"Hinami... listen well. Our Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist is the world's strongest taijutsu. It is a perfect fusion of offense and defense. Combined with the Byakugan, it counters taijutsu, ninjutsu, and even genjutsu.
The Eight Trigrams Palms are a secret passed only through the Main House. I can only teach you how to awaken your eyes and the basic foundations of the Gentle Fist."
Even with her eyes reduced to two bloody hollows, Tenki Hyuga had spoken those words with unwavering pride.
The Bitter Aftertaste
On a street corner in Konoha.
A cane and a rucksack lay on the ground. Having left the Hyuga compound, Hinami sat alone, huddled in her white cloak. In her mind, the image of Tenki Hyuga—her face soft and gentle despite the loss of her sight—kept surfacing.
Optimism, positivity, kindness, tenderness, purity, selflessness...
Every virtue that Hinami lacked seemed to reside in that woman.
You kept the secrets of the Gentle Fist for them, refusing to even teach your own daughter. And in the end? They struck your name from the records as if you never existed.
How tragic, Tenki Hyuga.
Hinami let out a soft, mocking laugh that carried a trace of pity.
Failing to rejoin the Hyuga wasn't a catastrophe. With her strength, she could find a place to exist anywhere in the world outside of the Mist. However, she hadn't expected the Hyuga to be so blatant—stripping Tenki of even the title of "Main House" posthumously.
It was fortunate she hadn't rushed to reveal her Byakugan the moment she arrived. The corpses of those two Branch House guards had been reduced to a pulp and dumped in the river. No one knew she had been to the estate, and no one could link her to Tenki Hyuga.
She still had room to maneuver.
Hinami lightly touched the black cloth covering her eyes. It felt smooth and silky.
I might be stuck with this for a while.
Once the Byakugan was activated, the veins around the temples and cheeks would bulge noticeably. If she exposed her eyes, the Hyuga—who obsessed over bloodline purity—would never let her remain beyond their control. Until she possessed enough power to rival the entire clan, she had to choose between a mask or a blindfold.
The blindfold was simply more convenient.
Since her plan to return as a "Main House Princess" had collapsed, she had to maintain her status as a blind wanderer. If she wanted legal access to Konoha's ninjutsu and secret techniques, she needed a legitimate identity as a villager.
Illegal means were an option, but they required caution. Her body was far from maturity. The peace and stability of Konoha were more precious to her development right now than any stolen scroll.
Enroll in the Academy. Take the civilian route. Stand out at school and attract the Third Hokage's investment while dodging Danzo and his Root. I need a backer...
Sitting on the street, Hinami worked meticulously to repair her shattered plans, piece by piece.
The Watcher in the Trees
On a tall beech tree to the south of the street.
Flip—
Pages turned. In the deep shadows of the branches, a silver-haired ninja with a single visible eye leaned lazily against the trunk. The thick copy of Icha Icha Paradise in his hand was already half-read.
After noon, the Third Hokage had personally issued an order:
Secretly monitor a Bloodline ninja of unknown origin who has entered the village. While likely not a foreign spy, an unidentified shinobi requires caution. Arrest them immediately if they attempt to harm the village.
"Aa-oo... Hah!"
Kakashi Hatake let out a yawn, a tear pricking the corner of his eye as he flipped another page. He looked down at the blind girl who had been sitting motionless on the street for half the afternoon.
From the moment he had tracked her down, she hadn't moved.
Perhaps it was because she appeared disabled and pitiful, or perhaps because she was simply too cute. Many passersby had assumed she was a blind beggar, tossing coins, bills, and snacks at her until a small mountain of offerings had piled up before her.
Several young, beautiful women in their twenties—overflowing with maternal instincts—had even tried to "adopt" her, only to be refused. They walked away reluctantly, looking back over their shoulders with every step.
Kakashi had spent some time counting the change on the ground. There was enough there to buy seven or eight limited-edition copies of Icha Icha with money to spare.
That was more than the payout for his current C-rank surveillance mission.
Wait, why?
Kakashi scratched his silver "broom-top" hair in confusion.
Silver-grey hair? Check. Bloodline ninja? Check. Eye issues? Check. I have all the same elements! Why don't I get this kind of treatment?
The masked ninja, who never showed his face, was genuinely baffled. Unfairness aside, since the girl showed no sign of moving, he decided to stay in the tree and continue reading.
You earn money by crouching there; I earn money by slacking off here. It's balanced.
The "Monster" Appears
Time slipped away. The setting sun splashed its final golden light across the sky before fading into twilight. The busy central street grew vacant and lonely, leaving the blind girl looking even more forsaken.
Why hasn't she left yet?
Kakashi rubbed his eyes and tucked his book back into his pocket. It was nearly 7:00 PM; the text on the pages was becoming unreadable.
Doesn't she eat? Doesn't she use the restroom? Are Bloodline ninja really this hardcore?
He was assigned to watch her for at least three days to confirm she lacked malicious intent toward Konoha. Because of her unknown sensory abilities and seal-less Water Style, the village needed a detailed analysis. As a possessor of the Sharingan, Kakashi was the best choice to see through her chakra flow and find a weakness.
And, if the opportunity arose, he might try to copy that seal-less technique.
If she stayed there all night, he was stuck feeding the mosquitoes with her.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the dim street. Kakashi looked toward the sound.
A "monster" had abruptly appeared on the dark road.
The creature was entirely green, with short lower limbs and long, curved upper limbs. It let out loud, rhythmic gasping sounds—hu-hu, ha-ha! Worst of all, the monster appeared to have no head.
Kakashi's heart tightened. He immediately flipped up his forehead protector. The crimson three-tomoe Sharingan began to spin rapidly.
The monster's form instantly became clear. Even the shining bowl-cut hair on its "crotch" was now vibrant and unmistakable.
...Oh. It's just Guy.
Kakashi deactivated his Sharingan and rubbed his eyes. Reading for too long had given him double vision.
Guy was currently doing "upside-down finger push-up walks"—a classic piece of intense training.
Wait... Guy?
Kakashi looked back down at the girl.
At that exact moment, the blind girl, who had been huddled in silence for hours, slowly tilted her head up. Her eyes, wrapped tightly in black cloth, were aimed directly at the distant, approaching Might Guy.
She looked exactly like an old predator who had finally seen the bait take the hook.