Hiashi had been having an incredibly difficult time lately.
Although he was the young clan head of the Hyuga Clan, his status was so high that ordinary shinobi would never dare pursue him, while daughters from other prominent ninja clans looked down on him.
The biggest problem, however, was his reputation.
When Kumogakure shinobi attempted to kidnap a Hyuga child, Hiashi had killed them on the spot. What should have been an admirable accomplishment somehow turned into an absurd rumor. Before long, stories spread throughout the village claiming he had a habit of sneaking around at night to steal underwear, otherwise how could he have discovered the Kumogakure intruders?
Combined with his reputation as an overly protective older brother, it seemed his only chance of marriage would come through arranged clan meetings and blind dates.
As Himeji's brother, Hayashi felt obligated to lend him a hand.
Setting aside Kawakui's appearance, her bloodline was exceptionally pure.
More importantly, she had spent her entire life on the moon. Although living in such isolation had given her an unusual personality, she was, in many ways, still remarkably innocent.
She might not be as naïve as a blank sheet of paper, but at the very least, she had never heard any of the ridiculous rumors surrounding Hiashi.
Wasn't she an excellent marriage candidate... ahem, a perfectly suitable match?
As for Genjin, he hardly had any grounds to object.
Besides, he and Kawakui were cousins. Keeping them together was hardly a good idea.
Once everything was settled, Hayashi could always introduce someone else to Genjin. Konoha had no shortage of single women.
As the Fourth Hokage, Hayashi felt it was only natural to care about the marriage prospects of the village's residents.
Still, that was a matter for another day.
The immediate priority was helping Himeji absorb the Giant Tenseigan's ocular power.
Her absorption speed far exceeded Hayashi's expectations.
Initially, she could only absorb the equivalent ocular power of two people at a time.
Yet within less than a month, her efficiency improved dramatically, astonishing even Hayashi.
Absorbing the Giant Tenseigan's ocular power, however, did not mean she could immediately make it her own.
Each portion required at least three days to fully assimilate.
Ōtsutsuki Ishii, who had watched the entire process from the beginning, could not hide his regret.
The Giant Tenseigan had been created through the sacrifices of countless Byakugan from their ancestors. Watching an outsider steadily inherit its power naturally filled him with reluctance.
Fortunately for him, that feeling gradually faded.
As Himeji continued absorbing its power day after day, Ishii slowly became numb to the entire process.
By the fifth month, however, even he was completely stunned.
Himeji awakened the Tenseigan.
The moment her eyes transformed, the Giant Tenseigan nearby began trembling violently.
Although her Tenseigan had inherited its power from the Giant Tenseigan, its appearance was not golden.
Instead, just like Toneri's in the future, her eyes became a brilliant jewel blue.
The awakened Tenseigan remained active for only a short time before disappearing once more.
Hayashi was not particularly surprised.
Even Toneri's Tenseigan had experienced several unstable awakenings after transplanting the Byakugan.
Himeji's gradual awakening naturally followed a similar process.
As another Tenseigan user, Hayashi clearly sensed the enormous surge of chakra erupting from Himeji's body.
Although members of the Hyuga Clan possessed respectable chakra reserves, they could never compare to clans such as the Senju or Uzumaki.
This explosive increase originated entirely from the Tenseigan itself.
Its awakening granted an overwhelming amount of chakra, much like the Rinnegan or Mangekyo Sharingan provided extraordinary power to their users.
Although the Tenseigan disappeared almost immediately, Himeji's absorption speed increased dramatically afterward.
Her eyes seemed completely insatiable.
They continuously drew ocular power from the Giant Tenseigan without pause.
Whether it was because Himeji truly possessed the talent worthy of the legendary Byakugan Princess, or because she had inherited the legacy of the moon's main Ōtsutsuki bloodline, the Giant Tenseigan seemed destined to become her power.
By the eighth month, the Giant Tenseigan had become little more than an empty shell.
Almost all of its ocular power had been absorbed into Himeji's eyes.
She could now freely switch between the Byakugan and the Tenseigan.
The transformation function resembled the relationship between the Sharingan and the Mangekyo Sharingan.
It also prevented unnecessary attention.
After all, jewel blue eyes as dazzling as hers were impossible to overlook.
Another month passed before Himeji finally completed her adaptation to the Tenseigan.
Her chakra stabilized at an astonishing level.
By Hayashi's estimation, her reserves were now roughly comparable to Kushina's.
"Alright."
Hayashi carefully examined Himeji once more.
After confirming there were no lingering issues, he nodded.
"Activate the Tenseigan."
Himeji slowly closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, brilliant jewel blue pupils filled her eye sockets.
"They're beautiful."
Hayashi found himself saying the same thing every time.
In terms of appearance, the Tenseigan was unquestionably more striking than the Rinnegan.
Himeji calmly formed a series of hand seals.
"Tenseigan Chakra Mode."
Brilliant green chakra instantly enveloped her body.
Her feet left the ground as she floated effortlessly into the air.
Tenseigan Chakra Mode was one of the Tenseigan's signature abilities.
Wrapped in green chakra, its user could unleash more powerful ninjutsu while dramatically increasing their overall combat ability.
With her immense chakra reserves, Himeji could now maintain the form without difficulty.
Although she might not yet equal Toneri at his peak, she had undoubtedly surpassed Ōtsutsuki Sōmoku.
In a single step, she had reached the summit of the shinobi world.
Even Hayashi could no longer defeat her.
At present, he still lacked one crucial piece of the puzzle.
The Rinnegan.
With only the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, Uchiha Madara had merely stood on the same level as Hashirama Senju.
Once Madara awakened the Rinnegan, however, he completely surpassed that balance.
Limbo alone was enough to overwhelm opponents who lacked Six Paths abilities.
Comparisons truly were frustrating.
Hayashi had struggled for years, gathering the powers of Indra and Asura in pursuit of the Rinnegan.
Meanwhile, Himeji had simply inherited the Giant Tenseigan's ocular power and ascended directly to this level.
Even so, possessing overwhelming strength did not mean mastering it.
She still needed time to fully familiarize herself with her new abilities.
Kaguya herself was the perfect example.
She possessed unmatched power, yet Naruto and Sasuke still managed to seal her away.
Raw strength and combat ability were never the same thing.
Himeji slowly descended back to the ground.
Then, with a slight curl of her thumb, Hayashi suddenly found himself unable to move as an invisible gravitational force drew him toward her.
He offered no resistance.
Instead, he carefully observed the sensation.
Like the Deva Path's Banshō Ten'in, the Tenseigan possessed both attractive and repulsive gravitational abilities.
The underlying principles appeared remarkably similar.
Hayashi had expected Himeji to test her newfound strength with a technique.
Instead, her glowing blue eyes quietly stared into his face as he was pulled close.
The Truth Seeking Orbs drifted happily around them, leaving trails of soft light beneath the evening sky.
Himeji slowly raised a slender finger.
She gently pressed it against Hayashi's lips.
In an instant, the chakra flowing through his body came to a complete stop.
Hayashi blinked in surprise.
Not only had his chakra been sealed, but even his body refused to move.
Leaning close, Himeji whispered into his ear.
Her cheeks flushed crimson.
"This mode consumes a tremendous amount of chakra."
She hesitated for a moment before continuing in an embarrassed voice.
"So... as you once called it... I need to replenish my chakra."
Hayashi's body instantly stiffened.
===
Get early access to upcoming chapters on Patreon, with each story neatly organized into collections.
Become a member to unlock ALL available fanfictions, or purchase individual collections to access the chapters ahead of time.
P-a-t-r-e-o-n.com/_Zeph