Testing

"Do you think she will be a suitable candidate?"

Yuzuru Hyuga pondered, his fingers tapping against the desk.

Hizashi Hyuga, however, was not nearly as burdened with worry as he was. He simply sat to one side, calmly observing his son.

It was rare to see him so uncertain, and Hizashi found it quite amusing.

"Of course."

"If she wanted to harm you, then with the information she possessed, there was no need for her to step forward now. She could have waited until your plan advanced and then found an opening."

"By coming forward so directly, if you were ruthless enough, you could even use her words as an excuse to kill her outright. In my view, Kaoru is highly credible."

Hizashi Hyuga set down the scroll in his hand.

It contained all the information on Kaoru Hyuga that he had gathered through his trusted subordinates.

"Solitary and aloof."

"Low-key and inconspicuous."

"A pitiful girl, as quiet as air."

"She seems to like Young Master Yuzuru."

Hizashi Hyuga read aloud, line by line, the clan members' impressions of Kaoru Hyuga.

He emphasized the final line in particular.

Yuzuru Hyuga turned to look at his father speechlessly. "Father."

"She always likes secretly following Young Master Yuzuru around."

"I've always thought she was a gloomy sort."

"Every day, she spaces out along the routes Young Master Yuzuru takes when he goes out."

"She is not diligent at all, wasting her talent as a ninja."

Hizashi Hyuga continued reading, always emphasizing the more suggestive entries.

Yuzuru Hyuga pretended not to hear, but it brought back many memories.

No wonder Kaoru Hyuga had always felt both unfamiliar and familiar to him.

The unfamiliarity came from the fact that she had never once taken the initiative to speak to him.

Yet she felt familiar because, in his memories, she truly appeared far too often.

When he went out, when he returned home after school, when he headed to the training grounds, when he chatted with others.

Thinking back carefully, it seemed that in all those ordinary scenes, he could always catch sight of Kaoru Hyuga in the background.

She never looked directly at him. She merely seemed to be doing something nearby "by chance."

Wait, wasn't that even more terrifying?

"Her mother died early, and her father was rarely home. Now, she can only rely on herself to survive. Lacking warmth and guidance, it is only natural that she sees things differently from you." Seeing Yuzuru Hyuga lost in thought, Hizashi Hyuga could not help explaining a little on Kaoru Hyuga's behalf.

In Hizashi Hyuga's eyes, Yuzuru Hyuga had perhaps been frightened by that little girl's enthusiasm. No matter how mature he was for his age, he could not possibly understand romantic feelings between men and women without being taught.

But Yuzuru Hyuga knew there was no misunderstanding at all.

"Don't misunderstand. In any case, I understand."

"Starting tomorrow, train her as a guard."

"We can discuss the rest later. A person with overly extreme emotions is a double-edged sword. I have to ensure the blade does not wound me. Besides, someone with emotions but no ability is of little use to us. There is no need to rush. First, we will see what she is capable of, then make plans."

Seeing Yuzuru Hyuga's expression, Hizashi Hyuga knew that he had already made up his mind. Still, he could not help feeling conflicted at the coldness in his words.

Yuzuru Hyuga rose to his feet, taking the initiative to end the day's conversation. "That settles it. I will personally teach and evaluate her."

After leaving the room, Yuzuru Hyuga lifted his head and looked toward the bright moon.

It seemed he was not the only bird yearning to spread his wings and soar.

But as a rational person, Yuzuru Hyuga would never place his hopes in someone else as Kaoru Hyuga had.

In this world, the only thing forever worthy of trust was one's own strength.

After returning to his room, Yuzuru Hyuga did not dwell on it for long and soon fell asleep.

After waking, he went to the Main House for two hours of "private tutoring," just as he had agreed with the Hyuga elder.

Today, the Hyuga elder finally taught him something worthwhile: the Main House's secret art, Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm.

But regrettably, Yuzuru Hyuga no longer needed it.

In fact, just as he learned the secret technique, the system sent a notification:

Detected a high degree of overlap between Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm (A) and Gentle Fist: Little Divine Air Strike (A). Spend free experience points to fuse the two skills?

Spent 7,982 free experience points.

Fusion complete.

Gentle Fist: Little Divine Air Strike (A): Level 5 (4782/8000)

Just like that, the experience of Little Divine Air Strike surged forward, while the skill itself received a slight enhancement, becoming even more suited to the Byakugan-based combat system.

But that was all.

Yuzuru Hyuga controlled the pace of his "practice," gradually channeling his Gentle Fist according to the method of Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm. He performed well enough that he needed neither guidance nor supervision.

The Hyuga elder was extremely satisfied, even fired up enough to want to train Yuzuru Hyuga for another hour. Yet Yuzuru Hyuga found an excuse to decline and headed home.

Even if he was training, would training at home not yield far more than putting on a low-efficiency act under the elder's watchful eye?

However, the moment Yuzuru Hyuga entered the Branch House, he could not help stopping.

Looking to the side, he saw Kaoru Hyuga standing respectfully at the entrance, seemingly having waited for quite some time.

Today, she was still wearing a white dress. She looked more like an ordinary, delicate girl than a ninja. Upon seeing Yuzuru Hyuga, she lowered her head in a bow and softly said, "Welcome home, Lord Yuzuru."

"Mm."

Yuzuru Hyuga's gaze lingered on her face for a moment. Kaoru Hyuga merely gave him a gentle smile that was both respectful and warm. When he turned and began walking, she naturally followed behind him toward the house. Whenever they encountered acquaintances along the way, she simply explained with a faint smile that she had been chosen as Young Master Yuzuru's guard.

Thus, everyone revealed amused yet puzzled smiles.

"A guard?"

However, as they began considering the question more deeply, they suddenly realized the matter might not be as simple as they had assumed.

How strong was Kaoru Hyuga?

After thinking carefully, everyone fell silent. Whether they asked friends around them or searched their own memories, not one person knew what kind of strength Kaoru Hyuga currently possessed.

Upon arriving home, Yuzuru Hyuga did not stop and headed straight for the training grounds.

"This is my first time coming in here."

The moment she stepped into the training grounds, Kaoru Hyuga could not help sighing.

Her eyes curiously surveyed the training grounds before finally settling on an iron-reinforced hardwood humanoid target that had been battered crooked and misshapen.

"Kaoru, is it alright if I call you that?"

Yuzuru Hyuga asked first.

Kaoru Hyuga shook her head. Her gaze shifted to Yuzuru Hyuga and did not move away again. "Of course. Rather, I would be very happy if you called me that."

Her smile was sincere, but Yuzuru Hyuga merely looked at her calmly. "Attack me. Use all your strength."

"Yes!" Kaoru Hyuga's expression turned more serious.

She first looked down at her dress with a hint of regret, then tore open the hem. The dress looked beautiful on her and fit her well, but it was not necessarily suitable for combat.

Then Kaoru Hyuga raised her head, her eyes carrying a trace of impatience. "Young Master Yuzuru, may I make my move?"

Yuzuru Hyuga merely looked at her calmly. "Please give it everything you have. Do not disappoint me."