"W-Waaah—I promise—!"
In the end, Hinata gave in.
Bound tightly by the water serpent's crushing coils, the frail girl had no strength to resist.
As the pressure intensified, her face turned blue, her Byakugan bulging from the strain. With death looming inches away, the terrified young Hinata sobbed out the secrets of the Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Palms.
Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Palms
A Kekkei Genkai-level taijutsu developed by the Hyūga Clan, built upon the Byakugan's supreme perception and precise chakra control.
The Eight Trigrams Palms is divided into two main branches:
Yin (陰): Techniques for close combat, targeting taijutsu specialists. Includes Gentle Fist: Sixty-Four Palms, Twin Lion Fists, and chakra-point strikes. Yang (陽): Techniques for mid-to-long range, countering ninjutsu users. Includes Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, Rotation (Hakkeshō Kaiten), and Mountain Crusher.
Gentle Fist: Sixty-Four Palms
The user channels chakra into their hand's tenketsu but holds it back, unleashing it only upon contact with the enemy's body. The chakra then surges into the opponent's pressure points and organs, destroying their internal structure.
This technique is ruthless—since all ninja rely on chakra flow, a single hit can completely disable them. Worse, the damage targets meridians and internal organs, making recovery nearly impossible without specialized medical ninjutsu.
The Byakugan's Role
The Hyūga Clan possesses 128 training diagrams, meticulously crafted by past masters using the Byakugan's X-ray vision. Each diagram maps every possible weakness in human movement.
By memorizing these patterns, a Hyūga can predict an enemy's openings mid-combat. Once the opponent's stance matches a diagram, the user strikes without fail, chaining attacks until the victim's organs and chakra network are shredded.
Rotation (Kaiten) & Vacuum Palm
Unlike the Gentle Fist, these techniques compress chakra and release it explosively—either in a spinning shield (Kaiten) or a long-range blast (Vacuum Palm). Neither requires hand seals, making them instantaneous and devastating against ninjutsu users.
The Hyūga's Near-Perfect Combat System
Byakugan's 360° vision counters ambushes. Gentle Fist dismantles taijutsu fighters. Rotation/Vacuum Palm shuts down ninjutsu. Byakugan's innate resistance to genjutsu seals the deal.
The Hyūga Clan has no natural counter. The only way to defeat them is overwhelming brute force.
Hikari's Thoughts
At first, Hikari was thrilled by Hinata's description—until she realized the girl hadn't even mastered the basics.
"Pathetic."
The Eight Trigrams Palms, Hikari deduced, was a simplified version of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's techniques:
Yin (Gentle Fist) mirrors Hair Needles (Rabbit Hair Projectiles). Yang (Vacuum Palm/Rotation) mirrors Eighty Gods Vacuum Fists.
The Hyūga's techniques were designed to counter the strongest clans:
Yang-based attacks for Uchiha (Susano'o) and Tailed Beasts. Yin-based organ destruction for Senju/Uzumaki regeneration.
"C-Can I go now?" Hinata sniffled.
"Before school ends, write down the full training method for the Eight Trigrams Palms and give it to me."
Tears wouldn't save her. Hikari needed proof of Hinata's betrayal—her handwriting would be undeniable evidence.
With threats, coercion, and blackmail in place, Hinata was no longer a threat—but a tool for Hikari to exploit the Hyūga's resources.
"Understood—"
*"Say 'Yes'!"*
"Y-Yes!"
Hinata straightened her posture, her obedience growing.
The Next Target: Neji
Hikari knew she couldn't rely on luck twice. Neji Hyūga, the genius of the Branch Family, was a bigger risk—his Byakugan could expose her at any moment.
But killing him was too messy. Instead, Hikari saw an opportunity.
Neji, trapped by the Caged Bird Seal, was a natural ally. If she could control both Hinata (Main Family) and Neji (Branch Family), she'd rule the Hyūga from the shadows.
Unlike Hinata, Neji had pride. Force wouldn't work—she needed a different approach.
By the time she slipped out of the academy, Hikari had already formed a new plan.