Orochimaru's appearance added a bizarre touch to the Hyūga Clan's funeral. Shinichi, having learned the contents of Orochimaru's conversation with Hyūga Hiashi, couldn't help but wonder if the recent deaths of so many Hyūga clansmen were connected to the Sannin.
From the perspective of Konoha's overall situation, the proportion of Hyūga casualties in recent years was significantly large.
Although war was inherently unpredictable, most Hyūga ninjas were assigned to reconnaissance and sensory units, usually performing "observation" type missions.
These ninjas were primary targets for enemy elite squads on the battlefield, but, correlatively, Hyūga ninjas were also prioritized protection targets. If war were likened to a fight between two people, the Hyūga were the eyes. If the eyes couldn't be properly protected, the war could hardly continue.
Hyūga Hiashi's expression was grim after emerging from the side hall. He clearly harbored thoughts similar to Hyūga Shinichi's.
He was visibly distracted while presiding over the funeral. However, in such a setting, everyone instinctively assumed he was simply overwhelmed with grief, as some of the deceased were well-liked clansmen. No one would connect Hiashi's distraction with Orochimaru, who had just come to mourn his subordinates.
"Big Brother, what's wrong with Uncle?"
"His face looks terrible, but it doesn't seem like sadness."
It was Hyūga Neji, following Shinichi, who noticed Hiashi's abnormality. The young boy was surprisingly perceptive.
"It's nothing..."
"He's probably just tired."
"Don't worry about it, Neji."
Hiashi's expression was naturally grim. As the Clan Head of the Hyūga, he had been subjected to coercion. Hiashi was likely seething with anger, but couldn't explode in such a setting.
The Hyūga Clan needed to maintain its standing in Konoha. Orochimaru was closely connected with the Council Elders, so they had to maintain an amicable facade with him. Despite often calling themselves Konoha's greatest clan, the Hyūga did not actually have the power to overturn the political table.
"Is that so?" Neji clearly didn't believe Shinichi's vague answer, but being an obedient child, he didn't press the matter further.
"I will try my best."
Throughout the funeral ceremony, Neji quietly followed Shinichi, behaving obediently and sensibly, which saved Shinichi considerable trouble. It wasn't until noon that the Hyūga clansmen gradually dispersed.
Hyūga Shinichi briefly exchanged courtesies with the families of the deceased before heading home with Neji and his guards. Hiashi and Hizashi still needed to remain at the temple until the coffins were prepared and the burial took place early the next morning, when their duties would finally end.
With the adults busy for the next two days, Shinichi, as the older brother, was tasked with looking after Neji.
However, this didn't require much effort from Shinichi. Due to the presence of his sister, Hinata, the family already employed maids to help Hanako, and Neji already possessed a degree of self-sufficiency.
Shinichi only needed to keep Neji from being bored. This was easily managed; after letting Neji expend his excess energy and stamina in the dojo, the boy would naturally ask to rest.
"Neji, rest for a bit after lunch. I plan to check your training progress this afternoon."
On the way home, Shinichi addressed Neji walking behind him. Neji's small face immediately crumpled in distress.
"Big Brother... No..." Before he could fully voice his refusal, seeing Shinichi's resolute gaze, Neji could only obediently nod.
"Alright... I'll try my best."
Neji's obedience and compliance made Shinichi feel a twinge of guilt. Gently stroking Neji's head, Shinichi adopted an adult demeanor and spoke earnestly:
"Neji, this is for your own good."
"I, your older brother... don't want to meet you in the memorial hall in the future."
"Even for us Hyūga, to live well in this world, we need to strive hard."
Shinichi's words caused Hyūga Keisuke, walking behind him as a guard, to shudder slightly. As a fellow Hyūga who had experienced the battlefield, Keisuke deeply empathized with Shinichi's sentiment.
While he felt comforted by Shinichi's mature thinking, he also looked at Neji with a touch of envy. To have such a Main Family older brother protecting him, this Branch Family brat is truly fortunate!
Upon returning home, Hyūga Shinichi brought Neji to see his mother. Hanako was currently teaching little Hinata how to hold a brush and write. Until she turned three, Shinichi's biological sister would not undergo any ninja training.
Only after her third birthday would she gradually begin to learn such things. Furthermore, due to Shinichi's existence, Hiashi and Hanako held no high expectations for Hinata, placing no hopes of "reviving the clan" on her shoulders.
They naturally spoiled their daughter excessively. This wasn't necessarily a deliberate gender bias; rather, in traditional clans like the Hyūga, gender preference was inevitable. Hanako only hoped her daughter would grow up healthy and possess enough self-defense capability—that was enough.
"Big Brother is home!"
"Oh! And Brother Neji came too!"
Hearing the door open, Hinata, seeing Shinichi and Neji, immediately dropped her brush and cheered happily.
Her little legs pumped as she ran and leaped toward Shinichi. It was hard to believe such a small, two-year-old child could jump like that. Shinichi, however, was used to it. He slightly crouched and caught his sister in his arms.
Feeling Shinichi's warm embrace, Hinata smiled widely. She hooked her arms around Shinichi's neck and turned to her mother: "Mother, I'm not writing anymore!"
"I want to go train with Big Brother!!!"
A small child wouldn't know anything about "training"; this was simply an excuse to escape writing, or perhaps Hinata was intensely curious about the busy routine of her older brother, which she saw every day.
"Going to train with me is out of the question for now."
"You will have plenty of time for training later."
"For now, just stay obediently with Mother." Shinichi slowly placed Hinata back on the floor, smiling as he refused.
Rejected, Hinata puffed up her cheeks and immediately sat down on the floor, wailing: "No!! I don't want to!!" While shouting, the child tried to pull at Shinichi, wanting him to take her away.
Seeing Hinata's childish, whining display, Shinichi scratched his head, a strong sense of dissonance rising within him. Hinata... isn't this child supposed to have that inwardly strong, gentle, and meek personality? She should be like her mother, Hanako.
But why is my little sister becoming more and more...
Hmm, is it possible that because of my presence, Hiashi and Hanako have spoiled this child rotten?!
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