At dawn, Hinata rose early and went to the family dojo. The wooden floors were cool beneath her bare feet as she began a set of Gentle Fist movements.
The Gentle Fist art required exceptional talent and comprehension. Those with only average aptitude could master the basics—using the Byakugan to locate tenketsu(*Chakra points) and striking them with chakra to block or disrupt their opponent's flow.
But geniuses of the Hyūga clan could go far beyond that. They could unleash the true essence of the Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms, Sixty-Four Palms, One Hundred and Twenty-Eight Palms—each technique an unavoidable dance of precision and destruction.
A single combination, and the enemy was crippled.
For a shinobi, losing access to chakra was no different from becoming prey. Against the Hyūga's taijutsu, they were helpless—like fish on a chopping block.
Hinata's Gentle Fist Mastery, the reward from her Homeland system, now allowed her to fully perform the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms with perfect execution.
However, her current physical condition couldn't sustain anything beyond that.
She could feel it—the potential for greater forms.
Two hundred and fifty-six palms.
Five hundred and twelve palms.
One thousand and twenty-four palms.
Even two thousand and forty-eight.
The techniques were there, waiting, but her body simply couldn't keep up with her new level of mastery.
It was like owning an advanced engine but installing it in a car that couldn't handle the power. Forcing it would only make everything fall apart.
So she didn't push it.
Her current body was still too frail—but that could be changed. Compared to her previous life, she now had the time, the strength, and the environment to grow stronger.
…
At breakfast, the Hyūga household was quiet as always. The only sounds were the soft clinking of chopsticks and bowls.
Hinata kept her eyes lowered, silently observing those around her. After her soul's fusion, everything felt both familiar and foreign—like a memory blurred by time.
"Hm?"
She lifted her head slightly. Her father, Hiashi Hyūga, was watching her.
Seeing his eldest daughter quietly focused on her food, his mind flashed with a single word: glutton.
She ate diligently, almost mechanically—more than anyone else at the table. Her strength wasn't particularly impressive, but neither was it weak.
Still, her timid, indecisive nature disappointed him deeply. Strength could be built through effort, but character? Once it hardened, it rarely changed.
"If you're not feeling well," Hiashi said at last, his tone neutral, "take a few more days to rest at home. I'll have the academy informed."
Hinata shook her head. "It's alright, Father. I'm much better now. There's no need for that."
Hearing this, Hiashi merely nodded and fell silent again.
"I've finished eating, Father, Mother." She rose and bowed politely. "Please continue your meal. I'll head to school."
Her stomach wasn't even half full, but she glanced at the two nearly empty rice containers beside her and decided against eating more. With quiet grace, she stood and left.
"Onee-sama!"
"Hanabi," Hinata's mother called gently, "you haven't finished your food yet. Don't waste it."
Hinata didn't look back. She returned to her room, changed into her uniform, and stepped outside into the bright Konoha morning.
…
Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves—one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations.
After surviving multiple ninja wars, it now stood as the strongest among them, a village born from the unity of powerful clans and steeped in history and strength.
For Hinata, the world appeared unchanged.
When she arrived at the academy, she took her usual seat and quietly scanned the room. Her eyes unconsciously searched for someone—and when she found him, her cheeks flushed a soft pink.
She quickly averted her gaze.
A person could change, yes—but not without reason. A sudden shift would only draw suspicion, and even the dullest person could sense something was off.
Hinata hadn't watched the Naruto anime in her previous life—or at least, she'd heard enough about it to know the story. This world was dangerous beyond measure.
Clans, villages, even entire nations could be wiped out. And the moon itself, she recalled, was said to have been created by humans.
It was terrifying—and awe-inspiring.
For her own safety, she knew she had to maintain her façade. On the surface, she must remain the same shy, timid girl everyone knew. Her thoughts could be different, her will could be steel—but her actions had to be the same.
…
By the end of the school day, Hinata had a clearer picture of her surroundings.
There was Uchiha Sasuke, the prodigy at the top of the class.
Uzumaki Naruto, the bottom-ranked troublemaker.
A crowd of swooning girls, all fawning over Sasuke.
The lazy Nara Shikamaru, always half-asleep.
Akimichi Choji, perpetually snacking.
Inuzuka Kiba, whispering to his loyal puppy.
And Aburame Shino, quiet and almost invisible.
…
Back home, Hinata ate dinner, played with her younger sister Hanabi, then practiced Gentle Fist before returning to her room. When she lay down, her consciousness slipped seamlessly into her Homeland world to continue her construction work.
She couldn't multitask between the two realms—her mind was either inside or outside, never both at once.
…
"If I pass the graduation exam, I can become a ninja," she mused to herself. "If I fail, I'll just stay at the academy a bit longer."
Later that evening, she approached her father. "Father… should I graduate this year?"
"Do as you wish." Hiashi waved a hand dismissively, his attention already elsewhere.
Following his gaze, Hinata saw Hanabi practicing Gentle Fist in the dojo, her movements sharp and precise.
In that moment, understanding dawned.
With her past life's experience—and her knowledge of the Hyūga clan's structure—Hinata instantly grasped the situation.
She bowed silently, lowered her head, and left without another word.
…
The Hyūga clan was built upon the strict hierarchy of the Main House and Branch House. Children born into the Branch House were bound by blood and duty.
If the Main House produced more than one child, only one could remain as heir; the others would be branded with the Caged Bird Seal—a mark of servitude and control.
As the eldest daughter, Hinata was expected to inherit leadership of the Main House, while her younger sister, Hanabi, would serve as Branch House support.
But Hinata's timid nature and inferior talent had changed everything.
Now, she was being quietly replaced. Hanabi was the clan's future, and Hinata… was expendable.
…
"The Caged Bird Seal…"
Standing before the mirror, Hinata lifted her bangs and touched her smooth forehead.
"No," she whispered. "I don't want something so ugly engraved here."
It wasn't about appearance—it was about control.
To live with that curse mark meant surrendering her life and freedom completely to the Main House.
And after dying once in another world, now reborn with a new soul and a new will, Hinata refused to accept that fate.
She clenched her fists, her eyes sharp and resolute.
"I won't let anyone decide my life again."
…
The next day at the Ninja Academy, Hinata stood before Iruka and Mizuki, performing the Shadow Clone Technique flawlessly. After completing several other tests, she was officially declared a graduate.
By the time evening arrived, she noticed Naruto—the academy's most troublesome and least talented student—sitting alone on a swing in the distance, his gaze fixed on the celebrating students around him.
Hinata hesitated for a long moment, her steps faltering.
In the end, she didn't approach him.
…
That night, she brought the headband she'd earned back home.
Her father said nothing.
Her mother, however, sat with her for a long while, gently reminding her to be careful and to always prioritize safety during missions. Hinata nodded obediently, though whether she truly listened or not was something only she knew.
…
The following morning marked the team assignments.
Scanning the results board, Hinata noticed her classmates, one partnered with a dog and another with insects. She wondered for a moment if she, too, should keep an animal companion—just to fit in—but dismissed the thought just as quickly.
Her surprise came when she spotted Naruto among the newly assigned teams. Didn't he fail yesterday's test? she thought, confused.
As fate would have it, Hinata was placed in Team 8, alongside Kiba Inuzuka, loud and brimming with energy, and Shino Aburame, calm and almost eerily quiet.
The contrast between them made her slightly uneasy.
In her previous life as an assassin, she had always worked alone. Cooperation, teamwork—these were unfamiliar concepts. She didn't even know where to begin.
Kiba's boisterous voice broke through her thoughts.
"Alright! To celebrate graduating as genin, let's grab something to eat before our jōnin teacher shows up! My treat!" he declared proudly.
Hinata's eyes brightened at the mention of food, but she quickly composed herself. It wouldn't be proper to overindulge in front of her new teammates.
So she ate just enough to match Kiba's pace—barely filling the gap between her teeth.
Kiba, meanwhile, laughed loudly, boasting about his appetite, completely unaware that his wallet was on the verge of being emptied.
…
Later, back in the classroom, the mood was calm again.
Hinata kept her gaze lowered, occasionally stealing glances at Naruto sitting nearby. Beside her, Kiba rambled endlessly, while Shino's presence was so faint that Hinata sometimes forgot he was even there—only to startle slightly when he suddenly spoke.
Her fleeting idea of raising an animal companion was soon abandoned. Kiba needed his ninja dog; Shino relied on insects. Hinata's strengths lay in her eyes and her hands—her precision and chakra control. An animal companion would serve no purpose.
…