"That man?"
"The Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze!"
Minato Namikaze!
Hiss
Upon hearing that name, the furious Hyuga Elder instantly fell silent, like a balloon that had been pricked and deflated.
"So, Hizashi, you're saying this brat might become the next Minato Namikaze…"
"Exactly."
Hyuga Hizashi nodded lightly, then added with a sigh.
"Like Minato, he's possessed incredible speed from a young age. One mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, the other inherited Shisui Uchiha's Body Flicker Technique."
"They both showed remarkable combat aptitude while still very young. Talents like these don't come around often."
"If our Hyuga Clan supports him, gives him the chance to serve the village, then in time, it's not impossible for him to become Hokage."
Yet just as Hizashi finished speaking, the old elder grumbled under his breath.
"The brat is good at everything except that he's got a bit too much charm, is a bit too cheeky, flirts a bit too much, and…"
Hizashi's face immediately darkened.
This damn elder always poking where it hurts most!
But deep down, he had to admit... that brat really was a handful.
Ding! Congratulations, host! You have received 999 points of negative emotion from Hyuga Hizashi!
Even though he was fuming inside, Hizashi forced himself to stay composed. He turned his gaze back to the match between Ye Wudi and Neji, eager to see how things were playing out.
But the very next moment, both his and the elder's expressions shifted dramatically.
"Ahem, let's just… keep watching for now."
"Wait! What is that brat doing? He's"
Following Hizashi's line of sight, the elder turned to look and was immediately stunned.
Nani?
Ding! Congratulations, host! You have received 666 points of negative emotion from Hyuga Hizashi!
Ding! Congratulations, host! You have received 666 points of negative emotion from the Hyuga Elder!
Right before their eyes, Ye Wudi seized the moment while Neji's mind was still dazed. He used the Body Flicker Technique to split into two.
One clone engaged Neji head-on, while his real body hugged Hinata from behind and began giving her live instructions.
So this is what you meant by giving Neji a fair fight?
You little bastard. That's just outrageous!
And yet, facing the disdainful stares of Hizashi and the elder, Ye Wudi wasn't the least bit embarrassed. On the contrary, he confidently countered,
"What are you two looking at? A fair fight? That'll never happen. Not in this lifetime."
"My speed is way beyond his. Why the hell would I use my weakness to go up against his strength? What do I look like to you, an idiot?"
"…Uh…"
Actually, he… kinda has a point.
Having silenced Hizashi and the elder, Ye Wudi ignored them entirely and focused on guiding his dear wife.
All the while, he muttered under his breath,
"A crusty old man and a grouchy elder… yapping like chickens. Neither of them is half as mature as I am."
You
Mature?
Your star your whole damn constellation!
Ding! Congratulations, host! You have received 666 points of negative emotion from Hyuga Hizashi!
Ding! Congratulations, host! You have received 666 points of negative emotion from the Hyuga Elder!
Ye Wudi had long since gotten used to racking up negativity points from simply being himself.
He didn't spare the two men another glance. Instead, he focused on teaching Hinata step by step, with patient care.
"Hinata, did you see that? If an enemy tries to attack you head-on, you should handle it like this… and like this…"
"W-wow~ Wudi-nii knows so much! I'll do my best! Next time a bad guy shows up, I'll try to… to help Wudi-nii!"
Seeing how sweet and earnest Hinata was, Ye Wudi leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead, then pulled out a book.
Its title read: The Hero's Restart: Seizing the Future in a Flash!
"You're really smart, Hinata. I know you'll learn fast. Here, I'm giving you a treasure."
"Wudi-nii… wh-what kind of… book is this?"
Red-faced and steaming, Hinata could barely form a sentence. The intimate gesture left her head spinning, and she looked on the verge of fainting.
S-So dizzy… No! I can't pass out now… Wudi-nii definitely has something important to tell me… But I'm really, really dizzy…
"This is a practical manual," Ye Wudi said. "It contains all kinds of real-world combat techniques. The heroine, Sasana, had this amazing moment where she seized the future in an instant. That's something worth learning."
"Sasana seized the future… I'll… I'll learn it… I promise…"
With the last of her strength, Hinata hugged the book tightly and gave Ye Wudi a trembling "OK" hand sign then promptly passed out again.
Ye Wudi chuckled softly. He gently brushed a few strands of messy hair from her face, then summoned two clones.
One clone carried Hinata, while the other formed the Tiger Seal and slowly approached Neji.
"Alright, little bro. You've been throwing your tantrum for quite a while. Feeling better yet?"
"Then it's time to wake you up."
Snap!
With a snap of his fingers, the clone nearing Neji suddenly accelerated.
At the same moment, the other clone that had been fighting Neji head-on vanished.
Neji was caught off guard frozen for a split second with no clear target in sight.
That was all it took.
A sharp, foreign sensation jolted through the most vulnerable part of his body.
In that instant of pain, Neji snapped back to consciousness.
Hiss! "This feeling… don't tell me"
"Ye Wudi, you bastard! You tricked me!"
"Oh oh oh!"
BOOM!
Before everyone's eyes, Ye Wudi's clone unleashed one of Konoha's most legendary techniques
Secret Leaf Taijutsu: A Thousand Years of Death!
Ding! Congratulations, host! You have received 999 points of negative emotion from Hyuga Neji!
Watching Neji fly out of the courtyard like a ragdoll, Ye Wudi felt a wave of emotion wash over him.
From somewhere, he pulled out a folding fan, opened it with a snap, and started singing.
"No more flowers bloom only sorrow remains
Your smile has long since faded
As petals fall, my heart breaks
Lonely I drown in my thoughts…"
"The northern wind howls the night won't end
Your shadow lingers in the dark
Leaving me alone…"
As the tune drifted through the air, Hizashi and the elder glanced at Neji, sprawled on the rooftop wheezing for air. Then they listened again to Ye Wudi's lyrics.
After a moment, they looked at each other.
"…That song's… kind of good, actually."
"I was thinking the same."
Ding! Congratulations, host! You have received 666 points of negative emotion from Hyuga Neji!
Ding! Congratulations, host! You have received more negative emotion from Hyuga Neji…