Riku set his sights on his first target for revenge — Hyuga Sōtai, the "soft persimmon."
As for Hinata Katyu, he decided that could wait.
After all, Hinata Katyu was an Elder of the Hyuga Main Family. No matter how short-handed the clan might be, there was no way an Elder would lack protection. Moreover, that old man was once said to have been a powerful Elite Jonin in his youth. Having lived through decades of war and bloodshed, his combat experience would easily crush Riku's current strength.
After weighing all factors, Riku concluded that unless he possessed the power of a seasoned Kage-level ninja, it would be best not to provoke that old man.
However, he had no intention of letting the old man's grandson go unpunished.
"Action is necessary," Riku muttered to himself. "But how should I act—and more importantly, how do I escape afterward?"
He also had to consider concealing his identity. Against the Byakugan, ordinary Transformation Jutsu was useless. The Byakugan could see through surface illusions instantly.
"I need a stronger Transformation Jutsu—something that even the Byakugan can't pierce."
Opening his skill panel, Riku noticed a small line of glowing text next to Transformation Jutsu:
"Break Limit Possible."
He hesitated for a moment, then clicked Confirm.
A familiar system prompt appeared before his eyes:
"Please select a Break Limit direction:
Break Limit One: Greatly enhances the disguise effect of Transformation Jutsu, adding mild genjutsu properties. Cost: 9,000 Free Experience Points.
Break Limit Two: Greatly extends duration and reduces chakra consumption. Cost: 8,000 Free Experience Points.
Break Limit Three: Flesh Manipulation—allows real, physical transformation to a certain degree. Chakra cost scales with degree of change. Cost: 10,000 Free Experience Points."
Riku read through the three options carefully, but he didn't hesitate long.
"Only the third one fits what I need."
The genjutsu-based improvement of Break Limit One might fool normal eyes, but not the Byakugan. As for Break Limit Two, it was useless to him.
No—Flesh Manipulation was the only way forward. If he could alter his body's real structure, even the Byakugan wouldn't detect any trace of disguise.
The only downside was the variable chakra cost, depending on how much the transformation changed his body. But he wouldn't know the limits until he tried.
Without further hesitation, Riku chose Break Limit Three.
The moment he confirmed his choice, a flood of new information poured into his mind. Arcane patterns of chakra control and body manipulation spun within his thoughts as the entry for Transformation Jutsu on his panel twisted and changed before his eyes.
When the surge of knowledge finally settled, his body instinctively memorized the new circulation routes of chakra.
"Transformation Jutsu (E) → Transformation Jutsu: Reshape (B) — Break Limit Possible."
The original skill had jumped three ranks in quality in a single leap.
Riku exhaled slowly, feeling the strange new instinct take hold. He didn't even need hand seals anymore. Just a thought—and his chakra began to circulate in an unfamiliar yet natural rhythm.
His body began to change before his eyes.
From a child barely one meter tall, he expanded rapidly until he stood at his former height—one meter seventy-eight. His limbs lengthened, his muscles filled out, his posture straightened.
Then, he adjusted his features.
His reference was, of course, his previous life's appearance.
Before long, a handsome man with delicate features and bright white teeth stood in the room. He wasn't overly masculine—perhaps a touch less rugged than Yanzu—but undeniably striking.
Riku stared at the mirror, subconsciously touching his reflection. A satisfied smile spread across his face.
"It's nostalgic… I didn't realize that after fixing a few flaws, my old self was actually this good-looking."
He chuckled lightly.
"Using my former self's face to take revenge in this life… somehow, that feels perfect."
But he didn't stop there. Riku began to experiment. He tested what would happen if he only changed his face while keeping his body the same—or if he altered his height and build without changing facial features.
He ran multiple comparisons, pushing the transformation in varying degrees.
After an hour of careful testing, he came to a solid conclusion:
"Changing only the face consumes very little chakra. But the moment I change body shape—the cost skyrockets!"
Especially when making such a drastic transformation as growing from a child into an adult, the chakra consumption became exponential.
Riku analyzed the data calmly.
"Even with my chakra reserves—comparable to a Jonin's, maybe even greater than an average Jonin—I can only maintain this full transformation for about three hours at most. And if I enter combat, it'll drain faster—probably down to one hour."
That was still plenty.
"But to deal with a Main Family brat who's only guarded by a Special Jonin? One hour is more than enough."
He allowed himself a small sigh of relief.
The new Transformation Jutsu exceeded his expectations. The real, tangible transformation was perfect for infiltration—and revenge.
Then a curious thought crossed his mind.
"If one Break Limit gives me this much improvement… how powerful would the second Break Limit be?"
As if responding to his curiosity, his system panel shimmered again—displaying three new directions for a second Break Limit.
He glanced through them quickly—then sighed and dismissed the panel.
"Too expensive…"
Each option required at least 100,000 Free Experience Points—a tenfold increase from before.
Still, just reading the potential effects made his heart beat faster. The second Break Limit hinted at true physical metamorphosis—a form of transformation bordering on biological rewriting.
"One day," Riku murmured, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
But for now, reality called him back. His Free Experience Points barely exceeded 20,000, and that wasn't nearly enough.
His expression hardened.
"That Main Family brat disturbed my Dao Heart… interfered with my cultivation. That's unforgivable."
Every second of frustration, every distraction, was lost experience points—and to Riku, that was more painful than any wound.
"Making me waste time… that alone deserves punishment."
His hatred for Hinata Katyu and his grandson deepened once more, turning cold and razor-sharp.
Outside, the night thickened. The air turned still and heavy—a perfect night for silent vengeance.
The moon hid behind clouds. The wind whispered through the trees.
Under the cover of darkness, a shadowy figure slipped out from the Hyuga compound like a black cat—silent, swift, and unseen.
Riku moved effortlessly across Konoha's rooftops, his senses sharpened, his heartbeat calm. His destination: the main path leading toward the Hyuga Main Family's residence.
He landed silently, crouching in the shadows. This was the only route Hyuga Sōtai would take home after classes.
And as predicted, the boy soon appeared.
After a long day at the Ninja Academy, Hyuga Sōtai looked tired, shoulders slumped as he walked.
Like most students, Sōtai disliked the Academy. The lessons were dull, repetitive, and restrictive. But more than that—at school, he couldn't flaunt his usual Main Family arrogance.
The Academy was full of children from other noble clans, many equal or superior to him in status. If he dared to act high and mighty there, he'd be beaten into humility within minutes.
So, each day, he endured. He played the part of an obedient student, keeping his pride bottled up until he could return home—where the branch families still had to bow their heads before him.
He didn't notice the faint ripple in the shadows behind him.
Riku waited patiently, eyes cold and calculating, his transformed face emotionless.
Tonight was not about bloodlust—it was about balance.
Sōtai had made him waste time, hindered his progress, and bruised his pride. That couldn't go unanswered.
"Experience points… you owe me plenty."
Riku's fingers flexed slightly, chakra humming faintly beneath his skin as he prepared to strike.
Above them, the moon reemerged, faint silver light cutting through the clouds. It fell across Riku's borrowed face, half-shadowed and half-bright, like the reflection of two lives merging—his past self and his reborn self, united in purpose.
The hunt had begun.
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