"Alright."
Natsu Hyuga held her bowl with small hands, looking timid and pitiful, as if she were entirely at Kiyoshi's mercy. The others simply assumed she was anxious about her ailment being treated.
A short while later, Kiyoshi returned to his private tent. Natsu followed behind him with her eyes downcast.
*Flap~*
The curtain of the tent fell, striking against the outer fabric.
Tetsu Hyuga sighed. He had no idea how Natsu had suddenly fallen ill.
"Don't be sad." Asuma patted Tetsu on the shoulder. From his observation, Tetsu was likely another "simp." 'Strange, why are there so many simps around?' Asuma wondered to himself.
"Yeah." Tetsu didn't dare argue with the "Crown Prince" and nodded repeatedly.
'When did they get so close?' Tekka Uchiha wondered inwardly. It seemed Natsu had only sought Kiyoshi out a few times. Why did they look like they were flirting and having an affair just now? Was it really just for medical treatment? Tekka shook his head; most Uchihas were handsome, so it was normal to be popular. Still, why didn't such luck ever fall on him?
Everyone had different expressions, each lost in their own thoughts. Kurenai gazed in that direction, her red eyes narrowing slightly. Instinctively, she felt something was wrong—a deep sense of crisis.
After not seeing her for so long, Kurenai realized Natsu had become much more beautiful. To use an analogy, the old Natsu was a flower bud. Now, that bud had blossomed under the watering of rain. Even with her eyes lowered, she possessed a sort of internal charm.
"Could the [Gentle Fist] really have that kind of effect?" Kurenai whispered to herself, only able to categorize it under that explanation.
...
Inside the tent.
The moment she entered, Natsu could not wait to speak: "Kiyoshi-kun, I... please check if I am..."
Natsu voiced her deepest worry. If this matter were exposed, the feudal and conservative Hyuga clan would be furious! For a clan that thrived on strict etiquette and ritual, this would be an absolute humiliation, and she would undoubtedly face unspeakable punishment. Her fate was precarious. Ginka Hyuga would also be the first to cast her aside to sever all ties.
"Come here," Kiyoshi gestured.
Natsu jogged a few steps closer. Kiyoshi placed his hand on Natsu's abdomen and used his chakra to sense the area. After a moment, he shook his head. "Don't worry, I am a man of discretion."
A ninja with exquisite skill can attach a layer of chakra film to specific localized areas. Kiyoshi's technique was now advanced enough to achieve this. Unlike other ninjas who pursued the thickness and strength of chakra, Kiyoshi focused on making his chakra transparent and thin. Thus, he could easily apply it for a miraculous effect.
Natsu didn't quite understand what Kiyoshi was saying, but hearing him say she was fine allowed her to breathe a sigh of relief.
"We should be resting for a while longer today. Teach me all the [Gentle Fist] techniques you know," Kiyoshi commanded.
"...Yes." Natsu hesitated for a brief moment before finally nodding. "But I only know some for now. There is more I need to learn continuously."
Under Kiyoshi's constant "PUA" (psychological manipulation), Natsu had finally grown a little. She didn't give everything she knew to Kiyoshi all at once, choosing instead to let it flow like a slow stream. If Kiyoshi wanted the [Gentle Fist], he would have to keep learning through her. This also ensured her value would not decrease.
"Of course, that's fine." The corners of Kiyoshi's mouth curled up. Before that, he could continue to increase his ocular power slightly—to better learn the upcoming [Gentle Fist] in an optimal state.
...
"I see. So this is the [Gentle Fist]."
Kiyoshi listened to the system prompt, lost in thought.
"You have unlocked the Trait: [Gentle Fist Fundamentals (Blue)]."
[Trait: Gentle Fist Fundamentals (Blue)]
[Requirement: Come into contact with the Gentle Fist.]
[Progress: (Completed).]
[Effect: You have learned the power of "Gentleness." Insight increased by 40% based on the original.]
[Note: Can be further evolved.]
Because the [Gentle Fist] was an absolute secret of the Hyuga clan, the Trait panel judged it as a Blue Trait. Kiyoshi covered his eyes, feeling surges of blood filling his eyeballs, spinning inside like a vortex. The whites of his eyes were covered in terrifying bloodshot veins as if the entire eyeball had turned crimson.
After a long while, the commotion subsided. The bloodshot veins returned to normal. The only remaining trace was in Kiyoshi's pupils, which were now slightly deeper and more scarlet than those of other Uchihas.
As Kiyoshi familiarized himself with his enhanced insight, Natsu stood up cautiously. "Kiyoshi-kun, are you unwell?"
"No." Kiyoshi turned back, his scarlet eyes staring at Natsu. It was enough to make her feel a bit creeped out.
She said, "Then I'll be going first."
"Mhm... if there is danger in the upcoming battle, remember to move toward my side," Kiyoshi added.
It would be a pity for such an excellent "ocular power battery" to die, especially since he might continue to trigger Hyuga-related Traits in the future. Although there are many ways to resurrect people in this world, none were currently accessible to him.
"I understand, Kiyoshi-kun." Natsu's original sorrowful thoughts were filled with intense joy. If he said that, then Kiyoshi certainly wasn't a heartless person.
The fastest way to a woman's heart is often a single path. The simple-minded Natsu had already begun to make excuses for Kiyoshi in her head, justifying his actions to herself. She wanted to convince herself that Kiyoshi wasn't entirely devoid of morality.
"Go on then." Kiyoshi waved his hand, watching Natsu leave his tent.
"My vision... if I concentrate, I can even see my own cells now." Kiyoshi scanned the cells of his body and even the dust in the air. If he continued to improve, he would essentially gain the abilities of the Byakugan.
'Ordinary Hyuga members cannot release supreme Taijutsu like [Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack] due to their limited chakra reserves, but I should be able to make up for that.'
Kiyoshi recalled the [Gentle Fist] techniques Natsu had taught him, realizing there was great potential.
If the chakra fists released by Kaguya's original body were that massive, how large would the chakra fists be if Kiyoshi released such a technique while in Susanoo form?
...
"Natsu, Lord Orochimaru has informed us it's time to head back."
Tetsu Hyuga happened to run into Natsu just as she had walked a short distance away from Kiyoshi's tent. Seeing that Natsu's face was much more flushed, as if she had just been "rejuvenated," Tetsu couldn't help but admire Kiyoshi's medical skills.
Despite his own personal friction with the guy, he had to admit his medical talent was truly miraculous.
"I'll go call Kiyoshi-kun." Natsu blinked, thinking of Kiyoshi.
"Let's go then." Kiyoshi's voice drifted from the tent. Using pure hearing rather than sensory perception, Kiyoshi could already hear the two of them talking nearby.
***
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