For the first time, Hiashi Hyuga completely lost his composure.
Right now, Chinya was without a doubt the next one on Hiruzen Sarutobi's list. The only reason he hadn't acted yet was because Hiruzen didn't have full confidence in his position.
Once Hiruzen was ready, he'd make his move against Chinya.
Dealing with Chinya was only a matter of time.
No one in Konoha dared approach Chinya now, afraid of being misunderstood by Hiruzen.
If someone were misunderstood, Hiruzen might even see them as the next target himself.
That's why Hiashi Hyuga became so angry upon learning that Hizashi Hyuga still wanted Neji to become Chinya's disciple.
Hizashi Hyuga's gaze was like a still pond as he stared at Hiashi Hyuga and said, "I've already said it before—if Neji should take someone as his teacher is entirely my decision. Even if you are clan head, you have no right to interfere."
Hiashi roared furiously, "But both you and Neji are members of the Hyuga Clan! I will absolutely not allow Neji to study under Chinya! Hizashi, you're treating the future of the Hyuga Clan as a joke!"
Hizashi slapped away Hiashi's hand gripping his collar and replied, "Let me tell you this too, Hiashi. As long as Chinya is willing to accept Neji as a disciple, then even your disapproval won't matter!
"If you want to use your authority as clan head to restrain me, then go ahead. If you dare use the Caged Bird technique, then feel free to do so!"
Hiashi, burning with rage, shouted, "Do you think I wouldn't?!"
Hizashi smirked coldly, "Of course I know you would. So do whatever you want."
Immediately, Hiashi activated the Caged Bird Curse Seal.
As soon as the seal triggered, Hizashi tightly clutched his head, collapsing onto his knees in agony.
At that moment, the door to the room suddenly burst open.
Neji Hyuga, who was on his way to Chinya's house, now stood at the doorway.
Neji stared blankly at Hiashi looming over Hizashi and at Hizashi kneeling painfully on the floor.
"Father!"
Wide-eyed, Neji rushed over to Hizashi's side. Tears streamed down as his little hands gripped Hizashi's arm tightly. "Father, what's wrong with you?"
The pain in his head left Hizashi unable to talk.
Furious, red-eyed, Neji glared hatefully at Hiashi and charged forward, pounding his fists at him. "Why are you bullying my father!"
Hiashi dodged Neji's punch. He immediately deactivated the Caged Bird Seal and coldly stated, "From this day onward, Neji is forbidden to leave the Hyuga Clan grounds! Break this rule, and you'll be punished by the clan laws!"
After saying that, Hiashi left the room directly.
It took Hizashi a long while before he gradually recovered slightly.
With a pale complexion, Hizashi asked anxiously, "Neji, why did you come back so quickly? Didn't you meet Chinya?"
Still teary-eyed, Neji responded, "I saw Master. When Master saw me, he immediately recognized me as my father's son. Master told me directly that starting today, I officially became his disciple. But Master said I must rush back home immediately, so I came back."
Slightly surprised, Hizashi thought—had Chinya already sensed what was happening here?
Hiashi Hyuga found it unlikely. Chinya's House was quite a distance away from the Hyuga clan grounds, and the Hyuga were heavily guarded. How could Chinya possibly notice what was happening here?
Hiashi thought it was probably a coincidence, yet couldn't explain why Chinya had urged Neji to return home immediately.
Hiashi continued asking, "Did Chinya say anything else?"
Neji wiped his tears with his sleeve before replying, "Before I came home, sensei said he would come to the Hyuga clan grounds tomorrow to pick me up for training."
Upon hearing that Chinya would personally come to pick up Neji, Hiashi relaxed slightly.
Right now, Neji had been confined to the clan grounds. If Chinya didn't come to pick him up, Neji wouldn't be able to leave the Hyuga clan grounds at all.
Actually, after Neji visited him, Chinya had immediately observed Hizashi's condition.
At this point, the entire Konoha could be considered under Chinya's surveillance.
This was because snakes belonging to Chinya were everywhere.
Even if someone noticed these snakes with their Byakugan, they would only assume them to be ordinary snakes. These snakes carried no chakra; they only contained a trace amount of chakra from Chinya, making them difficult to detect without close inspection.
After Neji visited him, Chinya instantly linked his senses with those of the snakes inside the Hyuga Clan Grounds and discovered that Hiashi and Hizashi were arguing.
Judging from how firm Hizashi appeared and how angry Hiashi seemed, Chinya guessed that Hiashi might even use the Caged Bird technique to punish Hizashi.
That was why Chinya urged Neji to return home immediately.
Chinya had two reasons for doing this. Firstly, once Neji returned home, the argument between Hiashi and Hizashi would end.
Regardless of how much they argued, Hizashi would never overpower Hiashi.
After all, whenever Hiashi wanted, he could torment Hizashi using the Caged Bird seal.
Secondly, Chinya wanted Neji to witness firsthand how the leader of the Hyuga Clan, Hiashi, treated his own father, Hizashi.
Based on Hiashi's current level of anger, Chinya also knew Hiashi absolutely wouldn't approve of Neji following him.
There was no question of Neji being allowed to leave the clan grounds in the future, not openly anyway — if he ever wanted to leave, he'd have to do so in secret.
If being caught sneaking out happened, not only would Neji face punishment, but so would Hizashi.
Therefore, Chinya had Neji return home first and planned to personally go there and pick him up the next day.
Chinya was eager to see exactly what kind of resistance Hiashi would put up to stop him from taking Neji Hyuga away.
Neji said angrily, "Father, why is he treating you like this? Aren't you brothers?"
After a brief silence, Hizashi replied, "We used to be. But now he's merely the head of the Main Family (the senior branch of the Hyuga Clan) and leader of the Hyuga clan."
Neji could feel his father's sadness. He clenched his tiny fists tightly, his mind filled with the image of his father collapsing in pain moments ago while Hiashi looked down on him coldly and arrogantly.
After watching Neji leave, Chinya received an unexpected visitor: Kushina Uzumaki, who had just returned from grocery shopping.
Kushina Uzumaki told Chinya that she seemed to have seen a child who looked very similar to Neji Hyuga on the way.
Chinya replied to Kushina Uzumaki, "That was Neji. He came alone to find me just now."
Kushina Uzumaki said in surprise, "So it really was Neji. He came alone to see you?"
Chinya answered, "Yes. Hizashi has been placed under house arrest, so Neji had no choice but to come by himself. However, Neji has also been placed under house arrest now. Tomorrow morning, I'll personally go to the Hyuga Clan Grounds to pick up my disciple. Kushina, starting tomorrow, you should rest well. I plan to train both Sōnagi and Neji together."
She simply nodded and said, "Alright."
Early the next morning,
Chinya headed straight to the Hyuga Clan Grounds from his home to pick up Neji Hyuga.
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