"Medical Ninjutsu?"
Hiashi's eyebrows twitched slightly in surprise.
At twelve years old, he had already mastered medical ninjutsu?
He recalled Hyūga Kō's earlier words: even the Third Hokage seemed to favor the boy. Hiashi's gaze narrowed as he pondered the situation.
No matter how much he thought about it, nothing noteworthy came to mind.
Was the boy truly of civilian background?
Yet the chakra reserves visible in Ryuku's body told a different story. They were pitifully low. Even Hanabi, at just seven years old, had three times as much, and the gap with Hinata was far greater.
Hmph. No matter how much a worm wriggles, its fate is still to be preyed upon once it leaves the ground...
For now, he would simply observe from afar.
But if Ryuku showed even the slightest inappropriate intent toward his daughters, Hiashi would not hesitate to break the boy's limbs, even if the Hokage himself favored him.
....
"Alright, I'm done," Ryuku said with a smile. He deactivated his Mystical Palm Technique, amused by Hanabi's surprised expression as he healed her bruised and bloodied fingers in seconds. "See? Good as new, just like I told you."
The dark-brown-haired girl sat on the wooden corridor and stared at her small hands, now fully healed and painless. She nodded slightly, almost unconsciously. She did not want to admit it, but the noble etiquette drilled into her left no room for reluctance.
A few steps away, Hinata leaned against a pillar.
Her gaze fluttered between Ryuku's smile and Hanabi's hands. For some reason, a strange emotion stirred inside her, one that made her feel distant and uncomfortable.
Why did she feel so uncomfortable?
Was it because Ryuku had healed her sister's hands?
Gratitude? No, it was not that.
The feeling gnawed at her, too familiar to ignore, yet something she desperately tried to deny.
Am I jealous?
"No," she blurted aloud without realizing it. Her pale lavender eyes widened as if she had seen something terrifying.
Ryuku and Hanabi turned to her immediately.
Ryuku asked gently, "Hinata? Is something wrong?"
Hanabi looked worried.
Nee-san is acting strange...
Hinata's face flushed with embarrassment. She shook her head quickly. As quiet as ever but feeling awkward, she decided to return to her room at once, though not before giving Ryuku a small nod.
"I'll see you at 12:30 then..."
She heard his calm voice, and her body flinched slightly.
"Mm," she hummed, barely audible, then rushed inside the main residence without looking back.
Was she feeling left out? Or jealous?
Either was fine, as long as it helped her overcome her hesitation and other issues, he thought.
A gentle breeze blew through the Hyūga residence, cooling his sweat-soaked body.
Damn, I need a bath...
"You reek," Hanabi said bluntly, pinching her nose without hesitation, unlike her sister.
A teasing smile formed on Ryuku's lips. "And how are you so sure it's me?"
Hanabi's sharp eyes narrowed, only to pause a moment later as she realized he might have a point. Feeling defeated, she stood and walked away, muttering loudly, "Pervert," a smirk hidden in her tone.
Her personality is so different from Hinata's.
Are they really sisters?
He wondered.
Shaking his head with a quiet laugh, Ryuku glanced in a specific direction and offered a respectful nod, graceful as a noble, before vanishing with a Body Flicker.
Inside the main hall, Hiashi clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Damn brat knew it all along."
Still, he could not help but acknowledge, if only slightly, the boy's talent and discipline, regardless of his civilian background.
To detect his presence from twenty meters away, through doors and wooden walls... Was Ryuku a sensor-type ninja too?
What is Hokage-sama planning?
A civilian-born brat with reserves far below those of clan lineage, yet catching the attention of the village's strongest ninja?
Suspicious...
There must be something unique about this genin, something that justified the interest of someone as sharp as the Third Hokage.
Unless...
"Unless his raw talent is even beyond the Fourth Hokage's."
Was this boy Ryuku truly of that caliber?
Hiashi fell silent, quickly connecting the dots and reaching a conclusion.
He would have someone monitor the boy's movements secretly.
His gaze grew serious as he muttered, "If his talent is worth nurturing, then maybe..."
....
Phew...
That old man's chakra pressure was intense. I could barely breathe under the weight of his Byakugan. He calls Hinata useless and says she doesn't meet clan standards without a shred of emotion, yet his overprotectiveness clearly shows how much he loves both daughters...
From his actions, the message was clear: have any ill thoughts about my daughters and you're dead.
Ryuku's gaze darkened, his expression blank.
He hated the feeling of being at someone else's mercy, especially since he valued his freedom above all else.
Thankfully, Hiashi was not petty. He could not harm a genin who had only helped both daughters without asking for anything in return.
For Ryuku, though, it was different.
He masked his anger at his circumstances behind a perfect poker face as he raced across Konoha's rooftops at twice the speed he had used while carrying Hinata.
No need to dwell on the Hyūga clan anymore...
Clearing his mind, he focused on his next steps.
Time to give Hiruzen another shock. Let's see how the old monkey reacts this evening....
He landed outside the hospital entrance soon after and went inside to inform Hosho he was taking the rest of the day off.
As he turned to leave, he suddenly stumbled, nearly falling if not for the wall he caught.
What the...
Leaning on the wall for support, he looked down and frowned. His legs were trembling violently, as if the ground itself were shaking.
Shit... Chakra pathway strain...