"Naruto Talent Entry: Awakened Legacy – Born of the Ōtsutsuki Bloodlin

Konoha Year 57, July 23rd

Konoha, Hyuga Clan Grounds

Bang, bang, bang…

Inside the dojo of the Clan Head's residence, a series of crisp, heavy impacts echoed. Within the spacious training area, a boy and a girl were locked in a fierce taijutsu match. The sharp sounds came from the collision of their hands, precise and powerful.

It was Hinata and Hyuga Neji. Veins bulged around their temples as their Byakugan activated, hands moving in blurred afterimages. Blue chakra flames danced at their fingertips as they struck at each other's chakra points with unrelenting speed.

Each attack failed to land cleanly—either blocked, deflected, or interrupted by the other exploiting an opening. It was a constant cycle of offense and defense, a contest of timing, skill, and willpower. The air between them crackled with roaring waves of chakra as each blow met another in a rhythmic clash.

This was a true test of discipline. One misstep could lead to a swift and complete defeat.

And then—

Pa!

The match ended.

Under Neji's wide-eyed, stunned expression, Hinata struck with pinpoint accuracy. Her fingers pressed against his chakra points, surging chakra into his body to disrupt its flow. Instantly, the chakra on Neji's hands dissipated.

What followed was a storm of Gentle Fist strikes, each injecting chakra into key points, sealing off his flow and delivering sharp pain with every hit. Neji gritted his teeth, refusing to cry out, enduring every blow in silence.

When it was over, Hinata calmly retracted her hands. The bulging veins around her eyes faded as she stepped back and said softly, "Neji Hyuga, thank you for the lesson."

Watching from not far away, Hyuga Hiashi allowed a small, satisfied smile to escape. Before Hinata could turn and see him, he quickly composed himself, hiding his approval behind a stern facade. He turned to Neji with a cold voice.

"Neji, go and heal."

"Yes, Father."

Neji lowered his head, hiding the turmoil within—unwillingness, frustration, and hatred—then turned toward Hinata.

"Thank you for the lesson, Young Lady," he said, bowing slightly before walking away.

Hinata, unaware of Neji's inner emotions, turned to Hiashi, her face full of anticipation. "Father, I'd like to take Hanabi out to play. May I?"

"Yes, go ahead," Hiashi replied with a nod.

"Thank you, Father!"

With a light smile, Hinata trotted out of the dojo and quickly found her younger sister, Hanabi, who was three years old. She took her by the hand and led her out of the clan grounds to find Izanami.

It had been exactly three years since Hinata began her private training with Izanami. Her transformation during that time was immense—evident in her repeated victories over Neji and the subtle changes in her father's behavior.

This was not her first win against Neji. Since the beginning of the year, she had won every bout. By the second half of the year, she began to dominate completely.

The Gentle Fist technique demanded more than just the Byakugan—it required exceptional chakra control. Among her peers, only Izanami surpassed Hinata in that regard.

Even Sakura Haruno, whose entry-level chakra control was rated as "Purple," could not match Hinata's fine control, honed daily through the discipline of the Gentle Fist.

Hinata's confidence had grown. Once afraid of her cousin, she now defeated him with ease. Her growth prompted the Clan Elders to reach a consensus: Hinata would be the next heir of the main family.

This decision, however, sparked another debate. Many elders began urging Hiashi to place the Caged Bird Curse Mark on Hanabi. Hiashi, however, resisted.

He cited the death of his wife and his desire to give Hanabi a happy childhood as reasons to delay the decision until she turned twelve.

At the same time, Hiashi no longer objected to Hinata's close relationship with Izanami—even though he noticed that the bond between them had begun to deepen in ways difficult to ignore. He even allowed Hinata to take Hanabi along when visiting Izanami.

No one knew Hiashi's true intentions.

It seemed he was playing a long game, aiming for a future where neither of his daughters would be branded with the Curse Mark.

Izanami, on the other hand, was unaware of any of this. He assumed Hinata was simply being rewarded for her outstanding performance and that her established status allowed her more freedom.

As for the possibility that Hanabi's branding might be accelerated because of Hinata's rise? The thought never crossed his mind. And even if it had, Izanami wouldn't have cared.

To him, the Caged Bird Curse Mark was nothing special—not even comparable to Orochimaru's Cursed Seal of Heaven. When he fully mastered Yin-Yang Release, removing it would be trivial.

Even if Hanabi were branded, it would only be a temporary hardship. They were still far from the events of Shippuden. Hanabi hadn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy.

The purity or defect of her Byakugan didn't matter—not yet.

Dong, dong, dong…

"Oni-chan, I'm here to play with you! Open the door!"

A series of knocks and childish shouts echoed through Izanami's home.

Opening the door, he was greeted by two familiar faces—a tall and a short figure.

The small one dashed forward and hugged Izanami's waist tightly.

"Oni-chan, let's go play!"

Three-year-old Hanabi wore a custom-made pink kimono. She was already used to traditional dress, even at her age. Her short, black hair just reached her ears, with soft bangs parted in the middle. Her cheeks were still round with baby fat, irresistibly cute.

Unable to resist, Izanami pinched her cheek.

"What does Hanabi want to do today?" he asked with a smile.

In his eyes, bubbles of color floated around her, displaying her innate potential:Princess of the Byakugan (Gold)Bloodline Limit: Byakugan (Purple)Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Blue)Jōnin Qualifications (Blue)Chakra Control (Blue)Compared to civilian and ordinary clan children, Hanabi's stats were luxurious. The only thing she lacked compared to Hinata was the Gold-level Princess of the Byakugan—a rare trait, tied to the Byakugan taken by Ōtsutsuki Toneri in the movie.

Even so, her Byakugan purity was extremely high. Just one tier lower than Hinata, her other attributes mirrored her sister's. She was essentially a slightly weaker version of Hinata, with just as much potential to change her fate.

Naturally, Izanami adored this cute and talented little sister-in-law.

"I want to eat glutinous rice dumplings," Hanabi said cheerfully. "And I want to ride high!"

Pushing up on her toes, she reached for Izanami, trying to climb onto him.

"Okay, Hanabi's in charge today," Izanami said warmly.

He knelt down, letting her sit on his shoulders. Once she was secure, he stood up, holding her small hands, and called out to Hinata with a smile, "Hinata, close the door."

"Yes."

Hinata complied, her eyes soft.

Together, the trio set off toward Konoha's bustling shopping street.

Since the passing of Hinata's mother, what was once a two-person outing had gradually become a three-person adventure. Izanami still remembered how hard Hinata had cried that day.

Before Hanabi came of age, only Izanami and her mother had shown her the love and warmth she craved. With her mother gone, Hinata's dependence on Izanami deepened.

It was from that day forward that their relationship began to subtly shift.

To prevent Hanabi from becoming a second version of herself—timid and burdened—Hinata worked even harder in training, determined to create a happy childhood for her sister.

Whenever she had free time, she brought Hanabi to find Izanami. In her eyes, Izanami was better at caring for children than their father.

Hiashi's aura was too intimidating. That stern face, the constant pressure—if not for their mother's love, Hinata might've broken long ago.

Now, with her mother gone, she wouldn't let Hanabi go through the same pain.

Watching Hanabi beam with joy from atop Izanami's shoulders, Hinata felt her efforts were worth it.

This was the family she had built. And she would protect it.

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