Can't Stand It

With a sense of confusion, Shen Ye walked toward the source of the sound, discovering a remarkably spacious clearing behind the Hyuga Clan estate.

Hyuga Yuexing was training with another member of the Hyuga Clan, and it appeared that Yuexing was struggling to keep up.

Shen Ye decided to lean against a nearby tree to observe for a while, hoping to finally determine the true extent of Yuexing's strength.

However, Shen Ye gradually noticed something unusual; Yuexing's opponent was not holding back in the slightest during the fight, and every strike was capable of inflicting fatal damage.

"Hey! How can you be so heartless toward a lady?"

The battle between the two was cut short by Shen Ye's sudden voice, and both of them turned to look in his direction.

Upon realizing it was Shen Ye, a smile appeared on Yuexing's face; she wanted to get up and run toward him, but hesitated for a moment and remained still.

"I heard you two training here early this morning, so I wanted to sneak a look."

"Because I was kidnapped the other day and brought shame to the family, I need to train hard now to make myself stronger."

"Damn it, even if you want to improve your strength, there's no need to wreck your body like this."

"Who are you, coming from nowhere and daring to meddle in the affairs of our Hyuga Clan?"

Shen Ye shot the guy a look of disdain, then pulled Yuexing toward the shade to let her rest before continuing her training.

This action completely infuriated the guy; he leaped forward, landing in front of them and blocking their path with his arms spread wide.

Shen Ye let out a deep sigh; through their expressions and brief exchange, he already understood what was going on.

This guy, who was slightly stronger, was a member of the Branch House of the Hyuga Clan, destined from birth to be inferior and to forever protect the Main House.

Although Hyuga Yuexing was not particularly strong, she was naturally distinguished because she was born into the Main House.

That was why, after that incident occurred, the members of the Branch House reacted so violently—even more severely than if they had failed themselves.

In the hearts of the Branch House, even if they harbored ten thousand grievances, they still had to act according to the family's etiquette, valuing the glory of the family even more than the Main House itself.

With all these factors combined, he couldn't help but increase the intensity while training Yuexing, leaving her covered in bruises and wounds.

"I don't want to overstep regarding your family matters, but I will not allow you to continue bullying Yuexing."

Shen Ye raised his hand to brush his aside and pulled Yuexing to sit on a small chair in the shade.

"How are you feeling? Are your injuries serious?"

Yuexing shook her head, though a faint urge to continue training could still be seen in her eyes; it seemed the kidnapping had left a deep shadow in her heart.

"Hey, Little Byakugan, you're from the Branch House, right?"

"What did you say? Who are you calling Little Byakugan?"

"Is there anyone else here besides you and Yuexing who has a Byakugan? Or do you think I'm talking to Yuexing?"

The guy from the Branch House twitched his mouth twice, never expecting Shen Ye to address him that way.

"Fine, fine, fine. You have completely angered me now. It seems I really need to teach you a lesson."

Little Byakugan clenched his fists tightly, but because he was a member of the Hyuga Clan, he suppressed the rage burning within him.

"Fighting is not allowed in the village, but I can give you a chance."

Little Byakugan's interest was instantly piqued; finding an opportunity to beat this guy up sounded good, and it would be a perfect way to vent the anger he had been suppressing.

"Let's hear it."

"I'll make a bet with you. If I win, let Yuexing rest here for a while. If I lose, you can do whatever you want with me."

"Deal!"

Little Byakugan didn't hesitate and agreed immediately, as the possibility of him losing simply didn't exist in his mind.

Yuexing widened her eyes as she looked at Shen Ye. She knew the strength of both individuals, and based on Shen Ye's performance the other day, he had absolutely no chance of defeating Little Byakugan.

She tried to stand up several times to stop Shen Ye, but was pushed back by his gaze.

For some reason, after meeting Shen Ye's eyes, an inexplicable sense of security washed over her entire body.

Shen Ye gestured for him to begin, full of gentlemanly grace.

Little Byakugan didn't stand on ceremony; he walked to the center of the clearing in a few steps and set his stance, ready to strike at any moment.

"Byakugan, activate!"

"Hurry up and make your move. I don't want to waste time on trash like you. Today, I'll let you know why the Branch House is called the Branch House!"

Shen Ye spread his feet slightly to steady himself, looking at Little Byakugan with an expressionless face.

At this moment, the only attack technique he had mastered was Strength of a Hundred, but against a member of the Hyuga Clan, it held no advantage and would be easily dodged.

Therefore, the only way to secure victory right now was to rely on the Sage Mode fueled by accumulated chakra.

Little Byakugan, already furious to the extreme, couldn't control his hands any longer and charged toward Shen Ye, his fists already gathering immense power.

The Hyuga Clan was most famous for the Byakugan ability, yet all the capabilities of the Byakugan served their taijutsu, so Little Byakugan's power could not be ignored.

Shen Ye curled his lips and threw a fierce punch forward, his fist hidden with the power of Strength of a Hundred.

Little Byakugan saw the uniqueness of Shen Ye's punch at a glance, but as a member of the Hyuga Clan, he refused to allow himself to dodge through trickery.

As their fists collided, ripples spread through the air.

Yue Xing sat to the side, not daring to look away for even a second, her gaze locked tightly onto the point where their fists had collided.

"Who exactly are you? Why do you possess such immense strength? In the entire village, I have only ever seen one person capable of such a thing."

"Are you talking about Big Sister Tsunade? I'm currently staying at her place, you know."

Shen Ye shook out his fist. Although the brief clash hadn't left any visible marks, both of them already knew the outcome.

"I lost. The training for these past few days ends here."

Little Byakugan turned and walked toward the residence with a dejected expression; this battle seemed to have dealt him a heavy blow.

Shen Ye leaped over to Yue Xing's side, gathering chakra in his palm to gently massage the spot where she had been injured.

Yue Xing's eyes were slightly dazed. Even though Shen Ye had saved her earlier, deep down, she still thought of him as that pervert who peeked at girls while they bathed.

She had never imagined he could have such a gentle and considerate side, which completely overturned her perception of him.