Under Hanako's soothing, Shinichi and Neji finally managed to escape the tantrum-throwing Hinata. Unlike Shinichi, the lively Hinata was clearly more aligned with Neji's perception of what a young child should be. Neji didn't find his cousin troublesome at all.
After having lunch with Shinichi, Neji rested for a while in Shinichi's room. By the afternoon, the well-rested Neji was escorted to the dojo by Hyūga Keisuke.
When Hyūga Neji arrived, Hyūga Shinichi had clearly been there for a while and had already been training for a long time.
This was evident from the sight of the two figures lying down in the dojo. Because he had to attend the funeral today, Shinichi hadn't trained with his squad comrades. Instead, he had asked his guards to temporarily serve as sparring opponents.
Hyūga Mio, Hyūga Kazutaka, and Hyūga Keisuke, who had just returned to the dojo with Neji, had been Shinichi's constant guards since they were assigned two years ago.
Keisuke needed to conserve his stamina for emergencies, so Mio and Kazutaka became Shinichi's sparring partners. However, for the current Hyūga Shinichi, opponents of that caliber could no longer pose any significant challenge.
When Neji arrived at the dojo, Kazutaka and Mio were slumped on the side, breathing heavily. Sweat had soaked their training clothes. Shinichi, however, stood composed in the center of the dojo, seemingly reviewing the mistakes his two subordinates made during their recent sparring session.
This scene was now deeply etched into Hyūga Neji's mind. Neji had always known that his cousin was formidable, but seeing it so directly was a first in all these years.
Neji had heard a little about the abilities of the two guards, Mio and Kazutaka. He never expected that even such capable Hyūga clansmen would be no match for his older brother. This further elevated Shinichi's image in Neji's heart.
"Neji, you're here."
Shinichi naturally noticed Neji's arrival. Seeing that his younger brother had changed into his training clothes and was ready to fight, Shinichi nodded with satisfaction. He waved Neji over, and the two resting guards immediately moved aside, clearing the space.
"Let me see if you've made any progress during this time, Neji."
Neji's small face was serious as he walked into the dojo. He was a born ninja. While he harbored various thoughts when facing Shinichi, the moment he stood before Shinichi, his heart settled and firmed up, completely devoid of fear. Hearing Shinichi's words, Neji nodded, then assumed his stance.
"Your gaze is good."
"Your stance is decent."
"Not bad."
"If you're ready, attack!"
Shinichi nodded slightly, acknowledging Neji's talent.
"Hah!" Neji hadn't awakened his Byakugan, and his Gentle Fist training was currently focused on form over substance. With a shout, Neji quickly charged forward.
In sparring with a child of Neji's age, the focus was on his quick reaction time, the proficiency of his Taijutsu moves, the fluidity of his move transitions, and most importantly, his fighting spirit and desire to win. These qualities needed to be nurtured from a young age.
Whether a child had the makings of a ninja was apparent early on. Resilient individuals often became better ninjas, while those who easily got discouraged would only be cannon fodder or traitors on the battlefield...
As Shinichi used the Cloud Hand to parry Neji's palm strike, he didn't counter-attack. Instead, he retreated slightly, deliberately exposing a flaw.
Though small, Neji acutely seized the momentary opportunity. He leaped forward, chasing Shinichi with continuous palm strikes. While Shinichi easily blocked all his attacks, Neji, upon landing, did not pull away. Instead, he remembered his father's teaching, sticking close to Shinichi and launching continuous follow-up attacks.
The two figures crisscrossed in the dojo. Shinichi blocked and retreated, completing a large circle around the dojo in just a few dozen exchanges, returning to where they started.
Neji's offensive was so continuous that a casual observer might mistakenly think Shinichi was on the defensive.
In reality, the battle had been completely under Shinichi's control from the start. Neji's attacks didn't even graze Shinichi's clothes; every move was easily blocked.
But Shinichi still didn't counterattack. He let Neji use his imagination, unleashing everything he had learned in an all-out assault.
The one acting as the sparring partner in this little match was actually Shinichi. The power gap between the current Neji and Shinichi was vast, similar to Shinichi's past sparring with his father, Hiashi. If Shinichi counter-attacked, Neji wouldn't be able to react, and the sparring would be meaningless.
"So... so strong..."
Outside the dojo corridor, Hyūga Hinata, who had secretly escaped her mother Hanako's sight, had quietly arrived. Through the crack in the door, Hinata peeked at Hyūga Shinichi and Hyūga Neji's sparring match.
Though young and unaware of what Taijutsu was, seeing the nimble and continuously attacking Neji, she could sense that her cousin was formidable. Hinata had few playmates her age, but the maids occasionally took her out.
Hinata had seen older children, but those children couldn't even control their snot, let alone move like Neji.
The sparring session didn't last long. At his age, Neji hadn't yet mastered the ability to convert chakra into physical stamina. As his stamina drained, Neji's movements gradually slowed. Shinichi called a stop at the appropriate moment.
He casually glanced toward the door. Shinichi, who had already sensed Hinata's presence, didn't chase her away. Instead, he patiently explained Neji's issues. Although Neji's offensive looked excellent, he had many problems: being overly aggressive, only focusing on his own moves, and neglecting defense and the enemy's movements.
These flaws would require continuous practice for Neji to achieve perfect body control. In a few years, when Neji's body matured, Shinichi would incorporate counterattacks into their training, which would quickly correct those flaws.
For now, there was no rush; letting Neji enjoy the satisfaction and achievement of attacking was enough.
The training in the dojo continued, but the main figures switched to Shinichi and Keisuke. As Shinichi and Keisuke went all out, the secretly watching Hinata was stunned into silence.
Shinichi, while sparring with Keisuke, was like a completely different person. Hinata couldn't even clearly see the movements of Shinichi and Keisuke.
The young Neji was also deeply shaken. This was the first time he had seen Shinichi fight seriously. That overwhelming display of power left a deep impression on Neji, making his gaze toward Shinichi even more adoring and fervent.
"Is this... Big Brother Shinichi's full power!"
"So strong...."
The wind howled in the dojo. Neji knelt by the side, his fists clenched, his face filled with excitement. He saw Shinichi as the goal he pursued, hoping that one day, he would be strong enough to stand by his older brother's side.
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