Left Eye Kaleidoscope, Heavenly Controller of Fate

The Ninja Academy's system and curriculum had matured significantly after years of development.

Courses on the Will of Fire were listed separately as "political studies," alongside subjects like traps, ninjutsu, shurikenjutsu, and taijutsu.

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, in order to secure more resources, Aoike displayed overwhelming dominance within the first-year bracket.

The passive bonuses granted by his Byakugan and Mangekyō Sharingan had already pushed his strength far beyond the scope of the Ninja Academy.

Possessing the Caged Bird seal naturally excluded him from the selection criteria of Konoha's "Darkness," so he had no fear of his talent attracting unwanted covetousness.

The perspective shifts back to the midterm exams.

"So, do you still not understand? Uchiha, the gap in strength between you and me cannot be erased by a single Great Fireball Technique."

Aoike withdrew the kunai pressed against Sasuke's shoulder, performed the Seal of Reconciliation under the teacher's gaze, and strolled off the stage.

Behind him, Sasuke looked at the scene powerlessly, bracing his body with one hand while gasping for air.

He had lost.

I lost, and there's no disputing it! he screamed inwardly in frustration. Even after using the Great Fireball Technique he had learned from his father, he had still been defeated.

From start to finish, his opponent had only used the Three Basic Jutsu, yet he had been played like a fool.

Sasuke raised his head, stared at Aoike's back, and shouted, "Next time, I will definitely defeat you!"

Aoike paused at these words and tilted his head slightly.

"I shall look forward to it, Uchiha."

Having said that, he ignored the increasingly flushed Sasuke and the infatuated little brats in the audience, continuing instead to practice his sensory ninjutsu.

Members of the Ōtsutsuki branch family had their eyes removed at birth and could only perceive the world through a "Heart's Eye" condensed from chakra; it was keen, but the range certainly couldn't compare to the far-reaching vision of the Byakugan.

After defeating her opponent, Hinata happily searched the crowd for the white-haired figure. When Aoike met those familiar white eyes, he offered a knowing smile.

It wasn't until Hinata stepped off the stage and reached his side that he offered gentle praise.

"That was a beautiful fight, Hinata."

Long periods of time spent together meant Hinata didn't turn into a "steam-emitting girl" quite as easily anymore, though her face remained flushed.

"Thank you, Brother Aoike." Hearing the praise, the smile on Hinata's face could last until school let out.

Under Hiashi's high-pressure training, Hinata had come to view Aoike, her guard, as a safe harbor.

Hinata was easy to coax now; as long as one offered a little patience and care, they could occupy a significant place in her heart.

Because of the sparring assessments, it was nearly dusk by the time they returned to the clan compound after school.

Even though she attended the Ninja Academy, Hinata still had clan studies to complete when she got home.

As Hinata's guard, Aoike endured a round of reprimands, warnings, and encouragement from the Clan Head, and along the way, he was met with many "white eyes"—mostly looks of skepticism, jealousy, and indifference.

Just a hundred meters away from the Clan Head's courtyard, a strange gust of wind flickered and vanished.

So, they've finally arrived? Aoike suppressed a smile at the corner of his mouth.

He maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far; the perception of an Ōtsutsuki was quite sharp.

On the other side:

"...Look, that's the girl. Her name is Hyūga Hinata. Focus your energy and feel it carefully."

Toneri Ōtsutsuki and his father were peering at Hinata through their chakra-condensed Heart's Eye.

"...Hmm, she is indeed a very cute girl."

"...Come back in ten years to marry her. Let her be your bride."

After spying for a while, the two left Konoha. However, they did not know that while they were coveting Hinata, Aoike was also coveting them.

Aoike watched the trail they left behind, pushing his Byakugan to its limit to peer over ten kilometers in a single direction until they were no longer visible.

After closing his eyes and noting the direction of their departure, he realized that as long as he found a suitable opportunity to send a Shadow Clone outside the village, his plan would have a good start.

During the break, Aoike's main task was sparring with Hinata. Because he had defeated the Uchiha Clan Head's son in the sparring exam, the malice within the Hyūga compound had diminished significantly, though there were still plenty of whispers about him "living off a woman" and having "impure bloodlines."

Time slipped away silently.

The vacation felt like it had only lasted a few days before it ended.

That afternoon, Hyūga Hiashi kept Aoike behind under the guise of an assessment.

And so, two figures, one large and one small, clashed in the afterglow. Hiashi had been immersed in the Gentle Fist for many years; his movements were soft yet sharp, suppressing Aoike completely.

Two pairs of Byakugan stared at the other's movements, constantly seeking flaws. The pure taijutsu exchange ended, as expected, with Aoike's defeat.

Hyūga Hiashi stood with his hands behind his back, pointing out Aoike's shortcomings.

After a long while, he sighed, as if looking at a piece of unpolished jade that was imperfect yet rare in his lifetime.

"I can no longer teach you anything regarding the insight of the Byakugan. Now, the only things limiting you are your physical constitution and chakra reserves."

"As long as you practice with perseverance, the so-called 'beyond Jonin' level is not an empty boast in the future."

Aoike calmly ate his flatbread, listening to the teachings.

With the shackles of the Caged Bird seal in place, no matter how powerful the branch family became, they could never threaten the main house; thus, Hyuga Hiashi did not fear the talent Aoike displayed.

When Aoike returned to his home, he finally stopped enduring the slightly weak posture of kneeling on the floor.

Exerting his full strength in a six-year-old body, he had been unable to push Hiashi back even a single step; he was an elite jonin, after all, someone who would still be considered a super-soldier even in the late stages of the Ninja War.

What troubled him now was his physical constitution, which required time to grow.

His left Mangekyo ability was the Heavenly Controller of Fate, which allowed him to plunder the "fated life" of a chosen target through physical contact.

For instance, selecting a large tree could allow him to plunder its life force, while selecting an Otsutsuki could allow him to plunder their chakra.

However, his body was currently too weak, and the effort required for such plundering was inversely proportional to the reward; breaking even was a loss for him, let alone when the cost outweighed the gain.

Whenever he felt unable to restrain himself, he would recall Itachi's miserable state, and his heart would instantly feel much calmer.

Occasionally glancing at the moon made his mood even better.