Hyuga Clan Training Grounds.
Naruto tossed the pink turtle-shaped device in his hand. Ever since the battle with Urashiki ended, he had been studying this thing for some time, but with little to show for it. According to what the space-time nin-tool, Karasuki, had said about itself, it was an Otsutsuki creation capable of traversing time and space. Thus, he was very curious about its specific operating principles.
It wasn't that he hadn't considered disassembling it for research, but the thought of potentially having a few extra parts left over after reassembly, coupled with Karasuki's repeated warnings about the risks of dismantling it, made him abandon the idea.
In the training area, Boruto was continuously practicing Kanshin-ryu swordsmanship.
"A sword style that has formed its own school," Hiashi Hyuga commented, approaching and observing the youth's constantly swinging longsword.
"Merely parroting others' wisdom," Naruto said, turning to him. He knew his own swordsmanship well. Perhaps to this world, it was its own distinct style, but to the sword masters of Ashina Castle, Kanshin-ryu was merely another extension of the Ashina Style.
Hearing Naruto evaluate his own swordsmanship so, Hiashi Hyuga was momentarily stunned, then nodded in affirmation. "No wonder Naruto-kun could become such a renowned powerhouse in the shinobi world at such a young age." Self-deprecation might sound like just that, but only those who had truly reached a certain position understood how difficult it was to maintain one's original intentions and not become complacent with current achievements amidst an unprecedented sense of accomplishment.
"Hiashi-san, thank you for the matter of the training grounds." Naruto didn't dwell on the swordsmanship issue. Many things were hard to explain, especially when one possessed sufficient strength.
Originally, he was supposed to be training Boruto in a temporarily opened training ground. However, Hinata's frequent trips between the temporary training ground and the Hyuga clan compound had aroused Hiashi Hyuga's suspicion. He had sent people to investigate the temporary training ground, exposing Naruto's presence.
He had thought Hiashi Hyuga would report him to Konoha, and he and Boruto would have to return to Isobu's territory to train. But unexpectedly, not only did Hiashi not expose the matter, he even concealed it and invited him and Boruto to train at the better-equipped Hyuga clan training grounds.
"No, I should be thanking you for training Hinata so excellently," Hiashi Hyuga said instead. "As a father, I have failed. I didn't even understand what path my own daughter was suited for and kept forcing her to undergo meaningless, arduous training."
"Actually... I didn't really do much," Naruto hesitated for a moment but chose to tell the truth. Hinata's growth in strength was mostly due to the life energy contained within the Gelel Stone. Her Yin Release-manifested Byakugan had received a considerable boost under the stimulation of this life energy. Furthermore, the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist inherently relied on the Byakugan; the Byakugan's growth naturally led to an improvement in Hinata's strength.
"I understand," Hiashi Hyuga smiled faintly, merely taking it as another instance of Naruto's modesty. As Hinata's father, how could he not know his own daughter's aptitude? Perhaps it was decent, but definitely not comparable to Neji's. The current Hinata, compared to a month ago, was like a completely different person, even able to fight Neji to a near standstill. Although she ultimately lost, the improvement in her strength was visible to the naked eye.
"Um..."
"Is there something on your mind, Hiashi-san?" Seeing his expression, Naruto sighed inwardly. We're both grown men, can we not be so coy?
"I heard Naruto-kun's left eye was injured in battle. Have you considered replacing it with a Byakugan?" Hiashi Hyuga asked.
Naruto looked at him in surprise. Such a generous offer? The Hyuga clan had gone to great lengths to protect their Byakugan kekkei genkai from leaking out, even establishing the main and branch house system. They had even developed something like the "Caged Bird" curse mark. Perhaps the original intention behind developing this curse mark was to automatically destroy a clan member's Byakugan upon their accidental death, preventing it from falling into outsiders' hands. But many things, initially created with good intentions, change their nature when people, or rather, human selfishness, get involved.
When the main house could control and destroy the brain nerves of branch house members through this curse mark, the nature of the "Caged Bird" changed. Branch house members feared for their lives and dreaded the main house members; the main house, to protect its own interests, also began to use the curse mark to exploit the branch house members. Once a vicious cycle begins, it's hard to stop.
"You've helped Hinata so much. If I, as her father, didn't show some response, I'd be too derelict in my duty, wouldn't I?" Hiashi Hyuga asked with a smile, seeing Naruto's apparent disbelief.
"The Byakugan is too important to the Hyuga. Besides, I didn't do much; it was all Hinata's own effort," Naruto shook his head, declining. There's no such thing as a free lunch. To gain something, you must lose something. The value generated by Hinata's growth in strength simply couldn't compare to a Byakugan. In other words, if he accepted the Byakugan, he would essentially owe the Hyuga clan a huge favor. It was best to avoid owing favors if possible. Besides, he already had Urashiki's nine-tomoe Rinnegan. A Byakugan... cough, cough...
"Alright. If you ever need one, just let me know," Hiashi Hyuga didn't insist further. He understood the principle of not overdoing things.
"Father, Naruto-kun." Hinata walked over, carrying tea on a tray.
"You and Naruto chat first. I still have some matters to attend to."
Watching Hiashi Hyuga's departing figure, Naruto was lost in thought. His enthusiasm is unusually high.
"Did Father make some embarrassing request?" Hinata asked, noticing his expression. "Just follow your own thoughts; don't feel troubled because of me."
"Not really," Naruto shook his head and explained the Byakugan offer. "I was just hesitating whether to get a Byakugan or not." Although Hiashi's attitude made him suspicious, the man's intentions were indeed good. His own speculations were best kept to himself.
After understanding the reason, Hinata was also somewhat stunned. But then, as if she had thought of something, her pretty face instantly flushed red, and she asked rather coyly, "Does Naruto-kun have any thoughts of getting a Byakugan?" If he gets a Byakugan, doesn't that mean Naruto-kun would be half a Hyuga? Then wouldn't that mean...
"The Byakugan is too precious," Naruto shook his head, looking at the little girl's flushed face with some bewilderment. When they were young, he had accidentally saved Hinata from a few local bullies. Ever since then, the little girl would inexplicably blush whenever she saw him.
"Is that so..." Hinata didn't know if she felt disappointed or something else. She could only turn her head to look at Boruto, who was training. "Boruto and the others will be going back soon, right?" In Hinata's and the others' perception, Boruto and Future Sasuke were travelers from afar who would eventually have to leave.
"It should be in these next two days," Naruto estimated, considering Present Sasuke's progress in fusing his Mangekyo.
...
"Well? Did he agree?" As soon as Hiashi Hyuga entered the room, a clan elder asked nervously.
"No."
Hearing this, the clan elders all looked somewhat helpless. For a ninja of Uzumaki Naruto's caliber, the Byakugan's special visual field was already an optional extra. In fact, without the Hyuga bloodline's support, rashly replacing an eye with a Byakugan might even negatively impact his combat strength. Therefore, they had already anticipated his refusal.
"Should we try another target?" an elder had just voiced his suggestion when he silently lowered his head under the others' "are you an idiot" stares.
"If experimental subjects were so easy to choose, why would we still be sitting here?" another elder said irritably.
"To stimulate the Byakugan's evolution, one needs at least a Kage-level powerhouse. A strong physique, meaning Yang Release energy, is indispensable," Hiashi Hyuga said, sighing involuntarily. "But what ninja of that caliber would still care about a Byakugan?"