The morning after my first official training day felt different.
Not heavier, not lighter—just sharper. As if something had shifted, settling into place with quiet finality.
At breakfast, Father spoke before anyone else could.
"I spoke with Hanato yesterday," Hiashi said, his tone calm, measured, as he set his teacup down. "By his assessment, you already show the first signs of potential."
I straightened instinctively.
"From today onward," he continued, "unless other obligations arise, you will report to the training grounds every day. I expect you to uphold your training consistently, just as you promised."
I bowed my head properly. "Yes, Father. I will. Thank you again for allowing me to pursue this."
His gaze lingered for a brief moment longer, then he nodded once, satisfied.
Soon after, Hikari and I set out together.
The path was familiar now, the quiet inner walkways of the Hyuga compound still wrapped in winter's grip. Snow rested neatly along the edges of the cleared paths, and the air carried that same crisp stillness I was beginning to associate with mornings here.
When we reached the training grounds, Hikari did something unexpected.
She didn't stay.
Instead, she bowed lightly to Hanato and turned to me. "I'll return later to pick you up," she said gently, her hand resting briefly on my shoulder before she left.
For the first time since training had begun, I was alone with my instructor.
Hanato watched her go before turning back to me.
"Hinata-hime," he said, "which of the forms from yesterday do you still remember?"
I answered without hesitation. "I believe I can still replicate all sixteen stances and forms from yesterday."
A faint, approving hum escaped him. "Very well. We'll test that—but first, we warm up."
We began outside.
Light cardio first. Hanato led, setting a steady pace as we ran several laps around the training field. He corrected my posture as we went, reminding me to keep my shoulders relaxed and my breathing even. Between laps, he guided me through stretches, careful to loosen joints before strain could set in.
Then came jumping jacks, performed in clean, even sets.
After that, sprints.
Twenty meters. Then fifty.
Again.
And again.
By the time we finished, my breath came faster, warmth spreading through my muscles, but I remained steady on my feet.
We moved indoors for strength training.
The hall was quiet, lined with simple equipment. Hanato began with leg presses, then exercises for the back and core. Some movements were familiar; others were new. He demonstrated each unfamiliar exercise first, then watched closely as I followed.
While I trained, Hanato trained as well—lifting a dumbbell at the edge of the room, never fully turning his attention away from me.
As the session progressed, I did what I had always done.
I reinforced my body with chakra.
Subtle pulses flowed into my muscles, joints, and bones, granting me stability and strength beyond what my body alone should have managed. It allowed me to work with weights that would otherwise have been impossible.
And that was when I noticed it.
Hanato was using chakra—but sparingly.
Not constantly. Not evenly.
His chakra surged only at specific moments: during explosive movement, during transitions that resembled sprints or jumps. During pure strength exercises, his muscles remained largely untouched by chakra reinforcement.
Unease crept in.
If he was doing it differently… was I doing something wrong?
After finishing a set on the bench press, I spoke.
"Sensei," I said carefully. "I have a question."
"Yes?"
"I noticed you use very little chakra during training. Is that correct? I use chakra constantly—should I stop?"
He paused.
Slowly, he turned to look at me, confusion clear on his face.
"How," he asked, "can you tell that I'm using little chakra?"
"I observed you," I replied simply. "You seem to use chakra only during movements similar to sprints or jumps. During strength exercises, you don't guide chakra into your muscles."
His confusion deepened.
"Observed how?" he pressed. "Your eyes—your Byakugan isn't active right now."
"It is," I answered.
He froze.
"What do you mean, it is active?"
In the next instant, he activated his own Byakugan, his gaze snapping to my chakra flow.
A sharp intake of breath followed.
"You're right," he said slowly. "Your Byakugan is active… but the visible signs aren't there."
I tilted my head, feigning innocence. "It's been active for as long as I can remember. Mama said that since I was about one and a half, the activation marks haven't been visible."
"…Interesting," Hanato murmured.
He deactivated his Byakugan and considered me for a moment before answering my question.
"Generally," he said, "we use chakra only for jutsu or for very specific, controlled actions. As far as I know, no one trains the way you do."
He paused, then frowned slightly. "Well… that isn't entirely true. Lady Tsunade is known for reinforcing her body with chakra—an approach born from her unique physiology."
He looked at me more intently. "Tell me exactly what you do. How you use your chakra."
I explained.
I described how I guided chakra into muscles, joints, and bones during exertion, how it created a reinforcing effect that allowed me to draw out greater capacity. I told him where the idea came from—watching shinobi sprint across rooftops or move past our house, and my desire to beat Neji during races in the courtyard.
Hanato listened in silence.
When I finished, he made a decision.
"For now," he said, "continue the rest of today's training without chakra reinforcement. I want to look into the effects this kind of usage might have on a developing body."
I nodded, accepting the instruction.
Training continued.
When we returned to forms, Hanato had me perform all sixteen again. He corrected minor flaws—angle of the wrist, depth of stance, alignment of the spine—but overall, he seemed satisfied.
Then we moved on to transitions.
He called out forms at random, forcing me to shift smoothly from one to another, maintaining balance and structure despite growing fatigue.
By midday, the session ended.
As before, Hikari arrived to take me home.
AN: Feedback :-) Comment/E-Mail/Smoke Signals i dont care :-)