From several hundred meters away, someone was watching this place. At such a distance, only a Byakugan user could observe clearly. It was not surveillance, but protection — the young girl was being watched over, not spied upon.
A man stood quietly among the trees over a hundred meters away. His pale eyes — the hallmark of the Hyuga clan — reflected everything in sight. Dressed in a white robe typical of the clan's upper branch, he watched in silence as a small girl trained on the open field.
> "This boy... his chakra is enormous," the man murmured to himself, his Byakugan focused on another figure — a teenager sitting nearby, observing the girl.
"Not as vast as the Nine-Tails', and perhaps only a fraction of Kakashi's... but still, an impressive amount for someone so young."
The man narrowed his eyes. He's not watching her out of curiosity... he's protecting her.
---
The little girl, Hyuga Hinata, was drenched in sweat, her breathing ragged as she struck the practice post again and again with trembling arms. Her small fists were red and swollen, yet she kept going, biting her lip to suppress the pain.
Watching her, Chen Xing felt a strange pang in his heart.
I just came to this world... and this child is already working this hard. Even exhausted, she's still pushing herself. Why am I not doing the same?
Kakashi, standing under a nearby tree, said nothing. He merely flipped another page of his dog-eared Icha Icha Paradise, glancing occasionally at the girl's effort.
"Phew…" Hinata finally stopped, gasping softly. She knelt, palms pressing into the dirt, her small face clouded with frustration — disappointed in herself.
Chen Xing smiled faintly. Her pure white eyes, glistening like gems, shimmered with effort and self-doubt. Her expression evoked a tender sympathy — she looked so fragile, so earnest that one couldn't help but feel protective of her.
"This little girl… must be a member of the Hyuga clan," Chen Xing murmured.
He coughed softly to announce his presence — startling Kakashi, who looked up from his book.
Hinata's head turned quickly. Startled, she noticed two strangers approaching — one was the silver-haired man she vaguely recognized from the village, and beside him, a tall boy with calm eyes and a kind smile.
"You… you're…" Hinata stammered, standing despite her fatigue and bowing politely, her face turning pink.
Kakashi closed his book, his single visible eye curving into a smile.
"If I remember correctly, you're the Hyuga clan's young lady — Hinata, right?"
Hinata nodded timidly. "Y-yes."
Chen Xing crouched slightly to meet her eyes. "Hello, Hinata. I'm Chen Xing — from the Xing Village." His voice was warm as sunlight. He gently placed a hand on her head, ruffling her short indigo hair.
The unexpected contact made her blush deep crimson. "Ah… h-hello, I'm Hyuga Hinata. It's… it's nice to meet you!"
"Hinata — what a nice name," Chen Xing said with a smile. "I'm a few years older than you. If you don't mind, you can call me brother."
Hinata hesitated, then whispered, "Chen Xing… brother."
Kakashi smiled faintly, closing his book again. He didn't interrupt; it wasn't his style.
"Hinata," Chen Xing said softly, "you were training hard just now. But your face looks sad. Why is that?"
Hinata's lips quivered. "I… I'm not very good. Even when Father and Neji-nii-san teach me, I can't perform Gentle Fist properly…" Her white eyes dimmed. "I'm just… dull."
Hearing this, Chen Xing sighed inwardly. The Hyuga clan… their expectations weigh heavily on their heirs. Even someone like her, so pure and kind, suffers because of it.
He crouched closer. "Hinata, do you really think you lack talent?"
She looked down, fidgeting with her fingers. "Neji-nii-san learns everything so fast… I try so hard, but I can't even match him."
Chen Xing smiled faintly. "You know, there are people in this world born with exceptional talent — geniuses who reach great heights effortlessly. But there are also those who seem ordinary, yet because they build a solid foundation and refuse to give up, they soar higher than anyone expects. They might be mocked at first… but in the end, they surpass even the geniuses."
Kakashi glanced sideways at him, mildly surprised at the depth in his words.
Hinata looked up, eyes glimmering with hope. "Chen Xing-nii-san… do you really think I could be one of those people?"
Chen Xing shook his head gently. Her expression fell, but then he added:
"You shouldn't ask me that — you should ask yourself. Do you want to be one of those people?"
"Eh?" she murmured, blinking in surprise.
Sitting down on the grass, Chen Xing rested a hand on her shoulder. "Hinata, maybe you're training every day because your clan expects it. But you need to ask yourself — do you train for them, or for your own dream?"
His words struck something deep within her. She looked down, silent, her small hands clenching. "I… I don't know."
"That's okay," Chen Xing said kindly. "You don't have to know yet. But if you can't trust yourself, you'll never move forward."
He looked toward the Hyuga compound in the distance. "For generations, your clan has produced powerful shinobi. But in recent years, no one has matched the strength of your ancestor — Hyuga Hiashi's father, or even your cousin Neji. If one day you can stop worrying about expectations and find your own way to fight — your own style of Gentle Fist — you might achieve something even greater."
Hinata blinked, taken aback.
Chen Xing stood up, smiling. "There's a saying: Walk your own path, and let others talk." He patted her head one last time. "Next time I see you, Hinata, I hope you'll be walking that path — your path."
He turned and left with Kakashi, the wind rustling the leaves behind them.
---
Kakashi slid his hands into his pockets as they walked. "I didn't expect you to encourage the Hyuga heiress like that," he said. "Do you really think she has that kind of potential?"
Chen Xing smiled faintly. "Talent isn't absolute. History's full of so-called failures who reached heights even geniuses couldn't. If Hinata ever finds her true self — free from her clan's shadow — she might just surprise the world."
When Chen Xing returned to his inn later, he found Haku by the window, playing with something small in her hands. Curious, he stepped closer.
"White, what are you holding?" he asked, using her nickname.
Haku turned with a bright smile, opening her palm to reveal a few small seeds.
"Chen Xing, you're back! These are flower seeds. I bought them at a shop earlier. I want to plant them here — and maybe take some back to the village someday."
Chen Xing smiled softly. "That sounds like you, Haku. Always bringing life wherever you go."