20 - Neji's happy moments...

A/N:- I am sorry for not being able to update for some days, I was sick(had high fever and cold)

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A few kilometers away from Konoha, in front of a large lake, the early morning sun cast a gentle glow on the surroundings. Presently, Kirito stood beside Saito, who had personally brought him from his home after he finished breakfast.

"Do you know how to throw kunai and shuriken?" Saito inquired, knowing that children of Kirito's age typically began learning such skills in their families.

"No, I have never tried it before. The first time I even touched one was when you made me kill those chickens last week," Kirito replied, shaking his head.

"Then you need to learn target practicing first. Okay, it's decided," Saito declared, producing a scroll and performing some hand signs. As he channeled his chakra into it, ten kunai and ten shurikens emerged.

"Here, these are for you to use during practice. Also, can you catch another chicken and cook it for me?"

Kirito nodded and skillfully dispatched a chicken in less than five minutes, then began preparing it.

Reflecting on the experience, he shared, "You know, sensei, at first, I felt really bad for killing those chickens."

"Oh, is that so? Then how did you kill this one so quickly?" Saito inquired with a smile while lighting the fire.

"That's because I understood something," Kirito stated as the chicken cooked.

"What did you understand?" Saito asked curiously.

"It's simple, isn't it? I thought about it and realized a lot of things. First, it's not bad to kill something because if I want to live, I need to eat. I saw a chicken eating another living thing, so it's just the food chain, like Uncle Shikaku explained when I asked him about it the other day before he left with Shikamaru."

"Secondly, I am killing and eating it because I am stronger than it. Just like it eats its prey, I do the same. So, it makes it okay for me to kill."

"Third and most important, I am going to become a shinobi, so I have to prepare to become strong. Otherwise, someone strong will kill me because of my weakness."

"That's enough, kid. You are too young to be thinking of something so deep. Also, let me tell you something: don't kill someone or think of it as normal, because it's harder to save a life than to end one. So, don't kill something if you don't need to. Do you understand, kid?",Saito interjected.

"Yes, sensei, I understand.",Kirito replied with a serious face.

"Now, wipe that serious face off and be patient. I'm sure that in due time, you'll understand everything. Also..." Saito smiled, giving him a gentle nudge, "are you hungry?"

"No!!!" Kirito exclaimed attentively.

"Then start practicing already," Saito exclaimed loudly, startling Kirito and snapping him out of his reverie.

"I am going," Kirito said, standing up. As he turned around, he noticed markings on the trees around him, indicating where he had thrown the kunai and shurikens.

And so, Kirito began his practice of throwing kunai and shuriken. This training went on for almost three months until he could hit his target, though not with 100% accuracy, but still not too far off.

After another month of rigorous training, he achieved the feat of hitting all 24 targets perfectly from over 100 meters away.

"Good, now it's time to move on," Saito said, approaching Kirito as he observed his success.

"What do you mean, Sensei? Will I finally learn some jutsus?" Kirito asked eagerly.

"You will now hit some moving targets," Saito replied with a smile.

"What do you mean, Sensei?" Kirito questioned while collecting his shuriken and kunai from the trees.

"Well, it's like another hunting season, but this time, with weapons," Saito pointed in the direction of some rabbits happily nibbling on the grass.

"Rabbits??? This is too easy," Kirito said with a smile, feeling confident that it wouldn't be too difficult for him.

"That's what you think, but what will you do now?" Saito's voice trailed off as he made a peculiar sound, and the rabbits began to move. "Now let's start," he declared, beginning yet another training session.

Meanwhile, let's shift our focus to another place where something interesting is about to happen in the near future...

In the Hyuuga compound, within a sub-branch house training room, a four-year-old boy with long black hair sparred with a man who looked exactly like him but much older, perhaps around 30 years old or more. The older man was teaching the young boy Gentle Fist palm strikes.

The boy jumped and attacked the man in front of him, but the man effortlessly deflected his attacks, making them seem insignificant.

Concerned, the man, Hizashi, called out, "Neji!!! Are you alright?"

"I can still continue," Neji said as he got up, determined to try again.

This time, Neji leaped and kicked his father, but instead of guiding him, Hizashi deflected Neji in another direction.

"Neji!!!" Hizashi exclaimed, worried that he might have gone too far with his son.

However, Neji remained undeterred, standing up, and then knocked his head on the floor, saying with a smile, "Thank you for sparring with me."

After finishing their sparring, they went outside and sat side by side on the floor, admiring the scenery before them. Suddenly, Neji turned towards his father and asked with a smile, "I've heard that your older brother has a child like me. I wonder what she is like..."

Before Hizashi could answer, Neji noticed the snow starting to fall. He stood up, went outside to the courtyard, and looked at the sky with a smile.

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