Straight out I been pretty free lately and been smoking a bunch of weed… I suddenly gained hella motivation to write but lowkey tweaking 😭 I been staring at the screen the past 20m and all I see is 1.6k words written down I don even remember writing this but I did it and even edited it with ai and edited it again… somehow.
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# **Chapter 10: A Game of Power**
### **Hyūga—Clan Head's House**
The **Hyūga Clan's** private training grounds were silent, save for the faint rustle of leaves and the sharp **crack** of chakra-infused strikes. Two figures moved with precise coordination, exchanging blows in perfect rhythm—one a **seasoned master**, the other a **prodigy in the making**.
Both combatants had their **Byakugan** fully activated, their pale eyes locked onto each other, analyzing the slightest muscle twitch, the most minuscule shifts in stance.
Hiashi struck first.
**"Eight Trigrams, Thirty-Two Palms!"**
Jiyū **matched him**, smoothly weaving between the onslaught, his movements crisp but measured. **Defensive. Testing.**
His uncle was fast, but Jiyū had been faster before. Hiashi had clearly adjusted, but even then, **this wasn't a fight he was going all out in**.
Hiashi's strikes stopped abruptly as he **shifted stances**, his chakra surging. The very air around them grew dense.
**"Eight Trigrams, Sixty-Four Palms!"**
Jiyū tensed. He could already **see the pattern** unfolding before him—the precise angles, the openings created between attacks, the rhythm Hiashi followed. The logical next step was **to counterattack**.
He didn't.
Instead, he **redirected a two-fingered strike** aimed at his neck, smoothly transitioning to an **open-palm counter** aimed at Hiashi's ribs—before stopping just short of landing the blow.
A pause. A hesitation.
Jiyū felt it before he even acknowledged it.
Clicking his tongue, he quickly **pushed chakra into his feet**, launching himself backward before Hiashi could exploit the momentary lapse.
Hiashi let his stance drop, exhaling as he straightened. **"Your control has improved."** His tone was neutral, but Jiyū could hear the slight **approval** beneath it.
Jiyū just nodded, offering a shallow bow before turning to leave. **He had nothing to say.**
Hiashi's sharp gaze lingered on him. His nephew's cold demeanor was concerning. He'd have to have a talk with his brother later about teaching the boy proper etiquette and respect.
Jiyū, however, was already gone, steps **unhurried** as he left the compound.
---
Jiyū **wandered aimlessly** through Konoha, barely paying attention to the lively marketplace and the occasional glances sent his way.
He could already hear the whispers.
*"That's the Hyūga prodigy, right?"*
*"The one with the Kaguya blood?"*
*"They say he mastered Gentle Fist before ten—"*
It was always the same. The clan had spent **years** turning his name into something grand, carefully **crafting the image of a rising genius**. A prodigy. A weapon. A **future legend**.
Jiyū wasn't particularly interested in any of that.
His stomach, however, had other priorities.
**Gurgle.**
Jiyū sighed. **'Alright, food first, existential crisis later.'**
He turned the nearest corner, heading straight for **Ichiraku Ramen**.
---
Sliding into the shop, Jiyū called out without much thought, **"Boss, menu."**
Two steps in—he **stopped**.
Sitting at the counter was a **small blond-haired child**, messily devouring a bowl of ramen. **Next to him—**
A **white-robed elder**, wearing the hat that **read "Fire."**
**Hiruzen Sarutobi.**
Jiyū **exhaled slowly**, forcing himself to **not** immediately turn around and leave. He bowed slightly, offering a polite smile. **"Lord Hokage."**
Hiruzen looked up, eyes **briefly glinting** with something unreadable before softening into a warm expression. **"Hoho~ Jiyū, no need for formality. I'm just out for a simple meal."**
**Sure.** A simple meal with **a bodyguard in the next building and a hidden ANBU unit on the rooftop.**
Jiyū didn't comment. He simply sat down, ignoring the way the blond kid beside him was **basically swimming in his ramen bowl**.
"Do you come here often, Lord Hokage?" he asked, mostly to avoid the awkward silence.
The old man chuckled. But Jiyū noticed the way **his eyes studied him**, the subtle flicker of chakra as if analyzing his reserves.
**'He's gauging me.'**
Hiruzen, ever the careful tactician, had obviously read through Jiyū's **family records**. The clan had made sure he was well-documented, especially with the **unusual mix of Kaguya and Hyūga lineage**.
Jiyū could already **guess the old man's thoughts**.
*"Potential anomaly. High-tier bloodline. Strategically valuable."*
He had seen **this look before**—from Hiashi, from the Hyūga elders. The gaze of someone wondering **how best to use him**.
Jiyū didn't let it show on his face.
Hiruzen chuckled again, leaning back. **"The village is built on the shoulders of the next generation. I simply guide the way."**
Jiyū **barely** stopped himself from rolling his eyes.
**'Right. The "Will of Fire." How could I forget.'**
He placed some money on the counter, preparing to leave before the conversation **inevitably** turned into a lecture.
He barely made it two steps.
**Smack.**
Jiyū looked down.
The **blond gremlin** was staring up at him, his tiny fists clenched. **"Hey! Stop ignoring me! I'm gonna be Hokage one day! Dattebayo!"**
Jiyū blinked once.
Then twice.
Then, without a word, he **turned around and sat back down**.
Hiruzen chuckled.
**"Jiyū-kun, before you go, play a round of shogi with me."**
Ah. So **this** was happening now.
Suppressing a sigh, Jiyū **resigned himself to his fate**.
---
### **[Shogi with a Pothead]**
"Naruto-kun," Hiruzen began, "this is **Hyūga Jiyū**. He is the cousin of Hinata and Hanabi—"
"Your eyes are like that girl's!" Naruto **blurted out mid-sentence**, pointing at Jiyū's face.
Jiyū didn't react.
"Yes, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen chuckled. "Jiyū here is part of the esteemed Hyūga Cl—"
"Lord Hokage," Jiyū interrupted, tone **flat**, "are we playing shogi or discussing my family tree?"
Hiruzen **laughed heartily**, his gaze twinkling with amusement.
Jiyū didn't buy it.
His entire existence was **a political tool**, and he knew it. The Hokage had **plans for him**, just as Hiashi did, just as the elders did.
Hiruzen reached into his robe, pulling out his **smoking pipe**.
Naruto wrinkled his nose. **"Old man, stop smoking in here! Your herbs smell like trash!"**
Jiyū didn't even flinch.
Hiruzen exhaled a slow cloud of smoke, looking completely unfazed. **"I'm the Hokage. I can do as I please."**
Jiyū hummed in **noncommittal agreement**, setting up his shogi pieces.
'Being ordered around by a pothead. What a life."
"Is it possible for a knight to become a king?"
Jiyū asked out of no where.
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow in intrigue.
As the board was set, Jiyū made the first move, shifting his knight forward.
Hiruzen smiled, stroking his beard, while ignoring Jiyū's absurd question. **"Hoho~ I'm not quite good at this game. I always seem to lose when I play against Shikaku."**
Jiyū didn't react to the attempt at small talk. Instead, he casually asked, **"Lord Hokage, can you give me your opinion on something?"**
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, curious and intrigued. **"Of course, Jiyū-kun. What is it?"**
Jiyū placed another piece down and spoke evenly. **"I want to study medical ninjutsu."**
The old Hokage's fingers briefly paused over a piece.
A seemingly simple statement—but loaded with implications.
Jiyū had expected the pause, expected the calculating gleam in Hiruzen's eyes as he quickly assessed what this meant. The **Hyūga Clan** had never prioritized medical ninjutsu. Their focus was on combat efficiency, precision, and superiority in battle.
A Hyūga choosing to pursue healing instead of destruction? That wasn't just unusual. It was a **direct contradiction** to how the clan functioned.
Hiruzen leaned back slightly, exhaling a soft breath. **"Hmm… an interesting path. What brought this about?"**
Jiyū moved his rook forward. **"A shinobi's greatest weakness is being unable to fight. But medical ninjutsu… it eliminates that weakness."**
He paused for a fraction of a second before continuing, voice calm. **"If I know how to heal, I can ensure I never stay down for long. That kind of knowledge has… strategic value."**
Hiruzen hummed, tapping his fingers against the table. **"Tsunade once said something similar in her youth."**
Jiyū **latched onto that immediately**. If he played this right…
"Then perhaps I should learn from her," he said smoothly.
Hiruzen let out a long, drawn-out sigh, shaking his head in an exaggerated, almost grandfatherly manner. **"Ah, but Tsunade is not in the village, and she has no intention of returning."**
**For now.**
Jiyū didn't press further. **He already knew the Hokage's game.**
If he could convince the Hokage to back his training in medical ninjutsu, the clan wouldn't dare outright refuse him. They wouldn't defy the Hokage's will, not openly.
More than that—this would put him **under Hiruzen's watch**, away from the Hyūga elders' direct influence.
Jiyū made his next move, capturing one of the Hokage's pieces.
"Lord Hokage," he said idly, "if medical ninjutsu were more integrated into our standard training, we wouldn't have to rely so much on field medics."
Hiruzen chuckled, shaking his head. **"Hohoho~ Jiyū, you truly are a tactician at heart."**
**Of course.** This wasn't just about learning how to heal—it was about leverage.
If he could get medical training sanctioned by the Hokage, he would gain something even more valuable than a new skill.
**Freedom.**
Hiruzen's eyes twinkled with interest, though he masked it behind his usual easy-going smile.
"You remind me of my student, Tsunade~," the old man sighed, placing his next piece. **"Maybe… if it's you…"**
Jiyū took his turn without missing a beat. **"Maybe?"**
Hiruzen exhaled another slow puff of smoke, watching the game unfold.
"Perhaps," he mused, "if you show enough dedication, I could arrange something… special."
Jiyū didn't allow himself to smirk. **The old man had taken the bait.**
The clan wouldn't outright disobey the Hokage. Not when they lacked the spine to oppose him directly.
And if the Hyūga were truly placing all their hope on him to become the next god of shinobi…
**How arrogant.**
To think he could be used so easily.
Jiyū made his final move, his piece clicking softly against the board.
**"Checkmate."**
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### **[End of Chapter]**