The Byakugan and Gentle Fist were subjects Hiashi had devoted his entire life to studying. In those two areas, no one in the entire Ninja World could surpass him. Ning Qi had indeed gained much from hearing the insights and realizations of Hiashi's life.
Taking advantage of the Byakugan's ability to see through everything, he proposed two principles:
Summarize the present.
Describe the future.
This was the result of a millennium-old clan continually refining and innovating its inheritance. Though it had not yet created specific techniques or methods of use, it had already pointed the way for the Hyuga clan's future evolution. In two or three generations, perhaps Hyuga descendants would stand upon their ancestors' shoulders, seize this opportunity, and develop new Gentle Fist techniques—or even entirely different methods of combat—for the Hyuga Family.
Take Hiashi right now. His chakra points had been sealed, and he should have been utterly unable to release chakra. Yet he had used the gaps left behind when his hands were broken and his chakra points shifted to release a few threads of chakra.
That tiny amount of chakra could not help him cut through the shackles on his body, but it could precisely and swiftly remove Hinata's eyes and his own. Was this not a new way of using Gentle Fist, created after accurately summarizing his own present predicament?
Though it was not particularly useful.
Ning Qi rubbed his chin, feeling that these two principles strangely suited the abilities unlocked after his Byakugan advanced.
To a certain extent, [insight], [analysis], and even [replication] could all be considered methods of "summarizing the present." Could he use these abilities to derive a future?
[Insight] and [analysis] were easier to explain. The former could help Ning Qi deduce combat trajectories during battle and find the weakest point in an opponent's movements, striking there to break through; the latter could help Ning Qi master and develop different ninjutsu, barely connecting it to the principle of "describing the future."
But what about [replication]?
The ability to create something from nothing and infer one thing from another sounded cool, but the chakra consumption was far too exaggerated. Besides, Ning Qi truly did not believe chakra alone could replicate every kind of matter.
Perhaps it was because Ning Qi had obtained [replication] too early and had not studied or developed it deeply enough. At least for now, this ability only had a "present," not a "future."
"Actually, Hanabi isn't dead. I broke my word back then and didn't kill her." Since this would be their final meeting before the clan assembly began, and because Hiashi had so generously taught him the Hyuga clan's core inheritance, Ning Qi told him.
Hiashi froze, then slowly nodded.
"Thank you."
Ning Qi lifted Hinata, who had passed out from the intense pain, and was about to leave when Hiashi's voice sounded behind him.
"Hanabi is very talented. I once even considered abandoning Hinata and raising Hanabi as the future clan head. If you really do it in a few days—if you kill everyone in the Hyuga clan... take her with you too. She'll become a good helper under you."
Ning Qi turned back, surprise on his face. "Do you know how precarious the life of a rogue ninja is?"
And you still dare to let your daughter go with me?
"I understand another principle even better: you should not put all your eggs in one basket," Hiashi said calmly.
"Do you know why I insist on exterminating the Hyuga clan?" Ning Qi shook his head. The old man had already lost his mind. "Aren't you afraid I'll dig out her eyes?"
"I believe the benefits she can bring you will far exceed the value of a pair of Byakugan," Hiashi replied.
That reason was extremely strained.
Ning Qi slowly caught on. After thinking for a moment, he asked:
"Who in Konoha are you guarding against?"
"Danzo? The Uchiha?"
"Surely not the Third Hokage?"
"You would rather trust me, a murderer, than your colleagues in Konoha?"
Hiashi fell silent for a moment before slowly saying:
"The death of your father, Hizashi, was actually..."
"Konoha just took the chance to needle your Hyuga clan. I know." Ning Qi waved his hand, not allowing him to continue discussing that old matter.
Hiashi pursed his lips. He did not correct Ning Qi's mistaken phrasing—it should have been "our Hyuga clan." He forcefully shook his head to drive away the insects crawling into his empty eye sockets, then continued:
"...You're very smart, so you should also understand what position I am speaking from when I ask you to do this final thing."
"If my Hyuga clan could still retain half of its strength, then I could trust Konoha's colleagues and let Hanabi remain in the village."
"But after the clan assembly ends, the possibility of the Hyuga clan retaining any strength at all is actually minuscule. Among the Hyuga clan survivors you have planned for, I fear there are only places for two juniors."
"One of them is even your younger brother. But he has the Caged Bird protecting him, so in the eyes of those colleagues surrounding me, the only truly worthwhile target is Hinata... Only one is good enough. Most people probably agree that nothing should go extinct. One more Hanabi would instead make things worse."
Ning Qi nodded slightly. He had not expected that merely mentioning Hanabi's survival in passing would make this old clan head immediately arrange everything, while also listing so many seemingly reasonable justifications.
"Furthermore, in my view, the chances of those two juniors surviving are lower than the chances of my Hyuga Family continuing through you. That is the most important reason I hope you can take Hanabi away," Hiashi continued.
Handing his daughter over to a murderer and making her his accomplice was absolutely not a decision a father could make. Yet it was the optimal solution the Hyuga clan head had reached, based on helpless reality, to give the family its greatest chance of continuing.
In nature, it was no different from teaching Ning Qi the clan's core inheritance.
Teaching Ning Qi the Hyuga inheritance was passing on the way; asking him to take Hanabi away was passing on a person.
"We'll see." Ning Qi neither agreed nor refused as he carried Hinata out of the room.
When he arrived at the entrance to the study where Hiashi said the hidden compartment was located, a figure approached from not far away.
"Hikari accidentally spilled paint on the floor. I'm cleaning it up." Natsu Hyuga lowered her head, her limbs stiff as she scrubbed the floor.
"Bandage her eyes." Ning Qi handed the unconscious Hinata to Natsu Hyuga, then entered the study alone.
The wall on the left... a secret chamber that required a summoning.
After finding a patch of pitch-black wall on the left that clearly gave off a mysterious aura, Ning Qi bit his finger. Following the hand seal sequence Hiashi had told him, he was about to summon the secret chamber when he suddenly seemed to realize something and lowered his hands.
Ning Qi stared uncertainly at the black wall before him. After thinking it over, he used the Clone Technique, having the clone stand before the wall while he himself retreated all the way outside the study.
Though Hiashi seemed to have spoken kindly on the verge of death, giving Ning Qi all sorts of explanations and requests, no one knew whether it was merely his final performance to set a trap for Ning Qi. After all, Ning Qi was the man who was about to exterminate the Hyuga clan!
As long as Ning Qi was killed, every crisis facing the Hyuga Family would be resolved. If Hiashi, as clan head, had not believed his side's chances of victory were truly low, why would he repeatedly compromise with Ning Qi, this rebel, for the sake of the family's continuation?!
After using the clone to observe the runes on the wall and confirm that they were indeed merely an ordinary summoning formula, Ning Qi nodded slightly. The clone then took Ning Qi's finger blood and followed the previous steps, forming hand seals and summoning!
Boom!
Accompanied by a tremendous crash, the black wall began to turn, and a narrow secret chamber slowly appeared before the clone.
When the clone emerged carrying twelve pairs of Byakugan, Ning Qi's breathing nearly stopped.
He glanced at the small words on his retina:
[Essence collected: 7.1%]
Then he impatiently grasped those Byakugan in his hands.
After a while, Ning Qi opened his eyes.
Every Byakugan in his hands had turned to dust!
[Essence collected: 59.6%]
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