NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16: Future Paths For Strength Growth
Nevertheless, Hikari's thoughts eventually returned to the immediate reality. All those grand ideas about reaching unprecedented levels of power and unveiling the secrets of this world meant nothing to him now.
Right now, he was barely more than a 'powerful baby' in this world, with his fate soon to be deliberated at the Hyuga Council meeting the next morning, so he had no luxury to think about anything else anymore.
At this juncture, he had virtually no power to influence whatever decisions were to be made about him.
He was just grateful that if tomorrow's meeting's outcome turned positive, he would truly feel like he had a very lucky transmigration compared to the 99% of other possibilities.
With a deep sigh, Hikari remained on the traditional Hyuga wooden plank, gazing out into the surreal landscape of the night, contemplating his next moves and the immediate future that awaited him.
'Knowledge means progress. I need to always be learning more in order to keep advancing 'levels'. The information Takumi gave me will soon not be enough after I've gone through it.',
'But, if that meeting goes well, he's likely to keep providing me with even more information in the future. Unfortunately, the Hyuga clan doesn't have something akin to a shared library...',
'Instead, each Main Lineage keeps its collection, probably filled with a lot of the same information and techniques. Considering the clan has been around for nearly a thousand years, it would make sense for knowledge to have spread easily by now alongside some unique stuff. My own lineage's inheritance is, however, not in my hands...', Hikari thought.
Gazing at the grand Hokage rock in the distance, illuminated by night, Hikari pondered his situation, 'Thinking about going to and trying to learn something at the Ninja Academy...',
'Well, I'm not out of my mind...', He reflected silently, 'How can a place that's only been around for a few decades stand up to the thousand years of knowledge our clan has built?',
'The majority of our elders were older than that institution. For civilians, Konoha's Academy might be the only way out, but for us clan kids, it's not really about learning. It's all about political games and making connections. Most clan heirs don't go there at all. At most, only a few selected ones go there every year out of the total pool for political reasons and to give a little 'face' to the Hokage.',
He continued his thought, 'However, I'd be foolish to try and sign up there now, especially after my parents already did what they did. Signing up for the Academy might as well be signing my death certificate...', This thought lingered in Hikari's mind as he took in the sight of the Hokage rock.
'Still, with Konoha's civilian population vastly outnumbering those of the clans, in theory, the Ninja Academy should excel in teaching various civilian subjects like geography, history, maths, and others...', Hikari considered, his eyes still fixed on the distant Hokage rock.
'It's a pity, though, that we don't live in a world where those civilian topics hold the upper hand. Instead, power and strength dictate the order of things. And when it comes to that, the clans are unmatched. And those civilian subjects taught at the Ninja Academy, I probably have tens of times better grasp due to my previous life on Earth and modern education...',
'As for the practical skills they teach at the Academy, it's pretty much just some basic taijutsu moves and how to break out of simple genjutsu. Then there are those three 'crappy' E-level, 'optical-illusion', and ninjutsu techniques: Clone, Transformation, and Substitution. They're only useful if you aim to be cannon fodder in battle, sacrificing your life for Konoha, at best.',
'Not many in the Hyuga clan waste their time on such basics. And when it comes to nature transformation techniques, dreaming about learning those at the Academy is just that—a dream. After all, if such advanced skills were taught openly, how could Hiruzen use the promise of teaching higher-level jutsu as leverage to coerce you into taking on missions?',
'Offering those C-rank techniques as rewards for risking your life is part of how he keeps shinobi in line...', Hikari thought, his critique of the Academy's curriculum reflecting a deeper understanding of the village's dynamics and the manipulation at play within its leadership.
'Well, I guess they do teach some basics like kunai and shuriken throwing, and how to use ninja tools, which isn't totally useless...', Hikari thought, 'But, how much money do regular folks actually have to keep buying things like smoke bombs, and especially those fuinjutsu-created explosive tags? Those are things also reserved for clan shinobi to use again as well.',
'Plus, even sword fighting, or kenjutsu, is also pretty much reserved only for ninja clans. I remember Hayate, Gekko, and the Uchiha shinobi families. They are all top-notch with swords. Getting good at using a sword isn't easy; it takes learning from generations of family know-how. And wire strings? Who was famous for using those again? Right, Sasuke Uchiha.',
'We Hyuga clan also have our favorite weapons, which are arrows, used mostly by some auxiliary members of our clan...', Hikari also totally discarded this to use weapons to improve his strength at this time. After all, he is not Hatake, then maybe he would've considered it.
'And things don't get any better after graduation, sadly for Konoha's civilian-born Hiruzen's fodder. Landing a Jonin instructor like the Konoha 12 did is more of a fairy tale than reality. Unless you come from a prominent background, which around 95% of Academy goers don't, in my estimates...',
'Then your 'instructor'—or better said, 'team leader'—is likely just a Chunin who got slightly luckier than the rest. Getting someone capable of teaching you something valuable? That's down to sheer luck and fate by then...', Hikari's thoughts trailed off, filled with skepticism.
He pondered how the original author of this world managed to depict such stark inequalities in an extremely idealistic narrative, presenting it as if it were a fairy tale when the real state was far from it.
To make things even more laughable and ironic, those talented or well-off kids from the Konoha 12, wearing their flashy outfits with colorful appearances, got to hang out in a fancy, modern building right in the center of the village, close to where the Hokage works.
Meanwhile, Hikari had now come to realize a much grimmer truth that wasn't shown in the story everyone knew. All around Konoha, there were loads of smaller, shabbier places called just 'teaching facilities'.
These were hidden away in less noticeable parts of the village. They were nothing like the fancy central building and were where thousands of ordinary village kids were trained. These kids were pretty much just being prepared to be used up in battles for the sake of Konoha's higher-ups. Forgotten by nearly everyone, their stories were never told in the main series.
'Let's not dwell on that anymore. I need to think about what I'm going to do in the near future, on top of my current training, to become as strong as possible, fast. And I need to figure out which skills I should focus on getting next... I hope my Byakugan unlocks some more powerful 'extra 'ability down the line, especially after all my training with it. It's supposed to be pretty 'pure', definitely more so than Hinata's or Neji's, by all accounts.',
'And those full Otsutsuki members in the original stories had way more powerful tricks up their sleeves with their Byakugan, like Kaguya, who could even read minds. Seems like the Hyuga clan's genetics have gotten pretty diluted over time...', Hikari thought as he stood up to walk his courtyard to think better and stimulate his brain growth factors more.
"Secondly, it's a big advantage that I've got access to all these original Hyuga techniques, assuming everything goes according to plan. And having an Elite Jonin to personally guide me for the next few years? That's invaluable. I won't have to start from scratch, trying to invent new ninjutsu on my own, learning only from my trials and errors, which could take decades.",
The night enveloped him, the moon casting long shadows that danced across the ground with his every step. The traditional Hyuga architecture surrounding him, with its elegant lines and serene beauty, contrasted with the storm of ambition and determination brewing within.
'It's a shame I don't have any Yin Release jutsu to experiment with right now. The more I could connect with the Yin Release itself, and become familiar and skilled in it, the better I might be able to enhance my dojutsu abilities. That's another thing that'll have to wait. I guess it'll be a few years at the earliest before I can even start to learn those advanced genjutsu techniques from the Main Branch.',
The stillness of the night seemed to reflect his moment of contemplation, a silent partner to his aspirations and frustrations. The moon overhead, partially hidden by passing clouds, cast a dim light over the courtyard, adding to the ambiance of anticipation and the longing for growth.
'The idea of trying to open the Eight Inner Gates using my Byakugan's internal vision and Gentle Fist is just ridiculous, something that netizens from my past life came up with...',
'Honestly, if it was such a great and smart move, you'd think someone from the Hyuga clan would have already done it. And if it worked, the whole clan would be using it by now, maybe even taking over Konoha or something.
'However, it doesn't fit with Gentle Fist at all; it's much more suited to Strong Fist, just like Tsunade's 'Chakra Enhancement', for example, which was even less suited. Plus, we Hyugas just don't have the physical resilience needed to handle that kind of strain for useful durations during longer periods of time.',
'We inherited our 'eyes' from Hamura, not his incredible 'body.' The Senju clan, with their robust physiques, would be a lot better match for something like the Eight Gates. Might Duy and Might Guy, though, were exceptions with their extraordinarily tough bodies, which is why they could master such a technique out of tens of thousands of shinobi in Konoha's history.',
His steps were measured, a physical manifestation of his inner contemplation, as he moved with the grace and precision characteristic of a Hyuga. Each step was deliberate, echoing softly against the stone pathway that wound through the carefully manicured garden. The occasional rustle of leaves in the gentle night breeze was the only sound that accompanied his solitary figure.
'Medical jutsu is definitely on my list of things to learn in the coming years. It's probably one of the most useful skills you can have in this world. Luckily, there are plenty of high-level medical experts right here in the compound, and thanks to my status, learning from them shouldn't be too difficult.',
'Then there's fuinjutsu. I've got a feeling that's going to be incredibly useful to me later on, so I should start diving into that sooner rather than later, also in a few years. The clan should have a few experts in that area as well...',
'Regarding ninjutsu... That should also be considered only after I've mastered the Gentle Fist techniques up to a certain level. Initially, I should follow my innate chakra affinity attributes and learn techniques suited to them...',
'Accomplishing that from within the clan won't be difficult. However, everything I've thought of so far requires gradually gaining more and more approval from the Main Branch. So, nothing will happen quickly and easily, I need to fight hard...',
As Hikari reflected on the path ahead, he understood the challenges of gaining the Main Branch's recognition and approval. The beginning of that would be tomorrow.
Everything would become clearer for Hikari tomorrow after the Hyuga Council meeting, during which his fate would be decided. With these thoughts heavy on his mind, he realized that there was little more he could do tonight. So, deciding to call it a night, he made his way back to his room from the tranquil courtyard that had been his companion in contemplation.