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*****
Sakura and Ino looked confused—this was supposed to be a test?
It wasn't until later that they realized feeding Hinata was no easy task.
Ximen Zhen had prepared ten large fish, all freshly caught from the resource-rich forests of Konoha.
In addition to the fish, there were various ingredients he'd borrowed from a nearby barbecue shop.
And nearly ninety percent of it ended up in Hinata's stomach.
"I… I really can't eat anymore!"
Hinata's cheeks flushed red as she continuously rubbed her bulging stomach.
To outsiders, it might have looked like Ximen Zhen was tormenting Hinata.
At that moment, Ximen Zhen took Hinata's hand and infused some chakra to examine her condition. With Ino and Sakura watching in astonishment, he said, "She's about eighty percent full. I'll prepare fifty percent more tomorrow."
Sakura and Ino couldn't sit still anymore. The two flanked Hinata, poking and prodding her stomach like curious cats.
Hinata wanted to resist, but all she could do was squeal in embarrassment.
Ximen Zhen, meanwhile, turned his back and began documenting the experimental data.
During Hinata's meal, Ximen Zhen checked her chakra levels every ten minutes.
Yang-release chakra isn't a constant in the human body; it fluctuates with physical condition.
Eating, for instance, is one way to replenish yang chakra. Most of it gradually disperses, and only a small fraction is actually absorbed by the body.
This concept is the foundational logic behind Chiyo's forbidden jutsu, Reanimation through Self-Sacrifice—except she couldn't overcome the efficiency hurdle.
Ximen Zhen hadn't cracked that hurdle either, but in previous simulations, he used the power of cursed seals to boost life force output, leading to the creation of his own Vital Rebirth Technique.
That's why all yang-release techniques tend to consume life force—because life force can be easily converted into yang chakra, but not the other way around.
Yet in Hinata's case, something strange happened.
Most of the yang chakra she absorbed was being sucked into her eyes. Even the portion that should've gone to her body was being diverted to them.
Her eyes were like black holes—no matter how much yang chakra Ximen Zhen infused, it disappeared without effect.
That's when he realized: this was the reason for both Hinata's unusually high ocular potential and her persistent malnourishment.
She had inherited a pair of eyes that ordinary humans were never meant to possess. Even now—and possibly even when she reached her thirties or forties—those eyes remained in a dormant, incomplete state.
In truth, only someone with Ōtsutsuki-level physiology could fully awaken them.
Of course, Ximen Zhen couldn't say that outright. He had to offer a simpler explanation.
Now that all three girls had quieted down and were looking at him curiously, Ximen Zhen displayed the data in his notebook.
"Your eyes are absorbing most of the nutrients in your body, which is why your physical condition is so weak."
"But based on what you've said, your Byakugan isn't any stronger than your clansmen's. That likely means there's something wrong with your eyes."
Hinata's face turned pale—she had never imagined this could be the reason.
Even though she didn't fully believe Ximen Zhen, when she thought back on her life experiences, something about his words rang true.
"So… this is some sort of hereditary bloodline disorder?"
Ino, more familiar with the secrets of the ninja world, voiced her guess.
Ximen Zhen nodded. It was indeed a fitting explanation.
"Then what should Hinata do? You must have an idea, right, Simen-kun?" Sakura, now familiar with Hinata, took the initiative to ask—though her eyes briefly darted enviously toward Hinata's chest.
"Wait, if Hinata has that figure while being this frail, then after she recovers…" Mmph!
Hinata quickly covered Sakura's mouth. Her face flushed with embarrassment at Sakura's teasing, but the blush made her look less sickly.
"There are two possible solutions," Ximen Zhen said, pulling out a sheet of paper and scribbling on it.
"One: starting today, Hinata, you eat until you're full every day. Replenish your physical deficiencies as much as possible."
"And also come to me daily so I can infuse you with yang chakra."
"The second option is to seal your eyes. You may lose your Byakugan abilities, but you might become physically stronger as a result."
"As for which option is better, only you can decide."
He handed the paper to Hinata, who took it absentmindedly, unsure of what to do.
Give up the Byakugan?
As the heiress of the Hyuga clan, doing so would be tantamount to denying the clan's very pride.
She might lose her place in the family altogether.
But the first method wasn't easy either—eating well every day and receiving chakra infusions from Ximen Zhen would be expensive and burdensome.
She didn't have much allowance, and constantly relying on Ximen Zhen made her feel guilty.
"You don't have to decide right away," Ximen Zhen said. "Take your time."
"It's getting late. Let me walk you all home."
The three girls nodded, and they headed in the direction of Konoha.
As they entered the village, Hinata bid them farewell and chose to walk alone. Ximen Zhen didn't stop her.
He was confident—Hinata would be back.
Once she was out of sight, Ino suddenly sidled up beside Ximen Zhen and grabbed his wrist.
Ximen Zhen looked at her, puzzled. In a low voice, Ino asked, "Aren't you worried all the things you did today might get you into trouble?"
"Sasuke's case is fine—he's an orphan. But with Hinata… if you really did something to her eyes, how could the Hyuga clan not notice?"
Sakura, walking on Ximen Zhen's other side, overheard and added, "Simen-kun, we know how talented you are, but others don't. What if you scare them?"
Ximen Zhen smiled faintly. He was fully aware of the risks he'd taken.
But in doing so, he was offsetting another kind of risk.
When he was alone, he trained by himself. When he had people around, he trained outside the village.
In this setup, who would dare to ambush him?
Of course, Ximen Zhen wasn't just doing this for self-protection—it was also a long-term investment.
Whether Danzo and Root discovered what he was doing, whether Hiruzen saw him through the Crystal Ball Jutsu, or whether the Hyuga clan grew suspicious, Ximen Zhen didn't feel nervous.
With six remaining simulation attempts, he planned to simulate Tenten the moment he got home.
No matter what came next, his current strength plus those simulations would likely be enough to handle it.
Besides, even if Inoichi used his Mind Probe on him, they wouldn't find anything suspicious.
"Don't worry. My conscience is clear. Even if you brought in interrogators like Ibiki or had me face Madara himself, I'd have nothing to hide."
"Besides, I've got you two—you'd testify for me, wouldn't you?"
Ximen Zhen's warm smile temporarily reassured both girls.
After escorting them home, he returned to his house, which was now under construction.
Looking at the mess, Ximen Zhen realized he needed a new place to stay.
But where?
Then he remembered—when he walked Sakura home earlier, he'd seen a place called Kazamatsuri Bathhouse...
Kazamatsuri... Why did that surname sound familiar?
Kazamatsuri Moegi?!
(End of Chapter)