Hinata stood beneath the towering tree, her hands forming a Ram seal. Channeling chakra as Izayoi had instructed, she directed it to the soles of her feet.
Tentatively, she lifted her right foot and pressed it against the trunk. It felt as though glue bound her sole to the bark, adhering tightly.
Reassured, Hinata raised her left foot, stepping onto the tree. Like Izayoi before her, her body hung parallel to the ground.
Holding her breath, she took a third step.
"Ah—!"
Panic flashed across her face as she yelped. Her feet, moments ago firmly anchored, lost their grip, and she plummeted toward the ground.
Before she could hit, two arms caught her, steadying her upright.
"No need to be scared," Izayoi said with a soft chuckle. "I told you I'd catch you."
"Izayoi-kun, I'm sorry…" Hinata murmured, head bowed, her expression one of letting him down.
"Apologize for what?"
Izayoi clapped her shoulder encouragingly. "Failing's normal. Getting both feet to stick on your first try is already amazing. When I started, it took me a dozen tries to get it right."
A blatant lie.
Izayoi had succeeded on his first attempt, climbing several steps with ease.
Neither Naruto Uzumaki nor Sasuke Uchiha had Chakra Control in their talent entries. But Izayoi and Hinata both possessed it at blue-tier. Such a talent made not only tree-climbing and water-walking but also medical ninjutsu, sensory techniques, sealing arts, and barrier jutsu far easier to master than for those without it.
Gentle Fist, which injected chakra into an opponent's body, was itself a form of chakra control. With enough chakra and proper guidance, Hinata should master tree-climbing swiftly.
"Keep going," Izayoi urged. "I bet you'll reach the top in no time."
"Okay."
Bolstered by his encouragement, Hinata's confidence surged.
She formed the seal again, pooling chakra in her feet, and stepped onto the trunk. Her body tilted horizontal once more.
Perhaps it was the safety Izayoi provided, but this time she didn't hold her breath. She stepped forward naturally, advancing to the third step.
Unlike before, when her chakra faltered at the third step, throwing her balance and draining both feet, she maintained control. Her soles clung firmly to the bark.
Fourth step, fifth, sixth…
She reached the eighth step, but on the ninth, her rhythm broke. Her chakra wavered, and she fell.
Yet, remarkably, Hinata felt no fear—no scream escaped her. A flicker of anticipation stirred within.
As expected, she didn't crash onto the hard ground but landed in a warm embrace.
Cradling her in a princess carry, Izayoi looked down, his praise unstinting. "Impressive, Hinata! Second try, and you got that high? You're a genius."
"Heehee…"
Instead of blushing, Hinata giggled happily.
The praise she received today surpassed all she'd heard in years combined.
Was this what being acknowledged felt like?
Unlike her original-story self, who grew timid and defeatist, Hinata hadn't yet lost her spark. Her drive and confidence swelled.
Her eyes gleaming, she spoke up—a rare initiative. "Izayoi-kun, put me down. I want to try again."
"Sure thing."
Izayoi noted every shift in her demeanor.
Seeing her grow bolder warmed his heart. A noble heiress reduced to such weakness and self-doubt in the original story—it spoke volumes about the pressure she'd endured.
Since he'd entered this world and chosen to intercept Naruto Uzumaki and Toneri Otsutsuki, Izayoi was determined to reshape her fate. Even if she didn't become the rebellious firecracker of the Limited Tsukuyomi, she shouldn't squander her Otsutsuki heritage as she had in the original.
Starting with her confidence, he'd mold her into the person he envisioned.
Hinata's talent was undeniable. Among the twelve young girls of her generation, she alone hailed from a great clan, wielding one of the three great dojutsu: the Byakugan.
All she lacked was belief in herself.
Once that returned, she'd shine brilliantly.
Tree-climbing and water-walking didn't demand vast chakra—just precise control.
Control came either through relentless practice or raw talent. In the original story, Naruto and Sasuke exemplified the former; Sakura Haruno, the latter.
Izayoi and Hinata were the latter, too.
Reaching seven or eight steps on her second try, Hinata didn't regress on her third. She progressed, climbing over a dozen steps before falling again.
Izayoi caught her as always.
On her fourth attempt, she didn't fall. She reached the treetop.
"Izayoi-kun, I did it!"
Perched at the summit, Hinata didn't pause to admire the view. Her first instinct was to share her triumph with Izayoi below.
"Amazing! Fourth try to the top? You've outdone me, Hinata," Izayoi called, flashing a thumbs-up, his praise lavish.
"Heehee…"
Hinata's joyful laugh rang out again.
Though both offered guidance, Izayoi's approach differed starkly from her father's. At home, Hiashi's Gentle Fist lessons left her tense. Even completing his assignments earned no praise—sometimes only criticism for falling short of her cousin's perfection.
With Izayoi, she received the validation she craved. The ease contrasted with her usual anxiety, the delight unlike her constant unease. It cleansed her spirit, making her love training.
Descending the tree as if walking on flat ground, Hinata's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Izayoi-kun, is water-walking like tree-climbing?"
"Sort of, but it's tougher," Izayoi replied with a nod, smiling. "Tree-climbing just needs you to stick to the bark. Water flows, so sticking to it demands several times the control."
"I won't teach it now, but you can practice at home with a bathtub or barrel. Once your chakra reserves grow, I'll show you proper water-walking and Shadow Clone Technique."
"Okay, okay!" Hinata nodded eagerly.
Seeing her so earnest, Izayoi's true intent surfaced. He grinned. "Next up, let's spar! While we're at it, show me your Hyuga clan's acupoint strikes."
"Alright."
Naive Hinata, unaware of his deeper motives, nodded obediently. Having sparred often with her cousin at home, she saw nothing odd about practicing taijutsu—untrained at school—here and now.
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