Hyuga Neji's formal transition to the rank of Genin signaled the definitive arrival of the "canon year."
To the current Hyuga Shinichi, most of the adversaries Konoha would face in the near future posed little threat. However, because so many fundamental events had been altered by his hand, the world was spinning toward an unpredictable horizon. Shinichi found himself without a compass.
How far would Naruto grow, having been raised in a loving home without the burden of the Nine-Tails? Would Sasuke, living in a peaceful and harmonious family, still possess that desperate, obsessive drive to become stronger?
The awakening of the Mangekyō Sharingan was notoriously cruel, requiring a specific brand of emotional tragedy. If Sasuke failed to awaken those eyes because the Uchiha massacre never happened, the ripples through the future would be cataclysmic.
Only now, as the "fated year" approached, did Shinichi begin to understand why so many transmigrators feared to disturb the timeline. In his pursuit of "clarity of mind" and his own personal convictions, he had changed so much that he had rendered his greatest weapon—foresight—useless.
Unlike his predecessors in other stories who grew more confident as the plot began, Shinichi felt a growing sense of uncertainty.
Sitting alone in his room, lost in thought, Shinichi realized his options were becoming limited. The Rinnegan and Black Zetsu were sealed away at Mount Myoboku under the watchful eyes of the Great Toad Sage and the toad clan. The risk of a breach was low, but if something did go wrong, it would be an event that could shatter the world.
Meanwhile, Otsutsuki Isshiki remained a ghost. Despite Shinichi's growing influence within the Hyuga clan and his efforts to scour the world for a monk named Jigen, there was no trail to follow. Even Uchiha Obito had vanished after the battle in the Land of Rain. Shinichi surmised that with Izanagi as a trump card, the man wouldn't "go down" easily.
The enemies were in the shadows, while he stood in the light. In a world this vast, hunting down enemies who were intent on staying hidden was an exercise in futility. All he could do was wait for them to show their hand.
Perhaps... I should use this time to observe Naruto and Sasuke, he thought.
They were the reincarnations of Ashura and Indra, born with a specific destiny. Yet, one thing bothered Shinichi: even with his Tenseigan, he could not perceive any "foreign" or "ancient" chakra residing within them.
The concept of "reincarnation" had begun to transcend his understanding of this world. Was it only Ashura and Indra who cycled through time? Or did everyone have a past life, and only these two were special because they were the sons of the Sage?
And what of the Sage of the Six Paths himself? Hagoromo, who could grant the Yin and Yang powers to Naruto and Sasuke from beyond the grave, was he truly "dead"?
The deeper he thought, the more Shinichi felt his own insignificance. Even with the Tenseigan and his god-like power, he felt like a mere "pawn" on a board. To truly master his life, he had to become the "player."
"The Sage of the Six Paths..." Shinichi's eyes grew deep and distant. "Is he watching his sons grow from some unseen realm? Is he watching me?"
The tea room fell into a long, heavy silence.
Following his graduation, Neji became a whirlwind of activity. Once Team 3 was established, Might Guy led his subordinates through a series of D-rank missions. This was partly to build rapport and partly to observe the distinct personalities of his team.
Rock Lee was Guy's favorite. In the boy who possessed no talent for Ninjutsu, Guy saw a mirror of his own youth. Lee's relentless diligence moved Guy, who spared no effort in honing the boy's skills. Guy didn't play favorites with the training drills; however, he pushed Tenten and Neji just as hard.
But not everyone could endure the soul-crushing monotony of Guy's regimen. Tenten, for all her spirit, had physical limits. Between her natural constitution and her weapon-based combat style, she simply wasn't built for the "single-minded" physical grind that Lee thrived on. When she was exhausted, she rested. Guy didn't hold it against her; he knew that the ability to endure his training was a talent in itself.
The true surprise for Guy was Hyuga Neji.
Whether it was because he took Shinichi's advice to heart or his own inner drive, Neji never showed a hint of impatience. To Guy, a genius from a noble clan equipped with the Byakugan and Gentle Fist, should have felt above basic physical conditioning. After all, the Hyuga bloodline gave them a natural shortcut to power.
Yet, Neji remained meticulous. He practiced the "Strong Fist" style of Guy's drills with as much focus as his own clan's arts. For long stretches, he refused to use the Byakugan or the Gentle Fist in sparring, as if trying to break his reliance on his Kekkei Genkai.
Guy was amazed to find that Neji's growth rate actually exceeded Lee's. Lee was hardworking, but Neji was a genius for a reason. The same two months of training yielded higher results for Neji. In this world of bloodlines, the fundamental gap in talent was a harsh reality.
Lee used Neji as his goal to chase, and under Guy's encouragement, the gap between them only fueled Lee's fire. Neji, while not feeling the pressure of being "caught," was inspired by Lee's burning willpower. Neji had his own goal to chase: his brother, Shinichi.
When there were no missions, Team 3 trained until their foundations were like iron. After six months of this hellish routine, both Lee and Neji had finally developed the physical constitution required to learn the Eight Inner Gates.
One afternoon, Guy decided the time was right. He sat them down to impart the secret of the forbidden technique.
Tenten, despite her hard work, lacked the specific chakra and physical density required for the Gates. She remained a spectator, watching without jealousy or resentment. She had seen the blood and sweat Lee and Neji had spilled over the last half-year; she knew they had earned this.
"The Eight Inner Gates?!"
When Neji began his study, he finally understood why Shinichi had been so adamant about his physical training. Even at the introductory level, Neji could see the terrifying potential. Guy demonstrated by opening the first five gates, and through his Byakugan, Neji saw Guy's combat power multiply several times over. Strength, speed, reaction time, and chakra—everything surged to a god-like level.
And that's only the fifth gate, Neji thought, stunned.
While the Hyuga specialized in the Gentle Fist, the raw statistical boost from the Gates would make their clan techniques exponentially more lethal. The only drawback was the sheer strain on the body, but Neji realized that his "boring" foundation training was exactly what would allow him to survive it.
Neji had a massive advantage in this particular field: his knowledge of the tenketsu (chakra points). Within a single week, Neji became the first of the students to successfully open the Gate of Opening.
The surge of power was intoxicating, but the immediate physical toll reminded him that he was only twelve. He would need years of further conditioning to truly master the technique by the time his body reached maturity.
As the months passed, Team 3 began taking on higher-ranked missions. Guy watched his pupils with pride, noting that they had already surpassed the standard of a Genin. He began planning for them to enter the Chūnin Exams the following year.
Winter faded into Spring. Another graduation season at the Academy approached.
But this year was different. The Jōnin of Konoha were buzzing with excitement and anticipation.
The son of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Naruto, was set to graduate. Every available Jōnin hoped for the chance to lead the Hokage's son—it was not only a mark of Minato's trust but a golden ticket to the center of the village's future.
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