~ Every 100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter! Your votes keep this climbing. Thanks!
Qianyu didn't understand it.
Hizashi Hyūga had guessed he would leave. Yet the man still came to see him, bringing Neji, risking censure from his clan and future repercussions. Why?
"Why, Lord Hizashi?" Qianyu asked. "If you already suspected, then why…"
Hizashi's gaze was steady, serious. "I struggled with it at first," he admitted. "If you wouldn't stay in Konoha, Qianyu… what would that mean for Neji, as your disciple? Would it implicate him? Should I just give up on this path for him?"
He paused, then his voice firmed. "But after thinking it through, I decided I wouldn't. Not because of any grand reason. I chose to trust you, Qianyu. Your character."
Qianyu's whole face scrunched up. A weird, complicated expression. "Trust my character?" He almost laughed. "Lord Hizashi, you might be the only person in this village who thinks that way. Everyone else says I'm ruthless. Cold. A man with no heart."
Hizashi shook his head, a small smile touching his lips. "That's what I thought too, before I knew you. But after you expressed interest in Neji at the Hokage's wedding, I… investigated you. I hope you can forgive that. A teacher's role is second only to a parent's. I had to be sure, for Neji's sake. I had to know if the man I was entrusting him to was responsible. Dependable."
"I understand," Qianyu said simply.
"Because of your past, you are… distant with strangers," Hizashi continued. "During the war, even on different fronts, I heard stories. You treated lives like tools. Enemy lives, allied lives. It didn't seem to matter. Every battle you commanded ended in victory, but the cost… our own forces paid a heavy price. I remember being relieved I wasn't assigned under you. I thought serving under the 'Blood-Eyed Asura' meant you'd be dead by morning."
He met Qianyu's eyes. "When you first offered to take Neji, I was thrilled. I admit it—I was drawn to your reputation then. I wanted a powerful patron for my son's future. I saw how you shielded Kakashi. How even the Uchiha dared not challenge him over that Sharingan eye. But later, I realized you weren't the man from the stories. You are responsible to your students. Devoted to your wife. You aren't cold, Qianyu. You're just… selective. Your care is reserved for those you let close."
Hizashi leaned forward, his voice low and intense. "So… I want this. Truly. I don't care what others say. I don't care who tries to stop it. This is Neji's chance. My chance for him. I feel it—him becoming your student will be the best decision I ever make. You don't need to carry any burden over it. Just be as you are. Even if you leave Konoha one day, don't worry about Neji. That's my job. As his father, I'll bear any pressure from the clan, from the village. It's the one thing I can do for him."
Qianyu stared at Hizashi.
He hadn't expected this depth. This sheer, stubborn resolve.
If—no, when—he left Konoha, the impact would be seismic. Becoming a missing-nin was inevitable. Neji, as his disciple, would be implicated. And Hizashi, the one who pushed for it, would face the full wrath of the Hyūga clan.
In the original timeline, Hizashi had only three years left. When Hinata was three, she'd be kidnapped by Kumogakure shinobi. Hiashi would kill the kidnapper, sparking a crisis. To avoid war, Konoha would make a deal. They'd need a Hyūga's body to hand over.
And the Main Family would offer up a Branch member as the sacrificial substitute.
Hizashi. Dead. A stand-in for his brother.
Hinata was only about a month younger than Naruto. Uzumaki Cang M, younger than Naruto by a month, was already born. Hinata would be born soon. The countdown was already ticking. Three years. That was all the time Hizashi had left to stand beside his son.
Qianyu was silent for a long moment, his eyes studying the man before him. Weighing. Then, a decision crystallized in his mind.
"Hizashi," Qianyu said, his voice dropping, serious. "I won't hide it from you. I've founded an organization outside the village. Five official members, including myself. Orochimaru-sensei is among them."
Hizashi opened his mouth to speak, but Qianyu raised a hand, stopping him. "Let me finish. Konoha is weak right now. The Nine-Tails' rampage left scars, and every other village is circling, smelling blood. Scouts are already at our borders. It might not be full-scale war yet, but harassment? Infiltration? That's a certainty."
He leaned in. "Konoha is built on clans. Bloodline limits. Secret techniques. That makes us a target. During this recovery period, enemy shinobi will infiltrate, aiming to steal our secrets. And your clan, Hizashi… the Hyūga are the prime target. Why? Because it's been done before. During the Third War. That Kiri shinobi, 'Ao.' He succeeded. He has a Byakugan. His name is still on our bingo books."
Qianyu's gaze was sharp. "They have proof of concept. And now Konoha is vulnerable. Predators always return to a successful hunting ground. Of the Three Great Dōjutsu, the Byakugan holds the greatest strategic value in wartime. Any infiltrator who gets in will make the Hyūga eyes their top priority. And who will bear the brunt of that danger? The Branch Family. Standing guard. While the Main Family sits safely behind your protection."
His voice hardened. "And if anything happens to the Main Family? The Branch, and you as its head, will shoulder all the blame. You've already realized it, haven't you? The Hyūga clan isn't worth this sacrifice. That's the real reason you're risking so much for Neji's sake. So… join my organization, Hizashi."
Hizashi had chosen to trust him. Now, Qianyu wanted to answer that trust. He wanted the man to live.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Read up to (100+ ) advanced chapters on Patre\on
Visit us here: patreon.com/GoldenLong
Happy reading, everyone!