Chapter 57: The Caged Bird's Sorrow

Boom

Naruto's foot smashed against Neji's Rotation (Kaiten) with immense force, sending out a powerful shockwave upon impact.

"Impossible!" Neji yelled in disbelief, his eyes widening as he felt Naruto's overwhelming power forcing its way through his defense.

Bang!

Neji's body slammed onto the ground, creating a small crater beneath him.

"Impossible..." Neji murmured weakly, lying flat on the dirt, gasping for air.

Naruto, completely unscathed, walked toward him and looked down. "Nothing is impossible. It's just the Cursed Seal of the Caged Bird. Your fate is in your own hands." With that, Naruto turned away, walking toward the exit of the arena.

"Is it... in my hands...?" Neji whispered as his consciousness faded into darkness.

"Winner!"

Genma Shiranui raised his hand, announcing loudly, "Uzumaki Naruto!!"

Boom!

The stadium erupted into cheers, disbelief, and excitement. Everyone who knew Naruto before—the dead last, the failure, the dobe—stood up in astonishment.

Tears of joy welled up in Rock Lee's eyes as he clenched his fists. My efforts weren't in vain! Beside him, Might Guy patted his protégé on the back with a proud grin.

Is this really the same Naruto we used to know?

Wearing a determined expression and his bright orange jumpsuit, Naruto slowly left the arena. To the older shinobi in the audience, his back seemed to overlap with another—the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.

Uzumaki Naruto!

Fame won through battle!!

Neji was carried off the battlefield by medical personnel, his injuries severe but not fatal. As he was being healed by medical-nin, he slowly regained consciousness. The first thing he saw was Hyuga Hiashi walking in from outside.

"Do you need something?" Neji asked calmly, his voice devoid of emotion.

"I came to tell you the truth of what happened that day," Hiashi said, his expression unreadable.

"That day...?" Neji murmured, confusion flashing in his eyes as he recalled his father's death before him.

"At the time, I was the one who was meant to die," Hiashi stated.

"What are you talking about?!" Neji snapped, anger lacing his words. "My father was killed in your place!"

Hiashi pulled out a scroll from his robes and placed it beside Neji. "This contains the full truth of that day…"

"Hmph! Just more fabricated excuses from the main family," Neji scoffed, refusing to touch it.

Hiashi didn't argue. "Read it. You'll understand."

Neji hesitated before his gaze fell upon the scroll's seal. His eyes widened slightly.

This is... Father's handwriting!

His hands trembled as he picked up the scroll and unfurled it.

Neji, I don't have much time left.

In what little time remains, I want to tell you something important.

The leader of the Land of Lightning who attempted to abduct Lady Hinata was slain by Lord Hiashi. However, the Lightning Daimyo refused to acknowledge their attempt at kidnapping and instead made unreasonable demands, using the dead ninja as an excuse.

The cowardice of the Third Hokage led to Lord Hiashi preparing to sacrifice himself to prevent war, but the clan elders forbade it.

Neji, sometimes death is not the worst fate, and living is not always better than dying.

Hiashi-sama suffers more from my death than I ever did. My pain lasted but a moment, but his will remain for a lifetime.

Keeping the Byakugan a secret is the duty of the Hyuga Clan, a mission passed down for generations. Even if it meant dying in Hiashi-sama's place, I was not given a choice.

Yet, Hiashi-sama did not want me to die in his stead. So, I knocked him unconscious.

Before I left, he asked me—'You still have Neji. Why would you die for the main family?'

I answered him like this: 'That's not it. I despise the main family. I always have.'

'But because of that, I don't see you as the head of the clan. I see you as my older brother. And for my brother, I would lay down my life.'

For me, that was my first choice. A kind of freedom.

I was born into servitude, but I understood my will better than anyone.

So I ask the clan to tell you this, Neji. I did not die for the main family. I chose to die for my brother, my family, and my village of my own free will.

Even if just once, I wanted to defy the main family's orders.

I chose my own fate. That's all.

I have surpassed destiny, Neji. Fate is in your own hands. Shape it yourself…

Neji snapped back to reality, his eyes blurring with unshed tears. Across from him, Hyuga Hiashi was kneeling, his head bowed in solemnity.

"This is the truth. I am sorry."

Neji's hands trembled as he clenched the scroll tightly, his vision swimming.

Slowly, his head lowered, and tears streamed down his face.

"Please raise your head… I do not want the head of the Hyuga Clan, the position my father gave his life for, to kneel before anyone…"

The next match was Uchiha Sasuke vs. Gaara.

But Sasuke was still nowhere to be seen.

The Third Hokage narrowed his eyes. "Declare Sasuke disqualified."

Orochimaru, disguised as the Kazekage, smirked beneath his mask. "Lord Hokage, reconsider. Disqualifying Sasuke Uchiha would be a waste."

"Proceed with the next match." The Third decided after a moment of hesitation.

Shiranui Genma addressed the audience. "Due to the contestant's absence, this match is postponed. We will move on to the next fight!"

Kankuro and Temari frowned.

The next match is between the two of us!

Kankuro hesitated, then turned to the proctor. "I forfeit."

An uproar filled the stadium.

"What?! Why not fight?!"

"First a no-show, now a forfeit?!"

"This is ridiculous!"

The Third Hokage eyed the Kazekage suspiciously. Something feels off...

Next match: Inuzuka Kiba vs. Nara Shikamaru!

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