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Lying in bed, Neji was once again running hypothetical power pathways through his mind.
'The Tenseigan… two known methods to reach it' he mused.
One was a mass fusion of Byakugan from pure-blooded Hyūga unstable and imprecise. No one knew how many were needed or how the fusion process truly worked.
The other?
Harnessing chakra from Ōtsutsuki Toneri or more accurately, the massive Tenseigan core stored on the moon.
But good luck getting your hands on that.
"Still… was it really Toneri's chakra that triggered the evolution? Or was it the Tenseigan core's influence on his Byakugan?"
It didn't add up. Just possessing his chakra and pure Byakugan shouldn't have triggered a direct ascension to the Six Paths tier. That kind of leap was absurd even by Naruto standards.
Then again… the story did fall apart in the later arcs, so maybe logic had already left the building.
Neji leaned back, sighing.
No, the most logical explanation is the fusion method. Toneri had the giant Tenseigan as a catalyst. The chakra from that likely allowed his Byakugan to evolve.
He picked up a mirror and looked at his own eyes still hidden behind the blindfold most of the day.
Pure white. No blemishes. No discoloration. Because of how he'd nurtured his eyes using Life Return, the chakra veins around them were wider and more efficient than ever.
If he pumped chakra in, he could activate them immediately.
But not here. Not in the Hyūga compound.
What if I infused them with nature chakra? Or… Sharingan energy? Or maybe Nen? Or Haki?
Wait.
Why am I thinking of pouring everything into my eyeballs? That can't end well…
Still, even if he messed up, his eyes could regenerate. Probably. Maybe. Hopefully not painfully.
He chuckled.
"Not today, though. No real reason to push yet. Just need to grind levels."
His "Sensory Combat Specialist" class alone already made him absurdly strong for his age. But he was only Level 5. His goal was to hit Level 10 or even 15 by the end of the year.
Fortunately, the solution to that was already walking around the Academy.
Neji grinned, flashing white teeth in the dark.
'Sorry in advance… but I need XP. Time for some tough love.'
He chuckled again, 'Who's ready to taste the Hyūga Love Fist?'
With that twisted thought, he drifted to sleep.
---
A few days later – Ninja Academy Training Grounds
"Day 378 of Rock Lee's challenge to Neji Hyūga!"
A crowd had gathered once again.
In the center stood Rock Lee, fists clenched, stance solid, facing off against Neji, who stood in white, arms loose, hair flowing, his face half-hidden beneath his iconic blindfold.
Girls in the crowd swooned.
The boys? Less impressed.
Especially a certain group of red-eyed, ego-bruised Uchiha kids.
"Tch. What's so special about him? He beats Lee every day big deal."
"Hey, watch your mouth," another student muttered. "Lee might be weak overall, but his taijutsu is legit. Everyone knows that."
The first boy, Uchiha, scowled but didn't reply. The chorus of Neji fans had shut him up.
Neji heard it all, of course. With Mind Net active, it was impossible to miss.
"If you've got a problem," Neji said calmly, "you're welcome to come up and challenge me afterward."
The Uchiha boy's eyes narrowed. Challenge accepted.
Neji didn't mind, 'More XP.'
Ever since entering the Academy, Neji had kept a low profile. No big moves, no flashy displays. He'd played the long game.
But now?
Now it was farming season.
"Ready when you are, Lee."
"I'm coming in!" Rock Lee launched forward at full speed.
His form was fast lightning-quick. Most of the crowd couldn't even track him. He blurred, attacking from all sides.
Neji stayed still at first, arms flowing into motion only when needed parrying, shifting, redirecting.
Strong, Neji noted. But still not enough.
In this world full of shinobi "mages," Neji was a pirate-world tank reborn. Lee's raw strength just wasn't enough to pierce him.
He waited for the moment a flicker in Lee's rhythm.
There.
With a twist of his body and a hook of his arm, Neji caught Lee's fist. Lee's eyes widened he'd been baited.
Too late.
Neji's body turned, arm coiled, foot pivoting into position.
Back Suplex.
With a clean, fluid motion, he slammed Lee into the dirt.
THUD.
The crowd gasped as Lee groaned on impact.
[Victory Registered]
Cheers erupted.
"Neji's amazing!"
"So cool!"
Even students from other classes peeked over. This was starting to become the Academy's daily highlight reel.
Neji smiled softly as the system chimed.
[XP Gained. Level Up → 6]
He offered Lee a hand.
"You're improving. I had to wait longer this time to find a weakness. But you're still rushing."
Lee grabbed the hand and stood up, shaking his head with a dazed grin.
"You're too strong, Neji! Every time we spar, I find a new flaw in my technique but you still find another way to beat me."
Thumbs-up. Blinding teeth.
Neji smirked, 'This guy's gotta be a masochist…'
But he was grateful. Daily XP was daily XP.
"You're learning fast. I look forward to seeing how far you'll go."
Lee's eyes lit up with passion. "Then I'll keep training! I hope you'll accept my challenge again tomorrow!"
"Of course."
'Thanks for the free EXP daily package, Lee'
By now, Neji had completely nudged him down the path of youthful passion. Might Guy would be proud.
"I'M ON FIRE!" Lee shouted. "FIFTY LAPS AROUND THE FIELD — ON MY HANDS!"
The crowd parted as he launched into his routine.
Neji turned back toward the training area.
He smiled slightly beneath the blindfold.
"Now then… who just said they wanted to challenge me?"
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[Support with 100 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter]