83 Heir to the Hyuga Clan!

{Room #207, Konoha Hospital, Konohagakure}

{7:22 PM, 3rd July 13 Yrs ANB}

{3rd Person POV}

Everyone was reeling from what Kakashi had told them just now. The notion that Ren, someone they all knew so well, had abandoned Konoha just seemed absurd to Sasuke.

'This doesn't make any sense, why would he run away, Konoha would have sheltered him from any backlash...' Sasuke thought but then he froze, he remembered the story about the incident of her kidnapping that Hinata told that one night. How her Uncle's dead body was handed over to Kumo in exchange for the peace to last till today.

'Maybe Ren knew he would be faced with the same situation...' Sasuke thought.

"What would happen if a team of hunters caught Ren," Sasuke asked.

"He would either be captured or killed, either way, he would be returning to Konoha and his death would be used in exchange for peace," Kakashi spoke, and Hinata shivered silently at how eerily similar the current situation was. She remembered the depressing atmosphere that had hung around the Hyuga clan during the following months.

"But it wasn't his fault, he didn't know that Gaara was the Kazekage's child. And didn't Gaara sign the waiver like we all did?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi shook his head and reprimanded Naruto, "Stop being naive Naruto," Kakashi pointed his finger at Sasuke and spoke, "The Last Uchiha"

"The Heir to the Hyuga clan," He spoke and pointed at Hinata, the girl didn't shrug but Naruto's face became stoic once again.

"And the Kyuubi Jinchurki..." Kakashi spoke when he pointed at Naruto, "Other than being just a genin, each one of you has a special identity. Konoha would go to war as well if any of you died at another village's hand. It's a matter of principles as it is of revenge..."

"Is Ren's life more important than the thousands of Konoha shinobi that would die if Konoha refused to hand him over," Kakashi spoke, his voice stern as he looked each of his students in the eyes.

Minato had taught his team differently, he had shielded them from the harsh reality that's why he was quickly submerged in the darkness of this world when his Sensei and everyone close to him died. He didn't want his students to be hung up on Ren in case he died, because the mission he had undertaken was ranked at S-class for a reason. The chances of survival weren't much without the shade of Konoha to safely grow.

'Ren was aware of the consequences as well as Hokage-sama was, if Ren had stayed with the village then at one point or another, the shinobi council would have put pressure on Hokage-sama to hand Ren over to Suna to avoid the start of the war. So to send Ren away on a mission to impersonate a missing-nin was the best choice. Though his potential would be destroyed by this...' Kakashi thought, he felt a little guilty as well, maybe if he had dug a little bit more then Ren would have graduated a year early...

"My Uncle, Hizashi-sama had a choice, he didn't have to give up his life. He chose to," Hinata spoke, she looked at Kakashi and asked, "Shouldn't it be Ren-san's choice?"

...

"You're still so soft Hinata," Hiashi's voice came from the door as he walked into the room, two sets of angry glares were directed at his figure and for a moment even Hiashi was taken aback.

'It seems Kakashi's efforts have borne fruit,' Hiashi thought, he was a little relieved now that he saw Hinata was fine, even her eyes didn't move away from his gaze, for the first time he saw steel in his daughter's eyes.

'She has grown up... all this while she had been shackled to the Hyuga clan.' Hiashi thought and then he shook his head as he simply ignored his thoughts and focused on his task.

"You have been marked with an unknown seal, the clan thinks that it is too dangerous for you to return to the clan with your mark. An apartment will be provided to you outside the clan where you may reside from now on..." The glares increased and even Kakashi took a step towards his students as he gave Hiashi a puzzled look.

"Due to your current condition, Hanabi would be promoted to the status of the heir of the Hyuga clan." Hiashi finished his little speech.

Kakashi grabbed a flying Naruto who jumped at Hiashi all the while swinging his hands, Hiashi completely ignored him as he stared at Hinata. There were a lot of things he wanted to say but he buried them deep in his heart, he simply turned around and walked away from the room closing the door behind him.

"You crazy old man, come back here..." Naruto was still shouting at Hiashi as the atmosphere of the room stifled a little.

Kakashi simply held onto Naruto's orange jacket as he sighed, he empathized with what Hiashi wanted to do, but he didn't like the tone and the situation he chose to do this. Hiashi used the situation that unexpectedly cropped up to perfectly absolve both his daughters from being marked by the caged bird cursed seal.

'Now that Hinata's marked by Orochimaru's seal that affects her chakra network, the caged bird seal which also affects the user's chakra network can't be placed on her. So he promoted Hanabi to become the heir that way when Hinata becomes strong, judging by the way she is going, it would be the case. He wouldn't have to worry about Hanabi being marked as she is younger...'

Naruto hurriedly shrugged away from Kakashi's grip and rushed to Hinata's side once again as he tried to console Hinata. After a bit, the gate opened and a small Hanabi was standing at the door, she was crying as she looked around the room, and when she found Hinata she ran into her embrace and started sobbing.

Hinata's frozen eyes softened as she embraced her sister and whispered to her that everything would be okay. Naruto saw that Hinata was okay so he slowly stepped back. Everyone from Team 7 looked away as Hinata tried to console Hanabi that it wasn't her fault.

Naruto looked at Hinata for a moment and then spoke, "You know teme... sometimes when I think about your and Hinata's father, I sometimes wonder if it was a good thing I'm an orphan..."

Kakashi and Sasuke froze, the denial and reprimand was on Kakashi's lips but he stopped himself. Sasuke on the other hand simply punched Naruto's shoulder to break him out of his thoughts.

"Ow! What the hell teme, you wanna fight!" Naruto responded, and Sasuke ignored him once again, memories of his father doting on his brother flashed in his mind but it was quickly replaced by his headless corpse and Itachi standing over it.

...

'I'll get my answers soon Itachi...'

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AN - A little interlude about the situation of Team 7. Going back to Ren's POV tomorrow! It would remain that way for the next 50 chapters so don't worry too much about these interludes!!

P.S- Read 20 Chapters ahead at Pàtreon.com/Version_401.