The atmosphere in the clan hall was extraordinarily oppressive, the air seeming to solidify into something tangible. Suigetsu Hyuga and the others kept their eyes fixed on Hyuga Satoru.
After a moment of silence, Hyuga Satoru spoke.
"I wanted to go to the clan training grounds too, but most of the people training there are Chunin and Genin. I am not even a ninja, so how could I compete with them? I could only train at home every day."
"I only developed Magnet Release recently. Before that, I knew very little about Kekkei Genkai. My parents died early, leaving me to live alone, and I had no energy to think about so much."
After saying that, Hyuga Satoru fell silent. In this situation, the best approach was to play the victim and act clueless. He was practically invisible within the clan anyway. Even if the Main House had information on him, it could not be much.
After hearing this, Suigetsu Hyuga exchanged glances with the surrounding elders. Indeed, they had investigated Hyuga Satoru's circumstances long ago. If not for the matter of his Dual Bloodline, he would have been the kind of person with the least presence in the clan, someone whom almost no one ever noticed.
Suigetsu Hyuga nodded, his voice becoming somewhat gentler. "Since you have awakened a second bloodline, regardless of anything else, we will not let you continue living as you did before. Starting today, your living allowance will be tripled."
"Thank you, Clan Head."
Hyuga Satoru bowed in thanks. This was an unexpected gain.
Then Suigetsu Hyuga's gaze abruptly turned sharper, and his tone shifted. "I have heard that you have begun to look down on the Gentle Fist, and that you even altered its fundamental techniques without authorization. Is that true?"
The clan hall fell silent once more.
Hyuga Satoru said nothing. There was no need to ask; Iroha had clearly reported him.
"Yes."
A trace of displeasure appeared in Suigetsu Hyuga's eyes as he frowned.
"Our clan has stood tall in the Shinobi World for a thousand years because of the foundations of the Gentle Fist and the Byakugan. The fundamentals of the Gentle Fist cannot be altered. Do you understand?"
Hyuga Satoru thought for a moment before asking cautiously.
"Clan Head, may I ask something? The Gentle Fist has allowed the Hyuga Clan to stand in the Shinobi World for a thousand years, but has it changed at all over all these years?"
Suigetsu Hyuga considered it. "Although the Gentle Fist evolved in its early days after its creation, it later became fixed, becoming the technique most suited to our clan. It can handle all changes, and it has remained so for centuries."
"Clan Head, I learned about the Tailed Beasts from the notes my father left behind. Can the Gentle Fist deal with Tailed Beasts?"
"What are you trying to say?"
Suigetsu Hyuga's brows drew together slightly.
Hyuga Satoru paused, then spoke softly. "The Gentle Fist has limits."
"Enough!"
Suigetsu Hyuga interrupted him in displeasure.
"Our Hyuga Clan has endured until today by relying on the foundations of the Gentle Fist and the Byakugan. Do not think that awakening Magnet Release means you can pursue some other path. I am telling you, compared to the Gentle Fist, Magnet Release is worthless!"
The Branch House guard beside Hyuga Satoru trembled as he bent forward, helpless bitterness showing on his face. A bead of cold sweat slid down from his forehead.
He could not understand why Hyuga Satoru had brought up this topic. The Main House elders were far too sensitive about the Gentle Fist.
Hyuga Satoru sighed inwardly.
Leaving aside the fact that the Gentle Fist almost entirely lacked long-range capabilities, with its only Vacuum Palm having a rather limited range, that alone severely restricted its upper limit.
More importantly!
The rigid cultivation of the Gentle Fist had nearly cut off the possibility of Hyuga ninja developing the Byakugan's other abilities!
A Byakugan Kekkei Genkai capable of seeing through things from several kilometers away had been forcibly turned by the Hyuga into nothing more than a scouting tool.
The Gentle Fist might once have been the foundation that allowed the Hyuga to stand tall in the Shinobi World, but now it was the shackles of the Hyuga Clan, just like the Caged Bird.
Only by breaking these shackles could the Hyuga tear down the old and rise anew!
Suigetsu Hyuga impatiently waved a hand. "Enough. This matter ends here. You may leave."
"Yes."
After Hyuga Satoru and the Branch House guard left, Suigetsu Hyuga looked at the young man behind him and asked in a deep voice.
"Hiashi, what do you think of that Hyuga Satoru?"
Hyuga Hiashi was a descendant Suigetsu Hyuga thought very highly of. He had always kept him at his side and raised him as an heir.
Hiashi thought for a moment before saying, "Since he is the first Dual Bloodline ninja in Hyuga history, his future prospects certainly will not be poor. However, his lack of regard for the Gentle Fist may become an obstacle on his path."
Suigetsu Hyuga snorted coldly.
"He has abandoned the study of the Gentle Fist to research crooked side paths instead. His achievements will certainly be limited. In the end, he is merely a Branch House member."
Upon hearing those last words, Hyuga Hiashi opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately fell silent.
Outside the clan hall, the Branch House guard wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked anxiously at Hyuga Satoru.
"Wu! You have far too much nerve. You actually dared to criticize the Gentle Fist in front of the Clan Head!"
Hyuga Satoru's gaze flickered.
This was his first contact with the Main House's upper ranks, and the Main House's stubbornness and decay were plain to see. They clearly knew the Gentle Fist could be improved, yet they remained obstinate and rigid, insisting that the methods of their ancestors could not be changed.
Yet this was not without benefits for him.
After today, the Clan Head would likely continue to look down on him, which would be more conducive to his development of Electromagnetic Force.
Pushing those thoughts from his mind, Hyuga Satoru scratched his head and smiled at the Branch House guard.
"Thank you for your concern, Uncle. By the way, I still do not know your name."
"Hiashi Shu. Just call me Uncle Shu."
"Okay, Uncle Shu."
As if recalling something, Hiashi Shu looked into the distance, a hint of nostalgia appearing on his face.
"Before your father passed away, he carried out missions with me as well. Though we did not speak much, I could tell that he was a very honest man."
"I have too many tasks every day, so apart from distributing your compensation payment, it has been difficult for me to have much contact with you. But if you have any problems with your training in the future, you can come find me."
"Then thank you, Uncle Shu."
Hyuga Satoru said with a smile. Hiashi Shu was a Jonin, so even if he did not follow the Gentle Fist system, there should still be things he could learn from him.
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