"..."
Still reeling from being teleported so far so quickly, Hinata remained vigilant and silently activated her Byakugan.
"Heh heh heh... Good. I'll crush you completely at your full strength. Then I'll shatter your heart into a million pieces."
Shido smirked, his gaze sweeping over Hinata's body like a predator sizing up its prey. A sharp, raptor-like glint flashed in his eyes.
As I thought... There's something wrong with this man. I need to uncover his secrets before Naruto-kun returns.
Hinata was certain. This man had always possessed a natural talent for Ninjutsu. But there was something more to it than that. The fact that he had instantly transported both himself and her here without using Chakra confirmed he had acquired some special power. I need to figure out what it is, Hinata thought.
"Now then, Hinata. Against your full-power assault, I won't even bother defending, let alone counterattack. Attack me to your heart's content."
Hinata silently and swiftly formed hand seals. As she focused her Chakra, she shouted:
"Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
"Hmph."
Shido smirked defiantly, taking every strike of Hinata's Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms head-on. But Hinata's assault was far from over. Her counterattack began immediately, a series of fluid movements so refined they resembled a graceful dance. Her speed increased steadily, unleashing a relentless barrage of Gentle Fist strikes that became too fast for the eye to follow.
"Kukuku, impressive! But you're still lacking!"
Shido remained standing upright, enduring Hinata's onslaught as he taunted her.
"Haa... haa... Grrr! N-no way... How could this be...?"
Hinata's face twisted in frustration, her breathing becoming ragged. Despite landing dozens of blows, none of them had any effect.
But she couldn't give up now. She focused even more intently, gathering her chakra. The Byakugan in her eyes glowed even brighter.
"Hmph, what's wrong? All out of steam already?" Shido taunted with a smirk, making no attempt to counterattack, simply absorbing all of Hinata's strikes. Suddenly, Hinata stopped attacking.
"What's wrong? All done? Naruto and you are still just dropouts, after all. Hahaha!" Shido mocked, oozing arrogance. But the next moment, Hinata's expression changed.
"Naruto-kun... What did you say...?"
Hinata glared at Shido, her face contorted with fury. With a powerful kick against the ground, she closed the distance between them in an instant, striking his abdomen with a palm strike.
"Guh!?"
Shido was sent flying backward by Hinata's attack. But mid-air, he twisted his body to regain his balance and landed smoothly on his feet.
"I won't forgive you! This ends now! Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists!"
Hinata molded the chakra erupting from her hands into the shape of twin lion heads, enhancing the range and destructive power of her Gentle Fist technique. As Shido landed, she unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes.
The speed of her assault was astonishing; dozens of blows rained down on Shido in the blink of an eye. Even Shido, a formidable opponent, seemed to struggle against the onslaught, his face contorted in pain.
"Guh! Kah! Ugh! Guhaaaah!"
Shido grunted and gasped, barely managing to endure Hinata's relentless assault. But she wasn't finished yet. With renewed ferocity, Hinata pressed her attack.
"The meridians of anyone touched by this Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists will be devoured! And now—this is the end! Eight Trigrams Twin Lion Collapse Strike!!"
Hinata unleashed her final attack on Shido. It was her ultimate technique, the Eight Trigrams Twin Lion Collapse Strike, combining the Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists with the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.
"This... ends it!"
With every ounce of her strength and spirit, Hinata struck Shido.
"Gwaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!"
Shido collapsed to the ground, his face contorted in agony.
"Haa... haa... I finally won..."
Hinata gasped, her body threatening to collapse from exhaustion, but she forced herself to stay upright.
But the next moment, her face twisted in shock. Shido was rising again! And the wounds she had inflicted moments ago had completely vanished...
"No... impossible..."
"Hey, hey, is that all? How disappointing, Hinata."
"Ah... ah... ah..."
Hinata could only stare in despair, her eyes wide with disbelief.
The attack should have hit him squarely... How...? Why is he unscathed?!
"Heh heh, well then... now it's my turn! Try to scream nicely for me, okay?"
Shido approached Hinata and grabbed her by the neck, tightening his grip.
"Guh..."
"Now then, let's start by beating you black and blue like old times!"
Shido chuckled, increasing the pressure on her neck. Hinata's body lifted into the air. She clawed at Shido's arm with both hands, but he didn't budge.
"Ugh... ugh... gah!"
Hinata's face contorted in agony. Shido tightened his grip further, choking her even harder. Then, still holding her aloft by the neck with one hand, he began pummeling her stomach with his other fist.
"Ugh! Guh!! Ah!"
Hinata let out a pained groan.
"What's wrong? Giving up already?" Shido laughed as he rained more punches on her. Finally, he delivered a brutal kick to her stomach.
"Gah!?"
Hinata spat out blood and collapsed onto the ground.
"Hey, hey, is that all you've got?" Shido said dismissively, grabbing Hinata's hair and yanking her head up.
"Ugh..."
What is this guy...? He's too strong... All that struggling earlier was just an act...
"What's this? You've gotten weaker than before," Shido sneered, pulling her hair closer to his face.
"Guh... ugh..."
Hinata groaned in agony. Shido grinned and whispered in her ear, "Heh, I'll forgive you if you get on your knees and beg for mercy."
Hinata gritted her teeth, glaring at Shido's twisted smirk.
"Don't mess with me!"
"Hmm, guess I'll play with you a little longer then!"
Shido said this and slapped Hinata across the face.
"Ugh?!"
Hinata's face twisted in pain as she was sent flying again, crashing to the ground.
Shido approached the fallen Hinata and slowly bent her right arm backward from behind.
"Ah... ugh... ugh..."
Hinata's face contorted with agony. Shido grinned sadistically as he slowly but steadily continued to bend her arm.
Unable to endure the pain any longer, Hinata screamed.
"No! Aaaah!"
"Hey, hey, don't give up so easily. You used to be able to handle much worse, didn't you?"
Shido said this as he bent Hinata's arm further. Finally, a dull crack echoed as her right arm snapped.
"Ah... Aah! Guuuh..."
Hinata gritted her teeth, her eyes brimming with tears as she desperately endured the pain. Her right arm was bent at an unnatural angle.
"Oh, it's broken? Then let's do the other one too!"
Shido, like a mischievous child, began bending her left arm.
"Kuh! Aah! Guh... Uuh..."
Hinata's face twisted in agony as she desperately tried to resist, but Shido's monstrous strength easily snapped her arm.
"Hii... Uuh... Kuh..."
Tears welled in Hinata's eyes as she desperately fought back the pain.
Shido opened his mouth as if mocking her, and said, "Ah~ah, now you won't be able to cook for your beloved family until your fractures heal, huh? Well, I don't care either way."
"...You... monster...!"
Hinata glared at Shido with eyes burning with hatred. Shido grabbed her hair again, pulling her face close to his, and whispered in her ear, "Kuk... those eyes! Those eyes! That's exactly the expression I wanted to see on your face!"