Naruto: Limit Breaker

Chapter 128: Who Is He

Boom boom boom——

Boom boom boom——

The sound of gongs, drums, and firecrackers echoed through the Hyūga clan compound.

It blended with the laughter of children and the murmur of adults engaged in lively conversation.

Today, the Hyūga were uncharacteristically vibrant—abandoning their usual restraint and solemnity for something louder, brighter. While the towering walls separating the clan from the rest of Konoha kept outsiders from seeing in, the joy inside the compound was undeniable.

Snack stalls lined the streets, but these weren't merchants hawking goods—these treats were free, shared openly with anyone in the clan who needed them.

In one corner, a confident shinobi had set up a challenge ring, daring others to test their skills. These friendly duels were carefully controlled, the combatants respectful and precise. It wasn't about winning or losing. It was about community—and letting the younger generation witness firsthand the strength of the Hyūga bloodline.

Today was the annual Hyūga family festival.

At the heart of the celebration was tradition.

Deep within the clan's ancestral mourning hall, the spirit tablets of revered warriors from generations past rested in solemn silence. But today, their names would walk again—carried in ceremonial procession through the clan lands by chosen shinobi, so that the ancestors might bear witness to how their legacy had evolved.

Still, as grand as the festivities were, the true focus of the day was found inside the Hyūga meeting hall.

There, after the procession had ended, clan head Hyūga Hiashi, his brother Hizashi, and the elders and jōnin of the family had gathered. The air inside was tense, thick with expectation.

This year, two new faces had been invited to sit among the clan's elite: Ryosuke, and Hinata.

In past years, neither had been allowed to attend.

Ryosuke had been too busy—or uninterested. And Hinata, though the clan head's daughter, had not yet earned the right.

But this year… everything was different.

Hiashi sat at the head, back straight, expression calm and unreadable. The others sat around him, not in chairs, but on soft futons arranged in neat lines. No one drank. No one ate. The atmosphere was austere, steeped in tradition.

"Today marks the beginning of winter," Hiashi began, his deep voice steady. "And with it, our family's annual festival."

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.

"As is customary, I've reviewed all the documents and recommendations submitted in preparation for this year's clan meeting. But before we begin the discussions—before we address the future of our clan—I ask that you first listen to the words of my daughter... the heir of the Hyūga family, Hyūga Hinata."

There was a shift in the room.

Compared to the joyful chaos outside, this chamber was solemn—frozen in time.

Hinata sat to her father's left. When he spoke her name, she leaned forward slightly, spine straight, eyes calm. She took in the crowd before her: warriors, elders, scholars—all powerful voices within the clan.

"I believe you all know who I am," she said quietly, but with resolve. "So I won't waste time introducing myself."

"For now, I am simply the heir. Not the head of the clan. So today, I address you not with authority, but with respect. As elders, veterans, and protectors of the Hyūga name."

Her voice carried clearly, not loud, but firm.

Among the listeners, some exchanged knowing glances. Many had already heard whispers of what she planned to say—and their excitement simmered just beneath the surface.

But others—especially those in the front rows, the old guard—looked on in confusion, brows furrowed.

"I'll be direct," Hinata continued. "The proposal I bring is simple to state—though difficult to achieve."

"I want to reform our ancient clan system. I want to build a Hyūga clan that isn't divided by fear or status. I want to—"

"Presumptuous!"

A sharp voice cut her off like a blade.

A white-haired elder stood, his body trembling not with weakness, but fury. His gnarled hand pointed at her, finger shaking.

"Do you even understand what you're saying, girl?"

Gasps rippled through the room.

The elder turned his glare from Hinata to Hiashi.

"Hiashi! I know you disagree with how some of us conduct clan affairs. And I know you've grown tired of our counsel. But if you have complaints, speak them yourself. Don't send a child to do your fighting. And certainly don't allow her to spout such unfilial words in front of the ancestors!"

"You are the clan head. Act like one."

Silence followed, thick and suffocating.

The elder—Kazuo—stood rigid, waiting. Around him, the other elders remained seated but alert, their gazes now on Hiashi, waiting to see how he would respond.

Behind them, among the jōnin and elite members, there was confusion, hesitation. Most had never heard the proposal spoken aloud.

Change the clan system?

Remove the Caged Bird Seal?

"Please don't misunderstand, Elder Kazuo," Hinata said, voice still composed.

She hadn't flinched. She hadn't shouted back. Instead, she waited patiently for him to finish, and then met his scowl with a calm, unwavering gaze.

"This is not something my father forced me to say."

"The idea came from me."

"But… my father supports it."

Her tone was steady. Respectful—but unbending.

"In fact, more than half the clan already supports the reforms I've proposed."

At those words, Ryosuke—seated beside Hiashi—blinked slowly.

That was a bit early to reveal.

She was still learning the rhythm of negotiation. Still developing her instinct for political momentum. But she was brave. Earnest. And willing to stand her ground.

She had grown so much.

But still… she was young.

Kazuo let out a sharp breath through his nose. "More than half?"

He cast a sweeping glance behind him, and then turned back to Hinata, his eyes narrowing.

"What sort of reform could a girl your age even understand? Just because you're the heir doesn't make your words law. You can be replaced."

His tone dripped with condescension.

"I hear your sister has started training in the Gentle Fist… and that her progress already surpasses yours at her age."

"You'd best remember, Hinata—this clan is not yours to command."

Hinata's expression didn't change. She met the insult with silence.

When she spoke again, her voice was low, but laced with clarity.

"I've thought through every part of this."

"If I hadn't, I wouldn't have been able to convince my father."

She shifted her eyes, addressing the entire hall.

"Honored elders… respected shinobi… have none of you noticed something?"

There was a pause.

Her gaze sharpened.

"Our clan hasn't produced a true genius in a very long time."

"I don't mean capable ninja. I don't mean discipline and control."

"I mean a genius on the level of the Uchiha clan."

Hinata stood firm.

She was confident in her ideals—more than that, she wasn't here to beg for approval.

She was here to inform.

She knew better than to expect immediate acceptance from the elders. Her words weren't crafted to convince the elders—they were aimed at everyone else in the room. The jōnin, the younger clansmen, the branch family members who had long since buried their voices beneath obedience.

"In the long history of the Hyūga clan," Hinata began again, her voice steady, "I've noticed something."

"There are far too few Hyūga shinobi who truly stand out—too few who rise above."

Her eyes swept the room.

"I believe it's because of the rot in our ancient system. A system that has clouded the eyes of our people and shackled their ambition."

She didn't shout. She didn't tremble. Each word landed like a hammer.

"When a mark is seared into a branch family member's forehead… when their role is defined before they can even speak… the ceiling is already set. Their growth stops before it ever begins."

"Maybe, at the start, the system was created to protect the purity of the main family's bloodline. But over time, that purpose decayed. Now, it eats at us from within, like a maggot inside a fruit."

Gasps rippled through the room.

She was saying the kind of things branch members had only dared to whisper. Things that even jōnin hesitated to think too loudly. Her clarity, her composure—it stunned many into silence.

Even Hiashi found himself seeing her in a new light.

For years, she had been quiet, soft-spoken. A kind child, but far from exceptional. She had seemed… ordinary.

But now?

Now, she spoke like someone born for something greater.

Still, conviction alone wouldn't sway the elders.

"I admit…" said Elder Kazuo, folding his arms, "I underestimated you."

He didn't speak with disdain anymore, but with wary caution. This was no longer about scolding a child.

He considered her words carefully, then responded.

"What you say… isn't entirely wrong. But you forget one thing: systems, even flawed ones, exist for a reason."

"These rules are the legacy of a clan that has survived since the Warring States Era."

"Of all the noble houses that once stood beside us in glory… how many are still standing?"

Kazuo's voice was low but steady. He wasn't trying to crush her—just remind her.

He had realized now: these weren't Hiashi's words. Hinata wasn't a puppet. She was her own voice.

Another elder, older than Kazuo, spoke up next—Elder Na.

"The system of main and branch families isn't just about bloodline purity," he said. "It's about survival."

"The branch protects the main. The main, in turn, limits the branch. That balance prevents power struggles, prevents the clan from tearing itself apart."

"The Caged Bird Seal exists to preserve our future. Without it… we would've destroyed ourselves from within long ago."

"And I have something to add."

Another voice entered the fray. Then another. One by one, the elders joined the discussion—not with rage, but with pointed clarity. Their arguments were sharp, honed by decades of experience, built on generations of trial and error.

They challenged Hinata's vision with historical precedent, with bitter lessons learned long before her birth.

Even Ryosuke, silent so far, found himself shaken.

There were things—details, perspectives—he had never considered.

He had believed that with the support of most of the clan, the elders would have no choice but to relent.

But these elders weren't cowards. They weren't clinging to power for comfort. They had lived through wars. Through loss. Through pain. They had seen what happened when tradition collapsed without a plan to take its place.

And Hinata, for all her strength, had given them too much time to think.

She hadn't cornered them. She had opened the floor—and they had stepped through it with purpose.

"..."

Hinata's fingers curled over the fabric of her robe. She sat still, posture perfect, but her thoughts swirled.

Question after question came. She couldn't answer them all—not yet. But she didn't shrink. She didn't fumble. She simply… thought.

How do I address every concern?

How do I refine the proposal so it works for everyone—not just those who already agree?

One of the elders finally spoke gently. "Perhaps this is something best revisited later. After you've grown a little more… after you've had time to study all the implications."

They weren't mocking her. They weren't dismissing her. They were offering her a path back—a chance to regroup without shame.

She lowered her head, glancing sideways at the younger elites who had silently supported her all this time.

Should I back down? she wondered.

Maybe it was enough—for now. After all, these elders listened. They engaged. They hadn't thrown her out. That alone was a victory.

Perhaps, with time, she could push further.

Perhaps…

"Wait."

The voice was brittle, cracked—like dry parchment. But it cut through the air like a blade.

All at once, the elders quieted. They turned, eyes settling on the frailest figure among them.

The Grand Elder.

A man so ancient that he looked like he might fade into dust at any moment.

His skin was thin, almost translucent, stretched taut over bone. His hair was wispy, white as moonlight. His eyes, yellowed and cloudy, still gleamed with frightening clarity.

No one spoke in his presence—not even Kazuo or Na.

Though the Hyūga clan had no formal ranking among elders, everyone deferred to him. The others had given him the title of Grand Elder out of reverence and fear.

He had lived through the founding of Konoha.

He had outlived four Hokage.

He had seen everything.

His gaze rested on Hinata now. When he spoke, it was little more than a whisper.

"Does he… agree with this system?"

A murmur rippled through the chamber.

Several elders glanced at one another.

He?

Who?

The question didn't seem directed at any particular person—but everyone instinctively knew it held weight.

Even Hinata's heart skipped a beat.

The Grand Elder's eyes didn't blink. Didn't move.

He was staring directly at her—but it felt like he was looking through her.

A question lingered in the air, sharp and incomprehensible to most:

Who… is he?

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Check my Pâtreon for (40) advanced chapters

Pâtreon .com/Fanficlord03

Change (â) to (a)

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9