[Hyūga Shigure]

the price of freedom is steep

Hyuga Kayaku Late afternoon 723 words

His body had finally properly recovered from the terrible encounter with the Kirigakure Shinobi. He nearly died there, and was completely humiliated at what he liked to think it was his specialty: fast-paced melee combat. That was quite the blow to his ego, as he was finally thinking he was growing strong and worthy of his position as the heir to the Hyuuga clan, considered to be one of the strongest in the leaf, and the creators of the strongest fighting style in the ninja world. Yes, the Gentle Fist was deadly, but if performed by a mediocre Shinobi, then it will fall short of its true potential. And that was the issue on his fight with Toru; Shigure was not skilled enough to make justice to his style. He brought shame to his clan's name and he was well aware of that, his father made sure he would know of his failure. Before that encounter, Shigure had no scars on his body, it was mostly unscathed due to his style of dodging and countering. His game was to avoid getting hit, but that didn't work, and even his Rotation wasn't enough to save him from the deadly injuries he suffered. He needed to do better, he needed to prove to everyone and himself that he was ready to become a Chuunin, that his abilities were not stuck in time. Heck, he was twenty years old now, stuck on the very first step of the steep Shinobi ladder, and that was beyond infuriating. With a rope on his hand and the Byakugan activated, he unleashed a volley of kunai and shurikens against himself, and as they approached, he took an unorthodox approach to blocking them by assuming the Eight Trigrams stance. "Juukenhou! Hakke Sanjuunishou!" and picturing all his targets inside the range of his maai, Shigure started striking them with his fingers, successfully blocking all weapons thrown at him from all angles. He was training his speed, accuracy, reaction and chakra control, as the later was also very important for someone with an average chakra pool. Once everything was down on the ground he paused and sighed deeply as he relaxed his eyes and deactivated his doujutsu. He walked over to a nearby tree and grabbed the towel he had placed on a lower branch, and wiped the sweat off his face. "It's better... I don't notice any wastes chakra, and I could block it all... If I keep pushing myself like this, I might be able to use the hundred and twenty-eight palms soon enough..." he said to himself as he lowered himself to grab a bottle of water near a bentou box. But as he did that, he heard a voice he didn't really recognize, calling him a Main house member. Shigure felt a sudden shiver running down his spine and his heart skipped a beat. "I have my headband on..." he reassured himself by touching it, so there was no way to determine which house he belonged to, unless they knew him. Before he could turn around, that thunderous voice spoke once more, saying his form was stiff for someone belonging to the main house, and that prompted him to activate his doujutsu immediately. Without turning his head to face the man, his expanded sight allowed him to see the man clearly, and his eyes were widened as shock and fear invaded his heart. No cursed mark on this man, many scars and that Byakugan. As Shigure slowly turned, unable to hide the fear in his face, his eyes finally met Kayaku's intimidating gaze. "Y-you are... No... T-that can't be... Hyuuga... K-kayaku?" he asked as he gulped. His palms were sweaty, he felt his arms and legs heavy. He was nervous, and he couldn't hide it. Still, the young man had guts and was someone who could face his own fear, as he got up in the Gentle Fist stance. That was all he could do. Even though Kayaku was not on a fighting stance, there were no openings. His muscles were highly developed, and his chakra flowed inside his pathway system like a perfect river. Shigure would be dead in an instant if he wanted that, and the young Hyuuga knew that.

made by eden @ gs and thq

[Hyuga Kayaku]

To remain unknown in this Shinobi world that, indeed, is real power Hyūga Shigure

"Huh?! Wait! You've got the wrong guy. I'm just blind." Kayaku uttered suddenly, as if he had been caught by ANBU. He had not expected the newer generation of Hyuga to know his name. The sudden shock had caused Kayaku, who was fond of theatrics, to impulsively slipped into character. The character in question was known as the Blind Old Sage and was one of Kayaku's favorite though poorly thought out guises. He used the Blind Old Sage fairly often, employing it as a last ditch plan in order to keep his identity from being confirmed. It usually worked on most people he met, or at least cast doubt in their minds.

It's worth noting that those people were often from another country and weren't used to seeing the Hyuga's Byakugan. Nevertheless, the words were already spoken and Kayaku wasn't one to jump the proverbial ship even if it were sinking. Instead he'd make the best of the blunder by using his charisma, charm and theatrics. "Am I Hyuga Kayaku… Am I? Of course I am but that was a long time ago" the older Shinobi thought to himself.

"You know what they say about losing one of your senses right? The other senses become more acute to compensate. Besides, can't a disabled man such as myself be blind and borderline senile" the man said trying his hardest to nip in the bud, the questions he knew were forming in the child's mind. Before the child could mutter even a bit of protest, the older Hyuga spoke yet again this time trying to stir the conversation back on the child's training.

"Ok so hows about it? Can I join you? I want to see if my blindness have effected my fighting skills. Believe it or not this blind ol'coot is gonna found a Dojo" smiled and starred off into the distance.

OWL

[Hyūga Shigure]

the price of freedom is steep

Hyuga Kayaku Late afternoon 517 words

That was weird. After such an ominous introduction, where he could easily pinpoint what Shigure was, going as far as to call him family, he was now saying that he was a blind old man, even though he clearly had a perfect Byakugan on his face, which Shigure could confirm due to the fact that his own doujutsu was currently active. Speaking of which, upon analysing the man standing before him, he knew that if they were to seriously fight, well... It wouldn't be a fight at all. Kayaku's body was molded for combat, heavy combat. His current scars, far scarier and numerous than Shigure's recent ones showed him that he was not a stranger to combat, and that although he may have struggled, he triumphed and was still here, standing and good health. Shigure grit his teeth, he was tense and he was rightfully afraid, but he would not falter. If the man was here to claim his head, he would at the very least give him a good fight, as much as he could. It was different from even fighting that Kirigakure shinobi. He was outclassed by that boy, but there wasn't such a huge abyss between their power. Right now, he was an ant facing a dragon, but a quite tenacious ant. As he faced the man, he was struggling not to shake, but his Gentle Fist stance was ready to react to anything. But then the man insisted on the silly story about being blind and having enhanced senses due to his supposedly blindness. Keeping the theatrics, Kayaku said he wanted to test himself, because despite his apparent disability, he wanted to open a fighting dojo. Shigure gulped and a drop of cold sweat ran down his temple. His heartbeat was going crazy, but it was clear to him that the two were going to fight and, if that was the case, he would go all out from the start. That was the only thing he could truly do. "You mock me... But that's okay! Many do! However... I will not go down easily... If you want my head, you will have to drop the act and come claim it!!" he said with a fiery determination in his tone. As he said that, his arms were spread open and his knees bent ever so slightly. In his head, he visualised the Eight Trigrams, and Kayaku was in range. "Juukenhou... Hakke Rokujuuyon Shou!!" and as he announced the technique, a trademark of the main house, Shigure dashed forward with his index and middle fingers ready. His eyes locked on Kayaku's tenketsus as he aimed to close them with the flurry of strikes. "Ni Shou! Yon Shou!! Hasshou!! Juuroku Shou!!" he roared as he tried his very best to hit the man. For a Genin, Shigure was crazy fast, to the point that he could give an average Chuunin a decent challenge in terms of sheer combat speed. But of course that meant very little to someone who was known as the Ghost of the Hyuuga.

made by eden @ gs and thq

SPOILER: Click to show

BYAKUGAN

Like all members of the Hyuuga clan, Shigure also has the famous byakugan as one of his signature traits. Like every byakugan, Shigure’s eyes have the ability to see in a 359 degrees, except for a single 1 degree spot on the back of his head. On top of that he is able to see through most objects, giving him a great perception of his environment and making it very hard to surprise or ambush the Hyuuga when he has his doujutsu activated. Having seriously trained to develop his sight, Shigure managed to increase the range of his Byakugan from an initial range of 10 meters, to a respectful 650 meters range, which makes him quite the competent tracker in missions, being also able to discern clones from their makers, see through chakra barriers, determine the color of a chakra and determine if a genjutsu is being used or not.

He is also very capable in his ability to see chakra, including the chakra circulatory system inside a shinobi’s body, thus allowing him to identify the precise location of the tenketsus, which are one of the knowledge required to use Gentle Fists to its maximum capacity, power and finesse. On top of all that, Shigure’s training and experience as a people’s person allowed him to unify it with his byakugan power, thus making him quite competent while reading people’s emotions. Therefore, while using his byakugan, he can usually detect if someone is lying, though the impulses of the brain, heartbeat and such, and sometimes even anticipate reactions based on the body functions prior to an action. This skill, however, requires immense focus and he still struggles a lot to use it.

ENHANCED SPEED

What Shigure lacks in physical strength he definitely makes it up in the speed department. Being trained ever since his early childhood on the mighty Gentle Fist, he learned soon enough that raw power was completely useless for his style since, in the end, nobody can train their inner organs to become stronger and thus the chakra injected by the Hyuuga fighting style was more than enough to achieve the desired results. Thus, the truly efficient way to improve his fighting capabilities were tied to how fast could he act and react in a fight.

Shigure’s reflexes are absurdly sharp and he can react almost instantly to attacks, which makes him quite skilled in countering strikes with his deadly Gentle Fist. He can also land more blows per second than most of his peers, moving so swiftly that it’s even hard to keep up without enhanced eyesight. This, together with his Byakugan makes him really dangerous in close quarters because, in short, he can attack fast, he can counter fast and he can react fast to the situation.

Enhanced Chakra Control:

Due to his intense training and his overall style as a practitioner of the Gentle Fist, Shigure developed a level of chakra control that is beyond that of his peers. His level of control is above what is expected of a Shinobi of his level, and he is able to optimize the usage of chakra on his techniques, avoiding unnecessary waste. This ability gives him an edge on the battlefield, as he will be able to use more techniques, more often, and avoid the draining effects of running out of chakra due to waste.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Hakke Rokujūyon Shō [ Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
DESCRIPTION:
The Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms is a taijutsu that should only be passed down in the main house of the Hyūga. Using the Byakugan’s near 360º filed of vision the user will strike the enemies within their eye reach with violent palm or finger thrusts. By striking sixty-four of the tenketsu, they will cause a huge disruption in which the chakra flow of the enemy will be forcefully stopped, making it unable for them to even properly stand after the assault. Each set of strikes is done at an exponentially increasing pace and strength. The attack not only disables the enemy but also knocks them back with every set of strikes.

[Hyuga Kayaku]

Master the rules of the game until you can play it better they can Hyūga Shigure

It would be a lie to say that Kayaku didn't enjoy toying with people. Especially when he knew that he, himself had screwed up. What was the point in all of this? Well, Kayaku wasn’t really sure however he did feel as if he was indebted to the generation of Hyuga that had come after him. With his line of leaders technically severed, the Hyuga clan had to have come into harsh times. From the looks of this child though, Kayaku’s former clan had survived the death of his parents and his own descent into depravity. If there was anything he could do it would be too train any Hyuga child he’d happen to meet.

Such a way of thinking and the actual training of said Hyuga members was Kayaku’s attempt at repentance. While he couldn't undo the hardship of the clan as a whole, if there even was one upon his defection, he could at least do a small bit to ensure that the generation who were being raised now weren’t being solely guided by archaic traditions. This particular Hyuga child did not underwhelm, moving in to assault the older Hyuga just as Kayaku would have at his age, if caught in a similar situation… at least in his actions and not his choice of words.

"What are they teaching you guys?! Am I seen as some sort of cannibal Hyuga eater?!”

Shigure’s burst of speed was a welcoming surprise, despite such shock costing Kayaku several Tenketsu… However, Kayaku’s acendancy had not come from his form when using the clan’s jutsu or his Byakugan’s range and accuracy, despite both being honed to elite standards. Rather, it was his ability and prowess with his own chakra that made him stand out amongst a clan who is known to have astounding innate skill with manipulating their chakra.

The moment Kayaku felt even one of his own Tenketsu close, he'd focus his chakra throughout his body in the attempt to reopen them. While he had yet to perfect a singular way of doing achieving such feat, this situation would be great exercise into doing so. If anyone could create such a jutsu it would be Hyuga Kayaku, as his claim to fame or well infamy lye in the Hyuga clan’s chakra control and their ability to release chakra from any or every Tenketsu.

"Hakke Kūshō”

The older Hyuga said, releasing a burst of chakra from his palm, given the close-combat range the two were in it would be difficult even for a Hyuga to evade this particular technique, although it wasn't impossible. Kayaku himself could think of several ways to evade this technique in close quarters, the main way being heavenly rotation. That said, if the child decided to do just that then Kayaku was prepared to counter the kid’s counter with his own personal Hyūga clan technique.

"This kid is pretty good. I'll use shrouded heaven if he counters,” the man thought to himself.

OWL

NOTE: HIDDEN OOC JUTSU: SNEAK POST!!!

P.S Accidentally deleted the opening post yikes😭😭

[Hyūga Shigure]

"the two that are one". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." FIGHT! Kayaku was truly remarkable and the stories he heard were doing him justice. He was completely calm even though he was being attacked by the Sixty-Four Palms, and even managed to ask Shigure a question, to which the boy, focusing on his own attack, couldn't really answer right now. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself to his utmost limit and his fingers touched Kayaku's body, closing the first few tenketsus in his body. Shigure's Byakugan could see it and he felt hope for a second. "That's it! I can do this! No matter how strong he is, if I can close his tenketsus, he won't be able to use chakra... And that's where I win!" he knew it was wishful thinking, but at this point, the only thing he could do was his absolute best. His luck was short-lived, however, as Kayaku was quick to react to that, and the way he did that was surprising: the man focused his chakra on overloading his tenketsus at the moment Shigure was hitting them, and although it wasn't enough to re-open the few he closed, that prevented him from closing the other tenketsus, no matter how ferociously he attacked or how much faster he was getting with the following strikes. "Sanjuuni shou!! Rokujuuyon shou!!" even as he assaulted the man with the finishing step of his jutsu, it was useless and at the end, the man was there, basically unscathed. Shigure grit his teeth a bit harder and felt a few drops of sweat running down his temples. His legs were also a bit shaky, but he was finding the courage to stand his ground deep inside himself. The counter came almost immediately after Shigure finished his attack, he counted with the Vacuum Palm, a technique Shigure had yet to master. "This is bad!! I need to..." and there wasn't even a lot of time to think. Shigure started rotating his body was fast as he could to protect himself from the attack. "Hakkeshou Kaiten!!!" the young man roared as the blue aura of chakra emerged from his tenketsus and as his body rotated, it created a sphere of chakra that tried its best to protect him from the Vacuum Palm, but when the two techniques clashed, Shigure could feel some of the attack piercing through his rotation and injuring his body. The boy grimaced, but he held fast and managed to remain at his feet after the attack, injured but not defeated. His breathe was laboured, he was panting heavily, but he found in himself the guts to continue and his Gentle Fist stance was there, half-broken, but still standing. "Not a c-cannibal, but a criminal... You chose to be as extreme as the clan and you tainted your own fight, Kayaku!" he said in between his gritted teeth. "I w-won't let you get away with what you did!" he added, showing he was ready to fight, even if that meant certain defeat; the boy had guts, if nothing else. "So what if it seems hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up. Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your honour as a Shinobi, for the price of freedom is steep." Outskirts of Konoha Late afternoon [Hyuga Kayaku] [500 words]

[Hyuga Kayaku]

Great change. always comes down to the actions of a single person Hyūga Shigure

"He tanked it?! He's more than just a main branch member… he's clan heir" Kayaku thought to himself as he pieced together the information the Hyuga was unintentionally giving him. The young man's zeal, knowledge of the clan's Soke jutsu and potency of his chakra, was clear indicators of his status. After defending against Kayaku's burst of chakra, Shigure managed to continue pushing on with sheer will power. A feat that genuinely impressed the older Shinobi.

"Alright boy… If want to die so badly then I'll oblige" Kayaku rebuted, falling into the Gentle Fist stance a few moments after Shigure had.

Kayaku sure this child was the next heir of the Hyuga clan. Although, this could be assumed by any Hyuga with some degree of skill. The longer the fight waged on, the more stressful it would become for Kayaku. The older Hyuga would drift in and out of vivid flash backs of his own past, which made him wonder how would the clan have been if he hadn't not done what he did. The fact that Kayaku had actually used a fighting stance during this altercation meant the he fully acknowledged the child's status in the clan and convictions.

The older Hyuga decided that this should become a lesson to the young man; how did he expect to change or avenge anything if he were to die right now? Kayaku would advance first, blinking in and out of sight as if he were teleporting rather the older Hyuga was simply using not only his speed but a jutsu he had added to his own arsenal known as Thunder Step. The two of them collided in an bust of brilliant chakra, Kayaku's dark colored, nearly black shade bursting ominously from his palms as he used the basics of the Gentle Fist.

The older Hyuga made sure to pull his physical strength and speed after closing in the gap between them. Doing so in order to not permanently injure Shigure. The same can not be said for his chakra; Kayaku used the full brunt of the power flowing through his body in order to show Shigure that dying everyone was capable of that, but living? Now that was an entirely different story. Their battle looked like a graceful, yet deadly dance, chakra from their palms flared and died then flared again as they went out to attack.

"It's all right you want to fight: you've got convictions. But what if you die right now? Your head is full of fantasies, there's no way you can win! You'd die like a martyr and achieve nothing?!" Kayaku said finishing his spiel with the Jūho Sōshiken, using his ability to accumulate chakra from any part of his body instantly without his opponent noticing at least until it were to late. He hoped it would knock the boy off his feet and put an end to his illogical attempt on Kayaku's head. If all had worked according to plan, the younger Hyuga would be flat on his back and Kayaku would slowly walk towards him, only to stand before him and make his point.

"Dying is easy young man, living is harder" said Kayaku, before holding out his hand to help the boy to his feet. If Shigure was paying attention then he'd notice that Kayaku's domineering and severe disposition had completely faded; what the man was emanating now couldn't come from someone viewed as a murderer. No, this was unadulterated love…

OWL

SA Used:

Endurance of the Taijutsu Master: Another one of Kayaku's defining traits is his extreme level of physical endurance, like his physical strength Kayaku has trained his entire body in order for him to survive deadly attacks that was attributed to Taijutsu but in later years ninjutsu as well. Allowing him to survive most attacks or continue fighting with injuries capable of bringing even jounin to their knees. This, coupled with his incredible strength, make him an incredibly fearsome foe if forced to fight seriously.

Hyuga's Chakra Prowess Like all Hyuga clan members Kayaku was born with an inherent ability to expel chakra from any or all Tenketsu, over the Years Kayaku has mastered the use of this ability and has gained exceptional amount of control of his chakra, It usually takes a shinobi a great deal of time and training to gain just an average amount of chakra control. However, in Kayaku's case things were different. Even as a young child, Kayaku was able to mould his own chakra. Now, as an adult and an S ranked Missing-nin, Kayaku's chakra control is otherworldly. Kayaku's innate talent allows him to precisely gather chakra from any part of his body and use any of his techniques to its maximum potential with no wasted chakra or timing. Kayaku has expanded his chakra control to the point that he is able to rapidly accumulate large amounts of chakra within his body without his enemies noticing, and unleash it from any tenketsu without any wasted effort.

Jutsu Used:

NAME: Raiippo [Thunder Step]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: None
DESCRIPTION:
The thunder step is a step beyond the wind step. The user will move their body even more faster than that in the wind step, and with their chakra, will cause their body to appear like "lightning" flying around the opponent in circles; there have been instances where the user has also appeared as a hundred sharp pieces of paper that fly around the opponent. This move is far more difficult to predict than the wind step and the user can launch dozens of attacks within seconds to quickly wear the opponent down. (tai primary only)

NAME: Jūho Sōshiken[ Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu,
DESCRIPTION:
The user changes the shape of chakra released from both hands into large guardian lion-shaped shrouds. Doing so greatly increases range and destructive power. The lion heads drain the chakra network of those they touch. It is an extremely difficult ability to learn, as the slightest mistake in chakra control will lead to failure, meaning it is a feat requiring the Byakugan. This technique can be used in conjunction with the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.

[Hyūga Shigure]

"the two that are one". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." TO THE DEATH Once again Shigure found himself facing quite the predicament: he was facing a Shinobi much more experienced and stronger than he was. There was absolutely no way he could win this fight, since his sixty-four palms failed to close the man's tenketsus. Well, truth be told, even if he did manage to close the man's tenketsus, that didn't guarantee he would be the victor of this bout, as Kayaku had an impressive physic, so even without his chakra, he seemed like a fearsome opponent, the toughest Shigure had ever faced after his own father, Urashi, who was one of the most gifted Hyuuga in a long time. The cold words from the man send shivers down Shigure's spine, but he held fast. He couldn't outrun the man either, so he could either die like a coward, begging for his life, or do his very best to fight against that fate. It would probably be for naught, but he would rather be remembered as someone who fought until his least breathe. "I'm sorry guys, but this might be it..." his mind quickly flashed images of the ones he had already lost, the ones who had entrusted him with their memories. A feeling of sadness took over his heart for a moment, almost as if he was letting them down, but that feeling was quickly brushed away by his own resolve. "It's not over!" and with that renewed motivation, his Byakugan glared at Kayaku's as he stood in defiance. "Then come and claim my head, Ghost of the Hyuuga! But I don't intend on going down without making you fight for it!" he exclaimed, bracing himself for what was to come. And then he came. His speed was something out of this world, and it truly felt like he was using the Body Flicker Technique in quick succession, but that shouldn't be even possible. Once he was standing in front of him, Shigure's Byakugan alerted him of the massive chakra the man had readied for him, but when Kayaku spoke, Shigure managed to smirk. "So that's what he thinks..." and that made him chuckle. "You really think so? You mistake me for yourself! You wanted change, but the only thing you did was to give in to your rage! And what you accomplished with that? Nothing! The branch house is still caged, and you cannot change that now! Me? I already opened dialogue to change the Hyuuga with other clans and with the Hokage, I've attained allies who know my plight and my cause!" he exclaimed in response. As he said that, the Twin Lion Fist was unleashed upon Shigure, and even though he tried his best to protect himself with his One Blow Body, expelling chakra from all of his tenketsus to try and reduced some of the damage of the attack, it still wasn't strong enough to protect him, and he was sent flying away, until his back hit a tree, crashing its bark. Shigure fell flat on the ground, face first. A loud grunt of pain followed by cough, painting the grass red with his blood. It felt like his body was burning from the inside, and the lion heads had drained the chakra from his body, so he was almost completely out of it now. "Ugh... I have enough to use one more technique... But if I do, I will pass out..." he thought to himself, coughing a tad bit more as he struggled to try and get back to his feet, unsuccessfully. Kayaku was already there, standing tall before him, sharing his words and wisdom. Shigure scoffed. "Oh boy, oh boy... The price of freedom is steep... And if my death will make me a martyr and break the cages of my clan, then just fucking do it!" he roared, using all his strength to get on his knees and stare Kayaku in the eyes. To his surprise, he looked different, he seemed almost like he cared about Shigure, and that didn't make any sense to him. "I live for the sake of those who entrusted everything to me... And for the sake of my clan, no matter the house! And I will change the Hyuuga by either living, or dying by your hands... But, like I said... I'm not letting you take my down without a fight!" and as he said that, he used all his remaining strength to get back on his feet. His stance was broken and full of flaws now, his legs were shaking, and so was the rest of his body. The one thing unshaken was his resolve. "So what if it seems hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up. Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your honour as a Shinobi, for the price of freedom is steep." Outskirts of Konoha Late Afternoon [Hyuga Kayaku] [771 words]

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Jūkenpō Ichigekishin[ Gentle Fist Art One Blow Body]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
DESCRIPTION:
A technique born from their innate ability to expel chakra from every tenketsu on their body, a member of the Hyūga clan can hit their opponent with a blast of chakra that will send them flying away from the user. Also able to pin point weak points in a jutsu and destroy them – like blowing a hole out of a Water Prison Technique for example.

[Hyuga Kayaku]

Shinobi embrace death, dance with it a while, and finally fall prey to it. That is why we'll never truly rule this world. Hyūga Shigure

"You know nothing boy! It is because of my actions that you're able to barely stand there and act all high and mighty. You're only capable of such endeavours because I killed MY mother and father. If those two depraved souls were still of this world you would have been executed, your mind flayed in it's casing" Kayaku's chakra flared, outlining his body in a cloak of black energy. Cloaking him in an eerie gloom, his unabated chakra spat and popped as it oozed from the man's body and rolled onto the ground below.

Kayaku had not been a part of the hidden leaf for years and wasn't entirely sure how the clan had gone about succession as his bloodline had ended with him becoming a missing-nin. However, the fact of the matter was that either this boy would have been born into the side branch as a slave to Kayaku's family or to the main branch as lesser nobles who would mysteriously disappear for going against the clan's tradition and ultimately his mother, Hyuga Suhada's will.

Unlike his own spiel, Shigure's words did not fall on deaf ears. In fact Kayaku had told himself similar things throughout the years; beating himself up while continuing to commit crimes as if he was trying to commit assisted suicide via ANBU. However, the days of self-hate and regret have long since passed and he'd be damned if he'll be lectured by a child who knew nothing of the real world save for his own small corner of it. "I applaud you for your efforts thus far but what if diplomacy fails? What if you are staring down a tyrant taking the life of not only their kin but someone you hold dear? Hm? What do you do when all else fails?" 

In the beginning, Kayaku simply wanted to practice his arts with the boy, and more than likely share his own expertise to show gratitude. However, that line of thinking had completely and utterly vanished from The missing-nin's mind; having been replaced by irritation, remorse and nostalgia. "I do not think fighting evil with evil is in itself an evil act. You can think whatever you want of me…"

 "It would be in your best interest to not assume that I do not love my clan. It is this exact love that has kept you alive in this current situation. Anyone else would have been crushed before uttering a word" the older Hyuga finished making his point but was far from done with Shigure. No, this is just the beginning of their unconventional friendship. As a former heir, Kayaku felt that it was his duty to help the Hyuga clan as much as he could, this went double for Shigure as the current heir to the clan.

"It seems that you're in quite the predicament… aren't you? With becoming the pupil of an S-rank missing-nin and all I wonder what village would think? Nevermind the big wigs in the hidden leaf. I wonder what would happen if you decided to reject said missing-nin's altruistic deed… I for surely wouldn't want to find out." Kayaku had never returned to his fighting stance, even when Shigure had managed to get back on his feet. The younger Hyuga was in no shape to return home let alone fight, the only way for him to return to the hidden leaf was to complete Kayaku's lessons…

Well there is another way but Kayaku highly doubted the Hyuga clan could survive losing another heir.

OWL

[Hyūga Shigure]

"the two that are one". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." RAGE Shigure's words clearly affected Kayaku, Shigure could see the fury in the man's eyes and the furious activity inside his brain. Like an angered bear, he roared that the boy knew nothing, and that he was only there because of his actions, because of his assassinations, claiming Shigure would've been potentially branded. He was wrong in that, Shigure was born into the main house despite the fact that his mother hailed from the branch house. He would've been a lower noble, a spare, but still, he could understand what Kayaku meant, and in response he merely frowned his brows, readying his fighting stance once more as he thought they would be fighting again, but he was wrong, and that was a bit surprising. Shigure barely remembered Kayaku's parents. He was but a small child when the event took place. Kayaku was mysterious and extremely hard to read even for someone who prided himself in being good at reading people, and that feeling was frightening, but he would remain steadfast and ready, not backing out even an inch. Despite his rage, he was now challenging Shigure's views, his world, casting the seed of doubt in his soul. The young man scoffed. "If diplomacy fails, Urashi won't be the head forever, he won't live forever, and once his time has come to an end, I will stand as the head of the Hyuuga, and I will reform the clan! I will not fail!" his conviction was unweaving at this point. He denied him, he denied his words and his views over and over again. "You can't bring good into this world if you allow yourself to be tainted by evil! No... Instead, that turns you into exactly that you hate..." he said, exhaling sharply and shaking his head. He thought of Hanako, and Kayaku's words - despite him trying to deny them completely - were casting a tiny shadow of doubt in his heart. What if he failed? He didn't think he would, but nothing is guaranteed in this world. Kayaku claimed to love his clan, but then he mentioned that this love was what was keeping Shigure alive at this point, and to hear those words made him few a renewed sense of strength inside of him, because he could see that the man, although one of conviction, was also conflicted. "I won't complain about keeping my own life, but why would you feel the need to kill me? I'm fighting you to survive, I know I can't capture you. But then again, I'm here, the heir of the clan who wants to change it, who wants to try a different approach, a peaceful one. Killing me wouldn't help you cause in any way, or the clan, and you know it. If you love the clan, you will let me go, let me try to change it my way." he said, with a fiery passion in his tone. "If you want to prove you love your clan, help me have the opportunity to change it. And then, maybe I will be able to see you in a different light, as something other than a murderer and a criminal." and there was nothing else that could be said at this point. Truth be told, he was taking on a gamble. If Kayaku could assist him, maybe the man wasn't this monster everyone painted him as, and perhaps he could come up with a more fitting and fair punishment for his crime, one that could help him recover and, perhaps, even be accepted back in their society. If he was being completely honest, he didn't believe the man was at a point where he could be redeemed, but he also believed that everyone deserved a chance to prove themselves. "So what if it seems hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up. Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your honour as a Shinobi, for the price of freedom is steep." Outskirts of Konoha Late Afternoon [Hyuga Kayaku] [627 words]

[Hyuga Kayaku]

When the mind is enlightened the spirit is freed and the body matters not. Hyūga Shigure

Kayaku's eyebrow twitched, "man this kid is pushing his luck…" he thought with an exasperated expression on his face. The heir was relentless and unwavering, so much so that Kayaku began to appear less ominous. The visible chakra that once outlined his body ebbed before completely disappearing. Meanwhile, Shigure barely fell into his fighting stance yet again. Kayaku's Byakugan focused on the boy, a single eyebrow raised. "How annoying? Did he intend to continue on? What am I thinking, of course he does, thought the missing-nin.

Although he was still being provoked, annoyed and purposefully tested, Kayaku did not assume the gentle fist stance. Shigure's words unearthed memories that Kayaku had not thought of in years, decades… Memories of himself speaking similar ideals to his mother, if not the exact same words. It made him realize that he was from a time much different than Shigure's, if the boy was ever to succeed those before him needed to have faith in him and those of the next generation. Suddenly Kayaku would get an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia, that was unlike the usual feeling of the sensation. This nostalgia did not bring him the warm fuzzies, realizing that he had essentially become his own parents. Kayaku was about Shigure's she when he first voiced his stance on the Hyuga's archaic traditions, which didn't go over well with his parents.

Few years later Kayaku had joined the ANBU causing him to take a more aggressive stance towards both good parents. The older Hyuga and those who served with him had little or no emotion. Kayaku was trained specifically to to lack the capacity to feel fear, to experience love, to enjoy the sensations of happiness and delight. However before the real him had been entirely lost, Kayaku met Naoki, a side branch member, who would eventually become dear to him. Despite having been trained to be the finest of warriors, one who did not fear, care or anger. Naoki managed to keep Kayaku's compassion alive, saving him from becoming a complete monster.

"Fine, we'll try things your way"...

He had little faith in Shigure's ability to change the Hyuga, however, ironically it was this same small amount of faith that had swayed Kayaku's turn of mind. "There have always been people who wanted change. People who think they know what’s best, who decide what people should see and read and listen to, who ultimately try to shape how the rest of the world thinks and acts. I’ve spent my entire life fighting those people." Kayaku's demeanor had fully reverted to his default nonchalant and indifferent setting.

"However, none of them were like you, boy"

He then turned his back towards Shigure and walked away, towards the surrounding forest. Of course this presented Shigure a chance to slay the missing-nin, however Kayaku was not worried. If Shigure was being genuine then he would not seize the opportunity. However, if he did, Kayaku would not only defend against the attempt but also respond with fatal force; After all, his Byakugan was active near indefinitely. Walking to the edge of the clearing, he'd disappear within the foliage. Shigure would be able to see him with his Byakugan, gathering a large sack of supplies. Moments later he'd return to bid the boy farewell and give Shigure some final words on the matter, that's if he had not escaped while Kayaku was retrieving his things.

"Oh and If you fail, your life belongs to me. You'll shed all connections to your former life in the hidden leaf and live within Ame-no-ukihashi temple". Helping the new heir in his endeavors even if only through training, would be the closest thing to Kayaku atoning for his actions. Kayaku could never fully return to the hidden leaf, not that he even wanted to. He felt as if he was too far gone to be redeemed by men and mortals nor did he trust Konoha's officials to believe his plight if presented with evidence that his parents were unfit tyrants.

Nevertheless, Kayaku doesn't view Hi no Kuni or Konoha as his enemy and genuinely isn't a threat towards its citizens. In recent years the man has adopted the life of a Yamabushi and vowed to attain enlightenment. His unabated zeal assigned to this goal is insurmountable with Kayaku even going as far as founding a temple complex, known as Ame-no-ukihashi.

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Byakugan Master

One of Kayaku's trademark abilities is his Byakugan, with the other two being his Taijutsu and chakra control. While the Byakugan is very common within in his clan, Kayaku's is especially powerful. With his eyes, he has a near-360° penetrative field of vision, with a small blind-spot exists behind his third upper-thoracic vertebrae. Kayaku's Byakugan gives him the ability to see chakra, which it can do to a greater degree than the Sharingan, with it he can identify chakra by the specific individuals it originates from and determine when genjutsu is being used. Kayaku's ability to see chakra is acute enough to see the chakra pathway system and the 361 tenketsu that run along it, including the Eight Chakra Gates, additionally his vision can penetrate through most solid objects and obstructions, however certain barriers may distort his Byakugan's perception

The range of this vision varies between clan members, however Kayaku has refined both his long range and close range visual prowess. When focusing his vision in a single direction, Kayaku can see across vast distances, reaching as far away as 15 kilometers, while at close distances his Byakugan grants his attacks pinpoint accuracy, allowing him to magnify in on the slightest movements of his opponents body and inturn move to dodge or intercept. Lastly, Kayaku's Byakugan is able to follow high-speed movements, which allows the him to react better under entense situation. With that being said Kayaku's prowess with his Byakugan is such that it allows him to see the faintest movements of his opponents body, see fast-moving objects or opponents, chara and his opponents Organs, simply put Kayaku has one of the strong Byakugan's to hail from the clan.

Agility of the Rabbit

Over the years, Kayaku has gained a high level of agility, this coupled with the added visual prowess granted to him by his Byakugan has also endowed him with impressive evasive skills. Utilizing both his agility and the dojutsu allows him to dodge, evade and even counter the trickiest of attacks. Kayaku has also learned to read his enemies' attack patterns with the Byakugan, which greatly increases his already potent evasive skills. This is done by Kayaku paying close attention to the enemie's chakra system and body movements, allowing Kayaku to basically see when his opponent is about to attack.


Enhanced Physical Speed

Even without speed enhancing jutsu, Kayaku is naturally fast and now thanks to the tremendous raw strength in his legs, Kayaku's natural speed is more than enough to keep shinobi busy during battle. Allowing him to move fast enough to instantly close a gaps between him and his opponent. In battle, he can strike with incredible speed in rapid succession, making it highly difficult for his opponents to find an opening and counterattack. This allows him to react to the visual information given to him by his Byakugan, such as seeing incoming projectiles, or enemy jutsu or even dodging close range attacks that would be impossible to do so otherwise.

Matchless Man

Kayaku has gained a large degree of physical strength as a result of his life long Taijutsu training. Admittedly, Kayaku had intended to increase his striking power but unintentionally found many different uses for his unimaginable strength. Now honed to elite shinobi standards and possibly higher, Kayaku's strength is no doubt top tier. Kayaku's strength is mostly displayed is in his ability to seemingly punch, break or attack through anything. Whether this is attributed to the use of chakra or strength alone has yet to be determined. However, with his natural strength alone Kayaku can easily punch through most objects such as flesh, bones and wood, with the use of a chakra his striking power could extend to concrete, steel and even chakra constructs. As mentioned above, this strength also comes in handy with other situations as well, being a taijutsu master, Kayaku can easily attack or Defend against most his opponent's attacks with his bare hands.

Endurance of the Taijutsu Master

Another one of Kayaku's defining traits is his extreme level of physical endurance, like his physical strength Kayaku has trained his entire body in order for him to survive deadly attacks that was attributed to Taijutsu but in later years ninjutsu as well. Allowing him to survive most attacks or continue fighting with injuries capable of bringing even jounin to their knees. This, coupled with his incredible strength, make him an incredibly fearsome foe if forced to fight seriously.

Hyuga's Chakra Prowess

Like all Hyuga clan members Kayaku was born with an inherent ability to expel chakra from any or all Tenketsu, over the Years Kayaku has mastered the use of this ability and has gained exceptional amount of control of his chakra, It usually takes a shinobi a great deal of time and training to gain just an average amount of chakra control. However, in Kayaku's case things were different. Even as a young child, Kayaku was able to mould his own chakra. Now, as an adult and an S ranked Missing-nin, Kayaku's chakra control is otherworldly. Kayaku's innate talent allows him to precisely gather chakra from any part of his body and use any of his techniques to its maximum potential with no wasted chakra or timing. Kayaku has expanded his chakra control to the point that he is able to rapidly accumulate large amounts of chakra within his body without his enemies noticing, and unleash it from any tenketsu without any wasted effort.

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[Hyūga Shigure]

"the two that are one". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." AGREEMENT Despite being the one to make such a bold proposal, Shigure could barely contain his surprise when he heard Kayaku agreeing to let him try. "Oh?!" his voice escaped his own lips, and with that, his stance, although not completely broken, had relaxed a little bit. He was still on the edge, and unsure if he could trust the man, but perhaps he could? The man shared a bit more about his life. There was something about him. It seemed like Kaykau had fallen into depravity with his life, but maybe not completely. Maybe there was still a part of him that was good and wanted to help the clan prosper and walk towards a brighter, better future. Everyone deserved a second chance. Repenting does not erases one's sins, but if they pay for their crime, there was no reason to deny them a second chance, and that was what the young heir believed. His words ringed true, and Shigure really didn't know how to feel when Kayaku painted him as a rather unique figure. Truth be told, he didn't see it that way. He was just a young man, doing his best. The young heir only dropped his stance completely when Kayaku turned his back to him, slowly walking away. To say that the thought of attacking him didn't cross Shigure's mind would be a lie, but he was valued honour, and they had reached an agreement, and a man's value is based on the worth of their word. As he left the clearance, he grabbed his belongings and turned to bid Shigure farewell and share his parting words. Looming words, a threat of sort - or a promise - it was hard to determine. He gulped at those words, and a drop of cold sweat ran down his temple, but after a few moments of hesitation, he nodded. "If I fail, my life has no further meaning. But I won't fail, Kayaku. Just you wait and see." he added, finding the courage deep inside of him. And just as he came, the man vanished, far beyond the reach of Shigure's still immature Byakuigan. Once he was out of sight, the young man feel to his knees, the scared expression on his face and the laboured breathe, almost hyperventilating in a mild panic attack. He had survived this encounter. Not without injuries, not without words that would haunt him, but this was, in all honesty, one of the best possible outcomes of such a situation. After taking a few minutes to recover his grip, he would stand up again and haste back to the village. His Byakugan never waning, he was too scared to lower his guard. "So what if it seems hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up. Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your honour as a Shinobi, for the price of freedom is steep." Outskirts of Konoha End post [Hyuga Kayaku] [449 words]