บท 12: Fate can be changed (part 2)
I'm back in my room.
The night is coming and I'm starting to stress...
No one but me expects the Head ninja of Kumogakure to kidnap Hinata tonight. After all, attacking the Hyuga clan on its own territory is suicide.
I don't know exactly at what time the man is supposed to attack but as soon as the night falls, I will monitor with my Byakugan the strategic passages that he could use to infiltrate the clan's compound.
My plan is simple. I spot him, intercept him, and neutralize him.
Will it really be that easy? That man is at least at jonin level. It means he is faster and stronger than me…
Hmm… Actually, it doesn't matter if he is stronger than me. I just need to surprise him by using Vacuum Palm aiming a spot close to his heart, it should be enough to neutralize him without killing him. I have the advantage, he will obviously underestimate a four years old child.
Of course, my actions will have consequences. If I fail I die. If I succeed everyone will know I'm a genius…
Honestly, I'm not risking my life to save my father just because I love him, I also do it for myself. He is my only ally in the clan and the only one who will never betray me. Furthermore, I might one day need his help in case I tell him that I know the future.
…
Dinner with my father and without Hamari was awkward.
Thankfully, she prepared the dinner before leaving so I didn't have to cook myself. My father usually goes shopping but he doesn't cook. Now that Hamari is gone, he will have to do it or hire a cook because I'm a very bad cook and I'm not even tall enough to reach the cooker… If we both survive tonight, of course…
After eating, He went to his study room to work and I went back to my bedroom.
It's night now, but it's still early. I don't think he will attack before the middle of the night.
…
It's midnight and no sign of the Kumo shinobi.
I use my Byakugan to check every five minutes.
…
One o'clock in the morning, still no sign…
Two o'clock in the morning, still no sign…
This waiting is killing me... My heart is beating fast, my hands are shaking. This will be my first real fight since I arrived in this world.
…
He is finally here!!
The Kumo shinobi just infiltrated the clan's compound and is now running quickly towards Hiashi's house.
I must intercept him right now!
I clearly underestimated his speed. At this rate, he will reach Hiashi's house before me. Thankfully, I know the compound like my pocket, I know every shortcut, and how to avoid patrols while the Kumo shinobi must still be careful to not be spotted.
I open the window of my bedroom and leave the house by jumping over it.
I keep my Byakugan active and circulate chakra through my legs to run as fast as possible…
…
I'm almost there…
I'm still monitoring the Kumo shinobi with my Byakugan. He is already at Hiashi's house and is entering Hinata's bedroom by the roof.
Hinata sees him for a second but he knocks her before she has time to call for help.
He then leaves the house with Hinata in his arms but before he can go too far, I intercept him.
If I attack him while he is running I risk to miss him. That's why I must first be sure that he stops moving.
"Hey you, stop!" I tried to act like a child
The shinobi is facing me. I can't see his face since he is wearing a mask but I'm sure he is relieved to see that I'm only a child.
Good, he doesn't see me as a threat.
"Hahaha… A Hyuga girl and a Hyuga boy, it looks like I hit the jackpot! Don't move kid…" He said.
I can't let him attack first, I must act right now…
I gather chakra in my palm…
"Vacuum Palm!" I said.
I emit a strong wave of chakra with my palm.
Thanks to the system and all my training I have excellent accuracy.
My attack hit him directly in the tenketsu close to his heart.
Hitting this tenketsu provoke high damage without killing the opponent.
"AHHHHHHHH!" He shouted from pain.
The wave of chakra is so strong that he is projected one or two meters back.
Fortunately, my attack surprised him so he released Hinata just before being projected.
The Kumo shinobi is now lying on the ground, probably unconscious. He's still breathing but doesn't move.
I did it! I can't believe it was so easy.
This idiot, if he didn't underestimate me so much he could have stopped me before my attack.
Being a child was my biggest advantage in this fight.
Unfortunately, with all the noise we have made, people will soon arrive here…
I walk to Hinata and try to wake her up by shaking her. She doesn't seem hurt.
After a few seconds, she finally regains consciousness.
"Neji-nii-san? There was a bad guy and…" She said, panicked.
"Don't worry, I took care of him." I said, interrupting her.
She looks confused but before she could say something, Hiashi arrived.
He looks a moment at the Kumo shinobi on the ground walks to him and removes his mask.
He seems very surprised when he sees his forehead protector with the Kumogakure symbol on it.
He then turns to Hinata and me.
"Neji, are you really the one who did this? Where did you learn this technique?" He asked.
Of course, he recognizes the Vacuum Palm in one glance, he is the leader of the Hyuga clan after all.
Fortunately, the Vacuum Palm is not a technique reserved for the main house. I already prepared an excuse, I just hope he will believe me.
"I…"
"I am the one who taught him."
It's my father! He just arrived and lied to protect me.
"All right, we will talk about this later. For now, we have a bigger problem… Neji, bring Hinata home and wait for us there." Said Hiashi.
"Understood. Hinata-sama, can you walk?" I asked.
"Y-Yes." She answered.
I then help Hinata to walk back to her house.
...
Just when we arrive in the courtyard of the house, a woman runs to us and takes Hinata in her arms.
"Hinata-chan, are you alright? I was so worried!" She said.
She's probably Hinata's mother, Hitomi. My father told me her name. It's too dark to clearly see what she looks like but she sounds nice.
"I'm fine mother, Neji-nii-san saved me." Said Hinata.
Hitomi looks at me and smile.
"You are Hizashi-san's son, right? Thank you for saving my daughter." She said.
"It's my duty to protect her, Hitomi-sama." I said.
"No need to be so polite, you can call me Hitomi-san. Follow me inside the house." She said with a large smile.
Wow, she's so nice. How did she end up marrying the jerk Hiashi?
I didn't think that a member of the main house could be nice with a member of the branch house before meeting her.
Once inside the house, Hinata and I sit on a sofa in the living room and Hitomi brings us a glass of orange juice.
Not long after, Hinata falls asleep but I had to wait two hours before someone came and asked me to follow him.
I follow him to a house not far from Hiashi's house.
I enter the house and see many people sitting on the ground. Hiashi, my father, some elders of the clan and… The Hokage!
They are all looking at me… It's stressful!
"Neji approach, can you explain what happened tonight?" Asked Hiashi in a serious voice.
I take a deep breath and prepare to tell the story I invented.
"Yes, Hiashi-sama… It simple actually. I had trouble sleeping so I left my house to take a stroll around the compound. I'm really sorry for breaking the curfew… Then I heard noises near your house and saw a masked man with Hinata-sama in his arms. I told him to stop but the man looked at me and laughed saying that he hit the jackpot because he could kidnap a Hyuga boy and a Hyuga girl… I didn't have time to hesitate or ask for help and immediately attacked him… Then you arrived." I said.
I repeat this story in my head so often these past two hours that even I believe it.
As I told my story, I saw the expression on people's faces here changing a lot. At first serious, then disgusted and finally shocked.
"You want us to believe that a four years old child took care of a jonin from Kumogakure by himself?" Said one of the Hyuga elders.
"He used the Vacuum Palm technique." Said Hiashi.
"Vacuum Palm? He mastered an advanced technique of our clan at such a young age?" Asked a Hyuga elder.
"I train him personally for many years." Said my father.
"Such talent but it appears in the branch house, what a shame…" Said another Hyuga elder.
You are the shame with your narrow mind, old bastard!
"*cough* Anyway, If this man had succeeded or had been killed, the consequences could have been disastrous. Young Neji, You have done a great service to Konoha and your clan by saving its heiress." Said the Hokage.
"It is only my duty." I said.
I have to remind him of my duty as a member of the Hyuga clan, I have no desire to join ANBU.
The Hokage looks at me and smile at me. He looks exactly like in the manga.
"All right, this meeting is over. Hiashi, we will discuss the details later." He said.
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Answered Hiashi.
Everyone get up and start leaving the house.
I walk to my father but when we are about to leave the house, Hiashi interrupts us.
"Hizashi, we need to talk about Neji later." He said.
"Understood." Answered my father.
…
I'm finally back home.
This terrible day is finally over.
I didn't die, my father will not have to die. Fate can really be changed.
[You received a new Perk.]
[Perk: Fate changer
Effect: Every time you change an important event that should have happened in this world, you get PWR +1, CHA +1, AGL +1, Shop points +1000.]
…
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