Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 221 Oh well, he's my brother-in-law after all.

On the second day of the new year in the 58th year of Konoha, the snow had not yet melted, and the sun, unusually, peeked out, casting its soft light upon the snow-covered village.

Hinata Hyuga, dressed in a brand-new snow-white cotton coat and wrapped in a fluffy orange scarf, her little face red from the cold, mustered her courage and arrived at Menma's doorstep.

She knocked gently on the door, her heart pounding with anticipation and a touch of shyness.

The door was quickly opened, revealing Mianma himself. His black, spiky hair was casual, and he was dressed in dark casual clothes, seemingly having just finished his morning exercise.

"Happy New Year, Hinata." Menma saw Hinata's shy appearance and knew that it was 'Hinata' and not the big sister.

"Menma-kun..." Hinata's voice was barely audible, her hands nervously twisting the hem of her clothes. "Happy...Happy New Year...Um...The weather is so nice today, I...I think...would you like to go to the park to build a snowman?"

After she finished speaking, she almost buried her head in her scarf.

Menma glanced at the rare warm sunshine outside, then at Hinata, who was blushing so much she was practically steaming, and hesitated for a moment.

With Vanilla and Light keeping an eye on things in the Star Kingdom, he doesn't need to worry about it all the time, so it's good for him to relax a bit.

"Okay, sure." He nodded. "Let me change my clothes."

"Okay...okay!" Hinata's eyes lit up instantly, as if they were filled with stars.

A short while later, Menma changed into his familiar black tracksuit with red trim and walked out of the house with Hinata. They walked quietly towards the park, one in front of the other.

There were already quite a few children playing in the park.

The most eye-catching one was Naruto Uzumaki, who was wearing an orange cotton-padded jacket and having a loud snowball fight with Kiba Inuzuka. The two of them threw snowballs and shouted loudly, getting covered in snow from head to toe, but laughing very happily.

Compared to the other children in the park, Kiba was one of the few friends Naruto had who didn't care about his "demon fox" identity and were willing to play with him.

"Hey! Menma-san! Hinata! Over here!" Naruto spotted them with sharp eyes and excitedly waved his arms and shouted.

Kiba turned his head, grinned, and greeted, "Yo! Menma, Hinata! Come on, let's play together! Today, I'm going to teach Naruto a lesson!"

Menma looked at the two energetic guys who seemed to have endless energy like puppies, sighed helplessly, but still walked over with Hinata.

At Naruto and Kiba's enthusiastic, or rather noisy, invitation, the four of them started building a snowman together.

Naruto and Kiba were mainly responsible for creating snowballs and causing destruction, while Menma and Hinata were responsible for the meticulous finishing touches.

Throughout the process, Naruto remained as lively and boisterous as ever, constantly telling jokes and sharing his grand dream of becoming Hokage.

Ya chimed in with her own吐槽 (tu cao, a Chinese internet slang term for sarcastic or witty remarks), and their playful interaction eased much of the awkwardness.

Hinata would occasionally chuckle softly, gently pinching the snow rabbit's ears with the snow.

Menma quietly went about his business, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the playful Naruto and the quiet Hinata. His deep blue eyes were calm, and no one knew what he was thinking at that moment.

After building a huge but crooked snowman, Naruto and Kiba, still full of energy, ran off to the side to continue their snowball fight, their carefree laughter echoing through the park.

Hinata and Menma stood next to the snowman, and the atmosphere suddenly became quiet.

Hinata secretly glanced at Menma's calm profile, and her face suddenly turned red again. She took a deep breath and spoke a little louder than before.

"Menma-kun... um... 'older sister' said... she wants to talk to you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Menma keenly noticed a subtle change in Hinata's aura.

That timid feeling quickly faded away, replaced by a more straightforward, even somewhat brash, aura.

She stood up straight, hands on her hips. Although her face was still the same, her eyes became bold and direct. She kicked the snow on the ground and pursed her lips.

"Hey, Mianma!" The voice had become much clearer, tinged with a hint of impatience: "That lousy banquet at the clan yesterday was absolutely boring!"

Hinata, the eldest sister, has officially arrived.

Menma seemed unfazed by this, merely raising an eyebrow slightly: "Oh? What is it now?"

"What else can it be? Just those old, tired rules!" Hinata, the eldest sister, snorted, then frowned, her tone becoming somewhat puzzled: "Old Deng even asked me to spar with that cousin Neji... tsk, I feel like that kid is weird."

She stroked her chin, as if trying to recall and compare: "Completely different from Neji in my world! Neji in my world, although a perverted voyeur who liked to spy on women in bathhouses, at least had a fairly outgoing personality and was a bit silly. This Neji…"

"He's gloomy, and his eyes always seem to hide something, like... like a villainous little boss with some bad intentions! Hinata didn't notice it when she sparred with him, but I could sense that he seemed hesitant and uninspiring!"

Menma's lips curled into a knowing smile as he calmly explained, "It's normal for personalities to be opposite. In your world, the Hyuga clan, while they also have things like 'Caged Birds,' tend to prioritize protecting their clan members, and the relationship between the main family and branch families isn't as strained as it is in this world."

"A caged bird..." Hinata, the leader, chewed on the phrase, a clear look of disgust on her face: "That disgusting cursed seal should have been thrown into the dustbin of history long ago!"

Suddenly realizing something, she looked up sharply and tentatively at Menma, "So...you mean, he has a deep hatred for us...for the main family?"

Menma nodded, his gaze falling on Naruto, who was still playing around in the distance. His voice was calm but firm: "Yes. Moreover, after I 'granted' him a brief period of freedom last time, this hatred and longing have probably fermented even deeper. In addition, when I visited the Hyuga clan's territory as Shura and took the elder's eye in front of so many people, he should know and understand the meaning behind it."

Hinata, the leader, gasped slightly, then looked relieved. She pouted, "What a hassle... So, are they just pawns on your chessboard too?"

She asked directly, her eyes fixed intently on Mianma.

Menma chuckled lightly, his tone carrying an air of casual control: "If I wanted, I could easily mold him into a vengeful figure filled with hatred for the main clan and Konoha, a proper villain. Even a 'clan annihilationist'..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Hinata, the eldest sister: "However, for the sake of my brother-in-law, let's just forget about it."

"Brother-in-law..." Hinata's face flushed slightly, a rare occurrence, but she immediately glared fiercely at Menma. Instead of refuting him, she snorted, "You're smart to know what's good for you!"

Menma continued, "Don't worry. Soon, not only Neji, but also some of the branch family members who are worth saving, including Uncle Hizashi, will be completely freed from the 'Caged Bird's Nest' shackles. This is not a pawn, this is... a necessary change."

Looking into Menma's deep eyes, the confidence and strength within them gave Hinata a strange sense of peace.

She nodded, a smile spreading across her face, and clenched her small fist: "Yes! I believe you! I'll find a way too! When I... when I can speak up again, I'll do my utmost to push the main family to abolish that damned caged bird system! I can't stand this kind of bullying rule that treats its own people so cruelly!"

The girl in the sunlight has a determined look in her eyes, full of youthful vigor and a resolve to make a difference.

After nightfall.

The Hyuga branch family mansion was quiet. Hyuga Neji finished his evening lessons in his room and lay quietly on his bed.

The daytime training, the oppression within the clan, and the deep-seated desire and hatred intertwined in his mind.

The "caged bird" mark on his forehead seemed to ache faintly in the darkness, reminding him of his identity and the shackles he was bound by.

Just as his consciousness began to fade and he was about to drift off to sleep, the air in the room seemed to distort slightly.

A figure appeared silently beside his bed.

Neji jolted awake, sat up instantly, and his Byakugan almost activated instinctively!
But when he saw the newcomer's attire—the familiar black robe and the eerie white three-eyed fox mask on his face—he froze.

It's an Asura!
His heart pounded wildly, a mixture of fear and an indescribable excitement and anticipation.

He quickly got up, knelt on the bed, lowered his head, and spoke in a calm and respectful tone: "Lord Shura."

Menma stood there quietly, his gaze beneath the mask scrutinizing the precocious yet repressed child before him.

He could sense the surging chakra and deep-seated resentment within Neji's body.

"Hyuga Neji." Menma's voice, deep and authoritative, came through the mask: "Last time, I gave you a fleeting taste of freedom. Now, tell me your choice. Are you willing to be a caged bird bound by the cursed seal forever, living a mediocre life, perhaps even dying a meaningless death for the main family at any moment? Or…"

"Willing to pay any price to pursue true power and take control of one's own destiny, even if the road ahead is full of thorns and darkness?"

Neji suddenly raised his head, and his pure white eyes could no longer contain the blazing flames!

Without the slightest hesitation, his voice was firm, even trembling with a hint of longing: "I choose power! I choose freedom! No matter the cost! Please, Lord Shura... teach me!"

"Very good." Menma nodded, seemingly satisfied.

He reached out his hand, and the ancient, blank bamboo scroll of the "Book of Zhu Yue" appeared in his palm, emitting a hazy and eerie light.

"Then, let me let you experience firsthand what kind of power true despair and struggle can give rise to..."

The light from the bamboo scroll suddenly intensified, instantly enveloping Neji!
Neji felt a moment of mental disorientation, and the scene before his eyes was completely distorted and changed!
When he regained consciousness, he found himself in an incredibly "real" world.

It was still the Hyuga clan's territory, but the atmosphere was even more oppressive.

In this "limited-time Tsukuyomi" illusion world constructed by the "Book of Crimson Moon," Neji experienced an incredibly realistic nightmare loop:
He "saw" his father, Hyuga Hizashi, being forced to become a scapegoat in order to protect his elder brother, Hyuga Hiashi, who had "accidentally killed" the Kumogakure envoy. Under the "persuasion" of the main family elders and Konoha's high-ranking officials, he "voluntarily" accepted his fate for the so-called "greater good of the village" and tragically and humiliatingly committed suicide to atone for his sins!

He watched helplessly as his father lay dead, the caged bird on his forehead preventing him from even uttering an angry shout!
The seeds of hatred began to grow wildly at this moment!
Time flies by in the illusionary world.

Carrying this deep-seated hatred, Hyuga Neji began to frantically endure and train!
He transformed all his grief and anger into strength!
In this world, his talent was brought to its fullest potential, his strength grew rapidly, and he even surpassed everyone of his age!

Years later, he felt that he had gained power that surpassed that of the clan leader, Hiashi Hyuga!

He felt that he finally had the means to rebel!

So, he chose one night to launch a rebellion against the main family!
He wanted to avenge his father and break free of this damned cage!

However, just as he was about to succeed, and his palm was about to touch Hiashi Hyuga!
The clan elders, sitting behind the scenes, coldly activated the "Caged Bird" technique!
"Uhhhhhh-!!!"

No matter how strong he became, no matter how skillful his Gentle Fist was, the excruciating pain that originated from the depths of his soul, the pain etched into the soul of a caged bird, instantly stripped him of all his power!

Like a fish out of water, he curled up on the ground in agony, watching helplessly as all his efforts and all his hopes turned to dust in the face of absolute control!

Each act of resistance only brought deeper despair and crushing pain!

Time seemed to be trapped in an endless cycle in this illusionary world.

Neji repeatedly endured his father's tragic death, repeatedly trained in seclusion, undertook endless arduous missions, and fought against various powerful enemies until he reached the peak of his strength!
Time and again, at the most critical moment of rebellion, all their hopes were easily crushed by the "caged bird"!
Each cycle of reincarnation subjected his spirit to extreme torment, but with each cycle, the pain of unfulfilled desire and the yearning for power also served as the cruelest whetstone, relentlessly forging his will and his fighting instincts!
In endless cycles of reincarnation, he experienced thousands of battles, confronting various elite ninjas in the illusionary world and the despair within his own heart!
His combat experience accumulated at an incredible speed, and his moves were honed to become increasingly concise, ruthless, and efficient through countless life-and-death battles!
...

In the real world, it's just one night.

As the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn, Neji on the bed suddenly opened his eyes!

His pupils contracted sharply, his forehead was covered in cold sweat, and he was breathing rapidly, as if he had just struggled out of a nightmare of drowning.

The endless cycles and suffering in the illusionary world were so real that they were almost imprinted on his soul.

But soon, he took a few deep breaths and forcibly suppressed the trembling in his body.

Those pure white eyes held deep pain and despair, but even more so, a resolute determination forged through extreme tempering, and a sharp aura that seemed about to burst forth from within!
He clenched his fist, feeling the power within him and a deeper understanding of the Soft Fist, an instinct honed through countless "deaths" and "battles."

In the morning, it's the usual time for instruction and training.

Hyuga Hido looked at Neji, who seemed no different from yesterday, and said with a smile, "Neji, come on, let's continue to solidify yesterday's Gentle Fist routine today."

"Yes, Master Himon." Neji bowed calmly.

However, the moment the two clashed, Hyuga Himon's smile froze on his face!
"Snapped!"

Neji's palm technique was no longer the same regular routine as yesterday. The angles became extremely tricky, the speed was faster, and the power was more concentrated. It was as if each move had been tempered a thousand times and was aimed directly at the vital points!

Moreover, his anticipation and adaptability in actual combat are not like those of a child at all, but more like those of an experienced ninja who has fought his way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood!
Hyuga Himon had to be on his guard, raising his strength and control to the level of a Chunin in order to barely withstand Neji's storm-like attacks!

The two figures darted across the training ground, their palms whistling, their chakra colliding and producing dull sounds.

After a dozen or so moves, Hyuga Himon seized an opening and leaped back to create distance. His face was filled with shock and disbelief. He looked at Neji, who was slightly out of breath but whose eyes remained icy, and exclaimed:

"Neji! You...you bastard...what's going on?! In just one day...how could you have improved so much?! Your techniques...and your combat experience..."

He felt that Neji in front of him was like a completely different person. Although the amount of chakra had not changed much, his fighting spirit and ruthlessness were like those of someone who had come from the Third Shinobi World War!

Neji slowly lowered his stance, calming the chakra surging within him from the intense struggle. He lowered his head, concealing the complex emotions in his eyes, and calmly answered with a pre-prepared excuse:
"I'm sorry, Master Huomen. Perhaps it's because I had some new insights during the New Year, but I didn't sleep well last night. I thought a lot about cultivation."

Hyuga Hidetoshi sized Neji up with his Byakugan, and after confirming that Neji hadn't been replaced, he murmured, "Is this... a genius?!"

[PS: Includes a picture of a corrupted Neji]

(End of this chapter)