Chapter 264: Are There Any Men?
The meeting was extremely efficient, with the agenda progressing quickly and decisively.
In less than half an hour, they had reached the final item on the agenda.
When Naruto announced the final item, the atmosphere in the venue, which had relaxed slightly as previous issues were settled, became subtle.
However, Naruto's next opening words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly waking everyone up.
Instead of stating the topic directly, he threw out a seemingly simple yet Soul-piercing question:
"Everyone..."
Naruto's voice wasn't loud, yet it possessed a strange penetrating power, echoing clearly through the silent hall.
"Do you want true peace?"
True peace?
This question stunned the vast majority of those present, their faces showing confusion and bewilderment.
Isn't Hidden Leaf Village currently at peace?
The Third Great Ninja War had ended more than ten years ago; while it couldn't be called a long era of prosperity, it could be considered a stable life.
"Do you think that the absence of large-scale war is peace?"
Naruto looked around the room like a lion surveying his territory, his gaze sweeping over every face—some lost, some deep in thought, some dismissive.
"Wake up!"
Naruto's voice suddenly grew heavy:
"Look at the world we live in! Look around the Land of Fire!"
The screen behind him changed to a map of the Ninja World.
"The other Four Great Nations are like four hungry tigers, never ceasing their covetous and predatory gaze upon the Land of Fire, the most fertile land!"
Beneath the surface of agreements lie undercurrents of arms races, intelligence infiltration, and ambitions ready to tear up treaties at any moment!"
He drew the Yaso Magatsukiri, its tip tracing the small nations wedged between the great powers on the map:
"And those small nations are like hyenas lingering on the edge of the battlefield between lions and tigers."
"They seem weak, but they are always waiting for an opportunity. Once the Land of Fire shows the slightest fatigue or flaw, they will pounce without hesitation, trying to tear a chunk of meat from our 'rich land'!"
But he wasn't finished.
Naruto's words became more specific and impactful; he began to dig up old debts, pointing directly at Hidden Leaf Village's most humiliating and unbearable scars:
"Setting aside the distant past, just from what I know, in the not-too-distant past..."
"From what I know alone, the Land of Lightning has infiltrated Hidden Leaf Village at least twice for kidnappings. The first time was to abduct my mother, which my father stopped."
"The second time was to abduct the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Clan, and the Hyuga Clan Chief killed the Hidden Cloud Village spy."
"And yet, what was the response from the Hidden Leaf Village higher-ups?"
I haven't found out the result of the first time. The second time, the Third Hokage wanted to confront the Hidden Cloud Village directly, but the result was the Hyuga Clan privately killing the Village's Ninja, Hyuga Hizashi.
Is this peace?
"Other nations can run rampant in Hidden Leaf Village without restraint, openly infiltrating to kidnap our most important companions and seize our most precious Bloodline Limits!"
"And we can only swallow our pride, even offering the corpses of our own compatriots to appease the enemy?"
"In all of Hidden Leaf Village, is there not a single man?"
Naruto looked at Neji.
"Neji."
Naruto called his name; his voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the heavy air of the hall.
Suddenly called upon, Hyuga Neji's body stiffened!
In that instant, he felt as if all the blood in his body rushed to his head; his brain buzzed, and he felt a sudden surge of heat.
His usual calm was completely shattered, replaced by a mixture of shock, bewilderment, and a burning sensation.
Naruto gave Neji no time to recover; his question was direct and sharp, like an arrow flying towards the bullseye:
"Tell me..."
Naruto looked directly into Neji's Byakugan, which were trembling slightly with emotion, and asked word for word:
"In the Hyuga Clan, are there any men?"
"I..."
Neji opened his mouth, but found his throat too dry to make a complete sound.
He felt a mixture of the clan's past shame, the grief and indignation of his father being forced to die, the oppression of being a member of the Branch House, the satisfaction of his uncle leading him to slay his enemies... and now, the unprecedented spirit and resentment stirred by Naruto's burning gaze and words... these emotions clashed and boiled in his chest like volcanic lava!
He couldn't think, couldn't organize his words.
He could only follow his body's most primal instincts.
Swish!
Hyuga Neji suddenly stood up from his seat.
Every eye in the room focused on Neji.
This usually quiet and reserved Hyuga Genius had now become the absolute focus of Hidden Leaf Village's core meeting hall.
Neji could clearly feel the weight of those hundreds of gazes.
There was curiosity, scrutiny, expectation, the hot-blooded resonance of fellow youths, and the complex stares of clan elders... pressure surged like a landslide or a tsunami.
Neji's body trembled uncontrollably.
His hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white from the force, shaking slightly.
His tightly pursed lips were also trembling uncontrollably.
He wasn't afraid.
He was excited!
In the Hyuga Clan, are there any men?
Naruto's words echoed in his mind like claps of thunder, over and over.
Although Hiashi had privately told him that he would be the future successor of the Hyuga Clan, was it really time to announce it now?
Naruto's eyes held scrutiny and expectation; Neji bit his trembling lip, desperately wanting to live up to those expectations!
Amidst the suffocating silence and the gaze of countless eyes, through his uncontrollable trembling, Hyuga Neji slowly raised his right hand.
His arm was stretched out straight, fingers pressed tightly together, as if condensing all his strength, determination, and pent-up emotions into this single, simple gesture.
He lifted his head, meeting Naruto's burning gaze and the eyes of everyone in the hall.
His once-trembling lips tightened, then suddenly opened, and with all the air and strength in his lungs, he let out a voice belonging to the Hyuga.
His voice was somewhat raspy with emotion, but it was clear, firm, and decisive:
"Yes!"
He paused, took a deep breath, and a light that seemed to break all shackles erupted from his Byakugan as he almost roared:
"I am! I am a man of the Hyuga Clan!"
He removed the Forehead Protector from his head, revealing a smooth forehead under the shocked gazes of the crowd.
The Caged Bird Seal... was gone?
That curse mark that accompanied members of the Branch House from birth until death... had actually... disappeared... from Hyuga Neji?
How was this possible?
What did this mean?!
Countless gazes—shocked, confused, inquisitive, ecstatic—instantly turned in unison toward the head of the Hyuga Clan, Hyuga Hiashi.
Hyuga Hiashi nodded at Neji, a smile of approval on his face.
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