As the swirling storm of chakra finally dispersed, Hyuga Satoru stood in the middle of a massive crater. He stared at the devastated terrain left in the wake of his attack, disbelief flickering across his face.
"This… Return to Heaven can unleash this kind of power?!"
He had used the Rotation (Hakkesho Kaiten) countless times before, but never—never—had it caused such destruction. Yet his form, his chakra flow, even his release pattern hadn't changed in the slightest. The only difference… was that he'd used it midair.
Satoru had no idea whether any of the Hyuga ancestors had ever tested such a thing. The clan's secret scrolls certainly never mentioned it.
What he didn't know, however, was that no Hyuga before him had ever mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Rotation's fundamental principle required grounding—anchoring the user's chakra flow to the earth beneath their feet. In midair, with nothing to push against, it was a technique impossible for anyone to use.
Only someone like Satoru, who could instantaneously relocate with Flying Thunder God, could build the chakra momentum on the ground—then unleash Rotation mid-flight.
As his astonishment faded, Satoru activated his Byakugan, searching for the condition of his opponent, Uchiha Shisui.
But in his field of vision, the figure he'd struck was gone. So were the five others that surrounded it.
Only one remained—farther away, standing calmly, watching him.
"…A trap, huh?"
"As expected of Uchiha Shisui. If this were a real battle, the one who'd exposed a fatal opening would've been me."
When Shisui dispelled his Phantom Body Flicker Technique, Satoru realized he'd been deceived.
It was a serious mistake, whether in training or in combat. Even legends like Uchiha Madara had paid the price for misreading a clone—getting literally "heart-punched" by Senju Hashirama.
Though the Byakugan was famed for its perception, it wasn't infallible against clone techniques.
Just as the ancestor Kaguya Ōtsutsuki herself could not distinguish Naruto's shadow clones, Satoru too couldn't perfectly discern Shisui's phantoms.
Judging from the sensations of his earlier strikes, this technique was likely a high-level variant of Shadow Clone Jutsu—but unlike the mass-produced Kage Bunshin, Shisui's version strengthened the individual clone's quality rather than quantity.
"Shisui? You're unharmed!"
As Shisui canceled his jutsu, Aburame Shibi hurried to his side, relief washing over his face. He had also misjudged the real body.
"Heh, I'm fine, Captain," Shisui said with his gentle smile, spreading his arms to show he was unscathed.
At that moment, Satoru and Might Guy approached from opposite sides. Stopping before Shisui, Satoru bowed slightly.
"I'm sorry. I underestimated this technique's power. I shouldn't have used something like that on a comrade. Thank you, Shisui-nii, for holding back."
Though the spar had ended safely, the fact remained—he'd used a technique whose strength he couldn't yet fully control. It was pure luck that Shisui had avoided it; another opponent might not have been so fortunate.
The fault, Satoru knew, was his own.
"It's fine, really." Shisui smiled, waving his hand. "You didn't mean any harm, and I wasn't injured. Don't let it weigh on you, Satoru."
He was as warm and kind as ever. Though five years older, he treated Satoru not as a child but as an equal.
"Let's end today's training here," said Shibi, stepping in to ease the tension. "Even if it ended a bit abruptly, we've all gotten a sense of each other's strengths. The rest will come naturally with missions."
"I'll speak with the Fourth Hokage about assigning us some lower-risk tasks first. It's time to test your jutsu against real opponents."
With that, he subtly brushed off Satoru's blunder. As an experienced jonin, he could see it clearly—Satoru's biggest issue was not recklessness, but inexperience with the limits of his own power.
Continuing the spar would only invite unnecessary accidents.
And besides, with Satoru's mastery of Flying Thunder God, even Shibi couldn't truly keep control of the battlefield.
For safety's sake, ending it now was best.
Though short, the match had given each of them valuable insight into their teammates' abilities. For a newly formed squad, that was enough.
During wartime, ninja teams were constantly breaking apart and reforming—there was rarely time for bonds to grow.
By comparison, Satoru's team was already far luckier than most.
After the spar, they didn't immediately part ways. To build camaraderie, Shibi invited them all to his home as guests.
The Aburame residence, located near the heart of the village, was spacious and refined. Even after Konoha's post-crisis restructuring, the Aburame clan's territory remained close to the central district.
Thoughtful as ever, Shibi had prepared small gifts for each of his new teammates.
He gave Might Guy a pair of Dragon-Mouth Nunchaku; Satoru received a custom-made light armor set; and Shisui was presented with a chakra-forged short blade mixed with rare iron ore.
All three were stunned.
Shisui even tried to refuse—his gift seemed far too valuable—but Shibi's insistence left him no choice but to accept.
It was clear the Aburame captain had spared no expense. Each item carried its own meaning, tailored precisely to its owner's fighting style.
For Satoru, this was the first time in his life he'd received such a heartfelt present. After expressing his thanks, he accepted it with a genuine smile.
After a relaxed meal together at Shibi's home, the team finally dispersed.
Back at the Hyuga compound, Satoru couldn't resist trying on the new armor.
The half-plate fit perfectly—protecting his vital points while leaving his movement completely unhindered.
Moreover, it was designed to grow with him; only the straps and joint guards would need to be replaced as his body matured.
Standing before the mirror, clad in the silver-gray armor, Satoru gazed at his reflection—feeling, for the first time, the tangible closeness of the battlefield.
Days passed. The team trained and met often while waiting for their first official mission.
During that time, Satoru's training never ceased—though now, he practiced while wearing the armor, adjusting to the subtle resistance it added to his movements.
But before their mission orders arrived, something far more personal happened.
His mother, Hyuga Hanako, went into labor.
December 27.
The cry of a newborn echoed through the Hyuga main residence.
That day, Hyuga Satoru became a big brother.
Hanako had given birth to a baby girl.
They named her Hyuga Hinata—a name that, like "Hyuga" itself, meant "a place bathed in sunlight."
It embodied Hanako and Hiashi's dearest wish—that their daughter would forever live under the warmth and protection of the Hyuga's light.
"Satoru," Hiashi said softly, placing a hand on his son's shoulder as he stood by his mother's bedside, gazing at the wrinkled little face of the newborn.
"From today onward, you have a new duty. You're not only the eldest son of the Hyuga clan, but her brother. Protect her well."
"It's both your responsibility—and your privilege."
Satoru smiled, eyes bright as he looked at his tiny sister swaddled in his mother's arms.
A new chapter had quietly begun—for the Hyuga family, and for him.
...
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