Fists Are the Truth (Part Two)

Deep within the Hyuga Main Family, the courtyard was secluded and quiet.

Hyuga Hiashi steps, each step feeling like he was stepping on a taut string.

Taiichi, who followed behind him, appeared relaxed, as if he were attending an ordinary tea party. Only his dark eyes held a sharp, all-knowing glint.

The courtyard gate opened, Yuto Otsutsuki, dressed in a moon-white robe, stood under the eaves, his Byakugan filled with undisguised arrogance.

Upon seeing Hiashi, he was about to extend a condescending smile when his gaze suddenly fixed on Taiichi, who was right behind him.

That feigned smile froze and shattered instantly, transforming into undisguised disgust and rage.

"Hyuga Hiashi!" Yuto's voice suddenly rose, sharp and piercing, breaking the tranquility of the courtyard.

"Is this how you treat your clan's envoy? We're here to discuss sacred matters concerning the continuation of our bloodline and the evolution of our Byakugan! How dare you bring a filthy, lowly person into this place! To defile the purity of my clan's bloodline!"

He pointed at Taiichi, his finger trembling slightly with anger, his pure white pupils burning with the fury of being offended.

That sense of superiority, once so high and mighty, was now twisted into a naked grotesque grotesqueness.

Hiashi's throat tightened, a surge of humiliation mixed with anger rising to his head. He opened his mouth to retort, but suddenly his shoulder slumped.

Taiichi's palm was already gently pressed there, the steady force carrying a magical soothing power, forcefully suppressing the words that were about to come out of his mouth.

"Hiashi Hizu, leave it to me." Taiichi's voice was calm and still, like a deep pool.

Under Hiashi's astonished gaze, Taiichi had already passed him and walked straight towards the furious figure in the corridor.

He even had a faint smile on his face. His steps were slow but unusually firm, each step making a soft sound on the bluestone slabs, which was particularly clear in the deathly silent courtyard, as if he were stepping on the beat of a heartbeat.

Seeing that this "lower class" dared to be so presumptuous, Yuto Otsutsuki not only did not back down in fear, but instead pressed forward step by step, the smile on his face was more like a silent mockery.

A chill, mixed with the fury of being utterly scorned, gripped him, and the string of reason snapped instantly.

"You damned ant! You rude wretch! Get out of here! Now!"

He roared hoarsely, his spittle almost hitting Taiichi's face, his body leaning slightly forward due to extreme anger.

The distance between the two rapidly shortened with Taiichi's steady steps, and in the blink of an eye, they had crossed the unspoken warning line among ninjas.

Yuto's pure white eyes widened, filled with disbelief and frenzy, yet he remained sluggish and made no real defensive or counter-attack moves.

In that split second—

Taiichi's figure blurred without warning. The light and shadow under the corridor seemed to be stirred and distorted by an invisible force.

Hiashi felt a blur before his eyes, and the afterimage of Taiichi smiling in place remained on his retina.

In the next instant, the air emitted a faint popping sound as it was torn apart by extreme speed!

Taiichi's figure appeared out of Yuto Otsutsuki, like a ghost! His position was so precise that it was as if he was meant to be standing there.

Yuto's pupils suddenly contracted to the size of pinpoints! The keen senses derived from the Otsutsuki bloodline were finally activated at the last moment before the life-or-death crisis arrived!

He felt a chilling aura emanating from behind him, a chill that could freeze one's very bones!

Driven by his survival instinct, he desperately reached back with his right arm in an extremely awkward position to block, trying to protect the back of his unsuspecting neck!

Unfortunately, it was too late! And—too weak!

Taiichi's hand chop, already enhanced by his Chakra Enhanced Strength, carried immense power, cleaving down cleanly and decisively like an axe cutting through rotten wood!

"Snap!"

A sharp, teeth-grinding sound of bones breaking echoed through the quiet courtyard!

Hiashi clearly saw that Yuto's hastily raised arm to block was cleaved in two the instant it made contact with Taiichi chop, like a fragile, withered branch! His forearm bent backward at an odd angle, the white bone fragments piercing his sleeve and instantly staining it red with the gushing blood!

That broken arm couldn't stop the hand strike in the slightest!

Taiichi's palm struck Yuto's most vulnerable spot on the back of his neck with perfect precision. The force was just right—enough to destroy his consciousness, but not enough to kill him instantly.

"Uh----" A short, unclear gasp escaped from Yuto's throat.

The furious, ferocious expression on his face froze instantly, then was replaced by a blank, bewildered look. His body felt as if all the bones had been removed in an instant, and he collapsed limply forward.

With a heavy "thud," it crashed onto the cold bluestone ground, raising a fine cloud of dust. Those once arrogant, Byakugan were now wide open and empty, reflecting the gray sky above, devoid of any spirit.

From the moment Taiichi was activated to the end of the battle, the entire process was breathtakingly fast. Hiashi didn't even have time to blink.

Taiichi slowly withdrew his hand, looked down at the unconscious "Moon Messenger" at his feet, and his lips curled down very slightly, the curve of which contained undisguised disdain.

"Tsk, lunar elites?" he muttered to himself, his voice so soft only he could hear. "That's it?"

It's estimated that if it weren't for the natural power suppression of the Byakugan, which gave the Hyuga Clan the illusion that they were inferior to him, even Hyuga Hiashi could have defeated him on his own.

Hyuga Hiashi, just a few steps away, seemed to be nailed to the spot by an invisible force, his mind blank.

The anticipated earth-shattering clash of Ninjutsu and back-and-forth Taijutsu battles—none of them occurred.

He had envisioned countless difficult scenarios, but he never expected it to end like this—a swift and decisive victory!

He glanced at Taiichi, who seemed calm and collected, as if he had merely swatted a mosquito, and then at Yuto Otsutsuki, who lay on the ground like a rag doll, his arm twisted, his life hanging in the balance. A complex and indescribable emotion surged within him.

Shock? Yes. Relief? Yes. But more than anything, there was a chilling, piercing sense of reality called "gap," like an abyss looming before my eyes.

In the midst of the flames of the Third Shinobi World War, they were comrades-in-arms who fought side by side. Although Taiichi was strong and sharp at that time, Hiashi was confident that he could still see the limits of him and thought that the gap was not insurmountable.

But now—how long has it been? I haven't even been able to see how the other party made their move! That figure is already as high and distant as a mountain in the clouds, making it difficult to even look up at it.

Hiashi opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing with difficulty, before uttering a dry voice. "Taiichi, this—what's next—"

He pointed to Yuto on the ground, momentarily at a loss for words.

Taiichi glanced at the "spoils of war" at his feet, then casually kicked him twice in the side of his waist.

The movements appeared casual, but a pure and refined Chakra had already quietly penetrated the body, like the most precise lock, instantly sealing several key meridian nodes of the opponent, completely cutting off the possibility of him waking up on his own or suddenly attacking others in a short period of time.

"The rest is up to you, Hiashi." Taiichi said calmly, as if assigning a mundane task. "Send a few reliable men to tie him up securely and take him directly to the Anbu Interrogation Division. Those professionals are experts in this kind of thing. Someone can always pry his mouth open and extract everything he knows."

Upon hearing Hiashi, Hiashi's eyes flashed with an uncontrollable glint, and a relieved smile finally appeared on his face.

This is exactly the result he desires deep down! It's not just about showing the Hyuga's Force Field Hyuga the village or gaining credit.

This Yuto Otsutsuki himself is a treasure trove containing the secrets of the Moon Byakugan! His Byakugan of extremely high purity, and even the few words he uttered about the deeper application of the Byakugan's power—these are of immeasurable value to the Hyuga Clan!

If the Hyuga clan doesn't participate in the entire escort and interrogation process, and simply lets Taiichi or the Anbu take the person away, how much of the subsequent interrogation results, especially those core secrets about the Byakugan, Hyuga Clan still be able to grasp? It all depends on the mood and will of the Village Higher-Ups.

Even though the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, was known for his fairness and open-mindedness, and was a trustworthy comrade and leader, Hiashi, as Force Field head of the clan, had to consider the future of the family.

Some things must be firmly held in your own hands in order to have leverage in negotiations.

Taiichi was well aware of Hiashi's thoughts, but he had no intention of pointing them out, and he was even less inclined to get involved in these subtle power struggles between the families and the village.

His senses had clearly detected several Chakra fluctuations belonging to the Hyuga clan in the distance, converging on the courtyard at an extremely fast speed.

Clearly, the brief but intense burst of Chakra had alerted the Main Family's guards.

"Hiashi Rizu, now that the matter here has been resolved, you will be in charge of the cleanup. I will take my leave now."

Taiichi acted swiftly and decisively, without even Hiashi to make any polite response, his figure vanished abruptly, as if wiped away from the spot by an invisible hand.

Only Hiashi and the unconscious Yuto remained in the courtyard, along with the faint smell of blood.

Flying Thunder God Technique!

Hiashi stared at the spot where Taiichi had disappeared, his eyes flickering with complex emotions before finally settling into a silent sigh. He composed himself, straightened his back, and regained the dignity befitting the head of the Hyuga Main Family, then called out in a deep voice towards the courtyard gate, "Guards!"

Almost simultaneously, Taiichi appeared in the center of his quiet room. The familiar scent of tatami mats and the fragrance of books enveloped him, isolating him from the outside world's disturbances.

He let out a long sigh of relief, his tense fighting nerves completely Matsushita.

He wasn't making empty excuses in the Hokage's Office earlier. The crucial moment of breaking through to level 9 of Advanced Swordsmanship was right in front of him. His mind and body were on the verge of a miraculous transformation. He had actively recalled all his Shadow Clone to concentrate all his attention on welcoming that moment of advancement.

Otherwise, Kakashi wouldn't have spent half an hour wandering around the village searching for him.

Thinking of Kakashi, Taiichi couldn't help but curl a mischievous smile into his lips.

That guy thought he could fool everyone by using Transformation Technique to hide his signature silver hair and wearing a mask?

That would be a gross underestimation of Taichi Matsushita's perception and—his level of understanding of him.

Throughout the entire Konoha Anbu, from top to bottom, who among them wasn't polite and courteous when carrying out missions related to him?

Only that white-haired bastard, who clearly recognized him, still dared to wear that stinky face and exude a low-pressure aura of "I'm really unhappy"!

"Heh," Taiichi chuckled softly, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists. "Looks like I've been too gentle with you lately, Kakashi. Tonight—I'll have to give you a good 'loosening of your muscles' and remind you what 'respect for your teacher' really means!"

He sat cross-legged, calmed his mind, and sank his consciousness deep into the void. The familiar panel unfolded clearly in his mind, and lines of prompts came into view:

[You practice swordsmanship, and your understanding of related techniques improves!]

[Your Advanced Swordsmanship skill has been upgraded, experience points +1]

[Congratulations, your Advanced Swordsmanship has been upgraded to Lv9 (1/10000)]

[Congratulations, your Strength +1, Agility +1]

Strength: 34 → 35.

Agility: 34 → 35.

A surge of power coursed through my limbs and bones. My muscle fibers seemed to be tempered once again, becoming more resilient and dense, containing explosive power; my nerve reaction speed also improved, and the world seemed to slow down a little in my perception.

This is yet another subtle leap in the level of life.

A wealth of undigested swordsmanship experience lingered in Taiichi's mind as he continued to carefully comprehend it.

However, amidst the joy, a hint of worry quietly surfaced in his heart. Taiichi carefully sensed the power flowing within his body, his brows furrowing slightly.

"My strength has increased again—" he muttered to himself, a hint of helpless sigh in his voice, "It seems the chances of using a real sword will become fewer and fewer in the future."

This is not because the swordsmanship itself is not strong enough. On the contrary, the Advanced Swordsmanship at Lv9 has already reached a state of perfection in terms of technique and artistic conception.

The problem lies in the "vessels" that bear the power—his meticulously crafted Ninja Blade.

In previous battles, he had to constantly be mindful of his surroundings, carefully using Chakra to envelop the blade, creating a layer of buffer and enhanced protection.

Even so, every time it clashed head-on with a powerful enemy, the blade would groan under the strain. If it relaxed even slightly, the blade would not be able to withstand the distance and would shatter.

"Chakra materialization—" Taiichi's gaze deepened, and a thought became increasingly clear.

It doesn't make sense that Susanoo, but he can't.

He slowly raised his right hand, palm facing upward. With a slight thought, azure Chakra surged from his palm like a living thing, not a violent outburst, but a highly condensed and compressed burst! The light flowed, and the shape rapidly took shape under the precise control of his will.

Buzz--!

A deep, metallic hum resounded.

A long sword made entirely of condensed Chakra suddenly appeared in Taiichi's hand!

The blade is about three feet long, with a pure and deep blue aura flowing throughout. Its edges are so sharp that they seem capable of cutting through light, and it emits a heart-pounding energy fluctuation.

The light was stable and solid, like a real divine weapon, rather than an illusory light or shadow.

With a slight twist of his wrist, the nature of his Chakra changed at will. The blade instantly turned a blazing crimson, radiating intense heat that even distorted the air.

The next moment, a violent arc of azure electricity leaped up, crackling loudly;

Then it transforms, revealing a sharp, bluish-white gleam that seems capable of cutting through everything;

It can also transform into a deep, earthy yellow, as solid as a mountain; or it can present a flowing, deep blue, supple and ever-changing.

Switch between attributes with ease!

"Sturdy, sharp, attributes at your discretion—perfect."

Taiichi looked at the Chakra Light Blade in his hand, a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

This is almost his ideal weapon form, sufficient to handle any complex combat environment.

However, beneath this perfect facade lies a huge flaw—consumption!

Taiichi could clearly feel that just maintaining the basic form of this Chakra sword was causing the massive amount of Chakra within his body to drain away at a rate that was like opening a small hole!

Although his terrifying Chakra Quantity of nearly 20 million points can sustain him for a long time, in a high-intensity, protracted battle, the cumulative effect of such consumption would definitely be a burden that cannot be ignored.

If it were a Jonin, like Kakashi, he probably wouldn't be able to maintain his full strength for more than a few minutes before running out of Chakra and becoming easy prey.

"Adamantine Sealing Chains ----" Taiichi thought of the golden chains that were also made of pure Chakra, yet could maintain their existence with almost no Chakra consumption.

That complete form is a perfect technique structure that has been optimized and refined over thousands of years, achieving the ultimate energy utilization efficiency.

"It seems there's still a long way to go before we can truly transform this Chakra Blade into a weapon we can use effortlessly, rather than a luxury item that consumes enormous amounts of resources."

Taiichi dispersed the light blade in his hand, and the blue light turned into starlight and dissipated into the air.

What he needs to explore is how to optimize the structure, reduce maintenance costs, and even—whether it can form a fixed spell structure like the Adamantine Sealing Chains.

This is undoubtedly a completely new and extremely challenging research direction.

The light outside the window had quietly taken on the golden-red hues of the setting sun. Taiichi stood up, stretched his limbs, and his bones crackled and popped.

The afterglow of the breakthrough and the new sense of power made him excited, and the "dissatisfaction" that a certain white-haired bastard showed during the Anbu mission today made him feel that it was necessary to help the other party "adjust" his mentality.

He pushed open his front door and blended into the bustling crowds of Konoha in the evening. His destination was clear— the Hokage Building.