The moon shone brightly, and an owl hooted softly in the distance. Neji sat alone, meticulously sketching his Chakra Pathway System, observing it through his Byakugan.
But he struggled. The Byakugan's 360-degree vision overwhelmed him, causing nausea and disorientation. He could stabilize it with intense focus, but the moment his concentration slipped, the dizzying panoramic sight returned.
After a few minutes, his chakra depleted before he could finish the drawing. Exhausted, he deactivated his Byakugan.
Neji clenched his fists, frustration boiling within. "I can barely draw as it is, and these damn eyes keep messing with me," he muttered, angry at his inability to maintain focus.
Needing a break, he stood and stepped out onto the engawa, the wooden corridor running along the house, to clear his mind. There, he spotted his mother sitting at the edge, gazing at the moon.
"Kaa-san, what are you doing out here alone?" Neji asked, settling beside her.
Hinoka smiled softly. "Just watching the moon and stars."
"Where's Tou-san?" Neji asked.
"He's asleep. The meeting tired him out," she replied.
"Did he ask the Main Branch to let me learn their techniques?" Neji pressed.
Hinoka's smile turned wistful as she ruffled his hair. "You already know. Your intelligence will be your undoing if you're not careful."
"I know, Kaa-san. I've been cautious," Neji assured her.
"Neji, look at me," Hinoka said, taking his hand.
He met her somber gaze.
"I'm sorry, on behalf of your father and me," she said, her voice heavy. "You were born for greatness, but our status holds you back."
Neji placed his hand over hers, his expression resolute. "It's fine, Kaa-san. I'll just work harder to achieve that greatness."
Hinoka's eyes softened. "I'm glad you're so clever. If you weren't, my heart would break even more. But sometimes, I wish you'd let yourself be a child, you deserve that, too."
"I can be childish if you want," Neji said with a playful grin.
Hinoka laughed, ruffling his hair again. "Just be yourself, Neji. You'll always be my precious son."
"And you'll always be the best mom," Neji replied, wrapping his arms around her. She hugged him back tightly.
'Compared to my mother in my past life, Kaa-san is better in every way,' Neji thought, savoring the warmth of her embrace.
Hinoka, touched by his words, fought back tears. She kissed his forehead gently. "Go to bed, Neji. You have training tomorrow."
"Good night, Kaa-san," Neji said, standing to leave.
Hinoka watched him go, then whispered, "My love, I know you're watching."
Hizashi slid the door open and stepped out, a sad smile on his face. He sat beside her.
"Our son is too smart, Hinoka," he said quietly. "I'm worried for him."
"I know," Hinoka replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I feel like a failure as a father, Hinoka," Hizashi said, his voice heavy with regret. "I should've given our son the best resources to become the strongest shinobi, but I have nothing to offer."
Hinoka gently patted his back. "Hizashi, I feel the same way sometimes, but we can't always blame ourselves for things beyond our control. Please, take care of yourself. I'm worried about you."
"I'm sorry," Hizashi murmured, pulling Hinoka close until her head rested against his shoulder. "I'll try to do better."
Together, they gazed at the stars twinkling brightly in the night sky.
Unbeknownst to them, Neji was using his Byakugan, quietly listening to their conversation from a distance. His hand clutched his chest, a pang of sorrow gripping him as he thought, 'I don't know if my heart can bear what's coming.'
...
Neji woke and sat up, his eyes sunken, a weary frown creasing his face, and his movements sluggish. Thoughts of his father's situation had kept him awake, robbing him of sleep.
To Neji, Hizashi had cared for him with unwavering love for three years. It would be ungrateful not to return that love as a son.
He dragged himself out of bed, shuffled to the bathroom, and splashed cold water on his face. Then, he headed to the yard to begin training.
Hizashi was already there, waiting for him.
He's started warming up, Neji thought, stretching his body and doing jumping jacks to prepare.
Hizashi noticed Neji's red-rimmed eyes and decided against teaching him Byakugan usage today.
"Tou-san," Neji said, his voice steady, "could you write down every jutsu you've ever learned for me, please?"
Hizashi raised an eyebrow. "Why ask that? I can teach you everything I know directly."
"I need an edge over the Main Branch," Neji explained, his eyes burning with determination. "Even if I can't learn them now, having basic knowledge will help. I need your experience, your arsenal, Tou-san, to become the strongest."
Hizashi saw the fire in his son's eyes. Neji rarely asked for anything, making it impossible to refuse this request.
"I'll do it," Hizashi said, his tone firm, "but promise me you won't train with any of them without my supervision."
"I promise," Neji replied, nodding solemnly.
Hizashi smiled. "Shall we start our sparring session, then?" He shifted into the Gentle Fist stance.
Neji mirrored him, adopting the same stance.
Neji and Hizashi clashed, their movements swift and precise. Neji launched a two-finger strike at Hizashi's stomach, but Hizashi deftly caught his fingers and countered with his own two-finger strike aimed at Neji's head.
Neji blocked with the back of his fist, twisting his body to free his other hand. With his freed hand, he struck at Hizashi's arm with another two-finger strike.
Hizashi countered with a shoulder block, forcing Neji to step back to avoid it. Both father and son exchanged smiles, Hizashi proud of his son's improvement, and Neji gaining a deeper understanding of the Gentle Fist.
At the same time, Hiashi stood in the training hall of the Hyuga compound, the morning light filtering through paper screens, casting soft patterns on the polished wooden floor. He watched his daughter, Hinata, adjust her stance, her small hands trembling slightly as she prepared for another attempt at the Gentle Fist. 'She's still so young,' he thought, his stern gaze softening. 'She has time to grow.'
Hinata met her father's eyes, sensing a flicker of patience in his expression. 'I want to make Otou-chan proud,' she thought, her heart fluttering with both nervousness and hope. She adjusted her footing, mimicking the Gentle Fist stance he'd shown her.
"Begin, Hinata," Hiashi said, his voice calm but firm, carrying the weight of a teacher rather than a disciplinarian.
Hinata nodded, her pale eyes wide with focus. She stepped forward, thrusting a tentative palm strike. Her small frame leaned slightly too far, her balance wavering. Hiashi smoothly stepped to the side, guiding her arm back with a gentle nudge to correct her form, preventing her from stumbling.
"Keep your center, Hinata," he said patiently. "A strike must be precise, not overextended. Try again."
Hinata's cheeks flushed, but she nodded, brushing a strand of dark hair from her face. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, and tried again. This time, her strike was steadier, though still too slow. Hiashi deflected it with a light tap, his movements controlled to ensure she felt no pain.
"Good," he said, a rare hint of approval in his tone. "Your form is improving. Focus on your footing now."
Hinata's lips curved into a small, shy smile, her confidence flickering like a candle. She reset her stance, her Byakugan activating briefly, the veins around her temples pulsing as she studied her father's chakra flow. I can do this, she thought, determination steadying her trembling hands.
They continued, Hiashi guiding her through each motion with care, correcting her posture, adjusting her stance, and offering quiet encouragement. When Hinata's footwork faltered, sending her stumbling slightly, Hiashi caught her arm before she fell, his grip firm but gentle.
"Balance is key," he said softly. "You're learning, Hinata. Don't rush."
Hinata nodded, her breaths quick but steady, sweat beading on her forehead. Her bruises were few, mere marks from her own missteps, not from harsh corrections. Each attempt brought a small improvement, and Hiashi's patience gave her the courage to keep trying. As the session ended, he placed a hand on her shoulder, his expression softening further.
"You did well today," he said. "Rest now, and we'll continue tomorrow."
Hinata's eyes sparkled with quiet pride. "Thank you, Otou-sama," she whispered, bowing slightly.
As weeks turned to months, Hiashi and Hinata trained together daily in the serene training hall, their sessions marked by the soft clack of footsteps and the rhythm of Gentle Fist practice. Hinata's strikes grew surer, her stance more confident, each lesson building her strength under her father's gentle guidance.
...
Hinoka stepped into the bedroom she shared with her husband, the soft creak of the wooden floor. She found Hizashi rummaging through the closet, his movements frantic as he sifted through neatly folded clothes and storage boxes, a faint crease of worry on his brow.
"Are you looking for something?" Hinoka asked, her voice gentle but tinged with concern, sensing the weight behind his restless search.
"I'm trying to find an empty scroll," Hizashi replied, his tone heavy with frustration. He paused, hands stilling among the clutter. "I'm sure there's one here somewhere."
Hinoka's heart tightened at the strain in his voice. She crossed the room to a wooden cabinet in the corner, her steps deliberate to mask her own unease. Opening it, she reached inside and lifted a hidden panel in the base, revealing a secret compartment. Her fingers brushed against the cool parchment of a single scroll, and with a practiced flick, she tossed it to Hizashi.
He caught it deftly, but his eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise breaking through his troubled expression. "You've already thought of this?"
"Write your jutsu there," Hinoka said, closing the cabinet with a soft thud. Her voice was steady, but her gaze softened with maternal resolve. "I've already recorded mine on it."
Hizashi unrolled the scroll, his fingers tracing Hinoka's precise handwriting. "Neji asked you for all your jutsu, too?" he asked, his voice a mix of astonishment and quiet pride, though worry lingered in his eyes.
Hinoka nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips despite the ache in her chest. "Yes. Since he asked you as well, let's put them all on that one scroll. It'll be easier for him." She hesitated, her smile faltering as she thought of their son's ambition, a dangerous spark in the rigid world of the Hyuga clan.
Hizashi's shoulders sagged slightly, the weight of their son's future pressing down on him. "He's too determined for his own good," he murmured, almost to himself. "This could draw the Main House's attention."
Hinoka stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm, her touch warm and grounding. "I know," she said softly, her voice thick with shared fear and unwavering love. "But we can't hold him back. He's our son, Hizashi. We have to give him everything we can, even if it scares us."
Hizashi met her gaze, his eyes reflecting a storm of guilt, hope, and resolve. He nodded slowly, clutching the scroll tighter. "Alright," he said, his voice firming with determination. "Let's make sure he has everything he needs."
As they stood together in the dim room, the scroll between them felt like a quiet rebellion, a fragile gift for their son, wrapped in their fears and dreams for his future.
Meanwhile, in his room, Neji lay on the tatami floor, his forearm draped over his forehead, staring at the ceiling. His body ached from an earlier mishap, a dull throb pulsing through his back.
Beside him stood a small wooden table, its surface cluttered with an open notebook, its pages brimming with meticulous notes on chakra control, and strategies for growing stronger.
"I should've been more careful," he muttered to himself.
Earlier, he'd attempted to channel chakra to his feet and cling to the ceiling, a test of his control. He'd managed to stick for a few seconds before his chakra faltered, sending him crashing onto his back with a dull thud. The memory stung more than the bruise forming on his spine.
'I need to build my chakra reserves,' he thought, frustration simmering. 'Without stronger reserves, I can't properly test how well I'm distributing my chakra. If I can't examine it, I won't know if I'm doing it right or failing miserably. Better control will speed up my progress.'
Sitting up, he pulled the notebook closer, flipping it open to a page on chakra natures. His eyes scanned the detailed notes he'd written about Fire, Water, Wind, Lightning, and Earth. A determined glint sparked in his gaze.
'I'll master every chakra nature without relying on a single jutsu, he decided. Jutsu are too rigid, and hand signs will only slow me down. I'll learn it like it's magic, starting from the fundamentals, building my own path.'
He leaned over the table, pen in hand, ready to dive back into his studies, his resolve burning brighter than the lantern's flame.