Chapter 20: One Year

Chapter 20: One Year

Whoosh—!

Two black shadows clashed across the Hyuga Clan's training grounds, the air trembling with each exchange of blows.

"Eight Trigrams, Two Palms!"

Their voices rang out simultaneously as the battle began.

As the words fell, Hyuga Ryosuke and Hyuga Hiashi completed the final hand seal. Their white Byakugan eyes locked onto each other, chakra surging through their bodies and flowing smoothly along the meridians. Guided by precise body movements, the chakra gathered in their palms and solidified into form.

"Four Palms!"

Though the techniques were the same, their execution was wildly different. Their fighting styles, rhythm, and attack patterns contrasted, creating a series of exchanges where every strike was blocked, countered, or redirected.

The two remained locked in a dead-even battle. After nearly five hundred moves, neither had landed a decisive hit on the other's acupoints to disrupt the chakra flow.

The Hyuga Clan's secret art—the Gentle Fist's Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms—targets the body's acupoints, which act as vital hubs for chakra flow. By striking these points, one can disrupt the circulation of chakra, inflicting temporary paralysis, dizziness, or even unconsciousness.

Ryosuke remained fully focused. This fight was unlike any other ninja battle he'd experienced. There was no killing intent—no tricks or traps. Just a pure, face-to-face duel.

But rather than feeling pressure, Ryosuke felt alive.

Calm and composed, he dodged and parried Hiashi's strikes, always scanning for an opening. Both he and Hiashi knew that with their mastery of Gentle Fist, a single lapse in concentration could decide the outcome.

"Eight Palms... Sixty-Four Palms!"

Ryosuke's eyes narrowed as he abruptly changed tactics mid-fight, modifying his stance and form. This time, he unleashed the full technique—no holding back.

But while Ryosuke had the Byakugan activated and had developed excellent technique over the past year, his biggest disadvantage remained unchanged: his physical condition.

Though he possessed remarkable genetics and was far stronger than his peers, he was still outmatched by Hiashi in both raw physical power and chakra reserves. Ryosuke wasn't desperate, but he knew that continuing this stalemate would eventually result in his defeat.

"A bold move."

Hiashi immediately noticed the shift in Ryosuke's movements and nodded with appreciation. But rather than relaxing, his body tensed—ready to strike at the slightest opening.

"There's a flaw."

Mid-transition, Ryosuke's technique lacked its usual fluidity. Hiashi spotted the opening almost instantly. With a sharp gleam in his eye, he struck toward one of Ryosuke's exposed acupoints.

Just one precise blow, and Ryosuke's chakra flow would be disrupted—slowing him down enough for Hiashi to finish the match.

But just as the strike was about to land, Ryosuke's chakra flared.

"Rotation!"

(Kaiten!)

In a split second, Ryosuke abandoned the Sixty-Four Palms form. The chakra within his acupoints surged outward, creating a spiraling cyclone of chakra that wrapped tightly around him.

Hiashi's Byakugan had already registered the buildup and—predicting the Rotation—he pulled back several steps, avoiding the counterstrike entirely.

Ordinary shinobi could only release chakra from limited points, such as their hands or feet. But members of the Hyuga Clan, trained with the Byakugan, could emit chakra from every acupoint in their body.

Kaiten was a closely guarded Hyuga technique that used this trait, ejecting chakra from all points at once to form a protective spinning barrier. It deflected attacks and could even send enemies flying with the rebound force.

"You're done," Hiashi said calmly, lowering his stance. "You don't have enough chakra left to fight. You've lost."

Panting heavily, Ryosuke smiled and nodded. "Yeah... I'm spent. You're right."

He deactivated his Byakugan and let his arms fall to his sides. "I never expected to beat you—not yet, anyway."

It had been one full year since Ryosuke's body reached the minimum requirements to begin Gentle Fist training. In that time, he had learned all the Hyuga clan's secret techniques and mastered the fundamentals.

But compared to Hiashi, he still had a long way to go in chakra control, volume, and physical endurance. He hadn't yet been able to fully showcase his potential in real combat.

"It's good you understand your limits," Hiashi said, nodding in approval. "That's enough for today."

With those parting words, he turned and began walking away. But after a few steps, he paused.

"You and Hinata start school tomorrow. Make sure you get some rest."

Then, without another word, he left the training ground with quiet grace.

Once he was gone, Hinata—who had been quietly watching from the edge—ran over, a bottle of water in hand.

"You were amazing, Ryosuke!" she said, eyes shining. "You held your own against Father!"

Ryosuke chuckled and took the water. "You're giving me too much credit. There's still a huge gap between us."

He downed a big gulp before smiling at her. "Anyway, it's your turn to train. Did you get the hang of the chakra circulation method I showed you yesterday?"

Hinata nodded, a bit sheepishly. "I think I'm close... If you can guide me a few more times, I'll remember it for sure."

Ryosuke sighed playfully. "I told you to draw it out on paper. Repetition helps the memory."

"But it's easier to understand when you guide me in person," she said softly, blushing. "When your fingers trace the path, I can feel the flow better."

Ryosuke gave a helpless smile. "Alright, alright. I'll help—but I need to rest first. I'm running on fumes here. Can't even keep my Byakugan active anymore."

He sat down cross-legged, relaxing his body as Hinata sat beside him.

His weaknesses were clear. But he wasn't discouraged.

Progress in the shinobi world didn't happen overnight. Whether it was physical conditioning, chakra reserves, or chakra control—each took time, effort, and consistency to improve. It was a long road, but he had no intention of stopping.

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