Sharingan No Naruto

Chapter 11: Invasion

No one knew what just happened.

The Hyuga watched as their youngest most promising prodigy succumbed to his emotions and gave in to the control of that dreaded cursed mark. They watched as their honored clan head used their own mark to subdue him in a swift move.

It backfired terribly.

Somehow, the simultaneous activation of both of the seals on his body made them go into conflict. Neji had to endure an impressive deal of pure agony as the very thing that had made him a slave fought fiercely against the mark that aimed to turn him into nothing more than a simple vessel.

Neither really won that match, the only thing they both managed to accomplish was destroying each other; an inevitability of fate perhaps, or maybe just pure luck. Either way, the course of events that led to it happening was so improbable that it is safe to say it will never happen again.

But Neji didn't need it to happen again, it happened, and if only for a brief moment, he allowed himself to feel free.

Not everyone shared that sentiment, the tournament had been paused for a short while to allow them - the Hyuga - to properly deal with the situation. There wasn't a shortage of people demanding that Neji be marked with their Caged Bird seal again immediately.

Hiashi knew that's what had to be done, he knew that to be the rules of the clan he himself had upheld for ages, so why was he doubting himself now? Tension was palpable in the air as the Hyuga in the stands were trapped in a battle of wills.

Neji was taken away to the medic guard along with Hinata and Hiashi followed suit, he didn't know what he was going to do about him just yet, but he knew what he could do for him, something that he should've done long ago.

He walked in and found his daughter out-cold with wires attached to many places in her body, it was hard to look at, he had always seemed like a cold man and people thought he held no real love for his daughters...

He did, he does.

It was too painful to see so he decided to dwell on her current state and his many regrets about his treatment of her at a later time. He walked to a surprisingly conscious Neji lying motionless in bed and said, "This is something you need to read, and something I should've shown you many years ago."

That letter meant a lot for Hiashi but... it meant even more for Neji. He just didn't know it. Granted, it was because he had been denied the knowledge of ever knowing, Neji was after all the one it was addressed to, better late than never was Hiashi's reasoning.

The truth shall set him free.

He left promptly, not feeling strong enough to face his nephew just yet; he didn't see Neji read his father's letter, apologizing to him and explaining that his sacrifice had been exactly that, something he did willingly and against his uncle's wishes. He missed Neji finally understanding what Hinata had been trying to convey and he missed Neji breaking down as tears flowed down his face finally allowing himself to fall into the realm of unconsciousness.

Or did he?

Hiashi activated his byakugan the moment he left the room to observe Neji's reaction from a distance, allowing him to face his reality alone, he watched as Neji finally fell asleep and decided it was for the best, he would let him rest and have a long-postponed conversation with him after this whole thing was over.

It was a real pity though.

Hiashi left the medical guard without knowing that Neji wouldn't be waking up anytime soon.

—

"Sabaku no Gaara and Uzumaki Naruto, come down here."

It was finally time, the final match of the first phase had finally arrived. The fifteen minutes recess that had followed Neji's collapse was finally over and Naruto now found himself going down the stairs to the arena. He could've jumped off the railing, he had already done it after all but there was more to this match than the eye can see.