Water vs. Water

Ning Xue stood quietly at a fork in the road that served as the only path to the Hyuga Clan Compound.

At this moment, he felt a bit bored, so he took out his notebook and leaned against the wall to read.

Before long, another familiar figure approached from the direction of the Ninja Academy; it was Hyuga Neji. His pace was steady, and upon seeing Ning Xue waiting for him, he quickened his stride.

"Have you been waiting long?" Neji's tone was indifferent, yet it was already considered gentle compared to how he treated others at the academy.

"Just arrived." Ning Xue responded briefly, and the two began to walk side by side in tacit understanding toward the Hyuga Clan Compound.

Inside the compound, it was as quiet as ever, perhaps even a bit stifling, forming a stark contrast to the lively atmosphere of the Ninja Academy.

They headed straight for a relatively secluded training ground they frequented on the edge of the compound.

With its dense trees and level ground, this was an excellent place to spar freely, away from the prying eyes of the Main Branch.

"Continuing today?"

Neji took off his slightly heavy outer jacket to reveal the lightweight training gear underneath, then assumed the classic starting stance of the Hyuga-style Gentle Fist. His gaze sharpened, and his entire aura shifted.

"Mm."

Ning Xue likewise took his stance. Unlike the clumsiness and sluggishness he deliberately displayed at the academy, his aura now became restrained and steady.

Without any unnecessary chatter, the two clashed instantly. Figures intertwined, and the sound of palms whistling through the air filled the space. Unlike the performative sparring sessions at the academy, every exchange here was swift, precise, and dangerous.

As the acknowledged genius of the Hyuga Clan, Neji possessed a solid foundation in Gentle Fist. His Byakugan was already active, allowing him to clearly see the flow of Ning Xue's chakra; his offensive was like mercury pouring onto the ground—dense and fierce.

Ning Xue relied on taijutsu skills that were in no way inferior, combined with an almost instinctive sense of anticipation, to dodge and parry.

His movements were devoid of any flair and were highly efficient, with his occasional counterattacks aimed at tricky angles, targeting the minute flaws in Neji's offense.

"Your movements... they're getting harder to defend against."

After a fierce close-quarters exchange, Neji commented while breathing slightly heavily, but the light flickering in his eyes was not one of annoyance, but the excitement of encountering a true rival.

He was long accustomed to the fact that sparring with Ning Xue was never easy.

"I have to improve somehow, or how else would I keep up with you?" Ning Xue's breathing was also slightly ragged, but his tone remained calm.

Before he had even finished speaking, what appeared to be a standard straight punch was parried by Neji. However, at the very moment the momentum of the punch was spent, Ning Xue flicked his wrist with extreme subtlety. A barely perceptible cold light shot silently toward Neji's lower leg—it was his signature Ice Needle.

However, after years of sparring, Neji had long since developed a strong defense against such underhanded tactics.

Almost the instant the Ice Needle appeared, he shifted his feet and tilted his body slightly. The needle grazed his pant leg and embedded itself into the ground, leaving only a tiny, damp mark.

"Same old tricks."

Neji commented flatly, though his offensive grew even more intense; clearly, Ning Xue's small maneuver had further ignited his fighting spirit.

The two traded blows, their figures flashing rapidly across the training ground, the dull thuds of fists meeting palms and the sound of clothes whipping in the wind echoing incessantly.

It was not until the night sky hung low and the stars began to emerge that both of them, drenched in sweat and nearly exhausted, finally stopped by mutual consent. They collapsed onto the grass at the edge of the training ground, gasping for air.

"Hoo... that feint you pulled at the end today was very convincing." Neji wiped the sweat from his face and offered a rare compliment, referring to the strike that had nearly landed after Ning Xue's feint.

"Learned it from you."

Ning Xue panted, looking up at the sunset beginning to fade. The high-intensity sparring had temporarily dispelled the gloom in his heart regarding the Byakugan, bringing a sense of pure exhaustion and peace.

After a brief silence, Neji suddenly spoke, his voice exceptionally clear in the twilight.

"You held back your strength during the sparring session with the Uchiha this afternoon." This was not a question, but a statement of fact.

He knew Ning Xue's true level far too well; that level of taijutsu performance was not even fifty percent of what he showed during their private sessions.

Ning Xue did not deny it, simply offering a faint, "Mm."

"Why?" Neji turned his head, his white eyes appearing somewhat puzzled in the dusk.

"With your strength, beating him wouldn't be difficult." He was not standing up for Ning Xue; he was simply confused.

To Neji, pursuing and displaying power was the only way to become stronger, especially for someone from the Branch Family.

Ning Xue remained silent for a moment, idly plucking a blade of grass and winding it around his finger.

"It's meaningless," he finally said, his voice very soft.

"What if I win? It would only invite more unnecessary attention and trouble. I don't need that kind of thing right now."

Neji watched him, seemingly trying to find something on his calm face, but eventually, he just turned back to look at the sunset as well.

"As you wish. However, while hiding your strength can avoid trouble, excessive concealment might also cause you to miss out on certain things."

Ning Xue did not respond, continuing to watch the sunset. Miss out? What he cared about most right now was the lock that stood between him and the Byakugan.

Until he found the key, nothing else really mattered—after all, the benefits of the Byakugan were truly enticing.

Resting enough, the two stood up and brushed the grass clippings and dust from their clothes.

"Same time tomorrow?" Neji asked.

"Mm." Ning Xue nodded.

"Then so be it. See you." With that, Neji walked away without looking back.