"This is for you."
Hansen sat to the side, eating his own breakfast. "Consider it… payment for last night's stay?"
Kurenai Yūhi's pretty face flushed, recalling something.
With three parts shyness and seven parts charm, she glared at him before cautiously unrolling the scroll.
With just one glance, her beautiful red pupils constricted sharply.
"This is…?!"
The scroll recorded the cultivation methods for all the genjutsu she specialized in!
It involved strengthening the use of Yin Release Chakra through spiritual power. Its theory was so exquisite, its conception so unique, that it far surpassed all her previous understanding of genjutsu.
"I studied your Chakra attributes and genjutsu last night, and optimized them for you."
Hansen's tone was understated, as if he had only done a trivial matter. "Your spiritual power talent is good, but your application methods are too crude; it's a waste."
...Optimized?
Kurenai Yūhi held the scroll, feeling her worldview violently shaken.
She, the top genjutsu expert of Konohagakure, an elite Jonin admired by countless ninja.
Her most specialized field had only received a 'crude' evaluation from this man.
Kurenai Yūhi wanted to retort, but ultimately suppressed it, saying cautiously, "This is too precious, I am not worthy…"
Hansen swallowed the last bite of his rice ball, wiped his mouth, and stood up.
"Keep it." He walked to the door, looked back at her, "After all, my woman can't be too weak."
With that, he pulled open the door and walked out, leaving Kurenai Yūhi sitting alone, her heart a mix of emotions… It was morning, and the sun was just right.
Leaving Kurenai Yūhi's residence, Hansen stretched, feeling good.
Kurenai Yūhi did not know that the genjutsu cultivation method Hansen gave her was secondary.
The most important thing was the Monster King essence she gained during her service last night.
Once the seed of divine power it contained took root and sprouted, her genjutsu would no longer be limited to the spiritual level, but would truly be able to distort reality, surpassing all ninja in this world.
Even those Ōtsutsuki who claimed to be gods would be no match for her power!
Just then, a figure blocked Hansen's path.
It was Hyuga Neji.
The young man was still in his short white attire, revealing his bandaged hands and feet.
His expression was stern, and his pure white eyes stared intently at Hansen, with a hint of stubbornness, inquiry, and an uncontrollable longing.
"I've come for you," Neji's voice was crisp and clear.
"Oh?" Hansen looked at him with interest. "Have you thought it through? Are you ready to shatter your ridiculous fate with your own hands?"
Neji's fists unconsciously tightened. He looked directly into Hansen's platinum pupils, which seemed to contain stars and seas, and asked word by word, "Does the power you speak of… the power to shatter fate, truly exist?"
"How would you know without trying? Power doesn't just appear out of thin air," Hansen said lightly.
Neji took a deep breath, as if making a huge decision, and bowed deeply to Hansen.
"Please… please teach me how to become stronger!"
Looking at the young man who had completely cast aside all his pride, the curve of Hansen's mouth became more pronounced.
Hyuga Neji, a genius of the Hyuga Clan, hailed as one in a hundred years, yet bound by the Caged Bird Seal his entire life.
In the original timeline, he struggled to defy fate.
Yet, in an almost fated manner, he ultimately used his body to block a fatal attack aimed at Hinata, fulfilling his duty to protect the Main House.
He became the only star among the Konoha 12 Rookies to fall in that cruel war.
His death, while regrettable and tragic, was also a great irony.
In this deformed world of Naruto, which is solely based on bloodlines, if your ancestors were not so prominent, you could easily become cannon fodder.
How ridiculous.
Since this world didn't cherish such a genius, Hansen would gladly accept him.
"Raise your head," Hansen's voice was calm.
Neji slowly straightened up, looking at him with resolute eyes, a raging flame of unwillingness burning in his pure white pupils.
"If you want me to teach you, you can." Hansen changed his tone. "But my training is not a picnic."
"Are you sure you can handle it?"
"I am sure!" Neji answered almost without hesitation.
"Very good." Hansen nodded in satisfaction. "Then follow me."
He did not directly bestow divine power upon Neji, transforming him into a God-Awakened.
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
For a proud genius like Neji, simple and crude power infusion would only make him lose his true self.
What Hansen wanted to do was personally break the shackles of 'fate' for him, allowing him to see a completely different, broader sky.
The two, one in front and one behind, left the village and headed towards the training ground in the Konoha back mountains.
After they left, a tall, strong, green-skinned watermelon-headed figure appeared on the roof of a building on one side of the street, his gaze forlorn.
"Neji, have you still chosen this path of youth?"
Swish—
A smaller green-skinned watermelon-headed figure arrived at high speed, landing beside Might Guy. "Teacher Guy, you're here! I've been looking for you for a long time. When does today's training start?"
Might Guy was silent for a moment, then suddenly clenched his fist and roared, "…Lee!"
Although Rock Lee didn't understand why, he immediately responded with emotional value, "I'm here! Guysen-sei!!"
"Our youthful passion as master and disciple cannot lose to them!" Might Guy fiercely embraced his disciple, who was carved from the same mold, shedding tears like a tough man. "One hundred handstand laps around the village, starting now!!"
"Yes—!!!"
...Along the way, Neji was filled with doubts.
He had expected this unfathomable strong man to teach him some earth-shattering secret technique or to put him through some cruel trial.
But the other party merely led him, walking unhurriedly, as if simply taking a stroll.
Until they arrived at a clearing in the woods.
Hansen stopped, casually pulled out a huge scroll from his embrace, and threw it on the ground with a "bang."
"This is…"
As a genius of the Hyuga Clan, currently the largest clan in Konoha, Neji was knowledgeable.
Veins bulged around his eyes, and his Byakugan instantly activated!
When he clearly saw the complex and powerful forbidden jutsu on the scroll, his pupils suddenly constricted.
"The… scroll of seals?!" he exclaimed in surprise.
The importance of the scroll of seals was self-evident. It contained various powerful forbidden jutsu created by the Uchiha's terrifying thorn in the side, the ninja world's great inventor, the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.
It was strictly guarded by successive Hokage; its importance was self-evident!
(The Second Hokage, who was playing cards with the First Hokage in the afterlife, sneezed—!)
But, why… why was such an important item in this guy's hands?!
Hyuga Neji's mind went blank.
"Don't be so surprised." Hansen casually brushed the dust off the scroll, then grinned a sunny smile. "I just borrowed it for a look."
Neji: "…"
At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the empty secret room and the trembling Anbu elite, lost in thought.
No, where is my scroll of seals, which was so big?!
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