This Is Gentle Fist

For half a month straight, Chinatsu and Kiyosada did not go out on any more missions.

Along with Shuji, none of them took a single step outside the Hyuga Clan Compound.

The Might Duy incident had ultimately affected Shuji somewhat.

During those half a month, Shuji had been accumulating Nen Energy at home.

And the changes in his body over those half a month also confirmed Shuji's guess.

After the body sustained damage, using Nen Energy to repair it could indeed raise the upper limit of one's physical abilities to a certain extent.

Therefore, focusing on taijutsu training while supplementing it with Nen Energy cultivation was indeed the most efficient method of training.

In such a situation, where he did not feel tired yet could sense his own progress every day, time passed very quickly.

Half a month passed in a flash, and Shuji appeared outside Tsunade's home in the Senju Clan Compound.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Shuji?"

As the door opened, the first thing Shuji saw was Nawaki's face, which looked remarkably like Naruto's.

Honestly, aside from their hair color, Nawaki and Naruto looked almost identical.

"Yes, I came today to learn Superhuman Strength from Lady Tsunade."

At Nawaki's words, a bright and cheerful smile immediately appeared on Shuji's face. As he spoke, he also raised the gift in his hand.

A full ten jin of premium sake.

The price of that ten jin of sake was enough for a family of three to live carefree in Konoha for an entire year.

And Shuji did not even need to ask his parents for the money.

The allowance given to Shuji by the Hyuga Clan alone was enough to buy these things.

Awakening the Byakugan at the age of five came with an allowance.

The top three in the clan's internal competitions before entering the Ninja Academy also received substantial allowances.

With Shuji's record of awakening the Byakugan at five and winning two consecutive pre-academy championships,

his monthly allowance was roughly equivalent to what a Konoha Jonin earned from working missions for an entire month.

And the clan's purpose in handing out this money was to ensure that Hyuga Clan geniuses had enough money to give gifts to their Jonin instructors after graduating from the Ninja Academy and joining a team.

"Then come in with me."

Nawaki chuckled and waved Shuji over before turning and walking into the courtyard.

After closing the front gate, Shuji followed Nawaki to meet Tsunade.

"Shuji's here? What did you bring?"

Inside the room, Tsunade was drinking tea without much enthusiasm.

Tsunade certainly could not afford sake. Even this tea was only available to her because Lady Mito was still alive.

"I heard from my mother that you like sake, so I brought some for you."

At Tsunade's words, Shuji set the sake down to one side of the room.

"Really, you came over, so why bring a gift?"

A glint flashed through Tsunade's eyes, but since this was her first time meeting Shuji alone, she still maintained her composure.

"Some uncles gave these to us during the New Year. My father does not drink much either, so I brought some over. If you like it, I'll bring you more next time."

Shuji smiled lightly as he spoke to Tsunade.

How could Shuji come to see Tsunade empty-handed?

Regardless of the relationship between his mother and Tsunade, certain courtesies still had to be observed.

Tsunade casually glanced at the sake in the corner and took a small sip of the tea in her cup.

For some reason, Tsunade felt that today's tea tasted especially good.

Tea with sake...

She could drink all night!

In the end, Tsunade could not bring herself to refuse.

"How thoughtful."

"Since this is your first time here, spar with Nawaki first. Let me see what level you're at now."

Tsunade stood up and headed toward the Dojo as she spoke to Shuji.

Actual combat was always the fastest way to understand someone's level.

"All right."

Shuji nodded with a smile. He glanced at Nawaki and followed Tsunade with him toward the Senju family's Dojo.

"Shuji, I've been looking forward to the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist!"

On the Dojo floor, Nawaki bowed to Shuji as he spoke eagerly.

"Ah... Hinagiku was upset for quite a while after you defeated her last time, Nawaki."

Shuji likewise bowed to Nawaki and assumed his opening stance.

"I'm coming!"

His gaze sharpened. As his words fell, Nawaki suddenly charged at Shuji.

His right hand clenched into a fist, and a straight punch shot directly toward Shuji's face!

The instant Nawaki entered his attack range, Shuji reacted.

He placed both hands beneath Nawaki's right arm, following the force of Nawaki's movement as he stepped back and turned sideways.

Bang!

A side kick appeared without warning, driving straight toward Nawaki's chest.

It had to be said that Nawaki's reaction was also incredibly fast. Before the kick struck his chest, his arm had already come up in front of it.

Even so, Nawaki's body was sent stumbling backward by Shuji's kick.

At the same time, the hands Shuji had originally positioned beneath Nawaki's right arm came into play.

His two hands tightly entangled Nawaki's right hand, and he used the momentum to execute a direct shoulder throw.

Bang!

As Nawaki's body slammed into the ground, Shuji tightly locked his right hand with both hands and dropped to one knee on Nawaki's tailbone.

"Hey! Easy! Take it easy!"

His free hand repeatedly slapped the floor as Nawaki, his face flushed red from holding it in, shouted at Shuji.

Shuji chuckled and immediately released Nawaki's locked hand.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Just then, three claps rang out. Tsunade watched the scene before her with a smile in her eyes and said softly,

"That was beautiful taijutsu."

As Nawaki climbed back to his feet, Tsunade immediately said to him,

"When you have time, learn more taijutsu from Shuji."

"Got it."

Nawaki nodded and gave Shuji a friendly smile.

Being defeated was nothing shameful. Refusing to admit defeat after being defeated was the truly shameful thing.

That was the upbringing Nawaki had been taught since childhood.

"Nawaki is very strong. If we're talking purely about strength, I'm no match for him."

Shuji spoke softly. He was not flattering Nawaki; as Senju Hashirama's biological grandson, Senju Nawaki's physique truly far surpassed those of his peers.

Even though Shuji had trained Steel Muscles and Iron Bones for more than three months, he was still no match for Senju Nawaki in terms of physique alone.

After all, that gap had surpassed talent and reached the level of a Kekkei Genkai.

"But you won, in a taijutsu exchange against someone stronger than me."

Nawaki said to Shuji.

"So this is Gentle Fist."

Shuji nodded and spoke to Nawaki.

"Is that so?"

Nawaki froze for a moment and looked at Hyuga Shuji, who stood before him calm and composed, his entire body radiating a quality known as confidence.

At some point, a light breeze drifted past. It tousled Shuji's hair and made his handsome face seem slightly blurred.

So cool...

At that moment, such a thought suddenly surfaced in Nawaki's heart.

For the first time, the young clan head of the Senju Clan felt something called inferiority.