Gentle on the Outside, Strong on the Inside: Izayoi, Full of Accomplishment

December 21, Konoha Year 54.

Before they knew it, the second semester had come to an end.

This semester, the first-year students had all undergone very noticeable changes.

During the first semester, they had only academic classes and Physical Education Class. Without any real combat experience, they were hardly any different from before they had entered the academy.

The Taijutsu Sparring added in the second semester had allowed them to grow through pain, shedding some of their immaturity.

But it also had a side effect: it taught certain students to solve problems with violence.

Fights, brawls, and bullying incidents broke out constantly over the slightest disagreement.

More importantly, neither the teachers nor the school would stop them.

Clearly, in their eyes, weaklings did not deserve to become ninja.

Rather than be killed while carrying out missions after graduation, it was better to be bullied by their own people and choose to drop out, becoming an ordinary person.

As a result, students from every grade and class had tried to bully top students.

Like Itachi Uchiha back then, like Neji Hyuga, like Sasuke Uchiha...

They all had something in common: they were handsome, talented, aloof, and very popular with girls.

Yet despite being so popular, they had no interest in joining or forming small groups. Whether toward boys or girls, they acted as though they could not be bothered with any of them.

That lone-wolf attitude rubbed many boys the wrong way, making them want to teach them a harsh lesson.

Unfortunately, every single bullying attempt was resolved, and the bullies were even beaten up badly in return.

Getting beaten up was one thing, but so many people failing to defeat one person was utterly humiliating.

Afterward, they would be bullied by that person's support group as well, ostracized by girls in their class and grade, and even subjected to anti-bullying from upperclassmen.

As a result, they resented those prominent figures even more, even extending that resentment to members of their clans.

For example, on this day, heavy snow drifted down from the sky.

At last, once the snow stopped, Hinata no longer needed Izayoi to transform into Ino Yamanaka to come invite her. Now that she had the privilege of freely leaving home, she immediately jogged out of the clan compound, intending to wait for Izayoi at the Old Place.

Hinata wore a white Snowman Suit, with a red scarf tied around her neck. Looking chubby and round, she was utterly adorable.

Over the past half year, Hinata had deliberately grown her hair out at Izayoi's suggestion. It had now reached her shoulders.

She tied it into twin tails with hair ties, planning to change her hairstyle once it reached her waist.

Her cute little face was full of baby fat, slightly flushed in the snowy weather, making people want to reach out and pinch it.

To avoid being discovered, Hinata did not go knock on Izayoi's door. Instead, she came to the open space outside the Ninja Academy and waited for him. This had become an unspoken understanding between them.

"Is that girl from Neji's clan?"

"Those white eyes—there's no way we're wrong."

"Come on, let's teach her a lesson!"

As Hinata waited for Izayoi, several boys' voices suddenly reached her ears.

When she turned around, three boys who appeared one or two years older than her had already jogged over and surrounded her.

All of them wore malicious smiles.

"Um... do you need something?"

Hinata asked.

Her voice was very gentle, but a closer look would reveal that she was not hanging her head. She was simply looking at the three boys in confusion.

"Those eyes are so disgusting, just like that Neji!"

Looking at Hinata's eyes, one of the boys seemed to recall some unpleasant memory and shouted, "What are you staring at, you Byakugan freak? Do you know you've offended me? Get on your knees and apologize to me now!"

Hinata tilted her head, somewhat unable to understand what was going on.

But upon hearing her cousin's name, she still asked curiously, "Are you Neji's friends?"

"Who would be friends with that guy Neji?"

Another boy immediately shouted back, "We're his enemies."

"Get on your knees and yell that you're sorry. Then apologize to us on Neji's behalf, or we'll beat you up!"

The last boy reached out, intending to press down on Hinata's shoulder and force a member of Neji Hyuga's clan to kneel before humiliating her thoroughly.

As she watched the boy's palm reach toward her, Hinata's gaze abruptly changed. Then, her small hand in its white glove extended its index and middle fingers, striking the boy's chest at an even faster speed.

"Ah..."

Though separated by the glove, Hinata's fingers were like silver needles. They pierced through his thick winter clothes, making the boy cry out in pain as he collapsed onto the ground.

Hinata then struck the other two boys in rapid succession.

They too cried out and fell to the ground.

"It hurts, it hurts... waaah..."

They kept rubbing their chests, but the pain that ran from the outside deep within their bodies did not ease in the slightest.

Looking at Hinata before them, they felt as though they were seeing Neji Hyuga's reflection—just as powerful, just as aloof.

They were so frightened that they burst into tears on the spot, scrambling away in a panic.

Hinata, who had counterattacked on instinct, tilted her head again.

She had not even sent Chakra into their bodies, so why were they crying?

With strength like that, were they really Neji's enemies?

Clap, clap, clap...

Just then, the sound of applause reached her ears.

Following the sound, Hinata's face immediately lit up with delight.

"Izayoi-kun, you're here."

"Hina, you looked really cool just now."

Izayoi, also wearing a white Snowman Suit, walked over and gave Hinata a thumbs-up. "When dealing with people who mean you harm, you have to be this decisive. Otherwise, they'll only push their luck and might even develop the bad habit of bullying others."

"Mhm, mhm..."

Hinata nodded repeatedly, looking very obedient.

Seeing her like this, Izayoi felt a great sense of accomplishment.

In the original story, Hinata had been bullied by children her age more than once.

A Young Lady from such a prominent clan being bullied by a few common boys was already absurd enough.

What was even more absurd was that Hinata had already begun learning the Gentle Fist back then.

If she could still be bullied into tears like that, then it was undoubtedly a problem with her personality.

But now, Hinata had instead beaten the bullies until they cried, proving that Izayoi's transformation had been a great success.

Through all the beatings, her personality was no longer introverted and timid. Instead, she had become resolute and would not give up easily.

Her kindness remained, but she would no longer sacrifice herself just to accommodate others. Not only was she decisive when taking action, but counterattacking had become an instinct.

Unlike the delinquent big-sister version from Infinite Tsukuyomi, the current Hinata was gentle on the outside but strong within.

Having transformed Hinata this much in just half a year, Izayoi naturally felt immensely accomplished.

Fortunately, he had started changing her this early. If he had waited until Hyuga Hiashi and Neji Hyuga had crushed Hinata's spirit, changing the girl would not have been easy.

Hyuga Hiashi must have been very grateful to Izayoi.

Hinata's privilege of being allowed to go out freely was the best reward.

"Let's go. Time to train."

"Okay!"

The two children in Snowman Suits headed toward the abandoned Training Grounds.