Ch157. Hyuga issues

Ren leisurely sat down on the floor while Hinata sat in seiza next to him.

They, alongside Ino, had a lot of fun after they came home from the Chunin Exams. Unfortunately, Ino had to leave the very next day because her father summoned her. He wanted her to undergo a highly intense, advanced training in the Yamanaka arts.

Ino only rolled her eyes at that message, and Ren suspected Inoichi was in for a massive surprise. The man still had no idea that Ino's skill with their clan techniques was already far above his own.

Despite that, there would sadly not be much time for seeing each other in the following month because Ino was intent on helping Choji and Shikamaru train.

She wasn't happy with Kiba and Shino showing off how good they had become thanks to Hinata's interference. Ino felt as if she had lost some undeclared competition, and that meant Shikamaru and Choji were in for a training montage from hell during this month.

Ren inwardly chuckled, thinking about the expression the poor Shikamaru was likely to have when Ino barges into his room and drags him off for the training.

It was unfortunate he couldn't be present for it. Alas, both he and Hinata were 'invited' for a meeting with the Hyuga clan elders, who finally heard about Hinata beating Neji and dealing with four Jonin in the Forest of Death.

Naturally, she shouldn't have been so strong, and the nosy elders wanted to stick their noses into her business. And since Ren was her tutor, it wasn't a big leap of logic to realize who trained her to be so good.

Hence the invitation.

What was pissing Ren off, however, was that they were led to this empty room half an hour ago by a branch Hyuga member, and since then nobody showed up.

Ren realized they were letting them wait to show their dominance, or some power play bullshit like that. Hinata also informed him through their telepathy seal that the elders were no doubt observing them, hoping they would get nervous, talk with each other, and slip up, revealing some secrets while they waited.

It was a classic Hyuga tactic, and apparently, thanks to lip-reading, they found out many secrets this way. Which was why Hinata and Ren waited in complete silence, talking only through the telepathy seal.

The last purpose of this wait was to embarrass them.

It was considered polite, at least by the Hyuga clan, to sit in seiza while waiting for them. It was a part of their 'we are a noble clan!' attitude, and they expected others to respect their ways and manners while under their roof.

No doubt, an elder will come and berate Ren for sitting leisurely instead of killing his legs via a seiza sitting position, saying something about insulting them with his behavior. The Hyuga main branch members were stuck up like that. Speaking of which... Ren snorted and lay down on the floor, putting his hands casually behind his head.

There. If sitting casually was offensive to them, then laying down like this was an ultimate fuck you to the observing pricks.

They wanted to let him wait and sweat for half an hour? Two could play these games.

Hinata impassively glanced at Ren, letting him feel a deep sense of amusement through the telepathy seal, but her emotionless facade stayed unmoved outside of a small twitch of her lips.

Just as Ren thought, ten minutes later, an old Hyuga male entered the room. His white eyes first fell on Hinata, and his lips pursed, before he quickly moved his gaze to Ren, who had slowly raised his back from the floor, and once again casually sat up.

Ren could see the fury enter the Hyuga elder's eyes as more of them entered the room, some snorting, others sneering, while a few simply ignored Ren and Hinata as they all took their designated seat.

Seeing that most elders were seated, the Hyuga elder who entered first opened his mouth, "Do you have no regard for the Hyuga clan, boy?" He asked Ren, rebuking him for his manners.

This was the place where most people would feel shame, but Ren only smirked in return. He had an entire half hour to make a plan, after all. 

"You are very rude." He said straight to their faces, instantly silencing the room as every Hyuga, even Hinata, froze.

The silence lasted for a few sweet, sweet moments before their brains rebooted, and now, every Hyuga in the room, sans the amused Hinata and exasperated Hiashi, was very, very angry.

"We are rude?" The first Hyuga, clearly some puffed-up big shot among the elders, spoke in a deathly whisper, his harsh tone showing how utterly offended he felt as his voice started rising, "You dishonor us with your manne-"

But Ren didn't let him properly start and cut him off. "No. I was invited here as a guest." It was honestly more of a 'We summon you and you shall come' kind of thing, and they all knew it, but Ren was happy to twist the meaning for his own purposes.

"I was offered no refreshments, not even a simple glass of water. I was made to wait over an half hour for my supposed hosts to finally get off their asses and show up. And now you, some stranger I don't even know, come here, a basic greeting nowhere in sight, introductions nowhere in sight, and the first thing you do is start to rudely ask questions, accusing me of some bullshit you made up to look more impressive than you actually are."

If they were angry before, they were furious now. But Hyuga elders did not erupt. Their faces might have gotten red, but their fury was cold. Ren still thought he made enemies for life right here, right now. But he simply could not find himself to care.

He was frustrated with these gits. He hated how they treated Hinata, but the girl didn't want him to do anything about it, so he could only silently watch.

A few biting words were the least Ren wanted to do to them, but for now, the words would need to suffice because Hinata wanted to deal with them herself.

Gritting his teeth, the leader of the Hyuga elders donned a grave expression, "This is our house, and I will not have your rude attitude."

"I don't care whose house this is, dude." Ren rolled his eyes, causing the Hyuga elder to bristle while Hiashi groaned, no longer giving a damn as he broke his facade and put his head in his hands. Ren, however, was undeterred and continued speaking. "If you invite somebody to your home, you offer them tea or at least water. That's basic common courtesy. Something you were clearly never taught. If you meet a stranger, you introduce yourself first. Another thing your parents clearly neglected to teach you."

Not waiting for the answer, Ren turned toward Hinata. "Hinata, your clan elders have no manners. Whoever raised them has done a bad job."

Barely stifling her laughter, Hinata glanced at the highly offended old men and a few old women in the room, before she couldn't hold it in anymore and chuckled. "I've noticed." She nodded.

Some of the Elders had their eyes widen in disbelief that she dared to agree.

Another moment of tense silence spread through the room, but this time, it was interrupted by Hinata.

"Elders," She started in a soft voice, and already offended some of them because the proper form of address for them was 'Esteemed Elders', something she clearly disregarded, "you didn't summon us here to argue. Please, get to the point."

After a short while, one woman, Shiori Hyuga, finally spoke, tenderly like a grandma would speak to her granddaughter when she wanted to tell her what she had done wrong. "Hinata-chan, we would like to know how you got so strong." Shiori glanced at Ren.

And Hinata deadpanned, "I trained."

The woman who asked the question was one of the biggest bitches in the clan. One of those who loved to use the Caged Bird Seal. But she loved to portray herself as a kind and understanding person. She was everything that was wrong with their clan. Hinata had no patience for the two-faced bint.

"Defeating four Jonin, even if our investigations show that they were more along the level of experienced chunin, is no small feat." Shiori continued in her soft, understanding tone, but her eyes gained a small spark of malice. "You must be very good at gentle fist to accomplish it."

'Ah. So that's her angle.' Hinata blinked with a realization.

"I am better at Lightning Ninjutsu." Without any further ado, Hinata admitted, fully knowing the fireworks that statement would set off.

Shiori's expression triumphantly brightened while the other elders showed clear distaste. But only the leader of the Elders spoke with barely restrained vitriol, "A lightning ninjutsu!? You betrayed the Hyuga way, girl!" He was so angry that he had to gasp for air before continuing. "Our clan practices Hyuga taijutsu! We don't get corrupted by inferior techniques! This is treason! It's grounds for expulsion from the clan! What do you have to say for yourself, child!?"

Noticing that Shiori was about to speak again, her eyes focused on Ren, Hinata didn't need to be a genius to find out what the next line of questions would be about.

But if there was one thing she wouldn't allow even her clansmen to do, it was ridiculing or demeaning the man who gave her a chance and taught her how to enjoy her life.

"It's why I am stronger than you while still a teenager, Grandfather." Hinata lightly said, causing some of the elders to gasp at her audacity.

Even Shiori's jaw stopped, her mouth opening and closing in disbelief. Whatever 'question' she had for Ren was long forgotten.

"You dare!?" Hiroto, Hinata's grandfather, the Leader of the Hyuga Elders, abruptly stood up from his seat.

"Of course, I do." Hinata sighed. "Why not just solve this the proper way? With a battle? Let's not exchange pointless accusations and interrogation veiled as discussion. Our gentle fist can talk in our stead."

She was fed up. She could have let the meeting go on, but she knew this was always going to end in blows. So, why not expedite the process?

Hiroto pushed his anger back and narrowed his eyes on her. He was taken aback because that honestly wasn't an unreasonable thing to ask for. Sure, the girl had a snowball's chance in hell to beat him, but at least she had enough dignity to challenge him.

"... Indeed. I see that you know at least some of our ways." Hiroto said. "Fine, then. I will show you why you should respect your Elders. And when I win, I will demand that you are to be instantly put into the branch house!"

Despite being satisfied with her courage, the girl and especially her teacher levied some grave insults to the Elders and the clan. That couldn't go unpunished in Hiroto's mind.

Her teacher clearly poisoned her with his teachings. Their relationship had to be severed. Granddaughter or not, she needed to be subdued, sealed, and then... Hiroto already thought which Hyuga boy was accomplished enough to bed her.

He needed somebody with a firm hand and unafraid to discipline his servants, somebody who would teach Hinata that she existed to serve the clan first and foremost!

The girl was getting a bit too strong, too. That needed to be nipped in the bud, lest she threaten the authority of the elders. His authority. He didn't spend his whole life building the Hyuga clan to the magnificence it was today, only for his foolish granddaughter to step all over it!

"And when I win, you will stop interfering in my life." Hinata shrugged as she also stood up.

The middle of the room was quickly vacated as the two combatants took their places. Hiashi, utterly defeated with a haggard expression, was asked to start the match. It brought him visible pain, but he nevertheless nodded his agreement.

There was no banter. No bickering or arguing like during the matches in the preliminaries. That was not the proper Hyuga way. From this point onward, might made right. Words didn't matter.

Hiashi started the fight, but both Hinata and Hiroto stood in their places, waiting for the other to attack. After all, Hyugas had the biggest advantage when others attacked them first.

With a small sigh, Hinata realized she would need to be the one to initiate the exchange.

Feeling no need to rush, she walked toward her grandfather, angering him even more because it showed she had no regard for him.

When Hinata was at arm's reach, she sent a finger poke at his abdomen.

Seeing it, Hiroto inwardly sneered. As if such a lazy move could hurt him. Him! He was the best gentle fist user in the clan!

Deciding to show the girl her place, he initiated Kaiten. At this close range, Hinata should be thrown through the room until she hits the wall with such speed that some of her bones would be broken.

"Kaiten!" Chakra became visible around Hiroto, and his footing shifted as he was ready to start spinning-

Only for the chakra around Hinata's fingers to intensify. Her blow gained in speed. And much to the surprise and disbelief of all the observing Elders, her blow punched straight through the initial defense of Kaiten, striking Hiroto in his abdomen and stopping his spin before it could properly start.

Kaiten, the impenetrable defense, was broken.

"Did you think I wouldn't devise a way to counter our techniques, grandfather?" Hinata amusedly asked as she saw the bewildered expression on her grandfather's face.

She wisely took several steps back.

Hiroto's face scrunched in fury. She landed a blow on him! And sure, it stung a bit, but there wasn't much damage. A small part of him also acknowledged her talent. Figuring out a way to punch through Kaiten was not easy. Nobody had done that yet.

But he felt far too humiliated to give her even small praise. His fists clenched as he noticed the self-satisfied smirk on Hinata's face and...!

A loud farting noise suddenly resounded through the room as Hiroto's eyes goggled, his cheeks becoming pink while his expression changed from absolute fury to mortification full of horror.

He quickly put his hands on his mouth, visibly heaving. But it didn't help him as he was forced to bend over and fall on all fours while the contents of his guts vacated his body from all available routes.

The second Ren saw the blow Hinata wanted to deliver to her grandfather, he cringed. He recognized what she wanted to do. And he deeply regretted telling her stories about Flushing Potions because by all that was holy in this world, the girl actually replicated their effect via a gentle fist striking the intestines.

It was mostly useless against anybody who expected it. As the chakra needed some time to act, it was easily counterable as long as you knew it was coming.

But those who had no idea or were otherwise distracted?

Ren watched as Hiroto projectile vomited on the floor while ceaselessly shitting and pissing himself in his robes...

Ren averted his gaze, feeling sick. The man was a dick but he didn't deserve that. Nobody deserved this particular brand of humiliation.

On the other hand, nobody could argue it was such a debilitating technique that the second it affects you, the battle is over. It was an effective move, and Ren hated it with a passion for being invented.

He only experienced it once before learning how to counter it, but that one time was enough for a lifetime.

As the stench of human waste filled the room, making some of the Elders gag and scrunch their horrified expressions, Hinata's soft voice resounded through the room.

"Anybody else want to fight me?" She innocently asked.