Hello, Neji. My Name Is Ning Xue

A few days later, one morning.

Hyuga Ningxue was doing basic exercises like push-ups with a homemade weighted backpack.

Someone might ask: why wasn't he practicing ninjutsu in the morning? The reason was that his body couldn't keep up.

It was common knowledge in the Shinobi World that chakra was a mixture of physical and mental energy.

To use it properly, the two kinds of energy had to be blended in balance. Only then could one make better use of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu.

Mental energy could be increased through meditation. It could also be improved by accumulating experience and developing one's perception and thinking skills.

Physical energy, on the other hand, could only be improved through exercise. Of course, chakra had to be used to help with that, too.

Ningxue's problem was that his mental energy far exceeded his physical energy. As a result, when he released ninjutsu, his body was already exhausted, while his mind remained bright and alert.

Perhaps his vast mental energy was because of his experiences in his previous life.

So if he wanted to use chakra more effectively, he had to set aside more time to train in taijutsu.

His training over the past few days couldn't exactly be called a leap forward. His progress was gradual, at best.

(He could condense a small ice flower about the size of a toenail with ninjutsu, his physical fitness was about that of a five-year-old, and his Gentle Fist was weaker than Neji's.)

This odd behavior had also left his parents puzzled.

He wasn't practicing ninjutsu, but taijutsu. Did he want to focus on taijutsu?

There was nothing wrong with that. The Hyuga Clan practiced taijutsu, too, but theirs was Gentle Fist.

But this... was he just training his body?

Was he trying to imitate someone?

Hyuga Ning couldn't help thinking of the green-skinned watermelon who was always walking on his hands at the village gates. Just thinking about him gave Ning a headache.

And once that thought entered his mind, there was no stopping it.

He could already picture what his son would look like in the future.

A white-haired, green-skinned watermelon... grinning at him with all his teeth showing, giving him a thumbs-up, and shouting something about youth!

The thought made him feel dizzy. His vision kept going black.

Of course, his mother had made the same connection. That guy was simply too conspicuous.

The idea struck her, too, and she looked horrified. She exchanged a glance with her husband, and from his eyes, she could tell they were thinking the same thing.

They immediately decided to give the child a little loving guidance. That look of his had a way of making the future seem bleak.

Hyuga Ning and Yuki were quick to act. Just as Ningxue finished a set of push-ups and sat up, panting, his parents sat down on either side of him, their expressions grave.

"Ningxue," Hyuga Ning began, unusually serious. "Why have you been focusing only on physical training these past few days? You've put your Gentle Fist practice and chakra control exercises aside."

He tried to make his voice sound concerned rather than accusatory.

Hyuga Yuki followed in a gentle voice.

"That's right, Ningxue. Have you found your previous training too dull? Or have you run into some difficulties? You can tell your father and me."

She carefully avoided mentioning the green jumpsuit that had made their vision go black. She was afraid he might suddenly shout the word "youth."

Ningxue was taken aback. He wasn't sure what they meant, but he answered earnestly.

"I haven't run into any difficulties. I just feel like my body gets tired very easily. Father said chakra is a mixture of physical and mental energy. I feel like... my body can't quite keep up."

"So I thought I'd improve my body first, then go back to practicing ninjutsu. Whenever I try to refine chakra, my body gives out first. It feels like a waste of time."

His explanation made sense. It even showed a level of thoughtfulness beyond his years.

At his words, Hyuga Ning and his wife breathed a sigh of relief, then felt a pang of guilt and sympathy.

So their child wasn't trying to become a watermelon in a green jumpsuit. He was just doing his best to overcome a challenge in his own way. And they had thought such terrible things about him...

Hyuga Ning ruffled Ningxue's hair. This time, his voice carried a touch of awkwardness and apology.

"Is that so? I was wrong to suspect you. Your idea is a good one. A strong physique really is the foundation, but you can't rush it. You need to take things step by step and train properly. That means working on precise chakra control and the basics of Gentle Fist, too. Otherwise, if you only train your body and not your technique, you'll end up as stiff as a rock."

"Mm, I understand, Father." Ningxue nodded obediently.

With the crisis averted, warmth returned to the family. Hyuga Ning and Yuki began guiding Ningxue's training more scientifically, making sure he balanced work and rest. They also added chakra control and the basics of Gentle Fist back into his daily routine, adjusting the intensity to suit his physical condition.

A few days later, under his father's guidance, he was going to use chakra to build up his endurance and improve his body's vitality.

Simply put, he was going on a long run and using chakra to climb a tree.

He still didn't know how to use chakra to stick himself to a tree. He could only hold on for a short while, like a suction cup, so he had to climb up little by little.

Just as he reached the top of the tree and was getting ready to climb down, he heard a pained grunt from nearby, followed by the rhythmic sound of strikes.

He looked toward the sound. In a relatively secluded corner of the training grounds, a white-eyed boy about his age was furiously practicing the opening moves of Gentle Fist against an old wooden post.

Was that Hyuga Neji?

Neji's movements were far more precise and forceful than those of any other child his age Ningxue had seen. There was even a hint of ferocity in them.

His sharp eyes were fixed on several tenketsu he had marked on the post. Every palm strike and every step gathered all his strength... and something like near-obsessive anger.

Ningxue watched him from the tree until he grew tired.

He noticed that Hyuga Neji had far more stamina and physical strength than he did. Most children his age would have collapsed after a few strikes like his, but Neji had been going at it for nearly ten minutes without stopping.

After practicing Tenketsu Striking for more than ten minutes, Neji was so exhausted that he lay right down on the ground. But once he relaxed, it wasn't long before he sensed someone watching him.

He looked around, and his eyes met Ningxue's in the tree.

Their gazes locked, and the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Neji sat on the ground, his clothes soaked with sweat, his whole body looking disheveled. Yet his gaze remained sharp as he scrutinized the child across from him, who looked about his age.

But when he saw that the other boy also had a bandage tied around his forehead, he knew he was from the Branch Family.

That realization put him slightly at ease, but his eyes remained cold.

Ningxue felt a little awkward, like a Peeping Tom. He hesitated, then carefully climbed down from the tree. His movements were stiff, nowhere near as fluid as Neji's punches.

He stood a few steps away from Neji, unsure what to say.

After thinking for a moment, he decided to greet him.

"Hello, Neji. My name is Ning Xue."

But Neji didn't respond, making the already awkward atmosphere even more uncomfortable.

Only after a long while did Neji break the silence. His voice was cold and tired as he asked,

"What are you doing here?"

He had seen Ningxue before. His hair was simply too conspicuous. Ningxue might have seen him before, too, but didn't know who he was.