Chapter 3: Clear Goals, Three Red Keywords
Unlike Naruto, who became the class dead-last due to interference from the Nine-Tails' chakra, Izayoi, who inherited the Ōtsutsuki bloodline, not only possesses astonishing potential but also an outrageously strong foundation.
The Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan allows one to see chakra pathways, giving them a natural advantage when it comes to chakra control training.
After awakening the Byakugan, Izayoi also unlocked the keyword: Chakra Control.
Even before entering the academy, Izayoi had already learned to climb trees and walk on water using chakra.
Forget the basic Three Academy Jutsu—he had already mastered the B-rank Shadow Clone Technique left by his parents and even low-level elemental jutsu.
Just like Uchiha Itachi, Izayoi had the skills of a graduate before even enrolling in the Ninja Academy.
Naturally, during the entrance exam, Izayoi secured first place without any suspense.
So, he was placed in Class 1-A, in the same class as the nine "rookie powerhouses."
When he arrived in the classroom, many students were already seated.
Izayoi scanned the room and his gaze locked onto a little girl who had also noticed him, her face lighting up with joy.
The corners of Izayoi's mouth curved up slightly, and with a clear goal in mind, he walked toward her.
The classroom desks were long, each seating three students.
The girl sat in the middle seat, with both sides still empty.
"Yo, we meet again."
Izayoi sat beside the girl and teased with a smile, "As expected of the young lady who dared to run away from home—the entrance exam was no challenge for you at all."
"Si...Sir Izayoi..."
The girl didn't dare look him in the eye, her head lowered as she nervously tapped her fingers together—but she was clearly delighted and excited.
She had been right. The "Izayoi" on the class list was indeed the same boy who had helped her all those years ago.
"Looks like we'll be desk mates from now on. Let's get along, Hyuuga—no, Hinata," Izayoi said with a smile, watching her cheeks and ears turn red.
Hinata instinctively turned to glance at Izayoi. After briefly making eye contact, she quickly looked away and whispered softly, "P-please take care of me too, Izayoi-kun."
But she didn't notice the heated look in Izayoi's eyes as he gazed at her.
In Izayoi's eyes, five floating bubbles of different colors surrounded Hinata.
The largest and most eye-catching one was red:
Princess of the Byakugan (Red)
Kekkei Genkai: Byakugan (Purple)
Jōnin Potential (Blue)
Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Blue)
Chakra Control (Blue)
The "Princess of the Byakugan" keyword was the main reason why Izayoi approached Hinata and intentionally waited for her outside on that snowy night of Hyuga Hiashi's funeral, when she ran away from home, to win her favor.
The moment Izayoi saw that keyword, he decided to cut off both Naruto—the Child of Destiny—and Toneri Ōtsutsuki, the tragic rival.
Just like the reincarnations of Asura and Indra, who could awaken the Rinnegan by merging their powers, Izayoi knew that Hinata and Toneri only needed to combine their powers to awaken the Tenseigan.
Their bloodlines and Byakugan purity were both highly regressive and powerful, making their awakening of the Tenseigan almost inevitable.
In the original story, Hinata only needed Toneri's chakra to defy fate and change her destiny.
Unfortunately, obtaining that condition was nearly impossible.
Therefore, as the "Princess of the Byakugan" with only a blue-grade Ōtsutsuki bloodline, Hinata's potential ceiling was likely just elite jōnin at best.
But now, Hinata's destiny had already begun to change.
With Izayoi possessing a red-grade Ōtsutsuki bloodline, his chakra might be capable of helping Hinata defy her fate as well.
And Hinata's red keyword could enable Izayoi to obtain the power of the Tenseigan.
The two of them were simply a match made in heaven!
After briefly greeting Hinata, Izayoi didn't talk to her anymore—for now, this was only their second meeting.
At six years old, Hinata had already begun learning Gentle Fist, but she likely couldn't defeat Neji yet. This was probably the period when Hiashi began feeling disappointed in her and her personality started becoming introverted.
After all, three years ago, though she was still shy, she wasn't afraid to look Izayoi in the eyes.
Thankfully, Hanabi had not yet grown strong enough, and Hiashi had not fully given up on Hinata in favor of raising the younger daughter instead.
Just a little encouragement for Hinata—just enough to boost her confidence—could change her introverted nature.But that, too, was a challenge.
Hinata was the eldest daughter of the Hyuga clan and rarely left her home except for school.Even when she did go out, she was always accompanied and guarded by clan members in green flak jackets.
Spending time alone with her was virtually impossible.
He had to come up with a plan.
Izayoi rested his cheek on one hand, tapping his index finger lightly on the desk with the other.
At that moment, Hinata was secretly stealing glances at the pensive Izayoi. The admiration she had buried deep in her heart surged forth once more.
Yes—Hinata admired Izayoi.
They were the same age, yet she would get lost just running away from home.
But Izayoi could roam the snowy night alone, speaking and acting so maturely, like a grown-up.
He also placed first in the entrance exam.
If only she could be as outstanding as him, then maybe her father wouldn't be so disappointed in her.
On top of that, aside from Hyuga Neji, Izayoi was the only peer Hinata knew.
Even after three years, she hadn't forgotten the boy with black hair, blue eyes, and baby-fat cheeks—named Izayoi.
Hinata, who longed for friends, really wanted to speak to Izayoi.
But… she just couldn't do it.
She was too useless!
Izayoi had no idea what Hinata was thinking.
He had just snapped out of his thoughts.
Because he once again laid eyes on his other targets—
Uzumaki Naruto… and Uchiha Sasuke.
Around them, just like with Hinata, several bubbles floated—each containing keywords. Some were red.
Uzumaki Naruto's talent keywords included:
Body of the Sage (Red)
Kage+ Potential (Gold)
Uzumaki Bloodline (Purple)
Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Blue)
Among Naruto's talent keywords, Izayoi didn't see anything explicitly mentioning "Asura" or "Nine-Tails."
However, the level of "Body of the Sage," along with the Uzumaki bloodline keyword, indicated that Naruto's version of the Sage's Body was not the same as that of the Senju or regular Uzumaki—it was on par with the pure Ōtsutsuki lineage.
This kind of "Body of the Sage" only appeared in Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo (the Sage of Six Paths) and his son, Ōtsutsuki Asura.
And on top of those four keywords, Naruto also had the "half-Nine-Tails" as an external cheat.
In comparison, Uchiha Sasuke's talent keywords were slightly inferior:
Eyes of the Sage (Red)
Kage-Level Potential (Purple)
Uchiha Bloodline (Purple)
Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Blue)
A "Princess of the Byakugan" who had not yet evolved had no real potential to speak of.
Likewise, the "Eyes of the Sage," if not evolved, were nothing impressive either.
Without Itachi's eyes or the awakening of Indra's chakra, Uchiha Sasuke's best-case scenario would be becoming a blind Kage-level ninja.
Only by obtaining the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan or by fully awakening the true power of the "Eyes of the Sage"—which meant awakening Indra's chakra—could Sasuke wield nearly infinite ocular power without having to transplant eyes. Only then would his potential rise to the Kage+ level.
Just like Uchiha Madara, who always got beaten down by Senju Hashirama, no matter how much effort Sasuke put in, he would still be overtaken instantly by Naruto once Naruto began to unleash his true power.
This was true throughout all six years of the Ninja Academy—and equally true in the three years of Shippuden.
That was the difference between talent—and cheats.
(End of Chapter)