Naruto: Beyond The Cage

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Chapter 6 – Exploring the Limits of the Byakugan

The week after the application of the caged bird seal was one of the most intense of my life, but not in the sense that my family expected. While everyone was watching me "rest", I was far from standing still. On the contrary, the intense pain I felt during the application of the seal was nothing compared to anything I was about to experience with the Byakugan. That, yes, was a real power. I needed to understand its limitations and, above all, its possibilities.

I knew I was in the adaptation phase. The seal had been imposed on me with unbearable pain, and I had the feeling that the Byakugan could be an escape – or even a way to get closer to what I always wanted: to be more than they expected.

The Byakugan allowed me to see the world in a way I never imagined possible. The first thing I explored was the 360° vision, and the sensation of seeing my surroundings without turning my head was... unusual, but fascinating. I was aware of everything that was happening around me, even the smallest movements in the shadows and the slightest shifts in the air. What surprised me most was realizing that, with the Byakugan, I could see even the most subtle details of the flow of chakra.

I started by testing the distance of my vision. At 150 meters, I could still see clearly. It wasn't perfect, but it was more than enough to make me feel superior to everyone around me. I could easily observe people, their expressions, and even the movements of their chakras. As I concentrated more, I saw the forms of energy flowing through their bodies, spreading and connecting, like veins that snake through the human body. From that moment on, I knew that the vision of the Byakugan was not limited to a simple field of vision – it had layers, as if the world had several levels of depth.

I tested the layers.

Being able to see the skin, the muscles, the bones... It was like I was looking at an X-ray of everyone around me. But what impressed me most was that I could control it. If I wanted to, I could simply "peel" a layer off. I started with the skin. Suddenly, the people I was observing seemed almost transparent, and the only thing left were the muscles, the bones, and eventually the internal structures. I could see everything in incredible detail, more than any medical scan or technology could show.

I played around with this for a while. As I got used to the ability, I began to focus on the movements of the chakra. For example, observing the flow of chakra in the hands and feet, like an invisible current running through the body. This gave me a complete view of the energies of everyone around me. I could, if I wanted to, predict someone's movements before they even acted. It was much more precise than I had imagined, and it left me eager for more.

So I started testing out my X-ray vision. When I peeled back a layer of skin from a distance, I realized I could see the structure of a person's bones, their muscle density, and even the smallest blood vessels. Each layer I removed brought more detail, more information. I could see everything, even the movement of chakra within their organs.

I couldn't stop. The excitement of discovering new layers of this technique engulfed me, and the more I saw, the more the Byakugan seemed like a limitless tool. In that week of "rest," I was exploring my own limits.

No one knew what I was doing. None of the other children in the clan even knew I had this power. To everyone else, I was still just Seiji, the one resting after applying the seal. But in my mind, I was on another level—a level no one could imagine. They were all in darkness, and I was already seeing everything.

What would happen next, I didn't know yet. But for the first time in a long time, I felt like I could achieve something more. Something big.

As I continued to explore the layers and flows of chakra around me, an idea began to germinate in my mind. I had the Byakugan now, a clear view of the movements and energy flow of everyone around me. What I didn't yet have was a way to maximize this in combat. The people around me were making quick but unnecessary movements—every gesture, every movement could be optimized. I wanted a way to simplify everything, something that would allow me to perform quick and efficient movements, but with the least possible effort. Every unnecessary movement was a waste, and I knew that with the vision of the Byakugan, I could correct this.

That's how the idea began to emerge. I began to experiment with a different approach to my own movements.

The first thing I did was observe my own body. How did I move? What was the flow of chakra required for each strike, each step? The Byakugan gave me I had an advantage here, because I could see not only what was happening outside of me, but also what was happening inside my body. Every muscle, every nerve, every cell seemed to be perfectly coordinated, but this only happened if I maintained the flow of chakra cleanly and precisely.

I got into a fighting stance, but instead of performing a sequence of complex and tiring movements, I focused on simplification. Each movement should be as efficient as possible—minimum displacement, maximum effect. What I wanted was not just to attack, but to do so without giving my opponent a chance to react. A single quick movement, an acceleration of the flow of chakra at a critical point. That would be enough.

I tried a first version of the technique. Attacking a sheet of paper suspended in the air, I used the Byakugan to visualize the object's most vulnerable points. Instead of using a punch or a kick, which was common, I quickly stretched out my hand, almost imperceptibly, aiming for the center of the leaf with the precision of my internal movements. The leaf was cut in half, with enough force to destroy, but without wasting energy.

That was just the beginning.

Over time, I refined the technique even further. I began to apply the "Perfect Movement" more and more intuitively. The core concept of the technique was the fluidity of my movements—every gesture, every step should be natural and without interruption. The goal was not to deliver the strongest blow, but the most efficient. It was a technique that did not rely on brute force, but on the complete coordination of chakra, movement, and intention.

The name "Perfect Movement" came to me almost spontaneously, as an exact description of what I was looking for. What impressed me most was that, with the Byakugan, I could correct any mistake in real time. If something was out of place, if a movement was unnecessary, I could correct it before the movement was even completed. This technique made the fight more fluid, faster, more precise.

I knew that by perfecting it, I could become an unbeatable fighter. The Byakugan gave me vision, but the "Perfect Movement" would give me control.

With this, if I ever had to face someone, I wouldn't need to make unnecessary movements. I could fight in the purest way, with maximum efficiency and minimum effort.

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