Kapitel 54: The Architect of One's Own Path
As Neji's attention wavered under the intense assault, Hinata saw her chance. She unleashed a powerful palm strike, using the surrounding water to amplify her reach.
The lake's water seemed to come to life, forming a long, water arm that stretched out to deliver the blow.
The attack slammed into Neji's chest, disrupting his chakra flow and leaving him gasping in pain. As he struggled to recover, the serpents struck, their coils wrapping tightly around his limbs and torso.
Neji snarled, channeling his chakra outward. A blinding shockwave erupted, obliterating the serpents and sending Hinata sliding back across the water's surface.
But as soon as he regained his footing, his stance shifted, his legs tensing for a counterattack.
"You want to play tricks?" Neji shouted.
"Then I'll show you the true power of the Gentle Fist! Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
Hinata knew Neji was about to unleash a furious attack. She swiftly mirrored his stance, her arms moving into position. As they began to exchange blows, their Byakugan flashed with intense focus.
"One palm! Two palms! Four palms!" they shouted in unison.
Their arms collided in a rapid series of strikes, each blow landing with a loud crack. Water splashed everywhere as they fought.
"Eight palms!"
At first, their movements were perfectly in sync, each strike and parry matching perfectly.
But then Neji's eyes widened as he realized that Hinata's arms were stretching and bending in impossible ways. Her movements were getting more and more erratic, as if they had no bones to constrain them.
"Sixteen palms!"
Hinata's arms coiled around Neji's defenses like living whips, striking from unexpected angles and landing glancing blows.
Gritting his teeth, Neji pushed his reflexes to the limit, trying to keep up with her attacks. But her movements had become wildly unpredictable, making it impossible to defend against.
"Thirty-two palms!"
They shouted in unison as they unleashed the final strike.
"Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
The blows rained down on Neji, each one landing with precision. He stumbled back, his footing faltering under the intense exchange of blows.
Pain exploded through his body as Hinata's attacks pierced his defenses.
Neji grunted, struggling to push himself back to his feet.
But before he could regain his balance, Hinata's arm flashed out, aiming for his face.
On instinct, Neji tried to gather chakra to counterattack, but he realized too late that Hinata's last strike had blocked some of his chakra pathways. Panicked, he raised his arm to defend himself.
As the blow connected, Neji's Byakugan caught a fleeting glimpse of Hinata's arm snapping back like a retracting serpent. In the same instant, multiple water snakes appeared and attacked him.
Neji leapt back, dodging the serpents' attacks. But they kept coming, more and more of them emerging from the depths as Hinata's clone manipulated the surrounding waters, summoning smaller, faster serpents to join the fray.
As they closed in, Neji took a deep breath and focused on the blocked chakra pathways in his body. He quickly pinpointed the problem areas and used the Gentle Fist with his left hand to clear the blockages.
Just as the serpents were about to strike, Neji unleashed the Revolving Heaven, deflecting the worst of the attacks. But the water serpents were relentless, flowing through the openings in his defense like liquid.
Neji snarled in defiance, forcing them back with rapid bursts of air palms. But he was getting tired, and his defenses began to falter.
For an instant, he let his guard down – and that was all the opening Hinata needed. Multiple water serpents erupted from beneath his feet, dragging him down into the depths.
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As Neji's strength waned, he tried to break free from the water serpents' grip by using short bursts of air palms. But the serpents kept coming, coiling around his limbs and torso like living chains. His lungs burned as they pulled him down deeper into the water.
He struggled to muster enough focus to activate his Revolving Heaven defense, but the serpents' coils constricted tighter, squeezing the air from his body.
More and more serpents seemed to appear out of nowhere, wrapping around him. They exploited every opening in his defenses, battering him from all sides.
Just before he lost consciousness, he felt the water draining away, the serpents disappearing into the currents that swirled back towards Hinata's scrolls.
He collapsed, exhausted and battered. He coughed up water, gasping for air, and his stomach heaved as he struggled to catch his breath.
Blood flecked his lips, and bruises were already forming on his battered body, visible through his shredded clothes. Every inch of him throbbed with pain.
Neji forced his head up, and his eyes locked onto Hinata, who stood calmly nearby. She had somehow managed to drain the water back into her storage scrolls. Her expression was unreadable, as if she was waiting for something from him.
Neji's voice was weak, barely loud enough to hear.
"How...how could you defy your fate?"
There was a pause, and then Hinata smiled, a small, confident smile - the first time Neji had ever seen her look so self-assured.
"There's no such thing as fate or limitations, Neji," she said.
"We're the ones who choose to impose them on ourselves. And by doing so, we forget that we're the architects of our own paths in life."
Neji felt something inside him shift, like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
For a long time, Neji had believed that as a Branch House member, he could never surpass the Main Family's elites. He thought his talents were a curse, making him arrogant and accepting the unfair treatment as his fate.
But Hinata, who represented the Main House's privilege, had just turned that worldview upside down. Through her hard work, she had broken free from the limits that had held her back.
As Neji lay there, trembling, he felt a sense of shame and regret. His eyes slid shut as he slipped into a much-needed rest.
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As Neji opened his eyes, he was met with Hiashi's stern yet concerned face.
The older man's piercing gaze seemed to see right through him, searching for any signs of doubt or fear.
"Neji, you're awake," Hiashi began. "How are you feeling?"
Neji hesitated, unsure of how to respond.
"I'm fine, Lord Hiashi," he said finally.
Hiashi's expression softened, and he nodded. "Neji, we need to talk. I've been watching you, and I can see you're struggling with some heavy burdens. It's holding you back."
Neji's eyes snapped back to Hiashi's. "What do you mean?" he asked.
Hiashi's eyes locked onto Neji's, his expression serious. "Your father chose his own fate, Neji. He chose to die to protect me, his brother. He took control of his own destiny, and that's what I want you to understand. You have that same power, Neji."
Hiashi's gaze dropped, and his voice was filled with regret. "I should have told you the truth about your father's death long ago. I should have been honest with you, and I'm deeply sorry for my failure."
Hiashi sank to his knees, hands clasped together in a desperate plea. His forehead touched the floor as he bowed his head in shame.
Neji's eyes prickled with tears as he gazed at Hiashi's bowed head. A lump formed in his throat as he struggled to speak.
"Get up, Hiashi," he whispered. "You have nothing to apologize for. You've told me the truth, and I'm grateful for that."
Hiashi slowly rose to his feet, tears streaming down his face. His red-rimmed eyes locked onto Neji's.
"I should have told you sooner, Neji," Hiashi's voice cracked again. "I should have been honest with you from the start."
Neji's gaze drifted towards the window, where birds sang their sweet melodies. As he listened, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. The burden he'd carried for so long began to fade, replaced by a sense of freedom.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein