Outside her room, in the secluded courtyard, came the sharp, rhythmic thud of fists striking iron.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Hinata stood before an iron stake, her hands wrapped in bandages already soaked through with blood. The pain had long since turned to numbness, but her breathing remained steady, each movement precise—strike, retract, strike again.
This kind of self-destructive training was something the old Hinata would never have dared attempt. It wasn't that she feared pain—her body had simply been too frail before.
Overtraining could destroy one's body, leaving lasting damage. She had learned that in her past life. Her father's supplements and medicinal tonics nourished her blood, but too much energy without circulation led only to stagnation—a silent poison within.
But now?
Now she didn't care.
Because the Ten-Tails' chakra had changed everything.
Before, she had been merely a Hyuga prodigy—a girl with an exceptionally pure Byakugan. But now… now her physique had transcended human limits.
Her body was no longer fragile.
It was monstrous.
The Ten-Tails' chakra granted Hinata an extraordinary vitality, enabling her to endure even self-destructive levels of training. She no longer needed to carefully measure her limits. She could push herself until complete exhaustion, collapse, and still awaken the next day fully restored—stronger than before.
This attitude filled Hiashi with both pride and unease.
As clan head, he was proud beyond words. His daughter's diligence, discipline, and progress surpassed all expectations. But as a father, he could hardly bear the sight of her bloodied hands, her body covered in bruises after another relentless session of practice.
Whenever possible, he tried to make her rest—sending her out to play with her classmates or walk through the village to relax.
But when the branch family members assigned to secretly guard her returned, their reports were always the same.
"Lady Hinata didn't do much outside. She went to the snack street, ate a bit, and then… trained again."
Hiashi was speechless.
Was his daughter born extreme?
She was extreme with food, extreme with training, and even more extreme in self-discipline. It was only when he insisted that she take Hanabi along that Hinata's intensity softened a little.
With her little sister in tow, she would put aside her training to take care of her instead. When she was with Hanabi, her days were filled with simple joys—eating, wandering, teasing, and laughing. Though she often liked to play pranks on her sister, it was clear that deep down, Hinata adored her.
…
That day, as usual, Hiashi sent Hinata out again, telling her to take Hanabi for some fresh air.
He wasn't worried that Hinata would grow lazy—on the contrary, he feared she would train herself to death. If she ruins her health, who would I even scold? he thought bitterly.
"Onee-sama! That one!" Hanabi's voice chimed as she skipped ahead, pointing eagerly toward a cotton candy stall.
Hinata smiled softly, led her over, and bought one. She dipped her index finger into the fluffy candy and offered it to Hanabi.
Hanabi's cheeks flushed pink. She opened her mouth wide to take a bite—
—but Hinata pulled her hand away at the last second, popping the candy into her own mouth and finishing it in two quick bites.
"O..Onee-sama!?" Hanabi stood there, dumbfounded.
Hinata simply bought another, repeated the gesture, and once again held out a bit on her fingertip. This time, Hanabi was prepared. She grabbed her sister's wrist tightly, determined not to be fooled again—and took a huge bite.
Or rather, she tried to.
Hinata moved faster, leaning forward and swallowing the entire cotton candy in one playful gulp.
Hanabi froze.
"Come on!" Hinata teased, grinning. "Catch me, and I'll give you some~"
By the time Hanabi snapped out of her daze, her sister was already gone.
"Onee-sama!" she cried, activating her Byakugan to track her chakra trail before dashing after her.
Across rooftops and balconies, she chased Hinata, watching helplessly as her sister casually ate the cotton candy piece by piece along the way. Desperate, Hanabi leapt onto a roof, channeling chakra through her feet to gain speed, and finally cornered her at a narrow alley turn.
"Too bad," Hinata said, smiling as she licked her finger. "I've already finished it."
Hanabi puffed out her cheeks in protest. "Onee-sama, you're the worst!"
Before she could say more, her vision blurred. She blinked—only to find something soft and sweet melting in her mouth.
Cotton candy?
"Is it good?" Hinata asked gently, smiling.
Hanabi blinked in surprise, then nodded.
"Things that come easily aren't always cherished," Hinata said, crouching to meet her eyes. "But when you work for something, it tastes that much sweeter. Do you still think your sister's a fool?"
Hanabi's expression softened, and she threw her arms around her sister's waist. "No! Onee-sama's the best! I love you!"
Hinata laughed softly, ruffling her hair.
Children are so easy to coax, she thought fondly. But it's different when it's your own little sister. That makes it even more fun.
…
After hours of walking, eating, and wandering, Hinata felt restless. Having grown used to the rhythm of daily high-intensity training, simply relaxing made her body itch with unease.
And when Hinata felt uneasy, she had only one solution—eat.
So she did—moving from one food stall to the next, from one street to another, until her restlessness melted into satisfaction.
…
"Huh? Kurenai-sensei?"
Hinata blinked in surprise. Standing outside a shop, she spotted her teacher—and several other Jonin gathered nearby. She tugged Hanabi along and approached, bowing politely.
"Good afternoon, Sensei."
Kurenai smiled. "Hinata! Hanabi too. It's rare to see you two out together."
"Father asked me to take Hanabi out to play," Hinata said softly, her usual shy tone returning.
But as they spoke, Hinata's attention drifted to the shop beside them. Two men sat inside, wearing black cloaks patterned with red clouds, wide straw hats shading their faces.
She frowned slightly.
Why are all these Jonin standing here, of all places? There are plenty of places to gather… why this one?
Jonin didn't act without reason. Every motion, every glance, every silence carried purpose. And that meant—something wasn't right.
As Kurenai chatted, Hinata subtly lowered her head, using the motion to conceal the activation of her Byakugan. Her vision sharpened, peering through the layers of walls and flesh.
In an instant, she saw everything.
These two men were not from Konoha. Their chakra flows were vast, unnatural—one was dark and calm, the other monstrous and turbulent.
The taller one—the shark-faced man—radiated chakra so immense that even Hinata was momentarily breathless.
Is that… really a human's chakra?
Inside the shop, Itachi Uchiha raised his head slightly. Sensitive to being watched, his crimson Sharingan flickered for a moment beneath the brim of his hat.
"Let's go," he murmured.
Kisame nodded. He dropped a few coins on the counter, and the two vanished instantly with the Body Flicker Technique.
Kurenai and Asuma exchanged a quick glance and immediately pursued. The other Jonin dispersed in different directions, taking up positions.
Hinata kept her Byakugan active, tracking the two moving signatures across the village rooftops. After a moment's hesitation, she turned to the hidden Hyuga guards in the shadows.
"Take Hanabi home," she ordered quietly.
Without waiting for a reply, Hinata leapt onto the nearest roof and sprinted forward, following the trail.
…
She hadn't brought her puppets—it was supposed to be a leisurely outing—and her father had even made her remove her weighted equipment. She felt light as air, her movements fluid and free.
By the time she arrived, the battle had already begun.
Kurenai and Asuma were locked in combat with the two cloaked figures—and even at a glance, Hinata could tell.
Neither of them was winning.
Kurenai had already fallen into disadvantage, her body unnaturally rigid, her expression distant.
"Genjutsu," Hinata realized instantly.
Unlike taijutsu, which was direct and visible, genjutsu was formless and unpredictable—the most insidious form of ninjutsu.
"H-Hinata! What are you doing here? Go back immediately!" Kurenai gasped, her voice strained as she struggled to maintain focus.
"Don't get distracted," Kisame said with a grin, hefting Samehada—his massive, scale-covered sword.
He swung. The blade tore through the air toward Asuma.
"Damn it!" Asuma growled, raising his trench knives, but Itachi's calm, silent presence held him back. Any careless move could mean instant death.
Kurenai tried to weave another illusion, but Kisame broke through it easily, his chakra overwhelming hers.
Her vision spun. The only thing she saw next was the massive outline of Samehada descending toward her.