Chapter 106: Gentle Fist Art: True Moon Style
Akiyama Makoto had a drink with Jiraiya, and when the Sannin started boasting about being pursued by a dozen Konoha kunoichi, he decisively chose to take his leave.
Jiraiya, his face dark, grabbed him and demanded he listen for just five more minutes; he was just getting to the best part.
Makoto replied that if Jiraiya was buying, he would listen.
And so, Jiraiya promptly showed him the door. Makoto could only shrug and leave the small town whose name he didn't even know.
Activating his sensory ability and confirming that no one was around, he released his Yin Seal and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to his room at the Kazematsuri Bathhouse.
The Shadow Clone nodded at him, informing him that nothing had happened, and then vanished in a puff of smoke.
Makoto lay down comfortably. The dark cloud from the failed simulation had completely disappeared. In fact, if not for that failure, he might not have considered leaving Konoha until after the Chūnin Exams. Thinking about it carefully, as long as he didn't do anything too out of line, leaving Konoha now wasn't necessarily more dangerous than staying. At least the world outside was vast, and he could go wherever he wanted.
What he didn't know was that not long after he disappeared, a now-sober Jiraiya appeared at the spot where he had vanished. He had tracked him, not because he had found anything strange about him, but because he had a faint feeling that he seemed to know him. That was enough to warrant an investigation. But no matter how he searched, he could no longer find any trace of him. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.
"Strange... could it have been a reverse summoning?" Jiraiya muttered to himself. He hadn't thought of the Flying Thunder God Technique. Or rather, he wouldn't have dared to imagine that someone else could still use it.
Early the next morning, Makoto woke up as if nothing had happened and began an even more intense training regimen. This time, he completely ignored any potential surveillance, his mood becoming open and natural. He had at least a month to think about the most effective way to counter Danzō's arrogance and Hiruzen Sarutobi's indulgence.
"Are you free today, Makoto-kun?"
That day, after a full day of training and enjoying the hot spring, Hinata came to his door with Hanabi.
"You asked me and Hanabi to have a match before. We're both ready now. I was wondering if we could ask you to be the referee."
"Of course." He would naturally not refuse such an invitation. Although he now had to deal with a powerful challenge, it didn't affect his continued efforts to build good relationships with the girls. The challenge from Danzō was, after all, only a temporary pressure. Creating perfect heirs with the girls was his pursuit for many years to come.
"Then please follow me, Makoto-kun."
Hinata smiled and led the way. He followed without suspicion. But as they continued to walk, his expression gradually became strange.
"Hinata, where are we going? Aren't we going outside the village?"
"Ah..." She was slightly taken aback and said with some unease, "Hanabi and I want to have our match in the clan's training hall. Is that okay, Makoto-kun?"
"I don't have a problem with it, but are you sure you want to use your chakra threads in your family's compound?"
Previously, he had been worried about the chakra thread technique being exposed, but now he didn't care. No matter if he had a reason or not, Danzō would attack him. So, these small matters no longer needed to be hidden.
"Please don't worry, Makoto-kun. In our Hyūga clan, no one is allowed to casually activate their Byakugan unless necessary. Otherwise, it would cause a lot of problems."
He nodded. He believed her. The Hyūga clan's rules were strict, and with the Caged Bird Seal controlling the branch family, probably no one would dare to spy on a duel between the two main family daughters.
Soon, he followed her into the Hyūga compound. He endured the stares of white eyes all the way, but he couldn't express any grievance, because the Hyūga couldn't control their Byakugan.
"I hope you don't mind, Makoto-kun. We don't usually have many outsiders in the Hyūga compound. Everyone is just curious about you," she explained as they walked.
Behind her, Hanabi pursed her lips, seemingly not very satisfied with her sister's approach. From beginning to end, Hinata was hiding the most crucial issue. Hanabi didn't think this was appropriate. If she just said it, would he really run away in fear? She didn't believe he was that kind of person.
Finally, after navigating the winding paths of the clan compound, the two of them arrived at the spacious main family training hall. It was empty, with no one training, only a large amount of equipment waiting to be used.
Seeing this, his eyes burned with a little envy. After being taught by Tenten, he already had a complete training regimen that didn't require equipment. But with so much professional equipment, couldn't his training be twice as effective?
"Hinata, can I come to your house to train in the future?"
He asked as a final question, not knowing that her body would sway at his words. She quickly composed herself and, trying hard to pretend she wasn't nervous, said, "O-Okay!"
He was used to her demeanor by now, so he didn't think much of it.
He watched as Hinata and Hanabi finished their warm-ups. Soon, the two stood in the center of the training hall.
"Should I say 'start'?" he put his hands to his mouth and called out softly.
Hanabi looked back and nodded at him.
"Then, begin!"
With his command, the two sisters began to fight, their movements a blur of clashes. They were long accustomed to each other's attacks, and having recently resumed their sparring, they were incredibly familiar with each other's moves.
He could tell at a glance that fighting like this would lead to no result.
So he said, "You can attack each other without holding back. As long as you don't hit any vital points, I can heal you both."
His words seemed to ignite their determination.
Faint blue chakra condensed on their palms. This meant they were beginning to use the Gentle Fist, which could harm an enemy, to attack each other. A single hit from this technique would, at the very least, seal one's tenketsu, and at worst, directly injure their internal organs.
The two sisters naturally wouldn't attack each other's organs, but soon, red marks began to appear on their bodies, a sign that some of their tenketsu had been sealed by the other. Their skills were very close, and neither had yet mastered the style's killing blows.
Seeing that the fight was about to become a battle of stamina, Hanabi suddenly changed her move. She assumed the stance for the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms and then launched a continuous series of attacks, preparing to seal all of Hinata's tenketsu.
This move of hers was actually still incomplete; she could only manage thirty-two palms. But compared to her sister, who hadn't learned this move at all, she should have already won, right?
Hanabi wasn't smug because she had surpassed her sister. She knew that because of this, she would have to shoulder an even heavier burden, which included protecting her.
And at this moment, Hinata was thinking the same thing.
She indeed couldn't use a move like the Sixty-Four Palms, but four chakra threads sprouted from her fingertips.
Seeing this, Makoto's expression was one of surprise. It had only been a few days, and she could already control four threads? It seemed her talent in chakra shape transformation had not disappointed him.
She swung her left arm, and two threads, like nimble ropes, bound Hanabi's arms. Then, she thrust her right arm forward. Two threads became two steel needles, deeply piercing into Hanabi's legs.
Hanabi instantly lost control of her legs and slowly sat down on the ground, unable to move.
She looked at her sister with a horrified expression. "Sister," she asked in disbelief, "what was that? There's no such move in the Gentle Fist! Did you steal another's ninjutsu?"
Hinata, who had been so resolute a moment ago, immediately panicked. "I didn't steal it! Makoto-kun taught it to me! This move... it's..." She bit her lip, having almost said it was the Sand Village's chakra thread technique. Unable to explain, she could only look at him.
At this moment, he walked over with a gentle smile.
"Of course this is the Gentle Fist," he said without a blush or a single quickened breath. "Hinata, give this move a name."
"N-Name it? Me?" Hinata was at a loss and wanted to refuse, but his hand rested firmly on her shoulder.
"I only taught you the beginning, but you are the one who created this move. The one to name it should naturally be you."
"If you can't think of one right now, it's alright. You can think about it slowly—"
"True Moon Style."
"Hm?"
Hinata bravely raised her head, smiled at him, and said, "Is it okay to call it Gentle Fist Art: True Moon Style?"
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