The Hyuga Chakra Method

As dusk fell, Yui sat quietly on the straw mat with her eyes closed.

"Byakugan, activate."

She gathered chakra in her eyes, trying to activate her Byakugan.

Veins gradually rose around her eyes.

Just as she was about to succeed, the veins around her eyes suddenly receded again.

"Sigh... another failure."

Yui sighed.

Ever since she had learned that she possessed the Byakugan, she had been trying to activate it at every opportunity.

Unfortunately, she failed every time.

Today was the closest she had come to succeeding.

Perhaps it was because she had managed to extract a little chakra today.

Thinking of chakra reminded her of Nai Hyuga.

She seemed to have told her to come to the training ground tonight.

She had also said she would teach her how to extract chakra.

It was already dark, so it was about time.

She changed into training clothes. After all, she would probably be training shortly.

A kimono was rather cumbersome to move around in.

The training ground.

Since it was nighttime, hardly anyone was there.

The grounds were deserted, with only a lone figure standing in the middle.

"You're here..."

Nai Hyuga looked at the figure behind her and spoke with delight.

This was her first friend.

How could she not be happy when her friend had accepted her invitation?

"Mm..." Yui nodded.

Yui walked over to her and stopped in front of her.

"Do you remember how I said your method of extracting chakra was wrong?"

"Actually, calling it wrong isn't quite right."

"It's more like a simplified version."

"It can still extract chakra, but it isn't very efficient."

Hearing that, Yui finally understood.

In the anime, this method of extracting chakra was taught at the Ninja Academy.

No wonder. It was probably a stripped-down Chakra Method.

One provided for Konoha's civilian-born shinobi.

The major clans probably had their own methods of extracting chakra.

"Are there other, more complete methods of extracting chakra?" Yui asked.

Nai Hyuga smiled softly, then brought out a book from behind her back.

"Here... this is our clan's method of extracting chakra. Make sure you take good care of it."

Yui accepted it. The book in her hands looked old and worn.

"The Hyuga Chakra Method."

Yui eagerly began leafing through it.

Seeing how engrossed she was, Nai Hyuga did not disturb her.

After reading for a while, delight gradually spread across Yui's face.

This Chakra Method was practically tailor-made for the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan.

It did not merely explain how to use chakra.

More importantly, if she trained according to this method,

She could speed up the process of awakening her Byakugan.

"Are you... really giving me this training method?" Yui asked in bewilderment.

They had only just become friends. Who handed over such a valuable opportunity right from the start?

"And judging by how this book looks, it's probably an antique from the clan."

She was just giving it to me like that?

Nai Hyuga chuckled at that, then slowly explained.

"I found this book in a corner of the clan library."

"It's a little different from the Chakra Method the clan uses now."

"Besides, it sat in the library for so many years without anyone noticing it."

"I was a little puzzled when I first found it, too."

"But I've had it out for so long now, so it should be fine."

"And most of the books in the library are just histories of the Hyuga Clan."

"All right, then. I'll take it." Only after hearing her explanation did Yui feel comfortable accepting it.

"Ahem, ahem..."

Nai Hyuga gave a few affected coughs.

"Put that book away for now. Today, I'm going to teach you Gentle Fist."

"Gentle Fist?"

"The Main Family's elders don't allow us to practice Gentle Fist."

Yui felt rather helpless about that.

"So, do you want to learn?"

"Yes..." She agreed without hesitation.

Of course she would take an opportunity like this.

She wanted to grow stronger. How could she possibly refuse?

"But why are you helping me like this?" Yui asked in confusion. "We've known each other for less than a day, haven't we?"

Nai Hyuga smiled softly.

"Be sincere with your friends, and they'll be sincere with you."

"Even if we've only known each other for a day, we're still friends."

"..."

Those two sentences stunned Yui.

Sincerity, huh?

She silently etched those words deep into her heart.

Now that she had her answer, Yui felt at ease as she began practicing with her.

"As for Gentle Fist, I'll teach you its basic Taijutsu first."

Nai Hyuga grew serious, putting on the air of an adult.

Yui nodded, then began training by following Nai Hyuga's movements.

Three hours later, they finished their training.

"Whew-"

Drenched in sweat, Yui lay down on the corridor outside the training ground.

Beside her, Nai Hyuga seemed to have plenty of energy left and did not look tired at all.

Ugh, why doesn't she look tired at all?

Yui grumbled inwardly.

Moonlight spilled down from the sky, bathing them both.

As she gazed at the moon overhead, Yui gradually became lost in thought.

"Nai, can you tell me about any major events that have happened in the village lately?" Yui asked.

After all, despite having grown this old, she had never gone out to explore the village. She had spent almost all her time in her room.

Besides, according to the timeline, the First Shinobi World War should have been nearing its end.

At her question, Nai Hyuga's mood grew somber.

"There have indeed been some major events in the village." Nai Hyuga steadied her emotions before continuing slowly.

"Lord Second Hokage was assassinated during a peace ceremony with Kumogakure."

"The Second Raikage was also killed in the same assassination."

"Lord Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Second Hokage's student, was appointed in the midst of the crisis and became the new Hokage."

"Perhaps the war will be over soon," Nai Hyuga said wistfully.

Hearing this, Yui knew where she currently stood in the timeline.

So the Second Hokage had already died in battle.

"Nai, do you think life is fragile?"

Nai Hyuga fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Why do you feel that way?"

"Even the strongest Kage can die on the battlefield. Doesn't that make life fragile?" Yui said with a smile.

She asked Nai Hyuga these questions to find out whether she had such thoughts.

Orochimaru, too, had fallen into contemplation about life after seeing a white snake shed its skin.

After hearing that question, Nai Hyuga began to ponder.

Life...

After a long while, she finally voiced her thoughts.

"No, I don't think life is fragile. Every life has its own independent thoughts, a strong will, and the courage to resist."

"When a life has those things, it isn't fragile. Perhaps life itself is fragile-a small knife, an arrow, even a leaf can easily take it away."

"But when someone dies, if their will lives on, then that isn't fragility."

After hearing Nai Hyuga's answer, Yui had her answer.

She already had her own unique understanding of life?