"Haku-chan~ Wakey wakey~"

"Can you not wake me up using such a disgusting tone?" I grumbled as I slapped away Obito's offending finger in his attempt to poke my cheek. I sat upright and briefly estimated the time of day by looking at the colour of the sky. It's still dark.

"How long have I slept?"

"Slightly over two hours." Obito replied cheerfully. "Thought you would like to wake up earlier to warm up before heading in for the big fight. Ain't I a thoughtful sensei?"

"Yes, yes, whatever you say." I replied as I stood up and gave a brief glance in the wooden hut. Seems like I'm the last one to wake up. Nobody else is here.

"Is there anything I need to help out with?"

"Well, not necessarily, but I was on my way to help sensei deliver a secret written order to the Logistics Department." Obito hummed as he took out a scroll from his pouch. "Why? Interested?"

"It's better than sitting around and doing nothing, and I do want to get the sleepiness out of my body. Might as well familiarise myself with the layout of the camp while we are at it." I said as I took the scroll from my sensei's hands and put it in my pouch instead.

"Aww~ My Haku-chan has became such a dependable shinobi~ You grow up too fast~"

My annoying sensei began to mock weep as he began to wipe away the non-existent tears that are supposed to stream down his cheeks. I simply ignored him as I walked out of the wooden hut. Now, which tent belongs to the Logistics Department?

"It's you."

A boy my age looked at me with disdain. I recognised him after a few seconds of thought. Wasn't he in my year at the academy? Like me, he's one of those who graduated with the Rookie 15. What was his name again?

"Raisho." I greeted him. Ah, that's his name. I remember now, he used to be one of Tai's lackeys. That explains the animosity.

"Hmph, don't act all chummy with me." Raisho scoffed as he got back to work and moved boxes of supplies in the large tent he was in. "What are you here for? Kunais? Shurikens? What?"

"I'm here to deliver an order from Command to whoever is in charge here." I responded as I took out the scroll that I offered to help deliver. "Just point me in his or her direction and I'll be on my way."

"Junichii-san isn't here right now, but he usually isn't gone for long." Raisho replied in a gruff voice. "Heard you became some big shot during the invasion. Took on Suna's jinchuriki in the Third Stage of the exams, fought the fucking flaming cat and sealed it in the Hyuga. How much of it is true?"

"I don't know what you heard but yes, I did what you just mentioned." I said as I made myself comfortable by sitting on the top of one of the wooden boxes that he is not moving. I don't know who Junichii is, but I should at least wait until he returns. The order that I am supposed to deliver to him is probably important and it is best to deliver to him personally.

"Fuck you then. Because of you, my sister and I no longer have our apartment. Got destroyed when the cat went ballistic when you tried to do your shit on it."

Oh, that happened?

"Sorry."

I didn't really mean it because I couldn't be bothered. Still, I should at least apologise out of basic courtesy.

"I don't give a rat's ass about your apology, outsider." Raisho sneered. "I have no fucking clue how the fuck the village didn't execute you for your traitorous behaviour, but I'm willing to bet that broken bloodline of yours is the reason. Fucking hell, who on earth thought that an outsider will actually care about Konoha and fight for our Will of Fire? Look what happened, he fucking released a Tailed Beast into Konoha!"

I didn't bother to make a reply, but Raisho seemed to take this as a cue to continue his rant.

"Our oh-so-very-precious Ice Release, the one and only in Konoha. If somebody like me were to do what you did, I would have been offed by the village for threatening her well-being a long time ago. Why? Because orphans like me are disposable. Look at me now, a genin doing grunt work. Logistics department. The place where cannon fodders gather."

Technically speaking, he's not wrong. This is the harsh truth of a shinobi village.

"You're lucky we are at war now. The village needs every kind of power she needs and you happened to be one of them, that's the only reason why you are kept alive. And you know what is going to happen to you once this war is over, assuming you are still alive? The village will whore you out, pimp you with a fuck ton of women to build a Yuki clan in Konoha. That Hyuga is on your team, isn't she? She's definitely the first person the village will whore to you-"

I froze him into an iceberg, only leaving his head untouched so that he could breathe. I don't have the patience for this and I will not stand anyone insulting her.

"You can throw insults at me all day long and I won't even care, but direct that to her and I won't hesitate to kill you."

"See? This just proves my damn point, outsider." Raisho wheezed with a deranged grin. "No matter what you do Konoha just won't kill you, because you are lucky enough to have a unique kekkei genkai. But you know what? The moment the whores they send you start popping little Yukis left and right you will no longer be as important to the village. Just wait for it, outsider. When the day comes where you are no longer the only one in the village to have the Ice Release, they will find a convenient excuse to remove you. Nobody wants an unstable and unloyal shinobi in their ranks, outsider. Your little Yukis will be true Konoha shinobis, but never you. You never belonged here, Kiri scum. I'll never acknowledge an outsider like you. Nobody will."

"Good thing I don't need your acknowledgement then."

"Don't need my acknowledgement?" Raisho gritted his teeth before shouting at me. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, KIRI SCUM?! YOU THINK YOU ARE SOME BIG FUCK BECAUSE YOU CAN CREATE FUCKING ICE CUBES?! YOU ARE ONLY AS VALUABLE AS THE RARITY OF YOUR STUPID ICE RELEASE! KONOHA DOESN'T NEED SHITSTAINS LIKE YOU WHO JEOPARDISE THE SAFETY OF THE VILLAGE FOR SHIT AND GIGGLES! DO YOU KNOW HOW CLOSE MY SISTER WAS TO DYING WHEN YOU RELEASED THE FUCKING CAT IN THE VILLAGE?! DO YOU?! SHE LOST A LEG TO ESCAPE FROM YOUR STUPID MOVE! A DAMN LEG, YUKI! YOU GIVE HER LEG BACK! GIVE IT BACK! SHITS LIKE YOU SHOULD BE EXECUTED FOR TREASON! WHORE YOU OUT LIKE A FREAKING PRIZED STALLION SO THAT WE CAN MOULD LITTLE YUKIS WHO WILL HAVE ABSOLUTE LOYALTY TO THE VILLAGE! KONOHA DOESN'T NEED INCONSIDERATE BASTARDS LIKE YOU! I HOPE YOU GO AND DIE IN OUR WAR AGAINST KUMO, BASTARD! HURRY UP AND DIE ALREADY!"

"Is that it?" I asked when Raisho paused to catch his breath.

"Oh hell NO! I'm not done with you yet you fucking ice bastard! You destroyed my damn house that I worked so hard to get for my sister and I! Do you know how shitty it is to sleep without a roof over our heads, huh?! Do you know how hard I worked to get ourselves a damn house?! Of course you don't! You live comfortably with the Hyugas in the fucking big mansion! What do you know about poverty?! YOU DON'T KNOW A DAMN THING WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH! THE KIND OF SHITTY LIFE WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH BECAUSE WE ARE NOT LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE BORN INTO A RICH FAMILY OR POSSESS A STUPID KEKKEI GENKAI! So get out of my damn sight, outsider! You bring nothing but bad luck to the village! You think I'm the only one who thinks this way? Go out and ask around! Find out for yourself how many of our people you nearly killed for that stupid stunt!"

"Who is more important, your sister or the village?" I asked, trying my best not to kill him straightaway.

"Huh? Don't you dare dodge my question, Yuki bastard. You better pray that I would never get stronger than you, or the first thing I'll do-"

"Your sister or the village, which is more important to you?"

"Fuck-"

"Answer." I let out a little of my killing intent to give him some pressure. "If your sister is dying right now and the only way to save her is to sacrifice the villagers, who would you choose to save? Your sister, or the villagers?"

"I'LL FIND A FUCKING WAY TO DO BOTH!"

"Alas, reality is often disappointing. Even someone as strong as Hatake Sakumo did have to make a choice, didn't he? He chose his comrades over the village. I chose Hanabi over the village. So what about you? You are a loyal shinobi of Konohagakure, aren't you? So you would choose the village over your sister?"

"There's no way I'm gonna sacrifice my sister! I fucking told you, I'll find a way to do both!"

"And yet here you are, a lowly genin who I can kill at any moment with just a thought. Are you sure you can live up to your claim? If your sister is dying by my feet right now I'm pretty sure you would not be as loud. Shall I test it out the moment we return back to Konoha?"

For a moment, Raisho's facial expression is one of fear.

"Listen, Kiri scum. If you dare touch her-"

"But the village won't execute me no matter what I do, that's what you told me. What does it matter if I kill a nameless civilian? As long as I work for the village I'm sure they are more than willing to turn a few blind eyes towards some of my traitorous behaviour. I did get away for releasing a Tailed Beast into Konoha."

"You-!"

"So, what is it?" I pressed on. "Come on, don't bore me. At this rate I might really go and find out for myself who your little sister really is and do whatever."

"Yuki-san. I suggest you release him."

Our eyes shifted to where that voice sounded from. Uchiha Itachi entered the tent, sharingan already activated. When he saw that I did nothing that suggested I would release Raisho from my ice anytime soon, he called my name once more.

"Yuki-san."

Recognising a way out when I see one, I reluctantly let Raisho go.

"Why are you here, Itachi-san?"

"I got word that you are here to find Junichii-san, who is currently at the opposite end of the camp. I'm simply here to redirect you to him."

"I see. Thank you." I replied as I made my way to exit this stupid place. Like hell Itachi will come all the way here to inform me that the Junichii guy isn't here. Someone of his rank and status has no need to do such a thing.

Whatever, I will take a way out when offered one. I don't want to go back and forth with the idiot that is Raisho.

I was about to take my leave when I turned back to face Raisho. Trust is a two-way street, so is understanding and pain.

"It's true that I will never understand what you and your sister went through because I didn't experience what you did, but don't presume that you understand my pain as well, because you never went through what I've experienced. When the day comes when you are forced to make a choice, you will realize that your words now don't matter. Right now, you already know what you would do if such a dilemma were to present itself. You just don't want to face it and acknowledge it, the harsh and dark truth that is buried in your heart. Don't be so naive as to think that your loyalty to the village will be appreciated by Konoha. We are merely shinobis, tools to the village. Our individual well-being is meaningless. Your sister's well-being is meaningless in the big picture. You said it yourself, you are nothing but cannon fodder."

I turned around and exited the tent. I heard the Uchiha heir following behind me.

"Is there anything else, Itachi-san?" I asked without looking back, my walking pace neither fast nor slow.

"May I ask why you think so lowly about the village and about village loyalty?"

I paused in my tracks, feeling my lips curl into a bitter smile. Huh, the great Uchiha Itachi asking me about village and loyalty? What am I, a saint with all the answers in the world?

I'm just another human being like them. Just another human being with the cursed luck of being born with a powerful bloodline and a little foreknowledge of what might happen in the future. Foreknowledge that had been rendered useless a long time ago. That is the limit of everything special about me.

"Raisho said it all. There's nothing the village sees me as but the last wielder of the Ice Release. I'm nothing but an outsider, an outsider that has something they want from me that they don't. I'm not blind nor am I dumb, Itachi-san. I am human just like everyone else, a human with feelings. Why should I place the village first when they never truly considered me as one of them? Will of Fire? Hah. So incredibly stupid and naive. That ideology is nothing but a method to brainwash and control the masses to fight and die for the village. If you truly want to control the masses there's nothing more effective than having them believe in a shared ideology. If Konoha populace doesn't see it, then they are either idiots who cannot recognise the Will of Fire for what it really is or they choose not to see it, foolishly believing that they are fighting for a greater cause when in fact their lives or deaths are meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Madara was right to leave the village. He's a wise man, outsiders are never accepted in Konoha, or anywhere else in the world. The nail that sticks out always gets hammered down. Just take a look at Orochimaru. If what he told me was to be believed, he had once genuinely viewed this village as his home and worked hard to build it up. But his views and ways did not get accepted by Konoha and what resulted out of that? This bloody stupid war."

I turned back to face the Uchiha prodigy.

"You want to know why? Here, you have it. I no longer care if Konoha views me as one of their own anymore. I had tried to see myself as a Konoha shinobi but hardly anyone tried to accept me, so why should I try? I barely knew them. I no longer crave their recognition. There's only a few people that I truly care about here and they are all that matters to me. This village can go burn in hell for all I care."

I walked off, not bothering to see his reaction. Raisho really did say it all.

No matter what I do, to Konoha, I'll be nothing but an outsider.

Makes me wonder why I'm even in this world in the first place if there is no physical place that can accept me for who I am. The only place where I will be accepted with open arms is with her and of all places she had swore allegiance to it was to Konoha. That is a fact that I will have to accept because she means so much to me.

Sometimes, I really do hate my life.

"Oh, Haku-chan! You are back! Wait, why the gloomy face?"

"Happened to meet an acquaintance from my academy days. Had a little spat. Found out that I am the reason that his sister now has a missing leg during the invasion." Haku droned on as he sat himself down beside him in the tent. Obito raised his eyebrows in response.

"Do I need to help you hide any bodies? I do know a few good Earth Release jutsus."

"Itachi stopped me when I was contemplating on muting that acquaintance for good, so you have him to thank for."

"I know Tachi-chan was good for something." Obito sighed exaggeratedly. Nope, still no reaction from his cute little minion. Maybe if he bugged him more there will be a response?

"Haku-chan~"

"Sensei." His cute little minion replied back in a flat tone. "Aren't you supposed to be doing your rounds?"

"I sent my other minions to do the job!"

"Don't slack around and be lazy. Aren't you someone who aims to be Hokage, huh? Set a good example and go do what you are supposed to do."

"Haku-chan~"

"That doesn't work on me, and stop acting cute. Look at your age, it's disgusting. Yes, I mean that pout you are doing right now. In Kakashi-sensei's own words, not cute at all."

"Hey! I'm always cute!"

"Try that on Rin, not me. By the way, any updates on the situation that I should know?"

"Same old." Obito shrugged. "We wait for the stipulated time before we enact our plans, which is… in about half an hour's time? What do the old folks like to say to describe this period of time? Ah, that's it. The calm before the storm."

"Freaking hate this stupid war. Human greed really is an ugly thing."

"Aw, cheer up, Haku-chan!" Obito tried his best to cheer his moody student up as he gave him a loud pat on the back, earning him a scowl instead.

"Why don't you accompany your dear soon-to-be-Hokage sensei on his rounds instead of moping around here? If we want to set a good example we do it together? Some sensei-student bonding time? Eh?"

"You will be remembered not as the first Uchiha Hokage, but the first man-child Hokage." Haku clicked his tongue in annoyance, but stood up to leave with him without complaints. Obito can't help but grin. His student at least still respects him quite a fair bit after all the shit he's been through. It's a little heartwarming to be honest.

"Awww, you never doubted your dear sensei a second that he can be Hokage! How sweet!"

"Shut up. You are reading too much into my words."

"Are you sure I am? Really sure?"

"Very."

The two of them walked about the camp they are in, with Obito greeting people along the way. He knows a lot of people in their forces due to his extensive networking. As usual, his cute little Haku-chan couldn't be bothered to greet a single soul unless he knew them personally.

"See that row of trees and stones? That marks the official border of the Fire Country. Countless wars have been fought there since the start of time." He pointed to the scenery ahead of them that had been ravaged by war for decades, even before the founding of the shinobi villages.

"Stupid thing to do if you ask me." Haku remarked as he watched where Obito is pointing at from where they are at the edge of the camp after walking around the area. Obito watched as Haku let out a long sigh as he closed his eyes tiredly.

"Say, sensei?"

"Yeah?"

"This is just a what-if. But if, let's say, if there is a way for everybody else to feel everybody else's pain, do you think humans can understand each other? Like if Person A hurts Person B, Person A can feel the hurt they inflict on Person B? Do you think that wars will still happen if that is the case?"

"People will definitely at least think twice before trying to hurt someone, that's for sure." Obito gave a slight nod of his head while giving a thoughtful hum. "But what about if Person C pays Person A to hurt Person B? Person C wouldn't get hurt."

"Then I will find a way to make sure Person C will."

Obito did a double take when he heard the amount of determination in Haku's voice. He's hell bent on something and even when he is Haku's sensei, he has no idea what the hell it is.

"Haku-chan? You okay?"

"Never been better. Just had another wild idea that might or might not work. You know, the usual. Maybe only gods could save this world, if there is even one. Maybe this is something that really only the gods could do. Maybe the only way humans can learn to grow is really through shared pain."

"Okay, you know what? You are going to go back, get rid of all the negative thoughts, and then prepare for the big battle. You obviously don't sound okay." Obito said worriedly as Haku's expression got darker and darker. This is worrying.

"Since when are any of us okay?" Haku said with a scoff. "We are shinobis. We are never okay. Who on earth even tried telling everyone else that shinobis are protectors? We are nothing but tools of destruction. My views on shinobis still stays the same, we are the ones who bring about all the pain. I'm really starting to hate the Sage for spreading chakra like that, allowing it the chance to be weaponised without checks in place. I'm starting to hate the Shodai for giving Tailed Beasts out like that. Which part of giving Tailed Beasts out like candies sounds like a good idea, huh? Did he even think through it? Checks and balances are necessary, yes, I know, but Tailed Beasts aren't the answer. Tailed Beasts weren't the checks and balances back then and it still isn't even till now. Hashirama's presence was the check, there weren't any balances and that's why his presence became a deterrent. That's why there was a brief period of peace when he was still around. And the moment he died? Bam. First Shinobi World War. He checked and balanced the wrong thing entirely. The equation didn't even compute because he put in the wrong variables in the first place. God of Shinobi my ass."

"Hey hey, it's fine if it's just between the two of us, but don't go saying that in front of everybody else. This is the Shodai you are insulting."

"I will talk about him however I like. People already hate me anyway, what's the difference if the hate increases a little more?" Haku said as he rolled his eyes, his voice dripping with venom. "And don't get me started on the Nidame and his Edo Tensei. Brilliant piece of work from a scholar's standpoint, no doubt, but still a stupid move to invent such a technique and then not seeing to its destruction after his death. What makes him think playing with the cycle of life and death is a good idea? And then what was Konoha's first reaction when they learnt about the Edo Tensei? Applaud his genius for being able to play god. Nobody sees how wrong the jutsu is until it is used against them. Pffft. Irony at its finest when the Nidame was summoned by Orochimaru using the Edo Tensei. He deserves it."

"Haku-"

"Can you imagine what would happen if someone better than Orochimaru got their hands on the Edo Tensei? If there is someone capable of summoning an army of undead? Someone better than Orochimaru and instead of just two Hokages, he or she summoned an entire army of previous Kages and S Rank shinobis from times long past? Say, summon Uchiha Madara? Summon the Sage of Six Paths himself? Let me tell you, sensei, the world will be doomed if that is the case. With enough preparation, that person alone can fight against the world. That's how stupid the invention of the Edo Tensei is. Don't invent something that can be easily turned against you. It's common sense. For someone so smart Tobirama can be pretty dumb."

"You don't seem to like the Hokages very much."

"You know I hate everything and everyone in general. What's new?"

"While we are talking about the Nidaime, you invented the Copy Seal. You don't really have a right to talk considering the impacts it will have on this war."

"Unlike him, my seal wasn't meant to be used for war. It's meant to be used for reducing time when I'm doing my seal work on the Perception Seal and maybe help out with some paperwork. You guys decided to weaponise it without my consent. What does it say about shinobis? I'm right, aren't I? We just go about spreading all the pain like the messiahs of the God of Pain or something like that. This world is so royally fucked that I am starting to believe that it cannot be saved. At this rate I will just escape to the moon and live my life there alone. You guys can continue to kill yourselves down here on earth. See if I care."

"Did something happen? You are usually not this aggressive."

"Many things happened. Which ones are you referring to? When everything first started out when my Dad killed my Mum and then I killed everyone in the house in return that day? I still don't know why the hell he did that. And let's think about this rationally. How the hell did Hanabi even end up in Kiri in the first place? Yeah, sure, she was kidnapped by Kumo but let's look at the damn map. Kumo's way north of the Land of Fire. Okay, northeast if you want to be very technical. Kiri's way east and it is a freaking separate landmass on its own. It doesn't make any fucking sense for that Kumo shinobi to go to Kiri because it takes a long while to go to Kumo through Kiri. Did nobody ever think about this abnormality or is it just me?"

"We did." Obito deadpanned. "But we don't have answers beyond that's the only route he thought he could take. I mean, I was involved when the Hyuga Affair got blown up. We really locked our borders real tight. It was extremely difficult for anyone to sneak out of the Land of Fire and especially towards Kumo if they really wanted to."

"What bothered me was how the Kumo shinobi even got his hands on Hanabi. I know better than anyone what the byakugan is capable of after living with the Hyugas for so long. There's no way that Kumo shinobi could have possibly done it if even I managed to kill him at the age of five, even if I got extremely lucky due to the element of surprise. I didn't have shinobi training back then so I couldn't tell, but now I do. I now know enough that he's not that good to have infiltrated the compound by himself without getting caught."

Obito's eyes narrowed dangerously at the thought.

"You mean a traitor among the Hyugas. Someone gave nabi-chan to them or let them in somehow."

"That's my worst fear." Haku admitted. "But I don't have anything to follow up on, it's been too long. I only just thought about this problem recently when I had too much time on my hands to think about almost everything. Thankfully Hanabi will be living with Dan during this period, so she's safe. Even then, she has the cat with her. The cat will keep her safe."

"Does Hiashi know?"

"I made sure he did, he shares the same view but like I said, there is nothing for us to follow up on, so we can only leave it as it is. This is just between us for now. I don't want to spread needless fear in case it turns out to be wrong and I'm overthinking on things." Haku huffed before giving a groan as he facepalmed. "Urgh. This is giving me such a headache."

Obito can only give a comforting pat on his student's shoulder.

"I don't have answers for you, Haku-chan. Our experiences shape who we are. You think shinobis are tools of destruction because of what you've been through. I think shinobis are protectors because of what I've been through. You are not wrong in your thinking, but I don't think I'm wrong either. If I know a way to stop all the fighting for good I would have done so in a heartbeat, trust me. Nobody likes war, but there are some who think it is necessary."

"They think it is necessary because they are not the ones fighting the war themselves. Look at our Daimyos. What have they really done for their people? All they ever think about is their own safety and riches. They could care less who else lived or died. If I were god they would be the first people I would kill, no questions asked. They are a waste of space."

Obito sighed. He really has no answer to his student's rants because they are not unfounded. Not only that, his words alone are enough to charge him with treason. The shinobi villages are loyal to their country's Daimyos first and foremost, that was the condition given and agreed upon even before a shinobi village could be built in the country. It's the same everywhere.

"Feel better now that you've gotten everything out?" He asked his student, who merely scoffed.

"Not really, but I guess it does help a little."

"Then let's head back, okay? Rin would worry if I'm not back in time."

It's a weak excuse, but Haku listened to him nonetheless.

"Fine. Let's go. We need to prepare for the fight that is happening soon anyway."

The Hyuga compound is so uncharacteristically quiet now.

Sure, the Hyuga clan isn't very lively or noisy to begin with, but the silence right now is a lot more deafening. Whoever is left here in Konoha are largely the civilian clan members and a few shinobi clansmen who are mostly from the main house to help her father run things while he and her uncle are away.

With a bag full of storage scrolls slung across her shoulders, Hanabi gave her room one last look before exiting it and closing the door behind her. She has her orders. She is to report to Kato Dan, the interim Hokage in Minato's absence, and stay with him until this whole conflict is over. Naruto will be there as well, so at least it won't be awkward or lonely for her. Most of her time will be mostly occupied with training, be it to improve her skills as a shinobi or practicing how to properly harness Matatabi's powers. Either way, she has to get stronger as soon as possible. If not for herself, then for Haku. She cannot rely on him to bail herself out of difficult situations every single time.

She was about to step out of the Hyuga compound when she met the person who she really doesn't want to see right now.

"What do you want, Yoshida?"

Being one of the few Hyuga clansmen from the main house who is around her age, she knows Yoshida very well. His father, Hyuga Kida, was also a candidate for the position of Hyuga Clan Head alongside her father back in the days. The two adults never saw eye to eye on many things when it comes to clan affairs but it does not change the fact that Hyuga Kida is indeed the most capable person to manage the clan affairs while her father is out and away.

So, regrettably, the Hyuga clan is currently left in the care of Hyuga Kida during this period of time.

Hanabi never liked Yoshida and his father. Not only because Hyuga Kida kept trying to undermine her father's power as Clan Head, not only because they both have archaic views when it comes to managing the clan, not only because they despise clan members who are from the branch house, but also because they are both misogynists. Yoshida has a weird obsession with trying to put others down to make himself feel better. More specifically, he loves trying to put her down out of all the Hyugas in the clan for some weird reason. He even had the audacity to try to form an arranged marriage between the both of them through his father when he is worth less than the dirt stuck in her nails.

She does not need to possess Shikamaru's level of intellect to know what her fate will be should she get herself bound to Yoshida in an arranged marriage. That misogynist scum will definitely do everything within his power to make her life hell and force her to wait on him hand and foot. Just thinking about it makes her livid.

"Why? Not even going to report to my father that you are leaving the clan compound before walking out of it?" Yoshida said in a sneer. "As the Clan Head, he has the right to know when our jinchuriki goes in and out of here."

"Interim Clan Head." Hanabi corrected Yoshida with a scowl. "Careful, Yoshida, what you just said can be held against you for treason. If you are here for this sole reason then buzz off. Your father already knows about this arrangement and what time I am supposed to report to Kato-san. You are going to cause me to be late."

She walked past him without sparing him a glance, only to feel Yoshida's hand grabbing her by her shoulder. Without hesitating, she grabbed hold of his wrist and flipped him around, disgusted that someone like him actually touched her.

Yoshida's fingers lashed out with chakra flaring right at his fingertips. She easily dodged it as they both activated their dojutsu at the same time. In the next instant, they both exchanged a series of quick blows before she nailed a palm strike right at the underside of Yoshida's chin, causing him to sail in the air for a short distance before landing on the ground on his back.

"Know your place, scum." Hanabi said coldly as she glared at Yoshida in disdain, byakugan still active, and dusted her hands. "I may be a jinchuriki, but I am also one of the heiresses of the Hyuga Clan. For someone who prides themselves for being from the main house your mastery of the Gentle Fist is pathetically low. Neji-niisan is miles ahead of you when it comes to using the Gentle Fist."

"Fuck you." Yoshida spat as he stood up once more while rubbing the underside of his chin with a hand. "There had never been a woman who had led the clan and there never will be one. A woman like you and Hinata has no business competing for the position of Clan Head. I am the one who will succeed the position of Clan Head and once I do, the first thing I'll do is to get rid of your boy toy from the- urk!"

"Careful, Yoshida." Hanabi growled as she lifted Yoshida up into the air by the neck using only a single hand. Yoshida can do nothing but flail helplessly because she had already sealed his tenketsu points earlier.

"Insulting me is one thing, insulting my family and Haku is another. I don't care about your pathetic pride and I sure could care less about your position in the clan, but sear this into that pathetic brain of yours. I will and I can kill you should I feel like it because I am a jinchuriki. I can get away with many things simply because I can."

To emphasise her point, a shroud of blue flames started to manifest around her as her eyes started to change colour. Her right eye is now a bright yellow while her left eye is now a dark green, just like Matatabi's.

"Never. Ever. Test my patience."

With that final warning, she dropped a shivering Yoshida back onto the ground and walked off, only to quickly turn around to block a strike aimed at her neck as she got back into a combative stance. She clicked her tongue in annoyance when she saw who it was.

Hyuga Kida.

Yoshida's father may be a scum but unlike his useless son, that man is a truly skilled practitioner of the clan's Gentle Fist style. This is going to be difficult.

"I'm sure Hiashi-sama had taught you how to respect your elders, Hanabi." Hyuga Kida said in an unhurried tone as he stood in between her and Yoshida, his voice betraying nothing. "If he had failed to instill some manners into you then I'm afraid I will have to do it in his stead. Apologise to Yoshida, now, and I may let this slide."

"Both of you aren't fit." She spat in defiance. "If anything, it seems that your father failed to educate you on how to respect your betters. Is this how you greet the heiress of the clan? In that case I'm afraid that I will have to instil some manners into you in your father's stead."

The edge of Hanabi's lips curved upwards ever so slightly when she saw Hyuga Kida activating his byakugan in silent anger. The tension in the air grew thicker and thicker and she mentally apologised to her father because it is very likely that she might blow a hole or two in the walls of the clan compound if she and Hyuga Kida were to come to blows.

Thankfully, the confrontation was put to an end when an ANBU appeared between the two of them in a flicker.

"Hyuga-san, Kato-sama is expecting Hanabi."

With that, the dense chakra emitting from both Hyugas dissipated as they both got the silent cue to drop it. Hanabi gave the distasteful father-son pair one last glare before turning around on her heels and walked out of the Hyuga compound. Matatabi's flames vanished as she willed it away and her eyes returned to their original colour. She felt the ANBU guard catching up to her as he accompanied her by her side, walking around with her in plain view.

"Thanks for earlier." She said in a volume that could only be heard between the two of them as they made their way towards the Hokage Tower.

The ANBU that Hanabi had never seen before until today waved it off with a casual gesture of his hand.

"Don't sweat it, I'm just doing my job. Though I have to say, I did enjoy seeing you putting that brat in his place."

"Never liked him. I still wonder why otou-sama made his father the interim Clan Head in this crucial period."

The ANBU hummed in acknowledgement as he chose not to give an answer. Hanabi could not help but wonder just who this ANBU is. Even at a glance it is not hard to tell that this ANBU is skilled, especially skilled. Why would the village spare a shinobu of this calibre just for the sole purpose of guarding her when more than half of their forces are outside fighting a war right now?

She quickly put that thought at the back of her mind. It's not like she will get an answer even if she asked. If she has so much energy to ponder over such things she might as well put it to good use by growing stronger. That way, she can fight by his side the next time a war were to occur again.

He had always been her strength. This time, it's her turn to be his strength.