"I'll be your special instructor today," Hinata said softly, standing before a group of academy children on the training grounds. "Feel free to ask me anything about taijutsu."
She emphasized that her lessons would focus solely on physical techniques. Ninjutsu and genjutsu were not her strengths, but when it came to taijutsu, she was confident in her ability to teach.
After having everyone sit in a circle, Hinata selected the strongest-looking student among them for demonstration. She moved slowly and precisely, her every motion clear and deliberate so that the children could follow easily.
She demonstrated grappling techniques, how to strike from behind, and most importantly, how to defend one's back when surrounded by multiple opponents.
Her voice was gentle — never loud — but her explanations were meticulous. Anyone who paid close attention would always walk away with new understanding.
By the end of the second lesson, the special instructor mission was complete. It was considered one of the more demanding D-rank missions, yet also among the most praised.
Hinata bid the children farewell, mentally calculating her progress. With a daily limit of six missions, it would take her seven days to complete the forty D-rank missions Tsunade had required.
Today marked the second day — five more to go. After that, she would move on to the B-rank, A-rank, and even S-rank missions awaiting her outside the village.
There were still six months left until the end of the year. It sounded like plenty of time, but Hinata knew how quickly it could slip away — especially when unforeseen complications arose. Her schedule would be tight.
…
"Onee-sama! I want to go out and play! Take me with you!"
As soon as Hinata stepped through the door, Hanabi ran up and clung to her. Hinata bent down, lifted her sister into her arms, and carried her toward the back of the house.
"I'm sorry, Hanabi," she said softly. "I have to leave again right after lunch. Maybe next time, okay?"
"Why? You're always too busy! It's been forever since you played with me!" Hanabi pouted, her rosy cheeks puffed in protest.
Hinata giggled, gently pinching her sister's tiny nose. "I'm sorry! I'll make it up to you when I'm done with everything. Please be patient for a little while longer, alright?"
Despite Hanabi's protests — her small arms and legs clinging tightly like a koala — Hinata handed her over to a branch family caretaker. She quickly finished her lunch with practiced grace and headed to the dojo to train her Gentle Fist.
Even though D-rank missions were low-level, some were physically demanding. Hinata intentionally chose such tasks; they served as both missions and high-intensity training sessions, especially since she often wore weighted gear. She never neglected her daily regimen.
…
"Hinata! This is for you!"
On her way to her next mission that afternoon, Hinata ran into Kurenai-sensei, who handed her a scroll. Hinata blinked in surprise, accepting it politely.
"I heard you're preparing to become a Jonin," Kurenai said with a smile. "I don't have any fancy gifts, but this is my personal understanding of genjutsu. Study it well — it'll help you avoid falling victim to illusion-type ninjas in the future."
She was right. One didn't have to use genjutsu, but knowing how to break it could be a matter of life and death.
Standing beside her, Asuma cleared his throat after a discreet nudge from Kurenai's elbow. "It's kind of sudden, honestly. I have a pair of chakra gloves on order for you, but they'll take at least two months to make."
Kurenai chuckled softly and turned back to Hinata. "Hinata, are you having trouble with anything right now? If it's something related to your training, you can ask him for advice."
Hinata hesitated for only a moment before asking sincerely, "Sensei… how can I increase my chakra power?"
Because the Hyuga clan didn't practice elemental release techniques, ordinary chakra training had little effect. Hinata had read her father's letter and chosen the Tailed Beast Ball as her training goal, but she still sought advice from others — learning from experience was never wasted.
"The power of chakra…" Asuma mused, lighting a cigarette thoughtfully.
"The essence of jutsu lies in two things — nature transformation and form transformation. These are advanced chakra control methods, and mastering them is the key to strengthening your techniques, even developing new ones. For the Hyuga clan, nature transformation can be set aside. You should focus on form transformation instead."
He spoke casually, yet his words were precise and valuable. Kurenai watched with quiet pride, nudging him again when he got too serious.
The couple continued their stroll, chatting idly, while Hinata followed, carefully listening to Asuma's detailed explanations about form manipulation. Every word sparked inspiration within her.
…
That evening, after completing her assigned tasks, Hinata returned home and immediately began testing the concept of form transformation herself.
The first step was to concentrate chakra into her hands — simple enough, as the Gentle Fist already required precise chakra control. The challenge came in the next stage: maintaining that control while compressing and shaping chakra into a physical form.
To materialize something intangible like chakra required not only immense chakra reserves but also extraordinary precision.
Hinata consulted her father, and later discussed it with Neji. Through their combined insight and her relentless experimentation, by the time the D-rank mission quota was nearly complete — the prototype of a new technique had begun to take shape.
It was…
…
"Graceful Steps: Twin Lion Fists!"
At the training ground, Hinata gathered an immense amount of chakra into her hands, infusing it with precise shape transformation. Two chakra lions—each half her size—slowly took form around her fists.
The twin lions roared in silence, the violent surge of chakra rippling outward in waves. The shockwave swept through the clearing, and Hiashi and Neji, who stood observing from a distance, were the first to feel the oppressive pressure.
Beads of sweat rolled down Hinata's forehead. Her vision blurred as exhaustion set in. She leapt into the air and drove her fists into the ground—
BOOM—!
The spot where the lion heads struck crumbled instantly, the earth tearing apart as if made of paper.
Amid the explosion, Hinata was thrown backward by the blast. She twisted midair, performed a somersault, and landed gracefully on her feet.
When the smoke cleared, a crater about five meters wide and a meter deep appeared before them.
Hiashi instinctively raised a hand to cover his mouth, stifling the gasp that almost escaped. Even now, he reminded himself to maintain the dignity of the clan head in front of his daughter.
Neji, less restrained, exclaimed in admiration, "Congratulations, Hinata-sama!"
Hinata smiled faintly, wiping sweat from her brow. "It's not finished yet. If I could release it from a distance, the effect would be even better."
High-density chakra compression—if detonated—could produce catastrophic power. But the challenge was in its execution. The chakra was concentrated in her own hands. How could she detonate it without destroying herself?
Her thoughts drifted to the Tailed Beast Ball, another form of high-density chakra compression, only using the chakra of a Tailed Beast instead of her own.
But Hinata couldn't help feeling frustrated. Many days had passed, and even accounting for the time difference between her personal training space and reality, she still couldn't discern the balance between Yin and Yang within the Ten-Tails' chakra.
The more she tried to comprehend it, the more it eluded her. The chakra of the Ten-Tails was paradoxical—infinitely vast yet eerily hollow, encompassing everything while simultaneously being void of all substance. It was a contradiction that left her stuck at a crucial point with no progress in sight.
"Father, Neji-nii," she said softly, "please go ahead. I'd like to stay and train a little longer."
A sudden idea flashed through her mind. What if I infused the Ten-Tails' chakra into the Gentle Step Twin Lion Fist?
But she quickly dismissed it—for now. It was too dangerous until her technique was fully perfected.
The foundational form of the Gentle Step Twin Lion Fist was complete. What remained was refinement through repetition and mastery.
Hinata's plan was straightforward: complete Tsunade's mission quota as quickly as possible to qualify for Jonin promotion.
At the same time, she continued her study of the Ten-Tails' chakra, striving to distinguish Yin from Yang, practicing sealing arts, and perfecting the Twin Lion Fist. As for physical conditioning—it had already become instinctive to her; she no longer needed to think about it.