Chapter 10: Gentle on the Outside, Strong on the Inside—A Fulfilling Hinata
December 21st, Konoha Year 54.
Unknowingly, the second semester had come to an end once again.
During this semester, the first-year students had undergone a noticeable transformation.
In the first semester, they only had academic and physical education classes, with no real combat experience—there was barely any difference between them and pre-enrollment status.
But the introduction of taijutsu sparring in the second semester allowed them to grow through pain, shedding some of their immaturity.
However, this came with a side effect: it taught some students to solve problems through violence.
Fights breaking out over the slightest disagreement, mutual beatings, or even bullying incidents became frequent occurrences.
More critically, neither the teachers nor the school intervened.
Clearly, in their eyes, weaklings were unfit to become ninjas.
Better to be bullied by one's own and drop out to live as an ordinary person, than to get killed on a mission after graduation.
Thus, in every grade and class, there were cases where underperforming students tried to bully top students.
Just like Uchiha Itachi back in the day, or Hyuga Neji, or Uchiha Sasuke...
They all shared a few common traits: they were handsome geniuses with aloof personalities, and very popular with the girls.
And yet, despite being so well-liked, they refused to join or form cliques. They showed disdain for both boys and girls alike.
Their lone-wolf demeanor was something many boys couldn't tolerate, sparking a desire to teach them a harsh lesson.
Unfortunately for those boys, every attempt at bullying ended in failure—and usually in a sound beating.
Getting beaten up wasn't the issue. The real shame was that none of them could take the other down, even in numbers.
Worse still, they were bullied afterward by the admirers of these elite students, ostracized by girls in their class and grade, and even targeted by upperclassmen in anti-bullying actions.
This only deepened their resentment toward those "stars," and they even began to hold grudges against anyone from the same clan.
For example, on this day, snow was falling heavily.
After waiting for the snow to stop, Hinata, who now had the privilege of going out freely and no longer needed to transform into Yamanaka Ino to sneak out, ran out of the clan compound, heading for the usual meeting spot with Izayoi.
Hinata wore a white snowman outfit and had a red scarf around her neck. Her chubby, round appearance made her look incredibly adorable.
Over the past half year, Hinata had intentionally grown out her hair under Izayoi's suggestion. It now reached her shoulders.
She tied it into twin ponytails with hair ties, planning to change styles again once it reached her waist.
Her cute, baby-fat-filled face was slightly flushed in the cold, making one feel an irresistible urge to pinch her cheeks.
To avoid being discovered, Hinata didn't knock on Izayoi's door but went to the open area outside the Ninja Academy to wait for him. This had become an unspoken rule between them.
[Translator: sauron05]
"Is that girl from Neji's clan?"
"White eyes—no doubt about it."
"Come on, let's teach her a lesson!"
As Hinata waited for Izayoi, she suddenly heard a few boys' voices behind her.
When she turned her head, three boys who looked a year or two older than her had run up and surrounded her.
Malicious smiles were plastered across their faces.
"Um… Do you need something?" Hinata asked.
Her voice was gentle, but if one looked closely, it was clear she wasn't bowing her head. She merely looked at the three boys in confusion.
"Ugh, those eyes are disgusting—just like Neji's!"
Staring into Hinata's eyes, one of the boys seemed to recall something unpleasant and shouted, "What are you looking at, you white-eyed freak? Don't you know you've offended me? Kneel and apologize now!"
Hinata tilted her head, puzzled.
But upon hearing her cousin's name, she curiously asked, "Are you friends with Neji-nii-san?"
"Who's friends with that guy Neji?"
Another boy immediately shouted in protest, "We're his enemies."
"Kneel down, yell 'I'm sorry,' and apologize on Neji's behalf. If not, we'll beat you up!"
The third boy reached out to grab Hinata's shoulder, intending to force the Hyuga clan girl to kneel and thoroughly humiliate her.
But as his hand reached out, Hinata's expression suddenly changed.
Wearing white gloves, she raised her small hand, extended her index and middle fingers, and struck the boy's chest faster than he could react.
"Ah…"
Though her finger was gloved, it pierced through his thick winter clothes like a silver needle, eliciting a scream from the boy as he collapsed to the ground.
Hinata then swiftly struck the other two boys in succession.
They screamed as well and fell to the ground.
"It hurts! It hurts! Waaah…"
They clutched their chests, but the deep, piercing pain wouldn't subside.
Looking at Hinata standing in front of them, they saw the shadow of Hyuga Neji—powerful, distant, and towering above them.
Overwhelmed by fear, they burst into tears on the spot and fled, crawling and stumbling away.
Hinata, who had acted purely on reflex, tilted her head again.
She hadn't even injected chakra—why did they cry?
With this level of strength, were they really Neji-nii-san's enemies?
Clap clap clap…
At that moment, the sound of clapping reached her ears.
Following the source of the sound, a happy smile bloomed across Hinata's face.
"Izayoi-kun, you're here!"
"Hinata, you looked really cool just now."
Wearing the same white snowman outfit, Izayoi walked up and gave her a thumbs-up. "That's exactly how you should deal with malicious people—decisively. Otherwise, they'll only escalate and develop a habit of bullying others."
"Mhm!"
Hinata nodded repeatedly, looking very obedient.
Seeing her like this filled Izayoi with a sense of fulfillment.
In the original story, Hinata had been bullied multiple times by kids her age.
The dignified young lady of a prestigious clan being bullied by a few civilian boys—it was utterly absurd.
Even more absurd was the fact that she had already started learning Gentle Fist at the time.
To still be bullied to tears clearly indicated a flaw in her personality.
But now, Hinata had turned the tables and made her bullies cry instead—proof that Izayoi's guidance had worked brilliantly.
Through repeated beatings, her personality was no longer timid and weak but had grown resolute and tenacious. She wouldn't give up easily.
Her kindness remained, but she no longer sacrificed herself for others. Her actions were now decisive, and counterattacks had become second nature.
Unlike the delinquent big sister in the Infinite Tsukuyomi dream, this Hinata was gentle on the outside but strong on the inside.
To have transformed her this much in just half a year—it was only natural for Izayoi to feel proud.
Luckily, he had started early. Had he waited until Hyuga Hiashi and Neji crushed her spirit, changing her would have been much harder.
Hyuga Hiashi was surely very grateful to Izayoi.
Allowing Hinata to go out freely was the best reward.
"Let's go train."
"Okay!"
Two children in snowman suits walked off toward an abandoned training ground.
(End of Chapter)