Chapter 6
Six months have passed since Jiyū was ordered to attend the academy, tasked with representing the Hyūga clan and strengthening their prestige.
During these months, Jiyū ignored his family's instructions to uphold their "noble status," as they described it. Instead, he savored the freedom he had gained by either sleeping through classes due to his lazy personality or skipping them altogether to explore the village. Often, he didn't even bother sending a shadow clone in his place. To most of the academy staff and his classmates, Jiyū appeared to be an inattentive, unfocused student. Yet despite this apparent lack of effort, he continually ranked at the top of the class. He was tied for the highest marks with Itachi Uchiha—one of his only friends.
This paradox naturally earned Jiyū the envy and jealousy of his peers. His combat skills had proven to be far beyond anyone else in their year. His mastery of the Byakugan, along with his unusual abilities, allowed him to dominate their sparring sessions with minimal effort. It was the perfect display of his lazy genius personality. The more Jiyū was resented by his classmates, the less he cared about them.
Outside of the academy, however, Jiyū found solace in his growing bond with Itachi and Shisui Uchiha. The three had become fast friends, regularly meeting to spar and refine their skills in secret. This bond was deepened by their mutual respect for one another's abilities, although Shisui's eccentric personality often brought out Jiyū's sarcastic side.
The usual tranquility of the forest training ground was shattered by a burst of energy as Shisui leaped through the treetops. "Hey, hey! It's your favorite elder brother, the mighty and amazing Shisui!" he called out, his voice full of excitement as he landed dramatically in front of his two companions.
Jiyū barely spared him a glance, his expression betraying no emotion beyond boredom. "You're late, brat," he muttered dryly, ignoring Shisui's over-the-top entrance.
Itachi, standing stoically beside Jiyū, watched the scene unfold with his usual calm demeanor. Inside, however, he felt a small twinge of exasperation at the antics of his older friend. 'Haaa~ Is this what adults feel like when dealing with children?' Itachi thought, glancing up at the sky with a sigh.
Shisui's face contorted in mock offense, his energy not dampened in the slightest by Jiyū's indifferent response. "I told you to stop calling me a brat, you damn brat! I'm older than you!" Shisui's voice grew more exaggerated as he stepped closer, waving a finger in Jiyū's face.
"Sure, sure, whatever you say," Jiyū responded lazily, yawning as he stretched. "Anyway, we should probably get started on today's training. You've already wasted enough of our time."
Shisui crossed his arms and pouted theatrically, but he couldn't hide the playful grin on his face. "Hmph! I said I was sorry, jeez."
After their usual round of banter, the trio finally settled into their positions. They stood in a triangle-like formation, each one eyeing the others with a quiet intensity. The atmosphere shifted from playful to serious as the training session began. Jiyū tossed a small rock into the air, watching it fall slowly to the ground.
The instant the stone touched the earth, a barrage of shuriken rained down on Jiyū's previous position. He barely dodged in time, his movements fluid and quick.
"Whistle Really? Two on one? That's hardly fair," Jiyū quipped as he activated his Byakugan, the veins around his eyes bulging as his vision expanded. His heart raced as the adrenaline kicked in, heightening his reflexes and enhancing his perception. He could see everything; the flicker of movement from Shisui and the precise hand seals Itachi was forming.
Jiyū knew that Shisui and Itachi weren't holding back. Shisui's fully matured three-tomoe Sharingan spun with dangerous intent, while Itachi's single tomoe gleamed, marking the early stages of his dojutsu. Both Uchiha were formidable opponents, even at this young age. But Jiyū had something unique a bloodline even more refined than his own clan fully realized. Even while in its basic form.
Without wasting a second, Jiyū dashed toward Shisui. His speed was impressive, but Shisui had been prepared for this. As Jiyū's leg swept toward Shisui's head, the older Uchiha leaned back smoothly, catching Jiyū's ankle in a fluid motion. With a sharp twist, Shisui aimed to unbalance him, following up with a powerful punch directed at Jiyū's knee.
But Jiyū had already anticipated the counter. His fingers jabbed forward in a blur, striking Shisui's arm in two rapid blows.
'Shit! Gentle Fist!' Shisui's eyes widened in surprise as the strikes connected. The precision and speed of Jiyū's attack were enough to disable Shisui's arm temporarily.
'Who told you to engage in taijitsu with a Hyūga? Idiot,' Shisui thought chastating him self while quickly retreating to regain some distance.
But Jiyū wasn't done yet. He followed up with two more precise strikes, his movements calculated and deliberate. The second strike landed just as Shisui attempted to cast a genjutsu on him, breaking the illusion before it even had a chance to take hold.
Jiyū's Byakugan picked up on the subtle chakra fluctuations from the incoming genjutsu, and he dispelled it as naturally as breathing. It was becoming second nature to him now, though he didn't want to reveal to Shisui and Itachi that his eyes granted him resistance to most minor illusions.
The fight pressed on. Shisui leaped back, narrowly avoiding a fireball that came hurtling toward them both. Jiyū instinctively dodged as well, his eyes catching the telltale signs of Itachi's hand seals.
"You two always seem to forget I'm still in the fight," Itachi's voice cut through the clearing. His Sharingan spun ominously as he observed them with that calm, calculating gaze.
Jiyū grinned but kept his guard up. He could see the faint traces of Itachi's chakra swirling around the battlefield. Despite Itachi's age, his mastery over chakra control was already leagues ahead of most in the academy.
Jiyū allowed himself to act as if Itachi's genjutsu was taking effect, pretending to dispel it with a subtle hand gesture. "Now, now, Itachi~ There's no need to be upset just because you're not getting to play with the grown-ups," he teased.
Itachi's brow twitched ever so slightly at the remark, and Shisui let out a bark of laughter. "Hahaha~, kids shouldn't interfere while adults are playing, itachi!"
Without missing a beat, Itachi darted forward, moving faster than most would be able to track. But Jiyū's Byakugan could not only see the flow of chakra in Itachi's legs but due to his increased perception, Jiyū was able to watch as time seemed to slow in his eyes giving him just enough time to react. As Itachi threw a kunai mid-dash, Jiyū ducked and rolled, watching the kunai slowly sail harmlessly past him. But the fight had only just begun.
Shisui pulled out the tanto strapped to his back and joined the fray, engaging Itachi head-on. Their blades clashed in a whirlwind of strikes and counters, each movement so fast that it was difficult to track with the naked eye.
Itachi formed hand seals at lightning speed. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" he called out, releasing three small fireballs shaped like blooming flowers. They sped toward Shisui with deadly precision, crackling with intensity.
Shisui raised his hand in the tiger seal, but it seemed he had moved too slow. The fireballs engulfed him, and for a moment, Itachi thought he had won the exchange. But something was off. Shisui's form flickered in and out of existence, the flames appearing to pass through him as if he wasn't really there.
Jiyū watched with his Byakugan, the details of the battle crystal clear in his heightened perception. He could see that Shisui had used his famous body flicker making an afterimage due to his speed. His body flickering just out of reach of the fireballs while preparing for his next move. The technique was one of Shisui's trademarks, a testament to his incredible speed and mastery of the Body Flicker Jutsu.
As Itachi flipped through the air, shuriken appeared between his fingers, thrown in seemingly random directions. But Jiyū could see the genius in Itachi's strategy. The shuriken bounced off tree trunks and rocks, converging toward Shisui, who was still flickering in and out of view leaving afterimages all around.
Jiyū knew it was time to act. While Itachi and Shisui were focused on each other, Jiyū created a modified Earth Clone by adding water nature transformation, before sending it underground, preparing for his next move. Shisui appeared in front of him in a flicker, his tanto aimed directly at Jiyū's chest. But Jiyū had anticipated this. The blade passed through Jiyū's body harmlessly, revealing that he had used a substitution jutsu leaving a clone at the last second in a impressive display of his mastery of basic jutsu and his honed reflex and reaction speed.
Erupting from the ground behind Shisui, Jiyū struck with a series of Gentle Fist jabs aimed at Shisui's chakra points. But Shisui, using his superior reflexes, avoided most of the blows, though one of the strikes grazed his arm.
Shisui retaliated with a quick slice from his tanto, but Jiyū had already moved. He reappeared several meters away, narrowly avoiding a direct hit. The battle continued at breakneck speed, with Jiyū constantly evading both Shisui's and Itachi's attacks using his enhanced perception and superior planning.
Then, Jiyū's opportunity came. Itachi's shuriken, which had been seemingly thrown at random earlier, began to collide in mid-air, changing their trajectory and heading straight for Shisui. But Jiyū was ready. He cast two hand seals using one hand while the other held a kunai, in rapid succession.
'Water Style: Water Bullet Jutsu!'
A pressurized glob of water shot out from Jiyū's mouth, speeding towards itachis still airborne form. But as the water bullet dissipated after itachis seamless substitution, Shisui appeared behind Jiyū in a blur of motion, his Body Flicker technique once again proving difficult for Jiyū to react even with his Byakugans enhanced perception due to his body being slow.
Jiyū barely managed to substitute with a log as Shisui's blade sliced through the air where he had stood just moments before. Itachi, who had been watching from a distance, prepared to re-enter the fight.
Jiyū, however, had anticipated both of their movements. As Shisui attempted to strike again, Jiyū's Earth Clone sprang from the ground, grabbing hold of Shisui's sword and trapping him momentarily. In that brief instant, Jiyū appeared behind Shisui, a kunai pressed against his neck.
"Haaa~ When did you manage to pull that off, you annoying bastard?" Shisui muttered, deactivating his Sharingan with a sigh of defeat.
Jiyū smirked, retracting the kunai before flicking it toward the tree where Itachi stood. At first glance, it seemed like a missed throw, but Itachi's Sharingan caught the subtle movement of chakra strings attached to the kunai. His eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen.
Explosive tags.
"Boom."
Itachi deactivated his Sharingan and jumped down from the tree, landing gracefully next to his two friends. "When did you have time to set that trap?"
Jiyū shrugged nonchalantly. "While you two were distracted fighting each other. I pulled off a modified Earth Clone to keep you both busy. The rest was just guiding you into the trap."
Shisui let out a low whistle of admiration. "You're scary when you put your mind to something, you know that? But I swear, you're still holding back on us."
Jiyū's smirk didn't fade. "You're one to talk, Shisui. I know for a fact you're not going all out either."
They both turned to Itachi, who was trying to remain composed, but his irritation was evident. Jiyū and Shisui shared a smug glance. "The only one giving it his all and still getting bodied is our little brother, Itachi~"
Itachi sighed deeply, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. "I'm heading home. I promised Mother I'd help babysit Sasuke."
Shisui's grin widened mischievously. "Bro-con!" he shouted, and both he and Jiyū burst out laughing, clutching their sides. Even Itachi couldn't help but let out a small smirk before flickering away.
Once Shisui also departed for his mission, the training ground grew quiet. Jiyū's expression darkened slightly as he activated his Byakugan, scanning the area to ensure they were alone. Satisfied, he flickered deeper into the forest, coming to a secluded clearing.
Closing his eyes, Jiyū felt the familiar flare of his yin chakra entering his eyes, followed by the sharp, almost unbearable pain that accompanied the activation of his Jogan. His sclera turned black, and his pupils morphed into their unique silver-blue hue, now adorned with two rotating silver petals.
Jiyū focused on the changes to his Jogan. Over the past six months, his mastery over its future sight ability had improved, but now he could feel the second power; his spatial manipulation ability; growing stronger. He closed his right eye and concentrated on the sensation.
A flicker of black and red lightning surrounded him, and in an instant, Jiyū vanished, reappearing 30 meters behind his previous position. His breathing was labored, and the pain in his eyes intensified, but he couldn't help the small grin that tugged at his lips.
"Sigh Thirty meters… still my limit. And the chakra consumption is no joke, even for me."
As he reflected on his progress, Jiyū remembered the brief encounter he'd had with Kakashi Hatake a few days earlier. They'd passed each other in the village, and Jiyū couldn't resist comparing his chakra reserves to Kakashi's, out of curiosity. He had been surprised to find that his chakra reserves had grown significantly; perhaps twice as large as Kakashi's. And his Jogan seemed to enhance his chakra density as well, growing stronger as his body matured.
Yet, the pain in his eyes persisted, a constant reminder of the drawbacks of his powerful dojutsu. Jiyū grimaced as he deactivated his Jogan, reverting his eyes to their silver-shaded Byakugan. The cursed seal on his forehead pulsed faintly, its presence always looming in the background of his thoughts.
Jiyū's mind wandered to his next steps. After unlocking the second petal in his eyes through rigorous training and infusing his Jogan with highly dense yin and yang chakra, he had gained the ability to teleport through small wormholes. But the distance was limited, and the pain too intense for sustained use. He needed a way to permanently enhance his Jogan while alleviating its painful side effects.
His thoughts turned to the Uzumaki clan. The Uzumaki's naturally strong life force and abundance of yang chakra might hold the key to strengthening his own yang chakra. If he could integrate Uzumaki DNA into his body, he theorized that it would not only increase his chakra reserves but also help stabilize the balance between his yin and yang chakra.
'If my theory holds, the Uzumaki are most likely descendants of both Hamura and Hagoromo. It would explain their strength… Hmmm… Did Hamura even have children? I need more information…'
Jiyū frowned in frustration, his fragmented memories still holding him back. Even with the second petal unlocked, his memories of his past life remained elusive.
With a sigh, Jiyū decided it was time to return home. He flickered out of the forest, heading back to the Hyūga compound. As he walked down the stone pathway, he felt the familiar presence of the guards, but he ignored them. His thoughts were too preoccupied with his theories about his Jogan and his potential next steps.
Arriving at his home, Jiyū's expression soured as he spotted his father, Hizashi, waiting for him outside.
"You're quite late today, Jiyū," Hizashi said, his voice calm but carrying a note of disapproval.
Jiyū's expression turned cold as he brushed past his father. "I was out with Itachi and Shisui," he said flatly, not even bothering to make eye contact.
Hizashi frowned but continued speaking, his tone serious. "I see. The two Uchiha geniuses. The clan is happy that you're getting closer to them. Not only will you be able to gain their trust, but it will also solidify the belief that only a clan like the Hyūga can contend with the Uchiha."
Jiyū rolled his eyes, the blatant brainwashing from his father disgusted him. The Hyūga clan's obsession with prestige and superiority sickened him, especially when it came at the cost of the branch family's freedom.
Hizashi noticed the mocking look in Jiyū's eyes and his expression hardened. "Jiyū, I know you don't like hearing this, but remember that we of the branch family are born to serve the main line. Don't let arrogance cloud your judgment. It's an honor to serve the main family, as they possess the purest Hyūga blood."
Jiyū's sneer was cold and full of disdain. He brushed his father's hand off his shoulder and turned to face him. "I hate you. I don't consider you my father. Let's just keep the status quo, shall we? Don't try to act like a father now, after years of neglect. You preach about clan honor, but you're just a coward. Instead of fighting for your freedom, you've accepted this fate."
He stepped closer, his eyes cold and hard. "The only respect I have for you is because you stayed around to raise Neji. If it weren't for that, I would have dug up your corpse, spat on it, and fed it to the Inuzuka's dogs."
Hizashi's expression twisted in sorrow, but he said nothing as Jiyū walked past him, entering the house with a heavy heart. He wasn't sure if he regretted his outburst, but the anger that simmered beneath the surface felt like it had no outlet.
As Jiyū passed the small pond outside, he noticed Neji sitting by the water, feeding the koi fish. The young boy looked up at him, concern etched on his face.
"Brother, is something wrong? You seem angry," Neji asked, his head tilting slightly in confusion.
Jiyū sighed, his emotions still raw from the confrontation with Hizashi. He wanted to comfort Neji, to tell him everything was fine, but the words didn't come. Instead, he merely walked away in silence, heading toward his room. Neji, already used to his brother's complex emotions, went back to feeding the koi, though he remained worried.
Back in his room, Jiyū collapsed onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling as the events of the day replayed in his mind. His frustration with Hizashi, his struggles with his Jogan, and the weight of his responsibilities all weighed heavily on him.
'I got too emotional… I need to control myself better in the future. For Neji's sake, if nothing else,' Jiyū thought, closing his eyes as fatigue washed over him. Slowly, his mind began to quiet, and sleep overtook him.
.
Z
End
Long ass chapter, quite enjoying writing this story, trying not to rush it too much by having a 7 yr old smacking madara with his pinky toes so gonna flesh out his personality, abilities and setbacks. Trying to not keep it completely around him only but also showing the complex politics of the Hyuga clan, next I'll do a chapter with a diffrent pov most likely shisuis, itachis and the Hokage slightly at the end.
Any feedback and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged.
Check out my other 2 stories,
Waking up as Uzumaki Naruto
Finding freedom
I've Made sure for every novel, chapters I upload are at least over 1k so read them if you want longer stories.