What Binds You Is More Than Just the Caged Bird

As always, Yamei left the training ground to escort Ino and Hinata home. This time, though, he had two extra little followers behind him: Naruto and Sasuke.

Naruto often pestered Yamei to take him along after seeing how diligently he trained.

As for Sasuke, he had followed Yamei entirely because of Itachi's hint. But after reaping some benefits from Yamei, he had become willing to do so of his own accord.

Over the past two years, the Art of a Hundred Refinements had undergone some special improvements.

Because of Hinata, Yamei had obtained the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms and incorporated it into the Art of a Hundred Refinements, so he taught it in two different forms.

The version he taught Hinata included the Eight Trigrams Palms, while the version taught to Ino, Naruto, and the others did not.

By now, Ino and the other three were no weaker than chunin in taijutsu. Perhaps only their physical conditioning still lagged behind.

At the same time, Ino had completely mastered her clan's secret Mind Transfer Jutsu, so Yamei taught her the derived Secret Technique: Empathy.

Ino had been shocked for quite a while. This secret technique was far too similar to those of the Yamanaka Clan, yet the Yamanaka Clan had no corresponding records of it.

Sasuke and Naruto were in an entirely different league as well.

Compared to the original timeline, not only had the two learned the Art of a Hundred Refinements and developed formidable taijutsu, Yamei had also taught them several ninjutsu.

Yamei had figured out the Rasengan, a technique whose training principles were basically known and could be developed by anyone talented enough. He taught it to Naruto, along with Wind Style: Thousand Faces Wind.

Unfortunately, Yamei did not know the technique behind the Great Spiraling Ring. Otherwise... that was a Rasengan on par with the Super Heavenly Hand of Pain!

The ninjutsu he taught Sasuke were Lightning Style: Lightning Ball and Lightning Style: Chasing Fang.

He had acquired Lightning Style: Chasing Fang with Magic Hand when he ran into one of Yūhi Kurenai's friends while shopping on the street with her.

It was a pity Kakashi was still in the Anbu, so Yamei could not meet him. Otherwise, Kakashi had quite a few powerful ninjutsu.

"Yamei, I'm home. Bye-bye!" Ino waved goodbye to Yamei in front of the Yamanaka Clan residence.

"Bye-bye."

Only after watching Ino enter did Yamei look at Hinata. "Let's go."

"Mhm." Hinata lowered her head shyly.

Since Sasuke and Naruto had parted ways with them after returning to the street, only Hinata and Yamei were left alone.

Although this had been the case most of the time over the past two years, Hinata still felt embarrassed.

Seeing the bashful little girl, Yamei could not help reaching out and rubbing her little head, making Hinata's face turn even redder.

When they reached the Hyuga Clan grounds, Yamei saw someone standing quietly across from them.

When that person saw Yamei and Hinata appear, he walked over.

"N-Neji..." Hinata raised her eyes.

Neji merely glanced at Hinata before turning his gaze to Yamei. "You're the one who taught Hinata taijutsu?"

"Neji... I-I was the one who asked Yamei to train with me!" Hinata stepped forward and said.

"Shut up!" Neji turned his head and shouted angrily.

Hinata's little face went pale. She wanted to say something more, but Yamei pulled her behind him protectively.

The gentle smile vanished from Yamei's face. He stared coldly at Neji. "Hyuga Neji? One of the Hyuga Clan's rare geniuses?"

"So what?" Neji said, looking at Hinata behind Yamei. He said coldly, "As the Hyuga Clan's heir, you actually learned taijutsu from an outsider. That is a disgrace to the Hyuga Clan!"

"I..."

Hinata opened her mouth, but before she could speak, the surrounding space abruptly changed.

"The Hyuga Clan's taijutsu? Perhaps it is indeed impressive, but... in my eyes, it is nothing special."

"Don't you look down on my taijutsu?" Yamei turned to Hinata. "Hinata, can you defeat him for me and prove my taijutsu?"

Looking into those expectant eyes, Hinata's gaze gradually became firm. She nodded. "Yamei, I-I'll do my best!"

With that, Hinata stepped out from behind Yamei and confronted Neji. "Neji, please teach me."

Neji was stunned by the scene before him. Hinata now... truly exceeded his expectations! She actually dared to face him head-on!

But the moment he thought of his father and all that injustice, his resentment toward the main family surged up again.

"You were never my match before. Do you really think learning from someone else for a while means you can defeat me?"

"Byakugan, activate!!"

Neji shouted, his body flashing forward like lightning as he unleashed the Gentle Fist!

"Byakugan, activate!"

Hinata activated her Byakugan as well, striking out with the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms in a single second!

Neji's expression changed abruptly, and he responded with the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms as well!

But at the instant they made contact, Hinata suddenly changed moves! She twisted aside at an odd angle to evade him, then kicked out at the same time!

The Art of a Hundred Refinements, which fused Uchiha Style Taijutsu, Hyuga Clan taijutsu, and various unknown taijutsu styles, was filled with diverse techniques and fighting styles!

Neji barely managed to block it. Their figures crossed, and in an instant, they had exchanged more than a dozen moves!

They appeared evenly matched, but Yamei, who had been watching all along, knew that Neji... was no match for her!

And that was with Hinata still holding back! Otherwise, Neji would have fallen even faster!

After all, Neji had not yet graduated from the Ninja Academy. His combat experience was not particularly rich, and he had not mastered many Hyuga Clan taijutsu techniques either!

Under Yamei's guidance, Hinata's progress had been far from insignificant!

Sure enough, as Hinata's resolve gradually strengthened, Neji fell into a disadvantage after just over a dozen moves and was finally forced back by one of Hinata's palms.

Feeling the pain in his chest, Neji stood there blankly, unable to recover.

"N-Neji..."

Hinata called out worriedly.

"He's fine."

Yamei shook his head. The surroundings returned to the entrance of the Hyuga Clan, and even a leaf that had begun to fall only just touched the ground.

This was Mist Veil Moon, Mist Veil Moon fused with Tsukuyomi.

"Hinata, go home first. I'll have a talk with him."

"Okay." Hinata obediently nodded.

After Hinata left, Yamei turned to Neji, who was still standing there blankly, and sneered. "What? You can't even accept a single defeat?"

Neji slowly raised his head and glared furiously at Yamei. "What do you know!"

"I really don't know, but that doesn't change the fact that you're worthless."

"You claim that fate cannot be changed, so you harbor resentment. Resentment toward the main family, resentment toward your uncle! In the end, you even forced it onto a little girl who knew nothing..."

"Tell me, aren't you worthless?"

Neji lowered his head weakly at those words.

"You want to break free from the main family's restraints. You want to resist? But you feel powerless? So in the end, all you can do is cling to that laughable resentment?"

"Heh heh heh, what binds you is more than just the Caged Bird!"

That single sentence completely shattered Neji's psychological defenses, and he collapsed weakly to the ground.

He called himself a genius. He resented the main family and resented the Caged Bird.

But... when had he ever truly faced the Caged Bird? Everything he had done... had always been avoidance.

"Do you want to change your fate?"

Neji abruptly raised his head, his gaze trembling as he looked at Yamei.

"Perhaps I have no way to do so now, but... in the future, I may be able to break the cage." Yamei looked directly at him.

Neji was, in the end, merely someone to be pitied. It seemed that his entire life had been arranged by fate, ending in death.

"Grow stronger. Let me see your worth." Yamei held out his hand.

Neji stared blankly at the outstretched hand, then tremblingly took it.

When he came back to his senses, he was still standing at the entrance of the Hyuga Clan. Everything seemed as though it had never happened, yet the lingering warmth in his hand told him that it had all been real.