The sun hung low over the Hyuga estate, casting long shadows over the training grounds. The elders watched in silence, their eyes sharp, calculating, waiting for the first move.
Neji stood poised, his Byakugan activated, the veins around his eyes pulsing with energy. His stance was defensive but ready, a perfect representation of the Hyuga clan's mastery of the Gentle Fist. Hinata mirrored him, her Byakugan flaring to life as she took a deep breath, her body relaxed yet focused. She wasn't going to hold back. She couldn't.
Without a word, the battle began.
Neji was the first to move, his palms striking with precision aimed at Hinata's chakra points. His blows were swift, the air snapping with the intensity of his strikes. Each movement was calculated, every strike designed to incapacitate.
Hinata responded with her own swift parries, the clash of their fingers meeting with a sharp crack as she deflected his blows. Her body flowed with a fluidity that was distinctly her own—no longer the hesitant girl she once was, but a skilled and focused warrior. She shifted, her feet dancing lightly across the ground as she countered his attack with a swift palm to his ribs.
Neji grunted, stepping back quickly to avoid the blow, then retaliated with a flurry of strikes. His speed was unmatched, and each strike carried the weight of years of practice. Hinata parried again, but she was forced to step back, her heels skidding against the dirt. Her breath quickened slightly, but she kept her calm, her mind sharp. The pressure was building, but she could feel her body responding—every strike was a test, every defense a learning moment.
Neji pressed harder, his Byakugan allowing him to see every minuscule movement in Hinata's body. He read her like an open book, predicting her next move before she even thought of it. He launched forward again, this time aiming for her shoulder, targeting a chakra point. But Hinata had already anticipated it, her body shifting to the side just enough to allow his hand to graze her arm instead of landing a clean hit.
"Not bad, Hinata," Neji grunted, a hint of annoyance slipping into his tone. He was beginning to get frustrated. He had expected her to crumble under the pressure, but she was holding her ground, blocking, parrying, and retaliating. "But you'll never win if you continue to hold back."
Hinata's breath hitched at his words. Was she holding back? She didn't think so. But the realization gnawed at her, and she pushed herself harder, determined not to let Neji's words cloud her judgment.
Hinata took a quick breath and began to analyze his behavior, Neji's attacks were relentless. Each blow seemed to push Hinata back a step, but she held firm, her Byakugan flaring with more intensity. She could see the tiny openings in his defense, the way his breath quickened with each strike. But it wasn't enough. She wasn't fast enough to exploit his weaknesses yet.
She needed to wait. Patience.
Neji's palm shot forward again, aimed at her chest. Hinata sidestepped and struck with a quick jab to his side. He grunted as the blow landed, but he didn't falter. Instead, he twisted his body with fluid grace, his other arm coming down in an arc aimed directly at her head.
Hinata ducked, but the air still snapped as his hand grazed her cheek, leaving a sting behind. She could feel the burn of his chakra, the weight of his skill, and the way his anger was beginning to mount. He wasn't just attacking her—he was attacking everything he believed she represented.
"Why do you fight so hard for a family that doesn't care about you?" Neji spat, his eyes blazing with frustration. "The main branch will always look down on us, Hinata! You think they'll ever let us be equals?"
Hinata's heart skipped a beat, his words cutting deeper than any blow. She had always known about Neji's pain, but hearing it out loud felt like a punch to the gut. But she didn't let it show. She couldn't.
"No," she said softly, her voice unwavering. "But that doesn't mean we can't change it. If we don't fight, then nothing will ever change. And that's not who I am."
Neji's eyes flickered, but his anger only intensified. "Foolish!" he shouted, his attacks coming even faster now, each one more furious than the last.
His hands moved like lightning, aiming to crush her defenses, to overwhelm her. Hinata parried once more, her own strikes flowing with a quiet but determined resolve. Her palm met his with a sharp crack, and then another—each strike a gentle press against his defenses, just enough to rattle him.
"Huh!"taking a gasp in surprise Neji jumped back gritting his teeth in frustration before pouncing forth again.
Neji's movements began to slow, his frustration mounting with each failed strike. He could feel his chakra being drained from the rapid pace of the fight, his energy beginning to flicker. Hinata, on the other hand, was still fluid, still composed, her movements graceful despite the toll the fight was taking.
Neji's eyes widened slightly as he saw an opening in her defense—a small, almost imperceptible shift in her stance as she prepared to block a blow. He lunged forward, his fingers aimed at her chest, ready to strike. But in that moment, Hinata's patience paid off.
With a sudden, fluid motion, Hinata sidestepped, just enough to avoid the strike, and with a swift twist of her body, her palm landed against Neji's chakra point with precision. The force of the hit knocked him off balance, and he staggered, his breath coming in harsh gasps.
His Byakugan flickered, his vision blurring slightly as the pressure from her strike took hold. Hinata stood poised, her Byakugan flaring with a calm intensity. Neji's frustration reached its peak.
"Why won't you just stay down?" Neji growled, his chest heaving with exertion.
Hinata stepped back, her expression soft yet resolute. "Because... I believe in change. I believe in us."
With that, she took another step forward and, using her Gentle Fist technique, struck Neji again—this time, directly at a cluster of his chakra points. The impact sent a shockwave through his body, forcing him to stagger back, unable to maintain his stance.
Neji's breath caught in his throat as the fight slipped from his grasp. His body tensed, his chakra faltering as Hinata's relentless and precise strikes overwhelmed him.
He collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily, his Byakugan flickering before it finally deactivated.
Hinata stood over him, her posture still strong, but her heart heavy. She had won—but at what cost?
Neji, still on the ground, looked up at Hinata with a mixture of disbelief and begrudging respect. "You... you've changed."
Hinata offered him a soft smile, her heart aching with the weight of everything they had both endured. "No, Neji. We've changed."
Before either could say anything further, a figure stepped forward from the shadows of the training ground—a clan elder, his robes rich with the insignia of the Hyuga family. His gaze lingered over Hinata's figure, a slow, calculating look that sent a wave of discomfort through her. His eyes, old and weary, were filled with an unspoken appraisal that left Hinata feeling exposed.
The elder's lips curled into a thin smile, one that failed to reach his cold eyes. "Impressive, Hinata-sama," he said, his voice smooth, almost patronizing. "I must admit, I did not expect this outcome. You have certainly proven yourself today."
Hinata tensed slightly, instinctively taking a step back as his gaze continued to linger on her form. The words felt like a weight, the compliment laced with something unsettling, as though her accomplishment had been reduced to something more... physical. She tried to mask her discomfort, but the uneasy feeling remained, her hands clenched tightly at her sides.
The elder's gaze shifted briefly to Neji, and his smile faltered into something less kind. "As for you, Neji," he remarked, his tone dripping with disdain, "it seems the branch still has much to learn about knowing its place."
Hinata flinched at the elder's words, but before she could respond, a presence interrupted the tense moment. Hiashi, her father, stepped forward with a calm yet assertive stride, his expression stoic but his eyes narrowed as he regarded the elder.
"Enough," Hiashi said, his voice carrying a sharpness that cut through the tension. "There is no need for such remarks."
The elder looked briefly taken aback, his smile faltering as Hiashi's presence filled the space. He offered a slight bow, though his disapproval was palpable. "Of course, Hiashi-sama," he said, his voice tight. "Forgive me. I was simply... congratulating Hinata-sama on her victory."
Hiashi nodded but didn't address the elder any further. Instead, his gaze turned to his daughter, and he gave her a small, reassuring smile—a rare show of warmth. "Hinata, well done," he said simply, his approval evident. He then shifted his attention to Neji, his tone softening. "Neji, your efforts were commendable. But remember—this was a spar, not a battle."
Hinata, feeling a mixture of relief and apprehension, glanced at her father, grateful for his intervention but still feeling unsettled by the elder's words. She wasn't sure how to process everything—her victory, the elder's gaze, or her father's response.
Hiashi glanced briefly at the elder, his eyes sharp. "Let's keep the conversation focused on what's important—Hinata's growth and the future of the clan. We'll leave the rest for another time."
The elder stiffened slightly, sensing the change in the conversation's tone. He bowed again, his expression now tight with restrained irritation, but he said nothing further. With a soft grunt, he retreated, leaving the space filled with a tense silence.
Hinata let out a quiet breath she hadn't realized she was holding. The feeling of the elder's gaze still lingered, but with her father's presence, she felt a small measure of relief.
As the scene quieted, Hiashi turned to his daughter with a measured gaze. "You've done well today, Hinata. But remember, there is still much to be done. This victory, however significant, is only one step."
Hinata nodded, her heart still pounding from the intensity of the fight. But with her father's words, a renewed sense of purpose blossomed within her. She knew there were still challenges ahead, but she also knew that the changes she sought were within her reach.
Neji, still recovering from the spar, stood slowly. He glanced at Hinata, his expression unreadable, and for the first time, there was no hint of superiority or scorn. Only a quiet acknowledgment or was it Pity?
Hiashi then led the way as the family began to move forward, leaving the elder and his unsettling gaze on her behind.
…
Hinata sat down on her bed, the soft fabric of her nightgown rustling as she settled into the cushions. The moon outside her window floated in the night sky, its pale light casting a cool, distant glow over the room. Her gaze drifted toward it, but her thoughts were elsewhere, tangled in the events of the day.
She could still feel the lingering, disgusting weight of the elder's gaze. It was as though it had seeped into her skin, an unwanted touch that left her uncomfortable in her own body. His eyes had studied her, scrutinized her with an intensity that made her skin crawl, and no matter how much she tried to shake it off, the sensation remained.
Hinata wrapped her arms around her knees, pulling them close to her chest, as though the physical act of curling in on herself could protect her from the discomfort. She tried to push the thoughts away, to focus on the beauty of the moonlight, the calm of the night—but it was difficult.
Her father's words earlier had been comforting, a rare gesture of care that she had clung to in the midst of the unsettling encounter. But even his presence couldn't erase the feeling that something had shifted in the air that day. She had won the spar, but at what cost? Her victory felt hollow when weighed against the sense of unease that now lingered in the air around her.
Her breath came out in a soft sigh. She had worked so hard to be strong, to prove herself not just to the clan, but to herself. But moments like these, when her worth was reduced to something physical, made her wonder if she would ever be able to escape that weight.
But no matter how much she wanted to hide from it, she couldn't. The Hyuga clan's expectations, the elders' treatment, they were part of the world she was bound to. She could change things, she knew that—but it would take time, patience, and strength.
As Hinata sat there, her thoughts shifted to Neji. She had seen something in him today, something that made her believe there was hope for him as well. He had fought fiercely, and while he still bore his burdens of resentment, she knew deep down that they shared more than just their blood. They shared a desire to break free from the chains that bound them to the past.
She reached out, letting her fingers brush against the cool windowpane, staring up at the moon that had witnessed so much over the centuries. Perhaps one day, she would be able to look back at this night with a sense of peace, knowing that everything she had endured had led her to something greater.
But for now, she sat in the quiet darkness, gathering the strength to face another day, knowing that she would continue to push forward—no matter how difficult it was to ignore the glares, the whispers, and the doubts. She had come this far, and there was no going back.