead protector fell from his father's brow, revealing the forehead branded with the curse seal. The bulging veins were like centipedes, and the ugly, cyan curse seal seemed to squirm.
And that so-called head of the Main Family, the man he was supposed to call "uncle," merely watched him and his father with cold indifference, mercilessly activating the curse seal.
"Just this once," Hyuga Hiashi's Byakugan gleamed coldly in the dim room. He said indifferently, "Do not forget your mission."
That was the first time Hyuga Neji had seen the ugliness of the Caged Bird Seal, the first time he understood what the curse seal truly meant for them.
That so-called curse seal could easily destroy their cerebral nerves, which meant that the Main Family, who controlled the curse seal, held the power of life and death over the Branch Family.
Once a member of the Branch Family harbored treacherous or presumptuous thoughts, or failed to fulfill their duties and responsibilities, the Main Family could use the curse seal to execute them.
And in everyone's words, this curse seal, comparable to a curse, could only be escaped through death.
From then on, the once gentle Hyuga Neji became cold and indifferent. The look in his eyes when he looked at Hinata was no longer the doting affection of an older brother, but the disgust and hatred of an enemy.
Creak!
Hyuga Neji clenched his teeth and threw a punch, his father's advice seeming to echo in his ears once more.
"Neji, do not resent the Main Family. The Caged Bird is not a curse, but a protective measure."
"I understand, Father."
"Our Byakugan is coveted by our enemies. The Main Family does this to protect the Byakugan from falling into enemy hands, for the future of the Hyuga clan."
"I understand, Father."
"This is our mission as the Branch Family, and our fate as the Branch Family. One day, you will understand."
"I understand, Father..."
CRACK!!
With a piercing shriek that tore through the air, the wooden post finally gave way and snapped in half, wood chips scattering like snow. Hyuga Neji staggered and knelt on the ground, looking down at his blood-dripping hands. His long black hair covered his face as he muttered in a low voice, "I understand, Father..."
But I don't understand.
Why can the Main Family accept all of this with such peace of mind?
On what grounds can the Main Family accept all of this with such peace of mind?!
Those who harm their own kin, on what grounds do they sit on the backs of the Branch Family, accepting everything with peace of mind, and on what grounds do they beautify the sacrifices of the Branch Family by calling it "fate"!
Click.
A faint sound from the door broke the deathly silence of the courtyard.
The dim yellow light behind him was turned on, and a figure gradually walked up behind Neji, its broad shadow enveloping him.
"Neji..."
Looking at the child with his back to him, Hyuga Hizashi's expression was incredibly complex.
In fact, after decades or even centuries of "inheritance," most of the Branch Family's children were indoctrinated from a young age with the idea that "the Branch Family is born to protect the Main Family." Almost no Branch Family members would resist the Main Family anymore.
They rejoiced at the Main Family's praise, feared the Main Family's anger, and grew angry at the Main Family's sorrow.
Hyuga Hizashi should have been like the others, instilling the concept of master and servant in Neji from a young age, but in the end, he did not do so.
He might have regretted it in the past three years, but whenever he saw the genuine, doting smile on Neji's face when he looked at Hinata, he was glad he hadn't.
He didn't want the relationship between Neji and Hinata to become like his and his brother's. He hoped that when the day came for Neji to be branded with the Caged Bird, Neji would genuinely feel that it didn't matter, and that he could treat Hinata like an older brother as he always had.
In his view, with Hinata's personality, she would never use the curse seal on Neji, and the two could continue to get along as they did when they were children.
However, Hyuga Hizashi had never imagined that the scene from that day, when he had impulsively acted on his murderous intent towards Hinata, would have such a great impact on Neji and change him so much...
"Father."
Hyuga Neji stood up, hiding his hands behind his back.
Hyuga Hizashi came back to his senses and gently stroked Neji's head, a gentle smile on his lips. "Neji, you are already very proficient in the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms. In a little while, I will be able to teach you the advanced Gentle Fist techniques."
"Yes, Father." Hyuga Neji's expression was calm, without a trace of joy.
Seeing Neji like this, Hyuga Hizashi couldn't help but fall silent, sighing inwardly.
"Go and treat your wounds," he glanced at the hands Neji was hiding behind his back. "Don't do this again."
"..." Hyuga Neji lowered his head and spoke after a moment. "Yes, Father."
Watching Neji walk into the house, Hyuga Hizashi stood in place for a long time.
He had once tried to resist so-called fate, but now he had long understood that fate was not a person standing in front of him, whose throat he could grab whenever he wanted.
Fate has no flaws; it can advance, and it can retreat. You and I cannot escape it.
"I can only hope that as Neji grows up, he can eliminate the resentment in his heart," Hyuga Hizashi said in a low voice, as if to himself. "All the suffering he is enduring now will become a treasure that will make him stronger."
As his voice fell, just as he was about to leave, a sneer carried on the wind reached his ears.
"How pathetic," someone said. "The unfortunate always create people more unfortunate than themselves."