Chapter 220 : Hinata, you've been wronged.
Hyuga Neji was stunned.
As an outsider who had lost the duel so miserably, he had originally prepared himself to be mocked and ridiculed by Uchiha Sasuke and the crowd of onlookers, but he never expected that things would turn out completely differently from what he had imagined.
The gazes of the classmates around him were filled with excitement, awe, admiration, and praise... there were even quite a few who looked eager to try it themselves.
Yet, there was not a single person who came to mock him!
Especially Uchiha Sasuke.
Whether before or during the fight, the other party had been overbearing, yet after winning, he had instead become humble.
Not only did he not mock or insult him, but he even took the initiative to say he acknowledged him...
Even though Hyuga Neji had experienced many things since he was young, he couldn't help but feel his brain short-circuit at this moment.
Seeing Hyuga Neji dazed, Naruto took the initiative to take his hand: "This is the atmosphere of our Hidden Cloud Village. As long as you fight with all your might, you can win everyone's respect."
"The Byakugan and Gentle Fist of the Hyuga Clan are indeed very powerful. If there's an opportunity, we can spar as well."
"By the way, the one who just saved you is Gaara, the youngest in our Family."
Hyuga Neji immediately bowed to Gaara: "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Gaara had a small, earth-yellow gourd slung around his waist, looking quite cute and simple.
Naruto waved at the crowd: "Let's disperse. It's getting late now, let's talk about anything else tomorrow."
After everyone left, Naruto gestured with his mouth towards Uchiha Sasuke: "Sasuke, you're treating us to three-colored dango today."
Uchiha Sasuke's hand unconsciously touched the money pouch at his waist, and he said with dissatisfaction: "Why should I be the one to treat?"
Naruto snorted lightly: "If you don't treat, I'll tell Father, Mother, and Brother Itachi about how you almost killed your companion today."
"You wouldn't want to become an arrogant and domineering second generation in the eyes of your Family, right?"
Hearing this, Uchiha Sasuke gritted his teeth: "I got it, but everyone can only eat three skewers."
That guy Naruto was always trying every possible way to trick him into treating them to meals, which had left him a bit financially strained now.
"That's enough, that's enough."
Naruto pulled Gaara and Hyuga Neji towards the outside of the Ninja Academy with a beaming smile, while Uchiha Sasuke followed behind with a displeased look on his face.
As the sun set, the shadows of the few stretched out and intertwined together.
— — — —
— — — —
Hyuga Clan grounds.
Hyuga Neji returned home and saw Hyuga Hinata squatting at the entrance waiting for him.
Seeing him walk over, Hyuga Hinata immediately ran to his front: "Brother Neji, are, are you hurt today?"
After class today, she saw that all the classmates had gone to the playground, but she was a bit shy, so she didn't follow.
Only later did she find out that it was her brother who had been challenged.
After Hyuga Hinata transferred, she was arranged to be in the same class as Uchiha Sasuke, so she still had some understanding of Uchiha Sasuke.
Although her brother was also a rare Genius, Hyuga Hinata still couldn't help but feel a bit worried.
Under the influence of Uchiha Yuzuru, Hyuga Hizashi did not die, and the caged bird seal had also been abolished, so the relationship between Hyuga Neji and Hyuga Hinata was very good.
Seeing the concerned expression on Hyuga Hinata's face, Hyuga Neji smiled and said: "Don't worry, I'm fine."
"Sasuke, Naruto, Gaara... and the people in the Village, they all seem to be quite good people."
Hearing this, Hyuga Hinata nodded: "Yeah! Everyone is very nice."
When she was in Konoha, many people called her "Byakugan Monster" behind her back, which caused her to be a bit afraid of strangers.
But unexpectedly, although the classmates in the class spoke directly, none of them had any intention of mocking her.
While the two were talking, they walked into the courtyard, and Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Hizashi immediately waved: "Neji, Hinata, come and eat quickly."
Hyuga Neji and Hyuga Hinata nodded and ran quickly to the side of the table.
Seeing a table full of sumptuous food and a half-meter-high wooden bucket filled with rice, Hyuga Neji and Hyuga Hinata were both a bit surprised.
Hyuga Neji asked curiously: "Father, is someone coming over as a guest today?"
Hyuga Hizashi patted Hyuga Neji's head and said softly: "No, today's meal is all prepared for you two. Eat to your heart's content."
Hearing this, Hyuga Neji nodded pleasantly: "Then I'll start eating."
Hyuga Hizashi then turned his gaze to Hyuga Hinata: "Hinata, you eat quickly too."
"Oh."
Hyuga Hinata felt a bit embarrassed being stared at by the two.
After biting the bullet and eating one bowl of rice, she dutifully placed her bowl and chopsticks on the table: "I'm done eating."
Hyuga Hiashi frowned and said in a deep voice: "Hinata, eat freely. Today, eat as much as you can."
"Eh? Is that really okay?"
The Hyuga Clan placed the most importance on rules, and Hyuga Hinata was the eldest daughter on whom high hopes were placed, so she had always strictly disciplined herself since she was young, and eating was naturally no exception.
In her understanding, if she wolfed down too much food, she would definitely be scolded.
So she usually only ate a normal person's portion of food, and then when she was starving, she would sneak out to eat a big meal.
But unexpectedly, her father actually took the initiative to ask her to eat more today.
"Hinata, letting you eat your fill is an order personally given by Lord Yuzuru."
"Although I don't know why, this is very likely related to the future of the Hyuga Clan!"
"So... eat as much as you can. You must never go hungry in the future."
Seeing Hyuga Hiashi's serious expression, Hyuga Hinata nodded vigorously, and tears couldn't help but flow from the corners of her eyes: "I understand, Father!"
After speaking, under the shocked gazes of Hyuga Hiashi, Hyuga Hizashi, and Hyuga Neji, she elegantly and rapidly wiped out all the food on the table.
Even half of the rice in the wooden bucket was consumed.
"Um... I'm full."
Hyuga Hinata put down her chopsticks and spoke a bit embarrassedly.
Hearing the voice, Hyuga Hiashi came back to his senses, hugged Hyuga Hinata into his arms, and murmured: "Hinata, you've had a hard time before."
"The Hyuga Clan has already ushered in a new life. From now on, you don't have to wrong yourself for the sake of inheriting the Hyuga Clan anymore."
Rarely seeing her father show a gentle side, Hyuga Hinata pouted: "Dad..."
Hyuga Hizashi patted Hyuga Neji on the shoulder: "Neji, you must protect Hinata well in the future!"
Hyuga Neji said firmly: "I will. Now I am also qualified to become the Clan Chief of the Hyuga Clan, and I will definitely not let Hinata do things she doesn't like anymore."
— — — —
— — — —
Land of Fire.
Border.
A three-person Ninja squad was executing a patrol mission on the border line, incidentally clearing out surrounding beasts and setting up some exploding tag traps.
The autumn wind was bleak, and there was gradually a bit of chill.
After one of the Ninjas tightened the steel wire, he couldn't help but complain: "I really don't know what the Village is thinking, to actually send us up here."
Another companion immediately echoed: "Yeah, in the past, the first line of defense was always guarded by those civilian Ninjas. Why didn't the Family know to help us fight for it?"
"Captain, you are a Jonin, and in the Family, you can be considered an elite Ninja. Do you know some inside information that we don't?"
Feeling the gazes cast by the two, the captain in the lead touched his chin and said: "It can't be called inside information, it's just that I occasionally heard the elders in the clan mention it once."
"I heard that as early as after Uchiha Yuzuru declared war on Konoha, a large number of civilian Ninjas had already been secretly assembled."
"Presumably... they should have more dangerous missions to do."
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