140: Ability Extraction, the Hyūga Family's Son-in-Law!
"So strong! What kind of taijutsu is this?"
"Guy, when did you develop such a powerful move? Even Lee learned it."
Kakashi's usual deadpan expression was replaced with astonishment as he stared at the massive palm print imprinted on the ground.
"I... I don't know either."
Might Guy was equally dumbfounded.
When had he ever developed such a technique? If he had, and it was without side effects, Kakashi would have been the first to experience it.
Lee being able to use this move was a complete surprise.
He vaguely remembered Lee mentioning that Natsuki, that odd kid, taught him this "Hidden Lotus Palm," making him practice by striking trees.
It seemed so childish; Guy had even advised him against messing around with such nonsense.
But now, Lee had actually pulled it off.
So much had changed in Konoha these last few years; it was becoming increasingly baffling.
"Forget it. While One-Tail is occupied with Lee, let's evacuate the civilians." Kakashi said, glancing at the chaotic stands.
"Otherwise, the aftershocks of the fight alone could crush them." Due to the sheer number of spectators, many were still trapped in the arena.
"Alright, I'll hold off the Sand and Sound ninjas. You focus on the evacuation." Might Guy nodded, finally relieved after seeing Lee unharmed.
His attention returned to the enemy ninjas.
"Hmph! I can't be outdone by my student!"
"Let youth burn brightly! Eight Gates Released Formation — Gate of Limit, Open!!"
Might Guy roared, instantly opening the Fifth Gate.
An aura even more potent than Lee's exploded outwards, cracking the ground beneath his feet like a spiderweb.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished.
Twenty meters away, two Sand ninjas were slammed into the earth before they could react.
..
[Ding! The Evil King's Eye System's true power activated, Rock Lee successfully mastered Hidden Lotus Palm.]
[Through Evil King's Eye extraction, you received a 500% bonus, obtaining the Five Techniques of Tathagata!]
[The Five Techniques of Tathagata are: First Style, Hidden Lotus Palm; Second Style, Merciful One and Great Compassion Palm; Third Style, Great Radiant Light Fist; Fourth Style, Buddha's Light Illuminates All; Fifth Style, Ten Thousand Buddhas Pay Homage.]
..
While most eyes were glued to Rock Lee's massive palm strikes against the One-Tailed Shukaku, Natsuki gained new abilities.
'Wow! What the hell?! Rock Lee only learned one move.
'But I actually got five.'
A mysterious power surged from the Evil King's Eye.
In moments, Natsuki had completely mastered the Five Techniques of Tathagata.
His physical strength surged to new heights, his body brimming with seemingly endless power.
His chakra reserves also skyrocketed, rivaling that of a jinchuriki.
"When did Konoha produce so many terrifying geniuses?" Hiashi wiped the sweat from his brow.
As the head of the Hyūga Clan, he hadn't received even a whisper about these prodigies.
Three matches into the Chunin Exams and two strange geniuses, Kiba and Rock Lee, had already emerged.
This made him wonder if the highly anticipated Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and that Uchiha brat would even be a match for the remaining competitors.
It was a good thing he had always exercised restraint and hadn't stirred up trouble like the Uchiha clan.
Otherwise, with Konoha's current strength, the Hyūga clan could be easily wiped out.
"Natsuki, the ninjas over there are all distracted. Shouldn't we leave now?" Hinata tugged on Hanabi's hand, glancing worriedly at the distant Shukaku.
That colossal beast could cause widespread destruction with a single swipe of its claws.
"Yes, I'll escort you back to the clan grounds. Take good care of your sister." Natsuki nodded.
With so many ninjas present and Rock Lee holding Shukaku back, there was no need for him to intervene.
It was more important to help the trapped spectators escape.
Currently, all four exits of the stadium were jammed with people, making evacuation incredibly slow.
"Let's go this way." Natsuki led Hinata and the others to a solid brick wall at the back of the spectator stands, devoid of any people.
"Huh? Brother-in-law, you're going the wrong way. The nearest gate is on the right," Hanabi pointed out, looking at the towering wall.
Hiashi and Hinata also looked at Natsuki questioningly.
Without much explanation, Natsuki struck the wall with his palm.
Hidden Lotus Palm!
Hum!!
The air rippled as if disturbed by an unseen force.
BOOM!!!
The massive wall exploded outwards.
A gigantic palm print, nearly twenty meters high, was embedded in the remaining structure.
A wide passage, large enough for a whole crowd to pass through safely, replaced the previously sealed wall.
"Th-th-this..." Hiashi's eyes widened in disbelief.
Natsuki also knew this technique? When did such a powerful technique become so commonplace?
'No matter what, the Hyūga clan must learn this technique.'
The Hyūga had always been renowned for their Byakugan, Gentle Fist, and Eight Trigrams.
However, they lacked a truly devastating offensive skill. The Hidden Lotus Palm seemed tailor-made for them.
If the entire clan mastered this move, they would become the undisputed number one clan in the ninja world.
He had to ensure the Hyūga acquired this skill, no matter the cost.
"So... so amazing!
"Brother-in-law, you're the best!" Hanabi squealed, launching herself at Natsuki and clinging to him like an octopus, her happy face rubbing against his.
This time, Hiashi didn't stop her.
He even hoped his daughters could charm this ideal son-in-law even more.
That's right. Son-in-law.
Natsuki was the Hyūga family's most favored candidate, bar none.
He was the perfect choice for both his daughters and the entire clan.
With impeccable lineage, top of his class at the Academy, hailed as Konoha's newest prodigy, and wielding multiple powerful techniques, Natsuki was their best option.
Hiashi was sure of it!
[tl/n: Okay, I think these techniques are references from another old Chinese movie, I can't be sure though, as I've seen these technique used in various other chinese works!]
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