Chapter 74: A Loving Father and a Filial Son
The Hyuga Clan had always been well-protected, thanks to the established system that shielded them from most frontline conflicts. Although they still participated in wars, it only happened under extremely rare circumstances.
As a ninja, Hiashi Hyuga had once walked the bloodstained battlefield in his youth. His contributions during those wars earned him the rank of Jonin. But ever since the middle of the Third Great Ninja War, he hadn't seen the front lines. He'd barely even stepped outside the village, his time consumed by the duties of clan leadership and village politics.
Like any weapon left unused, a shinobi dulls over time.
Hiashi had long since shifted his focus from personal advancement to maintaining the Hyuga Clan's position in Konoha. Family interests, internal affairs, and diplomacy—all of it demanded his energy and attention, slowly sapping away his edge.
On the other hand, Ryosuke was still young, having gone through two spirit transformations that drastically strengthened his body and potential. His growth was constant, while Hiashi's strength continued to diminish with age and responsibility. The gap between them was closing, both of them knew it.
"Have you really made up your mind to challenge me?" Hiashi asked calmly.
They were in the clan courtyard. Hiashi sat on the porch, a cup of tea in hand, bathed in the warm red glow of the setting sun.
Ryosuke had come straight to him after learning the Land of Waves, explaining his intent without hesitation. He needed permission to leave the village—and to do that, he had to earn it through combat.
"Yes," Ryosuke replied firmly. "If I want to go to the Land of Waves, I need to be qualified. I need your permission."
Hiashi let out a faint sigh and set down his teacup. "I knew you wouldn't settle for peace and quiet… but I didn't think it'd happen this soon."
He turned his eyes away from the horizon and locked gazes with his son. For a moment, something unreadable flickered in them—pride? Amusement?
"I assume you want to fight me now?" Ryosuke asked, puzzled.
Hiashi gave a rare, faint smile. "Of course not. I'll need some time to prepare."
"...Prepare?"
"I haven't fought seriously in years. My body's out of shape, and I need to get back into fighting form," Hiashi said flatly. "Since you want to fight a Jonin, I'll meet you as one. Not as the Hyuga Patriarch."
Ryosuke nodded, finally understanding. "How long?"
Hiashi raised one finger. "One week. I've already started reconditioning since the last time we talked. I'm nearly ready."
"Back when I was on the battlefield, I was a different man," he added, his tone carrying a trace of nostalgia. "I won't be at my prime, but I'll be more than enough to test your resolve."
A grin crept across Ryosuke's face. "I'm looking forward to it."
He paused, then added thoughtfully, "Let's not tell Hinata or the others. No need to make them worry."
"Agreed," Hiashi said with a short nod, his face regaining its stoic calm.
Father and son exchanged a look, the corner of their mouths twitching with shared anticipation.
---
Although the Land of Waves was a small nation, it still sat at the border of the Fire Country. Even at full speed, the journey from Konoha was long and dangerous.
But Ryosuke could wait a week.
Not that it would be a week of idle rest. The look in Hiashi's eyes, the calm seriousness in his words—Ryosuke felt the weight of it all.
He'd fought Jonin before, or at least crossed swords with one. He still remembered the Uchiha Jonin from his last mission—his reaction time, his calm under pressure, his seamless combat instinct. Jonin weren't just stronger—they were smarter, faster, more efficient. They acted with sharp instincts and battle-hardened clarity, almost like they had a sixth sense.
That Uchiha would've escaped cleanly if it weren't for his two distracted companions. Even with Hoshisai and Souji—both Chunin close to Jonin-level—the three of them had struggled.
But this time, Ryosuke would be fighting alone.
And this Jonin wasn't a stranger—it was his own father. A man who, although rusted, had begun sharpening his blade once more.
Ryosuke took a deep breath, letting the chakra stir in his core. His eyes flared with light, the pale blue veins of the Byakugan standing out as his emotions surged.
Boom—!
A shockwave exploded beneath him as the pressure he'd been refining was suddenly released. A one-meter ring of earth around him shattered, forming a deep, circular gully with him standing at its center—balanced atop a single stone pillar.
He looked down at the trench, satisfied. "It's usable now. If I can control my chakra output precisely enough, this could replace Kaiten... become a new form of absolute defense."
The gully ran several meters deep. The destructive pressure had been focused into a narrow radius—his control was improving rapidly. This was the limit of his current power, and he could feel it growing still.
The thought of battling a true Jonin—the head of the Hyuga Clan, no less—sent a thrill through him. Anxiety and excitement twisted together in his gut.
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