Hinata Hyuga Wants to Change

In the quiet Hyuga Clan Estate at dawn, faint sounds from within could always be heard.

Whenever a Hyuga clansman stepped out of their room, they would unconsciously look toward the Hyuga Clan Head Residence.

Hah! Hah! Hah!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

A young girl's clear, tender battle cries and the rapid, forceful pounding of wooden posts came from the Clan Head Residence.

Lady Hinata was different.

Every Hyuga clansman could sense that Hinata's bearing while practicing the Gentle Fist was completely different from before. There was less of her former weakness and more fierce determination to press forward. She was more like the young lady of the main family.

Moreover, quite a few Hyuga clansmen had learned that Lady Hinata had awakened her Byakugan. Though the Hyuga Byakugan differed from the Uchiha Sharingan—in that it would inevitably awaken once one was old enough and had sufficient Chakra—awakening it before even reaching six years old was still enough to prove Lady Hinata's talent.

But few knew what had happened yesterday, what had caused Lady Hinata's personality to change so suddenly, or what had made her awaken her Byakugan.

They only knew that yesterday, a branch family guard had been punished with the Caged Bird by the clan head for the first time in a long while.

Inside the Clan Head Residence, wood chips flew everywhere across the spacious courtyard.

The wooden posts that had once stood upright now leaned in every direction, covered in dense palm prints. The once-flat, neatly trimmed lawn had long since been stamped full of footprints by Hinata.

Little Hinata was now dressed in a loose black training outfit, her tiny face taut as Chakra wrapped around her hands. Palm after palm struck the wooden post before her.

There was a pent-up resentment in her Gentle Fist. That stifling feeling added a measure of ruthlessness to her palm strikes, and her training was also a small outlet for her emotions.

Even though a day had passed and she knew Naruto-kun was safe, the image of his blood-covered face still appeared in her mind.

This was not an emotion born from feelings such as affection. Hinata was only a little over five years old; she did not even yet understand the concept of the opposite sex.

She had begun to admire Naruto, and so she started to hate her own weakness.

Just as Naruto-kun had said, she clearly had the ability to solve those troubles herself. Yet because of her weakness, she had not dared to use her own power, thinking it would be enough to endure everything alone. In the end, Naruto-kun, who had helped her, was hurt because of it.

She did not want to hurt anyone. Even if they were bad people, she did not dare use her strength. But it was precisely this weak personality that made bad people grow ever bolder and caused those who wanted to help her to suffer harm.

If she had been braver then and driven those bad people away herself, Naruto-kun would not have been hurt because of her weakness.

She wanted to change herself, then tell Naruto-kun that she was different now and that she wanted to become true friends with him.

"Hinata, take a break."

A gentle voice rang out. Beneath the eaves stood a beautiful woman holding a one-year-old girl in her arms.

She had the same adorable almond-shaped eyes as Hinata, filled with the same gentleness and innocence. Her features resembled Hinata's, and she possessed the tender grace of a Yamato nadeshiko, but her skin was somewhat unnaturally pale.

She was Hinata Hyuga's mother, Hyuga Keiko.

However, Keiko's lovely brows were slightly furrowed as she looked worriedly at her daughter, who was relentlessly practicing the Gentle Fist. Hyuga Hanabi, in her arms, was also babbling at Hinata, seemingly wondering why her older sister was not playing with her this morning.

Hearing this, Hinata stopped and smiled at her mother and younger sister.

"I'm fine, Mom. I'll practice a little longer."

After saying that, Hinata began tormenting the wooden post before her again.

"This..."

Keiko looked at her daughter with affection and could not help blaming a certain little blondie in her heart. But seeing the incredibly serious expression on her daughter's face, she could only shake her head helplessly.

"Then I'll have Natsu prepare breakfast first. Does little Hinata have any requests?"

Hinata's palm strike paused slightly. Hesitation appeared on her face, then she began to blush, as though she wanted to say something but was too embarrassed to do so.

Keiko looked expectantly at her daughter.

"Mom, c-could you have Sister Natsu prepare three... two extra breakfasts?"

Although she had already resolved to change, Hinata still lowered her head shyly.

Keiko smiled. Though her personality had changed quite a bit, thankfully her daughter was still as adorable as before. "I understand, little Hinata. I'll have Natsu prepare three extra breakfasts."

"Th-three is too many..."

Hinata immediately got circle eyes. It seemed she had been mistaken for a huge eater. Though she really could eat that much, it was still far too embarrassing.

Hinata wanted to explain herself to her mother, but Keiko had already disappeared to arrange breakfast.

In the end, Hinata had no choice but to continue practicing the Gentle Fist.

When Hyuga Hiashi returned from outside, he looked somewhat exhausted.

He had suddenly been awakened in the middle of the night by the Third Hokage's Anbu, then attended an all-night meeting. That was even more tiring than fighting enemies all night. He had to constantly maintain the proper bearing, watch his words and actions, and make sure not to say anything wrong that might affect his stance.

After all, the heads of every major clan in the village had attended. Even many civilian jonin had come to participate in the meeting. Its scale was almost on par with the meeting after the Nine Tails Rampage.

After learning why the meeting had been called, Hyuga Hiashi's expression darkened. The ability to seize another person's bloodline limit might not have mattered much to civilian ninja, but bloodline clans like theirs had no choice but to take it seriously.

Fortunately, the one targeted this time had been Uchiha Shisui. The title of Body Flicker Shisui had not come from nowhere; Uchiha Shisui had earned it through his own killings on the battlefield.

Even back on the battlefield, Uchiha Shisui had already possessed the strength of an Elite Jonin. After so many years, his direct combat ability was likely enough to rival an ordinary Kage-level expert.

Yet even so, Uchiha Shisui had still failed to defeat the opponent.

Thinking of this, Hyuga Hiashi's expression grew even more solemn. Though the Hyuga Byakugan was not as powerful as the Sharingan, it was no less alluring.

Konoha's bloodline limits had actually been targeted by such a terrifying person.

Sure enough, after the Third Shinobi World War, the village had begun to decline.

Hyuga Hiashi felt incomparably melancholy, but his face remained stern and dignified. He was the head of the Hyuga Clan; he could not lose face.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Before Hyuga Hiashi had even entered his residence, he could hear the sounds of someone striking wooden posts from far away. His eyes widened slightly, and his steps quickened.

Upon entering the courtyard, he immediately saw Hinata's tiny figure continuously striking out with her palms. Her movements no longer possessed their former softness, but carried a measure of fierce strength.

The Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist was not only gentle. Though it was not as mighty as the Strong Fist, its lethality at close range was not inferior in the slightest. Attacks had to be swift and ruthless in order to seize opportunities in battle and drive Chakra into the enemy's Tenketsu.

Hinata's Gentle Fist in the past had always been timid and hesitant. Her strikes lacked sharpness, and she did not even dare strike at weak points during sparring. How could such a soulless Gentle Fist lead the Hyuga Clan?

Seeing Hinata's change, Hyuga Hiashi's eyes held a trace of satisfaction. But he quickly recalled why her personality had changed. When he heard yesterday that his daughter had beaten someone into the hospital, he had thought it was a false report. Later, when he heard it had been because of a blond-haired boy, his face turned green.

Just like it was now.

Hiashi entered the courtyard with a dark expression. Hinata, who was still training, immediately noticed him and hurriedly stopped. Seeing his gloomy face, she lowered her little head again.

Faced with the father she had feared since childhood, the courage she had only just gathered temporarily returned to its former weak state. She muttered, "Father, welcome home."

The corner of Hyuga Hiashi's mouth twitched. The breath he had been holding in his chest would not come out no matter what.

"Go eat first."