A Battle Between Girls

Hinata and Haku shook their heads as they watched Fini grab handfuls of food and stuff them into her mouth. Should they treat her as a person or a ninja beast? A ninja beast that could do what Fini did was already no different from a human. They had never heard of a ninja beast that could turn into a human, though. That was truly rare.

Issui looked at the food Fini had nearly finished off and said, "Hurry up and eat. Look, Fini's almost finished everything. She never feels full, so as long as there's food, she can keep eating. If you don't eat now, there won't be anything left."

Hinata and Haku had no choice but to pick up their bowls and start eating. There was no reason to let a ninja beast eat everything while they went without. Uh, but could they really treat her as a ninja beast when she was like this? Issui-kun, honestly—he was always bringing home strange things.

Seeing everyone scramble to eat the food, Fini swept all the dishes into her arms. She was hogging it all.

Issui couldn't help tapping her little head. "You can't keep it all to yourself. This isn't your underground home, but the human world on the surface. If you don't behave, I'll send you back."

Hearing that, Fini reluctantly pushed the food in her hands toward everyone, her little lips sticking out in a slight pout.

Hinata and Haku couldn't do anything about it. After all, she had originally been a beast and had never lived among humans. How could she understand sharing with others?

At lunchtime, Issui went with Hinata and the others to the mountain behind the village, saying he wanted to teach Hinata some special moves. Fini hadn't wanted to go, but when she heard Issui was going too, she could only follow. A princess couldn't leave her prince's side.

What Issui taught Hinata was none other than China's great Twenty-Four Forms of Tai Chi. Issui had already adapted the Twenty-Four Forms of Tai Chi: once an enemy entered the Tai Chi Eight Trigrams Domain, all their attacks would slow down, while the attacks of the Twenty-Four Forms of Tai Chi would appear extremely fast and unpredictable to the attacker. In truth, however, the original speed of the Twenty-Four Forms of Tai Chi was not particularly fast. This was the effect of being inside the Eight Trigrams Domain: it neutralized the enemy's attacks and reduced their attack speed, while strengthening and speeding up one's own attacks.

In Issui's view, Tai Chi was like the sand in your desert: strong against the weak, and even stronger against the strong. It also had the characteristic of using an opponent's own techniques against them. This was not the special move of Gusu's Murong Fu family. Murong Fu's technique of using an opponent's own techniques against them was actually Cloud Hands from Tai Chi, but Cloud Hands was merely a starting form in Tai Chi!

Seen in that light, the profound and extensive art of Tai Chi was undoubtedly the founding ancestor of the Gentle Fist. The so-called Hyuga Gentle Fist was fit only to carry Tai Chi's shoes.

Hinata grasped Tai Chi so quickly that Issui was astonished. Then again, Hinata's natural disposition put defense before attack, so Tai Chi was practically tailor-made for her. Not only that, but as Hinata practiced the Twenty-Four Forms of Tai Chi under Issui's guidance, she actually gave her Chakra physical form. When she performed Part the Wild Horse's Mane on Both Sides, for example, two white horses made of Chakra appeared and charged out in opposite directions. Their power was astonishing, and the white horses formed from solidified Chakra were even full of spirit.

Next, to test Hinata's attack power, Issui had Haku fight her.

Issui said to Haku and Hinata, "Both of you, fight each other with your strongest attacks. It'll be fine, but you must both use your full strength. If anything gets dangerous, I'll stop you in time."

Haku and Hinata nodded together, and the fight began.

Hinata took the starting stance of the Gentle Fist and said, "Sister Haku, I've never beaten you in any of our sparring matches before, but this time will be different. Now I have the love Ichi-kun has poured into me. With him watching, I can't allow myself to lose. I want to show him that I can be his helper too, instead of watching him from the sidelines. Besides, I've grown stronger now, and Issui-kun's Twenty-Four Forms of Tai Chi are tailor-made for me. If I don't work hard now, I'll look down on myself. So, Sister Haku, show me your true strength. Don't hold back. I'm not the Hinata who always, forever hid behind Issui-kun anymore."

Haku smiled. "Hinata, you're the most hardworking girl I've ever met. I've watched you improve day by day. When Issui-kun wasn't paying attention to you, you were always asking me to be your training partner. Now you've gained tremendous strength, and I'm sure Issui-kun is very happy too. Come on. This time, I won't hold back. Show me how you've changed, Hinata."

As soon as Haku finished speaking, she darted out of close-combat range. Fighting a Hyuga at close quarters was practically asking to die. Once outside Hinata's reach, Haku immediately flung out several Senbon made of ice. They shot swiftly toward every part of Hinata's body.

This time, Hinata used neither Ninjutsu nor a Secret Technique. She simply activated her Byakugan and dodged the Senbon in rapid succession. Clearly, she had become much more skilled at using her Byakugan. She used it to see the trajectory of every Senbon, then reacted swiftly to dodge them all. In the end, Haku's attacks hadn't even forced Hinata to move from her spot. Hinata was so strong!

Seeing Hinata dodge her attacks, Haku said with a surprised look, "Hinata, didn't you used to use the Substitution Technique or move around to dodge my attacks? How did you get so good? My attacks don't work on you at all now. I was going to break your concentration with a continuous barrage, but it looks like I'll have to think of something else."

Hinata said confidently, "That's because the person I love most is watching me from the sidelines. I won't be a Hinata who only knows how to run away. Besides, the Byakugan is very powerful; you just haven't noticed."

Haku nodded. It looks like Hinata's reactions are fast enough to keep up with my attacks now. She's grown, but I won't be defeated so easily. Water Release-Water Body Flicker Technique!!!

Haku suddenly vanished, then appeared behind Hinata and immediately struck at her back with a palm.

There wasn't a trace of panic on Hinata's face. The tenketsu on her back swiftly released a large amount of Chakra energy, forming a shield. Eight Trigrams Rotation Palm!!!

"Bang..."

Haku, struck by the Rotation Palm, swiftly turned into a puddle of water. It had been a Water Clone! When? Hinata had attacked not the real Haku, but a clone, and the real Haku was probably looking for an opening to unleash a fierce attack.

"Secret Technique-Water Release-Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!!!" Haku appeared swiftly before Hinata.

The water from the Water Clone, shattered by Hinata's Rotation, had been swept up and scattered through the air around her. The instant Rotation stopped, every drop turned into an ice Senbon and shot at Hinata. This was bad. Hinata had just used Rotation and was at the point where she couldn't muster more strength yet. This attack would be hard to dodge.

"Water Release-Water Substitution Technique!!!" Just as she was about to be hit, Hinata's body turned into a stream of water, dodging the enemy's attack.

Hinata had actually learned the Water Substitution Technique. Not bad! When had she learned it? Issui had never known. The girl had grown skilled, making Issui see her in a new light.

"Ice Release Secret Technique-Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!!!" After Hinata dodged the attack, Haku immediately used her Secret Technique to enclose her. Now this was trouble.

A faint, bitter look also appeared on Hinata's face. She had probably suffered quite a bit against this technique before.

Haku's Senbon attacks became faster and more powerful under the Secret Technique. Although Hinata's Byakugan could clearly see the Senbon coming from all 360 degrees, her body's reactions gradually failed to keep up, and her stamina was being drained severely.

Haku unleashed another volley of Senbon.

This time, Hinata didn't dodge with her body. Instead, she used Eight Trigrams Rotation Palm!

Every attack was deflected, and the edge of Rotation nearly reached the mirrors made of ice. Even so, some of the mirrors cracked. If Haku hadn't replenished them with Chakra in time, they probably would have shattered.

"Tai Chi Secret Technique-White Crane Spreads Its Wings!!!" Hinata brought out the twenty forms of Tai Chi she had just learned.

A white crane made of Chakra spread its wings and wrapped them around Hinata's body.

Haku was startled. Her Chakra has actually taken physical form. Let's try attacking it. Haku once again sent a barrage of Senbon flying.

Everyone's eyes widened. The white crane reflected every one of Haku's Senbon back at her. Caught off guard, Haku was hit several times by her own Senbon before quickly diving into a demonic mirror. What a fearsome Tai Chi Secret Technique! At this point, the white crane had only dimmed a little, so it looked capable of withstanding several more attacks.

From the current situation, after Hinata used the Secret Technique White Crane Spreads Its Wings, she had shifted from passive defense to actively waiting for a chance to attack. Whenever Haku launched her Senbon, the white crane would block and reflect them, making it as though Haku were attacking herself. A few more times and she would probably be seriously injured. Hinata, meanwhile, could use her Byakugan to look for an opportunity to attack Haku. The course of the battle had been completely reversed.

Haku now felt a little jealous of Hinata. Issui not only treated Hinata better than he treated her, but had also created such a powerful Secret Technique for her. Hinata had also trained very diligently, but looking at herself, she hadn't made any progress at all. It seemed Hinata was more important to Issui-kun than she was. Then again, Hinata was Issui-kun's true wife in name, while what was she to Issui-kun? Just a helper or a tool? She didn't want things to go on like this. She wanted Issui-kun's love, even if it was only a little. A little would be enough. I'm not greedy.

Seeing the situation, Issui knew Hinata was certain to win; it was only a matter of time. He said, "All right, Haku, Hinata, stop. Hinata wins this round." Hearing Issui, Haku and Hinata both stopped fighting, bringing the battle to an end.

Hinata happily threw her arms around Issui. "I finally won once! I feel like I'm full of tremendous power. Thank you, Issui-kun. I'm so happy. As I thought, you're the husband who treats me best."