Watching Neji leave the academy directly, Guy asked:
"That Hyūga kid just now… if he's attending the ninja academy, he must be from the branch family, right?"
The main family of the Hyūga clan never attended the academy; they were trained within the clan grounds.
As for Hinata in the original story, that was because Hiashi believed the heiress didn't yet have the qualities to carry the responsibilities of the main family. That's why Hinata entered the academy and was later taught by Kurenai.
Thinking of this, Yun frowned as he looked at Neji in the distance. 'Why is this kid carrying so much anger?'
'Hizashi may have been injured on the battlefield, but it wasn't fatal. He was still alive.'
With that in mind, Yun nodded at Guy, then patted him on the shoulder:
"You stay here spying. I've got something to do, I'll head off first."
Guy blinked, staring at Yun's back as he left:
"Where are you going? The real highlight for this kid is tonight, remember to meet me in the back mountain."
Yun just waved casually to show he got the message and walked toward Neji's direction.
Fate.
This word had never existed in Neji's world before. From his earliest memories until age four, he thought he was the same as everyone else, growing up carefree.
But at four years old, when the main family's daughter was three, the entire Hyūga clan gathered at their compound.
That day, the caged bird curse mark was etched onto his forehead. He didn't understand then, but when his father screamed in agony at a single hand sign from the elder brother, he understood.
Just a few minutes' difference in birth, and both he and his father's lives were condemned to the main family's control.
In his memory: his father writhing on the ground, screaming; himself, a helpless child watching in confusion.
That memory made Hyūga Neji's fists clench tightly, veins bulging.
"Why?!"
"Why must we be condemned to this fate?!"
"Neji."
The sudden voice startled him. When he turned, all he saw was a pair of Sharingan. Then he collapsed unconscious.
Yun slung Neji over his shoulder casually and glanced at a shadow among the trees:
"Bring him back later. You can tag along if you want."
Shhh!
An ANBU dropped down from the tree. Yun scratched his head. 'What rotten luck, running into ANBU at just this moment.'
"Captain, when are you coming back to ANBU?"
"Hm?" Yun squinted at the masked ninja, then asked after a pause: "It's you? I thought I'd run into someone looking for a fight."
The fox-masked ANBU quickly waved his hands:
"Of course not, fighting you would be suicide! But why did Captain go after that Hyūga boy?"
Yun scratched his head, embarrassed. 'Spur of the moment? Maybe because he felt regret
about Neji's death in the original? Maybe just a bit of mischief toward the Konoha 11?'
"This kid's talent… It's strong. So… he needs some guidance. I'll send him back later. You don't trust me?"
The ANBU shook his head quickly: "Of course not. Captain's a hero of the village, no way you'd harm one of its children."
Yun's eyes twitched. If I hadn't noticed your hand sneaking to your weapon, I might've believed you.
Buzz!
The Mangekyō pattern spun in his eyes.
"Alright, Noda, these eyes should be proof enough. Make your report. Later."
And Yun disappeared in a flash.
The fox-masked ANBU awkwardly put away his kunai. That odd half-answer earlier almost made him attack, but those eyes left no doubt.
Still… Uchiha tutoring Hyūga branch kids? What kind of twisted logic was that?
Konoha's back mountain, forest.
Neji stirred awake. It was only a simple illusion, no real power behind it.
"Don't pretend to sleep. I've got no bad intentions."
Neji sat up, and when he saw Yun, he blurted out in shock:
"Uchiha Yun?!"
Snap!
Yun flicked his finger against Neji's forehead protector.
"Ah!" Neji winced, glaring back defiantly. If it had been Hinata, she'd probably be crying already.
"Call me brother! Since you recognize me, your father must've told you."
Neji rubbed his forehead and wisely said, "Lord Yun. My father said you're our family's benefactor."
Benefactor?
So after the war, Hiashi and Hizashi must've pieced together the truth.
Yun nodded, accepting the title, then asked, "Aren't you curious why I dragged you out here?"
Neji shook his head, "If it's you, you must have your reasons. At least… It's not to hurt me."
Yun smiled faintly.
"I heard you talk about 'fate' earlier at the academy. I'm curious about your thoughts."
"Fate…"
Neji gazed at the setting sun. Soon, darkness would fall, just like his life, where survival or death lay in the whim of the main family.
After a long silence, Yun sighed.
"If I were a ninja from another village, and you didn't have that cursed mark, do you know what would happen?"
He tapped his temple.
"Your Byakugan would be ripped out. Dissatisfaction with this system isn't only among the branch family. But if you want to change it, power like this isn't enough."
Neji fell silent. If this were an enemy ninja, his eyes would already be gone. Only greater strength could change the rules.
Yun continued, "Unequal distribution is the problem. Branch family must bear the caged bird seal; from that moment, their lives are bound to the main family. That's the clan's iron rule."
He sighed. "But the truth is, for the weak, that curse mark can be protection too. Do you know why the war with Kumogakure started?"
Neji shook his head.
"Kumo pretended to form an alliance. Their envoy snuck into the Hyūga compound at night to kidnap the three-year-old heiress, Hinata Hyūga. You know her well."
"Everyone in the ninja world knows Byakugan can only be inherited from the main family. Many Hyūga died in that war, but Kumo never got a Byakugan."
Neji clenched his fists: "But those who died on the battlefield were all branch members! Uncle Toku, and…"
Yun nodded, "Exactly. Only strength can change injustice. Why was it only branch members dying on the battlefield, while the main family had only Hiashi? Why do only branch bear the seal? That's inequality."
"If you want to change it, you'll need strength strong enough to break rotten traditions. But you'll also need a better system to replace it, or else, the Hyūga will become everyone's target, because Byakugan is invaluable in war."
Neji trembled. His father's screams flashed again before his eyes when Hiashi's seal tormented him.
"…Lord Yun. I can never forget that day, my father writhing in agony under Hiashi's seal. I'll never forget!"
Yun sighed. Now he understood. Hizashi lived, but the trauma of seeing his father tortured left Neji fixated on "fate."
"Do you know why Hiashi, the main family head, fought on the battlefield?"
Neji frowned, "Wasn't it because of Hinata, his daughter…?"
Yun shook his head, "No. Hiashi fought and always charged ahead because of your father."
He explained the attempted kidnapping of Hinata, Hiashi killing the kidnapper, and the Cloud demanding Hiashi's life in compensation.
"To prevent war, the clan wanted your father, Hizashi, Hiashi's twin, to be the sacrifice. That way, the Byakugan stayed within the clan, and peace was kept. Everyone happy… except you."
Neji froze, struck to the core.
Everyone else is content. Only he lost his father.
Branch destiny.
"Yes, it was Hiashi. He argued with the elders, unwilling to sacrifice his brother. But even he couldn't change the village's stance. In the end, the other clans and the Fourth Hokage supported war instead of sacrificing Hizashi."
Neji's eyes widened. So Hiashi wasn't merciless after all.
Yun pressed further:
"If you were head of the main family, would you allow the caged bird to be etched onto Hinata's forehead? Would you?"
Neji thought of Hinata, the shy little girl peeking at him from behind her father. Could he ever let her suffer the same fate? No. Never.
And Hinata herself, with her gentle nature, would never want that either.
But without the curse seal, the branch would become targets. Everyone would covet the Byakugan.
"Lord Yun… then what new system should exist?"
"That's for you to decide," Yun said. "But the branch alone can't change it. You'll need the main family and even the village. Absolute power alone only breeds fear and opposition. That's politics."
Neji was stunned. It was beyond his comprehension, but his views on Hiashi and Hinata were already shifting.
Later, Yun escorted Neji home, handing him back to Hizashi.
"You've got a gifted son. If he's left to fester with misunderstanding, even a genius can be ruined. Some things should be explained."
Hizashi bowed his head, placing a hand on Neji's.
"Thank you for teaching my son."
Yun waved it off.
That night, back at home, Yun joined his mother and younger sister Izumi for dinner. Izumi teased him about his popularity among the academy students. Yun, embarrassed, shifted the topic.
"Next year, when you graduate, how about joining my squad?" he asked Izumi.
She blinked in surprise.
"Brother… you're going to be a team leader?"
Yun nodded. "Better than dull missions. Teaching the new generation seems more fitting."
Izumi leaned closer, whispering:
"Then… can you arrange for my teammates to be, "
Bonk!
He flicked her forehead again.
"Don't even think about it. You're the only exception. The rest, the Hokage decides."
That night, in his room, Yun unsealed the chakra he'd stored.
The Eight-Tails, the Two-Tails, the Nine-Tails…
Which should he use first?
He settled on Kushina's chakra. With her, it was safest, since Akatsuki hadn't started their full-scale moves yet.
And with the intel he'd traded before, Karin Uzumaki's whereabouts for two tokens, it was worth the gamble.
The sixth transaction was about to begin.