"Time will tell?"
No. I am Hyuga Hizashi. When it comes to settling scores with my own son, why should I wait for the future?
Every now and then, Hyuga Hizashi would lower his head to glance at the rebellious brat who'd cost him several sleepless nights, wearing a gentle smile on his face.
Hyuga Yuzuru couldn't help thinking, That smile… is kind of terrifying.
Ever since Hizashi had earned an eye-roll from his wife and received the cold shoulder for several days, he hadn't spoken a word to her. Yet now, here he was, constantly smiling at Yuzuru.
Today, Yuzuru wore a white kimono. His hair, neatly combed by his mother, was smooth and tidy. Black-rimmed glasses framed his young, delicate face, giving him an innocent, harmless appearance as he held his father's hand on the way to the Hyuga clan's ancestral hall. Along the way, he politely greeted every person they encountered by name.
"Father, if Lord Hiashi sees you smiling like that, he might get the wrong idea," Yuzuru whispered at thigh-level, trying to keep Hizashi in check.
Hizashi withdrew his smile but didn't respond.
Soon, the father and son arrived at the hall.
Most members of the Hyuga clan were already present, dressed in clean, formal attire with solemn expressions. It was destined to be a sorrowful day. Many Hyuga shinobi who had fallen in the war would now become nothing more than cold, impersonal names recorded in the clan registry.
Hiashi stood with imposing dignity before the shrine, surrounded by several elders of the Main Family.
As the head of the Branch Family, Hizashi was naturally qualified to stand at his side. Yuzuru followed closely behind, standing respectfully at his father's side.
To Yuzuru, the long-winded, ceremonial rites were just a performance—an elaborate waste of time. Hiashi shed a tear for the fallen and gave a passionate, eloquent speech. Then, Hizashi spoke on behalf of the Branch Family.
The summary? Those who died were fine Hyuga. The ones who remain should honor them. And next time, if duty calls—more of us will die.
Yuzuru remained impassive on the surface, mirroring his father's expressions and responses. When it was time to mourn, he mourned. When it was time to clap, he clapped. When it was time to be fired up, he appeared passionate.
Among the names of the deceased, Yuzuru heard many that rang familiar. Many of them had once embraced him with warm smiles, respectfully called him "Young Master," and looked to him as the hope of the Branch Family.
Was he sad?
Of course.
But above that, he felt their deaths were... senseless.
How many talented members of the Branch Family had wasted away as cannon fodder, never given proper training or taught powerful taijutsu or ninjutsu, all because of their "inferior" status?
If the Hyuga clan treated all its members equally and taught each of them with care—wouldn't this death list be cut in half?
"Yuzuru," Hizashi patted his son's head, breaking his train of thought. Yuzuru instinctively looked up to find Hiashi smiling at him.
Hiashi asked gently, "Do you feel confident about your upcoming match?"
What match?
Yuzuru quickly replayed Hiashi's entire dramatic speech in his head. Eventually, he smiled and responded, "Yes, Lord Hiashi."
"Good," Hiashi nodded. "Your father told me your strength surpasses most children your age. So when we grouped the competitors, we didn't place you with the younger bracket."
Yuzuru smiled softly, "Please look forward to my performance."
Hiashi looked a little surprised by his confidence. Hizashi's strange half-smile lingered as Hiashi turned to continue his speech to the crowd.
Meanwhile, Yuzuru just gave his father a dry, heh-style smile.
So this is your idea of revenge, Father? Pathetic. Some Branch Family head you are.
Clan Sparring Tournament.
That was Yuzuru's quick summary of what was to come.
To ease the clan's grief over the fallen, Hiashi decided to hold a tournament among the younger members to boost morale.
Nothing raised spirits more than watching the next generation of Hyuga bloom before their eyes.
If the children showed promise, Hiashi could follow up with another inspiring speech. The ceremony would then conclude perfectly—honoring the past while looking toward the future.
It was the same formula as always.
Of course, the tournament usually served as a showcase for the Main Family. With techniques like the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, Branch Family kids who had only learned the basics of Gentle Fist often couldn't hold out long. In the end, the sparring arena became a stage for the Main Family's children to shine—deepening the Branch Family's reverence while boosting the morale of the clan.
First up was the Young Child Group, limited to kids six years old and under.
"The first match—Hyuga Takao versus Hyuga Zen."
With the opening pleasantries out of the way, Hiashi finally got to the point.
An open area had already been cleared in front of the shrine. Adult members of the clan were divided into two lines—Main Family on one side, Branch Family on the other—leaving the space in the center for the children to spar.
Hiashi, Hizashi, and several elders sat on chairs brought to the front of the shrine, serving as judges and observers.
Hyuga Zen was a Main Family child, while Takao came from the Branch Family.
Both were four years old, the same age as Yuzuru.
The two eager kids walked confidently to the center. Cheers erupted from their families behind them.
"Takao, you got this!" Yuzuru wasn't one to be left out.
Standing at the front of the Branch Family line, his voice wasn't loud, but Takao heard it clearly. He turned back, clenching his fists. "Mm!"
Though Yuzuru usually didn't play with the other kids, his status, strength, and mature demeanor had already made him the unofficial leader of the Branch Family children.
Zen, meanwhile, appeared composed. While he wasn't exactly a genius among the Main Family, he still exuded a quiet confidence when facing a peer from the Branch Family.
"Begin!"
And then…
What followed was a scene Yuzuru could barely watch.
Compared to his own spars with Itachi or Shisui, these kids looked like they were brawling, not fighting.
They traded awkward punches and kicks while shouting random syllables. The occasional Gentle Fist strike—clumsily imbued with chakra—landed now and then, but mostly they rolled around in the dirt until Takao's nose started bleeding.
Takao sat on the ground sniffling, clutching his nose. Match over.
Zen hopped around celebrating while the Main Family applauded politely.
The Branch Family remained expressionless, clapping with mechanical restraint. They were used to this.
"It's alright." Yuzuru stepped forward, helping Takao up without a second thought for the dust, tears, or snot on him. Even when Zen's eyes met his with faint provocation, Yuzuru simply smiled back with warmth and grace.
Takao sniffled in pain. "It hurts…"
"It'll stop hurting soon," Yuzuru said gently, wiping his face with a handkerchief as they returned to the Branch Family's side.
A Hyuga medical-nin came to perform basic treatment, and the bleeding soon stopped.
Takao's spirit sagged. "I… I lost. I'm sorry."
Yuzuru encouraged him kindly, "It's alright. If you train hard, you'll definitely win next time."
"Mm!" As his father came to take him away, Takao looked up at Yuzuru with admiration. "Yuzuru-sama, you'll win, right?"
His father quickly covered his mouth.
Even though Yuzuru's reputation as a 'genius' had already spread through the Branch Family, most of it was due to his maturity and status. No one had actually seen him fight seriously yet.
His father feared the boy's innocent question would backfire—if Yuzuru got beaten up by a Main Family kid, it'd just cause trouble.
"I will," Yuzuru smiled, replying firmly.
Takao's father gave a bitter smile. "Then… do your best, Yuzuru-sama."
Yuzuru nodded.
In the matches that followed, the Main Family won six of the seven rounds. The only loss came from a boy-vs-girl matchup. Due to the uneven gender ratio, a Branch Family boy ended up fighting a Main Family girl—and won, thanks to a slight weight advantage and a few Gentle Fist strikes that made the girl cry.
Yuzuru offered soft encouragement and comfort to every Branch Family child who participated. His calm presence stood out enough that Hiashi noticed and chuckled, teasing Hizashi, "Your son really has the makings of the next Branch Family head."
Hizashi just smiled. But inwardly, he was wary.
That boy… looks like he's scheming something again.
"The Young Child Group matches are over."
When Hiashi said this, both the Main and Branch Family members froze.
What about Yuzuru?
All eyes turned to Hiashi. The next moment, he made an announcement that left many visibly shocked.
"Due to his significant strength gap with his peers, Hyuga Yuzuru of the Branch Family will advance early to participate in the Junior Group."
"First match: Hyuga Yuzuru… versus Hyuga Homon."
When Yuzuru stepped into the ring and stood before Homon—a boy a full head taller—he smiled and formed the seal of opposition with both hands.
Murmurs rippled through the Branch Family.
"This isn't fair. Yuzuru-sama is only four. Homon's already graduated and is a Genin."
"Right? If Yuzuru-sama fought kids his age, he'd win for sure. But against older kids…"
Yuzuru heard the whispers and responded before anyone else could.
With a bright smile, he said aloud, "Homon-kun, I asked my father to let me fight in a higher group. So please don't hold back. Treat me as an equal opponent—fight me fairly."
Homon had been hesitant, unsure if fighting a younger kid would make him look bad. But hearing Yuzuru's confident words, he relaxed and smiled. "No problem, Yuzuru."
He shifted into stance, smiling with full confidence. "Come on! Give it your all!"
But very quickly…
Homon began to regret that invitation.
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Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!