"Punch!"
"Punch again!"
"Find the right spot, then punch!"
"You have to find the weakest point of the wooden dummy!"
Inside the Hyuga Clan's training ground.
Hyuga Hiashi was dressed in a loose, dark-colored training outfit, instructing Hinata on the basic principles of the Hyuga Gentle Fist.
However, the more he taught, the more difficult it became for him to suppress his frustration.
Although he had recently noticed that Hinata's appetite had grown significantly, he had made sure to prepare extra portions for her meals.
After eating her fill, Hinata had indeed gained a lot of strength. The palm prints on the wooden dummy were clearly visible, but the placement of her strikes still lacked precision.
This indicated that Hinata's punches still lacked offensive intent.
The Gentle Fist of the Hyuga Clan was not purely soft. Although it wasn't as forceful as a hard fist, it was still extremely lethal. The strikes had to be swift and ruthless to seize the opportunity in battle and inject chakra into the enemy's pressure points.
Yet, Hinata's movements never targeted an enemy's weak spots.
"Hinata! Stop for now!", After observing for a while, Hyuga Hiashi couldn't bear it any longer and called out to stop her in a strict voice.
Hinata had been concentrating wholeheartedly on her training, and this sudden outburst startled her. She shrank her neck like a child who had done something wrong and stood there, waiting for criticism.
Seeing this, Hyuga Hiashi sighed, his anger diminishing by half, though his expression remained severe.
Although his daughter's obedience pleased him, her timid nature was unfit for someone of her status.
Honestly, he didn't expect Hinata to be as outstanding as that Uchiha boy. As long as she met the clan's basic standards, that would be enough.
But right now, even reaching those standards was a long way off.
And the time left for Hinata was running out…
A flicker of struggle flashed through Hiashi's eyes. But even he couldn't resist the fate of the clan.
"Neji, demonstrate it once."
Hyuga Hiashi glanced at Neji, who stood beside him. Without a word, Neji stepped forward to face the wooden dummy.
Hiashi then signaled to Hinata, his tone slightly softer.
"Watch carefully and learn. Your punches need power, need ruthlessness. You must aim for the vital spots, not just perform weak, empty gestures."
Hinata nodded obediently, watching as Neji, with his cold expression, struck the wooden post punch after punch. Her eyes showed admiration and longing.
She also wanted to meet her father's expectations. But every time she trained, the moment she imagined her target as a real person, she couldn't help but hold back her strength and avoid striking vital points.
'Would Aoba-kun be disappointed if he knew this?'
Hinata subconsciously thought of Shirakumo Aoba.
Even though a long time had passed, every time she recalled that night, it still felt as if it had happened just yesterday.
That scene often appeared in her dreams.
It was the first time—
The first time someone stood up to protect her.
The first time someone treated her to delicious ramen.
The first time someone discovered that she actually had a big appetite.
The first times in life always leave a deep impression. And she had experienced so many firsts that night.
So, Hinata got lost in thought.
Both Hyuga Hiashi and Neji noticed her distraction.
Neji's expression remained unchanged, cold and indifferent, as if he didn't care about anything. But the contempt in his eyes deepened.
'This kind of person… is supposed to be the future leader of the main family?'
'Just because of birthright, must I dedicate my life to protecting such a useless waste?'
The thought fueled his resentment, though he suppressed it well. Because a caged bird had no choice.
Hyuga Hiashi also looked displeased, but more than that, he was puzzled.
Hinata had always been well-behaved and diligent in training, never losing focus like this.
But recently, she had been zoning out more and more.
Sometimes during conversations, sometimes while eating, and now even during training.
It was obvious that something was on her mind.
This was something Hiashi couldn't ignore.
'It looks like I need to have a talk with Hinata.'
Making up his mind, he then turned to Neji and said in a deep voice, "That's enough for today. Neji, you can leave."
With Hinata in this state, she wouldn't be able to focus on training. It would be meaningless.
Neji said nothing. Without a word of farewell, he left the training ground, carrying his suppressed hatred.
Hiashi watched Neji's small retreating figure. His shoulders trembled slightly as if restraining his anger.
That boy probably thought he was hiding his emotions well.
Hiashi sighed lightly and looked at his daughter, who was still daydreaming.
Sometimes, he wondered…
If they weren't bound by the clan's strict traditions, would their family be happier?
.
.
.
As time passed, night quietly fell.
Moonlight streamed through the windows.
Hinata sat by Hanabi's cradle, resting her face in her hands, staring blankly at her baby sister.
Her small, cute face was squished by her palms, making her look even more adorable.
Inside the cradle, Hanabi giggled at Hinata's funny face, stretching out her tiny hands, trying to touch her, but her short arms couldn't reach.
Meanwhile, Hinata was thinking about how she could see Shirakumo Aoba again.
"Young Miss, dinner is ready," A maid's voice interrupted her thoughts from outside the door.
"I understand," Hinata quickly responded, snapping back to reality. She reached into the cradle and picked up little Hanabi.
At last, Hanabi's tiny hands touched Hinata's soft cheeks.
She laughed even more joyfully.
Hinata didn't know why Hanabi was so happy, but seeing her little sister's adorable smile, she smiled too.
———
During dinner, after the meal was finished, Hinata finally gathered her courage and made a decision.
"I want to go out tomorrow…"
"Go out?", Both Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Ayako looked surprised.
This was the first time they had ever heard such a request from Hinata.
She was naturally introverted. Forget playing with outsiders, even when meeting other clan members she wasn't familiar with, she would hide behind her father and not dare to greet them.
'Why the sudden desire to go out?'
Seeing her father still in shock, Hinata gripped the hem of her clothes tightly and spoke again.
"Can I… go out for a little while? Just for a little while?", Her soft, gentle voice reached their ears, bringing them back to reality.
Ayako instinctively wanted to agree, but Hiashi stopped her.
He suddenly understood why Hinata had been so absent-minded lately.
Now that she wanted to leave the house, he finally realized.
'Hinata wants to see that boy—Shirakumo Aoba.'
He had originally thought their meeting was just a one-time thing, but he hadn't expected it to have such a lasting impact on Hinata.
"Hinata, have you forgotten how those civilian children almost bullied you last time?", Hiashi intentionally put on a stern face, wanting to see how much determination Hinata had.
"This time, they won't," Hinata shook her head firmly, "I won't be bullied again. This is… this is something I promised him…"
Ayako's eyes lit up with joy. Her precious daughter was finally growing up a little.
Hiashi, on the other hand, felt a sudden pang in his heart.
He could almost see his little cabbage chasing after a pig.
His fingers tightened around his chopsticks, but looking at Hinata's teary eyes, he couldn't bring himself to say no.
"You can go out tomorrow afternoon for a short while. But be back for dinner."
"Thank you, Father!", Hinata's voice was filled with excitement. Even her entire demeanor seemed different.
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