Natsu Hyuga's Exploding Entry, First Meeting with Kushina (Please Follow, PK Tomorrow)

All one could say was that the branch family had been branded with the "Caged Bird Curse Mark," yet some advanced Gentle Fist techniques still required the main family's special permission. It was utterly absurd.

When Neji Hyuga used "Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation" during the Chunin Exams, even Hyuga Hiashi had marveled from the stands at Neji Hyuga's frightening talent, suspecting that Hyuga Ten'nin's blood flowed through him.

Bang!

A dull impact exploded across the field. Natsu Hyuga's palm struck the target heavily, but in the next instant, white smoke spread out, revealing a smashed piece of wood.

"Substitution Technique?!"

Natsu Hyuga froze for a moment, her hand still held in its striking posture as her eyes searched everywhere for Kiyoshi.

"I won."

Kiyoshi's voice came from beside Natsu Hyuga as he patted her shoulder.

"Kiyoshi, you're much faster than I am."

Natsu Hyuga lowered her Gentle Fist stance.

The so-called "Substitution Technique" was actually a disruptive technique where one swiftly found a piece of wood to replace one's body, making the opponent think their surprise attack had succeeded.

It was usually little more than a trick, requiring the caster to be faster than the target.

"I only used a different method to exploit a weakness in your defense."

Kiyoshi shook his head.

At present, Natsu Hyuga's Gentle Fist could only cover a fan-shaped area in front of her. Though she could see behind herself, she could not reach it.

And because of the restrictions of the "Caged Bird Curse Mark," her back also contained the flaw of a blind spot.

"You have comprehended the Entry: Dark Walker (White)."

Entry: Dark Walker (White)

Requirement: Defeat Natsu Hyuga in her childhood.

Progress: (Completed).

Effect: Your eyes can see more details than ordinary people in the darkness and react to changes in nearby objects.

Note: It can continue to advance in the future.

The Entry System's voice brought a flicker of delight to Kiyoshi's heart.

It seemed that even picking on an easy target counted toward Entries.

It was just a pity that he did not know many people yet. Challenging someone out of the blue would be seen as provocation.

After the Entry prompt ended, Kiyoshi's eyes felt refreshed. The originally dim evening became much brighter beneath his gaze.

Kiyoshi was quite satisfied with this Entry.

Once he awakened the Sharingan, it would probably be enhanced further, since his perception would improve.

The Sharingan had many functions, but it did not grant night vision.

With Dark Walker (White), Kiyoshi would instead have the home-field advantage at night.

"I'll be leaving first, then."

Natsu Hyuga picked up the gift box and bid Kiyoshi farewell.

Just as she was about to leave, Kiyoshi suddenly spoke.

"Would a trapped bird truly be willing to remain in its cage forever, becoming a Caged Bird?"

"This... is to protect the Hyuga Clan, to protect everyone in the clan."

Natsu Hyuga instinctively touched her left cheek, the one Ginka Hyuga had slapped, her eyes lowering slightly.

The instant the words left her mouth, she gently touched her left cheek. The delicate skin still retained the burning sensation from the slap.

Ginka Hyuga had not hit particularly hard, but the Chakra that had seeped in unintentionally made the pain especially distinct.

After practicing the Gentle Fist for a long time, the Chakra points in one's hands adapted to Chakra, making it easier for it to burst forth.

Most members of the main family were still reasonable, but there were people like Ginka Hyuga among them.

She never hid her contempt for the branch family, nor did she shy away from methods that carried the tone of reprimand.

Kiyoshi did not respond immediately. He raised his head and looked toward the darkening sky in the distance as the cold wind brushed through the tips of his hair.

"I see. If it were my bird, it might still long to soar freely through the sky again and try to peck open the cage door with its beak."

After saying that, he gently shook his head, as if he had spoken casually and had never expected her response.

If Kiyoshi had been born into the Hyuga Clan, he would certainly have found a way to remove the "Caged Bird Curse Mark." He had no desire to become a branch family member who was inherently inferior to others.

"Soar through the sky again?"

Natsu Hyuga was stunned. She turned back and looked up at Kiyoshi.

Kiyoshi's Uchiha robe made his figure appear tall and slender, the well-defined contours of his chest muscles faintly visible beneath it.

His loose black hair fell to his waist, swaying gently in the wind. He looked far taller than others his age.

Perhaps because of his training, his features had matured somewhat, giving him a rugged appearance.

This Kiyoshi made Natsu Hyuga feel that he was far more mature than those of the same age.

He was neither as frail as those peers nor like the brutish men she imagined came from the Land of Lightning.

"Soar through the sky again?"

Natsu Hyuga repeated softly, an almost imperceptible ripple passing through her lowered gaze.

It was a scene she had never dared to imagine, too distant and too extravagant.

She pressed her lips together, adjusted her grip on the gift box, and finally said only faintly, "Kiyoshi, that's an interesting way of putting it."

After saying that, she lowered her head in a polite bow and turned to walk into the distance.

Kiyoshi watched her departing figure, a nearly imperceptible curve lifting at the corner of his lips.

A Caged Bird might not dare to spread its wings for now, but once a seed was planted, there would always come a day when it sprouted.

The Hyuga branch family had never truly shown that they had all resigned themselves to their fate.

It was simply that the "Caged Bird Curse Mark" forced many of them to conceal their thoughts and put on an appearance of respect.

Attitude was the mask of the heart.

For now, Kiyoshi merely wanted to plant a seed in Natsu Hyuga's heart. He had no intention of recruiting her yet.

Kiyoshi could not remove Cursed Seals at present. Even if he wanted to make empty promises, he could not.

The future Natsu Hyuga was fairly attractive. She could be considered an early investment.

With that thought, Kiyoshi turned and headed home.

If he continued obtaining Entries like this, then even if his Sharingan never evolved, it would still become incredibly powerful.

Perhaps one day, an Entry might even appear that ignored the Mangekyō Sharingan's side effects.

Then Kiyoshi would not need to transplant Hashirama Cells or clone a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan for himself.

"I'm thinking too far ahead."

Kiyoshi turned his thoughts to another matter.

After Early Graduation, would he be assigned to a three-man squad, or would he directly enter the Uchiha Military Police Force and proudly take up a post as a village guard?

Or perhaps become a Medical Ninja at Konoha Hospital?

"Why hasn't the streetlight that broke yesterday been repaired yet?"

A muttering voice drifted from the dim alley.

This was a relatively narrow street.

"Eh, can you see the road? You're actually walking so fast?"

By the faint light, the red-haired woman examined Kiyoshi beneath the dark moonlit sky.

The light came from a functioning streetlamp farther away.

"I can see."

Kiyoshi looked back, surprised.

He saw a hairpin clipped into the red-haired woman's hair.

She wore a white jacket, with the Uzumaki Clan crest embroidered on both shoulders. Her lower half was clad in short, chainmail-like shorts that exposed her smooth thighs, paired with long boots that reached her calves, giving her a distinctive charm.

She looked youthful and beautiful.