[Hyūga Shigure]

"dilapidated shinobi". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." A SPOT BESIDE HER Shigure would be slow to follow Honnou in meeting up with most of his immediate family, and when he finally arrived at the place, he saw that Tsumori and Honnou were locked in a tight, emotional embrace, while their father, Hirohito, watched with a calm expression on his face. He could feel the intense emotion in the siblings, and it was touching. It made Shigure feel even more determined to take on the heat he was taking from some members of the main house, and continue to push forward with his reforms, no matter how difficult it was. "The price of freedom is steep... But it is worthy it." he thought to himself, as the happy and caring smile found permanent residence in his face. After leaving the siblings to their own devices for a short while, Hirohito would finally take a step forward towards his son. He had a peaceful, serene smile on his face. "It is good to have you back, Honnou. As you can see, your sister missed you dearly. And I as well." he said, even though his emotions were completely tame. "Things are changing. You are welcome home again. And since Shigure-sama has been kind enough to change things, you can choose if you want to remain in the branch house facility, or if you would like to have a room closer to Tsumori, right, Shigure-sama?" Hirohito asked, and Shigure was quick to nod in confirmation. "The estate division is now a mere formality, and a logistic necessity. You are more than welcome to claim the room beside Tsumori's, Honnou. You have my authorization." he said in a reassuring tone. "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." Hidden Leaf Village Hyuuga District [Hyūga Honnō] [279 words]

[Hyūga Honnō]

... One would expect someone like Hon to harbor hatred for the Main Family after his banishment. But when his father walked up to him, Hon’s heart was filled with nothing but gratitude. Just as he remembered Tsumori’s caring nature and support towards him back then, he also remembered clearly that his father… asked for mercy over Hon. It was because of him that Hon’s life was spared that day.

Slowly, Hon rose back up on his feet, despite the great desire to fall back down and kneel in front of his father. Still, Lord Shigure’s change was starting to show, and Hon no longer was beneath the Main Family… so he kept standing. Instead, as a sign of deepest respect, he clapped his hands and bowed his head. "Thank you… I’d like to stay close to my sister, if you allow it,” he replied, "And… you too, Father.” Hon’s and Hirohito’s relationship was strange, but despite the Ghost’s standing as an ex-Branch Member, there was never any bad blood between them.

"I have not forgotten that you saved my life back then… me, a mere Branch Member,” Hon explained, scoffing at himself for still bringing up the Branch System in a conversation of this nature, "But I want to let you know something… even if Lord Shigure n-never… even if he never became the heir… even if the Branch System was to remain…”

… Don’t tear up, Hon.

"… I’m proud to be your son. I always have been. And I’m proud to be a Hyūga, just like the rest of my clan members. I will continue to provide for my clan in any way I can. I gladly risk my life to keep it safe. I just… I just wish that you still find yourself content with me… and that Mother may find content with me too.”

Tsumori couldn't help but hold her mouth at the mention of their Mother. It made her feel sick, but she tried her best to avoid hulking. A man who lacked his Mother's warmth… what a twisted fate. And yet, fate at times could be overcome.

[Hyūga Shigure]

"dilapidated shinobi". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." THE PRICE OF FREEDOM Shigure nodded in agreement after Honnou confirmed he wanted to stay close to his sister, and with Hirohito having nothing against that idea, it was done. Shigure would turn to one of his most trusted guards, a Jounin named Satoshi and inform him right away. "Satoshi, please make sure the room beside Tsumori's is ready for Honnou." he said in a kind tone, and Satoshi bowed respectfully in response. "Of course, Shigure-sama." the man said, pausing to look at Honnou and throw him a subtle yet welcoming smile. "Welcome back, Honnou-kun." Satoshi was in his mid-thirties, which made him Honnou's senior, but he didn't care too much about those things, and with that, he headed towards the room to make sure it would be ready for Honnou soon. When Honnou mentioned that Hirohito saved his life before, the man calmly shook his head. "You are my son. I would be sad if you were killed, especially when you did no wrong. Urashi was a tyrant. But the age of tyrants is now gone. Rejoice, Honnou. For we enter the age of reforms, so that one day the dawn of the age of equality can shine upon us all." Hirohito's tone was ever serene, so it was hard to determine what truly went through his mind, but his voice sounded sincere enough. "As for you mother, give her time. Some of us are still having a hard time adapting to the winds of change. But she will get there, me and Tsumori will help guide her through this path, won't we, daughter?" Hirohito asked, not turning his head to face his daughter; without the active Byakugan, the man was blind due to the severe injuries he sustained in his face. "They will come around. All of those who wish to remain as member of the Hyuuga clan will." and despite the calmness in his tone, Shigure's words showed how unforgiving he was towards those who insisted in fighting the winds of change. He had paid a steep price for this freedom, and he wouldn't allow anyone to take it away. "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." Hidden Leaf Village Hyuuga District [Hyūga Honnō] [353 words]

[Hyūga Honnō]

Tsumori nodded immediately. Whatever it might cost, if Hirohito was content with it, then their Mother had to be as well… but they could scarcely force her to feel something different towards her second-born. It would take a lot of time… and energy… but one day, things might change.

Things sure had changed a lot today alone. Hon was no longer inside the abandoned, small shrine. He was no longer an outcast. He was accepted back into the Hyūga’s arms as one of their own… he just had to heal his wounds… and it started with a hug. Pulling Tsumori with him, he had encapsuled both her and his father in a deep, sob-inducing hug that, soon enough, revealed once more that… Hon’s body was irregularly flexible. His arms were bending around both his family members’ shoulders in more than just one or two turns, as if his elbow couldn’t be seen under the bent skin. And that length…

"… I… I’m still curious,” Hon spoke up once more, after gently letting go of both his sister and his father, "Natsuo’s eye… what happened for it to end up in Wahei’s possession? And… what about the heiress? I fear that things are far from done concerning your vision, Lord Shigure.”

By the time he referred to the younger Hyūga, Hon’s head had spun precisely 180 degrees to face the head of the clan directly without turning his torso at all. "I will aid you with all I have… including this Hijutsu of mine. I… I’d also like to see my Mother. Maybe I…”

[Hyūga Shigure]

"dilapidated shinobi". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." HEIR'S INSTRUCTOR Something definitely has happened to Honnou in this time he had been isolating in that shrine. His body had become oddly flexible, in a way that shouldn't be possible with exercise alone, but Shigure wouldn't interrupt such a precious reunion to inquire him about that, he could save it for later. As he hugged his father and mother, he asked them about Wahei's eyes, and then about the fragrant heiress, Shigure's younger sister, and Hirohito looked at Shigure, as if he was wondering if the leader want to be the one to respond, and Shigure nodded in confirmation, noticing Honnou's face turning 180 degrees to face him. "Now that is... Well, we can talk about this later, I'm definitely curious, but answering your questions. Natsuo had managed to seal his remaining eye and send it to his friend, Senju Kazuhira, who kept it safe in a secret lab near the border of the Land of Fire. Doctor Kazuhira was Wahei's foster mother. Since Natsuo-jiichan decided to entrust her with his eye, I decided to let Wahei inherit his legacy then, so he could use Natsuo-jiichan's power for the sake of our village." he explained, pausing briefly so he could go over the next question. "As for my sister. Well... That's part of the reason why I searched for you earlier today. I have requested the Hokage's office to assign her under your tutelage, as part of your team. As my heir, I need her to be trained by a Hyuuga." he stated, and Hirohito already knew about that too, so he nodded to his son. "I want you to watch over her, Honnou. And teach her the Gentle Fist, which also brings me to another thing I want to discuss with you." he paused once again. "Me, your father, and Tsumori will be training you on the Main House techniques. We want you to master the Gentle Fist completely, so that you can be a proper instructor to Asuka." he said, cracking a kind smile on his face. Honnou would be one of the first members of the branch house to be instructed on the ways of the proper Gentle Fist, a sign of the changes in the clan. But because of things like that, his mother, Yui, was livid. "We will work towards making that a reality, Honnou. But for now, you mother is not yet ready to see you. She will come around in time. I'm sure. But this Hijutsu of yours, would you care to elaborate?" his father asked, showing a hint of curiosity in his tone. "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." Hidden Leaf Village Hyuuga District [Hyūga Honnō] [432 words]

[Hyūga Honnō]

So Wahei was raised by a close friend of Natsuo… this Senju Kazuhira must’ve been in grave danger for as long as that eye was with her, at least during Urashi’s reign. Thinking about it, what a risk to run – if that shithead could commit crimes against his own kind, what could keep a non-Hyūga safe? If not for the infrastructure of the Land of Fire, and if not for the looming threat of instability over the clan that would follow any persecutions against this doctor, then…

So many things were hanging by a thread back then. Thank the lord that all of it was over.

As for the fragrant heiress… they had decided that Hon would be the one to tutor her, as a member of his future Genin Team. This raised a brow on his face, one of slight disbelief – Main House or not, Branch or whatever, that was the heir. And he had less knowledge of the Gentle Fist than his older sister-

"… Y-You mean that?”

Hon had never seen any Branch member perform, mimic, attempt or much less master one of the Main House’s Gentle Fist Techniques before. And here were three members vowing to train him on those exact techniques, really hammering in that Lord Shigure desired to see the Branch system completely deserted of sympathizers. "…” The derelict one couldn’t help but glance over towards his sister, reminiscent of their childhood and braver natures – when she at times tried to teach Hon some secret Gentle Fist Techniques only to be scolded at by yours truly. If anything, Hon followed the Branch system just as tightly as anyone else back then…

"Then… I’ll do my best. For the clan’s sake, and for Asuka’s sake as well,” he promised with a deep bow to the three of them, prompting his sister to giggle joyously. "Guess you don’t need to scold me anymore for trying, at least,” she revealed in a step of humor, "But… I can’t help but want to pull your ear off your skull – WHAT – did you do to yourself to be able to… b-bend… like that?!”

With eyes void of peace and comfort like hers when she entered a fit of inner rage, Tsumori looked like she was burning holes through Hon’s back. His neck was still acting like an owl’s, and there was no way he merely trained to get this flexible – she could tell that much by observation. He hadn’t told her anything as of now, which only added to her boiling paranoia.

"… Nan Kaizō. I believe it was 3 years ago,” Hon explained while his neck twisted back to its original composition, "Do not panic. All of my joints are disconnected from each other… simply, I move my limbs around with my chakra.” With a hand stretched out, palm facing downwards, he began to demonstrate even further by bending all of his fingers upwards until they rolled up like snail cones.

"I cannot break my neck, and my limbs suffer no consequences from dislocation. In other words… I have full and complete control over my body’s mobility.” Hon would further demonstrate by bending over his back and turning into a human cartwheel, rolling around the grounds with his sister’s widened, fear-of-God eyes darting at him. "… T-That is… a disturbing ability… who taught you this skill?”

"Classified. You can understand why.”

[Hyūga Shigure]

"dilapidated shinobi". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." GIFT OF TRAINING Shigure would nod when Honnou asked if he meant what he said, and he meant both of it: he would be teaching Honnou the main house techniques of the Gentle Fist, and also he would be the Jounin in charge of Asuka's Genin team. "I mean it. The other two Genin in the team are also people I care about. Tokaku, from the Uchiha clan, and Itsuki, from the Yamanaka clan. Quite the important team, I would say." he said, with a firm smile. Honnou might have been a dilapidated shinobi, but he was a Jounin, and a competent one at that. Tsumori would then complain about the times she got into trouble for trying to teach Honnou the techniques, and her father would calmly respond. "Things were different then. We shouldn't look to the past in regret, but rather focus our minds towards a brighter future." he said using his serene tone as usual. Then, Honnou would proceed to explain what this technique of his was. Shigure narrowed his eyes, showing great interest in the technique. "Something like that makes you a perfect counter to Okada Taki's grappling style..." he thought to himself. "This is indeed an interesting technique, and one I'm sure you will make good use of. But for now... How about we get some training done as the cherry at the top?" Shigure would suggest as he walked to the open courtyard, getting ready to warm himself up. "I would say... How about learning how to actually close someone's tenketsus?" he offered, with a large grim. Hirohito would crack a subtle smile. "Thirty-two palms, Shigure-sama?" and the Hyuuga would nod in confirmation. "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." Training Heads to the courtyard to wait for Honnou [Hyūga Honnō] [283 words]

[Hyūga Honnō]

Uchiha Tokaku. Yamanaka Itsuki. Hyūga Asuka.

What a team to put on the shoulders of this man. Lord Shigure had all the belief in him… it’d be dishonorable- no, it’d be heartless to turn away from such a position. Hon needed to recover, and that meant re-embracing his role as a Jōnin. It was already miraculously great that they took his Hijutsu so… welcomingly. Without fear or disgust.

"Wait… you mean-"

His father finished his sentence by mentioning the Thirty-Two Palms. Hon’s heart began to beat a little faster, but it was not the sort of excitement that a kid would feel when they were about to learn something extremely cool. It was fear.

This was his first step into Lord Shigure’s future vision of the clan. Hon was afraid that, maybe, he wouldn’t be able to-

"Please, let’s begin immediately,” Hon beckoned with a bent back in a deep bow towards them, "I-I have to master it… before I can teach Asuka anything. I don’t have time to waste.” He took his duty as her sensei seriously, despite it having been handed to him less than a minute ago, but there was a lot on stake… or at least, he felt that a lot depended on his advancement from this point on. It was a sort of ’If you don’t complete this, the entire clan will crumble’ sensation that ran through his spine. A sense of doom. Perhaps paranoia, in the end.

[Hyūga Shigure]

"dilapidated shinobi". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." THE SECRET BEHIND THE TECHNIQUE Hon was more than eager to start their training, and that made Shigure smile. Yes, this was a good way to start the new era of the Hyuuga clan, where the techniques were not just hoarded by the main house, but shared among the clansmen equally. Hon was quick to give his learning some extra purpose, and Shigure would nod. "It will be helpful for her training, that's for sure. But this is mainly for you, Honnou. For you and all other members of the branch house." he added in a loud enough tone so the people in the area could hear him. He knew it would rub some of the elders the wrong way, but he did not care. Then, without further ado, he waived a single hand seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" and from a poof of smoke, a perfect replica of Shigure appeared. "Now, the principle of the tenketsu striking techniques is to stop the opponent from using their chakra, while also damaging their inner organs. These set of techniques are especially tricky because of the sequence in which they have to be executed. You will need to strike in five different sets. Two strikes, four strikes, eight strikes, sixteen strikes, and then thirty-two strikes. The trick behind it is..." he paused, activating his Byakugan and urging Honnou to do the same. "You cannot hit the same tenketsus again... And, you need to execute the following set with the same speed as the former one, meaning... The time it takes you to perform the first two strikes should be the same as it will take you to perform thirty two, meaning your speed needs to double within every step. Any questions?" he asked, before they started the actual practice. "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." Training Creates a shadow clone and explains the technique [Hyūga Honnō] [301 words]

[Hyūga Honnō]

This… this would be good rehabilitation. A step back to the roots of himself… to a time when he was able to crack a smile. To a time when his sister wanted to train him… and it would finally become a reality. He felt beyond honored, and it showed on his face – upon that bleak, empty look was a small, reddened hue of admiration. He felt so relieved.

The training had begun. Lord Shigure started out with the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, revealing a perfect replica of himself. The Tenketsu-striking Techniques that he was meant to learn made a complete exploit on all of the strengths of the Hyūga’s Gentle Fist Style, but there was another factor that made the Twenty-Two Palms and beyond so devastating despite their humble names… the fact that they were meant to be executed in exactly the same time per sequence. As Shigure explained, five different sets completed the Twenty-Two Palms – 2, 4, 8, 16, and then 32 strikes…

Wait… so it wasn’t a total of 32 strikes. It was a culmination of sets of hits that ended with a last set of 32 palms! Hon’s eyes widened at the realization, coming to the conclusion that such a Technique would result in… 62 strikes.

He quickly activated his Byakugan the same time Lord Shigure did, changing his vision to that of a mapped world of chakra coiling around the living. Lord Shigure and his clone shared the exact same amount of chakra each, making it difficult to distinguish between the real one and the clone.

Each Tenketsu had to be hit only once… and each set had to be completed at the same time. Hon was confident in neither of those two categories, but it was worth a try. As Lord Shigure awaited questions, Hon decided to clarify himself concerning the number of hits with a raised hand: "So… in total, I’m meant to strike 62 times?”

… His sister tilted her head at the question, although she tried to recollect herself immediately. "I-I mean, that’s how it’s been used… waaaaaaaaaait, did you think it was just 32 strikes in total? Silly Hon~ Yet, many enemies might think the same, should they hear about it… I understand your confusion. Silly boy.”

Hon couldn’t help but furrow an eyebrow at her direction, while Tsumori just stuck her tongue out in response. Typical her.

[Hyūga Shigure]

"dilapidated shinobi". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." FOUNDATION Shigure had explained the mechanics behind the thirty-two palms technique from the Main House, and Honnou seemed to be reflecting upon that, so the head of the Hyuuga clan decided to give him some time. Shortly after, he would talk back to Shigure, after making the calculations and realizing that the opponent was not solely hit thirty-two times as the name of the technique might have suggested. Shigure chuckled softly at his cousin's sudden realization, but it was his sister, Tsumori, who spoke first, and once she was done, Shigure nodded. "Adding to what Tsumori said... It is deceiving to our enemies, but the reason for its nomenclature is due to the final step, which demands that the user is capable of executing thirty-two final strikes in the same timeframe as they executed the first two. The same logic applies to the next techniques, such as the sixty-four palms and the one-hundred-twenty-eight palms." he explained. "Once you get this first technique, the others are built upon this foundation, and someone of your skill should even be able to figure them out on your own." he added, showing he had real faith in Honnou. The clone would then take a step forward. "Are you ready to try it?" the clone would ask, offering no resistance. "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." Training Clone waits for Honnou to try the technique [Hyūga Honnō] [219 words]

[Hyūga Honnō]

… So the trickiest part would be the speed. Sure, Hon was fast, but he was also very… impactful. If he didn’t keep a solid stance, he’d end up throwing himself over his enemy while trying to palm strike them thirty-two times. It made him doubt a little… but Lord Shigure didn’t have any doubts. It was admirable, just how much faith he had…

Many elders would scoff at the very scenery, but this was Hon’s opportunity to mark a huge moment in the history of the Hyūga. He didn’t hesitate.

Once the clone stepped forth, Hon took a simple Gentle Fist Stance – the simplest one he knew, that all members of the Branch knew. A second of reconsideration reminded him of his sister’s stances back in the day, and he’d been spying a little on the Main House members during practice. There was this… strange stance…

Yes, like that. Both arms stretched out, one stretching the hand down in a diagonal angle, with the other parallel to it and pointing directly at the opposite way. Left shoulder pushed forward. Legs spread… yes, like that.

Hon’s chakra began bristling. You didn’t need an activated Byakugan to see currents of Raiton escape the skin between his arms, and as if timed by one of those lightning-fast currents, Hon whipped out two palm strikes at the clone! The impacts sent ripples of electric chakra through the clone, traveling a few feet before fading away-

Wait, now he had to release four strikes at the same time. More electric energy released from the strain that began to manifest – this was harder than anticipated… was it because he went full speed at the start? How was he able to exceed tha-

He tried his best, but at the third of those four strikes, a condensed cloud of electric chakra was escaping his front. He stepped back for a brief moment to witness the currents crack, echo and bristle away, a little dumbfounded by the look on his face. "… That wasn't meant to happen.”

"…" His sister's widened eyes was starting to question a lot, but she managed to recollect herself and come up with a somewhat reasonable inquiry, "That can't be a lack of chakra control, you've never lacked in that area. Was that not another Technique of yours? Is it able to merge with the Thirty-Two Palms?"

[Hyūga Shigure]

"dilapidated shinobi". "No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living." TRY AGAIN Shigure was not oblivious to the elders glancing at the scene and scoffing, but he didn't care about what they were thinking. This was the dawn of a new age, where the division between the clan would slowly, but certainly be eradicated. This was an example for all of them, main and branch alike, and he knew that many rejoiced with what was going on, and that they were the majority of the clan. With his watchful eyes, he analyzed Honnou's attempt at using the technique, and as he attacked the clone, it resisted poofing out for just enough so that he could continue the attack, but it did seem like the Hyuuga was struggling a bit, and finally, he lost control over the technique, and the clone just poofed out of existence. Before he could say anything, Tsumori was the one to speak first, and once she was done, Shigure would speak up. "You can add your chakra nature to your Gentle Fist strike... This is quite impressive, I must say. But you can't let that overwhelm the execution of the technique. It is something that will certainly help make the technique even more effective. So... Don't try to fight it. Let it flow, and focus on the movements. Ready to try again?" he asked as he waived the single hand seal of the Shadow Clone Technique, thus creating yet another clone. Shigure could only make a couple more before needing some rest, but he was hoping Honnou would get it right before that happened. "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." Training Creates another clone [Hyūga Honnō] [257 words]

[Hyūga Honnō]

Just let it flow. It wasn’t a detriment – if anything, Lord Shigure promised that it’d be a sort of improvement, to further increase the efficiency of the Technique. It was nothing strange or abnormal, it was invited, encouraged, with plenty of room to let his potential grow.

What more did Hon need to motivate himself?

Other than that, the Technique felt… like it clicked. The next Shadow Clone was summoned by Lord Shigure, so Hon wasted not any of their time and nodded. The same stance, the same focus, the same Byakugan seeing right through the clone’s skin and into its entire chakra network. Then, he unrelented the first 2 Palms. 2 Tenketsu Points were closed.

4 Palms, just as fast. 4 other Tenketsu Points were closed, and the clone would also be affected by the dust clouds of electric chakra escaping Hon’s hands upon each and every strike.

8 Palms, almost just as fast as before. 8 new Tenketsu Points were sealed – the human body had so many Tenketsu Points to choose from, but he’d have to make sure not to hit the same Tenketsu Point twice.

16 Palms, even faster than before! Hon’s brows furrowed sharply, pushing himself even further than just the same speed. Jolts of electric currents would surround the clone’s entire torso at this point.

32 Palms! It was as if the electric currents prompted Hon to go faster with each set… he took a deep breath to recollect himself afterwards, his hands revealing small lines of white bolts traveling here and there. "… Is… is there more?” He didn’t mean to sound condescending, but… it clicked.