"I have to go!"
To prevent himself from leaking any more secrets, Hatake Sakumo practically sprang off the ground, ready to make his escape. After a few steps, he seemed to remember something and turned back toward Tatsuma.
"By the way, Tatsuma—the Third mentioned that if you've promised to visit someone's home, you shouldn't keep them waiting. It's impolite."
Tatsuma nodded, his previous grin vanishing. His expression became troubled, even pained. He knew exactly what Sakumo was referring to.
It was his promise to visit Hyuga Chinto. The invitation had been extended by Hyuga Mitsuru during their brief chat, but he hadn't expected the Third Hokage to be aware of it.
He wasn't sure if the Third's reach was so vast that he could monitor every conversation on the front lines, or if his "chat" with Mitsuru had been part of a pre-arranged village agenda. Likely the latter.
In truth, since returning to the village, Tatsuma had thought about looking for Chinto several times. However, he didn't know what "mask" he should wear, nor did he know what they would even talk about.
So, he had procrastinated. He had initially planned to wait for Hyuga Mitsuru to return from the front, thinking a visit to the Clan Head would be a more "natural" excuse to see Chinto.
But since Hiruzen Sarutobi was nudging him… Tatsuma let out a long sigh. He turned to Minato. "Minato, I won't be training with you tomorrow."
"Understood."
Minato nodded. He didn't ask why, nor did he ask whose home Tatsuma was visiting. Nearby, Might Duy was still trying to figure out what the "Anbu" was, but before he could wrap his head around it, Nawaki dragged him back into their training regimen.
Duy gave up on the mystery, choosing instead to focus on pouring out the "blood of youth." Still, he made a mental note that there was an organization called the Anbu—a place where even powerhouses like Hatake Sakumo served.
He probably wouldn't have the chance to join in this lifetime, but his child, currently still in his mother's womb… he would train his child to enter the Anbu. That would be the ultimate fulfillment of youth!
It had to be said—Nawaki was remarkably resilient. The intensity of Duy's training was something even the current Tatsuma and Minato found difficult to complete, yet Nawaki managed to keep up.
Though he struggled to even hold chopsticks at dinner every night, he would wake up the next day brimming with energy, ready to shed more "sweat of youth" alongside his Duy-gege.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The next day, after finishing his Sealing Arts lesson with Uzumaki Mito, Tatsuma returned home. He changed into a set of plain, inconspicuous clothes and headed toward the Hyuga compound.
The moment he arrived at the gates, he felt as if he were being seen through. Even though he knew the surrounding Hyuga guards hadn't activated their Byakugan, he still felt a profound lack of privacy.
After stating his business, he was led to Chinto's residence. Before he even entered the yard, he could hear the rhythmic thuds of intense training coming from within.
"Young Master Chinto is inside. You may see yourself in."
The Hyuga ninja who had escorted him spoke with a subtle, complex expression—one of pity, mixed with a hint of jealousy.
Knock, knock, knock.
Tatsuma rapped on the door. He wasn't sure if he was doing it correctly; he'd never had to knock on a gate this large before.
"Enter."
The training sounds stopped, and Chinto's voice drifted out. Tatsuma pushed the door open and saw a drenched Chinto standing by a stone basin, washing his reddened, bleeding hands in the running water.
"Chinto. Long time no see."
Tatsuma took the initiative to greet him. Chinto nodded. "It has been a long time. You're a ninja now... you even went to the front."
Chinto's voice trailed off. Tatsuma knew he was thinking about his father, Miyako. He walked to Chinto's side. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't be."
Chinto instinctively moved half a step away from Tatsuma. "Everyone tells me they're sorry. I don't even know what they're apologizing for. It has nothing to do with them! They didn't even know him..."
As he spoke, Chinto's tone grew volatile. His fists clenched, causing the wounds on his knuckles to seep fresh blood again. Tatsuma stood silent, not knowing what to say.
"Haaa..."
After a long moment, Chinto let out a ragged breath. He relaxed his hands and turned to look at Tatsuma. "I shouldn't have said that. The Clan Head told me... it was you who risked your life to bring back the intelligence my father and uncle gathered. If it wasn't for you, my father's death would have been meaningless, and my uncle's eyes would have become the enemy's trophies... I must be a terrible person. I actually blamed you before. I wondered why you didn't save them, why you let the Sand kill them... I'm the one who should be sorry."
Looking at Chinto, Tatsuma felt a lump in his throat. He realized Chinto knew nothing of the truth. What he had been told was exactly what Tsunade had told Tatsuma...
Hyuga Miyako died at the hands of the Sand. That is the only answer.
And Tatsuma? He was the hero who prevented the theft of the Byakugan and delivered the intel.
Outsiders knew the truth, yet Chinto—the one person with the right to know—was left with the sanitized, processed version of reality.
"Didn't you want to graduate early?" Tatsuma asked, forcing a change of subject.
Chinto nodded. "I applied at the end of the semester, but I was rejected. They said I haven't met the requirements yet."
Tatsuma offered a small smile. "As someone who graduated early, I think I have a decent understanding of the criteria. Mind if I give you an evaluation?"
Chinto understood immediately. He wanted to fight. The tension in his face eased slightly, and he gave a firm nod. "Then I shall ask for your guidance!"
Chinto retreated several paces, putting distance between them. With his right hand—still stained with a smear of blood—he formed the Seal of Confrontation. Veins bulged around his temples as the Byakugan flared to life, locking onto Tatsuma.
"Come to think of it, we've never truly sparred. Last time, you hadn't mastered the Byakugan yet. With your talent, I'm sure you've learned how to use it by now, right?"
Tatsuma raised his own hand, mirroring the Seal of Confrontation. His chakra began to flow with practiced ease; one portion moved to his legs to prep his muscles for high-speed activation, while the other began to refine the latent energy within his cells. He had a rough idea of Chinto's level, but he intended to show him the utmost respect.
With his Byakugan active, Chinto clearly saw the rapid surge of chakra within Tatsuma's body. He nodded. "Sakamoto Tatsuma... let me see just how strong the best of our generation really is!"
Tatsuma wondered if Chinto had caught his habit of dramatic dialogue, but he didn't decline. He smiled just as Chinto lunged forward.
On the engawa of the nearby house, a female Hyuga ninja stepped out. She sat down quietly, watching the two boys in the courtyard.
Chinto closed the distance, his fingers snapping out like spear tips, aiming for the cluster of tenketsu on Tatsuma's chest. Tatsuma's right hand, still in the seal, parried the strike with a smooth deflection. Chinto used the momentum to spin into a back-hand whip, but Tatsuma's elbow was already there to jam the movement.
THUD!
Their chakra-infused limbs collided, creating a shockwave that made their clothes snap in the wind.
"Your progress is immense. Is this what it takes to survive on the battlefield?"
Chinto stepped back, shaking out the numbness in his hand, his gaze heavy. Tatsuma shook his head. "No. This is!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Tatsuma vanished. Even with the Byakugan, Chinto lost sight of him for a split second.
It wasn't that the Byakugan couldn't track the speed; it was that Chinto's brain couldn't process the reaction in time. By the time he located Tatsuma, the boy was already at his side. Tatsuma flowed into his blind spot, his palm surging toward Chinto's face.
SMACK!
There was no "evenly matched" exchange. Chinto was launched into the air, a spray of saliva trailing behind him. Before he could even hit the ground, Tatsuma's voice whispered in his ear.
"If this is all you've got, then stay in school. Don't graduate."
"Damn you!"
Chinto grit his teeth, trying to counter, but before he could regain his center of gravity, he felt his wrist clamped in an iron grip. Tatsuma twisted, pulled, and pushed in a seamless sequence. Chinto became a marionette in his hands, his body forced to move according to Tatsuma's will.
The female ninja watching from the porch felt a surge of surprise. This kind of Taijutsu—manipulating pressure points and joints—was supposed to be the specialty of the Hyuga. Yet Tatsuma, who lacked the Byakugan, was using those very principles to dismantle a Hyuga in his own home.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
What followed was a one-sided beatdown. With the Byakugan active, Chinto could see Tatsuma's every move, yet he couldn't counter. He was trapped in Tatsuma's relentless rhythm, unable to find a single opening to breathe.
Chinto's face flushed with frustration. As the strikes accumulated and the pain began to sear his mind, his Byakugan throbbed, the veins around his eyes turning an even darker shade of purple.
"Stop... stop it!"
Finally, Chinto yielded. But Tatsuma, who hadn't heard the system notification yet, knew Chinto was still full of unvented rage. He continued to rain punches and palms down on the boy. The mounting pain slowly eroded Chinto's focus.
"Waaaaah!"
After one final palm strike to the cheek, Chinto couldn't hold it back anymore. He collapsed and burst into tears. Only then did the system chime in Tatsuma's head.
[Ding! PHY +5, SPD +5, STR +3. Pick up?]
Pick up.
Tatsuma looked down at Chinto, whose head had swollen up like a member of the Akimichi clan. "The battlefield is far more cruel than I am," Tatsuma said coldly. "Your resolve... isn't enough yet."
"WAAAAAH!"
Chinto cried harder. He looked exactly like Kushina had years ago when Tatsuma and Minato blocked her from graduating. Their situations and feelings were remarkably similar.
"Training behind closed doors won't make you the person you imagine yourself to be," Tatsuma added. "If you're willing, come find Minato and me at the Third Training Ground. I... won't disturb you any longer. Goodbye."
Tatsuma turned to leave, but the female Hyuga on the porch suddenly spoke.
"Sakamoto-kun, please wait."
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