Konoha Year 57, July 23.
Konoha, Hyuga Clan Grounds.
Thud, thud, thud…
In the dojo of the clan leader's residence, a series of crisp yet heavy impacts echoed.
The scene zoomed in, revealing two children—a boy and a girl—engaged in a Taijutsu spar.
The sounds came from their hands.
Hinata and Hyuga Neji, veins bulging around their temples, moved their hands in a blur, fingertips wrapped in blue Chakra flames, striking at each other's pressure points.
No attack landed. Before contact, each move was either blocked or countered, forcing the attacker to shift to defense.
The constant clash of Chakra created roaring gusts of air.
But maintaining such a rhythm tested one's willpower.
A single lapse could let the opponent seize an opening, leading to total defeat.
Sure enough, after dozens of exchanges, a sharp poke ended the fight.
Snap—
Under Neji's wide-eyed, stunned gaze, Hinata, her expression stern, struck his body with her finger, ruthlessly injecting Chakra.
In an instant, the Chakra in Neji's hands vanished.
A storm of attacks followed, each hit seeping Chakra into his body, sealing his Chakra flow while causing intense pain.
Yet Neji gritted his teeth, refusing to cry out.
After the combo, Hinata withdrew her hands, the veins around her temples fading. Looking at Neji, now slumped on the ground, she said softly, "Neji-nii, thank you for the guidance."
Witnessing this, Hyuga Hiashi, standing nearby, couldn't help but smile with pride.
But before Hinata turned to him, he schooled his face into a blank expression and said to Neji, "Neji, go get treated."
"Yes, Clan Leader."
Neji lowered his head, hiding his reluctance and resentment, then stood and bowed slightly to Hinata. "Thank you for your guidance, Young Lady."
With that, he turned and left.
Hinata didn't notice Neji's emotional shift.
Having completed the 'clan monthly exam,' she hurried to Hiashi, her face brimming with anticipation. "Father, may I take Hanabi out to play?"
"Hm, go ahead," Hiashi nodded.
"Thank you, Father."
Hinata gave a small smile, then jogged out of the dojo, taking three-year-old Hanabi with her to find Izayoi.
Three years had passed since she began training with Izayoi.
The extent of Hinata's growth was evident in her victory over Neji and Hiashi's attitude.
This wasn't her first time defeating Neji.
Since the start of the year, she'd won every spar against him.
By the second half, she'd begun to dominate outright.
Gentle Fist demanded not just the Byakugan but also precise Chakra Control.
Among her peers, only Izayoi surpassed Hinata in Chakra Control.
Even Sakura Haruno, with her purple-tier entry, couldn't match Hinata, who practiced Gentle Fist daily.
Defeating the cousin she'd once feared transformed Hinata, filling her with newfound confidence.
Hiashi and the main branch elders unanimously agreed: Hinata was the future heir of the main house.
As a result, many elders urged Hiashi to place the Caged Bird Seal on Hanabi.
But Hiashi refused, citing his wife's passing and his desire to give Hanabi a happy childhood, delaying the decision until she was twelve.
He also stopped discouraging Hinata's time with Izayoi, even as he noticed their bond deepening into something more.
He even allowed Hinata to take Hanabi to see Izayoi.
No one knew Hiashi's true intentions.
It seemed he was playing a long game, aiming to spare both daughters from the Caged Bird Seal.
Izayoi, naturally, was oblivious to this.
He assumed Hinata and Hanabi's freedom stemmed from Hinata's excellence, securing her place as the Hyuga heir.
He hadn't considered that Hinata's solidified status might lead to Hanabi receiving the Caged Bird Seal early.
Even if he knew, Izayoi wouldn't care.
The Caged Bird was just a curse seal.
In terms of potency, it paled compared to Orochimaru's Earth or Heaven Curse Seals.
Even if the Hyuga lacked a way to remove it, once Izayoi mastered Yin-Yang Release, he could undo it.
If Hanabi received the seal, it'd only be a temporary pain.
After all, by the end of Shippuden, she still hadn't graduated from the ninja academy.
Whether the Byakugan had flaws didn't matter at all.
…
Knock, knock, knock…
"Onii-chan, I'm here to play! Open the door quick!"
The sound of knocking and a childish voice reached Izayoi's ears.
Opening the door, he saw two figures—one tall, one short.
The shorter one launched herself at him, hugging his waist and shouting, "Onii-chan, let's go play!"
Three-year-old Hanabi wore a custom-made pink kimono, already accustomed to the style at her young age.
Her short black hair just covered her ears, parted in the middle.
Her chubby, adorable face begged to be pinched.
And Izayoi did just that.
Squeezing Hanabi's cheeks, he smiled. "Alright, what does Hanabi want to play today?"
In Izayoi's eyes, bubbles of various colors floated around Hanabi.
[Princess of the Byakugan (Gold)]
[Kekkei Genkai: Byakugan (Purple)]
[Otsutsuki Bloodline (Blue)]
[Jonin Potential (Blue)]
[Chakra Control (Blue)]
Compared to civilians or minor clan children, Hanabi's panel was impressive.
Her only shortfall compared to Hinata was the gold-tier Princess of the Byakugan.
In the movie, her Byakugan, stolen by Otsutsuki Toneri, evolved into a Tenseigan in days, proof of its exceptional purity.
Just one tier shy, and her entry would match Hinata's.
Her other entries were identical to Hinata's, a slightly weaker version of her sister.
Like Hinata, she had the potential to defy fate.
For this adorable, high-potential little sister-in-law, Izayoi felt deep affection.
"I want sticky rice dumplings and to ride high!"
Hanabi stood on tiptoe, trying to climb onto Izayoi.
"Alright, Hanabi's in charge today."
Izayoi ruffled her hair, then crouched down, letting her clamber onto his shoulders.
Holding her hands, he stood and said to Hinata, who watched them with a smile, "Hinata, lock the door."
"Okay."
After locking up, Izayoi led the Hyuga sisters to the bustling shopping street.
Since Hinata's mother passed, their duo outings had gradually become a trio.
He still recalled how Hinata had cried her heart out that day.
Before Hanabi grew up, only Izayoi and her mother had given her the warmth and care she craved.
With her mother gone, Hinata's reliance on Izayoi deepened.
Their bond began to shift that day.
To keep Hanabi from becoming another version of herself, Hinata trained harder, wanting her sister to grow up happy.
Whenever she had time, she brought Hanabi to see Izayoi.
In Hinata's eyes, Izayoi was better with kids than her father.
Hiashi's intimidating presence, stern expression, and strict upbringing would've broken Hinata without her mother's love.
With her mother gone, Hinata refused to let Hanabi follow her path.
Seeing Hanabi beaming atop Izayoi's shoulders, Hinata knew her choice was right.
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