Neji Hyuga was born into the Hyuga clan's branch family, son of Hizashi Hyuga. At age four, during a ceremony for main family heiress Hinata Hyuga, his forehead received the clan's cursed seal, marking his lifelong subservience to the main branch. Witnessing his father endure pain through the seal and this branding deeply traumatized him. The pivotal tragedy occurred during the "Hyuga Affair," a political incident where Kumogakure demanded Hiashi's death after a failed kidnapping of Hinata. Hizashi sacrificed himself as Hiashi's body double. Neji misinterpreted this sacrifice as proof of the main family's oppression, fueling enduring resentment and a belief in predetermined fate. He concluded all lives followed unchangeable paths set at birth, with branch members eternally bound to serve. Initially a kind child, Neji became cold and arrogant after his father's death. He graduated top-ranked from the Academy at age 12, later joining Team Guy under Might Guy. His fatalistic worldview clashed with teammates like Rock Lee, whom he dismissed for pursuing impossible dreams. During the Chunin Exams, this philosophy manifested cruelly in his preliminary match against Hinata: he attacked her perceived weakness verbally and nearly killed her when she suggested his obsession with destiny stemmed from unacknowledged pain. Intervening jōnin halted the attack, but Hinata sustained critical injuries. His subsequent battle against Naruto Uzumaki in the finals became a turning point. Naruto, defying Neji's assertions of inherent weakness, defeated him physically and ideologically, arguing Neji's fixation on fate was a self-imposed limitation and declaring, "A failure can also change his destiny!". Following his loss, Hiashi revealed the truth of Hizashi's voluntary sacrifice, presenting a letter where Hizashi expressed love and hope for Neji's future. This disclosure, paired with Hiashi's apology and bow, shattered Neji's resentment. He abandoned his fatalism, symbolized by observing free-flying birds, resolving to forge his own path: "My dream is to become stronger. I want to become so strong, I will never lose to anyone again." He began reconciling with the main family, training with Hiashi and Hinata, prioritizing teamwork and comrades' safety over personal ambition. He encouraged Lee's dreams and defended his eccentric teammates, displaying uncharacteristic protectiveness, particularly toward Hinata. Neji's combat centered on the Hyuga clan's kekkei genkai, the Byakugan, granting near-360° vision and sight of the chakra network. His mastery earned him the title "Greatest Genius in Hyuga History." As a genin, his Byakugan range was 50 meters, expanding to 800 meters by Part II. He specialized in Gentle Fist taijutsu, injecting chakra to damage internal organs or sever chakra flow. Despite branch family restrictions, he independently mastered advanced techniques like the Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven (Kaiten), a defensive spin repelling attacks, and the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, sealing an opponent's tenketsu. By Part II, he developed mid-range techniques like the Eight Trigrams Empty Palm and collaborative jutsu with Hinata. His combat emphasized precision and adaptability, relying heavily on close-quarters engagement. He became a jōnin during the timeskip, the only Konoha 11 member to do so, noted for tactical analysis and leadership under Tsunade Senju. Key conflicts underscored his growth. During the Sasuke Recovery Mission, he fought Kidomaru of the Sound Four. Severely wounded and exploiting the Byakugan's single blind spot, Kidomaru cornered him. Drawing on Naruto's ideology, Neji refused surrender, declaring, "I cannot lose. I simply can't!" He fatally countered Kidomaru by infusing chakra into his webs. In the Fourth Shinobi World War, he served in the Allied Forces' Second Division, using his Byakugan for reconnaissance. During the Ten Tails' assault, he shielded Naruto and Hinata from wooden spikes, sustaining mortal wounds. His final words to Naruto emphasized interconnected destinies: "You hold more than one life in your hands... my life too may have been one of them." His death unified the Allied Forces in a bird formation symbolizing his freedom from fate's "cage". Neji's legacy endured through his philosophical shift—from viewing life as an "inescapable current" to championing self-determination—and his physical legacy in the Hyuga clan's reformed practices. His sacrifice reinforced Naruto's resolve to end cyclical hatred, indirectly shaping the shinobi world's future.