"I Also Want to Control My Own Destiny"
"I won't let you carve that cursed Caged Bird Seal on Hanabi's forehead!"
Hinata's defiant yell made the branch guards instinctively take a step back, hesitating as they glanced toward the Hyūga elders. This was a conflict between the main and branch families—interfering recklessly could bring severe consequences.
The elders of the main family, however, remained indifferent to Hinata's protest, signaling the branch guards to proceed.
The guards hesitated, their gazes shifting toward Hiashi Hyūga, the clan's head. Offending the revered elders was unthinkable, but going against their formidable patriarch was equally dangerous.
Taking advantage of the guards' hesitation, Hinata seized Hanabi's hand and dashed toward the dojo's exit.
However, it wasn't long before the branch ninja regained their composure and swiftly intercepted them, blocking the only escape route.
Hinata set Hanabi down and assessed the guard in front of her. This branch member was an experienced jōnin.
She had no illusions—his strength far surpassed hers. She had yet to graduate from the Academy, but retreat was not an option. For once, she refused to be the weak, submissive girl she had always been.
Assuming the Gentle Fist stance, Hinata activated her Byakugan and prepared for battle.
The branch jōnin sighed. While Hinata's progress was commendable, she was still leagues behind him in experience. Her form was riddled with openings.
However, subduing her without inflicting harm would not be easy.
With a quick step forward, the jōnin engaged, only to be taken aback. Hinata's movements were sharper than expected—she was fighting at a chūnin level, far beyond what she had displayed before.
Was she holding back all this time?
At that moment, Hiashi Hyūga and the clan elders arrived but chose not to intervene. They wanted to see how much strength truly lay beneath Hinata's timid exterior.
Spotting an opening, the jōnin struck with an Air Palm, forcing Hinata to raise her arms in defense. Using the distraction, he maneuvered behind her, ready to immobilize her.
"Eight Trigrams: Rotation!"
With a fierce shout, Hinata spun rapidly, generating a spiraling chakra barrier that deflected the jōnin's attack and sent him skidding back more than ten meters.
"Rotation?! Hinata mastered Rotation?!"
Neji Hyūga's eyes widened in shock. That's a secret technique reserved for the main family… and one of the most difficult to master!
But that wasn't all.
As the dust settled, Hinata sprang forward, closing the distance between her and the jōnin in an instant. With precise control, she pressed an object against his neck.
Hiashi and the observing elders, their Byakugan activated, could clearly see—it wasn't a kunai.
It was a bone.
A sharpened bone spur protruded from Hinata's hand, aimed directly at the jōnin's throat.
The Hyūga elders exchanged silent glances, understanding the implications immediately.
This wasn't just the Byakugan—it was Shikotsumyaku, the legendary ability of the Kaguya clan.
A rare kekkei genkai, once thought lost with Kimimaro's death, now appeared in a direct descendant of the Hyūga clan.
The revelation was staggering. The Kaguya were distant relatives of the Hyūga, their lineage diverging centuries ago. But for Hinata to possess both the Byakugan and the Dead Bone Pulse…
The elders' eyes gleamed with ambition.
Unaware of their thoughts, Hinata maintained her stance despite the shallow cut on her neck. She exhaled coldly, "You've lost. I don't want to kill you—step aside."
The jōnin quickly retreated, his eyes darting to the bone spike in shock.
Hinata followed his gaze, confusion flickering in her own.
When did I gain this ability?
Her fingers brushed against the familiar, diamond-shaped mark at the base of her throat.
Could it be… because of the pendant?
The one Naruto had given her.
Her grip tightened. She could still faintly sense his chakra lingering on it.
If it came from Naruto-kun… then it's not dangerous.
She decided not to overthink it. Right now, Hanabi's safety was more important.
Just as she turned to escape, Hiashi and the elders stepped in her way.
"Hinata," Hiashi said, his voice firm. "Enough. Have you forgotten everything I've taught you?"
In the past, those words would have made her waver.
But today, she stood her ground. With newfound confidence, she smirked—Naruto's smirk—and challenged them:
"Father. Elder. Are you willing to hear me out?"
The head elder remained impassive. "If you agree to become the clan's next leader, we will consider your request. But Hanabi will bear the Caged Bird Seal. That is non-negotiable."
Hinata's fingers curled into fists.
Can you find Naruto-kun?
Her father's rigid face entered her vision, and an idea formed. She turned toward the elders, her expression unreadable.
"Well then, if the Caged Bird Seal is so necessary, let's make it fair. Instead of marking Hanabi…"
She paused deliberately, then smiled darkly.
"…why don't we place the seal on every Hyūga except for Father and me?"
Silence.
The elders froze.
The clan leader's expression twisted in disbelief.
Did she just suggest making him a branch member?!
Seeing their shocked reactions, Hinata knew her gamble had paid off.
It was a negotiation trick she learned from Naruto: Make an extreme demand to achieve the original goal.
"Oh? Elder Grandpa, why aren't you speaking? Weren't you going to agree to my request?"
Her voice was sweet, but her smirk was anything but.
The patriarch's face darkened. His gut told him something was very wrong. The obedient, shy Hinata he once knew was gone.
This Hinata had power.
And she knew how to use it.
Byakugan and Shikotsumyaku—a fusion of two elite bloodlines.
Restoring the Hyūga Clan's lost glory… would be impossible without her.
Gritting his teeth, the elder turned away. "Hiashi. Control your daughter. The Caged Bird Seal is what keeps the Hyūga strong. Without it, we would suffer the fate of the Senju and Uchiha.
Remember—there are others in the ninja world who still seek our power."
With that, he left.
Hiashi exhaled slowly and turned to his daughters.
Hanabi, still shaken, looked up at Hinata, eyes wide.
"…Why did you stand up for me, Onee-sama? If they strip you of your heirship, you'll become a branch member like me."
Hinata's expression softened. She reached out, gently ruffling Hanabi's hair.
"Because I don't want you to bear that mark."
Her gaze lifted, determination burning within her lavender eyes.
"And because I won't let him down again."
For the first time, her voice carried the unwavering resolve of a true Hyūga leader.
"I also want to control my own destiny."
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