"Finally! Home at last!" Daichi rejoiced as they entered the gates of Konoha. The familiar sight filled him with a surge of relief and excitement.
"You guys can take a break first. I'll go and make the report," Daniel said, dismissing the team. With a nod of gratitude, they headed straight to the Hyuga residence, eager to see their families and show how much they had improved.
As Daichi walked through the side branch residence, he overheard whispers and gossip about the achievements of a certain renowned genius from the Hyuga clan. "Becoming a Jonin at his age is really impressive," one whispered.
"Yeah, even the daughter of the clan head is no match for him. I wish my kids would learn a thing or two from him," another remarked.
"It's probably Neji..." Daichi thought, listening to their words. Once, reaching the level of such a genius seemed like an unreachable dream to him. But now, he wondered. "If I work hard enough, reaching his height is simply a matter of time," he said to himself, clenching his fist with determination.
"Oh, look who's back! It's big brother Daichi!" some kids recognized him as he made his way home. They greeted him with warm smiles, which he returned.
"I heard from my mother that you went out to train. Does this mean you're finally done with your training?" one of the kids asked, eyes wide with curiosity.
"Haha, yeah, I just got back actually," he replied, laughing.
"Say, are my parents home by any chance?" he asked. The kids shrugged their shoulders. "We're not sure," they replied.
"Say, what kind of training did you do?" they asked eagerly.
"Yeah, we wanna know. I think you were learning a new ninjutsu technique," one said.
"Nah, he was practicing the Gentle Fist," another refuted.
Daichi chuckled, seeing them squabble over his training. "I'll tell you when I have more time, yeah," he said as he continued on.
Meanwhile, Ryuu entered his father's office. "You came back sooner than I expected," his father said, looking up from his work. "Your presence feels different. It seems you became stronger. How about a spar?" he proposed with a small smile.
Ryuu's heart pounded in his chest. "I've been expecting this, but so soon..." he thought. "If I may, I would like to spar with you, father," he said, gathering his courage.
"Oh, it's rare for you to make such a request. Now I'm curious as to where this courage comes from," his father said, standing up and walking towards him. "What are you standing for? I'm a busy man, don't keep me waiting," he added, leading the way.
"Wait, you mean now? I... I mean... Yes, right away," Ryuu stammered, shocked that they'd spar immediately.
"It seems someone is impatient," Ryuu's brother remarked, standing to spectate the spar. "Your father is always like this," Ryuu's mother said, standing beside Ryuu's brother.
The midday sun shone down on the two as they stood ready to spar. Ryuu took a deep breath. "Byakugan!" he muttered, veins pulsing near his eyes as his vision extended and chakra poured out, concentrating on his hands. The chakra was a deep blue color.
Ryuu adjusted his stance. "I'll go all out," he said loudly, taking the position of the Fist of Flowing Waters. His father smiled with pride for how far his son had come.
"I can tell just by looking at you that you've grown. But it seems you've abandoned our clan's techniques, and for that, I'm slightly saddened. Our clan's techniques were devised to utilize our eyes to their utmost efficiency in battle. But dwelling on words won't be enough. This spar will prove the power of our clan's techniques," his father said, charging forward with his Byakugan activated.
The moment Ryuu's father entered the range of Ryuu's KimontonkÅ, Ryuu shifted his position, receiving the blows from his father with his left hand. With his right, he struck his father's stomach, sending him back a few steps.
The fight continued with rapid exchanges. Ryuu's movements were fluid, his strikes precise. His father countered with the Gentle Fist, each blow aimed to disrupt Ryuu's chakra flow. But Ryuu adapted quickly, using the techniques Daniel had taught him to redirect the impact force.
After some time the, two stopped, sweat dripped down their faces, although Ryuu's father had more experience and was a higher level ninja, he still tied with Ryuu. "Hahaha! Impressive! You've become quite the promising Shinobi".
Ryuu's brother watched in amazement. "You've grown strong, little brother," he praised. "But although the technique you now possess is good, maybe on par with the Gentle Fist, you still need to learn more and master these techniques. I can see from your movements that you're still lacking in execution."
Ryuu's father laughed in joy, pride evident in his eyes. "You've come far, Ryuu." he said, clapping a hand on Ryuu's shoulder.
"Miss Hikari, you're back," a maid remarked, her voice filled with respect and relief as she saw Hikari entering her family compound. She bowed gracefully before hurrying off to notify Hikari's parents of her return.
"Big sister!" a young boy's excited voice called out. Hikari turned to see her little brother, Yota, rushing towards her with open arms.
"Yota, how have you been?" Hikari greeted him warmly, stroking his head with a gentle smile. The joy of reuniting with her brother after so long was written all over her face.
As they walked towards the main building, Yota chatted animatedly, his eyes shining with excitement. "I heard you were training with the Hokage's student. Is that true, big sis?" he asked, his curiosity bubbling over.
"Oh my, and where did you hear that?" Hikari replied, a playful smile tugging at her lips.
Yota's eyes widened with innocence and excitement. "Everyone's talking about it! They say you're going to be super strong now."
Hikari chuckled softly, the sound light and warm. "Well, I have been training very hard, and I've learned a lot. But you know, even the strongest ninja need to keep practicing," she said.
As they continued to walk, Hikari felt a sense of peace and contentment wash over her. Being home with her family, hearing Yota's laughter, and feeling the familiar surroundings of her childhood filled her heart with warmth.
They reached the main building, and just as they were about to enter, her parents appeared, their faces lighting up with joy upon seeing their daughter. "Hikari, welcome home," her father said, his voice thick with emotion.
"Thank you, Father. It's good to be back," Hikari replied, her eyes shimmering with happiness.
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