When he got back to the Hyuga Clan, he walked through the door and immediately saw Hiashi chasing Hinata around and beating her.
Fuyuki had long since gotten used to it. Whenever Hinata sparred with her clansmen, she was always hesitant, and her Gentle Fist movements lacked precision. Every night, when she stayed late to train, she was sure to get a brutal beating from their father.
"Let Hinata go! If you've got a problem, take it up with me!"
Fuyuki flung down his schoolbag, walked into the indoor dojo, and went straight at Hyuga Hiashi.
What did he have to fear from Hiashi? Let's see him try to beat me to death!
You'd better think carefully before you lay a hand on me. You're already over thirty. If you injure me—the only boy in the family—who knows if you'll be able to father another one!
The favored Fuyuki was always so fearless!
There were no elders watching from the sidelines in the dojo, so Fuyuki didn't hold back at all. Using the Insight Eye and X-Ray Vision that came with the Byakugan, he unleashed an exceptionally fierce assault with his Gentle Fist.
Every Hyuga's Gentle Fist Technique was a little different, with each style bearing its user's personal touch.
Fuyuki's Gentle Fist set aside Pressure Point Strikes and focused on attacking the body's meridians and internal organs. It prioritized damage above all else, with no thought of controlling his opponent. Every strike aimed for a vital spot or weakness, and every attack was a lethal combo.
They hadn't sparred in over half a year, and Hiashi felt that Fuyuki's Gentle Fist style had changed considerably.
He'd worked a lot of Strong Fist techniques into the Gentle Fist system, making it fiercer and more ruthless. His attacks came in wave after wave, each stronger than the last, and his style had lost the fluidity of the Gentle Fist.
Hiashi didn't object to the change. The basic Gentle Fist was too fluid—it was almost a perfect fighting style, capable of countering any sudden change.
But its excessive fluidity limited its potential and made it seem a little mediocre. Many Hyuga began modifying their own Gentle Fist techniques once they reached Chunin rank, adapting them to suit themselves rather than sticking with the mediocre, all-purpose basic style.
Their fists and feet clashed once more. Hiashi raised a hand and sent Fuyuki stumbling back, then said calmly, "It's nearly dinnertime. Go clean yourself up, then get ready to eat."
"Phew."
Fuyuki sat on the floor, panting. He'd been sparring nonstop for over half an hour, and that was a lot to handle without using Summoning Magic. By the time he was around ten, he figured he'd be able to force his old man to take him seriously in a proper fight.
The head of the prestigious Hyuga Clan, one of the great families of the Ninja World, was only as strong as an Elite Jonin. What a miserable showing.
At least, to Fuyuki, who was used to seeing the Fourth Shinobi World War on a grand scale, his old man really wasn't much. If he used everything at his disposal—without calling on the old ancestor—he could genuinely find a way to put an Elite Jonin in a coffin.
"Fuyuki, are you okay?"
Covered in dirt and looking pitiful, Hinata saw that her brother's spar with their father was over. She hurried over, helped him up from the floor, and asked about his injuries. Then she took out some ointment made by the Hyuga Clan, ready to apply it to him.
"Honestly!"
Fuyuki sighed and pinched Hinata's slightly chubby cheek. "You need to take your training more seriously. It's not like the clan doesn't have medical ninja. Every time you hesitate to attack, Father gets disappointed in you. And whenever he's disappointed, you get beaten!"
Now that she had a little brother who wasn't afraid of Hiashi, whenever Hiashi picked on Hinata, Fuyuki could give as good as he got. In the timeline where he didn't exist, Hinata would probably be bullied by Hiashi, who was deeply disappointed in his daughter, until she cried her eyes out.
"Mm," Hinata replied, nodding earnestly.
"If you say you'll do it, then do it. Tomorrow, when you step into the ring, finish the fight with Air Palm right away, so you don't have to stay late training again!" Fuyuki said, exasperated.
Hinata was like a quiet, lovely young woman. Fighting really didn't suit her. Unfortunately, she'd been born into one of the great families of the Ninja World, the Hyuga Clan—and she was the Main Branch's eldest daughter.
After refusing Hinata's offer to apply the ointment, Fuyuki returned to the bathroom in the Side Courtyard to take a bath. First he washed himself clean, then he soaked in the Artificial Hot Spring and let out a long sigh of relief. He clasped his hands and performed the Summoning Technique, directing his gaze toward the High-ranking Dark Spirit, which had wandered off somewhere to cause trouble.
"Who's there? Come out!"
The moment Fuyuki's will descended upon the High-ranking Dark Spirit, he heard a cold reprimand. Fuyuki opened his eyes and looked toward the speaker, startled. Why had the High-ranking Dark Spirit gone off to tail Uchiha Itachi? Hadn't he told it to steal the Uchiha's Fire Release and the Nara Clan's secret techniques?!
Itachi's expression darkened. He pulled several Kunai from his ninja pouch and threw them toward the shadow beneath a tree around the corner.
He'd just sensed a faint, extremely strange chakra fluctuation hidden under that tree.
"Thud! Thud! Thud!"
Three Kunai embedded themselves in the stone slabs. Nothing seemed out of place, but Itachi didn't let his guard down. He trusted his senses. There had definitely been something hiding there just now!
"Heh heh heh."
A strange laugh came from the tree. Itachi frowned and looked toward the black mist among its branches. "Who are you? Why are you following me?"
"Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is..." The thick black mist began to disperse, revealing the High-ranking Dark Spirit concealed within. "Young Uchiha, do you want a Summoned Beast? I've delivered myself right to your door, and I promise you won't have to pay extra for shipping. Free shipping, dear!"
Itachi turned and walked away without expression, not wanting to deal with this inexplicable creature at all.
He'd thought it was someone from the Root Division. He hadn't expected it to be some unclaimed, stray Summoned Beast.
He already had a crow Summoned Beast and Ninja Cats. He had no interest in a stray Summoned Beast that was volunteering itself, radiated malice, and looked suspicious no matter how you sliced it.
"Nothing can stop it. Your self-righteousness has already pushed the Uchiha toward destruction—especially the truth about Uchiha Shisui. That really surprised me."
At that, Itachi stopped. His scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan opened, and he stared at the figure seated in the tree, one hand propping up its rabbit-like face. The creature's mouth curled into a grin that looked like a smile but brimmed with malice.
No matter what the High-ranking Dark Spirit did—even if it simply spoke—it gave off a bone-chilling, sinister feeling. Its malice was so palpable that it made people uncomfortable.
That was simply a trait of Yin Release Chakra. The High-ranking Dark Spirit couldn't control it; it was part of its nature.
"What do you know?" Itachi asked in a low voice.
The Summoned Beast seemed to be saying nothing of importance, as if it were just making conversation to fish for information.
But through his Sharingan, Itachi could see that the malicious creature was laughing at him.
"So, how about signing a Summoning Contract? I'm unmatched at assassination and gathering intelligence," the High-ranking Dark Spirit said, ignoring Itachi's question and returning to its earlier offer.
The High-ranking Dark Spirit wasn't the one controlling its body at the moment. Fuyuki himself was.
When he'd sent his will over, his chakra had merged with the High-ranking Dark Spirit while it was concealed. That had created a flaw in its otherwise flawless concealment and let Uchiha Itachi sense the presence of a watcher.
But it didn't matter. Since he'd been discovered, Fuyuki might as well start promoting his Summoned Beast.
It was part of a plan. Uchiha Itachi hadn't originally been his first choice for a contractor, but Fuyuki had suddenly realized that Itachi was actually an excellent candidate!
He wasn't after anything else from Itachi. He just wanted that chakra of his!
Before you continue