Classmate Takasaki Helped Me Get Stronger

What had she experienced this past month, and why had she improved so much?

Hinata knew very well that she had become stronger because of Takasaki's Diary.

To be precise, it wasn't that she had grown stronger over the course of the month, but rather that she had grown stronger two hours ago.

Her total chakra reserves had increased by 10%. Even if it wasn't enough to defeat Neji, it at least allowed her to extend the time she could hold out during their sparring sessions from half a minute to three minutes.

Six times the duration.

An astonishing improvement.

"Hinata, how did you manage to improve so much?" Neji asked again.

Hinata actually wanted to tell him about the diary. After all, she was a member of the Hyuga Clan and bore the responsibility of revitalizing her family; she hoped to rely on Takasaki's Diary to make the entire Hyuga Clan stronger.

However, she could not speak of it.

Otherwise, she would die.

Hinata could only find an excuse: "Brother Neji, I became stronger through hard work."

"Hard work?" Neji furrowed his brows.

"Yes, Brother Neji. Hard work can change one's destiny."

Hinata lowered her head slightly. When she lied, she couldn't control the flush rising to her cheeks.

Fortunately, her physical strength was currently overdrawn, and her face was already naturally flushed, making it impossible for anyone to notice anything unusual.

Seeing that Hinata could stand steadily, Neji stopped supporting her and fell into deep thought.

Takasaki had learned the Three Body Technique through hard work and was no longer the dead last in his eyes.

And Hinata, through hard work, had become much stronger, far exceeding her ability to last three minutes against him.

Neji muttered to himself: "Hard work... can it really change destiny?"

If that were the case, could the Caged Bird seal branded on his forehead also be broken through hard work?

As soon as he thought in that direction, Neji shook his head with a bitter smile.

Even if he wanted to work hard to break the Caged Bird seal, he couldn't even find the direction in which to exert that effort.

Immediately after, he looked at Hinata, who was flushed from exhaustion, and seemed to suddenly associate something: "Hinata, is the reason you started working hard this month because you were influenced by Takasaki?"

"Y-yes, that's right!" Hinata was lying again.

She lowered her head in shame.

Neji didn't think much of Hinata's reaction; after all, he understood his cousin's personality—she was indeed prone to shyness and was naturally introverted.

The key was that, through Hinata's answer, he suddenly understood many things.

No wonder Hinata was willing to invite Takasaki to their home and treat him like an honored guest.

It turned out that Takasaki was worth it!

Through Takasaki's influence, Hinata's strength had progressed by leaps and bounds this month.

Let alone Hinata, if it were him in the same situation, he would also be full of gratitude toward Takasaki.

"It seems I really misunderstood Takasaki. He clearly helped you, yet I provoked him like that earlier."

For a moment, the guilt in Neji's heart toward Takasaki deepened: "After the weekend is over, when I get to the academy next Monday, I must sincerely apologize to him."

Just as the two were talking, Hiashi Hyuga, dressed in a white robe, stepped into the Training Room.

Originally, Hiashi Hyuga had been in a very good mood after discovering Hinata's improvement, and his face had been full of smiles.

That was until he faintly heard Hinata and Neji talking about something related to Takasaki, and his mood instantly soured.

Hiashi Hyuga wiped the smile from his face and asked with a stern expression: "Are you two talking about Takasaki?"

As the words fell, Neji and Hinata's gazes turned toward Hiashi Hyuga.

As the head of the Hyuga Clan, Hiashi Hyuga held great prestige in the hearts of his clansmen. When they saw him in the mansion, they were required to bow, and even his own daughter, Hinata, was no exception in public.

Only this time, neither Neji nor Hinata bowed immediately upon seeing him in public.

Hinata just stared blankly at Hiashi Hyuga, not knowing what she was thinking.

Neji's gaze was more direct, looking Hiashi Hyuga up and down; the suspicion in his eyes was practically written on his face.

Could this be Takasaki in disguise?

It wasn't that Neji was naturally suspicious, but he had been truly rattled by Takasaki's tricks.

Guilt toward Takasaki aside, whenever he remembered the three times Takasaki had played him, he still felt a surge of irritation.

In a proper, serious battle, Takasaki would certainly be no match for him.

But when it came to underhanded, dirty tricks, he really was no match for Takasaki.

"The two of you, what are you doubting?"

The thoughts of the two were seen through at a glance by that old fox, Hiashi Hyuga: "I've heard about the ruckus Takasaki caused at the estate earlier. Are you two suspecting that I am Takasaki in disguise?"

As he finished speaking, the veins around Hiashi Hyuga's eyes bulged.

The chakra leaking from his entire body formed an incredibly oppressive aura, crushing down heavily upon Neji and Hinata, instantly causing cold sweat to break out on their backs.

"Father!" Hinata no longer doubted him.

Neji hurriedly bowed: "Lord Clan Head!"

Hiashi Hyuga's expression improved slightly, though his impression of Takasaki worsened in his heart.

If not for Takasaki's earlier antics, how could his daughter and nephew possibly suspect his identity?

Rather than asking how Hinata had become stronger, Hiashi Hyuga wanted, at this moment, to forbid Neji and Hinata from having any further contact with Takasaki, especially Hinata.

Yet, he sensed that the relationship between Hinata and Takasaki seemed quite close.

To force Hinata to cut ties with Takasaki all at once would be somewhat cruel.

It would be better to let Neji set an example first.

After all, Neji's temperament was far more decisive than Hinata's.

Immediately, Hiashi Hyuga asked: "Neji, how do you intend to treat Takasaki in the future?"

"I... I..."

Neji stammered "I" several times, but in the end, he still couldn't bring himself to voice his true thoughts.

He did indeed intend to apologize to Takasaki, but having never apologized to anyone before, he found it difficult to actually say the words.

To Hiashi Hyuga, this behavior looked as if he were simply embarrassed to sever their classmate friendship all at once.

Hiashi Hyuga decided to give Neji a push: "What are you shrinking back for? Speak up, let your sister hear it!"

Neji took a deep breath and said loudly: "I intend to go and apologize to Takasaki tomorrow!"

What?

Hiashi Hyuga was stunned; even though he had heard it clearly, he still found it hard to believe.

According to his understanding, Takasaki had played Neji for a fool three times.

Neji was actually going to apologize to Takasaki?

From any perspective, being toyed with three times by someone much weaker than oneself—even if one were magnanimous enough not to retaliate—hardly warranted bowing one's head to apologize.

This was nothing but nonsense.

If anyone else had said this, Hiashi Hyuga would have reprimanded them severely, but the problem was that this person was Neji.

In his eyes, Neji was not a reckless person and handled matters with great logic.

There must be a specific reason why Neji would say such a thing.

Setting Neji's matter aside for a moment, Hiashi Hyuga turned his gaze toward Hinata: "Hinata, I can tell that your sparring session with Neji this time shows a massive, massive improvement compared to last month."

A smile appeared on Hiashi Hyuga's face. When speaking to Hinata, not only did his tone become gentle, but his gaze also softened significantly: "How did you manage that?"

In front of her father, Hinata dared not lie, but she would not reveal the matter of the Diary: "It was Takasaki who helped me become stronger."

What!

The head of the Hyuga Clan furrowed his brows.

Was Takasaki not the unpopular dead-last in Hinata's class? He had just caused a scene at his estate and been driven off by Neji.

Why was it that now, his nephew Neji, who always handled matters with such precision, intended to apologize to Takasaki?

And his daughter was claiming she had become stronger with Takasaki's help.

What on earth was going on!