Hyuga Sho, You're in Big Trouble

For Hyuga Sho, the Training Machine,

imitating a few moves and stances was not difficult.

What was difficult was muscle exertion.

Fortunately, Hyuga Sho possessed the Hyuga Clan's "Byakugan," allowing him to see through muscles to a certain extent.

Although, due to the Side Effect of the Caged Bird, he could not see through chakra pathways during battle,

seeing the layers of muscle exertion was enough to imitate the "Rigid Fist."

"Hyuga Sho, that guy Hyuga Sho... when did he learn the 'Leaf Whirlwind'...?"

Hyuga Suetsuchi stood in the doorway, dumbfounded.

Although the Hyuga Clan did not think much of other Taijutsu and even looked down on the Rigid Fist,

Hyuga Suetsuchi was still astonished by the Taijutsu Hyuga Sho had acquired.

Hyuga Sho, who had long Detected the two standing at the door, turned around and stared at Hyuga Suetsuchi. "Do you know why you always lost to me before?"

Mentioning it made Hyuga Suetsuchi furious. "Of course it was because of all your little tricks!"

"Actually... there is one thing you got right."

Hyuga Sho shook his head.

"We really are different, because I am even more talented than you."

"!"

Hyuga Suetsuchi's eyes widened as he stood there, looking as though he had gone stupid.

Of course, from his perspective, Hyuga Sho was the one who looked like an idiot.

Hyuga Sho did not care and continued, "I have a special talent for combat. No matter what Taijutsu it is, as long as I watch it once or a few times, I can learn it quickly. That is something you cannot compare to at all."

Actually,

Hyuga Sho had no need to explain himself to Suetsuchi.

But thinking of the future, when he would gradually "reveal" himself, it was necessary to lay the groundwork in advance.

Just like the "hardworking persona" he had built over two months at the Ninja Academy.

"Sho-kun..."

Hyuga Natsu listened to Hyuga Sho's words and looked at his handsome, confident face.

Her Cheeks flushed, and a happy smile appeared on her lips.

She was happy for Hyuga Sho.

Seeing Hyuga Natsu like this,

Hyuga Suetsuchi could not take it anymore!

"I don't believe it!"

With a furious shout, he rushed forward, intending to spar with Hyuga Sho.

Yet Hyuga Sho used exactly the same moves as him, as though he had been perfectly copied.

Gentle Fist clashed against Gentle Fist.

Hyuga Suetsuchi was knocked back.

After stumbling back several steps, he gritted his teeth and lunged forward again.

"Eight Trigrams Two Palms!"

"Eight Trigrams Two Palms!"

They struck out at the same time, and blue Ki swirls suddenly appeared.

"Eight Trigrams Four Palms!" x2.

"Eight Trigrams Eight Palms!" x2.

Knocked back once more, Hyuga Suetsuchi wore an expression as though he had seen a ghost. "Y-you're exactly the same as me?!"

Then,

he shook his head fiercely.

"B-Bakana... you're just imitating me!"

"Sigh..."

Hyuga Sho sighed.

"I have actually been holding back all this time so I would not discourage you. But now the Main Family needs our protection, so I have no choice but to step up."

Seeing Hyuga Sho putting on such an arrogant act,

Hyuga Suetsuchi only felt that he was utterly shameless.

He did not want to believe it.

But everything that had just happened forced him to believe.

Not only did the other person's moves look identical, but after exchanging blows, he had felt that even the force Hyuga Sho exerted was exactly the same as his.

This was definitely not something as simple as taking a few peeks and merely imitating movements.

"How could anyone have such a talent? That is too shameless!"

Hyuga Suetsuchi was consumed by envy, jealousy, and resentment.

Then he threw back his head and roared.

"Damn it! Why don't I have such a shameless talent?!"

"Stop yelling. Everyone is resting."

Hyuga Sho dug at his ear, his face full of disgust.

"Get going. I still need to train. And... don't come bother me again."

At last,

Hyuga Sho watched Hyuga Suetsuchi's dejected back as he left, smiled, and went inside.

"Sho-kun, this is wonderful. No one will dare call you a Dead Last ever again."

Hyuga Natsu entered the house with him and spoke to Hyuga Sho.

"Yeah, I am actually very strong."

Hyuga Sho nodded as he clenched his fist.

"Although my physical aptitude is inferior to those geniuses, I work hard, and I also have talent in combat."

The hardworking type plus the combat type.

Hyuga Sho continued shaping his persona in that direction, guiding everyone's impression of him.

Once he grew stronger, others would find it only natural.

"Hm?"

The next second, Hyuga Sho frowned as a feeling of being Peeking upon surged into his heart.

"Byakugan!"

Right in front of Hyuga Natsu, Hyuga Sho activated his Byakugan.

In an instant, he discovered a furtive figure.

"Who is it?!"

Hyuga Sho ran outside, leaped onto the wall in one bound, and then...

found himself staring eye to eye with Morino Ibiki.

"You..."

"Heh heh, what a coincidence."

The large man wearing a headscarf and a black coat greeted Hyuga Sho in a muffled voice.

As his next challenge target,

Hyuga Sho did not understand why Morino Ibiki had come to spy on him in the middle of the night instead of sleeping.

"Don't misunderstand."

Morino Ibiki looked serious, but that only made him look even less like a good person.

"I was merely investigating something."

He beckoned to Hyuga Sho.

The two jumped down from the wall and turned into a small alley beside it.

"I recently discovered that someone has been secretly spying on your Hyuga Clan."

Morino Ibiki said something improper with a perfectly serious expression.

"You?" Hyuga Sho asked.

"..."

The corner of Morino Ibiki's mouth twitched.

With both hands tucked into his black coat pockets, Morino Ibiki began pacing.

His strength ranked among the top students in the class.

During the entrance examination, the teacher had said that if Morino Ibiki became a Special Jonin, he would likely possess overwhelming strength within that rank.

In other words, Morino Ibiki was talented.

And he was far more talented than Shiranui Genma and the others.

"My dream is to become a member of the Konoha Torture Department..."

Morino Ibiki presented the back of his head to Hyuga Sho.

Although he had hair,

Hyuga Sho always had the illusion that Morino Ibiki was a huge bald man.

"Because I like 'solving cases,' tracking every clue, and challenging difficult tasks. I also like interrogating enemies for intelligence..."

Hyuga Sho said, "Oh."

"Although I am not yet a member of the Torture Department, I am willing to work toward it, even if I am still only an Academy Student!"

Morino Ibiki turned around and looked seriously at Hyuga Sho.

You are in trouble.

Your Hyuga Clan is in big trouble.

That was what his gaze seemed to say.

"Hyuga Sho," Ibiki called out Hyuga Sho's name.

"What?"

"I dare guarantee that someone has set their sights on your Hyuga Clan..."