Chapter 221: Whatever, He’s My Brother-in-law After All
On the second day of the New Year in Year 58 of Konoha, the snow had not yet melted, and the sunlight rarely showed its smiling face, casting soft rays over the village blanketed in silver.
Hinata Hyuga wore a brand-new set of snow-white cotton clothes, wrapped in a fluffy orange scarf, her little face flushed red from the cold, as she mustered her courage to arrive at Menma’s doorstep.
She gently knocked on the door, her heart racing wildly from anticipation and a touch of shyness.
The door opened quickly, revealing Menma himself, his black spiky hair somewhat disheveled, dressed in dark casual home clothes, as if he had just finished morning training not long ago.
“Happy New Year, Little Hinata.” Menma, seeing Hinata’s shy appearance, knew it was “Little Hinata” rather than Big Sister Hinata.
“Men… Menma…” Hinata’s voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, her hands nervously twisting the hem of her clothes: “Ha… Happy New Year… um… the weather is really nice today, I… I was thinking… do you want to go to the park to build a snowman?”
After saying that, she nearly buried her head into her scarf.
Menma glanced at the rare warm sun outside, then at Hinata who was shyly steaming up in front of him, pondering for a moment.
Affairs in the Land of Stars were being watched by Vanilla and Light, so he didn’t need to worry about them constantly for now; it would be good for his main body to relax a bit.
“Yeah, sure.” He nodded: “Wait for me to change clothes.”
“O… okay!” Hinata’s eyes lit up instantly, as if filled with stars.
Soon after, Menma changed into that familiar black-and-red-trimmed sportswear and walked out the door with Hinata, one behind the other, quietly heading toward the park.
There were already quite a few children playing in the park.
The most eye-catching was Naruto Uzumaki, wearing an orange cotton jacket, noisily having a snowball fight with Kiba Inuzuka, the two throwing snowballs while shouting loudly, covered head to toe in snow, yet laughing endlessly happily.
Compared to the other children in the park, Kiba was one of the few who didn’t care about Naruto’s “Demon Fox” identity and was willing to play with him.
“Hey! Brother Menma! Hinata! Over here, over here!” Naruto spotted them with his sharp eyes and excitedly waved his arms, shouting.
Kiba turned his head too, grinning as he greeted: “Yo! Menma, Hinata! Come join us! Today I’m definitely gonna show this guy Naruto what I’ve got!”
Menma looked at these two endlessly energetic guys like puppies and sighed helplessly, but still walked over with Hinata.
Under Naruto and Kiba’s enthusiastic—or rather rowdy—invitation, the four began building a snowman together.
Naruto and Kiba mainly handled rolling snowballs and causing chaos, while Menma and Hinata took care of the detailed sculpting.
During the process, Naruto was as lively and noisy as ever, endlessly telling jokes and talking about his grand dream of becoming Hokage.
Kiba chimed in with agreements and roasts on the side, their comedic interactions diluting much of the awkward atmosphere.
Hinata occasionally giggled softly, carefully shaping the snow rabbit’s ears with packed snow.
Menma quietly worked on his tasks, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the frolicking Naruto and the quiet Hinata, the depths of his deep blue eyes calm, with no one knowing what he was thinking at that moment.
After finishing a huge but crooked snowman, Naruto and Kiba, overflowing with energy again, ran off to one side to continue their snowball fight, their carefree laughter echoing through the park.
Hinata and Menma stood beside the snowman, and the atmosphere suddenly quieted down.
Hinata secretly glanced at Menma’s calm side profile, her little face flushing red again; she took a deep breath, her voice a tiny bit louder than before.
“Menma… um… ‘Big Sister’ says… she wants to chat with you.”
As soon as the words fell, Menma keenly noticed a subtle shift in Hinata’s demeanor.
That timid feeling quickly faded, replaced by a more straightforward, even somewhat sassy aura.
She straightened her body, hands on her hips; though it was still the same face, her eyes became bold and direct, kicking at the snow on the ground and pursing her lips.
“Hey, Menma!” Her voice also became much clearer, with a hint of impatience: “That damn clan banquet yesterday was so boring!”
Big Sister Hinata had officially come online.
Menma seemed entirely unfazed by this, merely raising an eyebrow slightly: “Oh? What about it?”
“What else? Just those same old stale rules!” Big Sister Hinata huffed, then furrowed her brows, her tone turning somewhat puzzled: “The old fogey even told me to spar with that cousin Neji… tsk, that kid just feels off somehow.”
She rubbed her chin, as if trying hard to recall and compare: “He’s completely different from my world’s Neji! My world’s Neji was a perverted peeping tom who loved sneaking peeks at girls’ baths, but at least his personality was pretty outgoing, kinda silly. This Neji…”
“He’s all gloomy, his gaze always feels like it’s hiding something, like a… like a villainous little boss bottling up bad intentions! Little Hinata didn’t notice during their spar, but I felt he was holding back, no energy!”
Menma’s lips curved into a knowing arc upon hearing this, and he explained calmly: “It’s normal for personalities to be opposites. Your world’s Hyuga Clan also had the ‘Caged Bird’ thing, but it leaned more toward protecting clan members, and the relationship between main and branch families wasn’t as divided as in this world.”
“Caged Bird…” Big Sister Hinata chewed on the term, her face showing clear disgust: “That disgusting curse mark should’ve been tossed into the historical trash heap long ago!”
Suddenly thinking of something, she jerked her head up, probing Menma with her gaze: “So… you mean, he harbors deep hatred toward us… toward the main family?”
Menma nodded, his gaze drifting toward Naruto still roughhousing in the distance, his voice flat but certain: “Yeah. And after I last ‘granted’ him a taste of brief freedom, that hatred and desire have probably fermented even deeper. Plus, when I visited the Hyuga Clan Territory as Shura before and took the elder’s eyes in front of so many people, he should know about it and understand its implications.”
Big Sister Hinata inhaled sharply, then relaxed, pursing her lips: “What a hassle… so, they’re pawns on your chessboard too?”
She asked directly, staring intently at Menma.
Menma chuckled lightly, his tone carrying a casual air of total control: “If I wanted, I could easily mold him into a revenger full of hatred toward the main family and Konoha, a proper big villain. Even turn him into the ‘clan destroyer…'”
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Big Sister Hinata: “But, for my brother-in-law’s sake, I’ll pass.”
“Brother-in-law…” Big Sister Hinata’s face rarely flushed, but she immediately glared fiercely at Menma, not refuting, instead huffing: “Smart move!”
Menma continued: “Don’t worry. Soon, not just Neji, but including Uncle Hizashi Hyuga, a portion of the branch family members worth saving will completely break free from the ‘Caged Bird’s’ restraints. These aren’t pawns; this is… necessary change.”
Big Sister Hinata looked into Menma’s profound eyes, the confidence and power within inexplicably reassuring her heart.
She nodded, a smile on her face, clenching her little fist: “Yeah! I believe in you! I’ll figure something out too! Once I… once I have a say later, I’ll push the main family with all my might to abolish that damned Caged Bird system! This lady can’t stand rules that bully our own people!”
The girl under the sunlight had firm eyes, brimming with vibrant energy and determination for change.
After nightfall.
The Hyuga Branch Family mansion was utterly silent.
Neji Hyuga finished his evening lessons in his room and lay quietly on his bed.
The daytime training, the clan’s oppression, and that deep-seated desire and hatred intertwined in his mind.
The “Caged Bird” mark on his forehead seemed to throb faintly in the darkness, reminding him of his status and shackles.
Just as his consciousness blurred and he was about to sink into sleep, the air in the room seemed to distort slightly.
A figure appeared silently by his bedside.
Neji jolted awake, sitting up instantly, his Byakugan nearly activating instinctively!
But when he saw the intruder’s attire—that familiar black robe, with a eerie White Three-Eyed Fox Mask on the face—his movements froze.
It was Shura!
His heart pounded wildly, a mix of fear and an indescribable excitement and expectation.
He quickly got up, kneeling on the bed, lowering his head, his tone as calm and respectful as possible: “Lord Shura.”
Menma stood quietly there, his gaze under the mask appraising the precocious and repressed child before him.
He could sense the vigorous chakra and buried resentment in Neji’s body.
“Neji Hyuga.” Menma’s voice through the mask sounded low and authoritative: “Last time, I gave you a taste of momentary freedom. Now, tell me your choice. Will you willingly remain a Caged Bird forever bound by the curse mark, living a mediocre life, even possibly dying worthless for the main family at any moment? Or…”
“Will you pay any cost to pursue true power, to master your own destiny, even if the path ahead is filled with thorns and darkness?”
Neji jerked his head up, those pure white eyes unable to suppress the blazing flames any longer!
Without the slightest hesitation, his voice firm, even trembling with desire: “I choose power! Choose freedom! No matter the cost! Please, Lord Shura… teach me!”
“Very good.” Menma seemed satisfied, nodding.
He extended his hand, and the ancient, blank “Book of Crimson Moon” bamboo slips materialized in his palm, emanating hazy, eerie light.
“Then, let you experience ahead of time what true despair and struggle can forge into power…”
The slips’ light suddenly intensified, instantly enveloping Neji!
Neji felt his spirit blur, the scene before him completely distorting and changing!
When he “awoke” again, he found himself in an incredibly “real” world.
Still the Hyuga Clan Territory, but the atmosphere even more oppressive.
In this “Limited Tsukuyomi”-like illusion world constructed by the “Book of Crimson Moon,” Neji underwent an utterly realistic nightmare loop:
He “saw” his father Hizashi Hyuga, to protect his brother Hiashi Hyuga who had “accidentally killed” the Cloud Village special envoy, forced to become the scapegoat; under the “persuasion” of the main family elders and Konoha High Council, for the so-called “village’s greater good,” “voluntarily” accepting his fate, tragically and humiliatingly committing seppuku to atone!
He watched his father’s corpse helplessly, powerless, the Caged Bird on his forehead preventing even an angry shout!
The seeds of hatred grew wildly in that instant!
Time in the illusion world flew by.
Neji Hyuga, carrying this bone-deep hatred, began insanely enduring and training!
He transformed all his grief and anger into power!
In this world, his talent was pushed to the extreme, his strength surging, even surpassing all his peers!
Years passed, and he felt he now possessed power surpassing Clan Head Hiashi Hyuga!
He believed he finally had the capital to rebel!
Thus, he chose to launch a rebellion against the main family one night!
He would avenge his father, shatter this damned cage!
However, just as he was about to succeed, his palm about to touch Hiashi Hyuga!
The main family elders, seated coldly in the shadows, activated the “Caged Bird”!
“Urgh aaaah——!!!”
No matter how strong he became, no matter how refined his Gentle Fist, that soul-deep agony engraved into the Caged Bird’s soul instantly stripped him of all power!
Like a fish out of water, he writhed in pain on the ground, watching helplessly as all his efforts, all his hopes, turned to dust before absolute control!
Repeated rebellions brought repeated, deeper despair and crushing pain!
The illusion world’s time seemed trapped in an endless loop.
Neji experienced his father’s grim death again and again, endured and trained time after time, endless grueling tasks, clashing with various powerful enemies, until his strength peaked!
Only to have all hopes effortlessly shattered by the “Caged Bird” at the critical moment of each rebellion!
Each loop tormented his spirit to the limit, but each loop, that unattainable pain and thirst for power acted like the cruelest whetstone, insanely tempering his will and combat instinct!
In the endless loops, he fought thousands upon thousands of battles, against elite ninjas in the illusion world, against the despair in his heart!
His practical experience accumulated at an unbelievable speed, his techniques honed in countless life-or-death struggles to become ever more concise, ruthless, efficient!
…
In the real world, only one night passed.
When the sky began to lighten at dawn, Neji on the bed snapped his eyes open!
His pupils contracted sharply, his forehead covered in cold sweat, breathing ragged, as if just struggling out of a drowning nightmare.
The endless loops and pain in the illusion world were so real, nearly branded into his soul.
But soon, he took deep breaths, forcibly suppressing his body’s tremors.
Those pure white eyes held lingering profound pain and despair, but more so, a firmness refined to the extreme, and a sharp aura nearly bursting from his body!
He clenched his fist, feeling the power within and a deeper understanding of Gentle Fist, instincts forged in countless “deaths” and “battles.”
In the morning, during routine guidance training.
Hyuga Homura looked at Neji, who seemed no different from yesterday, and smiled: “Neji, come on, let’s continue consolidating yesterday’s Gentle Fist routine today.”
“Yes, Teacher Homura.” Neji saluted calmly.
However, the moment they clashed, Hyuga Homura’s smile froze on his face!
“Pa!”
Neji’s palm strikes were no longer the rigid routine of yesterday; the angles became extremely tricky, speed faster, power more condensed, as if each move had been tempered a thousand times, striking straight at vitals!
And that battlefield prediction and adaptation felt nothing like a child’s, more like a seasoned ninja crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood!
Hyuga Homura had to give his all, elevating his power and control to chunin level, to barely parry Neji’s storm-like onslaught!
Their figures flashed and intertwined rapidly on the training ground, palm winds whistling, chakra collisions booming dully.
After a dozen exchanges, Hyuga Homura seized a gap to leap back and create distance, his face full of shock and disbelief; looking at the slightly panting but still ice-cold-eyed Neji, he exclaimed:
“Neji! You… you this guy… what’s going on?! Just one day passed… how could your progress be this huge?! Your techniques… and your practical experience…”
He felt the Neji before him had been reborn; though chakra amount hadn’t changed much, that combat awareness and ruthlessness was like someone fresh from the Third Great Ninja War!
Neji slowly dropped his stance, calming the boiling chakra in his body from the intense clash, head lowered to hide the complex light in his eyes, calmly giving the excuse he’d prepared:
“Sorry, Teacher Homura. Maybe because the New Year brought new insights; last night… I didn’t sleep well, thought a lot about training.”
Hyuga Homura scanned Neji up and down with Byakugan, confirming he hadn’t been replaced, then murmured: “This is… genius?!”
【PS: Pair it with a pic of blackened Neji】
