After leaving Ichiraku Ramen, I headed towards the Hyuga clan compound.
Hinata mentioned that they have training at this time, but she also said that no one is allowed to watch them while they train.
I'm not sure if the Hyuga clan is just really strict, or if it feels this way because I never had a clan myself. Maybe all clans are this strict.
I'll ask Sasuke when he gets back. Speaking of Sasuke, he's taking longer than expected to return from learning the toad sage mode. According to the toad sage, he should have been back by now.
As I walked up to the Hyuga clan's place, I saw Hinata standing outside in her usual clothes.
"Hey, Hinata!" I called out. She turned around, looking surprised. I guess she didn't expect me to be here right now.
"Hi, Naruto..." she said as I walked over to her.
"How are you?" I asked.
"I'm good. What about you ?" She asked back
"I'm okay. What are you doing here?" I asked
"I'm..." she tried to speak, but someone called her name from inside. It was Neji, who walked out.
"Naruto, what are you doing here?" he asked.
"I just came to see Hinata," I replied.
"Alright. But this is our training time. Maybe you can wait for a bit," he said. "Or, if you want, we're doing Taijutsu training. You can join us for a sparring match," he suggested.
"A duel, huh? I can't say no to that," I answered.
"Then I'll go talk to Hiashi-sama about it," he said as he went back inside.
"You can come in, it's no problem," she said as we walked in.
"Naruto!" she called softly as I turned to her. "The news about yesterday... Is it true?" she asked.
"News about...?" I asked.
"About you killing..."
"Yes, that's true. He was a criminal, so it was deserved. You don't need to worry about it anymore."
"Okay..."
"Where's Hanabi? Is she home?"
"Yes, she's in her room."
"Good. The cold is coming, isn't it?"
"Yes, it will start getting cooler soon."
"Not for me, because I'm already cool," I said, making her smile a bit.
I love seeing her smile. She doesn't do it often, but when she does, she looks so beautiful that I can't take my eyes off her.
"Is there anything you want to say?" she asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.
"No... nothing!"
As we walked through the area, I couldn't help but wonder how big it was! It felt like a small town or village all on its own.
"Naruto, Hinata, I got permission from Hiashi-sama for you to join our training today," Neji said as he approached us. "And Hiashi-sama wants to meet you after training, Naruto," he added.
"Meet me? Uh, okay!" I replied.
"Great! Now, Hinata-sama, please take him to the training area," he instructed.
After a little while, we arrived at the training place, and to my surprise, there were other members of the Hyuga Clan there. I didn't even know there were so many others!
"Hinata-sama, please change into your training outfit," Neji said.
"Okay! I'll be back soon," she replied as she stepped out.
"So, what are we going to do now?" I asked.
"One-on-one Taijutsu matches, simple as that, to help us improve," he explained.
"It's been a long time since I've fought like that, in hand-to-hand combat!" I said.
"Good, then this will be a good restart for you."
"Okay, should we start?" I asked eagerly.
"Let's get into position first!" he said. I nodded, and we both moved into our spots.
Neji and I faced each other, both of us in a ready stance. The room was silent, the only sound being our synchronized breaths. The rest of the Hyuga clan members watched intently, their eyes unblinking.
"Ready?" Neji asked, his eyes narrowing in focus.
"Always," I replied with a grin.
With a quick burst of speed, Neji dashed toward me, his fingers aimed for my vital points. His strikes were precise, each one meant to disable my chakra flow. But thanks to my technique, his fingers passed through thin air, never making contact. It was almost as if I wasn't even there.
Neji's frustration began to show. His movements became more aggressive, his strikes faster and more forceful. But no matter how hard he tried, his attacks couldn't reach me. I could see the determination in his eyes, the drive to prove himself.
"Naruto, what is this?" he asked, his voice tinged with frustration.
I gave him a small smile. "Just a little trick."
Realizing this wasn't fair to Neji, I decided to deactivate my technique. I wanted to give him a real challenge, something he could actually fight against. I stepped back, signaling to Neji that I was ready to start again on equal footing.
"Alright, let's do this properly," I said, my stance shifting slightly.
Neji nodded, his focus unwavering. This time, when he launched himself at me, his strikes were faster and more precise than before. I could feel the force behind each blow, the intensity of his training evident in every move.
I countered his attacks with my own, blocking and parrying with equal skill. Our movements were a blur, a dance of fists and feet as we moved across the training area. The Hyuga members watched in awe, their eyes following our every move.
Neji's strikes came in quick succession, a flurry of blows aimed at my vital points. I dodged and deflected, my own attacks weaving seamlessly into the rhythm of our fight. The room was filled with the sound of our clashes, the energy electric.
I could see the determination in Neji's eyes, the desire to prove himself. He was relentless, his strikes never slowing. But I matched him blow for blow, my own skills honed to perfection.
With a swift movement, I caught one of his strikes, using his momentum to flip him over. He landed on his feet, quickly regaining his balance. He responded with a spinning kick, which I blocked with my forearm.
"You're good, Neji," I said, a grin spreading across my face. "But I'm not going easy on you."
"Neither am I," he replied, his eyes narrowing.
We continued our duel, our movements fluid and precise. Each strike, each block, was a testament to our training and skill. The room seemed to blur around us as we focused solely on each other, the world outside fading away.
Finally, with one last powerful strike, I managed to land a hit on Neji's shoulder, sending him stumbling back. He quickly regained his footing, a determined look in his eyes.
"Enough," he said, breathing heavily. "You win this round, Naruto."
I nodded, lowering my stance. "Good fight, Neji. You're amazing."
He gave me a small smile, a rare sight. "Thanks. You're not too bad yourself."
"Good fight!" We heard a deep voice coming from the door as we both looked, "That was fight and
As Hiashi stepped into the room, he had already witnessed the tail end of our sparring match. A rare hint of approval crossed his face as he regarded both Neji and me.
"Well fought, both of you," Hiashi said, his voice steady. "Naruto, your victory is commendable."
"Thanks, Hiashi-sama!" I replied, a grin spreading across my face.
Hiashi continued, "I granted you permission to join this training session not only because of your skills but also because I believe your presence can elevate the abilities of those around you. The way you approach combat is... unique."
Neji nodded, catching his breath. "I felt it. Training with Naruto pushed me further than I expected."
Hinata smiled, her eyes shining with pride. "I'm glad to see both of you growing stronger."
Hiashi's gaze softened slightly as he looked at her. "Yes, Hinata. Strength comes not just from individual skill, but from learning and adapting to those around you."
I nodded, feeling the weight of his words. "I want to help everyone get better. That's what teamwork is about, right?"
"Exactly," Hiashi affirmed. "Just remember that with strength comes the responsibility to use it wisely."
"Understood!" I responded enthusiastically.
With a final nod of approval, Hiashi turned to leave. "Continue training. I expect to see progress from all of you, and Naruto , please meet me before leaving." He said as he left.
[A. N: I read this chapter for sometimes ,and now it feels like a filler chapter ,for some reason, but believe me it's not
Thanks for reading, drop Powerstones that will help a lot and drop reviews if you like the story and add to your library]