Hyuga Clan.
Chirp chirp.
A yellowish-brown sparrow flapped its tiny wings in the morning breeze, shivering, hopping from one twig to another.
Tap! Its beak struck the glass, and it stared at its reflection, most bewildered.
Lo! A groan from yonder man didst startle it, and with a flutter of wings, away it fled in haste.
Hiashi Hyuga inhaled deeply, the sweet scent of his fair wife causing his drowsy eyes to open halfway. With curled lips, he raised a hand to block the sun.
"Oh sun, did you truly wish to wake me?" he murmured, turning over to embrace his wife, seeking just a few more moments of heaven's grace.
He gently brushed his fingers through her hair, contemplating waking her. But when he gazed upon her face, his heart whispered, "It would be a sin to wake her."
Reluctantly, he gave up on the idea, quietly rose from the bed, and after one last glance at her sleepy form, calmly walked out of the room.
"Good morning, Clan Leader," the maid said, rising from the floor and bowing as Hiashi passed her. Once he had disappeared down the corridor, she sat back down and resumed cleaning the wooden floor.
The corridor was long, branching into multiple rooms—some meant for rest, others for training.
As he passed a certain room, Hiashi squinted slightly; inside, he saw the Uchiha boy sitting in a chair, lost in a daze, staring bizarrely into empty space.
My daughter hasn't returned yet, he thought. He had grown used to her energetic greetings, playful banter, and the occasional strange idea for a new ninjutsu.
He is a great asset to the clan. In the future, my clan will have another pillar of support, Hiashi thought, eager to see how high his clan could rise.
He had been tenderly nurtured by his daughter—showered with love, wisdom, and reverence.
His daughter, Hinata, didst gently erased his 'burdens' and soothed his scars, bringing him peace.
No seeds of betrayal had taken root, and should any ever arise, they would be swiftly and silently removed.
He knew it, the elders knew it—he was content, the elders were content, the youth were content; all were content.
At present, the clan has four great pillars: Hinata, Neji, Haku, and Kimimaro. They held immense power, and with their prodigal talent and relentless hard work, they had become the strongest of their generation.
There were three supportive pillars: Hanabi, Araya, and Yuki. They possessed great talent and were growing stronger by the day.
There was also an external pillar.
The clan's future was promising—there would be no issue if they decided to conquer the village.
There is even a chance of world domination, Hiashi's heart thumped with excitement. This lineup was powerful and dangerous.
There's no need for open war. There are many ways to win, and direct conflict is just one tool; it doesn't always need to be used.I've seen many whose goal was to unite the Five Nations, but I have no such goal. If my daughter desires it, I will only support her, he thought, lost in his musings, he arrived at the clan head's office.
Upon entering, he quickly skimmed through the documents. A peculiar envelope caught his attention. So, the team selection is already here.
He had enough political influence to arrange the teams, having already sent his suggestions. After the meeting, everything would be settled.
There was nothing absurd about his team selection; everyone was from the same clan, and it was meant to 'protect' the next clan heir.
There were clan factions in the village, such as the Nara and his two acquaintances. If their teams could be formed from generation to generation, why couldn't his?
If anyone tried to intervene they would only put themselves in an awkward position.
They were the 'strongest' clan; who would dare offend them over a mere Genin team?
Moreover, there were no compatibility issues. Hinata, Haku, and Kimimaro would make an excellent investigation and attack team.
After tossing the envelope into the trash, he looked over the early drafts of the jutsu his daughter and nephew had 'acquired.'
The goal was to integrate this Jutsu into the Gentle Fist, finally eliminating its long-range battle limitation.
'It looks fine,' he thought. There were promising signs; clan members had started to show early indications of manifesting it. It would take at least a year or two before they could use it in real battle.
Once perfected, it would elevate their battle strength to a new level, causing a qualitative change.
...
In a quiet village.
On a wooden bench beneath the shade of a lush green tree, Hinata looked around the park. People chatted peacefully, unaware of the danger lurking in the shadows.
I have to rip this illness from his bones, forcefully if I have to. But how?" Her thoughts spiraled as her fingers gently tapped the katana resting on her lap.
She had studied medical ninjutsu since the age most toddlers began crawling. Every poison and its antidote lived in the back of her mind. But Kimimaro's illness was something else—fundamental, like it was part of his being.
She had kept him alive using sealing techniques. The seals could destroy the illness… but every time he used his kekkei genkai, it returned—stronger than before.
It wasn't practical. Yes, he could be cured—maybe in two years—but what if he faced some danger and had to use his power? Wouldn't that only hasten his end?
His illness was tied to his strength. The more powerful he grew, the more violently it surged—as if it existed to stop him. A limiter. A curse.
I have to think outside the box… outside the world.
the world, She looked at the rising sun. The sun
Suddenly, her eyes started to outshine the brilliance of the sun.
A thought was born. A brilliant one. An inspiration.
Her heart and mind sparked with something magical, magical enough to make her truly smile.
She turned her gaze to the earth. The Earth…
And she laughed.
The sun moved. The Earth moved. So did her thoughts.
Math formulas started to appear, trying to decipher her single thought.
She stood up abruptly. "I have to make it stop. Completely still. Frozen in space."
She picked up a pebble and raised it in her palm. "What if I could make this completely still in space?"
The stone seemed still—but was it really?
"No," she whispered, smiling. "It's moving. With the Earth. So am I." She truly felt alive.
"Then how do I stop it?" Her eyes narrowed. "Simple. I have to sever its gravity with the Earth and the Sun."
She now had a direction. A purpose. A path forward.
She was proficient in every chakra nature—water being her strongest, followed by earth, lightning, wind, fire, yin, and yang.
"I need to refine my Earth chakra to its peak." She dropped the pebble and scanned her surroundings.
"Hmm…" She nodded to herself. "I'll start with small stones… then needles… then larger rocks. Once I master large objects, I'll shrink the scale down, down to the atomic level."
As she planned her training, she considered the resources. "Materials won't be a problem… but I'll need some 'volunteers'."
She looked up.
And the 'volunteers' in question—felt their scalps tingle.
Dread crawled up their spines. Their hearts were enshrouded in impending doom.