Chapter 18: A New Dawn, a Gathering Storm
The sweeping kick Reitō had delivered wasn't just physical force; it had been laced with a pinpoint burst of chakra, aimed not to shatter bone, but to overwhelm and sever the delicate network of neural and chakra signals controlling Mōri's lower legs. It was a temporary, but profoundly effective, paralysis.
Stricken on the floor, unable to command his own limbs, humiliation burned hotter than the pain. "Damn you, Hyūga Reitō! This isn't over! I'll make you pay!" Mōri snarled, his voice cracking.
Reitō didn't even grant him a glance. He simply turned away, treating the threat as one would the buzzing of an irrelevant insect. The dismissal, more than the defeat, deepened the wound of Mōri's shame.
"Hyūga Mōri," Reitō said, his voice calm as he paused. "You wanted to see my report card." He unfolded the paper, holding it so the bold stamp was clearly visible to Mōri on the floor and to the surrounding, silent crowd. "As you can see, it is neither Class B, nor Class C." He let the words hang for a beat. "It is Class A."
Mōri's furious tirade died in his throat. He stared at the official mark, the undeniable proof of everything he had said was impossible. His face, already pale with pain, went ashen.
Reitō looked down at him, his white eyes holding no triumph, only a cold, final certainty. "I am not the Hyūga Reitō you remember."
With that, he turned and walked away. The gathered children, their earlier mockery now tempered with awe and fear, parted before him without a sound, creating a wide path. The story was already rewriting itself in their minds. The "clan tail" was a myth. In its place was someone who moved with the silence of a shadow and struck with the precision of a scalpel.
Reitō allowed himself a small, private smile only when the door of his sparse room closed behind him. He had done it. He had taken the first, crucial step onto the shinobi path. With his inner vision as his guide, he felt a confidence that went beyond mere hope. He would not just become a ninja; he would climb to heights that would make even the title of Hokage seem within reach.
The Next Day
Reitō was still wrapped in the deep, earned sleep of exhaustion when a frantic pounding shattered the morning quiet.
He opened the door to find Hyūga Hizashi standing there, his face a canvas of disbelief and urgent curiosity.
"Reitō!" Hizashi burst out, not even waiting for a greeting. "Is it true? The rumors are everywhere! That you were not only placed in Class A, but that you… that you humiliated Hyūga Mōri in front of everyone! Tell me, is it real?"
Reitō rubbed the sleep from his eyes, his expression one of mild annoyance at the disruption. "If that's what you heard," he said, his voice still thick with sleep.
Hizashi gaped at his nonchalance. "If? Reitō, this is all anyone in the clan is talking about! Do you understand what this means?"
"Mm?" Reitō blinked, the gravity of Hizashi's statement finally piercing his drowsiness.
Seeing he hadn't denied it, Hizashi's shock renewed itself. "So it is true?"
Reitō sighed, giving in. He gave a brief, sanitized account of the events, focusing on the outcome and his use of the Body Replacement Technique. He demonstrated his Byakugan activation but, crucially, did not reveal the seal-less nature of his jutsu. That secret was his alone—a trump card he had consciously hidden even during the assessment, using a single-handed feint when necessary to maintain the illusion of standard practice.
"It's incredible," Hizashi breathed after a long moment, running a hand through his hair. "If I hadn't trained with you myself these past weeks, I'd swear you'd been hiding your strength all along." His initial shock melted into a fierce, proud excitement. "Reitō… the entire branch family is buzzing. They're saying you've given us all a breath of fresh air. Some are even calling you a hero."
Reitō was taken aback. A hero? For standing up to a bully? It spoke volumes about the stifling atmosphere within the clan.
His expression grew serious. "But you must be careful," Hizashi warned, his voice dropping. "You didn't just beat Mōri; you shattered his pride in front of the Uchiha, in front of everyone. He will never let this go. And the Main Family… they will not ignore such a blatant challenge to their authority. You need to be ready."
As if summoned by his warning, an angry, familiar shout sliced through the morning air from outside the small house.
"Hyūga Reitō! Get out here!"
Reitō and Hizashi exchanged a glance. Reitō's lips curved into a cold, humorless smile. "It seems," he said quietly, "the trouble has decided not to wait."
"Come on," Hizashi said, his own face setting into determined lines. "Let's face this together. Let's see what new game Hyūga Mōri is playing now."
They stepped outside. Hyūga Mōri stood in the narrow path of the branch family compound, leaning heavily on a polished wooden cane, his legs still visibly unsteady. The hatred in his eyes was a living thing, a venomous glare that promised retribution. But he was not alone this time. Flanking him were three adult Hyūga ninjas, their expressions stern and unreadable, their presence transforming a childish grudge into an official clan matter. The air, which had felt like freedom the day before, suddenly grew thick and heavy with consequence.