Chapter Eight
"Let me out of here! The joke's over, you hear? If you don't come here and release me then... then... I don't know what I'll do."
Naruto thought for a moment, then added:
"But whatever it is, you won't like it!"
Nobody answered, most likely because nobody heard him. He sighed, turned away from the door, and sagged down on his bed, rubbing his face with his hands in another attempt to remember the details of what had happened the day before.
It seems like ages ago that Neji woke me up and told me Hinata was gone... kidnapped by Ingou, he said. And I believed him. Of course I did. If we can't even trust our own friends, then who can we trust? But he betrayed us... even yesterday, when he said we were searching for Hinata, he was probably just leading me to this place so he wouldn't have to carry me all the way. And I followed him like some brainless idiot.
Naruto started pacing around the room agitatedly, restless, unable to vent his abundance of energy. At the end of the day, when they had finally reached the mountains, Neji had suddenly grabbed him from behind and forced a needle in his neck.
"I'm sorry for misleading you," he had said as Naruto, taken completely by surprise, had helplessly tried to break free from his grip.
"But I don't have time to deal with you right now."
The needle must have contained some sort of knockout drug, because Naruto's first memory after that was waking up in this room, alone. A small clock indicated that it was about ten in the morning, which meant he had been unconscious all evening and night. He wasn't used to resting that much, and his muscles almost cried for exercise, but the door was locked and there were no windows to escape through.
The rest of the room was not very interesting either. Floor, walls and ceiling were all covered in wood, which made the chamber look uncomfortably much like a huge coffin, albeit a richly decorated one. The furniture consisted of two beds with accompanying bedside tables, a large dresser, a simple round table with four chairs, and a low couch. A doorway led to a small bathroom which, while lacking an actual bath, still contained a nice shower. Naruto couldn't help but notice there was no kitchen area, nor any place to store food. Whoever occupied this room would depend on food from outside.
Naruto had not eaten since lunch the day before, but any feeling of hunger he might have had was drowned out by the fear and worries he held for Hinata. When they had been searching for her he had at least felt he was doing something to get her back, that as long as he kept moving he would get closer to her. But now that he was stuck in this place his doubts grew stronger by the minute.
I don't know where she is, nor how she is doing. According to Neji, Ingou took her away, and that might be true, but there's no indication that Ingou and Neji are on the same side in whatever is going on. If that's the case then even Neji might not know where she is now.
Normally he would feel frustrated, even angry, but right now he felt uncharacteristically sad and discouraged, which was a very confusing situation for the eternal optimist.
My emotions have been all over the place since I saw you again, Hinata... I don't know what it is you're doing to me, but it's changing me. I can't tell yet how exactly, or whether it's for the better or worse. But if the little time we spent together so far is any indication, then... I never want to lose this again.
He suddenly smiled as he saw her image before him, smiling at him, blushing.
You strange girl, with your quietness and your pretty eyes. I can't believe I've never noticed before how different you are from everyone else. It's like I've found an odd kind of treasure, the kind you only find once in a lifetime.
His smile faded.
But now they're trying to take that away from me again. Do they think I'm just going to let that happen? Do they believe I'll just stand by while they take you away and harm you? Hell no!
He smacked his fist against the palm of his other hand in grim determination. Whatever it was he felt for Hinata, it gave him a purpose, gave him strength, and gave him hope.
I'll show them what happens if they mess with Naruto Uzumaki! If they think they can keep me locked in here, they're mistaken!
He eyed the door with renewed interest. It was solidly locked, of course, but it was only made of wood. He'd tried bashing it open before but it hadn't given way. However, he had more tricks up his sleeve.
"Alright. Let's do this. Shadow Clone Technique!"
A second Naruto appeared in a puff of smoke. They both nodded, and then the real Naruto held out his right hand while the other one rapidly moved his hands over it as if outlining a sphere. And indeed, within moments a ball of fast-spinning chakra the size of a large tennis ball had formed, and when it was complete Naruto dispelled the clone and focused on the door.
If this doesn't blow it off its hinges, nothing does. Here we go!
"Rasengan!"
Just before the technique hit the solid wood, the door was opened from outside, and Naruto tripped, tumbled forward and crashed into the wall opposite from his room, losing focus on the Rasengan in the process, which was blown apart into a short chakra-enforced gust of wind.
"Looks like I was just in time," a voice said. "I figured you'd try to force your way out of here sooner or later."
Naruto blinked, realised who was talking to him, jumped to his feet and took a defensive stance immediately.
"Neji!" he said, barely able to hide his surprise. "You... I..." He shook his head. "I don't know what's going on here, but if you even laid a finger on Hinata-"
"Hinata is unharmed. She's fallen sick, unfortunately, but the best medics are taking care of her now. She'll be okay, trust me."
"W-what?"
Naruto eyed Neji suspiciously.
Is that true or is he just saying that to make sure I keep calm and do what he wants?
"Are you serious? No, wait! Why should I trust you? You lured us here, admit it! You've been lying to us!"
"I won't deny that," Neji replied calmly, "but that was the only way to get you here, and that in turn is the only reason I lied. There is no more need for secrets now. I will tell you everything you wish to know."
"Everything?"
Naruto hesitated. It was an appealing idea to finally get some answers, but he wasn't sure if he could trust Neji again so easily.
"And Hinata is safe?"
"Perfectly. Do you think I'd let my own cousin be harmed?"
"There are a lot of things I didn't think you would do. I want you to prove it. I want to see her right now."
Neji shook his head.
"I'm sorry, you can't. She has to be examined and treated first. But that will probably be finished somewhere in the afternoon. Why don't you walk with me in the meanwhile? I have a lot to tell you."
"Hmm. Okay," Naruto said warily. "But if she's harmed in any way-"
"That's settled then. Follow me."
Neji closed the door without locking it again, then started calmly walking down the corridor, followed closely by Naruto, who was looking around bewilderedly. The hall they were in, lit by an endless series of torches and occasionally branching off to both left and right, was long, winding and irregular. The floor was flat, but the walls and ceiling were rough and edgy, obviously carved out from solid rock.
I get it, Naruto thought with a shock, we're inside one of those mountains! But who would create such an extensive tunnel system here, and why?
"I see you wondering," said Neji, "but in order for you to understand where we are and what is going on here, you must know a little bit of history. Naruto, how much do you know of the Hyuuga clan's past?"
Naruto made a face.
"Um... I never paid a lot of attention during history lessons..."
"I doubt you would learn about this at school. It's not common knowledge, not even in the clan itself."
He paused.
"I'm referring to an event that took place several hundreds of years ago, long before Konoha was founded. The Hyuuga clan was already mighty back then, and their territory provided safety and stability in a world of chaos. No enemy could challenge them, and yet they had no desire for expansion. It was almost perfect, and they might have lived on in peace for a long time to come."
He sighed.
"But then a dispute arose, and the Hyuuga turned against themselves, ruining the dream from the inside."
Naruto frowned. He knew the Hyuuga clan was the most important clan in Konoha, and probably the most powerful as well since the Uchiha had been wiped out. But he hadn't known they had already been important that long ago. The shinobi world was so tumultuous that during the few history lessons they had gotten in the Academy they had only been able to cover the last few decades.
"What caused this dispute, then?" he asked, his interest peaked.
"Strangely enough, nobody knows. Many knowledge was lost over the centuries, and the records that remain of that period are few and hard to decipher. But I assure you, the cause is not quite so important as the consequences in this case. You see, what happened was that eventually the clan was divided into two groups. The one group was led by the clan leader, and comprised most of his direct family, other influential families and the fiercely loyal. The other group was led by his brother, who was called Kodu, and consisted mainly of the lesser families within the clan. The 'noble' group obviously possessed the most power, and as the tension between the parties increased Kodu, who was a just and peaceful man, realised that it would be only a matter of time before his brother would start taking violent measures."
Naruto listened intently.
"A good guy and his evil brother then, right? So what did Kodu do? He didn't just give up and surrender, did he?"
"He didn't. One faithful night, his entire group abandoned the clan, never to return."
"The... entire group? That must have been a lot of people."
"Many hundreds. It was a stealth operation the likes of which had never been seen before, especially if you consider the difficulties of sneaking past Byakugan users. It is said it was organised by the clan leader's daughter, the Hyuuga heiress at that time. Her name was Kiza, and she was a strategic genius who was the only one of her family to be on the side of her uncle."
"Okay, but even so... what does this have to do with anything? If it happened so long ago..."
"It matters because that event shaped the future of the entire Hyuuga clan. When the clan leader found about half of his people missing and all his efforts to retrieve them were in vain, his heart grew cold and he created a set of rules that would change the clan forever."
Neji shot Naruto a weary gaze.
"He introduced the system of the cursed seals."
"No way!"
Naruto stared back in disbelief. The cursed seals, the strict separation of head and branch family... he had always considered these as much part of Hyuuga as the Byakugan itself. And maybe they had come to be so, over time, but if Neji's tale was true, then it had never been a natural state of affairs.
"It's the truth," Neji ensured him, apparently having guessed his thoughts. "To prevent the lesser families from ever rising up again, to prevent the secret of the Byakugan to spread, and to secure the power of the ruling family, the remaining branch families were subjected to a lifetime of servitude and oppression – the 'reward' for their decision not to flee. Ironically, at the time, most of them took it willingly, seeing as their loyalty to the clan leader was unquestionable. Perhaps they thought it would be for the best in the end. But now, so many years later, we can see that it has only led to more hatred and sorrow."
After those words, Naruto was quiet for a while. As they walked through the seemingly endless hallways, which always sloped slightly upward, he wondered whether that Hyuuga leader could ever have foreseen the consequences of his decision.
Would he have known the system would last so long, that it would become so natural to the clan they didn't even question its origins anymore? I can see why this information is so important to Neji. If not for the system of main and branch families, his father might still have lived. But it goes beyond just him... the entire branch family has restrictions placed on them because of the decision of one man. If they knew exactly how and why this system had come to be, they might no longer accept that life so readily.
"So... what happened to the group that left the clan, then?" he asked eventually, eager to find something that tied in to their current situation. Neji's tale was interesting in its own right, but it didn't explain anything what was going on.
"I don't think the story is over yet."
"Indeed," Neji said with an affirmative nod. "It is true that the Hyuuga left in Konoha never found their missing members again. They were suspected to have moved to another country, where they, according to beliefs in those days, would have soon perished as they were thought to be the weakest part of the clan. In fact, the whole situation was quickly hushed up, so that the later generations would consider the whole cursed seal situation a part of life rather than a fairly new development. Parents were forbidden to tell their children, and within two, three generations it was as good as forgotten. I suspect that nowadays, only Hiashi-sama and the elders know about it, and perhaps not even all the details."
The corridor suddenly opened up to a slightly larger hall, the surfaces of which were all neatly coated with wood, making the place look a lot more comfortable than the stone tunnels. In the wall opposite of the one they exited from stood two large double doors, intricately carved and partially coloured a deep, warm red. Naruto could see several other tunnels like their own leading away from this hall. Above the entrances hung pieces of cloth that seemed to indicate which tunnel led where; in a quick glance Naruto noticed the words 'medical' and 'temple' among others.
Neji walked over to the double doors and laid his palms on them.
"But the truth is," he spoke slowly, "that Kodu's group never fell apart. They never even left the country. They chose to hide, and watch the proceedings in Konoha from afar. They hid in a place where nobody would ever look for them."
He glanced over his shoulder at Naruto.
"They hid right here."
He swung the doors open, and Naruto felt his jaw drop.
A huge cave lay spread out before them, several square miles in surface area and at least three, four hundred feet high. And in it lay – Naruto couldn't believe his eyes – a city, spread out through the entire cave and defying all laws of probability. Most of it was illuminated by large fires that were lit either on top of buildings, on empty rocks or in special fire bowls that hung from the ceiling on long chains, bathing the entire place in a hot, orange glow. The buildings were simple and plain, but also solid and well-built, designed for functionality, not for esthetical pleasure. Because of the irregular shape of the cave floor they lay on many different levels, and small pathways meandered between them, not because they had been planned to but because they had worn out of the hard rock over the centuries. The largest pathway was also the only one to be paved, and it appeared to be more or less the main street, leading from the centre of the town all the way up the gentle slope to the double doors Naruto had just stepped through. From this vantage point he could oversee the whole village, and it was such an incredible sight he could only stand and stare.
He was even more amazed when he noticed the people, who walked through the streets of the small town as if it was perfectly normal to live on the inside of a mountain. Like their houses, most of their clothing was simple, but it was more colourful as well, brightening the place up a bit. Naruto saw people of all ages, from babies carried around by their mothers to old wrinkled men and women who sat quietly on benches and regarded the proceedings around them solemnly, probably thinking back on how it used to be. Most of the citizens seemed to have the white Byakugan eyes, but there were also many with normal blue, green or brown eyes, and Naruto wondered who they were.
"Come," said Neji. "They know who I am. They will leave us alone. We can get you something to eat before we talk more."
Neji started walking down the road, and Naruto followed, wondering whether he was perhaps still dreaming.
Gradually, people started to notice the newcomers, and when they did they fell silent or started whispering behind their hands. Naruto was surprised to see most people looked angry rather than curious, and one man even shook his fist at them, but nobody tried to stop or harm them or even speak to them. Not that they had to – their eyes said enough. All those cold stares reminded Naruto of his childhood, when the people of Konoha had believed he was a dangerous demon rather than a lonely boy. He started to feel very uncomfortable.
What's wrong with these people? I haven't done anything wrong and they look at me as though I've murdered someone.
He looked at Neji, who seemed ill at ease as well, even though he tried not to show it. Eventually they entered the nearest ramen bar just to be away from the stares for a moment. The man behind the counter, probably the owner, served them their food without saying a word or accepting payment, and then ignored them for the rest of their stay. Naruto ate in silence, unhappy about both the people's strange reactions and about the ramen, which was not nearly as good as Ichiraku's back in Konoha.
"Don't blame these people for their responses," Neji said while Naruto, hungry as he was, wolfed down his food. "They're just not used to outsiders, that's all."
Is that all? If they don't usually get outsiders in, what reason do they have to be so angry and hostile towards us?
"You know, I don't get it," he asked. "How can they have remained undetected for all those years? This cave seems to lead directly out at some points. It doesn't take much to get in."
"True, but you would have to find it first. The simple fact is that hardly anyone ever passes through these mountains. Most people that travel from the Land of Fire to the Land of Wind take the main roads further up north, and the few people that do come here take the normal mountain road, in the southern part of the mountain range. And they don't usually take the time to go out and explore, as there as simply nothing of interest to find. This mountain range is of no strategic value and harbours no valuable minerals, and is therefore simply left alone. It's the perfect hiding place."
Naruto nodded. It made sense. Besides, if you didn't expect to see something, half the time you didn't see it even if it was right in front of you.
What would the Hyuuga in Konoha do if they found out about this? Would they embrace these people as long lost friends, or would they see them as a threat to their power? It's hard to predict after such a long time. Heck, it's even hard to believe this is happening at all. Legends are supposed to be untrue, that's what they're legends for. But this is a legend brought to life, and that's going to cause trouble.
"You said they were watching Konoha," he suddenly remembered. "Watching the other Hyuugas. Is that... is that why we're here? Is something going to happen?"
"Yes."
"That's not an answer. What's going to happen?" inquired Naruto as Neji didn't continue."You said you'd tell me everything, remember? I want to know what's going on, why we are here. I want to know what you're doing with Hinata!"
The hope that Neji's initial reassurances had instilled in him had already started to fade – as long as he didn't see Hinata, he wouldn't know for sure how she was doing.
"Keep your temper," Neji advised. "I would like to tell you what her role in all of this is, but the leader of this clan – Rousoku-sama – has expressed the wish to speak to you personally."
"Why? What does he care about me?"
"I... I don't know why," Neji added hesitatingly. "Perhaps he's just curious to see you. They don't get many outsiders here."
Naruto didn't believe a word of it, but he was tired of distrusting everything he heard. He would just have to move with the flow for now, find out what he could and then decide what to do next. He stood up abruptly.
"Fine, let's go see this Rousoku guy. I want my answers."
They exited the ramen bar and walked back up the road, ignoring the dark gazes around them which pricked in their necks and only made Naruto's mood worse. They passed through the double doors and entered one of the tunnels; it had 'offices' written on the cloth above it. Unlike the first tunnel they had walked through, this one seemed to consist mainly of strange bends and illogical corners, as if the ones constructing it had not been sure where they wanted to go in the first place, and Naruto quickly lost all sense of direction. Fortunately there were but a few intersections, and neat signposts on the wall indicated what way they had to go. Eventually Neji stopped at a point where the tunnel split in two and pointed down the left path.
"Over there lies the office of Rousoku-sama's advisor, along with the library where all the ancient books and scrolls are kept. To the right we find his own office. He should be waiting for us there."
Naruto nodded wearily; he had bigger concerns right now than knowing where to find the local dust trap.
Hinata...
They took the right-hand road, and eventually they ended up in front of a disappointingly plain wooden door with an impressive lock. Neji knocked.
"Enter."
Neji pushed the door open and beckoned for Naruto to go in, which he did. As soon as he set foot inside, his gaze automatically swivelled to the other people in the room. Behind the desk, which was positioned to Naruto's left, sat a tall man wearing a black, red-rimmed kimono and a satisfied smile that Naruto instantly disliked, even though he wasn't sure why. His hair was long, black and curly, and his white eyes looked down upon Naruto with a hint of arrogance. Next to him stood a young man who Naruto figured had to be the advisor Neji had mentioned.
"Rousoku-sama," Neji said politely, "this is Naruto Uzumaki, as you requested."
"Ah, I did, didn't I...?"
Rousoku leaned forward and watched Naruto intently.
"So, this is the fox child, then?"
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
"What did you call me?"
Something sparked in Rousoku's eyes – amusement?
"Fox child," he repeated. "Jinchuuriki. Monster."
Rousoku shrugged as he saw Naruto's angry stare.
"Oh, come on, you must have heard those words so many times before. Don't worry, I have nothing against your kind. On the contrary. I think your powers are very... interesting."
"What do you think you're saying?" Naruto said agitatedly. "Our powers? We're not some kind of tools! People like you... they can't see beyond the power. We're just as much human as anyone else!"
"Yes, yes, of course."
Rousoku made a vague gesture.
"Aren't we all? Some of us just are a little... different, no?"
Naruto had to force himself to stay calm.
Remember why you're here! You won't get any answers if you beat this guy up. Use your brains rather than your muscles for once, Uzumaki!
He took a deep breath, let his body relax, then looked calmly into the man's eyes.
"I don't care what you think about me. Just tell me what is going on here, and why you need Hinata for it."
Rousoku smiled, leaned back in his chair and observed Naruto for a while before answering.
"Our clan," he said eventually, "the Hidden Branch, as we call it, has been living in exile for long enough. We have been driven out by the main clan, but the time has come for us to return, to claim our own place in Konoha, a place that rightfully belongs to us. They thought we were gone – well, that gives us the element of surprise, really. We will strike back and revert the situation to how it was before the Escape, when all Hyuuga could live as equals. And for that, the head family must go, by force if necessary."
"What do you mean by... go? You want to get rid of them? Are you serious?"
Naruto looked at him incredulously.
"This is about revenge? Even after all that time... just when the other Hyuuga have forgotten you even exist, have forgotten there was ever a struggle... you just want to continue that conflict?"
Naruto turned around, looked at Neji.
"Neji... how can you go along in this? Don't you see how ridiculous this is? You of all people should know about how to deal with such grudges!"
He pointed an angry finger at him.
"I thought you had changed! I thought you had stopped hating the head family! So why are you here planning their downfall? It makes no sense!"
Neji shook his head slowly.
"Naruto, you don't understand. I have changed, and that is exactly why I'm here. How can you not see this, while it was you who explained this to me in the first place?"
Naruto was taken aback.
"Me?"
"Don't you remember? Until the Chuunin Exams, I had always believed in fate, that everything was decided from the start. I believed that I was forever meant to be subjected to the head family's will."
He shook his head again.
"You showed me how wrong I was, how we are able to change our own lives. That there is no predetermined destiny. You showed me that those who start out as failures may surpass everyone else in the end. And in the same league, those who start out caged... may eventually break free from their chains. The branch family was never meant to exist merely to serve and protect the head family. This is not about revenge, Naruto. It is about justice. All we want is to get rid of the system of the cursed seals, which will allow the future generations to grow up in freedom, and permit the Hidden Branch to return to Konoha without fear of being branded with the seals and subjected themselves. When we say 'by force', we mean that only as a last resort. Ideally, we want to... persuade the head family to get rid of the system without causing any bloodshed."
"But that will never work!"
Naruto couldn't believe what was going on here, but he knew he had to stop it no matter what; in his mind he already saw a war-torn Konoha, torn up by struggles within.
"Do you think they will just let go of their power like that?" he continued loudly. "Even an outsider like me can see it won't be that easy. I don't think anyone be powerful enough to force such a change in the Hyuuga clan without causing casualties."
"Which was our main problem, until now," said Rousoku, causing Naruto to spin around – he had almost forgotten he and Neji were not alone in the room.
Rousoku seemed to enjoy his frustration, and his tone was almost mocking when he continued.
"The Hidden Branch has no enemies, simply because nobody knows we're here. But the consequence of that is that we are military weak. Very few of our people are trained in combat, and even those few cannot match up against the Hyuuga in Konoha. And of course, we have no Jinchuuriki to fight for us like Konoha does."
Naruto growled, but Rousoku ignored it.
"That is why we have been waiting for so long, looking, searching for a way to gain power."
He smiled again.
"And now, after so many decades, we believe we finally have found such a power... in the form of Neji here."
"What?"
Naruto looked back at Neji confusedly.
Neji? Neji is the power they want to use to manipulate the head family? That's ridiculous! Sure, Neji is strong, but... to take on the whole Hyuuga clan? That's impossible. He's only a year older than me, and still in training. What is going on here?
He took a moment to sort it all out in his head – there was so much new information it was getting hard to keep track.
I couldn't make this stuff up... an ancient branch of the Hyuuga clan that wants to take revenge, no, mete out justice against the head family and get rid of the cursed seal system? And they want to use Neji for that... but how can Neji be strong enough? And how does Hinata fit in the picture? If all of this was set up from the start then this entire mission was just a fake, just a way to get Hinata here... so she must be important in some way. But why and how?
"You seem confused about this, fox child," said Rousoku. "I suppose we'll have to explain in detail. What a bother."
He sighed.
"Modosu, go ahead."
"Yes, Rousoku-sama."
The advisor, who had been silent so far, took a step forward. His expression was completely neutral, and Naruto wondered how long he had practiced on that.
"I'll just assume you were surprised because you think Neji is not strong enough for our purposes," said the young man, "and as a matter of fact, you are right in that. At this moment, he does not yet possess the required power. However, you might also know Neji is extremely talented, even for the Hyuuga standards. We have observed him as he grew up, and we believe he may be talented enough to awaken the ultimate Hyuuga power."
"Which is?"
Naruto was getting a bit fed up with all the dramatic pauses; he just wanted answers.
"I doubt you would have heard of it. Its status is almost mythical, and it hasn't been awakened in ages. It is called the Namigen."
Naruto hesitated.
"That doesn't ring a bell."
"It wouldn't. It is a power that lies dormant in all Hyuuga, but only the most talented can awaken it, and when they do they are said to gain so much power they become invincible in battle. The last time that happened was even before the Escape, though, and our records are a bit shady and lack some details. However, the Namigen is definitely not a myth – the ancient scrolls speak clearly of several great Hyuuga leaders who possessed the power, and who subsequently had a great impact on the clan's power."
Naruto looked at Neji again, not sure what to think. Neji just stood there, perfectly calm as always, but on the inside even he would have to feel the burden that now lay on his shoulders. If he indeed carried such power within him – of which Naruto was not at all convinced yet – he could change the entire clan, if not Konoha itself if he wished to. But would he change it for the better or for the worse? And then there was something else...
"That explains all but one thing," Naruto said, in the tone of voice that indicated his patience was running out. "And I'm not going to ask this again. What do you need Hinata for?"
This time it was Neji himself who answered.
"The cursed seal that I am branded with," he said with a gesture at his forehead, "does more than destroy my brains whenever a head family member sees fit. It also prevents me from gaining the power of the Namigen, which of course is no coincidence – the head family would do anything to prevent a branch family member from gaining such power, for the exact reasons we have just discussed."
"But," added Modosu, "there is a way to remove the cursed seal. The secret technique involved is complicated and takes a lot of time, and the price is high."
"What price?" demanded Naruto, already fearing the worst, but not willing to believe it.
It couldn't be...
"A sacrifice," Rousoku said slowly, stressing each syllable. "The technique extracts from an unbranded Hyuuga that what gives them their bloodline abilities, and transfers it to the Hyuuga carrying the seal. Then the seal will disappear and that Hyuuga will be able to enjoy the full power of the Hyuuga bloodline... but the one from which it was extracted will lose all those abilities. He or she will lose their Juuken and their Byakugan, and with that their eyesight will disappear completely."
"No!" Naruto shouted. "You can't be serious! You're going to do that to Hinata? Turn her blind and powerless? You can't do that! That would ruin her whole life, everything she worked for!"
"A small sacrifice for the greater good," said Rousoku vehemently. "She should feel honoured!"
Naruto turned to Neji.
"You can't let this happen! You swore to protect her, remember? She's your cousin!"
Neji's eyes were filled with sadness, but they were determined as well.
"I'm sorry, Naruto," he said softly. "But it has to happen. It is the only way to restore order and justice in the Hyuuga clan. If there were another way I would have chosen it, believe me, but there isn't, and I made up my mind."
Naruto backed away from him.
"How could you...! You are sick, all of you! You think I'm just going to let it happen?!" He felt the anger rising inside of him, felt the hot flames bubble under his skin, ready to burst out at any moment. "You said she was safe, dammit! You promised me she was safe! I'm going to get out of here and I'm taking Hinata with me! Don't even try to stop me!"
Neji laid a hand on his shoulder, but Naruto swung his fist around in a reflex and smacked Neji into the wall. He stared at his hand, which was slowly turning more claw-like and was surrounded by an orange glow.
The fox's chakra... he thought vaguely. Well, fine! Nobody here I mind hurting right now, anyway... bastards! How dare they... Hinata... a sacrifice? For the greater good?!
He gave in to that amazing, overwhelming power from inside, let himself be taken over by the fox, let his consciousness slip away to make way for that of the beast that was awakened by his anger. The last thing he saw was the scared looks on their faces...
And then he was lying on the floor, exhausted, confused, the rage within him vanished.
What... what happened?
He looked around him. Everything looked just the same as before – nothing was broken, nobody was harmed. It looked as though they hadn't even moved.
Rousoku stared at him with a sort of insane joy Naruto had never seen before, and Neji...
Neji stood next to him, his hands brought together in a focus seal, beads of sweat on his face, his legs trembling as if he was about to pass out. His eyes were no longer the plain white circles of the Byakugan – within each eye, three extra circles had formed, overlapping each other in the centre of the eye.
"Behold," Rousoku said softly, almost emotionally, "the true power of the Hyuuga clan. Behold the Namigen."
