"Uncle Ding, what did he just say?"
"Lady Tsunade?"
"He knows Lady Tsunade?"
[Lee Rock blinked.]
"Unrelated," Akimichi Choza replied without hesitation.
"Understood!" Rock Lee nodded immediately.
[Whoosh—]
[The instant the words fell.]
Rock Lee transformed into a streak of green lightning, hurtling straight towards Kato Dan.
[Akimichi Choza also looked at Sarutobi Asuma, who was standing to the side, completely stunned.]
Asuma Sarutobi: "..."
[...]
On the other side.
["Baguazhang - Reversing Heaven!"]
Hyuga Hizashi is rotating rapidly.
[Block all incoming kunai attacks.]
"He's got a knack for it."
"Let's use a combo attack."
A former Konoha ANBU ninja slowly stepped forward.
At that moment, his companion raised his hand and stopped him.
"Wait a minute."
"Lord Hiashi has passed away."
[The moment Hyuga Hizashi finishes his return to heaven.]
He then saw a familiar figure standing before him.
The headband she was wearing was no longer the Konoha headband, but the headband from the Land of Whirlpools.
Hyuga Hizashi paused for a moment.
They rolled their eyes at each other.
"Brother," Hyuga Hizashi spoke first.
Hiashi Hyuga didn't speak, he just looked at him.
"I'm sorry, I'm from a branch family that should be responsible for protecting the main family."
"They've become enemies of the main family."
"This is punishment for my past hatred of the main family."
"Brother, I can no longer control my body."
"In the end, I chose death willingly for the sake of the village..."
"It was also rejected."
Hiashi Hyuga lowered his eyes slightly.
The words Hyuga Hizashi said to me before we parted years ago flashed through my mind.
[Tell Neji that she wasn't dying to protect the main branch of the family, but to protect Neji, her brothers, her family... and the Hyuga clan.]
"Is this the inescapable fate of someone from a branch family?"
Hiashi Hyuga took a deep breath.
Raise your hands and assume a fighting stance.
["Fate?"]
"No wonder Neji keeps mentioning it."
[Hinata was stunned for a moment. ]
Then a look of worry appeared in his eyes.
But soon after, Hiashi Hyuga added:
"The division of the family was to protect the main family."
"A caged bird is a restriction, but also a form of protection."
"Of the Hyuga clan, only a handful of Byakugan members remain outside the clan."
"Very few Hyuga clan members have died because enemies coveted the Byakugan."
"A caged bird...is a rule established throughout history."
"Nowadays, many things have changed."
"From this day forward, the choice is yours: the main family or the branch family!"
"The responsibilities that the main family needs to shoulder are a choice they must make themselves."
"That kind of fate no longer exists!"
As he spoke, Hiashi Hyuga pointed to his headband.
"Your son has been fighting this long to prove it!"
"He's outstanding, more outstanding than both of us."
"He did not get rid of the caged bird above his head."
Hyuga Hizashi was completely stunned.
Neji...
[Whoosh—]
[at the same time. ]
Neji, who was continuously repelling the White Zetsu army's attacks amidst their ranks, suddenly stopped moving.
[Feeling something, I looked into the distance.]
However, in that brief moment of distraction...
[White Zetsu were already covering his body.]
[boom--]
At this time.
["Tooth blown through the teeth~!"]
Another dental cleaning.
"Go, Neji!"
"Leave this to me and Akamaru!"
"Woof!"
["Akamaru, Kiba!"]
"Woof!"
Neji paused, staring at Kiba Inuzuka and Akamaru, who had transformed into two-headed dogs.
He took a deep breath and made his decision.
[Start heading in the direction you sensed.]
"Neji's actions... are not a defense of the bloodline of the branch family and the main family!"
"This is in defense of Hinata!"
"He no longer hates caged birds!"
"The conflict between the main family and the branch family has never been as great as imagined!"
"Including myself... how many people are there in the main family?"
Hiashi Hyuga's eyes sharpened.
The blood vessels around the eyes are bulging.
[Eye roll!]
["Nip difference."]
"A caged bird is both a restriction and a form of protection."
"It's all about fate."
"Hyuga, stop being so stuck in this old system."
"It's a personal choice."
"Neji has always opposed this system, yet now he's defending it."
"They're acting like they're going through a family division."
"My daughter, Hinata Hyuga."
"This is to let everyone know what the Hyuga main family is really like!"
As he spoke, Hiashi Hyuga's lips curled slightly.
"Hinata's talent... was my oversight."
"Hinata, whose talent was in no way inferior to that of their ancestor, was almost buried like this."
"Hinata-sama..." Hyuga Hizashi felt a little dizzy.
Hinata's change truly took him by surprise.
[There's also Neji's option.]
"I never imagined such an era would actually arrive."
"Hinata-sama... has she already reached that level...?"
At this point, Hiashi Hyuga's smile faded.
[He nodded very seriously.]
Hyuga Hizashi suddenly smiled.
"If that's the case... then it's even more appropriate... for my brother to do it himself!"
Having said that,
Without warning, Hyuga Hizashi lunged forward.
Hiashi Hyuga was prepared.
[He unleashed the same palm strike.]
[Whoosh—!!!]
In an instant.
Centered on the two individuals, sharp, blade-like gusts of wind appeared around them.
"The feud between the Hisamune family and the Hisabune family."
"Let's settle this here once and for all."
[Whoosh—]
At this time.
Neji has arrived.
Looking at the two brothers locked in combat before him.
His eyes instantly welled up with tears.
[...]
[The Land of Winds, the border.]
The army of White Zetsu has emerged.
Meanwhile, several figures were mixed in with the White Zetsu army.
"I never expected I'd have another chance to act."
"The Allied Shinobi Forces...the Iwagakure (Hidden Stone Village)?"
"Grandma, these are White Zetsu. The Allied Shinobi Forces are still behind us."
"Watch out for those guys whose skin looks like a dead person's."
"That is..."
Kankuro hadn't finished speaking yet.
Chiyo then took out several scrolls.
He waved his hand and said, "I know."
"The Second Hokage's ninjutsu, Impure World Reincarnation."
[With that, Granny Chiyo let out a mocking laugh.]
"That's a ninjutsu technique that insults the dead."
"But... sometimes, I think it's a pretty good ninjutsu."
As she spoke, Granny Chiyo turned her head to look into the distance.
["Is it right."]
["scorpion."]
"If only Naruto had appeared sooner."
"Perhaps... everything would be different..."
There was no response, not even a shadow of someone there.
At that moment, a figure slowly emerged from the White Zetsu army.
He was dressed in the attire of Orochimaru's faction.
[Highly recognizable.]
[In addition, there are its distinctive physical characteristics.]
Granny Chiyo recognized him immediately.
"The Kaguya clan?"