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🕑 Added 2025-05-18 22:44:33 +0000 UTCChapter 56: A Heart Returned
Drip. Drip.
Rainwater streamed down the umbrella, forming silvery threads between its ribs and the ground.
The sky was nearly pitch-black—no light, no sense of direction.
A silver-haired girl stood hidden in the shadows, her face obscured by a black cloth, her expression unreadable.
Neji watched her figure in the rain, his gaze turbulent.
"The main house treats the branch house’s lives as worthless.
The heavier the crimes pinned on Hinata Ameki, the more they devalue the branch family’s existence.
What’s worse, many in the branch family themselves call Ameki a ‘criminal,’ venting their pent-up resentment from years of oppression. Because now, at last, there’s someone in the Hyūga clan lower than them.
But they don’t realize—by doing this, they’ve already internalized the main house’s ideology."
"Stupid. Lowly. Weak.
People like that aren’t part of the branch family—they’re the main house’s lapdogs. No one cares about a dog’s life, not the main house, and certainly not the branch family."
Neji’s words struck like iron, using Ameki’s case to lay bare the deep-rooted conflict between the main and branch families to Hikari.
Just from his tone, Hikari understood:
These weren’t the conclusions of a child.
They were the inherited convictions of Hyūga Hizashi.
Once, there had been main house members like Ameki, who treated the branch family with kindness.
But after centuries of power, their ideals had warped—now, they saw the branch family as nothing more than disposable servants. Slaves.
And the branch family was just as fractured.
Some had been thoroughly broken, their minds twisted to accept the main house’s superiority.
She grasped the implication in Neji’s words.
The gatekeeper brothers were part of the branch family’s "lapdog faction"—unwanted by either side, the lowest of the low in the Hyūga clan.
Cowards who only dared to complain in secret, yet groveled before the main house.
No one would care if such people died.
Hikari adjusted her umbrella, meeting Neji’s gaze squarely. His forehead bore the green curse mark of the Caged Bird Seal.
First, he used Ameki’s fate to stoke her hatred for the main house. Then, he laid out the branch family’s divisions, subtly declaring his own stance—reassuring her.
All his words boiled down to one point:
The main house is the enemy. They must be destroyed.
And Neji’s faction within the branch family would stand with her. Killing a few "lapdogs" wouldn’t turn them against her.
Is this what children in the shinobi world are like?
Neji was only seven, his youth obvious in every line of his face—yet his mind was sharper than most adults’.
It struck her then: the title of "genius" in Konoha, a village of prodigies, carried real weight.
Her attitude toward him shifted.
He had shown his hand. She would respond in kind.
Hikari never forgot her greatest advantage:
Not foreknowledge of the story, but the ability to exploit weaknesses.
With timid Hinata, she used intimidation and dominance.
But for someone like Neji—proud, sharp-witted, yearning for freedom—respect and recognition were the keys.
What he gained from her was something the main house would never give him.
And that was how she ensured his loyalty.
"Thank you. Your information is invaluable."
Neji’s brow relaxed. Her equal treatment was exactly what he needed.
"Gh—!"
Suddenly, dizziness slammed into her. She clutched her head with a stifled groan.
"Hey! What’s wrong?!" Neji shot to his feet, alarmed.
Shaking off the fog, she sorted through the memories flooding her mind—her shadow clones, waiting at home, were running low on chakra.
They hadn’t dispersed all at once to avoid overwhelming her with exhaustion. Instead, the "Academy clone" had undone itself first to warn her.
Byakugan.
She numbed her nerves preemptively, bracing for the fatigue from the soon-to-vanish Water and Wind clones.
"I’m fine," she said, waving him off.
Neji exhaled. Right now, her safety mattered more than his own.
No. She needs to be stronger.
The main house had numbers, resources, and the lapdogs’ support. The "resistance faction" in the branch family could barely resist the Caged Bird’s control, let alone fight back.
To take on the Hyūga alone, she needed power.
"Hikari, which of the main house’s secret techniques do you want to learn first?" Neji’s tone was bold.
"You can get them?" She frowned, still processing the clone’s memories.
Even Hinata, the main house’s heiress, needed permission to access the clan’s techniques—and she couldn’t take the scrolls out, only memorize them on-site. That was why she’d only been able to pass Hikari fragments bit by bit.
But now, between the Academy clone’s memories and Hinata’s latest delivery, she had 78 of the diagrams. A complete set was within reach.
"I can’t steal the originals, but I can copy them for you," Neji said. "The main house is small, and they’re too ‘noble’ to handle menial tasks. The archives are guarded and maintained by branch family members. For high-level secrets? No chance—those are sealed. But most standard techniques? If I ‘look the other way,’ so will they."
Hikari nodded.
Makes sense.
The main house’s priority was protecting the Caged Bird Seal. Letting branch members learn a few techniques changed nothing—they’d still be slaves in the end.
"I’ve already got the Eight Trigrams Palms from Hinata. Now I need the Gentle Fist’s pressure-point strikes, Rotation, and the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm."
"Consider it done." Neji thumped his chest in determination.
If he couldn’t fight beside her, stealing techniques was the least he could do. The stronger she grew, the sooner his seal might break.
"If it’s too dangerous, back off. I can get the rest from Hinata," Hikari warned.
Losing Neji now would be a waste.
"Don’t worry. I’ll be careful."
Her concern struck him deeply.
The branch family was taught to throw their lives away for the main house. But Hikari—she was different.
Like Ameki, she was what the Hyūga should have been.
A bird that could choose its own sky.
Even with the Caged Bird still etched into his forehead, Neji felt the first rays of freedom.
"I swear on my name—Hyūga Neji—I’ll do everything to help you grow. I won’t betray you."
His vow was firm, his posture straight.
Hikari met it with her own.
"And I swear—I’ll break your seal. I’ll tear down the divide between main and branch houses. That’s my promise as Tsukihi Hikari."
She raised a fist.
"I don’t need your loyalty. Just a comrade I can trust at my back—an ally, fighting for the same cause."
Neji’s face broke into a grin, the last of his reservations vanishing. He bumped his fist against hers.
The respect in her words—he felt it.
Under the night sky, in the steady rain, the two stood united.
A pact sealed.
Chapter 57: Gains
That day, Neji poured out everything he knew—the history of the Hyūga clan, the divide between the main and branch families, and finally, the death of his father, Hyūga Hizashi. Useful or not, he spilled it all without holding back.
Hikari didn’t interrupt.
While organizing the training progress of her shadow clones in her mind, she maintained the posture of a listener, quietly absorbing the years of resentment Neji had bottled up.
Neji didn’t need her to respond much.
Having lost his father, branded with the Caged Bird Seal, and drowning in hatred with no outlet—now, facing Hikari, he finally found a release.
Two distracted people, yet somehow, they managed to have a "pleasant conversation."
It wasn’t until late at night, when the rain stopped, that they finally parted ways.
They made a promise:
Starting tomorrow, after school every evening, Neji would accompany Hikari to train in the Eight Trigrams Palms.
Their meeting spot? Beneath the giant banyan tree in the Forest of Death.
Hikari had no objections.
The Hyūga’s advanced secret techniques would come from Hinata’s leaks, while the intermediate and lower-level techniques would be "borrowed" from Neji. On top of that, she’d get a free Gentle Fist sparring partner.
The Hyūga’s Gentle Fist was already within her grasp.
When she thought about it, she hadn’t even been in Konoha for half a month yet.
First, she obtained Might Guy’s Konoha Strong Fist style and the Eight Gates.
Now, the Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Palms was practically hers—only a matter of time before she mastered it. Add in her innate Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse) and Kaguya clan taijutsu, and her arsenal was growing terrifying.
One S-rank forbidden jutsu.
Two kekkei genkai focused on the body.
Three distinct taijutsu styles.
The path of the invincible taijutsu shinobi was unfolding beneath her feet.
But her gains didn’t stop there.
Earlier, when "Academy Hikari" dispersed, she left a reminder:
"Today’s haul is huge. Numb your nerves—knowledge incoming."
At the time, Hikari had been excited.
But when other clones dispersed and their chakra returned, she was so exhilarated that she barely registered Neji’s venting. Her mind was entirely focused on the flood of new knowledge surging into her consciousness.
As memories sorted themselves out, her excitement only grew.
While her main body had been tailing Neji these past few days, her clones hadn’t been idle.
Today, "Academy Hikari" had fully memorized all the technique diagrams she’d obtained.
In a few more days, once she got the remaining pieces from Hinata, she could begin practicing the complete version of the Eight Trigrams Palms.
Meanwhile, "Water Release Hikari" had made significant progress in shape transformation, even developing a new technique based on water pressure manipulation—something akin to a high-pressure water cutter.
In her memories, she saw it clearly:
"Water Release Hikari" had used this water cutter to slice a boulder taller than a person clean in half—in less than three seconds.
The cut surface was smooth as a mirror, with almost no debris.
Thrilled, the water clone refined and tested it a few more times, quickly mastering the technique.
Pros?
The destructive power was undeniable. If it hit, death or severe injury was guaranteed.
"Water Release Hikari" had even tested it on her own bones—within half a meter, it could sever a rib in two seconds.
And that was no small feat.
With Shikotsumyaku, Hikari’s bones were harder than steel.
Few in the shinobi world could match her defensive capabilities.
If this water cutter could slice through her bones, it could cut through 95% of shinobi without issue.
That made it an exceptionally lethal offensive jutsu.
In her memories, she could see the visible excitement on her water clone’s face.
But when developing a technique, you couldn’t just focus on the strengths.
After further testing, the flaws became just as apparent.
To unleash the high-pressure water cutter, she had to charge it for a long time, building up internal water pressure.
This meant:
Long wind-up.
Slow activation.
Easily interrupted mid-cast.
In combat, that was deadly.
All of Hikari’s water techniques, influenced by the Three-Tails’ power, were seal-less jutsu.
As Iruka-sensei had taught in class:
"Shinobi battles are brutal. Hand seals exist to standardize jutsu, making them mechanical—once mastered, failure is rare."
"The more complete the seals, the higher the success rate, and the lower the risk."
But the high-pressure water cutter was the opposite—a seal-less jutsu with high interruption risk.
Its mechanism required:
Instant extraction of massive water chakra.
Compression into a high-pressure water sphere.
Releasing it through a tiny opening to form the cutter.
Just imagining it made the danger clear.
The pressure inside that water sphere had to be insane.
If disrupted mid-cast, the resulting explosion could cause catastrophic internal damage.
And because the technique’s power relied on pressure, its effectiveness dropped sharply with distance.
Testing confirmed:
Optimal range? Point-blank.
Beyond three meters, its power was less than a quarter of its peak.
This made it a high-risk, close-quarters jutsu—slow to start, but devastating if it landed.
Perfect for a finishing blow when the enemy was immobilized.
Compared to Shikotsumyaku: Ten Finger Drilling Bullets, the water cutter was its polar opposite.
Ten Finger Drilling Bullets:
No wind-up.
Long range.
But after firing, a cooldown while bones regenerated.
High-Pressure Water Cutter:
Long wind-up.
Short range.
But instantaneous devastation upon release.
Both were lethal, just in different ways.
Together, they formed a new arsenal of killing techniques.
The water release news was good, but not enough to make her completely ignore Neji’s words in favor of sorting memories.
But then—as if luck was on her side—another breakthrough arrived.
Following the water release and Gentle Fist successes, wind release delivered its own victory.
Just before Kazama Koshī was discharged from the hospital, "Wind Release Hikari" finally achieved wind nature transformation under his guidance.
Invisible wind chakra sharpened like a steel wire, gliding along a leaf’s veins—
Snap.
The leaf split cleanly in two.
Aside from a faint hiss of air, there was no sound.
The severed leaf was flawlessly cut, its edges smooth as glass, as if it had grown that way.
When "Wind Release Hikari" showed the leaf to Kazama, he spat out his juice in shock.
His face twisted in visible frustration.
"Our deal’s over. Train on your own from now on—don’t come back."
From his bitter expression, it was clear he’d taken a major hit to his pride.
Shadow clones were broken.
The flood of memories, knowledge, and muscle memory—as if she’d trained thousands of times—left Hikari exhausted but exhilarated.
Wasn’t this just like the "systems" from those novels in her past life?
As memories settled, her overworked brain began to wander.
She had to let it.
The combined fatigue of three clones training nonstop felt like liquid mercury had been poured into her skull.
She was so drained that she nearly fell asleep walking home after parting with Neji.
Greater gains demanded greater effort.
Shadow clones weren’t a cheat-like "system."
But for Hikari, they were more than enough.
Just keep moving forward at this pace.
The path to the sun was already glowing before her.
With time, she would become the one blazing light that all of the shinobi world would have no choice but to look up to.
(＾▽＾)
Chapter 58: The Wind Rises
Dawn.
The pale gray tile eaves sliced through the dim light of daybreak as the five-petal bamboo blinds tapped lightly against the doorframe in the morning breeze. The Hatake clan’s estate lay shrouded in mist, like a sharp blade sheathed in silence.
"Hikari, I’m heading out."
"Be careful. Come back early."
"Heh, got it."
Dressed in his signature green spandex, Might Guy flashed a gleaming grin, hoisted his pack, and waved at Hikari before dashing off.
Yesterday, he’d accepted an A-rank escort mission at the Hokage’s office—guarding a merchant caravan bound for the capital of the Land of Fire. The reward was absurdly generous, almost suspiciously so.
"The capital’s the most prosperous city in the world—you can buy anything there! Hikari, what do you want? I’ll bring you back something!" Guy’s eyebrows wiggled, his excitement at leaving the village plain on his face.
Hikari remained expressionless.
Gifts from Guy held no appeal for her.
There were plenty of things in this world that could excite her: sealing scrolls from the Five Great Shinobi Villages, the Rinnegan, Hashirama’s cells, the Mangekyō Sharingan, Tailed Beasts, Sage Mode—but none of those could be bought with money.
"Just bring the money back. Don’t waste it, okay?"
Guy’s smile drooped, disappointment flashing across his face.
Hikari was perfect in every way—
Beautiful, prodigiously talented, fiercely ambitious—her virtues were endless.
But her personality? Too damn rational.
She barely showed any emotion.
In Guy’s fantasies, his daughter was supposed to be adorable, sweetly clinging to him like a soft mochi ball.
But Hikari?
A literal iron fist wrapped in a thin layer of dough.
He still remembered the time he’d kicked her arm—only to have half his body go numb from the recoil.
If only she’d call me ‘Dad’ just once…
Lost in his thoughts, Guy blurted it out before he could stop himself:
"Hey, Hikari… could you call me ‘Dad’?"
"Get lost."
"Y-Yes, ma’am!"
Seeing Hikari’s tiny fist rise—already shimmering with distorted chakra—Guy bolted, not daring to look back.
If he wasn’t mistaken, that was Wind Release chakra nature transformation.
Getting hit by that would not be fun.
Wait…
Since when did she learn Wind Release?!
As he sprinted away, Guy’s mind raced.
Hikari’s progress was unnatural. At this rate, she might even graduate from the Academy before he returned from his mission!
Watching Guy flee, Hikari slowly withdrew her chakra.
Hiss—!
The air around her fist twisted, emitting a strange, breath-like whistle.
She opened her palm, and the Wind Release chakra shifted from her knuckles to her fingertips.
Running a finger along the wooden doorframe, the chakra hummed ominously.
Zzzzt! Zzzzt!
Where her finger passed, the intricate carvings split apart—as if sliced by an invisible blade, yet sounding more like a chainsaw tearing through wood.
Seeing the damage, Hikari quickly retracted her hand.
This isn’t my house. Better not wreck it.
Still, she was pleased.
The razor-sharp Wind Release chakra was worth every second of the half-month she’d spent sneaking off to the hospital to train.
Her offensive power had leveled up again.
Developing independent nature transformation and original jutsu was something only elite jōnin could pull off.
Technically, she could graduate early, take the Chūnin Exams, and even aim for jōnin promotion.
But she wouldn’t.
With Guy out earning money, she had no financial pressure.
No way she’d sacrifice her training time for mission pay.
Five and a half years remained until the canon storyline began.
Not long, but not short either.
She had to use this time to forge a foundation strong enough to reach the Six Paths level.
Her greatest advantage wasn’t her Kekkei Genkai—it was her knowledge of the future.
The scariest thing wasn’t hitting one’s limits—it was standing at a crossroads with no idea which path led to the end.
But she was different.
With Kaguya Ōtsutsuki as her benchmark, she knew exactly which path to take.
All she had to do was keep moving forward.
Nothing could be simpler.
That said…
Guy’s timing for leaving Konoha wasn’t ideal.
The Uchiha Massacre was drawing closer.
The village’s atmosphere grew heavier, currents of tension swirling beneath the surface.
Using her Byakugan from a distance, she’d observed the Uchiha district—countless chakra signatures dotted the area like stars, encircling the clan grounds.
From the masked figures lurking around, it was clear: ANBU and ROOT were watching.
Three steps a post. Five steps a sentry.
The surveillance was so tight that even a mosquito flying past would’ve been tracked and gender-checked.
Hikari immediately abandoned any thought of "visiting" the Uchiha.
She stirred trouble for survival, not for fun.
Just like in Kirigakure, she lacked the strength to meddle in major events. Even the smallest ripple from these incidents could drown someone like her.
Starting today, her main body would train full-time in the Forest of Death—focusing solely on Gentle Fist and Wind Release.
Until the Uchiha massacre, she wouldn’t set foot near southwest Konoha, where their compound stood.
She’d also avoid the Memorial Stone—no need to run into Obito visiting Rin’s grave.
Her Wind Release nature transformation was still in its early stages, but she already knew how to advance it.
Cutting a waterfall.
Or more accurately—tearing it apart.
Sustained Wind Release chakra output until the pressure could slice through falling water—that was the mark of mastery.
As for a training spot?
Her Byakugan had already scouted one:
A cliff in the northern Forest of Death, near Konoha’s border.
Below it roared a waterfall—40 meters tall, 70 meters wide.
A monstrous challenge.
If she could sever a cascade that size, her long-range attacks would reach terrifying new heights.
Then, she could finally develop her own Wind Release jutsu.
She’d already practiced *Water Release shape transformation (bird form)*—her dream of flight was within reach.
Once achieved?
In battle, she could ascend on wind currents, pinpoint enemies with her Byakugan, and rain down Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets or Water Release barrages.
And if anyone somehow closed the distance?
Her three mastered taijutsu styles and Eight Gates’ physical supremacy would teach them true despair.
Chapter 58: The Wind Rises
Dawn.
The pale gray tile eaves sliced through the dim light of daybreak as the five-petal bamboo blinds tapped lightly against the doorframe in the morning breeze. The Hatake clan’s estate lay shrouded in mist, like a sharp blade sheathed in silence.
"Hikari, I’m heading out."
"Be careful. Come back early."
"Heh, got it."
Dressed in his signature green spandex, Might Guy flashed a gleaming grin, hoisted his pack, and waved at Hikari before dashing off.
Yesterday, he’d accepted an A-rank escort mission at the Hokage’s office—guarding a merchant caravan bound for the capital of the Land of Fire. The reward was absurdly generous, almost suspiciously so.
"The capital’s the most prosperous city in the world—you can buy anything there! Hikari, what do you want? I’ll bring you back something!" Guy’s eyebrows wiggled, his excitement at leaving the village plain on his face.
Hikari remained expressionless.
Gifts from Guy held no appeal for her.
There were plenty of things in this world that could excite her: sealing scrolls from the Five Great Shinobi Villages, the Rinnegan, Hashirama’s cells, the Mangekyō Sharingan, Tailed Beasts, Sage Mode—but none of those could be bought with money.
"Just bring the money back. Don’t waste it, okay?"
Guy’s smile drooped, disappointment flashing across his face.
Hikari was perfect in every way—
Beautiful, prodigiously talented, fiercely ambitious—her virtues were endless.
But her personality? Too damn rational.
She barely showed any emotion.
In Guy’s fantasies, his daughter was supposed to be adorable, sweetly clinging to him like a soft mochi ball.
But Hikari?
A literal iron fist wrapped in a thin layer of dough.
He still remembered the time he’d kicked her arm—only to have half his body go numb from the recoil.
If only she’d call me ‘Dad’ just once…
Lost in his thoughts, Guy blurted it out before he could stop himself:
"Hey, Hikari… could you call me ‘Dad’?"
"Get lost."
"Y-Yes, ma’am!"
Seeing Hikari’s tiny fist rise—already shimmering with distorted chakra—Guy bolted, not daring to look back.
If he wasn’t mistaken, that was Wind Release chakra nature transformation.
Getting hit by that would not be fun.
Wait…
Since when did she learn Wind Release?!
As he sprinted away, Guy’s mind raced.
Hikari’s progress was unnatural. At this rate, she might even graduate from the Academy before he returned from his mission!
Watching Guy flee, Hikari slowly withdrew her chakra.
Hiss—!
The air around her fist twisted, emitting a strange, breath-like whistle.
She opened her palm, and the Wind Release chakra shifted from her knuckles to her fingertips.
Running a finger along the wooden doorframe, the chakra hummed ominously.
Zzzzt! Zzzzt!
Where her finger passed, the intricate carvings split apart—as if sliced by an invisible blade, yet sounding more like a chainsaw tearing through wood.
Seeing the damage, Hikari quickly retracted her hand.
This isn’t my house. Better not wreck it.
Still, she was pleased.
The razor-sharp Wind Release chakra was worth every second of the half-month she’d spent sneaking off to the hospital to train.
Her offensive power had leveled up again.
Developing independent nature transformation and original jutsu was something only elite jōnin could pull off.
Technically, she could graduate early, take the Chūnin Exams, and even aim for jōnin promotion.
But she wouldn’t.
With Guy out earning money, she had no financial pressure.
No way she’d sacrifice her training time for mission pay.
Five and a half years remained until the canon storyline began.
Not long, but not short either.
She had to use this time to forge a foundation strong enough to reach the Six Paths level.
Her greatest advantage wasn’t her Kekkei Genkai—it was her knowledge of the future.
The scariest thing wasn’t hitting one’s limits—it was standing at a crossroads with no idea which path led to the end.
But she was different.
With Kaguya Ōtsutsuki as her benchmark, she knew exactly which path to take.
All she had to do was keep moving forward.
Nothing could be simpler.
That said…
Guy’s timing for leaving Konoha wasn’t ideal.
The Uchiha Massacre was drawing closer.
The village’s atmosphere grew heavier, currents of tension swirling beneath the surface.
Using her Byakugan from a distance, she’d observed the Uchiha district—countless chakra signatures dotted the area like stars, encircling the clan grounds.
From the masked figures lurking around, it was clear: ANBU and ROOT were watching.
Three steps a post. Five steps a sentry.
The surveillance was so tight that even a mosquito flying past would’ve been tracked and gender-checked.
Hikari immediately abandoned any thought of "visiting" the Uchiha.
She stirred trouble for survival, not for fun.
Just like in Kirigakure, she lacked the strength to meddle in major events. Even the smallest ripple from these incidents could drown someone like her.
Starting today, her main body would train full-time in the Forest of Death—focusing solely on Gentle Fist and Wind Release.
Until the Uchiha massacre, she wouldn’t set foot near southwest Konoha, where their compound stood.
She’d also avoid the Memorial Stone—no need to run into Obito visiting Rin’s grave.
Her Wind Release nature transformation was still in its early stages, but she already knew how to advance it.
Cutting a waterfall.
Or more accurately—tearing it apart.
Sustained Wind Release chakra output until the pressure could slice through falling water—that was the mark of mastery.
As for a training spot?
Her Byakugan had already scouted one:
A cliff in the northern Forest of Death, near Konoha’s border.
Below it roared a waterfall—40 meters tall, 70 meters wide.
A monstrous challenge.
If she could sever a cascade that size, her long-range attacks would reach terrifying new heights.
Then, she could finally develop her own Wind Release jutsu.
She’d already practiced *Water Release shape transformation (bird form)*—her dream of flight was within reach.
Once achieved?
In battle, she could ascend on wind currents, pinpoint enemies with her Byakugan, and rain down Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets or Water Release barrages.
And if anyone somehow closed the distance?
Her three mastered taijutsu styles and Eight Gates’ physical supremacy would teach them true despair.
Chapter 59: The Secret Archive
Hyūga Clan Compound.
Deep within the Main Family’s estate, there stood an unremarkable room.
From a distance, Neji activated his Byakugan, scanning the area.
Today was a day off—no school.
The perfect opportunity to infiltrate the Main Family’s secret archive and steal its techniques.
Hikari is still growing. Her safety comes first.
His goal was clear:
Eight Trigrams Palms: Heavenly Spin (Kaiten).
One of the Hyūga’s secret techniques, hailed as the "Absolute Defense."
It created a hemispherical chakra barrier that enveloped the user from head to toe, capable of repelling most ninjutsu and even deflecting physical attacks.
His Byakugan’s vision sharpened, rendering the world transparent—
Except for the archive room.
A flowing layer of chakra blocked his sight completely.
Neji wasn’t surprised.
It had been the same last time.
The thick walls and door were impervious, clearly sealed against the Byakugan.
His purpose wasn’t futile—he was scouting for hidden guards.
Hum.
His invisible ocular pulses acted like sonar, mapping the shadows around the room.
Two visible, four hidden.
Six guards in total.
All familiar faces.
Thanks to the Main Family’s restrictions, the Branch Family had few elites left—most were his father’s former subordinates.
After Hizashi’s death, these men had often visited him, even treating him as the future Branch Family head.
In the past, he’d resented that role, feeling like an accomplice to oppression.
Now?
He was almost grateful.
Without this status, the hope of breaking the Caged Bird Seal would be even slimmer.
Neji’s gaze swept the area, checking for Main Family surveillance.
The Branch uncles wouldn’t care if he stole techniques—but he knew better.
Negligence is one thing. Complicity is another.
They turned a blind eye out of respect for his father. He wouldn’t abuse that goodwill.
"N-Neji-nii-san, I’m scared..."
"Shut up."
Hinata bit her lip, shrinking behind him.
That morning, during Gentle Fist sparring, Neji had blackmailed her—threatening to expose her leaking secrets to Hikari unless she helped him steal from the archive.
This place housed every Hyūga secret technique from the Warring States era onward—except the Caged Bird Seal.
Some techniques were incomplete, others dangerously difficult.
Even the Main Family needed elder or clan head approval to enter.
Getting caught meant severe punishment.
Hinata trembled.
But compared to Hikari’s death threats and the proof of her treason, stealing a technique seemed mild.
Choose the lesser evil.
She had no choice.
Neji turned to her.
"Remember the script I taught you?"
"U-um... I almost forgot..."
Neji’s eye twitched.
Two sentences. How?!
This is the future Main Family heir?
The thought was terrifying.
He suppressed his frustration.
Don’t think about it. The more you do, the angrier you get.
At least Hikari wasn’t this useless.
If their roles were reversed, he’d sooner believe the Main Family would abolish the Caged Bird than trust Hinata to overthrow them.
Then again—
Maybe her incompetence was a blessing.
With an heir like this, his and Hikari’s job just got easier.
The realization softened his glare.
"I’ll repeat it. Say the clan head sent us—"
"O-okay!"
His calm tone eased Hinata’s nerves.
Is Neji-nii-san... not mad at me anymore?
For a moment, it felt like before the Caged Bird—when they’d been close.
"Got it now?"
Hinata blinked. "Eh? I... didn’t listen..."
Neji’s fist clenched.
Hikari, her age, can kick through jōnin.
This one can’t even memorize two lines.
The gap was staggering.
But Hikari needed that technique.
No matter how many tries it took, he would memorize Kaiten perfectly.
"...Fine. Let’s go again."
Thirty minutes later, Hinata finally remembered.
The actual theft wasn’t hard.
The real challenge?
Getting her to stop shaking long enough to lie convincingly.
Which was almost comical.
The future Main and Branch Family heads, teaming up to steal clan secrets for an outsider?
Who’d believe it?
When they reached the archive, the guards didn’t even question them.
A few warnings—
"No notes. Don’t damage the scrolls."
—and they were in.
The room held only two cushions and a three-tiered bookshelf.
Bottom shelf: Basic techniques (e.g., Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms).
Middle shelf: Intermediate secrets (Kaiten, pressure point strikes) for Main Family only.
Top shelf: A large sealed scroll rumored to contain hazardous advanced techniques—including:
Yang Trigram’s ultimate: "Mountain Crusher."
Yin Trigram’s ultimate: "Twin Lion Fists."
Unsealing it required specific hand signs.
Neither dared touch it.
With Hinata nervously seated, Neji grabbed the Kaiten scroll, memorizing furiously.
If time allowed, he’d also learn Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm.
Chapter 60: Swallow and Gentle Fist
Scratch—scratch—
The pen tip glided across white paper, leaving behind a series of cryptic symbols.
A bluish-gray swallow perched obediently on the desk, its round, jet-black head tilting as it eyed the strange, ink-smelling "worms" on the page—as if tempted to take a nibble.
"Not now."
Sawada Fūka gently pushed the curious beak away with a finger, her fox-like eyes narrowing as she continued writing in coded script:
"Large numbers of ANBU detected near the Uchiha compound. Likely conflict brewing between Konoha’s higher-ups and the Uchiha."
"Several Hyūga branch family members have mysteriously disappeared. The main family has tightened security—no openings to steal a Byakugan yet."
"The Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki is heavily guarded. Only at the Academy is surveillance slightly relaxed..."
The page filled steadily.
Fūka propped her chin on the pen, her beautiful yet lonely gaze drifting into the distance.
Her real name was Fūka.
Born in a nameless village south of the Land of Lightning, she had once been an ordinary girl—until the day a monster with orange hair and brown skin reduced her home to rubble.
She had been gathering herbs in the mountains when it happened.
The birds told her.
The beasts helped her survive.
And eventually, Kumo-nin found her.
"Use your gift to infiltrate Konoha’s barrier and monitor the Hyūga. Find a way to steal the Byakugan."
"Succeed in either, and we’ll kill the monster that destroyed your village."
She had no choice.
Konoha’s barrier detected chakra. The Hyūga’s Byakugan saw chakra.
But she had none.
No ninjutsu. No training.
Only her innate ability to communicate with animals.
And so, for years, she had lived in Konoha as Sawada Fūka—a woman of beauty and grace, unnoticed and unremarkable.
Three years ago, she had nearly succeeded.
Mice sent to scout the Hyūga compound had led her to Hyūga Hinata’s location.
If not for bad luck—if that Kumo team hadn’t run into Hyūga Hiashi—the Byakugan would already be in Lightning Country’s hands.
That same year, she had seduced an old gatekeeper, drugged him, and kept him locked in her basement.
Yet even after years of torture, he never broke.
And with each session, she felt the stench of blood cling to her—no amount of perfume could wash it away.
A faint sob echoed from the cellar.
A reminder that there was no turning back.
When will this end? When will I finally get my revenge?
Her fingers tightened around the pen, knuckles whitening.
Scratch—scratch—
She organized the intel by priority:
Uchiha (most urgent)
Hyūga & Nine-Tails (secondary)
Miscellaneous observations (least important)
Like:
"Konoha’s rising genius, Hikari, possesses a suspected Kekkei Genkai—sealless Water Release..."
Rolling the note into a slim metal tube, she turned to the swallow.
"Here."
Chirp! (Ready!)
The bird obediently lifted its left leg.
Fūka smiled faintly, tying the message securely before stroking its head.
"Be careful."
With a flutter of wings, the swallow shot through the open window—a streak of blue against the sky.
Below, in the Forest of Death—
"Hah...!"
A small figure stood sideways on a cliff face, arms outstretched toward the roaring waterfall.
"Wind Release...!"
Transparent chakra gathered in her palms, humming faintly—utterly insignificant against the forty-meter cascade crashing before her.
This training method is insane.
But the "Hikari" clone had no time to complain.
Its sole purpose was to master nature transformation.
Meanwhile, the real Hikari stood in a nearby clearing, her Byakugan active.
"Byakugan...!"
Pale veins bulged as her vision expanded—scanning every living thing within a kilometer.
Sparrows chirping in the branches.
A venomous snake, tongue flicking.
Fat rodents gnawing on grass.
No ANBU. No Root. No chakra signatures at all.
Safe.
Satisfied, she exhaled and removed her cloak.
Time to train.
"Gentle Fist... Eight Trigrams Palms."
She assumed the stance—one hand forward, the other guarding her lower flank, shoulders relaxed yet poised.
A sphere of chakra materialized in her palm.
Then—
"Hah!"
Her arm blurred.
A single strike—
CRACK!
The tree exploded.
Bark flew like shrapnel. Leaves rained down.
Hikari shook her head, dislodging foliage from her hair.
"Not bad... but not right."
She examined the damage.
The trunk’s inner wood was shattered—but not by chakra.
Pure brute force.
"The essence of the Gentle Fist is merging physical strikes with chakra penetration. I’m still treating it like regular taijutsu."
A fundamental difference from the Kaguya clan’s brutal style or Guy’s Strong Fist.
But she wasn’t starting from zero.
Hyūga Ami’s early teachings had given her a foundation.
And Neji, now proficient in the Eight Trigrams, could answer her questions at night.
Progress would come.
Fast.
(End of Chapter)
