Naruto: Wood-Wood Fruit

"Phew—"

Neji stood there, utterly stunned.

He gazed in disbelief at the scorched, barren land around him.

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that this was caused by the Hyuga clan's secret technique, Palm Rotation.

"This is Rotation enhanced with fire-nature chakra transformation. But since I'm not fully proficient yet, the effect might be slightly lacking."

Kiyoshi's spirit returned to his physical body, ceding control back to Neji.

"...."

Looking around at the lifeless, blackened earth, Neji's eyelids twitched slightly.

This power…. and he still called it 'lacking'?

But more than shock, Neji felt an immense thrill and joy.

The techniques Kiyoshi had demonstrated for him—Eight Trigrams, One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms, the Hyuga clan's secret jutsu Palm Rotation, and even Fire-Style Rotation infused with fire-nature chakra—had all paved the way forward for him.

It made him see the future path he needed to pursue.

Especially since Kiyoshi had used his own body to perform the techniques, it felt as though Neji himself had executed them, leaving a vivid and unforgettable impression. 

If he practiced hard from now on, he was sure his progress would be exponential.

Neji looked at Kiyoshi, complex emotions swirling in his gaze.

Unable to hold back, he asked, "Kiyoshi... are you really human?"

"Am I?" Kiyoshi laughed, seeming amused by the question.

"Well, I won't keep bothering you," he said, waving his hand and heading back towards the village. "From now on, keep training hard."

"Kiyoshi, thank you so much for your help."

Neji clenched his fists, watching the figure who, although the same age, had already far surpassed him. His gaze filled with gratitude.

Unable to hold back, he shouted after him, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Hmm?"

Kiyoshi turned back, his gaze meeting Neji's serious, expectant expression.

Kiyoshi tilted his head thoughtfully and, with a mischievous smile, said, "Your cousin Hinata is my future girlfriend. Treat her kindly, alright? And don't bully her."

"Hinata-sama?"

Neji was taken aback.

He stared at Kiyoshi in shock. "But... don't you already have Tenten?"

He remembered that back when Kiyoshi was still in the ninja academy, Tenten couldn't seem to take her eyes off him. 

And Kiyoshi's relationship with her seemed different from how he interacted with other girls. 

Plus, there was also the heiress of the Yamanaka clan, who seemed to be quite close to him as well.

"Is there a rule in the shinobi world that says a man can't have multiple wives?" Kiyoshi said proudly, his chest puffed up. 

In his pursuit of his grand ambition, he never relaxed, never wavered.

"...."

Neji was speechless.

He nodded slightly. "I'll remember that."

Once, he too had adored his young cousin. He'd cherished her like a little sister, swearing to protect her with his life. 

But after certain events, his relationship with her had grown distant, even though he knew she wasn't to blame.

Despite this, resentment and anger towards his clan and his uncle, the Hyuga head, had taken root within him.

However, with Kiyoshi's exceptional talent, Neji couldn't fathom the heights he would one day reach. 

If he truly had feelings for Hinata-sama, it was likely that not even Hiashi, nor the entire Hyuga clan, could stop him.

"Good luck, then." Kiyoshi called as he walked away, leaving a lasting smile on Neji's face.

Helping Neji break free from the Caged Bird Curse was just something he did out of friendship. 

It wasn't that he was worried Neji would hurt Hinata someday, he simply didn't want Neji to keep feeling indebted to him. 

After all, with his guidance, Hinata's strength was bound to increase rapidly, making it hard for her to remain weak even if she wanted to.

Today, as luck would have it, he spotted her nearby.

He wasn't going to let this chance slip away.

"Hm? Not at the Hyuga compound?" He sensed Hinata's chakra and couldn't help but smile.

With his fingers raised before him, dazzling chakra wings emerged from his back, leaving Neji staring in awe as he took flight.

"Farewell." 

Without looking back, he waved to Neji and headed in Hinata's direction.

"Kiyoshi..." Neji stood there, watching him fade into the horizon, murmuring, "Just what kind of existence are you?"

Kiyoshi's mystery and strength surpassed his understanding.

---

In a quiet, secluded forest.

A girl sat crying softly, looking utterly vulnerable.

"Oh my, isn't that Hinata?" A figure descended, wings still outstretched.

The girl turned quickly, like a startled cat, hurriedly wiping away her tears.

Upon seeing him, her pale eyes widened. "Kiyoshi-nii?"

"Impressive!" She gasped, captivated by the brilliant chakra wings behind him.

Her eyes sparkled with awe as she stared at Kiyoshi.

"Why are you here alone at this hour?" Kiyoshi asked gently. "Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I…"

Hinata's cheeks flushed crimson, her embarrassment evident.

She certainly couldn't admit that, after getting home early, she'd sparred with her father. 

Her disappointing performance had led to harsh criticism, with her father saying she was barely on par with her sister, Hanabi. Hurt and frustrated, she'd run away to cry in solitude.

She didn't want Kiyoshi, a prodigy himself and a disciple of Tsunade-sama, to laugh at her for it.

"Let me guess." Kiyoshi noted her disheveled appearance and training clothes, and he said gently.

"You look a bit messy, like you just finished training. Did a family elder reprimand you for not doing well?"

"Ah..."

Hinata's heart skipped a beat.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide with astonishment, but then quickly lowered her head, replying softly, "Yes."

"Hinata, the world is vast, and everyone has their moment to shine." Kiyoshi gently ruffled her hair, comforting her with a warm smile. 

"Life is long, and you'll have your own moments. Face every setback with courage and never give up too easily."

"Face setbacks with courage and never give up." Hinata felt a tremor in her heart.

She stared at Kiyoshi, his gentle presence looming large in her eyes.

Her cheeks reddened even more, and she hesitantly whispered, "Kiyoshi-nii… am I…. useless?"

She felt like shrinking away.

He must think very little of her, wallowing in self-pity over something so small.

"Not at all."

Kiyoshi shook his head, lightly stroking her head as he spoke soothingly.

"Everyone has weak moments, and it's okay to cry. What matters is that we don't let weakness defeat us and that after the tears, we stand strong again."

"To me, Hinata, you're a sweet, kind, and strong girl."

"R-Really?"

Hinata's voice quivered, her eyes shimmering with hope as she gazed at him.

"Of course."

Kiyoshi smiled, his patience evident as he reassured her. "So, keep being strong."

"Kiyoshi-nii..."

Blushing, she shyly averted her gaze.

But then her face fell, and she lowered her head, crestfallen. "But…. as the eldest daughter of the Hyuga main family, I can't even learn our clan's Gentle Fist properly."

"That's probably just because you're using the wrong approach."

Gently wiping the tears from her soft cheeks, Kiyoshi held her gaze and said, "Practice can make you perfect, but if you're simply repeating the same mistakes, you'll spend double the time and effort."

"You need to learn from your failures, pinpoint the reasons behind them, and work on improving yourself, so you can do better next time."

"In this world, not everyone may be a genius, but hard work is never wasted."

"Just make sure you're not working hard in the wrong way."

---------------

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