A wave of imposing pressure suddenly burst forth from Hyuga Sougen, making Hyuga Shichiya feel breathless and his heart pound with anxiety.
Shichiya, bearing the weight of the pressure, felt his body become heavy, and cold sweat dripped from his temples.
He seemed to smell the pungent scent of blood and hear countless cries of battle...
"This is the power of a warrior who lived through the Warring States Period...?"
"Just the pressure alone is enough to make me unable to move..."
Hyuga Shichiya suddenly understood what it truly meant to have a presence as imposing as a mountain!
No matter how grand or eloquent the words, they couldn't compare to the impact of experiencing it firsthand.
At the same time, Shichiya's arrogant heart was instantly chilled like a bucket of cold water, making him snap out of his daze.
With the "Deduction System" as his cheat code, mastering extraordinary power, and his own efforts, his strength far surpassed his peers, earning him the title of genius.
Even with an adult's mind, Shichiya had grown somewhat arrogant over time.
However, Hyuga Sougen's sudden burst of pressure instantly shattered his pride.
Born in a time of peace, he had never experienced such a fierce, dense aura...!
"Uncle...?"
Shichiya clenched his fists against the wooden board.
His bent back straightened inch by inch.
Hyuga Sougen stared at Shichiya impassively, a flicker of satisfaction appearing in the depths of his eyes, but it quickly disappeared.
He said coldly, "Shichiya, you've grown complacent!"
"You've only been training for a few years, how much do you truly understand about the intricacies of the Gentle Fist?"
"The Gentle Fist, like the Byakugan, is the foundation of our Hyuga clan. During the tumultuous Warring States Period, these two were our lifeline, the foundation of the Hyuga's survival..."
"What swordsmanship, what martial arts? Only the Gentle Fist is truly suited for the Hyuga clan!~"
After finishing, Hyuga Sougen withdrew his pressure, allowing Shichiya to breathe a sigh of relief.
Hyuga Sougen clearly had a strong sense of family honor.
Listening to his firm words, Shichiya remained silent, but he didn't immediately refute... It wasn't because he was afraid of his uncle's pressure again, but because he wanted to respect the elder's perspective...
People get old, they tend to be conservative and stubborn.
However, Hyuga Sougen, a veteran of many battles, could see Shichiya's unconvinced attitude.
"Humph!~"
"You think using a sword or a blade increases your attack range? In actual combat, it's definitely not as effective as the Gentle Fist!"
Seeing that Hyuga Sougen seemed ready to engage in a discussion, Shichiya cautiously spoke.
"But... If I can hit my opponent with the Gentle Fist, wouldn't a sword allow me to directly pierce them or cut their throat?"
Hyuga Sougen scoffed, "A throat cut?"
"Anyone can spout empty boasts. You think a throat cut is that simple?"
"When ninjas fight, they protect their vital points, especially their throats!"
"To achieve a clean throat cut, your swordsmanship must far surpass your opponent's..."
"Even the Mist's Silent Killing Technique primarily targets the body's torso..."
"Besides, what do you think ninjas are? They die after being stabbed?"
"As long as it's not a vital point, they can endure the pain and grab your blade for a counter-attack..."
"But the Gentle Fist is different!~"
Hyuga Sougen's expression turned solemn and confident.
"It can disrupt the opponent's internal chakra flow, disrupting and interrupting its circulation..."
"Moreover, it's effective on all parts of the opponent's body..."
"In other words, as long as we hit them once, the opponent's coordination and strength output will be immediately affected. From there, whether we capture, restrain, or kill them... it's entirely up to us."
"It's even more flexible in everyday missions..."
Hyuga Sougen was speaking from his lifetime of experience. Normally, he was right. However, the prerequisite was that the opponent wasn't a Tailed Beast Jinchūriki or someone with immense chakra reserves. Otherwise, they could simply rely on their chakra burst to break free from the Gentle Fist's acupoint seals.
Shichiya asked again, "What if I wear gloves made of chakra metal, with a very sharp point, and stab someone to death? Even if they don't die, their acupoints will be sealed, right?"
Sougen stared at Shichiya and said, "Do you know how expensive chakra metal is?"
Shichiya smiled, "Of course I know chakra metal is precious. This is just a hypothetical scenario, isn't it?"
Shichiya didn't know how chakra metal was mined, but as the son of the Hokage, a high-ranking Jonin, Asuma's family should have a decent fortune, but he only had "Flying Swallow", his knuckle-duster short blade... it's really short!
Sougen sternly admonished, "Don't be fixated on external objects. Focus on honing your Gentle Fist skills first and foremost."
Shichiya said, "I understand, Uncle."
But in his heart, he knew.
Theoretically, it's possible.
…………
Back in his own courtyard, after completing his daily training in the "Zhou Tian Breathing Method," Shichiya called out,
"Qingniao!"
With a "chirp, chirp," a bird the size of an adult fist landed, its species unknown, but its colors were bright and its body graceful.
The bird nuzzled against Shichiya's palm, showing affection.
It was originally a common bird, but it had been injured once and rescued by Shichiya. After healing, it stayed with him.
It was very intelligent, and Shichiya had kept it for entertainment and companionship, naming it Qingniao.
A light blue chakra glow appeared in his palm, and Qingniao stretched its wings contentedly, chirping happily, "Chirp, chirp..."
Shichiya was refining its bird body with chakra.
This was a technique he had found in the library, a description of the Inuzuka clan's method for training their ninja dogs, which he had adapted for Qingniao.
"Qingniao, when will you learn to speak...? "
"Chirp, chirp..."