61-65

*Chapter 61: Should I Just Lie Down?*

Touji swallowed nervously.

Even with Rock Lee standing between them, he could feel the immense anger radiating from Tenten.

At the moment, Tenten's face was still flushed, but not from embarrassment—it was from sheer rage.

Rock Lee, however, seemed blissfully unaware of the looming danger, continuing to wiggle his hips, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Touji-kun, could you help me buy a bottle of water?"

"Water? Sure, I'll go!"

Just as Rock Lee was about to turn and leave, Tenten grabbed his shoulder.

"Let Touji-kun go!" Tenten spat out each word through gritted teeth.

Touji trembled all over and quickly bolted away.

He hadn't gotten far when he heard cries of pain behind him.

"Ah! Tenten, why are you hitting me?!"

"Shut up!"

Curious, Touji glanced back and saw that Tenten had her arm around Rock Lee’s shoulder, almost as if they were close buddies.

Touji quickly resumed his escape.

"Ten... mmph!"

Touji swallowed hard again, silently mourning for Rock Lee.

Even though he knew it wasn’t Rock Lee's intention, the guy had basically saved him from a tough spot.

From now on, Touji decided he’d be a little nicer to Rock Lee.

Assuming, of course, Rock Lee survived.

About three minutes later, Touji returned to the scene.

By then, Rock Lee was gone, but there were traces of blood on the ground—and quite a bit on Tenten’s fists too.

There were also two drag marks leading away.

Following the trail, Touji could just make out a familiar bowl-cut head resting in the bushes.

"Lee just tripped and hit his head. He’s gone to the medical office," Tenten said, nonchalantly wiping the blood from her hands onto her back.

Touji swallowed again.

Never, under any circumstances, provoke an angry woman—unless you want to catch a glimpse of hell.

"Alright, let’s go! I heard there are thugs around here; it's dangerous!" Tenten urged.

Touji twitched his mouth.

You’re the most dangerous one here! Plus, you’re a ninja—those thugs should be the ones running from you!

But since Tenten seemed eager to flee the "crime scene," Touji saw no reason to object. He just sighed inwardly for Rock Lee.

Once they left, Tenten seemed in better spirits, though she still avoided looking Touji directly in the eye.

After all, she had basically confessed earlier, though Rock Lee had interrupted it.

Thinking about it brought her anger back, and she had half a mind to go back and kick him some more.

Things grew increasingly awkward between the two. Even the smallest of Touji’s movements would make Tenten blush.

Just then, Hiashi Hyuga approached.

"Boy, have you bought your ninja tools? You didn’t forget our agreement, did you?" Hiashi asked sternly.

Touji immediately snapped to attention.

He had completely forgotten about the agreement to train Hiashi and the others in Gentle Fist.

But with everything that had happened recently, it had slipped his mind entirely.

Now, Hiashi’s arrival was the perfect excuse to get out of the situation, so Touji gladly accepted.

"Almost forgot. Let’s head over now!"

"Hmm, and make sure you train Hinata properly. She can’t just wander around aimlessly!" Hiashi said, casting a glance at Tenten.

Since his daughter didn’t seem to know much about relationships, it fell to him, as her father, to nudge things in the right direction.

Of course, this wasn’t about selling his daughter—it was matchmaking!

Touji followed Hiashi to the Hyuga family’s training grounds. Upon arriving, Touji was finally struck by just how wealthy the Hyuga clan really was.

A training ground of five or six hundred square meters occupied only a small corner of their estate, a testament to the clan’s vastness.

Entering the dojo, Touji saw that Neji Hyuga, Hinata Hyuga, and Hanabi Hyuga were already kneeling on the floor, dressed in white training uniforms.

Seeing Hiashi and Touji enter, the trio immediately perked up, though Hanabi seemed visibly annoyed.

"Father, you’re not seriously going to let him train us, are you?" Hanabi muttered.

Hiashi ignored her, seating himself on a nearby mat.

"Touji, since you’ve been away for some time, why not start by assessing their progress?"

Neji’s eyes lit up.

After his crushing defeat at Touji’s hands last time, he had been training intensely, never forgetting that moment of loss.

Now, given the chance to prove himself, there was no way he’d refuse.

Hanabi, too, fell silent.

Touji had made her sister act strange recently. This was the perfect opportunity to teach him a lesson and keep him away from her.

Hinata, however, was conflicted.

Ever since Touji’s pep talk, Hinata had broken through her mental barriers and had been improving rapidly.

But now she was torn—should she actually try to hit Touji during the sparring match? What if she hurt him?

Not that she really believed she could land a hit on him.

But what if? What if she actually defeated him? Would Touji recognize her then?

Touji shrugged indifferently.

Even though all three had improved significantly, he was familiar with each of their moves.

He knew all their techniques, but they knew almost nothing about him.

How could he possibly lose this match? Lose with what?

"So, who’s first?" Touji asked, scanning the room.

Each of them looked eager.

"First? No, I meant you’ll be fighting all three of them!" Hiashi chuckled wickedly.

He had to reclaim some dignity after being bested by Touji last time.

"And no using the Hatake sword style!"

Touji nearly spat out blood.

A three-on-one match without using the Hatake sword style? Was this really about assessing their skills, or just an excuse to have him beaten up?

And judging by the gleam in Hiashi’s eyes, something was definitely off!

"Oh, and you can’t use the Body Flicker Technique either!"

Touji’s face twitched.

If it weren’t for the fact that he couldn’t beat Hiashi, he would’ve thrown him to the ground right there.

This wasn’t a test—it was just setting him up to be pummeled!

"How am I supposed to fight like this? Should I just lie down and let them do whatever they want?"

"Sure!" Hinata and Hanabi chimed in unison.

The sisters’ reactions were very different—Hinata’s face was bright red, while Hanabi’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

"See? If you’re willing to lie down, it could work," Hiashi grinned mischievously.

Touji shot him a glare.

If he lay down now, both his body and spirit would be shattered.

Besides, surrendering without even fighting went against everything Touji stood for.

Beckoning to Neji, Touji called him over, much to Neji’s confusion.

Hinata also stood up and walked over to him.

"Help me take off my weights."

*End of Chapter*

*Chapter 62: Touji Is So Impressive*

"Weight training?"

Hiashi Hyuga frowned immediately.

During Might Guy's training, he added terrifying weights to Rock Lee, something most people couldn’t endure.

But unexpectedly, Touji had also started weight training.

It was important to know that Touji had two major weaknesses before:

One was his lack of chakra, and the second was his insufficient physical strength.

Now that Touji was doing weight training, his strength would increase significantly. His chakra had also noticeably improved, though it hadn't yet reached the average level of a Genin, it was already far beyond that of an ordinary person.

Hiashi Hyuga began to worry.

Touji’s talent could undoubtedly reach Kage-level in the future, possibly even surpass it.

If he wanted to maintain a good relationship with Touji, the best way would be to offer him some assistance along the way.

But so far, the Hyuga clan hadn’t given Touji any help, yet Touji had already given them an extraordinary gift.

Hiashi realized that, at the moment, he had nothing to offer Touji.

The only things that might interest Touji were the Byakugan and his two daughters.

"Maybe I should push for a marriage between them? If he's unhappy, I’ll throw Hanabi into the mix too!"

Hiashi’s eyes lit up, feeling this plan could work.

For the sake of the Hyuga clan’s rise, sacrificing his two daughters seemed like a small price.

However, he still had to consider how to make the marriage a done deal.

While Hiashi was lost in thought, he looked up and saw Hinata kneeling on the ground in a posture that made even him blush slightly.

"Hinata! What are you doing?"

Hiashi's face was filled with anger, but inside, he was quite pleased.

His once timid daughter was finally starting to come around.

"Father, I’m trying to undo Touji’s weights, but I can’t get the clasp undone. Neji taught me to use my teeth..." Hinata said with a hint of frustration.

She was just helping Touji with his weights, so she didn’t understand why her father was so upset.

But when she saw the approving look in Hiashi’s eyes, Hinata became even more confused.

Finally, the weights came off of Touji.

Suddenly, Touji felt lighter all over. His punching speed and reaction time improved dramatically.

"Alright, let’s get started!" Touji said with a smile, gesturing to the three of them.

The three immediately returned to their positions, their auras shifting as they activated their Byakugan.

However, Hinata’s face flushed red, and a thin line of blood trickled from her nose.

"Touji... you’re amazing!"

Although Hinata’s voice was soft, it was so quiet around them that everyone heard her clearly.

"Sister, what’s so amazing about him? He doesn’t look that strong!" Hanabi said innocently, making Hinata’s face turn an even deeper shade of red.

Neji Hyuga frowned slightly, glancing over curiously.

A wave of inferiority washed over Neji.

"Don’t get distracted, prepare for battle!"

Touji stood still, but before he could assume his stance, Hanabi eagerly charged toward him.

"Take this!"

Hanabi was one of the Hyuga clan’s rare talents, having defeated Hinata several years ago. After years of training, her Gentle Fist technique had reached an incredible level.

In fact, Hanabi had once been selected as Hiashi’s successor, so her strength was nothing to scoff at.

Her fists rained down on Touji like a storm.

Despite her small size, each punch was aimed at critical points with deadly precision.

Touji became more focused.

While Hanabi wasn’t as skilled as some others, Touji had never fought against her Gentle Fist technique.

That meant Hanabi was an unpredictable factor.

Hinata and Neji quickly joined in.

Although Touji had been restricted from using his Body Flicker Technique and the Hatake Blade Style, he was still someone who could create miracles. Underestimating him would be a mistake.

Soon, Touji was surrounded by the three of them.

With all of them using their Byakugan, Touji felt like they could see through his entire body, leaving no privacy at all.

"Attack together!" Neji shouted.

The three launched attacks from different angles simultaneously.

The Gentle Fist technique was meant to gradually force opponents into revealing a flaw, eventually leading to their defeat.

With all three directions blocked, there was nowhere for Touji to retreat!

Hiashi's lips curled into a slight smile.

Last time, Touji had embarrassed him, and even caused him to lose face in front of Might Guy, who took full advantage of the situation.

Now, seeing Touji in a bind, Hiashi felt relieved.

But just then, a pale blue chakra began to emanate from Touji’s body, and as it flowed, his body started spinning faster and faster.

Hiashi stood up in shock.

"Rotation! How does this kid know Rotation?"

Rotation, known as the ultimate defense, was rarely mastered even within the Hyuga clan. Yet, not only had Touji learned the Gentle Fist, but he had also mastered Rotation!

Touji spun rapidly, forming a pale blue dome around him.

Neji and Hinata quickly retreated to avoid the attack.

But Hanabi, charging too far ahead, was knocked back.

Hiashi grew anxious.

If the three young prodigies of the Hyuga clan lost to an outsider in the Gentle Fist, it would bring great shame to the clan.

"Neji, Hinata, go! He doesn’t have much chakra left!"

Touji frowned.

He hadn’t expected the old fox Hiashi to coach them from the sidelines.

Was he that desperate not to lose?

But it was true.

Although Touji’s chakra had significantly increased due to his Ice Release, after using Rotation, his chakra reserves were almost back to where they started.

Luckily, one opponent was down, meaning Touji wouldn’t be completely surrounded anymore, giving him more room to maneuver.

"Touji, be careful! I’m coming!" Hinata called out as she launched a punch and palm strike at him.

Her style was much more aggressive than before.

But to Touji, once Hinata threw her first punch, he could predict the position of all her following strikes. There was no danger at all.

Suddenly, Touji felt a chill behind him. He turned to see Neji preparing to unleash his Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.

"Watch out, Touji!" Hinata quickly rushed in front of Touji, mirroring Neji's stance.

"You’re not allowed to hit Touji!"

Where are those recommendation votes, huh?

(Chapter end)

*Chapter 63: The Way of Yin and Yang*

Touji was stunned for a moment, while Neji Hyuga was completely shocked.

"Who's really on whose team here? Is this open rebellion okay?"

Hiashi Hyuga first frowned, then smiled knowingly.

"Hinata has truly grown up," Hiashi said, putting a small pill back into his clothes.

At this moment, Neji's brows furrowed deeply, and a murderous intent started to surface in his eyes.

His father had died to take Hiashi's place, and since childhood, Neji had been nothing but Hinata's bodyguard. Within the Hyuga family, he had no status, and even outside the family, when people learned he was from a branch family, there was no respect.

Some even talked behind his back.

But after Neji demonstrated his strength, those who once looked down on him began to take him seriously. From that moment, Neji realized that in this world, as long as one has power, respect will follow, and it would vindicate the branch family.

Right now, Touji was the only one who could help Neji.

Therefore, Neji wanted to show his strength, his talent, and earn Touji's full approval. But now, even Touji was being stolen away by Hinata.

If you’re going to fight for him, do it at night—daytime belongs to the men!

"Get out of my way!"

"I won’t let you hurt Touji-kun!" Hinata said seriously.

"Then don’t blame me!"

With a cold snort, Neji quickly struck towards Hinata with both hands. Hinata responded immediately, clashing with him using the same technique.

Hiashi Hyuga suddenly stood up.

Neji had exceptional talent. If he were part of the main family, he would undoubtedly be the next clan leader. However, even though Neji had learned the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, which surprised Hiashi, what astonished him more was that Hinata had recently resolved her inner conflict and also learned the technique. It seemed as though the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms had become commonplace.

The only explanation was that Touji had been constantly pushing Hinata, helping her to unlock her potential and open her heart.

But someone as outstanding as Touji would naturally attract many women—such as Tenten and Sakura Haruno. This spurred Hinata into action.

As someone who didn’t excel at conversation, Hinata could only rely on her efforts to keep up with Touji’s pace.

Hiashi smiled. Touji was already considered his son-in-law, and although he initially thought Hinata might resist, it turned out he had overthought things. Now, he just needed to nudge them a little, and their victory was almost assured!

At this point, Hinata and Neji were in a deadlock, fists and palms colliding continuously.

However, it was clear that Hinata was a step behind—sweat was forming on her forehead, and her footwork was faltering. It was the prelude to collapse.

Touji frowned deeply.

Others might not know, but Touji was very aware that Hinata was the daughter of a god of death. Anyone who hurt her would not meet a good end.

Though Neji was a bit proud, aside from that, he wasn’t a bad person.

Without hesitation, Touji rushed towards them.

"What is this kid doing!" Hiashi, who had just sat down, stood up again.

Touji’s intentions were clear—he wanted to stop the fight between the two.

But it was precisely because of this that Hiashi found it unbelievable. At this point, both Neji and Hinata were fully engaged in the battle, seeing only each other as opponents.

If Touji recklessly intervened, it would be like jumping into a meat grinder, torn apart instantly.

Though this might sound exaggerated, the speed of both combatants had reached its peak.

Even Hiashi himself would struggle to get out unscathed.

"Kid, come back! It’s dangerous!"

Touji completely ignored Hiashi’s warning and jumped between the two.

Immediately, he felt immense pressure. Both were using the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, doubling the attacks, but without doubling the fun.

Hanabi Hyuga, who had just gotten up from the ground, also looked at Touji in disbelief.

Her first thought was: "This guy is an idiot."

Her second thought was: "This guy isn’t as weak as I thought."

【Ding! Hanabi Hyuga’s favorability increased by five points! Current favorability: 53 points! You can now sign in!】

"Sign in Hanabi Hyuga!" Touji gritted his teeth and muttered in his heart.

【Ding! Hanabi Hyuga’s sign-in successful! Acquired Gentle Fist! Favorability increased by five points! Current favorability: 58 points!】

【Ding! Since you already possess Gentle Fist, the lower-level technique has been upgraded to a higher level!】

Touji felt a sudden hum in his head, as if a switch had been flipped. His understanding of the Gentle Fist seemed to have reached a new height. It was no longer just a simple Gentle Fist—it had touched upon something deeper.

Yin and Yang!

Touji’s first thought was of the legendary Taiji Fist created by the Daoist Master Zhang Sanfeng.

Taiji Fist focuses on using softness to overcome hardness, much like the principles of the Gentle Fist. However, Taiji Fist also embodies the way of Yin and Yang.

Touji took a deep breath, ecstatic.

Though the two techniques were only similar, that was enough!

He began to perform the Gentle Fist.

Touji’s movements were incredibly slow, as if he were an old man practicing in the park during a morning exercise.

However, Hinata and Neji’s flurry of strikes were all effortlessly blocked.

Moreover, Touji used their own force to counterattack.

Hiashi watched in disbelief, his heart surging like a storm.

"Hanabi! Drive everyone out! Today’s events must not be spread!"

Hanabi looked at her father, puzzled and unwilling.

She felt that just by watching Touji’s technique for a few more minutes, her bottleneck in the Gentle Fist could be broken.

With more observation, Hanabi was confident that she could surpass the current limits of the Hyuga family’s techniques, perhaps even create her own style!

"Hanabi! What are you doing? Hurry!" Hiashi almost shouted.

For in Touji, Hiashi saw hope. Not just for revitalizing the Hyuga clan, but for making it the strongest family in the ninja world.

However, if word of this got out, other ninja villages—and even the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi—would never allow Touji to continue existing.

Therefore, every witness today must be silenced, even if they were family.

【Ding! Hiashi Hyuga’s favorability increased by fifteen points! Current favorability: 98 points! You can now sign in!】

—End of Chapter—

*Chapter 64: The Second Kekkei Genkai*

Touji was startled by the sudden surge in Hyuga Hiashi's affection level.

Generally, the further you progress, the harder it becomes to increase someone's affection. But just now, Hiashi's affection for him had increased by 15 points all at once.

His affection was now nearing 100 points.

"Sign in with Hyuga Hiashi!"

*Ding! Hyuga Hiashi sign-in successful! You've acquired the Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms! Affection increased by 2 points! Current affection is 100 points! Sign-in available!*

*Ding! Congratulations to the host for maxing out Hyuga Hiashi's affection level! You've gained the title 'Beloved Son-in-law' and unlocked Infinite Sign-in (7-day intervals)! You may now sign in!*

Touji was overjoyed.

He hadn't expected Hyuga Hiashi's affection to max out so quickly.

This meant there was now a chance to acquire the Byakugan, a Kekkei Genkai!

"Sign in with Hyuga Hiashi!"

*Ding! Hyuga Hiashi sign-in successful! You've acquired the Body Flicker Technique! No further affection can be gained as the limit has been reached!*

*Ding! Since you already possess the Body Flicker Technique, it has been upgraded to a higher level!*

*Ding! Hyuga Hiashi sign-in successful! You've acquired the Byakugan Kekkei Genkai! No further affection can be gained as the limit has been reached! The next sign-in will be available in 6 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 58 seconds!*

Touji was momentarily stunned.

He hadn’t expected to actually acquire the Byakugan.

And not just any Byakugan, but Hyuga Hiashi's!

However, Touji wasn't particularly eager to obtain the Byakugan, as its white eyes were too conspicuous. A pair of snow-white pupils would make him stand out wherever he went.

Moreover, suddenly gaining the Byakugan could lead to suspicion from the Hyuga clan.

As Touji's mind wandered, a sharp pain suddenly shot through his eyes.

It felt as if countless diligent ants were biting at his eyeballs.

Due to the intense pain, Touji stopped practicing the Gentle Fist.

But Hyuga Neji and Hyuga Hinata didn’t stop and continued to attack him.

Hiashi trembled as he watched.

Touji was the key to revitalizing the Hyuga clan and Konoha. Any harm to him was unacceptable.

Hiashi quickly used the Body Flicker Technique to rush over.

But in his haste, he only managed to block two palms, while the other two struck Hiashi himself.

Hiashi spat out a mouthful of blood.

Both Neji and Hinata finally snapped out of it, but when they saw their hands had struck Hiashi, their faces turned pale.

Neji, in particular, felt a chill run down his spine.

As a member of the branch family, Neji had just struck the head of the main family. If Hiashi held him accountable, his life would be forfeit.

Worse still, the branch family might suffer severe punishment because of him, potentially with even fewer rights than they had now.

Fear gripped Neji, and his hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

Though Hinata was Hiashi's daughter, she had never been favored, especially after being defeated by Hanabi.

Now, seeing her hand land on her imposing father, she couldn’t help but feel frightened.

However, upon seeing Touji lying on the ground, clutching his eyes in pain, Hinata rushed over to him, forgetting about Hiashi.

"Neji! Close your Byakugan and go home. No one is allowed to talk about today. If word gets out, the branch family will have no reason to exist!"

Neji’s heart sank, and he quickly deactivated his Byakugan.

He didn’t even dare to argue.

Neji had never seen Hiashi this terrifying before.

Those eyes seemed ready to devour him.

Neji had the distinct feeling that Hiashi was serious this time.

If anyone leaked information, Hiashi would likely uproot the entire branch family.

Neji felt utterly stifled.

As long as the Caged Bird Seal existed, the lives of the branch family rested in Hiashi's hands.

Without a word, Neji quickly left the dojo.

He didn’t dare to open his Byakugan, nor even his eyes, as he ran out.

Neji had no idea what needed to be kept secret, but since Hiashi had ordered it, everything that had happened in the dojo had to remain undisclosed.

For his own sake, and for the sake of the branch family!

After Neji left, Hiashi still wasn’t at ease. Ignoring the blood at the corner of his mouth, he activated his Byakugan.

Only when he confirmed that the three of them were alone did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Hiashi quickly shut the dojo door, only to hear frantic knocking from outside.

"Father, please let me in!"

"No! No one is allowed in today. You’ll wait outside, and don’t let anyone in, not even the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen! And turn off your Byakugan. No peeking!"

Hanabi pouted, feeling wronged.

Her father had sent her to clear the area, and now he wouldn’t let her back in.

But the image of Touji’s Gentle Fist moves still danced in her mind.

Just one more look!

Hanabi secretly activated her Byakugan.

"Father, look at Touji's eyes!" Hinata cried out anxiously.

Hiashi’s heart skipped a beat.

Touji was a treasure, a rare gem who could change the rules of the Hyuga clan.

Even the slightest injury to him would cause Hiashi immense distress.

But when Hiashi saw Touji’s eyes, his heart raced again.

"Byakugan!"

Hiashi couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Although Touji’s pupils still had a hint of black, the black was fading, and soon, his eyes would fully become Byakugan.

Hyuga children were born with Byakugan. Unlike other Kekkei Genkai, Byakugan didn’t need to be activated later in life, unlike the Uchiha’s Sharingan, which required strong emotional stimuli for activation.

But Byakugan didn’t need that.

Every Hyuga child could activate Byakugan at birth.

However, Touji was currently in the process of activating his Byakugan!

"No, this isn’t activation... it's evolution!"

Normally, when a Hyuga child first activated Byakugan, its power was quite weak, and they couldn’t even see through clothing.

It required training to enhance their vision over time.

But even though Touji hadn’t fully awakened his Byakugan yet, Hiashi could sense that the strength of his vision was already comparable to his own.

Touji's newly awakened Byakugan already had the power of one trained for decades. This both excited and terrified Hiashi.

"Should I use the Caged Bird Seal?"

Hiashi quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought.

For some reason, Hiashi felt an unprecedented fondness for Touji, even greater than his affection for his own daughter.

He even felt that Touji was more important than the Hyuga clan and Konoha itself.

"It might be better to bind him with Hinata... and the one outside peeking in. Since she saw it, she’ll be included."

*Author’s note:* Fourth update today! Please vote for me!

*Chapter 65: Saw Something I Shouldn't Have*

The sharp pain in his eyes gradually subsided, and Touji slowly opened them.

The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was Hinata Hyuga, who was crying.

Additionally, Touji felt the back of his head resting on something soft, clearly not the tatami mat.

"Touji-kun, you're finally awake!" Hinata Hyuga exclaimed happily.

"What? Touji's awake?"

With a rush of excitement, Hiashi Hyuga's face appeared above Touji.

Hiashi’s expression was unusually excited, as if it wasn’t Touji lying on the ground but his own son.

At this moment, Touji started noticing something different about himself.

Things that were previously unclear were now perfectly visible without any effort. Even things far away were in sharp focus.

It finally dawned on Touji.

When he had checked in with Hiashi Hyuga, he had received the Byakugan, the Hyuga clan's bloodline limit.

But this also made Touji anxious.

The Byakugan, exclusive to the Hyuga clan, was strictly forbidden to outsiders. If it were discovered, he'd face relentless pursuit by the Hyuga clan.

After all, every Byakugan is tied to a member of the Hyuga's main family.

Though Touji had obtained his eyes through a system, he was still worried Hiashi might suddenly lash out and gouge them out.

But judging by Hiashi's overjoyed expression, it didn't seem like he had any such intentions.

"Touji, how are you feeling? Can you activate the Byakugan?"

"Um, let me try..."

Following Hiashi's instructions, Touji gathered chakra into his eyes and softly called out.

"Byakugan!"

Touji felt the veins around his eyes bulge, and the entire scene around him became clear.

He could even see through the walls without a problem.

It was true 360-degree vision without any blind spots.

"This is incredible!"

Touji blushed with embarrassment and coughed awkwardly several times.

Hiashi, clearly understanding, chuckled and patted Touji's shoulder.

"It's natural to be curious at first, but remember to respect people's privacy. But if it's my two daughters you're looking at with the Byakugan, well, that's another story..."

Touji coughed again.

Who sells out their own daughters like this? Touji even started questioning whether Hinata and Hanabi were Hiashi’s biological daughters.

Hiashi’s way of speaking was dangerous!

Touji quickly deactivated his Byakugan.

Though his Byakugan was a perfect fit for his body and didn't consume much chakra, it still required some energy.

Plus, Touji had used the Heavenly Rotation technique earlier, leaving his chakra reserves nearly depleted.

He had no desire to experience the pain of running out of chakra again.

Besides, having the Byakugan made it easy to commit crimes. If he were going to use it, it had better be somewhere private!

Feeling the power of Touji's Byakugan, Hiashi grew even more excited.

It was just as he had suspected.

Touji had just activated his Byakugan, and yet its power was already on par with his own. Touji's future potential was limitless.

However, as much as Hiashi was impressed with Touji’s Byakugan, he was more interested in Touji's Gentle Fist technique.

Previously, Touji’s Gentle Fist had been at the threshold, just one step away from mastering it. That last step, though small, had stumped the entire Hyuga clan.

But just now, Touji had broken through the limit, stepping into an entirely new realm—one the Hyuga clan had never reached.

"Touji, can you demonstrate the Gentle Fist again?"

Touji didn’t understand why Hiashi was so excited, but since he asked, Touji didn’t refuse.

"Sure!"

"Wait!" Hiashi suddenly interrupted just as Touji was about to demonstrate. He turned toward the door and called out:

"Stop using the Byakugan. Come in and watch! After all, we're all family now. I'll keep an eye on anyone outside."

Touji was baffled.

Does having the Byakugan automatically make you family? The Hyuga family really has an interesting way of thinking.

The dojo doors slowly opened, revealing a smiling Hanabi Hyuga. Her smile quickly turned into a pout, her cheeks puffing out in displeasure.

With all three gathered, Touji began demonstrating the Gentle Fist.

His movements were slow and the techniques simple, ones that even a senior citizen could easily grasp.

But to Hiashi, Touji’s fists held an indescribable quality—something profound and mysterious.

No matter how hard Hiashi tried, he couldn’t grasp the essence of it.

Still, even with that, Hiashi could feel his own Gentle Fist making rapid progress. If he practiced it a few more times, he could definitely break through, perhaps even create a technique more refined than the Gentle Fist.

But compared to Touji’s current Gentle Fist, nothing else seemed satisfying.

"Why did you stop?" Hiashi asked anxiously when he noticed Touji had halted.

Touji sighed and explained, "I'm done."

"That was fast! Do it again! I haven't seen enough!"

Feeling helpless, Touji shrugged and started the Gentle Fist again.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

...

By the tenth time, Hiashi couldn't sit still anymore.

No matter how he looked at it, something seemed to be missing.

"Touji, spar with me!"

"I've already done it ten times. I don't have the energy left!" Touji rolled his eyes.

Exhaustion was one thing, but the bigger issue was that Hiashi’s ability to appreciate martial arts was lacking.

If Hiashi got embarrassed and started using chakra again, Touji would be the one to suffer.

So Hiashi had officially been blacklisted from sparring with Touji.

"You're right. Go rest before you overexert yourself," Hiashi said, looking concerned.

"Do you have any colored contact lenses, Hiashi-sama? The kind that cover the pupils," Touji asked after hesitating for a moment.

Although gaining the Byakugan had greatly increased his strength, it also brought a lot of trouble.

Even though Hiashi might not hold it against him, outsiders certainly wouldn’t be so lenient.

Especially Hiruzen Sarutobi—if he learned that Touji had the Byakugan, he’d stop at nothing to eliminate him.

And then there was the risk of encountering people who wanted to steal his eyes.

Most importantly, having the Byakugan made it harder to gain favor with others.

So Touji had to conceal it.

Hiashi thought for a moment and then nodded.

"You're right. Being exposed wouldn't be good. But I don't have any on hand. You can rest in Hinata's room tonight, and I'll personally bring you some tomorrow."

"Father, don't you already have—" Hinata started to say but was quickly silenced by a sharp look from Hiashi. Pouting, she stopped talking.

Touji closed his eyes and, holding Hinata's hand, left the dojo.

Hiashi sighed, shaking his head as he pulled a pill out of his pocket.

"Foolish child."

---

*End of Chapter*