Konoha in the evening was quiet.
Night draped over the buildings like a grey coat. The faces carved into the Hokage Monument resembled gaunt, skeletal giants, calmly watching over this land seething with hidden currents.
At this moment, in a courtyard, Hyuga Kumokawa stood in the center, wearing a white training outfit, his eyes closed.
Wood chips and broken pieces were scattered everywhere in the yard. The surrounding wooden posts had been shattered. The once neatly kept lawn was scarred and pitted. Some of the post fragments were still stained with fresh, not-yet-dried blood.
"Success."
Hyuga Kumokawa opened his eyes, looking at the panel before him with a smile. "Finally, a long-range, high-power nin-taijutsu."
[Taijutsu: Gentle Fist: Sixty-Four Palms (C-Rank), Eight Gates Released Formation: Gate of Life (Forbidden Jutsu), Gentle Fist: Single Strike Body (B-Rank), Empty Strike (A-Rank)]
"It imitates Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's 'Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack.' But with her innate talent, that technique was probably just a casual, brute-force strike for her."
Hyūga Kumokawa pulled back his wandering thoughts and glanced around the messy courtyard.
After a moment's hesitation, he decided not to clean it up. He turned and walked into the house.
He had endured a high-intensity morning training with Might Guy, and spent the afternoon exhausting his energy developing the new nin-taijutsu. Right now, he just wanted to rest.
But not long after he entered the house, a figure appeared outside the courtyard.
The newcomer stared at the scene within the yard, a wave of shock washing over them.
'What… happened here?'
Frowning, the figure silently entered the courtyard. They stood before the door for several seconds before finally deciding to approach and open it.
But the moment their hand touched the doorknob—
BANG!
The door burst outward with tremendous force. The handle transmitted a violent shockwave, as if intending to smash the newcomer into pulp and scatter them as fertilizer across the lawn, or surge into their very body.
"Hmm?"
The newcomer was taken aback. The hand on the knob instinctively pressed against the door panel, erupting with the force of the Gentle Fist in a split second to barely counteract the surging power.
All the force dissolved like clay oxen entering the sea, neutralized as if melted away by two opposing energies.
Inside the room, Hyūga Kumokawa stopped, seemingly realizing who the visitor was.
Click.
The door opened.
Seeing the face of the figure outside, Hyūga Kumokawa also seemed momentarily stunned.
"Lord Hizashi?"
Hyūga Kumokawa snapped back to his senses, a hint of apology on his face. "My apologies, Lord Hizashi. I thought it was…"
"The apology is not yours to make. I am the one who came uninvited."
Hyūga Hizashi, clad in a black kimono, waved his hand dismissively, unconcerned by Kumokawa's reaction. He hid his slightly trembling hand behind his back. A look of appreciation glinted in his eyes as he smiled. "May I come in and sit for a moment?"
"Please." Hyūga Kumokawa had no reason to refuse. He smiled and stepped aside.
"Forgive the intrusion." Hyūga Hizashi stepped into the entryway. His gaze swept over the simple, sparsely furnished interior, briefly lingering on another open door that revealed a room filled with training equipment.
"I am aware of what happened this morning. It was prudent of you to act upon sensing someone entering the grounds."
The two sat down in the living room. Hizashi sighed, speaking first. "However, I never imagined someone would dare attack you within the village. How is your injury?"
Noticing Hizashi's glance at his bandaged hand, Hyūga Kumokawa smiled. "Fortunately, it's nothing serious."
"It's just the two of us here. No need for such formality in private." Hizashi nodded. "Your father and I were close friends before his passing. I have neglected you. Seeing you mostly unharmed now is a relief."
To be fair, this nominal head of the branch family actually had a decent reputation among the branch members. His current gentle, almost paternal attitude towards Kumokawa was more like a concerned elder than a clan leader.
Hyūga Hizashi inquired about Kumokawa's recent circumstances. But as they talked, he suddenly paused. After a moment's hesitation, he chose not to reprimand Kumokawa for the earlier transgression at noon, as the Main Family elders had instructed.
Looking at Kumokawa's youthful face, thinking of his deceased father, and recalling Neji's current attitude towards the Main Family, Hizashi couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
With the Main Family's appalling behavior and attitude, how could resentment not grow? All he could do was try to offer what comfort he could.
"The wooden posts outside… they were broken by you, weren't they?" Hyūga Hizashi changed the subject, a note of admiration in his voice. "I never imagined your progress would be so great. And to awaken your Byakugan as well—a blessing in disguise. But you must also be mindful of your limits. Don't push yourself to the point of injury."
"You flatter me, Lord Hizashi." Hyūga Kumokawa remained polite, yet he didn't echo Hizashi's sentiment. Instead, his tone was calm. "After all, I'm alone now. I can only rely on myself."
Hearing this, Hyūga Hizashi was momentarily stunned before a renewed wave of guilt and pity washed over him.
Seeing Hyūga Kumokawa's outwardly calm yet inwardly sorrowful demeanor, the questions Hizashi had intended to ask died in his throat.
What could he ask?
Ask why this 'failure' had suddenly become so strong?
Was an explanation even needed?
The death of his only family, his father, was enough to fundamentally change even the most timid child.
"..."
Hyūga Hizashi unconsciously licked his dry lips, only now noticing the boy hadn't even prepared any tea.
'There's still resentment in his heart, after all.
I can only try my best to offer some comfort.'
"Alright. If you ever face any difficulties in the future, you can come to me." Hyūga Hizashi stood up. "I should go now. You must be tired. Get some rest early."
He didn't leave immediately. Instead, he took two scrolls from his robe and placed them on the low table before him, his tone gentle. "Since you've awakened your Byakugan, and likely have mastered the Thirty-Two Palms, these contain the advanced form—the Sixty-Four Palms."
Hyūga Kumokawa's gaze flickered slightly as he looked at the scrolls. He understood that this was a genuine, impulsive gesture born from Hizashi's guilt and pity.
The Hyūga Main Family desired their branch members to be strong, to better protect them. Yet, they didn't want them too strong.
Besides the secret technique "Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven," which was orally passed down within the Main Family, the Sixty-Four Palms was another advanced technique that required Main Family permission for branch members to learn.
While not as significant against the level of the Five Kage, against most Jōnin in close combat, the Sixty-Four Palms was a formidable technique.
At best, it would slow and clog the opponent's chakra flow. At worst, they'd be rendered unable to use ninjutsu, left waiting for death.
Only branch family members who had proven fiercely loyal and obedient in protecting the Main Family were permitted to learn this technique.
As for the so-called One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms, Hyūga Neji had only used it once in filler anime episodes. It never appeared in the manga, making the Sixty-Four Palms the likely current pinnacle of the Gentle Fist.
If the Main Family discovered Hizashi had privately taught the Sixty-Four Palms, he would undoubtedly face severe punishment—most likely the soul-deep agony of the "Caged Bird" seal once more.
The instant after he placed the scrolls down, Hyūga Hizashi already felt a twinge of regret. But before he could say anything, Hyūga Kumokawa had already picked them up.
"Thank you." Hyūga Kumokawa kept his head bowed, his face shadowed, his shoulders trembling slightly. "My father's jutsu scrolls and notes were all confiscated. If not for you… I truly wouldn't know how to proceed."
"..."
Hearing this, Hyūga Hizashi closed his slightly parted lips, the words of hesitation dying unsaid. After a moment of silence, he could only sigh. "Do not harbor hatred for the Main Family. This is the fate of us branch members. Your father would not wish to see you in such pain."
With that, fearing he might regret his generosity and ask for the scrolls back, Hizashi truly took his leave this time.
Meanwhile, Hyūga Kumokawa sat in the living room, head bowed. The sorrowful expression on his face gradually smoothed into calm. He looked up, gazing out at the deepening night outside the window.
[Ding! Your lie has been judged as [Crocodile Tears]. Hyūga Hizashi experiences intense emotional fluctuation, reaching the state of [Self-Doubt]. 1500 Fulfillment Points acquired.]
[Remaining Fulfillment Points: 12,293]
"Today's harvest has been quite bountiful," Hyūga Kumokawa mused, looking at his points. "If only there were a few more good people like Lord Hizashi and Guy-senpai."
However, seeing his points growing more plentiful, a restless urge stirred within him again.
To be prudent, he'd keep 10,000 points in reserve. The remaining thousand or so would be enough for him to... stir things up.
The first thing that came to Hyūga Kumokawa's mind was, of course, his most esteemed Orochimaru.
"Perhaps it's time to make a move on the scroll in Orochimaru's possession."
To him, Orochimaru was an experimental subject. A very useful one.
And Hyūga Kumokawa happened to have a rather bold idea.
He pondered for a moment, then silently commanded: "Manifest—Add subsequent content to the scroll in Orochimaru's possession. The setting requires mastery of the Living Corpse Reincarnation to break the seal and read it. The content describes how the souls of shinobi who die with deep resentment can materialize…"
He briefly outlined his requirements. A response came quickly.
[Cost: 100 Fulfillment Points. Manifest?]
Since it only involved manifesting some text and a simple seal, the required points weren't excessive.
"Manifest," Hyūga Kumokawa confirmed.
After ensuring the manifestation was complete, his eyes gleamed. He thought of Hyūga Neji, whom he'd seen earlier.
Orochimaru was ultimately too distant. Seeing results would take time.
He couldn't just wait foolishly. He needed to start with others. Hyūga Neji was an excellent choice.
After a moment's thought, Kumokawa silently commanded: "Manifest—Clothing capable of concealing identity, blocking Byakugan sight and other sensory techniques, and is self-repairing."
[Cost: 2000 Fulfillment Points. Manifest?]
"So expensive," he frowned, but still answered, "Yes."
[2000 Fulfillment Points deducted. Remaining Points: 10,193]
As the system's response echoed in his mind, Hyūga Kumokawa waited for the physical item to appear. Instead, he suddenly noticed his shadow changing.
A black, fluid substance welled up from the shadow at his feet, climbing his ankle like liquid before gradually covering his entire body. Hyūga Kumokawa lifted his head, looking at his reflection in a nearby surface.
He was now clad in a hooded black robe. The robe's hem seemed to flow and churn, less like fabric and more like a living thing. His face was concealed in a shadow of unfathomable depth.
[Shadow Robe: A robe transformed from shadow. Adapts its form to the wearer's needs regardless of physique. Interferes with most forms of sight and sensory perception. Automatically repairs itself in a liquid-like state if damaged. Normally resides within the wearer's shadow. (Bound)]
At this moment, Hyūga Kumokawa had only one thought.
Those 2000 points were worth it.