Splash—
The rush of water filled the air.
The steam from the shower grew thick, adhering to the tiles in small drops that glimmered like pearls.
When Nael emerged from the shower, his form appeared misty through the haze.
He paused at the sink and gazed into the mirror.
A sharp face.
A wide forehead.
A straight nose.
Soft, tranquil eyes.
He seemed like a good person.
In each of his lives, he had worn this very face.
Even if his photograph were plastered on a wanted poster, everybody would assume it was the face of some model student at first glance.
Except that now, there was something different.
Nael pushed his wet black hair behind his ear, exposing the unsightly curse mark on his forehead — the sign of the Caged Bird.
Caged Bird… Caged Bird…
He closed his eyes, concentrating. A few seconds passed before he opened them again.
The man in the mirror was different.
The kind, innocent expression disappeared.
His face was partially obscured by the light, creating a deep, harsh outline.
The pale white Hyuga eyes started to change — the color blurring like snow in the sun.
A blue soft radiance spread from his eyes, with tiny star-like specks shining inside.
Beautiful, but with an aura so deep and harsh that people instinctively moved back.
No one would label him a "failure" anymore.
No one would be bold enough to meet his eye — it was like looking into the point of a spear.
The mark of the curse on his forehead felt less heavy, as if it was vanishing.
[Bloodline: Otsutsuki Clan (5% → 5.5%)]
[Kekkei Genkai: Tenseigan – Stage One (10% → 12%)]
"So that… is the power of the Tenseigan?"
Nael felt the concealed power within his eyes. He lightly touched them, thinking,
Is this some intermediate state between the Byakugan and the Tenseigan?"
Otsutsuki Sharin previously developed the Byakugan into the Tenseigan, but it had gone through multiple "awakenings" beforehand.
To the best of Nael's recollection, the Tenseigan was power comparable to the Rinnegan.
There were only two methods to awaken it:
Mix Otsutsuki Sharin's chakra with an untainted Hyuga Byakugan.
Merge numerous Otsutsuki Byakugan and develop them into the Tenseigan.
Nael had blood equal to Sharin's purity, not his chakra — he didn't know if they were the same.
In the original history, there was never anyone except Otsutsuki Hamura and Otsutsuki Sharin who had the Tenseigan.
Even Otsutsuki Kaguya and others never exhibited it.
Hamura himself never really demonstrated its full strength.
Sharin, being the direct descendant of Hamura, underwent a number of "awakenings," although nobody was certain if those phases were perilous.
If the Rinnegan was a product of eating the God Tree's fruit,
then God's Tenseigan was a deformation of the Byakugan — losing flexibility for brute force.
"Yo! Nael! Wake up, wake up!"
Might Guy's boisterous, enthusiastic voice roused him from outside.
"The trumpet of morning training has sounded! Youth won't wait for the lazy!"
Nael's mind cleared.
He pushed hair back from his face, then slowly relaxed his facial muscles, restoring that harmless, friendly grin.
"Coming, coming."
He replied as he dressed into a white uniform and wrapped the Leaf forehead protector over his head.
Among Hyuga clan members, this body's original owner had been branded a "failure" —
a thirteen-year-old who was still unable to awaken the Byakugan.
He was cowardly and dreading war. The first time he laid eyes on an actual battlefield, he wept with fear.
The clan considered that humiliating.
Despite that, he was physically stronger than the majority of the ninja who had been born civilians — and had graduated as a Genin at the same time as Might Guy, the so-called "hopeless one."
However, Might Guy was now a Chunin, whereas he was still a Genin.
Nael pushed open the door and watched Guy hanging upside down from a metal bar, training as normal.
Thud!
When Guy watched Nael emerge dressed and prepared, he fell to the ground, stretching out his muscles as he removed his leg weights.
The large blocks thudded onto the ground with a resounding crash.
"Ah! This is the passion of youth burning hot in Konoha!"
Guy's eyes glowed with fierce energy as he scanned Nael from head to toe.
"I can't believe it! I leave for a few months on a mission, and you've already pushed your limits this far!"
The weights Guy wore were almost as heavy as what Nael used for his full-body training.
"You flatter me, senpai. I should be the one thanking you for teaching me the Eight Gates Technique."
Nael smiled politely.
The Eight Gates were powerful, but they depended on one's body strength.
Even Kakashi was able to open the first gate, but he still wouldn't be able to keep up with Guy's brute strength without employing it.
Guy had conditioned his body from the time he was a child under his father's harsh regimen —those weights were merely a part of his regular routine.
"I never imagined a Hyuga clan member would visit me to learn the Eight Gates and Strong Fist!"
Guy's eyes teared up, and he gave Nael two big thumbs up.
"This bravery — to disobey rules and pursue the boundaries — this is genuine youth!"
His feelings swelled and decreased quickly. Then he turned and looked toward the clan complex.
He could still view colorful ornaments suspended there.
"What's happening?" he asked with interest.
"It's Lady Hinata, the main family's daughter, third birthday," Nael answered with a pale smile.
"Huh?" Guy blinked. "She celebrates every birthday this way?"
"Of course not," Nael shook his head, thinking.
"The third birthday is special for the main family's children."
On that day, a set of branch family kids would be marked with the Caged Bird seal.
The brightest of them may end up as personal bodyguards to the top family heir.
Hinata, being the firstborn daughter of the top family head and next clan leader,
of course had the whole clan in her focus.
Even those from noble families in the Land of Fire would come to congratulate.
"Too bad," Nael thought to himself, "this also means the future will not be peaceful."
If Hinata was already three years old, that meant the Hidden Cloud Village would shortly come to sign the peace treaty — and plot her kidnapping.
And for Nael, that time would be the ideal time to advance his plans.
As they conversed and laughed, Nael and Guy strolled side by side out of the house.
The air was peaceful — until they arrived at the Hyuga compound gate.
"Stop."
A cold tone sounded beside him, causing both men to stop.
Nael's eyes narrowed and turned to where the sound had come from.
There stood a face he knew, contorted in disgust.
"Nael."
The Hyuga guard that stood guard at the gate glared at him.
"Today is Lady Aoi's special training day," he stated icily. "Since you are her attendant, why aren't you with her? Where do you think you're off to?"