The Much-Anticipated Sect Tournament

"Ha!" With a sharp cry, Hinata delivered a perfect palm strike, landing it squarely on Tahm. The impact sent a tremor through his massive frame. Tahm checked his status panel; this single strike had dealt a full 35 points of damage, more than double the 16 points from a few hours ago. For a six-year-old child, this was already a result worth being proud of.

"Well struck." Tahm did not hold back his encouragement for Hinata. "Let's call it a day here. You've made significant progress."

"Okay, Tahm!" Hinata replied joyfully. She could clearly feel that in less than half a day, her strength had improved by leaps and bounds.

Tahm fetched a towel and affectionately wiped the sweat from Hinata's forehead, then carefully used his thick fingers to straighten her collar, which had become disheveled from the intense exercise.

This was a way of being treated that Hinata had never experienced before. As the clan head, her father's image had long since been reduced to nothing but the word "majesty."

"Mr. Tahm, you're just like a father," Hinata murmured to herself, unaware she had spoken aloud.

"Huh?" Tahm caught the mosquito-like whisper with keen ears.

"I mean..." Hinata's face turned as red as a ripe apple. "Tahm is so good to me, just like the parents of the commoner families outside."

"Actually..." Tahm put on a serious expression. "I'm more suited to be your older brother... I'm too old to be a father."

"Haha." Hinata was tickled by Tahm's sudden remark, forgetting her shyness entirely.

Suddenly remembering something, Hinata asked, "Tahm, does it really not hurt? I've been hitting you all morning..."

"Still don't believe me? Once you can actually hurt me, you'll be ready to graduate." This wasn't a lie; with Tahm's current body, even if Madara Uchiha crawled out right now, he could only slap him to death—it would be impossible to actually hurt him.

Hinata didn't speak, just gave a silent nod. Seeing that the little girl was still worried about him, Tahm chuckled and lifted her up, placing her on top of his head. "Don't overthink it, let's go!" Ever since he was reborn with this large frame, Tahm had grown fond of putting those he was close to on his head and carrying them around town. It used to be Sage Fukasaku, and now it was little Hinata.

Although this was only the second time riding the Tahm-mobile, Hinata had already fallen in love with the feeling of being hoisted up. She calmed down instantly, no longer dwelling on those worries. Sitting on Tahm's soft, fleshy head and being carried steadily along, Hinata once again felt a sweet, fatherly sensation. She couldn't help but recall the commoner children she saw on the streets, laughing happily while riding on their fathers' shoulders. She used to only be able to watch from afar with envy, but now, she had found someone who cared for her just the same.

"Mr. Tahm?" Hinata called his name softly.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you!"

"You silly little girl, coming out with that out of nowhere."

Every morning, he would guide Hinata's training, eat with her, go for walks, and even bring her to watch the soap operas she had never seen before. If not for his fingers being too thick, he would have even liked to play computer games with her. Thanks to the bizarrely advanced civilian technology in the ninja world, Tahm had quickly found a way to replicate his previous life as a shut-in. Even Hinata had been corrupted by Tahm's theory of "balancing work and rest," and her entire lifestyle was quietly changing. When these reports reached the ears of Hyuga Hiashi, they were automatically translated into the malicious behavior of a detestable toad leading his good-for-nothing daughter astray, making him wish he could kick the shameless fat toad out of the compound immediately.

But in reality, Hinata's training had not fallen behind. After all, although Tahm's own strength was average, he had spent over a year learning under the tutelage of the pinnacle of the ninja world, Sage Fukasaku, and his theoretical knowledge was on par with a Jonin. His cheap senior brother Jiraiya had also provided him with guidance. It was equivalent to someone who had been mentored by a top-tier academician for over a year; he was certainly not going to lead a primary schooler astray, not to mention that Tahm himself was a living, breathing training tool.

Before they knew it, a week had passed.

That morning, Hinata got up early, but instead of taking Tahm to their usual training ground, she headed toward a plaza within the Hyuga compound.

"Why aren't we going to train today?" Tahm asked.

"Today is the day for the monthly sparring matches among the younger generation of the clan," Hinata explained, a shadow crossing her eyes as if she were recalling unpleasant memories.

There was a competitive monthly ranking system like this? To be forced into ranked ladder matches at such a young age—the Hyuga family's education was truly relentless. However, given Hinata's past strength and personality, it wasn't hard to imagine why she felt so down.

"Don't be afraid!" Tahm comforted her. "You're different from before!"

"Yeah, I am different..." The confusion in Hinata's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a sense of determination. She couldn't let Tahm's efforts go to waste...

Upon arriving at the plaza, Tahm noticed that many people had already gathered. Most were young children wearing bandages on their heads; they were likely branch family children, using them to hide the ugly Caged Bird curse seal. What a barbaric way to manage people! Tahm sighed. However, he couldn't deny that such ruthless methods were effective in maintaining the Hyuga clan's heritage and cohesion.

Standing on a high platform to the side were several adult Hyuga clansmen. They stood as still as pines, and one look at their posture and presence revealed them to be experts. Standing in the center of the main seat was Hinata's father, the clan head, Hyuga Hiashi. Seeing that Tahm and Hinata had arrived, Hiashi didn't say much, merely giving a professional instruction: "Everyone is here. Begin!"

Dozens of children lined up with practiced ease, orderly drawing wooden lots to determine the order and matchups of the bouts. Everything was so systematic that Tahm couldn't help but have a newfound respect for the discipline of a great clan.

The matches began. The first few were between branch family children Tahm didn't recognize. The level of the fights was indeed not very high; in Tahm's eyes, their strength was definitely inferior to Hinata's after his special training. But if this level of strength were compared to commoners outside, it would be like heaven and earth. One had to realize that commoner children of this age didn't even know what chakra was, let alone how to cultivate it. This made Tahm's mind wander; his cheap senior brother Jiraiya and cheap grand-nephew Minato Namikaze had risen from commoner origins to the very peak of a world dominated by clans—what incredible, heaven-defying talents they must have been!

Finally, it was Hinata's turn. Tahm immediately straightened up, sitting tall to watch her. Ignoring the quiet atmosphere of the entire arena, he shouted loudly, "Go, Hinata!" He looked exactly like a father watching his daughter compete from the sidelines.

With so many people present, Hinata felt a bit embarrassed by Tahm's shouting, but she still blushed and clenched her small fists, trying her best to use a voice louder than she had ever used before so that Tahm could hear her from below: "I will, Tahm!"

On the high platform, the true father, Hyuga Hiashi, who had been watching the whole time, felt his calm, mirror-like state of mind instantly shatter. He couldn't shake the feeling that in this short week, something important had been stolen away by that fat toad.