"Very well!"
Hizashi Hyuga laughed in anger, a rare ferocity flashing in his eyes. His usual air of dignified composure had finally shattered under relentless verbal provocation.
"Then let me show you the true essence of the Gentle Fist!"
This time, Hizashi wasn't holding back.
[Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!]
With feet scraping against the ground, Hizashi slid forward, his elusive figure appearing in an instant before Hyuga Soushu. A storm of palm strikes swiftly engulfed Soushu, who stood ready with fists raised defensively.
The difference between the Sixty-Four Palms and the Thirty-Two Palms wasn't just about numbers—it was a whole other level of destructive force.
If the Thirty-Two Palms were considered essential techniques for average branch members, then the Sixty-Four Palms belonged exclusively to the Main House and a few trusted Branch House members as an ultimate art.
As for higher-level techniques such as Empty Palm or Rotation, those were absolute privileges reserved only for the head of the Main House lineage.
[Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!]
Soushu, confident in his hidden tricks, did not dodge. He charged straight ahead, using fists, elbows, knees, and feet as weapons to counterattack against Hizashi's Gentle Fist palm techniques.
But after just one round of combat, more than ten vital points on his body had already been struck by Hizashi's Gentle Fist. His chakra flow started to slow dramatically.
If he were just a regular Leaf ninja, his chakra pathways would've been completely scrambled by now—he wouldn't even be able to stand.
"Hmph!"
With the final strike of the Sixty-Four Palms landing, the two men sprang apart with swift Body Flicker movements.
Hizashi remained calm and composed, while Soushu's arms were already bruised and swollen. Even beneath the pants hiding his legs, the areas where vital points had been hit sent sharp waves of pain or numbness.
Although Soushu still held a relatively solid fighting stance, to Hizashi it was clearly just stubborn resistance. All Hizashi needed to do was keep pressing the attack—he could practically taste victory.
"Soushu-kun, how much of that Sixty-Four Palms did you manage to grasp?"
Still, Hizashi needed to maintain at least some professional demeanor.
After all, their match was supposed to be a demonstration of Gentle Fist techniques.
"Somewhat disappointing, wouldn't you say?"
Even though Hizashi dismissed Soushu's words as stubborn defiance, the younger man still managed to get under everyone's skin: "I thought the Sixty-Four Palms would pack a real punch, but honestly—it's nothing special."
Hizashi suddenly laughed.
"You've successfully angered me!"
"Now then—you may use your strange weapon!"
That also meant he was finally ready to give it his all!
"This was meant to be a simple demonstration within the family. No lives need to be lost today."
Soushu grinned widely. "After all, Clan Elder Hizashi remains—"
"Arrogant!"
Before Soushu could finish speaking, Hizashi launched another attack.
Once again, he used the same technique.
[Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!]
"Excellent!"
Roaring fiercely, Soushu immediately activated his skill in his mind:
[Counter Storm!]
A sudden wind barrier made of chakra appeared out of nowhere, blocking Hyuga Hizashi's storm-like palm strikes!
"This!"
Even Hizashi, who had mastered nearly all the ultimate techniques of the Gentle Fist, couldn't help but lose his composure in the face of this unexpected defense.
"Could it be the Rotation—"
Before he could finish that thought, the wind barrier of [Counter Storm] abruptly vanished!
[Power Strike!]
[Jumping Slash!]
Hyuga Soushu extended his arms like spears and delivered a powerful slash, sending Hizashi flying.
"This is—!"
Inside the Main House's mansion, Hiashi Hyuga—who was observing Training Ground No.4 with his Byakugan eyes wide open—accidentally smeared a large ink blot across the paper and knocked over his inkstone. The black ink spreading across the tatami mat mirrored his darkening mood.
"A noble must remain composed even as mountains crumble before him."
Though the Hyuga Clan Leader scolded aloud, his own expression was shifting uneasily.
"Yes."
Hiashi took a deep breath, joined his hands, and bowed slightly to his father in apology for his earlier lapse in composure.
"Did you see it clearly?"
The Clan Leader, also using his Byakugan, calmed his chaotic thoughts slightly before asking slowly.
"I think I saw enough."
Hiashi replied with a bitter nod.
"Then tell me."
The Clan Leader closed his eyes, returning to his usual emotionless demeanor.
"It's not Rotation."
After a long hesitation, Hiashi murmured quietly.
"I know."
The Clan Leader's tone remained cold and detached.
And what unsettled him most precisely was that fact!
Rotation, said to defend against all physical attacks, was the most secretive and guarded ultimate technique of the Main House! Regardless of where Soushu learned his techniques, being able to mimic even a third of Rotation's essence was already extremely impressive!
Moreover, although the Gentle Fist of the Hyuga clan was vast and profound, precisely because of its depth, even a Hyuga ninja devoting their entire life to mastering it could only grasp a portion of its ultimate techniques.
As a result, the Gentle Fist became so vast and difficult to master thoroughly that its transmission fell into self-imposed stagnation. Ever since the Hyuga became part of Konoha, no Hyuga ninja had ever broken through and advanced further in the Gentle Fist arts!
Though Soushu's abilities were unusual even by Hyuga standards, regardless—
"While the outwardly released chakra shield resembles Rotation greatly in both shape and defensive effect, unlike Rotation, it lacks the ability to reflect attacks back. It basically grants immunity only against ordinary Taijutsu strikes."
Hiashi carefully chose each word, making sure not to cause any misunderstanding in his father: "Besides, if Hizashi had attacked with full power, he could very likely have shattered Soushu's defense, instead of getting defeated so easily."
"Failure is still failure!"
The Clan Leader interrupted sharply. "If he were on the battlefield, do you think he'd have such good fortune to return alive?"
"War is no game for children! The reason I haven't allowed you onto the battlefield isn't out of indulgence—it's to protect you!"
"I understand, Father."
Hyuga Hiashi tried to explain himself in a flustered tone.
"Did you remember all the names?!"
The Hyuga Clan Leader waved his hand to cut off his eldest son's explanation.
"All of them—"
Hiashi immediately picked up the paper from the table.
It was then he realized that ink had smeared a large portion of the sheet, rendering some characters and names completely illegible.
These were precisely the names of Branch House ninja who had used the Byakugan to secretly observe Hizashi Hyuga and Soushu's sparring match!
"You can rewrite this list later!"
Seeing his son hesitate, the clan leader stepped in with a suggestion: "And let Hizashi be the one to inform them!"
Might as well put what they learned to good use — straight on the battlefield.
"But—"
But Hiashi still hesitated.
"There are no 'buts'!"
The clan leader once again cut across his son in a domineering manner. "The Hokage Tower has requested our clan to send ten Jonin and thirty Chunin to reinforce the frontlines. Shouldn't we deploy these people instead of our most loyal ninja?"
"Hiashi, being too soft will be your downfall! Don't disappoint me!"
The unspoken threat left Hiashi cold inside.
"Yes, clan head!"