Hyuga Ao

[Congratulations to the Host for completing the main mission: The Bird in the Cage Also Wishes to Soar Freely]

"Finally finished." Hearing the system's prompt, Uchiha Ao felt no surprise at all.

The Hinata of today was long past being the timid little thing she once was.

"But this reward..." Looking at the Byakugan in the system panel's inventory, Uchiha Ao chose to extract it immediately.

The next moment, he felt a cool sensation wash over his eyes, as if a gentle energy were slowly being infused into them.

He had originally worried about enduring unbearable, excruciating pain, but the reality far exceeded his expectations.

Without the slightest discomfort, that Byakugan merged into his body as naturally as if it had always belonged there.

Uchiha Ao tried blinking, and his field of vision suddenly expanded.

Everything within a radius of several kilometers became clearly visible to him.

"This range of vision seems even broader than a standard Byakugan."

Uchiha Ao casually picked up a mirror from the side; the eyes reflected in the glass were a clear, pale lavender.

Unlike the iconic bulging veins of the Hyuga clan members, the skin around his Byakugan remained smooth, yet fine, intricate golden patterns swirled deep within his pupils.

"I didn't expect to awaken the Byakugan before the Sharingan." Uchiha Ao didn't know what to say for a moment.

But then again, didn't the Otsutsuki clan members who hadn't consumed the God Tree fruit possess only the Byakugan and not the Sharingan?

In a sense, his current situation was more in line with the Otsutsuki clan.

At this thought, Uchiha Ao felt a stir in his heart.

Since he had now obtained the Byakugan, perhaps he could also perform the Hyuga clan's gentle-style taijutsu.

The essence of the Hyuga Gentle Fist lay in "tenketsu" striking—using the Byakugan to pinpoint an opponent's chakra points and using soft force to disrupt their chakra circulation.

He closed his eyes, carefully recalling every detail of Hinata's practice sessions; the trajectories of the Gentle Fist, the way force was generated, and the paths of chakra circulation within the body all became increasingly clear as he retraced his memories.

Taking a deep breath, Uchiha Ao slowly mobilized the chakra in his body, and the pale lavender glow in his eyes began to swirl more intensely.

He raised his hands, assuming the starting stance of the Hyuga Gentle Fist, his palms held loosely, his fingertips trembling slightly.

"Form without spirit." Uchiha Ao frowned at the first move he performed.

Although his palms were set in the standard Hyuga Gentle Fist posture, he couldn't execute it like Hinata.

"So that's how it is..." Uchiha Ao looked at the meridians on his hands, a flash of realization dawning on him.

While he could see the flow of chakra through the Byakugan, he had no understanding of the specific locations or distribution patterns of the human body's chakra points.

"I'll find time to go to Konoha Hospital and see if they sell any acupuncture point charts." Having made up his mind, Uchiha Ao walked out of his room.

The moment he pushed the door open, Uchiha Ao found Sister Izumi sitting in the living room.

"Sister Izumi, you didn't go to school again?" Uchiha Ao asked, puzzled.

Uchiha Izumi had been quite happy to see her younger brother come out of his room, but his first sentence made the smile on her face instantly freeze.

"What? Does it surprise you that I didn't go to school?" Uchiha Izumi slammed the book she was reading shut, her tone carrying obvious anger. "Going to find that Hinata again?"

"Ha... ha, of course not." Uchiha Ao scratched the back of his head with a dry laugh.

"I'm coming with you."

Without waiting for her brother's consent, Uchiha Izumi walked quickly toward the entryway.

Her wooden clogs made a crisp tapping sound against the floor; first, her toes hooked the clog teeth with precision, then her heels slammed into the recessed soles, causing the wind chimes hanging under the corridor to jingle.

Uchiha Ao had to admit one fact.

Sister Izumi's beautiful feet were truly a sight to behold!

"What are you standing there for?" Uchiha Izumi urged, seeing her brother frozen in place.

"Coming, coming." Having snapped out of his daze, Uchiha Ao trotted to catch up, but as they walked side by side, he inadvertently caught another glimpse of those ankles peeking out from beneath the wooden clogs.

Seemingly noticing her brother's gaze, the corners of Uchiha Izumi's previously tight mouth suddenly curled up uncontrollably.

Heh heh, she had long since figured out her brother's preferences.

Although she found it a bit incredible, he was her brother, after all, and had to be spoiled.

Uchiha Izumi deliberately slowed her pace, her clogs tapping out a light rhythm on the bluestone path, her toes nimbly hooking the clog teeth to reveal more of her fair ankles.

The two soon arrived at Konoha Hospital. As they stepped inside, the scent of disinfectant mixed with medicinal herbs rushed to meet them.

Uchiha Izumi led her brother through the long corridor with practiced ease, her clogs clicking against the polished floor with a crisp clack-clack sound.

"Sister Izumi, how are you so familiar with this hospital?" Uchiha Ao's expression was somewhat surprised.

Uchiha Izumi paused, the teeth of her clogs carving a semi-circle into the floor, and as she turned back, her hair brushed against the tip of Uchiha Ao's nose.

"The school brought us here before."

Uchiha Ao raised an eyebrow slightly, accepting Sister Izumi's explanation.

Uchiha Izumi lowered her voice and continued, "Do you want me to take you to see the human specimens soaking in formalin? Those gutted and opened-up bodies are much more vivid than any acupuncture chart."

"Uh... forget it, Sister Izumi, I'm still young." Uchiha Ao was actually quite nauseated by such things and decisively rejected the proposal.

Seeing this, Uchiha Izumi let out a soft chuckle and reached out to flick Uchiha Ao's forehead lightly. "Scaredy-cat."

She pivoted on her wooden sandals, stirring up a breeze as she turned and headed deeper into the hospital. "But never mind, let's get down to business first."

What Uchiha Ao failed to notice was the look of pure regret on Sister Izumi's face at that moment.

What a pity, she wouldn't get to see her little brother running into her arms for a hug out of fear.

The two turned a corner, and Uchiha Izumi stopped in front of a bronze door engraved with a medical seal.

She tapped her knuckles against it a few times, and the door swung open instantly.

"Izumi-chan! What brings you here?"

A head with twin tails poked out from inside, a look of pleasant surprise beaming across her round face.

"My little brother wanted an acupuncture point chart, and since I knew your mother had been bringing you to the hospital to study lately, I thought I'd come by and see," Uchiha Izumi replied with a smile, pulling her brother along by the hand.

"So that's it! Come in, come in!" The twin-tailed girl enthusiastically pulled the door wide open, revealing a room filled with medical texts.

She was wearing a slightly oversized white coat, and the golden nameplate pinned to her chest, reading "Tsukino Chinatsu," glinted under the lights. "It just so happens I've finished organizing a super detailed set of acupuncture charts!"

Tsukino Chinatsu hopped over to the bookshelf, the sound of her wooden sandals clicking crisply against the floorboards.

She stood on her tiptoes, her fair ankles appearing and disappearing beneath the loose hem of her trousers.

Uchiha Ao's gaze shifted toward her instantly, but Tsukino Chinatsu remained completely oblivious, though Uchiha Izumi, standing to the side, caught her brother's wandering eyes.

Uchiha Izumi's smile froze for a split second, and her grip on her brother's hand tightened slightly.

Just as Uchiha Ao was about to wince from the pain and open his mouth to explain, Tsukino Chinatsu's voice rang out.

"Found it!" She turned around, clutching a yellowed scroll, and came over to them. "I snuck this out of Grandpa's study—even my mom doesn't know about it!"

Uchiha Izumi raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flashing in her eyes. "Chinatsu, you're as bold as ever."

She reached out to take the scroll and unfurled it; dense text and diagrams of human acupuncture points slowly spread out under the candlelight, with crooked annotations scribbled along the margins.