Chapter 564: The Bewildered Neji

Chapter 564: Chapter 564: The Bewildered Neji

After chatting with Hiashi for a while longer about the enrollment ceremony scheduled for a few days later, Kagami rose and took his leave.

From his probing questions just now, Kagami had discovered that Hiashi, despite being the clan head, knew little more than he did. Evidently, the transmission of certain clan secrets had been interrupted at some point in history, or perhaps deliberately concealed by an ancestor.

After leaving the main family’s estate, Kagami strolled along the long street of the clan compound, his mind still occupied with the insider and the clues in the ancient records.

"Kagami!"

Suddenly, a light voice called out from the distance.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Kagami looked toward the voice and saw Hyuga Rei waving at him from a short distance away. Standing beside her were Hizashi and Neji, father and son.

Kagami walked over and asked Neji, "Neji, are you all right?"

Neji shook his head. "I’m fine, Sensei."

Rei smiled. "Don’t worry. Lady Tsunade just examined Neji. He’s perfectly healthy, and Akatsuki didn’t tamper with his body in any way."

Evidently, Hizashi and Neji had just returned from a visit to Konoha Hospital.

Akatsuki’s methods were bizarre and unpredictable. As a father, it was only natural for Hizashi to take Neji to Konoha Hospital for a thorough examination to ensure that nothing was wrong.

Meanwhile, because Rei had become Tsunade’s disciple, she had been transferred to Konoha Hospital and officially became a medical shinobi under its jurisdiction. Thus, after encountering Hizashi and Neji at the hospital, she had voluntarily accompanied the father and son back to the clan compound.

Hizashi sighed emotionally. "We really have the Uchiha rescue team to thank this time."

As a father, Hizashi should have devoted himself entirely to rescuing Neji after his son was abducted. However, as a member of the branch family, he had no choice but to devote all his energy to rescuing Hinata instead. Because of this, he felt deeply guilty toward Neji.

"Indeed."

Kagami smiled and nodded in agreement.

Although it was the Uchiha rescue team that had brought Sasuke and Neji back, the person who had truly been working behind the scenes all along was Kagami.

Had Kagami not instructed Itachi to coordinate with him and simultaneously pressure Akatsuki, there was no way Akatsuki would have released the two children so readily.

Moreover, even if Akatsuki had refused to release them, with Shinichi serving as Kagami’s undercover agent within the organization, the two children would not have been in much danger. After all, neither of them had a Tailed Beast sealed inside them, so they were not Akatsuki’s direct targets.

At that moment, Kagami noticed that Neji seemed somewhat downcast, his eyes filled with bewilderment. He asked, "Neji, what’s wrong? Why do you look so unhappy?"

Hizashi glanced at Neji beside him and let out a long sigh.

He knew why Neji was feeling so down.

After being rescued, the very first thing Neji had done was ask him, his father:

"Father, please tell me the truth. Is our Hyuga clan really inferior to the Uchiha clan?"

Faced with such a pointed question from Neji, Hizashi had been left speechless, unable to answer.

As things currently stood, the Hyuga clan indeed had no powerful shinobi capable of matching an Uchiha who possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan.

However, asking Hizashi to personally admit that the Hyuga clan was inferior to the Uchiha clan was something he simply could not bring himself to do. Thus, when confronted with his son’s question, he could only respond with silence.

What puzzled him even more, however, was the bewilderment Neji had displayed this time.

Neji might have harbored similar doubts before, but back then, what filled his heart was a sense of duty—a determination to catch up, defeat the Uchiha, and reclaim his clan’s honor.

Now, however, Neji seemed to have suffered a tremendous setback, leaving him bewildered even about his future path in life!

It was as though he had already accepted that the Hyuga clan was inferior to the Uchiha clan, and that no matter how hard he worked, he would never be able to change that fate!

Puzzled, Hizashi had naturally questioned Neji in detail about his experiences while in Akatsuki’s custody. Only then did he understand why Neji had returned with such a profound sense of defeat.

Seeing Neji standing there with his head lowered, refusing to speak, Hizashi could only answer on his behalf. "The boy lost to an Uchiha child. He’s taking it rather hard."

With that, Hizashi briefly recounted Neji’s experiences within Akatsuki to Kagami.

Hearing this, Kagami smiled. "So that’s what happened!"

Since his father had already brought the matter into the open, Neji spoke up.

"Sensei, I watched Sasuke surpass me step by step with my own eyes. Before that, we each had our share of victories and defeats. But after Shinichi-senpai started training him, it was as though he’d become a completely different person. He grew stronger with every passing day, and now I’m nowhere near his match!"

The corner of Kagami’s mouth curled upward as he teased, "Heh, giving up so easily? That’s not like you!"

"No, I’m not giving up. It’s just... I simply can’t see any hope of surpassing him. His... his Sharingan is superior to my Byakugan!"

Neji’s voice grew quieter and quieter as he spoke, until his final words were barely audible.

"What the hell is Shinichi doing? He’s traumatized my disciple this badly!"

After grumbling inwardly, Kagami was just about to offer Neji a few words of encouragement. After all, Neji was only eight or nine years old. It was perfectly normal for a child his age to feel lost after suffering such a tremendous blow.

But just then, a commotion erupted in the distance.

A group of Uchiha clansmen dressed in the uniforms of the Konoha Military Police Force came noisily barging into the Hyuga clan compound.

"Where is Hyuga Kagami? Tell him to get his ass out here!"

"This time, we’re going to teach him a proper lesson and show him just how powerful we Uchiha are!"

"Hmph! He actually dares compete with us Uchiha for the position of academy principal? The man’s far too arrogant!"

In an instant, their unrestrained curses and insults echoed throughout the Hyuga clan compound.

One after another, Hyuga clansmen emerged onto the streets, glaring furiously at the Uchiha who had barged into their territory.

Even the gates of the main family’s estate swung open, and clan head Hiashi emerged with a stern expression, accompanied by a group of attendants.

On the long street of the clan compound, Kagami furrowed his brows and prepared to confront the group of Uchiha.

Rei hurriedly grabbed his sleeve and shook her head, her face filled with pleading.

"Kagami, don’t go over there!"

After becoming Tsunade’s disciple, Rei’s horizons had broadened considerably.

She knew that Uchiha wearing the uniforms of the Military Police Force were undoubtedly serving members of the organization. Furthermore, any Uchiha qualified to serve in the Military Police Force was, at the very least, a special jonin-level expert.

And there were a full eight Uchiha who had just barged into the clan compound!

Eight jonin-level experts, and Uchiha jonin at that!

Even a Kage-level powerhouse would have to expend considerable effort to deal with them. Thus, Rei simply did not dare allow Kagami to enter into a direct confrontation with these Uchiha.

At that moment, Hizashi also stepped forward and said solemnly, "Kagami, let the clan handle this!"

"They’re calling me out by name. I can’t exactly pretend I didn’t hear them!"

After a brief pause, Kagami turned to Rei and gave her a gentle smile.

"Don’t worry. It’ll be over soon."