Ikuko Hyuga

Yui changed into her training clothes and set off for the clan's Training Ground.

She thought about many things along the way.

She had to attend the Ninja Academy. Without learning the basics of ninjutsu, she would barely be able to improve her strength.

Most importantly, if she went to the academy, she would no longer have to spend all her time in this suffocating place.

Besides, she wanted to become a ninja. Although the clan held its own examinations that could qualify someone as a Genin, too...

With her status, she had no access to them at all.

So she had to treasure this hard-won opportunity, an opportunity that girl had given her.

This time, she would go all out to make sure she passed.

Although she had only been learning for a few months, she still had some idea of her own abilities.

Yui arrived at the Hyuga Clan's Training Ground at the agreed time.

When she stepped inside, she found it quite different from what she had imagined. There were plenty of people here, most of them dressed in training clothes.

She had thought the place would be empty today!

A tall, slender figure sat kneeling in the very center of the Training Ground.

"You're here..."

As Yui approached, she saw the man sitting before her with his eyes closed.

"Clan head, I've come to take your test."

Of course, Yui knew who the man before her was.

The head of the Hyuga Clan, Hyuga Feng.

He was probably the father of Hyuga Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga from the original story!

At this point in time, though, they probably hadn't been born yet.

"Mm..." Hyuga Feng gave a quiet acknowledgment, then opened his deep white eyes.

"I hear Nai called you a genius who could rival her. She even came to plead your case."

"Do you know that Nai is an extraordinary genius the likes of whom the Hyuga Clan sees only once in a century?"

His words were followed by a moment of silence. Only the sounds of the other disciples training nearby could be heard.

After a long pause, Yui finally replied, "My talent pales in comparison to Nai's, but I still have some confidence in my own abilities."

"Heh..." Hyuga Feng scoffed at her answer. "Arrogant..."

"Ikuko Hyuga, she's yours..." Hyuga Feng beckoned behind him.

Then a woman with white eyes, dressed in an orange-red kimono, slowly emerged from beneath the floor.

She looked quite a bit older than Yui, probably around sixteen or seventeen.

Taking up her stance, the woman named Ikuko Hyuga addressed Yui. "I'm Ikuko Hyuga. Let's have a good match."

As soon as she finished speaking, Ikuko Hyuga vanished from where she stood.

Before Yui could react, Ikuko Hyuga was already right in front of her.

Thud-

A fist slammed hard into Yui's abdomen, leaving her grimacing in pain, unable to speak.

She was just thinking of striking back, but before her hands could move, her opponent disappeared from her sight again.

Was that the Body Flicker Technique?

Yui wondered. After all, she had seen how fast the Body Flicker Technique was in the anime.

It was also a ninjutsu that every ninja learned.

In that brief instant while she was thinking...

Ikuko Hyuga appeared on her left. This time, she saw the attack clearly.

She raised both hands into a defensive stance, channeled chakra into her arms, and turned sideways to block the attack.

Bam-

A burst of force swept out. Although Yui had blocked the blow perfectly...

She was still knocked back several meters and slammed into the wooden wall with a dull thud.

Before she could recover from that strike, her opponent's next attacks were already upon her.

"So fast..."

Yui had no time to think. She could only hurriedly fend off one blow after another.

"Palm thrusts, elbow strikes, punches, front kicks, side kicks, spinning kicks."

Every kind of move came at her, catching Yui off guard.

"You still need more practice, little girl. I haven't even used chakra yet."

This little girl has held out this long against my Taijutsu attacks?

Considering her age, she really is a genius!

She glanced at Hyuga Feng beside her, but his face showed no expression.

It seems the clan head still isn't satisfied with your performance.

With that thought, she put more power into her strikes and picked up her speed.

The sudden onslaught broke Yui's rhythm, and she was already close to being overwhelmed.

"Ah... looks like I'll have to use that."

If she didn't use it now, she would probably fail today's test.

She couldn't afford to lose this hard-won opportunity.

"Byakugan... activate!"

With a sharp cry, she concentrated chakra in her eyes, and veins bulged around them.

This was the Hyuga Clan's kekkei genkai, the Byakugan.

At the sight, Ikuko Hyuga paused her attacks, shock stirring within her.

Other than Lady Nai, this was the only person in the clan who had awakened the Byakugan at this age.

She looked at Yui, then turned to Hyuga Feng.

But his face showed no reaction. He remained as composed as ever.

Seeing that, Ikuko could only steel herself and continue attacking.

The clan head had told her earlier that the girl would pass if she blocked thirty-six attacks, hadn't he?

She had nearly reached a hundred attacks now. Why was the clan head still not reacting?

Although Hyuga Feng's face betrayed nothing, his heart was already in turmoil.

He could hardly believe Yui had awakened the Byakugan at this age, even though Nai Hyuga had awakened hers earlier.

But their circumstances were entirely different.

Yui had achieved this through talent alone.

On the training floor...

With her Byakugan active, Yui could now clearly see every one of Ikuko Hyuga's movements.

"It isn't the Body Flicker Technique..."

Only now did she understand.

Her opponent hadn't used the Body Flicker Technique at all.

That speed came purely from her body.

Thanks to the Byakugan, she could finally strike back. But the only thing in her arsenal right now was basic Gentle Fist.

She blocked one of Ikuko's blows, then used Gentle Fist to redirect its force and launch a counterattack.

Thud-

Her small fist struck Ikuko, driving her back several steps.

"That's... Gentle Fist?"

Ikuko hadn't expected a girl so young, and from the branch family at that, to have already mastered Gentle Fist.

Recovering from her shock, Ikuko was about to attack again.

"Wait..." A steady voice rang out, stopping her.

Hearing that voice, Ikuko finally breathed a sigh of relief.

After all, she had no desire to make an enemy of a future genius of the clan.

"Yui Hyuga, your test is over..."

"Report to the Ninja Academy tomorrow," Hyuga Feng said slowly. "I'll go see the Third now."

With that, Hyuga Feng stood and vanished from Yui's sight in the blink of an eye.

She stared at Ikuko in disbelief, her eyes dazed.

"Just like that... I passed?"