Chapter 31: Many Wives, Many Blessings! Hinatain Crisis!After the meeting, Hinata walked alone down the corridor back to her room. She felt a sense of suffocation. It was not because of fear, but because of that familiar feeling of being treated as an "item that needs protection" rather than a "Ninja capable of fighting.""Hinata."She turned back and saw Neji standing in the shadows."Brother Neji...""Be careful." Neji's voice was very low. "I have heard rumors that the people from Kumogakure... might use 'extreme measures.'"After speaking, he turned and left, leaving Hinatastanding alone in the dim corridor.That night, Hinata suffered from insomnia.She thought of the training ground, where Narutosmiled and said "Hinata's Byakugan is the team's eyes"; she thought of Guren saying "Your observations helped me a great deal"; she thought of Tayuya earnestly asking about Chakra flow...She did not want to be locked in a cage anymore....The next morning, at Ivy Garden.Naruto discovered that Hinata had not come to training.After learning the situation from Kushina, he frowned."People from Kumogakure... want to snatch the Byakugan?" He remembered that in his memories, there was indeed an incident where Hinata was kidnapped, but the timeline was not right. Perhaps the butterfly effect had caused many things to deviate from their established tracks."It is just a precautionary measure," Kushina said while checking the training equipment. "However, I can understand Hiashi's actions. The Byakugan is too precious.""But what is the use of locking Hinata up?" Narutoasked, puzzled. "If the enemy is really strong, can locking her up protect her? We should make her stronger instead!"Kushina glanced at her son and smiled. "That is true. But that is the Hyuga Clan's family business; it is not appropriate for us to interfere."Training proceeded as usual, but the atmosphere was clearly off.Without Hinata's Byakugan reconnaissance, many holes appeared in the team's coordination.Guren's Crystal Wall almost accidentally injured a teammate, and Tayuya's control over the range of her genjutsu also lost its precision.In fact, it was not that everyone was making mistakes on purpose; it was just that with Hinatagone, everyone was a bit distracted..."This will not do." During lunch break, Izumi said bluntly, "Hinata's Byakugan is not just a reconnaissance tool; she is the team's 'eyes' and 'coordinates.' Without her, our tactical system lacks a core link."Sakura nodded. "And the 'Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms' variant that Hinata has been developing recently happens to counter the weaknesses of Tayuya's sound-based genjutsu. We were supposed to spar today..."Ino sighed. "Hinata must be very sad. She worked so hard to prove herself..."Listening to his companions' discussion, a thought surged in Naruto's mind.He found Guren, who was practicing crystal control alone. "Guren, if someone wanted to take something very important to you, what would you do?"Guren paused, and the crystal flower forming in her hand shattered with a "pop."She was silent for a few seconds, then said, "...Take it back. Or, make the person who wants to take it pay the price.""Then what if you were locked up for 'protection'?""I would break the cage." Guren did not hesitate. "True protection is not locking someone up; it is giving the person being protected the ability to protect themselves."Naruto smiled. "I think so too."He found Tayuya again.Tayuya was tuning her flute. After hearing Naruto's question, she put down the instrument. "My clan... was 'protected' too well back then. We thought that with our musical secret techniques and barriers, we would be safe. But when our clan was wiped out, we could not even send out a distress signal."Her purple eyes looked at Naruto. "Locking someone up only makes them weak."After training ended that day, Naruto did not go straight home. He found Minato, who was processing documents."Dad, I want to help Hinata."Minato looked up. "How?""Let her continue training and become stronger. That is safer than locking her up.""That is the Hyuga Clan's decision, Naruto.""But Hinata is also a member of Ivy!" Narutoinsisted. "And... I have a bad feeling. Locking her up will actually make it easier for the enemy to find their target. And it is easier to fall into the enemy's trap!"Minato was silent.He looked at his son's serious face, remembering the latest intelligence the Azure Dragon Team had just intercepted.Within the Kumogakure delegation, there was indeed a secret team skilled at breaking barriers and infiltration operations."What do you want to do?""I want to... give Hinata a reason that she 'must go out'." Naruto's eyes lit up. "For example, Ivy has an important team mission that requires her."Minato smiled. "A mission? You are just trainees; where would you get a mission?""That is why I need Dad's help!" Naruto grinned. "'Aoi' has many low-difficulty reconnaissance missions, right? Assign one to us. Just say... the kind that requires Byakugan assistance."Minato pondered for a long time.This was indeed a method. It could allow Hinata to go out reasonably, let Ivy experience the atmosphere of a mission in advance, and also test the team's coordination."I will discuss it with Kushina," he finally said. "However, even if there is a mission, Hiashi might not necessarily agree.""Then let Hinata fight for it herself," Naruto said. "She is much stronger than you think."...As it turned out, Naruto was right.The next day, when Kushina proposed to Hiashithat "Ivy needs Byakugan assistance to complete a border reconnaissance mission," Hiashi's first reaction was to refuse.But Hinata spoke up, which was rare. "Father, please... please let me go."She knelt in the hall with her head bowed, but her voice was firm. "I have trained in Ivy for so long, learned new combat styles, and understood the importance of the team. If I hide because of fear, I will never be able to truly grow."Hiashi looked at his daughter.This child, who had been timid and prone to crying since she was little, had, at some point, gained a glow in her eyes that he had never seen before."Do you know how dangerous it is outside?" he asked in a deep voice."I-I know." Hinata's voice was trembling, but she continued, "But precisely because it is dangerous, I should go even more. If one day the enemy really comes, I must at least... at least have the power to resist, instead of only being able to wait for rescue."Neji stood to the side, watching his cousin, a flash of complex emotion in his eyes.In the end, Hiashi made a concession.
