What a Rip-Off

Hyuga Yunchuan came back to his senses, a trace of apology appearing on his face. "Sorry, Lord Hizashi. I thought it was..."

"You shouldn't be the one apologizing. I'm the one who came uninvited."

Hizashi Hyuga, dressed in a black kimono, waved his hand, unconcerned by Hyuga Yunchuan's reaction. He hid his slightly trembling hand behind his back and looked at Hyuga Yunchuan with a hint of approval in his eyes. Smiling, he asked, "May I come in and sit for a while?"

"Please." Hyuga Yunchuan had no objection. With a smile, he stepped aside to make room.

"Excuse me." Hizashi Hyuga entered the foyer, his gaze sweeping over the simple, empty interior. His eyes briefly lingered on the open door of another room, where training equipment had been placed.

"I already know what happened this morning. You were right to act cautiously when you saw someone infiltrate the residence."

The two sat down in the living room. Hizashi Hyuga sighed and spoke first. "Still, I never expected someone to dare attack you in the village. How are your injuries?"

Noticing Hizashi's gaze on his palm, Hyuga Yunchuan smiled. "I was lucky. It's nothing serious anymore."

"There are only the two of us here. You don't need to be so formal in private." Hizashi nodded. "I had a good relationship with your father when he was alive. I neglected you. Seeing that you're all right now is a relief."

Come to think of it, this nominal head of the Branch Family actually had quite a good reputation among them. For example, his attitude toward Hyuga Yunchuan now was gentle, more like an elder than the family head.

Hizashi Hyuga asked after Hyuga Yunchuan's recent circumstances, but as they spoke, he suddenly paused. After hesitating for a moment, he ultimately did not reprimand Hyuga Yunchuan for his disrespect at noon as the Main Branch Elder had instructed.

Looking at Hyuga Yunchuan's youthful face, he thought of the boy's deceased father and remembered Neji's current attitude toward the Main Branch. He could not help sighing inwardly.

How could the Main Branch's vile conduct and attitude not breed resentment? Yet all he could do was soothe things as best he could.

"The wooden posts outside were smashed by you, weren't they?" Hizashi Hyuga changed the subject and said with emotion, "I didn't expect you to have improved so much. You even awakened the Byakugan after a misfortune. But you should still watch your limits. Don't hurt yourself."

"You flatter me, Lord Hizashi." Hyuga Yunchuan remained polite, but instead of agreeing with him, he said calmly, "After all, I'm alone now. I can only rely on myself."

Hearing this, Hizashi Hyuga froze for a moment. Then guilt and regret rose in his heart again.

Seeing Hyuga Yunchuan's outward calm that concealed inner sorrow, Hizashi Hyuga found himself unable to ask what he had come to ask.

What could he ask?

Could he ask how someone who had clearly been useless before had suddenly become so strong?

Was there even any need to ask?

The death of his father, his only relative, was enough to change a timid child.

"..."

Hizashi Hyuga unconsciously pursed his dry lips, only then remembering that the child had not even prepared tea.

There was resentment in his heart after all.

He could only try to comfort him.

"All right. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, come find me." Hizashi Hyuga stood up. "I'll be going now. You must be tired too. Get some rest early."

He did not leave immediately. Instead, he took two Scrolls from his robes and placed them on the coffee table before them. In a gentle voice, he said, "Since you've awakened the Byakugan, you must have already mastered the Thirty-Two Palms. This is the more advanced Sixty-Four Palms."

Hyuga Yunchuan's gaze flickered as he looked at the Scrolls before him. He knew that, out of guilt and pity, the other man had truly gone all out on impulse.

The Hyuga Clan Main Family wanted the Branch Family members to be strong so they could protect them better, but they also did not want the Branch Family to become too strong.

Aside from Eight Trigrams Palms - Heavenly Spin, the secret technique passed down orally within the Hyuga Clan Main Family, the Sixty-Four Palms was also one of the ultimate techniques that Branch Family members could only learn with the Main Branch's permission.

Though it meant little against opponents on the level of the Five Kage, the Sixty-Four Palms was an extremely powerful technique against most Jonin in close combat.

At best, it would slow and obstruct Chakra flow. At worst, it would leave the target unable to use Ninjutsu, able only to wait for death.

Only Branch Family members who did their utmost to protect the Main Branch and proved themselves loyal and obedient might be permitted to learn this technique.

As for the so-called One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms, Hyuga Neji had only used it once in the TV Original Story, and it had never appeared in the manga. Therefore, the Sixty-Four Palms was most likely the current limit of Gentle Fist.

If the Main Branch learned that Hizashi had privately taught the Sixty-Four Palms, he would certainly face severe punishment. Most likely, he would have to experience once more the soul-piercing pain of the "Caged Bird" Curse Mark.

The moment he took out the two Scrolls, Hizashi Hyuga had actually begun to regret it. But before he could say anything, Hyuga Yunchuan had already picked them up.

"Thank you." Hyuga Yunchuan lowered his head, his face shrouded in shadow, his shoulders trembling slightly. "My father's Ninjutsu Scrolls and notes were all taken away. If not for you, I truly wouldn't know how to go on from here."

"..."

Hearing this, Hizashi Hyuga closed his slightly parted mouth, swallowing the words he had been about to say. After a moment of silence, he could only sigh. "Do not resent the Main Branch. This is the fate of us in the Branch Family. Your father certainly would not want to see you in such pain."

Having said that, and worried that he might regret it again and demand them back, Hizashi truly took his leave this time.

Hyuga Yunchuan sat in the living room with his head lowered. The sorrowful expression on his face gradually calmed as he raised his head to look at the night outside the window, which was steadily deepening.

[Ding! Your lie has been judged as [Pretentious Posturing]. Hizashi Hyuga has experienced intense emotional fluctuations, reaching the level of [Self-Doubt]. You have obtained 300 Reality Points.]

[Remaining Reality Points: 11093]

"Today's harvest was pretty good." Looking at his points, Hyuga Yunchuan sighed. "It would be nice if a few more good people like Lord Hizashi and Senior Guy came along."

But seeing that his points were gradually becoming more plentiful, he could no longer restrain his restless heart.

To be safe, he would keep ten thousand points in reserve. The little over one thousand remaining were enough for him to stir up some trouble.

The first person who came to Hyuga Yunchuan's mind was naturally his most beloved Orochimaru.

"It seems I can do something with the Scroll in Orochimaru's hands."

To him, Orochimaru was a test subject—a very useful test subject.

And Hyuga Yunchuan happened to have a very bold idea.

After pondering for a moment, he silently recited in his heart, "Manifest—add subsequent content to the Scroll in Orochimaru's possession. Set it so that the seal can only be lifted and the content read after mastering Living Corpse Reincarnation. The content is that after a ninja harboring extremely deep resentment dies, their soul will materialize..."

Hyuga Yunchuan roughly described what he wanted, and soon received a response.

[Cost: 100 Reality Points. Manifest?]

Since it was merely manifesting some text and a simple seal, the required points were not many.

"Manifest," Hyuga Yunchuan replied.

Once he confirmed the manifestation was complete, his gaze flickered slightly as he thought again of Hyuga Neji, whom he had seen today.

Orochimaru was still too far away. It would take time before he could see results.

He could not just wait foolishly. He could start with other people, and Hyuga Neji was a good choice.

After thinking for a moment, Hyuga Yunchuan silently recited in his heart, "Manifest—clothing that can conceal my identity, block the Byakugan's surveillance and other forms of perception, and will not be damaged."

[Cost: 800 Reality Points. Manifest?]

"What a rip-off." His face darkened, but he still answered, "Yes."

[800 Reality Points deducted. Remaining Reality Points: 10193]

As the system's response echoed in his mind, Hyuga Yunchuan had been waiting for the physical object to arrive when he suddenly saw his Shadow change.

A black fluid surged out from the Shadow beneath his feet, crawling up his ankles like liquid before gradually covering his entire body. Hyuga Yunchuan raised his head and looked at himself in the mirror.

He was now wearing a hooded black robe. The hem of the robe churned and flowed, seeming less like fabric and more like a living thing, while his face was shrouded in bottomless darkness.

[Shadow Robe: A black robe transformed from a Shadow. Regardless of the host's body type, it can alter its appearance as needed. It can perfectly conceal the host's identity, interfere with most surveillance and perception, and automatically repair itself like liquid if damaged. It normally hides within the Shadow. (Bound)]

At this moment, Hyuga Yunchuan had only one thought.

Those 800 Reality Points were worth it.