Chapter 18: Hiashi
The sun was just starting to peek over the mountains surrounding Konoha when Chen opened his eyes, his mind still reeling from the events of the previous day.
He sat up in bed, marveling at the scroll Tsunade had given him, filled with advanced ninjutsus he never thought he'd get so soon.
"I can't believe Tsunade gave me techniques ranked B and above," he murmured to himself as he quickly got dressed. "And even the Lightning Element: Earth Flash... even if it's just a C rank, it'll be invaluable in combat."
But what truly took his breath away was the Strength of a Hundred Seal, something he never would have dreamed of receiving.
"I have to find a way to thank her properly," he thought as he left his room. "For now, the best I can do is practice hard and master these techniques."
Wasting no time, Chen formed a seal.
*Poof*
In an instant, fifty identical copies of Chen appeared around him.
"Alright," Chen said to his clones. "Each of you will practice a different ninjutsu. I want you to have it mastered by the end of the day."
As his clones dispersed to begin their training, Chen headed to the Hyuga clan's training field.
The sun was higher in the sky by the time he arrived, revealing the vastness of the practice area. It was a huge space designed to accommodate the thousands of Hyuga clan members who used it daily.
Chen watched as dozens of Hyuga of all ages practiced their signature techniques. The air buzzed with the energy of chakra being molded and released in precise bursts.
"Chen!" A familiar voice pulled him out of his thoughts. It was Hiro, a boy who used to spend more time playing than training. "Are you here to practice too?"
Chen smiled, noting the change in his friend's attitude. "Hiro. It's good to see you here. Looks like you've decided to stop playing ninja games."
Hiro nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! I've decided I want to become a real ninja, not just play at being one."
"That's an excellent decision," Chen praised him. "With dedication and effort, I'm sure you'll achieve it."
As they talked, a murmur spread through the training field. Everyone turned toward the entrance, where a small yet imposing figure was making his entrance.
Despite being only five years old, Hiashi already projected an aura of authority that made even the adults treat him with respect. His serious face and upright posture gave him an air of maturity that contrasted with his young age.
"Hiashi-sama," someone near Chen whispered.
His presence caused even the Chūnin and Jōnin present to bow their heads respectfully.
Chen watched with amusement as the reactions to Hiashi's arrival varied.
A small child, with eyes shining with admiration, exclaimed, "Hiashi-sama is so handsome! When I grow up, I want to marry him!"
However, his comment was quickly rebuffed by a group of nearby girls. "Don't be silly!" one of them replied. "Chen-kun is much cuter. Just look at that hair and those eyes!"
Another girl nodded vigorously. "That's right! Chen-kun is the most handsome in the whole village. And he's so strong and kind!"
Chen, used to this kind of attention, simply smiled.
Leaning towards Hiro, he murmured loud enough for Hiashi to hear, "Well, well, my future father-in-law sure knows how to make a strong impression."
The comment made Hiro tilt his head in confusion, "Father-in-law?"
As if he had heard the comment, Hiashi turned his head towards Chen. Their eyes met for a moment, and Chen could see the young Hyuga's brow furrow slightly.
With a cold snort, Hiashi turned away and continued on his path, blatantly ignoring Chen.
Chen, far from feeling offended, found Hiashi's reaction highly amusing. 'We'll see if you can maintain that proud facade when I kidnap your two daughters,' he thought with an innocent smile.
While making a silent promise, Hiashi began his training in the center of the field. With grace and precision unusual for his age, he adopted the characteristic stance of the Gentle Fist.
The clan members formed a circle around Hiashi, watching with attention and admiration.
With a fluid movement, Hiashi activated his Byakugan, the veins around his eyes bulging. "Eight Trigrams: Sixteen Palms," he announced loudly.
His hands became a blur as he struck the wooden stake in front of him. Each impact was precise, aimed at specific points that, on a real opponent, would correspond to chakra points.
The wood creaked and splintered under the force of the blows, and when Hiashi finished, the stake was marked with sixteen perfectly aligned impressions.
"Impressive, Hiashi-sama," a nearby jōnin murmured. "His mastery of the Gentle Fist at such a young age is truly extraordinary."
"Not just that," another clan member added. "His leadership ability is undeniable. He will be a great leader for our clan."
The praises continued, but Chen heard them more distantly.
A sharp pain began to form in his temples. He was really tired of hearing these words.
"I don't know where the Hyugas get so much pride from. Compared to the Uchiha or the Senju, they're trash," Chen said, massaging his temples.
If it weren't for the system, Chen would have abandoned the Hyuga clan completely.
Not wanting to hear more of these absurd praises, Chen decided he had trained enough for today. Without making any announcement, he began to walk away from the training field.
No one seemed to notice his departure, all too absorbed in Hiashi's demonstration. Only a group of girls, who had been watching Chen discreetly all morning, noticed his exit, their eyes following him with a mix of admiration and disappointment at seeing him leave.
When he got home, Chen went straight to his room. Closing the door behind him, he activated the system, eager to check the shop.
His eyes scanned the list of available ninjutsus, quickly checking the remaining coins.
Initially, Chen had planned to save his coins for more important future purchases. However, the anxiety to improve and stand out consumed him.
"I can't wait any longer!" he said, grabbing his silver hair. "I want to get stronger, and fast."
With that decision made, Chen began to scroll through the shop screen, looking at the options.
Until finally, his eyes settled on two techniques that caught his attention: "Three Bodies Technique" and "Body Flicker Technique."
Without hesitation, he added them to his cart, spending 8,000 coins in total.
But something still bothered him. His OCD demanded a round number, a sense of completeness. With an ironic smile, he added a bag of exquisite kunai for 1,000 coins.
'Ah~Perfect… perfect,' he thought, feeling a wave of satisfaction.
With 50,000 coins still in his possession, Chen paused for a moment. "What else could be useful?" he wondered. After a moment of reflection, he decided to invest in something completely new: basic swordsmanship.
Since he had several skills that would help him create swords or something similar.
Confirming the purchase, Chen felt a strange sensation in his mind.
It was as if a veil lifted, revealing knowledge he didn't know he possessed. Suddenly, he understood the fundamentals of swordsmanship: how to hold a sword, the basic stances, the elementary movements of attack and defense.
"Incredible," Chen whispered, flexing his fingers as if holding an invisible sword.
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