Konoha Village
A shimmer danced on the horizon, carefully infiltrating the light blue sky. Under the pale daylight, everything appeared vibrant and full of life. Vendors had begun setting up their stalls early, but in some areas, the buildings stood peacefully silent, devoid of noise.
Hyuga Clan Area
A little boy with delicate features stared at his reflection in the mirror. More precisely, he was fixated on the light cyan mark on his forehead—a cross mark with two opposing hooks. This was the "Caged Bird" curse mark of the Hyuga clan.
It was evident that this boy belonged to the Hyuga branch house. However, unlike many of his peers, his eyes did not reflect the reluctance and resentment typical of other branch house members. Instead, he harbored a calmness rare for a child of his age.
"It's been two years, and I'm still not reconciled... to fate or something," he mused. "I control my own life..."
He found it a bit silly to say so, but there was a glint in his eyes as he continued, "Your wealth and life depend on someone else's thoughts, and no one can remain indifferent..."
"Freedom... it's such an ordinary word, but it's hard for me to enjoy it now."
"Moreover, in this eternal war-torn ninja world, children must learn to kill, often with blood on their hands from a young age. Life... is really as transient as grass..."
With swirling thoughts, the boy slowly tied his short hair into a ponytail, letting a few strands of dragon-like bangs hang casually on both sides of his face. Unlike other branch house members, he did not wear a forehead protector or bandage, allowing the cyan curse mark to remain visible. This served as a constant reminder to himself.
"Before I have enough strength to resist fate, I can only go with the flow..."
Knock knock...
"Master Hirito, Lord Kenjiro calls for you," a gentle voice announced. It was Hyuga Ishiniah, the servant responsible for his daily needs.
Creek...
The door opened. The little boy donned his white training clothes and stepped out, greeting her politely.
"Sister Ishiniah, good morning."
"Good morning, Master Hirito," she replied, smiling.
She noticed how gentle he was, unlike other branch house kids, who were often gloomy, paranoid, or resentful. Hyuga Ishiniah's heart softened at the sight of him. When they first met, he had called her "Sister Ishiniah," explaining that they were all members of the same clan and it was appropriate to refer to her as "sister" given her age.
As they walked through the courtyard, the stone steps were adorned with rocks and plants arranged casually yet orderly—showing the charm of the Hyuga clan. This seemingly simple yet extraordinary arrangement brought Hirito a sense of calm and relaxation.
Anyone who had seen the same scenery for six years might have considered it ordinary, but he appreciated it. Along the way, he greeted several clan servants, all of whom possessed the Byakugan. Hirito recalled the surprise, even fear, he felt when he first saw everyone without "Iris"—who could truly understand what it felt like to have a fantasy become reality?
"Master Hirito is so gentle..."
"Yes, he doesn't have the airs of a young master at all..."
"I heard that Master Hirito is a genius and has already learned the Gentle Fist technique!"
"Really?! Master Hirito is only six years old..."
But Hirito could no longer hear the whispers of the clansmen behind him; he had already entered the training ground.
The area was dotted with wooden stakes, and in the center stood a bronze statue nearly as tall as a man, covered with dense red dots. In front of the statue stood an old man with half-white hair, his hands clasped behind his back, his aura as calm as a mountain. This was Hyuga Kenjiro, the elder of the Hyuga branch house.
The little boy saluted, saying, "Hello, Uncle."
Hyuga Kenjiro turned to face him, his expression still unreadable, but a flicker of satisfaction gleamed in his eyes.
"Hirito, do you know the value of this bronze statue?"
"This is a treasure to aid the Hyuga clan in mastering the Gentle Fist technique."
"That's right. Only our Hyuga family's Byakugan can see through the human body and observe the acupoints. Without our complete human body meridian map, the medical ninjutsu developed in Konoha Hospital wouldn't have progressed so quickly."
Hyuga Kenjiro's tone was neutral as he looked down at Hirito, who barely reached his waist.
"Come here! Let me see your progress."
"Okay, Uncle."
Hirito lowered his body slightly, feeling the center of gravity. Chakra surged through his feet, and he transformed from stillness to motion in an instant.
Bang!
His arm was firmly held by Hyuga Kenjiro, who didn't move an inch. Hirito was undeterred; he twisted his waist and struck with his other hand.
Bang bang bang...
The sounds of fists and feet clashing filled the air. Afterimages of their movements flashed before them; it was hard to believe this was the strength of a six-year-old child.
"Yes, my strength has increased, and my speed is faster than before..." Hirito thought, noting how calmly Hyuga Kenjiro observed their match. The elder's calm demeanor showed that he was well within his comfort zone.
After several intense exchanges, Hirito felt his stamina waning and began adjusting his breathing. With most of his Chakra spent, he locked his gaze and felt the veins pop out around his eyes.
Seeing this, Hyuga Kenjiro activated his Byakugan.
"Gentle Fist Method: Eight Trigrams, Two Palms!"
Hirito's fingertips glowed with Chakra, and as he struck, the air around him crackled.
"Four Palms!"
"Eight Palms!!"
In less than two seconds, Hirito launched fourteen rapid attacks, each aimed at Hyuga Kenjiro's waist and eyes. Due to their height difference, he couldn't simply jump and fight.
However, Hyuga Kenjiro's expression darkened as he intercepted each of Hirito's attacks with impressive speed.
This kid... is smiling, and his moves are so cunning!
Hirito was bewildered. Did Uncle seem angry??
(End of this chapter).