CHAPTER XII

HYUGA NEJI I

My name is Hyuga Neji. Of Otogakure no Sato.

I like Ramen, my fiancee Uzumaki Aruna, Otogakure no Sato and being free.

I hate Konohagakure no Sato, Hyuga Main House, Caged Bird Curse Seal and slavery.

My hobby is trying to effectively merge Gentle Fist Style and Strong Fist Style and create my own Style.

My dream is to control my own Fate and live a long and happy life.

As a student of the Otogakure no Sato Ninja Academy, my introduction to myself would be the one above. I would never introduce myself to strangers that way. Way too much information leak.

And secrecy is a lifesaver for Ninjas. After all, the world believes me dead. Lord Otokage saw to that personally. Hyuga Neji of Konohagakure no Sato killed himself after his father's 'Sacrifice'.

I am happy here in Oto. Although it took the collective effort of the Otokage's wives and children to beat the obsession with fate out of my head, I don't regret having it beaten out of me.

I am not ashamed to say that my future in laws are downright scary. And according to Arashi, it's a bloodline trait that shows up if the bloodline is strong enough. Uzumaki Clan members are natural in three things: Sealing, eating ramen and giving off intimidating aura.

And after associating with the Oto Uzumakis for so long, I found out that they are true.

Another thing I was curious about was the fact that Konoha's resident prankster and the Otokage shared the same name, Uzumaki Naruto. I managed to ask the Otokage whether they were related. His reaction was quite strange. He laughed for a total five minutes and said that their mothers were related by blood. And then asked me to remember that his name meant 'Maelstrom', not 'Fishcake' like the part Uzumaki from Konoha and how hilarious it would be if said blonde became Hokage as students are likely to confuse the Hokage and the Otokage in tests.

And I was also informed of the blonde prankster's parentage. He actually turned out to be the son of the Fourth Hokage! And the reason he gets treated like that is because he is the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails? Man, don't they understand the difference between a Kunai and a storage scroll? They live in a ninja village!

I am glad to have left Konoha. Father might be disappointed in me. But the Will of Fire he believed in has been snuffed out long ago.

And I am looking forward to make them pay.