The Hyuga Clan's branch family compound.
In the courtyard, everyone else had already gone to bed, but Neji was still training.
A genius was nothing to fear. A genius who worked harder than you was.
And Neji was exactly that sort of hardworking genius.
Of course, there was another reason he trained late into the night: the Ninjutsu and Taijutsu Tetsuya had taught him were not things he could readily let others see.
Everyone knew that the Byakugan and Gentle Fist were the Hyuga Clan's standard repertoire. If someone saw him using other Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, it might bring him some unnecessary trouble.
Unless he grew strong enough to shut everyone up. Then those problems would naturally disappear.
"Hey, you're working pretty hard. Still training this late?"
"Master!"
Neji stopped what he was doing and looked back in delighted surprise.
Tetsuya stood right there, and behind him was a stranger Neji had never met.
"Master, who is she?"
"Where are your manners? What do you mean, 'who is she'? She's your senior sister."
"Senior sister?! You have other disciples, Master?"
Neji looked at Rin in surprise.
"Hello, junior brother. My name is Rin, Rin Nohara. I'm Master's fourth disciple."
"Hello, Senior Sister Rin. My name is Neji Hyuga. If Master doesn't have any other disciples, then I should be the youngest."
As he spoke, Neji looked at Tetsuya, as though asking whether he had any other disciples.
"Don't worry. For now, you are indeed my youngest disciple. But who knows what the future holds?"
Rin smiled at the young Neji and patted his head.
"Since this is our first meeting, I didn't know what you liked, so I brought you some pastries as a gift. I hope you like them."
"Thank you, senior sister."
Neji accepted the box of pastries,