What Happened to Nai Hyuga?

"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm..."

A transparent wave of air hurtled toward Yui.

Through her Byakugan, the attack looked fierce and swift. Yui knew she could not dodge it.

In that case, she could only counter with ninjutsu.

She formed hand seals.

"Water Release: Water Formation Wall."

She spat out a column of water, forming a wall in front of her.

Splat...

Ikuko Hyuga's attack struck the wall, throwing up waves of water.

"You've practiced your ninjutsu well."

Before Yui could react, Ikuko Hyuga had already appeared beside her.

"So fast..."

"Eight Trigrams Palm: Piercing Strike."

Ikuko Hyuga pressed two fingers together, concentrated chakra at their tips, and thrust them toward Yui's chest.

As she watched the attack approach, a powerful sense of danger surged through Yui.

This is bad. I've never heard of this ninjutsu.

Ikuko Hyuga then explained where the move came from.

"This is a move I developed myself through Gentle Fist."

"Today happens to be a good chance to test its power."

Yui watched the attack close in.

At the last possible moment, Yui used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished from the spot.

"Hah, hah-"

Only after escaping the attack's range did Yui breathe a sigh of relief.

That strange, heart-pounding dread finally began to fade.

"Huh..." Ikuko Hyuga felt a little disappointed when she saw her attack miss.

Seeing Ikuko Hyuga still standing there in a daze, Yui seized the opportunity and formed hand seals.

"Wind Release: Gale Palm."

Whoosh-

A powerful gust blasted toward Ikuko Hyuga.

Disappointed by the same old move, Ikuko Hyuga stepped sideways and dodged it.

"Is that the only ninjutsu you know?" she taunted.

"With the Byakugan, any attack that leaves a chakra trail can be easily dodged, provided your body can keep up."

"You've already awakened your Byakugan. Surely you know that!"

"Hmph..." Yui snorted softly.

Without changing her movements, she unleashed more Gale Palms in succession.

"Wind Release: Gale Palm."

"Wind Release: Gale Palm."

"Wind Release: Gale Palm..."

Ikuko Hyuga's expression went slightly blank as she watched the countless Wind Release: Gale Palm attacks fly toward her.

Seriously, can a Shadow Clone use this many ninjutsu in a row?

If she had not possessed the Byakugan, she would have doubted whether the other girl was really a Shadow Clone.

As the attacks drew closer, Ikuko Hyuga had no choice but to strike back.

"Eight Trigrams Palm: Rotation."

The ninjutsu appeared once more, blocking all of Yui's attacks.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh-"

The Shadow Clone's chakra was nearly exhausted now, so Yui could only stop attacking.

"Rotation, huh? The Hyuga Clan's absolute defense."

Yui committed the flow of its chakra to memory. Perhaps it would prove useful someday.

Suddenly, through her Byakugan, she saw the chakra she had just unleashed rebound toward her.

With no time to think, she formed hand seals and used a defensive ninjutsu.

"Water Release: Water Formation Wall."

Yui spat out a column of water, forming a barrier on the ground that just managed to block the incoming attacks.

"You can have these attacks back!"

Rotation can actually reflect ninjutsu? She had never expected that.

After reflecting all the attacks, Ikuko Hyuga used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished.

Meanwhile, Yui was focused on holding off the attacks and did not notice that Ikuko Hyuga had disappeared.

"You're still far too inexperienced in combat. I hope this teaches you a lesson."

Ikuko Hyuga's voice sounded behind her.

Hearing her voice, Yui's pupils contracted, and she whipped her head around.

Because of the Caged Bird Seal, Yui's Byakugan only gave her a 359-degree field of vision.

Ikuko Hyuga had exploited that final blind spot to get behind her.

"Damn it..." Yui cursed under her breath.

She kept her ninjutsu running to fend off the attacks reflected by Rotation.

"Ah..." Ikuko Hyuga sighed. "It's time to end this farce."

"Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms..." Chakra gathered in Ikuko Hyuga's hands as she rapidly struck Yui's back again and again.

"Ah..."

With the chakra points throughout her body sealed, Yui felt an intense sense of blockage.

Without chakra to sustain it, the Water Formation Wall instantly dissipated.

"Phew..."

Ikuko Hyuga wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"All right. Will you dispel your Shadow Clone yourself, or shall I help you?"

Yui said nothing. She lay on the ground, staring at her resentfully.

Feeling Yui's gaze on her, Ikuko Hyuga stopped being polite.

"In that case, I'll help you!"

She gathered chakra in her palm and struck toward Yui's body.

"Wait..."

Yui spoke up, interrupting her movement.

"Oh?" Ikuko Hyuga was puzzled. What is she doing?

Stalling for time?

But what would that accomplish?

"Over the next few years..." Yui stammered. "Please help look after Nai Hyuga."

"That girl is very innocent. I don't want anyone deceiving her."

At her words, Ikuko Hyuga's expression froze.

Nai Hyuga? That girl...

Innocent? Yes, she is.

When Ikuko had taken her inside back then, she had agreed without the slightest hesitation.

"Look after her? I don't think she'll need that anymore," she replied instinctively.

By the time she realized what she had said, it was too late.

"What do you mean by that..."

Yui had only wanted to buy time so Little White Mouse could escape the area as quickly as possible, but now it seemed she had genuinely heard something terrible.

She could not shake the feeling that there was more to Ikuko's words, and a sense of losing everything slowly welled up inside her.

What's going on?

Has something happened to Nai Hyuga?

"What happened to Nai Hyuga?" Yui asked.

Even if she were a fool, she should have noticed something by now.

Would the Third lie to me?

"Did Nai Hyuga run into danger on a mission?" she asked, watching Ikuko Hyuga's expression.

A mission? Ikuko Hyuga was puzzled.

Why would she think that?

Could she be trying to lead me into saying Nai Hyuga went on a mission?

If I admit it, won't she know something happened to Nai Hyuga?

Nice try...

"You're overthinking it. Nai Hyuga has been in the clan all along, teaching Gentle Fist to the two young heirs."

"How could she possibly be out on a mission?"

Yui's heart sank at Ikuko Hyuga's words.

Their accounts did not match. Something must have happened to Nai Hyuga.

"What exactly happened to her?" Yui desperately wanted an answer.

Ikuko Hyuga grew irritated by her relentless questioning.

"You don't need to know about that."

Chakra gathered in her palm again, and she struck straight at Yui.

Bang-

Yui's body dissolved into a cloud of white smoke.

"Phew..." Only after watching the Shadow Clone disappear did Ikuko Hyuga breathe a sigh of relief.

She had accidentally let a little information slip.

Oh well. What does it matter if she knows?

It's fate. No one can change it.

Looking at the wreckage around her, Ikuko Hyuga shook her head.

Then she used the Body Flicker Technique and left the area.

As she walked home, for some reason, her thoughts kept returning to the little mouse in the alley.

A mouse with a fluffy tail? Pretty cute.

"No, wait..."