Idle Chat

"Uchiha Itachi is that strong?" Sasuke didn't believe it for a second.

If Uchiha Itachi were that strong, he shouldn't have been the one branded a rogue ninja. Konoha should have been the one to flee.

"I never said Uchiha Itachi was that strong." Neji spread his hands.

Sasuke wanted to punch him twice on the spot. That look on Neji's face was just asking for it.

"Then who were you talking about?" Sasuke asked irritably.

"Madara Uchiha!" Neji said.

"Relax. Uchiha Itachi definitely isn't that strong. Legend has it that Madara Uchiha was so powerful because his Mangekyō Sharingan absorbed the ocular power of his younger brother's Mangekyō Sharingan," Neji said.

"The Sharingan can absorb each other's ocular power?" Sasuke asked, intrigued.

Neji spread his hands. "I said it was a legend."

"Tch." Sasuke was thoroughly annoyed.

"Anyway, are you asking because you've made progress on the Rasenshuriken?" Neji turned to the real matter.

Sasuke shook his head. "Not even close. I've only just started learning the nature and shape transformations for wind, and I only mastered that hand-sign-free Rasengan recently. The Rasenshuriken is still a long way off."

"And here I got my hopes up." Neji shook his head. "I thought you were making incredible progress."

"I have too much to do right now. Taijutsu training every day, wind-nature transformations to practice, and secret Rasenshuriken practice at night. I think even a donkey turning a millstone has it easier than me." Sasuke felt as though his work had already been scheduled a year in advance.

Neji nodded. "A donkey definitely has it easier than you."

It was the plain truth.

"Neji, I'm heading back," Tenten called out.

Neji turned and saw Tenten walking over from the other side of the Training Ground, where she had been practicing with ninja tools.

"Tenten, I'm going to train a while longer," Neji replied.

"This is Sasuke Uchiha, the top student in the sixth year. He's my friend, and a genius too," Neji said by way of introduction.

"Tenten. I'm Neji's teammate," she said in greeting.

"Sasuke Uchiha," Sasuke said with a calm nod.

"I'll get going, then. Get in touch if you need anything." With that, Sasuke left the Training Ground too.

"Neji, that Sasuke Uchiha seems pretty aloof. He doesn't look easy to get along with." Tenten had been about to leave herself, but hadn't expected Sasuke Uchiha to go first.

"It's not what you think, Tenten. He only looks aloof. He's actually not that hard to get along with," Neji said.

Tenten looked at Neji, then at Sasuke Uchiha's retreating back. Maybe you only think he's easy to get along with because you're both the aloof type.

That was what she thought, but she said, "Oh, I see. I really misjudged him, then."

"Neji, are you free tomorrow evening?" Tenten fidgeted, her face bright red.

Seeing her like that, Neji shook his head at once. "Sorry, Tenten. I need to practice the Gentle Fist with Lady Hinata."

It wasn't an excuse. With Hinata nearing graduation, her training had noticeably intensified, and she needed Neji to spar with her more and more often.

Tenten's face fell, disappointment written all over it. "In that case, never mind."

"Right. If there's nothing else, I'll head back," Neji said calmly.

His feelings hadn't stirred. There was no way he could fall for a twelve-year-old child. Even if anything were to develop between them, it would have to wait until she was an adult.

After returning to the Hyuga Clan, Neji went as usual to the clan head's courtyard. It was where Hyuga Hiashi taught Hinata Hyuga the Gentle Fist, and where she sparred with Neji.

When he arrived, Hinata and Hanabi were sparring.

Despite being several years younger, Hanabi clearly had the upper hand. Hinata could only defend, with no chance to strike back.

What a waste of that pure Byakugan. Neji shook his head inwardly as he watched.

Hinata wasn't lacking in physical talent. What she lacked was awareness and aptitude.

"Lord Clan Head." Neji lowered his head in greeting.

Hyuga Hiashi gave a barely perceptible nod. "Mm."

"That's enough, Hanabi. Come with me." Hyuga Hiashi seemed unable to watch any longer and called a halt to the match.

At his voice, Hanabi released a burst of Chakra from her palm, knocking Hinata back several steps, then returned to Hyuga Hiashi's side.

Hyuga Hiashi nodded with satisfaction at his younger daughter. Then he turned to Neji. "Neji, go help Hinata train. I'll take Hanabi to practice the Gentle Fist."

"Yes, Lord Clan Head," Neji replied.

He knew Hyuga Hiashi was about to teach Hanabi Gentle Fist secret techniques reserved for the Main Family, such as Rotation.

Hyuga Hiashi never taught Hinata or Hanabi those techniques in front of Neji. Neji had worked out Rotation bit by bit on his own after watching several Main Family members use it.

"Neji..." Hinata looked as timid as ever.

"Lady Hinata, you can't keep going on like this," Neji said seriously.

Hinata lowered her gaze to the tips of her shoes and clutched the hem of her clothes. "Neji, I know this isn't good, but I really have tried my best," she said softly.

"Forget it. It wasn't my place to say any of that. Let's start sparring, Lady Hinata." Neji shook his head and said no more.

He had only spoken up because Hinata Hyuga genuinely treated him as a person, unlike the other members of the Main Family, who saw him as a slave.

That was the last shred of feeling Neji had left for the Hyuga Main Family.

"Okay, Neji." Hinata took her stance and charged.

No improvement at all. That was Neji's assessment of Hinata's Gentle Fist.

In his eyes, her Gentle Fist was no different from what it had been months ago.

She has no idea what she's doing. Neji felt he could thrash her with one hand.

Has she spent all her time on her crush? Neji's thoughts wandered.

Even with his mind elsewhere, Neji had no trouble handling Hinata.

Hinata Hyuga was simply too hopeless. There was no other way to put it: she was a lost cause.

Interesting... A thought suddenly occurred to Neji as he watched her.

The Main Family never stops boasting that the Hyuga are Konoha's strongest clan, yet they've raised an heir this timid and lacking in confidence. How interesting... Neji sneered inwardly.

Neji didn't know whether to call it retribution, but he would never pin his hopes on karma. That was merely something people clung to when they were powerless and had no other choice.