The following day, at the Ninja Academy.
Neji Hyūga walked through the classroom doorway, moving with his usual composed gait to his seat. He sat down, opened a textbook, and began to read silently.
From the row behind him, Tenten leaned in cautiously, whispering, "Neji, are you... alright?"
"Hm?" Neji turned his head slightly to look back. He held her gaze for a few seconds before giving a curt nod. "I am fine."
With that, Neji returned to his book. His expression had settled back into a mask of indifference, appearing no different from his usual self.
'This is a choice staked on my very life,' Neji thought, his eyes scanning the text without truly seeing it. 'I cannot be exposed!'
Outside the window, Masahiko strolled past at a leisurely pace, the corners of his mouth twitching upward.
As he turned the corner, he nearly collided with Mitokado Homura, who was walking toward him. Masahiko prepared to step aside to yield the right of way, but the elder waved his hand dismissively.
"I was actually looking for you. Let's talk in your office."
"Understood." Masahiko nodded and led the way.
Once inside, Homura took a seat. Masahiko brewed a fresh pot and placed a steaming cup of tea before the village advisor. Homura accepted it, offering immediate thanks. Compared to their previous interactions, his attitude was far more easygoing and benevolent.
"Sit," Homura said with a smile. "Just a casual chat. Nothing serious."
"Yes, sir." Masahiko sat down opposite him.
Homura took a shallow sip, a playful smile touching his lips. "Red flower tea? Tsk, you really are the only one who keeps a steady supply of this stuff." He set the cup aside and continued, "I sought you out to discuss your future work arrangements."
"I will follow the arrangements of the Village and the Council," Masahiko replied, adopting the posture of a dutiful subordinate.
Homura shook his head with a chuckle. "You are a Jōnin now—and a seventeen-year-old Jōnin at that. You have a bright future ahead of you. You can't possibly intend to remain a mere teacher forever, can you?"
"I find being a teacher quite fulfilling," Masahiko said, his tone tranquil. He looked up, his expression earnest. "Lord Advisor, I am not being falsely modest. I truly believe this... We are currently in an era of peace. The village does not lack for a single mission-running shinobi."
"Is that truly how you feel?" Homura's expression grew complex as he listened.
"From an emotional standpoint, these children are the future of the village," Masahiko said, pausing for a second before shifting his tone. "From a rational standpoint... they are Konoha's reserve force. If war were to break out again, they might be forced to leave the Academy early. The stronger they are now, the smaller their chance of dying later."
Masahiko leaned forward slightly. "Conversely, if I focus solely on missions... what can I change alone? Being one ordinary Jōnin cannot save Konoha."
His sincere rhetorical question stunned Homura.
The advisor fell silent for a long time, lifting his flower tea to take another sip before finally nodding. "There is logic in your words."
Homura looked at Masahiko, his eyes filled with praise. "You really are a genius. Hiruzen did not judge you wrongly."
"It is all thanks to the guidance of the Lords and my seniors. Otherwise, there would be no Masahiko today."
"Hahaha! Very well then. You will continue to serve as the Class Monitor and Acting Head. You must shoulder the responsibilities of the school and take the lead in guiding everyone."
Homura stood up to leave.
Masahiko hastily added, "If there is a need, I can also be flexible with my assignments."
"Heh, that is a matter for Hiruzen to decide. I am merely helping him handle some administrative affairs at the school. Since you have no intention of leaving, I don't need to worry about finding a successor."
Homura laughed, offered a few more words of encouragement, and then departed.
Masahiko escorted him to the door. Once the elder was gone, Masahiko sat back down, opened his notebook, and began arranging his schedule.
Noon.
Neji Hyūga finally mustered enough courage to stand outside Masahiko's office.
Thump-thump!
He knocked on the door.
His heart pounded in sync with the knocking, a frantic rhythm he couldn't suppress. At this moment, Neji felt both hyper-aware and feverishly manic.
This was his chance to change his destiny, to break the cage.
But it could also be the first step toward the abyss—toward destruction.
He stood there in anxious suspense. Mere seconds felt as long as days, stretching out until the moment the door finally opened.
Neji held his breath.
"Masahiko-sensei..."
"Apologies, I was taking a nap and didn't hear you immediately." The man inside smiled gently. "Come in."
"Excuse me!" Neji bowed deeply.
Upon entering, he stood stiffly, radiating tension. Masahiko didn't bother closing the door.
He smiled. "Have you made your decision?"
"Yes. Even if I must risk my life, I will do it!" Neji's tone was ironclad.
Masahiko nodded and pointed to the chair in front of the desk. "Then sit."
Only after being invited did Neji sit down, moving rigidly like a marionette.
"You are of the Hyūga Clan, so you should know the definition of the Gentle Fist," Masahiko began, summarizing simply. "Your Gentle Fist utilizes the Byakugan to lock onto acupuncture points and weaknesses, then uses chakra to attack the opponent's chakra pathway system, tenketsu, and internal organs..."
Neji did not interrupt, listening quietly. He wanted to know how an outsider viewed and defined their clan's art.
"In reality, striking pressure points and attacking internal organs—an ordinary person can achieve the same results through ceaseless training and hard work. Do you know where the true advantage of the Byakugan lies?" Masahiko asked.
Neji sank into thought for a long moment. "Insight. It allows one to see more tenketsu clearly and precisely at high speeds, ensuring accurate strikes..."
"Yes, but that is not the whole picture." Masahiko shook his head.
He spoke seriously, "The human body possesses countless chakra points. An ordinary person, no matter how strong, may not be able to fully develop or utilize them all. Take me, for example..."
He extended his hand.
Chakra surged from several tenketsu along his arm, condensing into liquid water.
"I can only utilize the major tenketsu of the body. To access the rest requires profound medical knowledge and even more precise chakra control to attempt development."
As he spoke, the chakra slowly dissipated.
"The so-called Gentle Fist... no matter how exquisite the technique, the user themselves must be strong enough to wield it effectively. Is that not so?"
"I..."
Neji felt as though lightning had struck his mind; his ears rang with a low buzz.
He hadn't not thought about the things Masahiko was saying, but previously, it had been a vague, blurry intuition—a 'feeling' unique to geniuses. But now... hearing it from Masahiko's mouth, he truly understood the principles. He understood the path he needed to walk and how to direct his efforts.
In the past, if he had someone to guide him like this, to show him the way, he could have avoided so many detours.
Neji's eyes reddened uncontrollably.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the surge of emotion in his chest, trying his best to calm himself.
After several seconds, Neji finally spoke. "So, what you are saying is, what I need to do now is first develop my own chakra points?"
"Correct. Furthermore..."
Masahiko flicked his finger. The water gathering at his fingertip detonated, expanding into a splashing water bullet. "Which is greater: a single droplet of water, or an exploding sphere of it?"
"The latter, of course," Neji answered without thinking.
Then, a look of realization crossed his face. "Whether it is developing tenketsu and the chakra pathway, or enhancing physical intensity, fundamentally, it is all about increasing the volume of chakra and the scope of its application."
Neji was indeed a genius; otherwise, he never would have developed the Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven on his own. He understood these concepts instantly.
'For those who know, it is easy; for those who don't, it is impossible.'
'A few pointers in exchange for his total trust...'
'Pure profit!'
Masahiko smiled, leaning back in his chair. "So, isn't it obvious what you need to do next?"
"Yes, yes!" Neji nodded excitedly. "I understand. Thank you very much for your guidance!"
"Temporary silence is not a disgrace. Understand what you need and what you seek, and then... fear not death, and forge ahead bravely." Masahiko offered a beatific smile.
Neji stood and bowed deeply. He said nothing more, slowly backing out of the room.
By the time he reached the hallway, his expression had returned to normal.
As he walked away from the office, he glanced down from the upper floor. On the playground, Naruto was running around wildly, while Hinata observed silently from a corner.
If this were the past, Neji might have felt contempt in his heart, followed by anger at his own lineage and circumstances.
But now...
Anger, sorrow, unwillingness—none of it mattered as much as seizing time and opportunity to make himself stronger!
At that exact moment.
[Naruto: The Prequel — Episode 16 Filming Complete!]
[Editing...]
[Production Successful!]
[Total Screen Time: 6 minutes 32 seconds]
[Camera Focus Ratio: 31.1%]
[Notification: ...]