Naruto: Madara is my Daddy

"Why don't you just give up?" Neji asked, his voice flat and cold. "There is some advice I have always wanted to give you."

"You are too kind. You wish for peace and avoid conflict at all costs. You are content to cater to the ideas of others. That sort of personality is not suited for the life of a shinobi. It would be wise to give up now."

"…" Hinata lowered her head, her silence a tacit agreement with his assessment.

Seeing this, Neji pressed his advantage. "You have no confidence in yourself and are crippled by your own feelings of inferiority. I believe being a Genin is the highest you will ever climb."

"But the Chunin Exams require a team of three. The truth is, you only participated because you couldn't bring yourself to refuse your teammates' request. Am I wrong?"

Hearing this, Hinata's head shot up. "No… that's not true!" she argued, her voice small but laced with a desperate strength. "I… I just want to change myself, with my own power, Brother Neji…"

"Hmph!" Neji sneered, his expression unchanging. "You have never truly suffered. As the pampered eldest daughter of the main branch… you are still far too naive."

"Let me tell you a truth, Hinata. People do not change."

"The one at the bottom will always be at the bottom. Unless they are forced through the crucible of true suffering, a person's character and strength will never evolve in a comfortable environment."

Neji's tone grew colder, more intense. Feeling his terrifying aura, Hinata began to tremble, her hands nervously clenching and unclenching at her sides.

"Lady Hinata, you know that nothing can be hidden from my eyes."

"When you felt the pressure of my chakra just now, your gaze drifted to the upper left. That means you were remembering our past training sessions, and the painful memories your body holds from them."

"Then, your gaze immediately shifted to the lower right, indicating that you were thinking about the mental torture you endure, the immense pressure of being the clan's heir. In fact, you already know the outcome of this fight…"

"It will only end in your defeat!"

"And placing your hands over your chest… that is a subconscious attempt to build a wall between us, to keep me from peering any further into your heart. Because you know I have seen the truth of everything you are thinking!"

"Touching your lips is a natural way for people to comfort themselves when they are nervous and uneasy. It means you have realized, in this very moment, that you are powerless to change yourself!"

By the time he finished, Hinata was on the verge of tears. He wasn't just trying to beat her; he was trying to break her. It was a psychological execution.

"What's wrong with being at the bottom?! Take him down, Hinata!"

Naruto's voice suddenly boomed from the stands. "You can definitely do it, just like I did!"

"Hmph…" Neji sneered, not even bothering to look at him. "Naruto, I will admit, your current strength is impressive. You have managed to shed the title of 'dead-last'."

"But that is only because your family has fallen from grace. If your father still held his lofty position, you would have never changed."

"Just as I was once…"

Naruto didn't understand what Neji was saying. He didn't want to understand.

"This fight isn't over! Don't get distracted, Brother Neji!" Hinata's eyes had changed. They were now filled with an unshakeable determination. Naruto's words had given her back her courage.

"Oh? You don't intend to give up?" Neji's eyes were still as cold as ice.

"In that case, I can show you what destiny awaits you.."

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