The file started like the others, and read entirely like the others, which was sowhat strange. I assud this file was made by the clan, for the clan, yet so of it seed almost… foreign. Like soone else put it together.
But surely that wasn't right? So maybe the file was also ant for soone else?
Because other than the basic stuff, such as my na, my age, my role?
Which was already strange, but yes, I am a sensor, that cos with being part of the Hyūga Clan. Is it really necessary to ntion that?
Again, Close-Quarters Specialist, yes, I am a Hyūga, so I use the gentle fist. Does that need to be ntioned?
Then, skills, which may be the most useless part of the entire file.
Skills:
Byakugan: 360-degree vision, long-distance chakra detection, and unparalleled precision in close combat.
Gentle Fist: Devastating chakra strikes, capable of disabling an opponent's chakra network with a single touch.
Advanced Chakra Control: High-speed combat, perfect chakra control, and precise targeting of tenketsu.
…
That's just saying I'm a Hyūga ninja… like what? Who made this?
I understood it for the others. That their files were ant to give a basic idea of what they could do, but my file? Why was it needed there?
It just listed out the general skills of any Hyūga, nothing of it scread , no ntion of my mastery of the advanced techniques, of my self-made moves, or even shadow clones.
It held no real information about other than my na and age.
The next parts did seem to be about . The notable traits were flattering.
Intelligent, disciplined, and highly ambitious. Known for her sharp mind and unyielding focus. Considered one of the most promising young mbers of the Hyūga Clan.
Now that fits .
But then ca stuff like.
Highly motivated, with a reputation for being ruthlessly efficient in combat. Known to be fiercely loyal to the clan, but also has a tendency to act independently when she deems it necessary. Has demonstrated a deep understanding of both combat tactics and clan politics, making her a potential future leader.
Parts seed to indicate that this was made by soone without firsthand knowledge of .
A reputation for ruthless efficiency? A reputation? Who gave that? And why rely on such things?
It really made question who made this file, because it seed too vague to be the clan, but surely it wasn't the village.
So was there so third party doing it?
In that case, who?
I knew that the Bingo Book was maintained by the great villages and a third party, which acted like a neutral party, collecting the village's own lists and the black-market information and wrapping them in one package.
They shouldn't have the ability to gather their own info, so was this information what was ant for them? Sothing vague and useless?
The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. If the clan had just gathered that information and added a bit of its own, then that could have explained my strange feeling about it.
With this new perspective I looked at the file again, this ti not as what the clan saw, but what they wanted the world to see.
Everything here is easily discoverable by anyone who wants to know, so there is no reason to keep it hidden. And the most flattering thing is that the clan is showing off a highly talented young shinobi.
Doing so before I reached the elite level would indeed just put a target on my back, but now? It was not easy to assassinate an elite Hyūga.
Not to ntion that since I wasn't part of the main family, I wouldn't have been worthy of attention before reaching that level either.
Showing off the future generation's strength was an old tactic. Even in this age of villages, it was still used, as the Chuunin exams were based on this principle.
Showing strength to deter others from testing you.
Shinobi had always been about mixing truth and lies, never letting anyone know if you were bluffing or not.
I glanced at the stack of scrolls beside , the neat, orderly rolls of parchnt that contained the carefully curated records of my new team. I wonder... have they done the sa with my teammates? Are these files truly accurate, or just another layer of misdirection ant to deceive any potential enemies?
The thought lingered in my mind, a small, nagging suspicion that I would have to address once we left the safety of the clan compound. I may have to keep a close eye on my new teammates, test their skills for myself, and see if they truly lived up to the descriptions in their files.
Yes, I thought, rising to my feet and stretching my arms above my head, feeling the familiar, comforting ache of my well-trained muscles. I knew Koji, I knew his strength, so I knew I could thrust him, but I would have to test the others.
-----
I had taken the liberty of getting the team together a day earlier than when we were supposed to set out, just to get a feel for them.
We t at one of the larger outdoor training grounds on the edge of the Hyūga compound, a wide, open space ringed by tall, thick trees. Their dense, twisted branches cast long, shifting shadows across the hard-packed earth below.
The air was crisp and cool, tinged with the faint, sharp scent of pine and freshly disturbed earth. The distant call of birds echoing softly through the thick forest canopy overhead.
It was a far cry from the polished wooden floors or hard-packed sand I usually trained on inside the compound itself.
This was a place ant for real combat, where ninjutsu and taijutsu could be tested without the risk of burning down the clan's polished wooden halls.
Those were fine for training and sparing with the Gentle Fist, but once ninjutsu started entering the fray, you needed sothing that wouldn't have to be repaired once damaged, or which could be fixed with a simple earth-style ninjutsu.
From my place atop a large tree, I watched as the first person of the team arrived.
Koji, a familiar face.
He moved with the loose, confident stride of a predator, his sharp eyes sweeping over the rocky, uneven terrain as he stepped into the clearing, his dark, sleeveless jacket swaying lightly around his lean, powerful fra.
He was taller than I rembered, his shoulders broader. His hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, the dark strands catching the faint, shifting sunlight that filtered through the dense canopy overhead.
His face had grown more defined, and the red fang-like clan tattoos stood out against his otherwise tanned skin. So very different from the far more fair and pale skin common among the Hyūga Clan.
Beside him, Kuro padded silently, his long, sleek fur glistening in the morning light, the powerful muscles beneath his dark, midnight-black coat rippling with every slow, deliberate step.
His eyes were sharp and intelligent, not a re dumb dog. The Inuzuka's companions had co a long way since I first saw the birth of their clan.
Koji ca to a stop in the center of the clearing, his predatory, golden-brown eyes flicking around the periter of the training ground before settling on my position in the branches above.
He tilted his head slightly, a faint, wolfish grin tugging at the corners of his lips as he crossed his arms over his chest. His head cocked slightly to one side, as if he were already sizing up.
There was no hiding from him and Kuro, at least not without much effort, effort I hadn't put in, so they sniffed out easily enough.
Then, he just disappeared. Or so it might look like, but with my Byakugan active, nothing he did was hidden from . He just moved quickly and appeared on a branch next to . "Hey there, Yuki," he greeted with a confident grin on his face.
Very classic Inuzuka behaviour. Always cocky and confidant, very much alpha behaviour.
"So, what do you call a Kuro out for? Not that I isn't happy to see you, you really saved us the last ti, but given you had us et here, I doubt it's for a al and a chat."
I t Koji's eyes with a slight smirk, leaning back against the tree's thick trunk as I crossed my arms over my chest, my long, snow white hair swaying gently in the cool morning breeze.
"You're right," I replied, my tone light but edged with purpose. "I didn't drag you and Kuro out here just for a friendly chat. We've been assigned to the sa mission again, and I thought it would be wise for us to get a feel for our new teammates before we head out."
Koji's grin widened, his wolf-like eyes narrowing slightly as he leaned in a bit closer, his breath warm against my ear as he whispered, "So, you want to test them? See if they can keep up with us?"
I let out a soft, amused huff, tilting my head slightly as I t his gaze. "Exactly. I know what you can do, Koji. I know I can rely on you and Kuro. But the others? I've only seen what their files say, and paper doesn't bleed."
Koji chuckled as he straightened, his sharp eyes flicking back to the clearing below. "Fair enough," he said, his tone light but tinged with a faint, predatory edge. "So, what's the plan?"
"I was thinking we team up," I said, casting a sidelong glance at Koji as I leapt down from the branch, landing lightly on the hard-packed earth below, the rough, cracked surface barely stirring beneath my feet. "You and , against the two of them."
Koji's grin sharpened, his eyes shining with a faint, wolfish light as he dropped down beside , his long, powerful limbs absorbing the impact with practiced ease. "You want to see how they handle a bit of pressure, huh?" he said, his voice low and rough; he sounded eager like a born predator.
I allowed a small, satisfied smile to curve my lips. "Exactly. I want to see how they think, how they move, how they react under pressure. And what better way to test that than a bit of friendly competition?"
Koji let out another deep, rumbling chuckle as he reached down to scratch behind Kuro's ears. The massive, black ninken let out a low, approving growl as it leaned into his touch, its long, bushy tail swishing slowly back and forth, expressing his joy.
"Alright, Yuki," he said as he straightened, rolling his broad shoulders with a faint, satisfied crack of muscle and bone. "Let's see what these two can really do."
I nodded, my eyes flicking briefly to the tree line at the far end of the training ground, my Byakugan allowed to see two n with a good amount of chakra approach.
"Here they co," I said. "Let's make this interesting."
Koji's grin widened, and he cracked his knuckles as he settled into a predatory stance beside , tensing in anticipation of the coming battle.
"Alright, Yuki," he growled eagerly. "Let's show them what real shinobi can do."
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