SS009

After reaching the Hyuga Clan Compound, a traditional wooden structure with a slope-tiled roof, a central courtyard, three annexes, a private dojo, and a bathhouse, Seikun was made to wait nearly two hours before being instructed to follow a maid to where Hiashi was waiting for him.

Sitting in seiza across from the man, Seikun bowed and said, "Thank you for allowing me here today, Lord Hiashi."

"Raise your head, Takahashi Seikun..." said Hiashi, waiting for Seikun to comply before explaining, "I am permitting you to attend my daughter's birthday celebration out of recognition for the efforts you've made these past three months. But that isn't the only reason you are here."

Before continuing, Hiashi looked to his left and called out, "Neji, enter..." in a firm tone, prompting the bamboo door to slide open, revealing a ten-year-old Hyuga Neji in the traditional black bodysuit and chainmail used by Hyuga children while training.

Stopping just after entering the room, Neji lowered himself to the floor and performed a steep dogeza as he monotonously replied, "Hyuga Neji, reporting as ordered..."

Turning his attention to Seikun, Hiashi explained, "This is Neji, your senior by one year at the Academy. Like you, he is also the ranking student in his grade. I would like you to spar with him."

Blinking in surprise, Seikun suppressed the instinct to ask if Hiashi was certain he wanted him and Neji to spar. Instead, he looked to the slightly older youth, unsurprised to see a slight frown marring his face.

Choosing his words carefully, Seikun fixed his posture, closed his eyes, and lowered his head as he responded, "It would be a great honor to be permitted to spar with a member of the most preeminent clan of Taijutsu specialists. But, at the risk of sounding impertinent, may I ask why Lord Hiashi has proposed such a match?"

Nodding, Hiashi left Seikun with many more questions than answers by explaining, "There are those within the upper echelons of my clan who have questioned my decision to permit Hinata's growth to be influenced by someone of...unproven descent..."

Directing a narrowed, sidelong look at Neji, Hiashi added, "Neji has been acknowledged as a prodigy, even by Hyuga Clan standards. You need not defeat him, but if you can prove yourself a sufficient contemporary, there may be opportunities for you here at the Hyuga Clan Compound..."

"I will give it my all..." affirmed Seikun, doing his best to appear calm and respectful despite the dizzying number of questions swirling about in his mind. He could be imagining things, but the way Hiashi spoke hinted that he might be given a more direct role in Hinata's future training. There was even a chance, as outlandish as it sounded, that he may be asked to stay at the Hyuga Clan Compound indefinitely...

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After relocating to the compound's gymnasium-sized martial arts dojo, Seikun awkwardly changed in front of Hiashi, Neji, and two elders of the Hyuga Clan before getting into his starting position at the opposite end of a circle known as a dohyo.

"Begin," said Hiashi, giving Seikun no chance to get into his stance before Neji vaulted forward, covering the distance between them in what felt like an instant.

Taken aback by Neji's speed, Seikun's pupils briefly contracted to the size of pinholes as he narrowly managed to get his right arm up, deflecting the former's palm strike away from his chest. And it was fortunate he had, as a burst of Chakra erupted from Neji's palm, producing a turbulent swirl of wind next to his head.

'This isn't a fucking spar...' thought Seikun, his expression becoming grim and focused as he turned his body and sidestepped Neji's effort to strike him center mass with the tips of his Chakra-infused fingers.

Though he initially wasn't planning to get too serious, Seikun countered Neji's right palm strike by grasping the boy's wrist with his right hand and effectively backhanding him with his left. Instead of aiming for Neji's face, however, Seikun targeted his neck and jaw, attempting to knock the over-eager Hyuga off balance.

Demonstrating why he was regarded as a prodigy, Neji ducked his head and evaded Seikun's counter by a hair's breadth. In the same motion, he pivoted on the heel of his right foot and used the index and middle fingers of his left hand to strike Seikun's abdomen, sending a painful jolt similar to being electrocuted through his stomach.

'That really fucking hurts...!' screamed Seikun, albeit only within his mind. Outwardly, his expression became fierce and solemn as he tightened his hold on Neji's wrist, placed his left palm on the youth's right shoulder, and full-force kneed him in the chest.

"Kuh..."

Though Seikun lacked refined combat techniques, his physical strength was greater than most adults. Thus, while Neji managed to get his hand in the way of Seikun's knee, it made little difference as he was briefly raised off the ground, accompanied by an exceptionally loud thud.

Feeling Neji's body go slack, Seikun promptly released him and backed away, allowing the delicate-looking Hyuga to crumple to the ground with the wind forced from his lungs. It wouldn't take him too long to recover, but it was clear to everyone present who had won the brief but decisive exchange.

"Do either of you have an issue with this outcome...?" asked Hiashi, his words directed at the two elders, the eldest of which was his father, the former head of the Hyuga Clan, Hyuga Hajime.

With neither of the men responding outside of closing their eyes, Hiashi turned his attention to Seikun and Neji, addressing the latter as he said, "Once you have collected yourself, show our guest around the compound. He will be staying in guest room six."

Without waiting for a response, Hiashi turned and departed with the two elders. Seikun couldn't help feeling the trio were unnecessarily cruel, but as he was the one who nearly cracked Neji's diaphragm, he looked down at the panting Hyuga, scratched the back of his head, and asked, "Are you going to be okay...?"

"I...don't need...your pity..." responded Neji, his expression and tone full of defiance as he forced himself to stand. Then, with shaky legs and a hand on his stomach, he added, "Hurry...and grab your things..." while trying to get his breathing under control.

'You're making it real hard to feel sorry for you...' thought Seikun, taking his time to grab his bag before joining Neji at the dojo's entrance. What he didn't expect was that when he got there, Neji would ask, "How were you able to withstand my attack? I'm certain I struck your Root Tenketsu. You shouldn't be able to stand right now..."

"How am I supposed to know...?" asked Seikun, genuinely having no clue how to answer Neji's question. He knew of the existence of Tenketsu, as he had studied them outside, but he couldn't see or interact with them in the same capacity as a member of the Hyuga Clan. All he knew was that when Neji struck him just below his navel, it really fucking hurt. However, the pain had been fleeting, vanishing less than a second later.

Believing Seikun was being facetious and refusing to reveal the truth, Neji snorted, turned to leave, and said, "Come. Let's be on our way..." in a cold, snobbish tone. Seikun closed his eyes and sighed in exasperation, but as he had little choice but to accept Neji's escort, he shouldered his bag and followed a few steps behind...

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Though it was much bigger than his apartment, Seikun found the room he had been assigned somewhat pretentious. Like the rest of the compound, the room's structure was formed from wood and bamboo, but while much of the exterior flooring was formed from highly polished wood, the interior of each room was covered with replaceable tatami. The only furniture was a low-lying circular wooden table with two cushions, so when he was ready to sleep, Seikun would need to place them in a storage compartment and roll out an exceptionally expensive, quilted futon. To make matters worse, Seikun felt there were at least a dozen pairs of eyes watching him at any given moment. And with the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan allowing them to see through walls, that was very likely the case...

'It feels like I'm in a prison...' thought Seikun, sitting in seiza atop one of the two cushions, forcing himself to appear relaxed as he drank the tea a maid had brought directly to his room. If his suspicions were correct, the Hyuga Clan was currently vetting him, so while he was tempted to pull out his sketch pad or exercise to pass the time, he focused on appearing calm and composed until a separate maid arrived to tell him it was time for the banquet.

Contrasting a typical birthday celebration with balloons, decorations, and cake-cutting, Seikun was guided to a spacious hall where individual dining tables had been lined up in neat, evenly spaced rows. The front of the hall had a wooden platform that was a few centimeters higher than the rest of the floor, and instead of individual tables, a long, banquet-style table that would doubtlessly be where Hianta and the mainline descendants of the Hyuga sat.

"Please sit here," said the maid, gesturing to the table and cushion at the backmost corner of the hall. The tables were arranged so that those with a higher status sat nearer to the front, so as an outsider without standing, Seikun's seat was located at the furthest possible distance from the main house's table. Furthermore, as the guests were expected to arrive and be seated in order of rising importance, he was the first to be seated and had to wait nearly six hours for the banquet to start...

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Following what felt more like a ceremony than a proper birthday party, Seikun was guided back to his room without being given the chance to speak, much less give his gift to Hinata. As a result, he felt more than a little depressed as he rolled out his futon and prepared to turn in for the night.

Before Seikun could finish his preparations, a maid arrived at his room, leaving him speechless as he was provided with a towel and a wooden bucket of bath supplies before being instructed to follow. A few minutes later, his fears were confirmed when he found himself at the entrance of the Hyuga Clan's private bathhouse and was told to go inside. There, he found Hiashi, the two elders from before, and, more concernedly, a very nervous-looking Hinata and her younger sister, Hanabi, waiting.

"Takahashi Seikun..." said Hiashi, causing Seikun's already tense body to become statuesque as he straightened his posture. "If you accept, then from today onward, you will be a provisional Custodian of the Hyuga Clan, assisting my daughters with their daily training and studies."

"It would be...an honor..." responded Seikun, his words nearly as rigid as his body. He wanted to say or, more accurately, ask more, but before he could, Hiashi gave an affirming nod and said, "Then the matter is settled. Someone will be dispatched to retrieve your possessions tomorrow. You've made the right decision, Takahashi Seikun."

Just as Seikun was beginning to harbor the hope that he would be told to leave, Hiashi followed his words by instructing him to ready himself and to assist Hanabi with preparing for the bath. What followed was probably the most awkward experience of Seikun's life, requiring him to effectively turn off his brain as he assisted Hanabi with washing and rinsing her hair while a very naked Hinata sat on the neighboring stool, hunched over and doing her best to avoid glancing to the side and meeting his gaze. Descendents of the Hyuga Clan were trained not to have an aversion to nudity, as their eyes could easily penetrate countless layers of clothing, but as it was her first time being naked in the presence of someone outside her family, the only thing preventing her from passing out was her fear of being rebuked by her father and grandfather...

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