Steel Muscles and Iron Bones and the Eight Inner Gates

"Hoo~"

Watching Hyuga Hinagiku's retreating figure gradually disappear, Shuji slowly let out a breath.

Was the Shinobi World dangerous?

Of course it was dangerous.

But no matter how dangerous the Shinobi World was, it would not affect a five-year-old member of the Hyuga Main Family living in Konoha.

In Shuji's plans, he would remain safe until he graduated from the Ninja Academy, able to focus on improving his strength without worry.

Yet what Shuji had not expected was that he would be sent crashing into Konoha Hospital so suddenly.

Sure enough, no one knew whether tomorrow or an accident would come first.

Closing his eyes, Shuji sensed the Nen Energy within his body.

Huh?

Where was my Nen Energy?

Shuji opened his eyes in surprise, his heart instantly leaping into his throat.

He hurriedly closed his eyes again. Only when he sensed the Nen Energy drifting through the air once more did Shuji finally breathe a sigh of relief.

So the Nen Energy in his body had been completely consumed repairing his injuries?

If that was the case, then Nen Energy really could heal the body.

Focusing his mind, Shuji continued guiding the Nen Energy drifting through the air to repair his body.

"Why do you always have it out for Shuji?"

On the way back, Hizashi Hyuga asked his older brother.

"I get angry whenever I see him."

Hiashi's little face tightened as he spoke.

Just hearing Shuji's name was enough to make Hiashi a little angry.

Whenever he thought of Shuji, Hiashi remembered that handful of dirt on the arena grounds.

Seriously...

Hizashi pursed his lips and fell silent.

He had not expected Shuji's sand toss back then to hurt Hiashi so deeply...

"If seeing him makes you angry, then why did you go visit him at the hospital?"

After a long while, Hizashi continued questioning Hiashi.

It was fine for Hiashi and Shuji to be at odds, but dragging him into it was going too far, wasn't it?

What Branch Family member could stand being targeted by someone from the Main Family every day?

"Because I was worried about his injuries."

Hiashi glanced at his younger brother, pursed his lips, and spoke quietly.

"If possible, I hope he can walk out of the hospital completely unharmed."

With his hands behind his back, Hyuga Hiashi walked toward the Hyuga Clan Compound as he spoke.

"He once defeated me with a handful of dirt, but in the future, he could use a handful of dirt to defeat the Hyuga Clan's enemies too, couldn't he?"

"A genius should not be ruined over something like this. The clan needs geniuses too."

"Clatter, clatter~"

What pulled Shuji out of his cultivation state was the sound of chains colliding.

Opening his eyes, Shuji saw a Konoha Prison guard enter first after opening the ward door.

Someone from Konoha Prison?

Then Shuji saw a middle-aged version of Might Guy, with parted hair and a beard, enter alongside the prison guards.

Was this... Might Duy?

"This is the Genin who knocked you into the hospital."

Hyuga Hinagiku came to Shuji's side, carrying a lunch box in her hand.

"Lord Tokuhiro said that this man was to be temporarily detained until you woke up. Once you awakened, you would decide how this matter should be handled."

Hinagiku pulled over a stool and brought the chicken soup from the lunch box to Shuji's lips.

"I get to handle it?"

After drinking the chicken soup Hinagiku offered him, Shuji asked her.

"Yes. According to Konoha's public security regulations, you may choose to hold Might Duy accountable. Given the severity of your injuries, along with Lord Tokuhiro's stance, Might Duy would probably never get out again."

"Of course, if you choose to forgive him, that is also fine."

Hinagiku nodded as she explained to Shuji.

As her words fell, Shuji was calm enough, but Might Duy instantly dropped to his knees before him.

"I am truly, deeply sorry for causing this! But please, no matter what, forgive me just this once!"

"My child was just born. He still needs me to care for him! Please, I beg you to consider it carefully!"

"Hinagiku, help this gentleman up."

Shuji spoke to Hinagiku.

Might Duy immediately made Shuji think of the Eight Inner Gates.

And thinking of the Eight Inner Gates made Shuji think of Nen Energy, and of Steel Muscles and Iron Bones.

Steel Muscles and Iron Bones was different from allocating points in a game. In the inheritance Shuji had received, Steel Muscles and Iron Bones had only nine realms in total.

Each of those nine realms had a different Nen Energy circulation route.

At the moment, Shuji truly needed something like the Eight Inner Gates for comparison.

After all, this body of his had been born in the Shinobi World, not Suju.

The people of Suju had no Chakra in their bodies, but Shuji did.

If he was finally about to make a breakthrough while cultivating Steel Muscles and Iron Bones, only to force open an acupoint and cause a massive eruption of Chakra from within his body... the consequences would be quite exciting to imagine.

"Don't worry. I won't send you to prison."

Shuji looked at Might Duy, who had crouched beside his hospital bed.

"Thank you! Thank you so much! I will cover all of your medical expenses!"

Might Duy froze, and an indescribable surge of joy rose in his heart.

Relief, excitement, and the feeling of finally letting out a breath he had been holding desperately.

"Do you think a member of the Hyuga Main Family would lack money?"

Shuji looked at Might Duy before him and asked quietly.

Shuji had no intention of taking the route of becoming friends with Might Duy to obtain the Eight Inner Gates.

That would be far too slow.

As for his relationship with Might Duy, did it matter?

It did not.

What good would it do to have a good relationship with Might Duy or Might Guy?

"Ah? What do you mean?"

Might Duy froze, looking at Hyuga Shuji in confusion.

"I'm curious how a Genin managed to send a pedestrian flying just by walking down the road."

Shuji asked Might Duy.

"So, you must have been wearing weights, right?"

"Yes."

Might Duy was taken aback, but he did not deny it.

"Are you practicing some kind of taijutsu?"

Shuji continued questioning Might Duy.

"It is a taijutsu, but it is extremely difficult to learn..."

By this point, even if Might Duy were a fool, he understood what Shuji meant.

Might Duy did not mind teaching the Eight Inner Gates to someone else. He simply felt that the technique might not be particularly suitable for members of the Hyuga Clan.

"I'm not afraid that it'll be difficult to learn. I'm afraid that it'll be useless. Teach me that technique, and we'll consider this matter settled. How about it?"

Sitting beneath a tree, Mikoto wiped the sweat from her face. Watching the sky gradually darken, she remained silent.

After a long while, Mikoto slowly stood and headed home.