Splash—
Water gushed from the faucet into Hinata's cupped hands.
Bubbles frothed as she frantically splashed her face, the icy water cooling her burning skin. Slowly, the fear in her chest faded, and her breathing steadied.
She lifted her head.
In the mirror above the sink, her reflection stared back—drenched blue hair tangled, all traces of the Hyūga clan's noble grace gone. Her already pale face looked ghostly under the water's chill, her eyes bloodshot, lips bitten blue. She was a mess.
A shiver ran down her spine.
Hikari's existence weighed on her like a boulder.
Suffocating.
The loss of her Byakugan, the grotesque alterations to her body…
As the Hyūga clan heir, she should have reported Hikari's secrets to her family. But her own weakness held her back.
She knew it was wrong. Yet she couldn't overcome her flaws.
Hinata hated her own incompetence.
Her father's disappointed gaze and Hikari's cold sneer flashed in her mind, warring between duty and fear, leaving her paralyzed.
Hiss—
A strange noise cut through her thoughts—like something scraping against the floor.
Hinata whirled around, Byakugan flaring.
But there was nothing.
No movement. No sound.
Was I imagining things?
Just as she turned back—
Snap!
A massive, translucent serpent lunged, jaws unhinging as it swallowed her head whole.
"Mmph—! Gglk—!"
The scream died in her throat. Water flooded her mouth, her vision blurred by the serpent's transparent body. But the liquid crushing her windpipe was all too real.
Gulp.
The snake's coils tightened, dragging her deeper, squeezing the air from her lungs.
"Nngh… Nn…!"
Her Byakugan bulged, limbs thrashing. Pain and suffocation sent her pulse skyrocketing—blood rushed to her brain, terror peaking.
Then—
Crack.
A sound from above.
Her bloodshot eyes jerked upward.
A vast, glistening spiderweb spanned the ceiling.
At its center—
A monstrosity perched, eight limbs splayed. Its humanoid torso twisted unnaturally, exoskeletal appendages jutting from its waist. The face—once beautiful—split open, revealing layered mandibles, rows of needle-like teeth glistening.
Drip. Drip.
Tears spilled from Hinata's eyes.
Her legs gave out. A warm trickle ran down her thighs, the sharp scent of urine filling the room.
Hikari crawled down, savoring Hinata's trembling horror.
With a thought, the water serpent squeezed.
"Ghk—!"
Hinata writhed, pain silencing her. She couldn't even faint—only stare helplessly at the abomination above.
Crreeak.
Hikari's mandibles parted, her voice a metallic rasp:
"Make a sound, and I'll eat you alive."
"Nn!"
Hinata nodded violently, tears streaming.
The serpent loosened just enough for a gasping breath.
"Hah—! C-Cough…! P-Please… d-don't…!"
She barely registered her own pleading. Her mind was breaking.
Hikari smirked.
Good.
She'd dug deep into memories of horror films for this performance. Even she found her current form unsettling—let alone timid little Hinata.
Her Byakugan scanned the area. She had to finish this before someone came.
"No excuses. Answer me."
"Nn…"
Hinata squeezed her eyes shut, compliant to a fault.
"When did you find out?"
"D-During your fight… with Fūma-sensei… I-I didn't mean to…!"
"Who else knows?"
"N-No one…!"
Crick.
Hikari's head rotated 360 degrees, her bandaged gaze locking onto Hinata's Byakugan:
"Liar."
"I-I'm not! I swear!" Hinata flinched, eyes snapping shut again.
"Then why stay silent?"
"I—I was scared! P-Please… I w-won't tell anyone! Don't eat me…!"
Hikari felt no pity.
If not for Hinata's status, she'd have strangled her already and taken those pristine Byakugan. But alive, she had uses.
"Open your mouth."
Trembling, Hinata obeyed.
Snap.
Hikari's fingertip split open, a bloodied bone shard pushing through.
"Swallow it."
"W-What is—?"
"Now."
Gulp.
Hinata choked it down, gagging as the jagged piece scraped her throat.
"From now on, you're my puppet." Hikari's finger regenerated, flesh knitting over new bone. "Betray me, and your own skeleton will tear its way out. Trust me—it'll be artistic."
"I-I won't…!"
Hinata shook like a leaf, any resistance crushed.
"Your first task." Hikari leaned in. "Teach me the Hyūga's Eight Trigrams Palms."
"I c-can't—!"
Leaking clan secrets? Unthinkable.
"Then you'd rather die?"
"Nn…!"
Tears fell. She was trapped.
Hikari eased back. Even rabbits bite when cornered.
"Do this," she whispered, "and I'll remove the bone. No one will ever know. You'll remain the perfect Hyūga heiress."
A devil's bargain.
The bone wasn't lethal—but the secret would bind Hinata forever.
(◕‿◕)