Konoha Year 57, July 23Hyuga Clan Grounds – Konohagakure
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Inside the dojo of the Clan Head's residence, sharp, rhythmic impacts echoed through the training hall. Within its quiet walls, two figures clashed: a boy and a girl, locked in a fierce taijutsu match.
It was Hinata and Hyuga Neji.
Both had activated their Byakugan—their temple veins bulging visibly. Their hands moved in blurs, fingertips wreathed in shimmering blue chakra, seeking each other's tenketsu with precise strikes. Each blow was either intercepted mid-motion or dodged in the narrowest margin, forcing one to shift from offense to defense seamlessly.
The sound of colliding chakra sent ripples of energy through the air. But this wasn't just a test of skill. This was a test of patience, awareness, and unshakable will.One lapse in concentration, and it would all be over.
Sure enough, after dozens of rapid exchanges—
Pa!
A clean hit.
Hinata's expression remained calm and focused as she slipped through Neji's defenses. With a precise palm strike, she disrupted his chakra flow, causing the chakra at Neji's hands to flicker and vanish.
Then, without hesitation, Hinata unleashed a flurry of strikes, each one driving chakra into his body, sealing points and sending waves of sharp pain coursing through him. Neji clenched his teeth, refusing to cry out.
When the final strike landed, Hinata gracefully stepped back. The veins around her eyes faded, and she bowed slightly.
"Neji Hyuga," she said softly. "Thank you for the match."
From the sidelines, Hyuga Hiashi observed in silence. A faint smile formed on his lips—gone in the blink of an eye, replaced by his usual stoic demeanor.
"Neji," he said calmly, "go and heal."
"…Yes, Father."Neji bowed his head, hiding the bitterness and frustration behind a mask of obedience. He turned to Hinata and gave a formal nod.
"Thank you for the lesson, Young Lady."
And with that, he turned and left the dojo.
Hinata, unaware of the emotions roiling beneath Neji's calm exterior, immediately approached her father. Her face lit up with childlike anticipation.
"Father," she asked eagerly, "can I take Hanabi out to play?"
Hiashi nodded. "Go."
"Thank you!"Hinata smiled brightly and ran off. She quickly found her three-year-old sister Hanabi and took her hand as they left the clan grounds, heading straight to find Izanami.
It had been exactly three years since she began training under Izanami's guidance. Her transformation over that time was nothing short of remarkable. Beating Neji was no longer a rare occurrence—it had become routine.
In fact, since the start of the year, she had won every match against him. In the latter half, she didn't just win—she dominated.
Gentle Fist wasn't just about bloodline; it was about chakra control, precision, and composure. And in chakra control, only Izanami surpassed her.
Even Sakura Haruno, whose talent entry ranked purple, couldn't match Hinata's control—despite not having a bloodline limit.
That fear she once felt toward Neji had been replaced with quiet confidence. And with her rising strength came recognition. The clan elders had unanimously agreed: Hinata would be the future heir of the Hyuga Clan.
With her position secured, pressure now fell on Hanabi.
Many elders pushed Hiashi to brand Hanabi with the Caged Bird Curse Mark early, but he firmly refused. Using his late wife as an excuse, he insisted on preserving Hanabi's freedom—at least until she turned twelve.
And now, he no longer interfered in Hinata's growing bond with Izanami. Even as their relationship subtly deepened, he said nothing. On the contrary, he allowed Hinata to take Hanabi to see him freely.
No one could guess what was going through Hiashi's mind. But it was clear: he was playing a long game—one in which neither of his daughters would bear the Caged Bird Curse Mark.
Izanami, of course, was unaware of all this.
He simply thought Hinata had earned enough recognition to bring Hanabi out with her. He never considered that her rise might cast a shadow over Hanabi's future.
And even if he had, Izanami wouldn't have cared.
The Caged Bird Curse Mark, after all, was just that—a curse.Compared to Orochimaru's Cursed Seal of Heaven, it was inferior. Once he mastered Yin-Yang Release, removing it would be child's play.
If Hanabi were ever branded, it would only be a temporary burden.There was still time—Shippuden hadn't even begun.They hadn't graduated from the Academy yet.
The defects of the Byakugan wouldn't matter in the long run.
Knock, knock, knock…
A tiny fist pounded on the front door, accompanied by a sweet, high-pitched voice.
"Oni-chan! I'm here to play! Open up, quick!"
Izanami opened the door.
Standing outside were two familiar figures—one tall, one small. The small one dashed forward, throwing herself into his waist with a giggle.
"Oni-chan, let's go play!"
Hanabi, in a custom-tailored pink kimono, clung to him with bright eyes. At only three years old, she was already accustomed to wearing elegant formalwear.
Hanabi's short black hair neatly framed her face, just long enough to cover her ears. Her bangs were parted down the middle, revealing wide, curious eyes. Her cheeks were still round with baby fat, irresistibly cute—almost begging to be pinched.
And Izanami, of course, didn't resist.
He reached down and gently pinched her cheek with a smile."Alright, Hanabi. What do you want to do today?"
In Izanami's eyes, several colored entries floated around Hanabi's body like softly glowing bubbles:[Princess of the Byakugan (Gold)][Bloodline Limit · Byakugan (Purple)][Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Blue)][Jonin Qualifications (Blue)][Chakra Control (Blue)]Compared to civilian children or even those from ordinary shinobi clans, Hanabi's panel was dazzling. Although she lagged behind Hinata slightly—Hinata's "Princess of the Byakugan" entry was a rare Gold-level talent—Hanabi was not far off. In terms of bloodline purity, her Byakugan was exceptional, nearly identical to her sister's.
Even the legendary Tenseigan, evolved from Hanabi's Byakugan by Ōtsutsuki Toneri in the movie timeline, hinted at the incredible latent power in her eyes.
All her other entries mirrored Hinata's as well, making her a kind of "Hinata in development." A step behind for now—but with the same potential to defy fate.
Naturally, Izanami adored this cute and gifted little sister-in-law.
"I want glutinous rice dumplings! And I want to ride high up!"Hanabi stood on tiptoe and stretched her arms toward him, trying to climb onto him.
"Haha, alright. Today, Hanabi gets to call the shots."
He gently rubbed her head and then crouched down to let her climb onto his shoulders. Once she had securely straddled his neck, Izanami held her small hands and stood up.
"Hinata," he said, glancing over with a smile, "close the door, would you?"
"Okay."
After she shut the door, the trio set off toward the bustling shopping district.
Since the death of Hinata's mother, what was once a two-person outing had naturally evolved into a three-person journey. Hanabi had slowly become part of their little world.
Izanami still remembered the day of the funeral—how Hinata cried, her sobs heartbreaking to witness.
For a long time, only her mother and Izanami had shown her the love and tenderness she craved. When her mother passed, Hinata clung to Izanami even more, leaning on him as the only warm light left in her world.
It was around that time their relationship began to subtly change.Not all at once—but something unspoken began to shift between them.
Driven by the pain of her own childhood, Hinata vowed not to let Hanabi suffer the same way she did. She pushed herself harder in training, not just to prove her worth to the clan—but to give her little sister the freedom and happiness she was once denied.
Every chance she got, she brought Hanabi to see Izanami.Because in her eyes, no one knew how to care for others like he did.
Her father, Hyuga Hiashi, was too imposing. That cold expression, that suffocating pressure—it wasn't something a child could withstand.Hinata had only survived it because her mother's love gave her the strength.
But now that her mother was gone, she had to become that protective warmth for Hanabi.
Looking at her little sister perched high on Izanami's shoulders, giggling with joy, Hinata felt reassured.
She had made the right decision.
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