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While Megumi was happily chatting with Pakkun, and Rinya stood by watching his girlfriend with a silly smile on his face, Natsuki took the opportunity to pull Yamashiro Aoba aside.
"Aoba-sensei, would it be possible for you to introduce me to your two teammates?"
"My teammates? You mean Raidō and Genma? Why the sudden interest?" Aoba asked, puzzled.
"Hehe, I heard they once served as the Fourth Hokage's personal guards."
Natsuki lowered his voice, "I've read a lot about the Fourth's accomplishments. His Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique) is famous for its unmatched speed. I figure your two teammates must've learned it too. I wanted to ask if you could get them to teach me."
Aoba's expression changed slightly—he was impressed once again. "You sure know a lot... and you've got a sharp eye!"
This wasn't just a casual compliment. Given Natsuki's current abilities, the praise was well-earned.
Natsuki clearly had a wide range of knowledge—whether it was about Might Duy, Sakumo, or the Fourth Hokage—and he always seemed to be aiming for high-level techniques: Hachimon Tonkō (Eight Gates Technique), Hatake Ryū Kenjutsu (Hatake-Style Kenjutsu), and now even the Hiraishin no Jutsu.
Most people wouldn't even know where to learn these techniques, even if they had heard of them. But Natsuki always seemed to have a lead. It was uncanny.
Natsuki chuckled, "Well, I do have good taste. Otherwise, how would I have ended up with such a cute girlfriend?"
Aoba rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses. You know that's not what I meant, don't pretend otherwise.
Still, he didn't mind this side of Natsuki. As a ninja, one had to do whatever it took to grow stronger. As long as it wasn't immoral, thick skin was no issue. And as a teacher, he was happy to help.
Truth be told, he didn't have much left to teach Natsuki. If Natsuki could master the Eight Gates and Hatake swordsmanship, maybe Hiraishin wasn't beyond him either. Who knows—maybe this student of his would someday surpass the Hokage.
"Raidō and Genma did learn the Hiraishin no Jutsu, but their talent wasn't quite enough, so they only managed to develop a group version—Hiraishin no Jin (Flying Thunder Formation). It's a bit of a downgrade. But your talent's different. You've already mastered the Summoning Technique, which proves your aptitude for space-time ninjutsu. I'll talk to them and see if they're willing. But ninjutsu like this isn't taught casually. They'll likely test you first, so be prepared."
"Don't worry, Aoba-sensei. I'm always ready. Bring on the tests!" Natsuki grinned.
With Aoba agreeing to help, Natsuki was one step closer to mastering the Hiraishin. He was excited already.
That night, Natsuki snuck into Tenten's room under the excuse of "sharing good news." He was already a pro at sneaking around. But since both of them were still teenagers in their prime, sharing a bed could be a little... distracting. They often found themselves tossing and turning, unable to sleep, struggling to suppress the urge to snuggle closer.
It was a sweet kind of torture.
The next day, Rinya was dragged away for more special training from Aoba. Megumi, meanwhile, went to help at the hospital—rumor had it a senior medic was willing to teach her the Chakra no Mesu (Chakra Scalpel).
As for Natsuki, he was left to roam free.
There wasn't much more Aoba could teach him. He'd even passed on a mind-reading technique before, which Natsuki had picked up ridiculously fast. It was a source of both pride and frustration for Aoba. Having an outstanding student was wonderful… but it also came with the pain of being outpaced.
So, Aoba told Natsuki to do as he liked—and just call him if he needed a sparring partner.
Naturally, Natsuki latched onto Tenten and headed to Gai's team instead, where he quickly ended up sparring with Lee and Neji, before eventually challenging Gai himself.
The training atmosphere there was intense—probably because of Gai's influence.
Gai was a training maniac. He hardly thought about anything besides training. No complications, no distractions. Being around his team made everything feel focused and fulfilling.
Both Lee and Neji were battle-hungry types. Frequent matches with them were a great way to accumulate combat experience.
And, of course, the best part—his lovely girlfriend Tenten was right there with him. Nothing made Natsuki happier.
At the moment, it was Tenten's turn to spar with Lee. To test her taijutsu, she was fighting without her usual ninja tools—and surprisingly, she was holding her own.
Gai stood to the side striking flamboyant poses and cheering them on. It was quite a spectacle.
Natsuki, meanwhile, drank the water Tenten had brought him and admired her figure as she fought fiercely—strong, graceful, and completely captivating.
That's when Neji approached him.
"Natsuki, can we talk?"
Natsuki raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Sure. What's up?"
"Nothing in particular… I just have some thoughts I don't want to keep buried anymore. I need someone to talk to."
Neji's expression was distant, almost melancholic.
"I've only lost to you among the younger generation. Especially after seeing you stand against someone like Orochimaru… I can't help but feel admiration. I figured… maybe someone like you could understand and offer me advice. I hope you don't mind."
Thoughts from the heart?
Wait a second—is he about to start ranting about the Caged Bird Seal?
Wasn't he saving that dramatic speech for the Chūnin Exams?
Natsuki was surprised, but given how uncharacteristically open Neji was being, he couldn't exactly turn him down. So he nodded.
Neji slowly removed his forehead protector, revealing the cursed mark on his forehead.
"The Hyūga clan has long been divided into the Main House and the Branch House. To protect the Byakugan from falling into the wrong hands, members of the Branch House are branded with the Caged Bird Seal. This forces them to obey the Main House and defend the clan's bloodline at all costs."
Natsuki nodded silently, continuing to listen.
"The curse seal ensures that even in death, the Byakugan can't be stolen. In theory, it's a brilliant solution for protecting our dōjutsu. But over time, the Main House grew corrupt. With the ability to control the curse seal and, by extension, the lives of the Branch House, they began treating us like servants."
Neji's voice darkened.
"They use the seal to punish us for the slightest disobedience. They send us into danger while they remain safe. Even worse, they scapegoat us when it suits them. My father… he was the younger twin brother of the clan head. But simply because he was born a few minutes later, he was branded as Branch House and made to serve."
"He ended up being used as a body double—to die in place of someone else."
(End of Chapter)
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