234. Feminime Gentle Fist?

When Hyūga Sōusuke placed his large hand on the acupuncture point of Uchiha Gin's chest, a trace of confusion appeared in his pale eyes.

Logically, any competent ninja would instinctively avoid or resist when someone closed in unexpectedly. Yet, this curly-haired, lazy-looking man before him didn’t react at all—not even to blink. Was he giving up?

“I say, if you touch me any further, I’ll have to start charging you.”

Just as Hyūga Sōusuke hesitated about whether to exert force, Uchiha Gin frowned, displeased that this sleazy-looking middle-aged man had taken advantage of him for so long without consequences.

“Eh?”

Meeting Uchiha Gin’s gaze, Hyūga Sōusuke noted that, while there was no disdain in his lifeless eyes, his calm demeanor still dealt a heavy blow to Hyūga’s fragile pride as a branch family member.

“Then, please enlighten me!”

Irritated beyond measure, Hyūga Sōusuke extinguished any remaining restraint in his heart. Chakra surged into his palm, ready to unleash the secret power of the Hyūga clan’s Gentle Fist.

Chakra shot from his palm’s acupuncture point into Uchiha Gin’s Chest, aiming to disrupt his meridians and demonstrate the might of the Hyūga family.

“Oh, I’m looking forward to this~”

Initially disinterested, Uchiha Gin suddenly perked up upon sensing the invading chakra. His previously dead fish eyes even showed some curiosity. With intentional leniency, he let Hyūga’s chakra race through his meridians.

“Hmm~ this feels... quite refreshing!”

Since having his bloodline enhanced by the system, Uchiha Gin rarely got the chance to fully utilize his chakra, leaving his meridians underused. The chakra Hyūga injected acted like lubrication, refreshing his energy pathways. He even silently praised Hyūga for being an excellent “therapist,” his gaze softening.

“Damn it, don’t look at me like that!”

Adhering to the philosophy of sparring, Hyūga Sōusuke aimed not to damage Uchiha Gin’s organs but to seal his meridians and force him to concede. However, after just one strike, he saw Gin’s slightly pitying expression. This dealt another devastating blow to his pride, making him double down.

There were still 31 strikes left in the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

In the eyes of the onlookers, Uchiha Gin became like a kite with a broken string, repeatedly struck by the enraged Hyūga Sōusuke mid-air. Each palm strike resounded sharply, making the spectators wince in sympathy. The visible streaks of blue chakra flowing from Hyūga’s palm into Gin’s body made even Senju Hashirama frown, clenching his massive fists instinctively.

“Brother, calm down. That curly-haired guy isn’t as simple as he looks.”

Just as Hashirama was about to intervene in anger, Tobirama stopped him, pointing out Gin’s undisturbed aura despite the seemingly “unconscious” state he was in.

On the sidelines, Hyūga Tenya observed closely with his Byakugan, confident that their victory was near.

“Hmph, surrender now, or I won’t be held responsible if anything happens to this Uchiha.”

To him, Uchiha Gin’s chakra had stagnated entirely, and Hyūga Sōusuke's Gentle Fist was wreaking havoc on his meridians, bringing intense pain. Believing Gin was unconscious, Tenya smugly addressed the Senju brothers.

“Thirty-one... Thirty-two Palms: Complete!”

After finishing the final strike, Hyūga Sōusuke closed his eyes, unwilling to witness the miserable state of his opponent—though the slight smirk on his lips betrayed his satisfaction.

“Sorry, still new to this. I might’ve been a bit heavy-handed. Better take him to the hospital,” Sōusuke feigned remorse, acting as though he couldn’t control this powerful technique.

“Ah? Oh oh~ Truly, the Gentle Fist technique lives up to its name! I, Uchiha Gin, declare you the best at massaging!”

Suddenly, Gin’s spirited voice echoed behind him. Sōusuke froze mid-step, turning around in disbelief.

“Impossible! I sealed 32 of your acupuncture points! You shouldn’t be able to stand!”

“‘Host failed; gained 16 Mental Energy Points,’” Gin’s system chimed.

“Hah~ I’m just naturally resilient. Next time, try sealing more points—32 isn’t enough.”

Feeling warm and comfortable after the “treatment,” Gin gave an approving nod at his “therapist.” Hyūga techniques, he thought, would make for an excellent physical therapy business.

“Damn it! How dare you insult the Hyūga clan!” Sōusuke's face turned crimson, and he prepared for round two.

“Stop it, Sōusuke. Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough?”

Hyūga Tenya’s cold command halted Sōusuke in his tracks. Realizing he’d disappointed his superior, Sōusuke knelt and begged for another chance.

“Useless trash. I trained you in secret techniques, yet you can’t even defeat a weak Uchiha.”

“Weak? That’s rude!” Gin interjected but wasn’t taken seriously.

Shifting his gaze to Gin, Tenya scrutinized him with his Byakugan. Gin, unfazed, covered himself protectively.

“Stop staring! I’m not wearing underwear today!”

“Pfft!”

This explosive revelation caused Hashirama to choke on his tea, while Tobirama joined him in a spray of laughter when Tenya called Gin out for lying, noting he was, in fact, wearing strawberry-print underwear.

Moments later, Tenya’s expression changed as he noticed something shocking about Gin.

His demeanor softened, even becoming slightly flattering.

“Excuse me, what did you grow up eating?”

“Uh... just normal Konoha food?” Gin replied, puzzled by the sudden shift.

“Let’s discuss this privately later,” Tenya said, suppressing his curiosity for now.

Gin remained confused, unsure why the animosity vanished despite him embarrassing their clan.




“I've heard the Uchiha clan's Sharingan is mysterious and unfathomable. Mr. Gin, could you demonstrate it for us?”

Ignoring the silent and submissive Hyuga Sousuke, Hyuga Tenya stepped forward to face the puzzled Uchiha Gin. His tone had softened considerably, even addressing him as “Mr.,” and the arrogant gaze had disappeared, replaced by a more amiable expression.

“Uh… I did use the Sharingan earlier, but the gentleman’s attacks were so relentless that I had to close my eyes and endure—it was a bit overwhelming~”

Hearing Tenya's question, Uchiha Gin scratched his head sheepishly. If he claimed he hadn’t activated his Sharingan earlier, Tenya might accuse him of being passive during the fight. So, he fabricated a harmless excuse without hesitation.

“Oh, I see. Mr. Gin, what do you think of our Hyuga clan's secret techniques?”

Tenya nodded, seemingly satisfied with Gin's genuine expression, and followed up with another question.

“Uh… pretty good. Though, the gentleman’s technique could use some polish. Practice makes perfect, after all~”

Gin, taken aback by the sensitive question, chose to compliment tactfully. After all, he wasn’t one to bite the hand that feeds him.

“Eh?”

Kneeling on the ground, a despairing Hyuga Sousuke raised his head in shock upon hearing Uchiha Gin's words. His eyes, previously dull and lifeless, were now filled with disbelief. He hadn’t expected Gin to speak up for him.

“Hmph! That guy only learned a few basic moves but dared to flaunt them here. Once we return, I’ll make sure to train him properly,” Tenya sneered. Yet Gin’s indirect praise had clearly pleased him, significantly lessening his anger toward Sousuke and making him reconsider abandoning him altogether.

“Thank you, young master!”

Sousuke, revitalized, bowed deeply to the ground in gratitude.

“Enough! Stop embarrassing yourself and get out of here!”

Waving his hand impatiently, Tenya dismissed Sousuke to make room for a deeper exchange with Uchiha Gin.

“Yes!”

Sousuke quickly retreated to the sidelines, his face filled with relief at his narrow escape. Looking at the lazily composed Uchiha Gin, his gaze was now filled with gratitude.

“Mr. Gin, I must apologize for the earlier display. Sousuke’s Gentle Fist is merely the surface of our Hyuga clan's techniques. The core skills are exclusive to our main branch.”

After Sosuke left, Tenya explained with a faint smile.

“I was wondering,” Gin mused, nodding thoughtfully. “I glanced briefly earlier and already learned most of that guy’s technique. So it’s just the basics, no wonder it felt so simple~”

“What? You’ve mastered it?”

Tenya, preparing to defend his clan’s techniques, was left stunned by Gin’s claim. Even the simplified version of the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms was difficult for outsiders to grasp. Yet Gin seemed to have effortlessly picked it up.

“Well, Sharingan only has some capabilities, nothing too impressive~”

As Gin spoke, he slowly opened his drowsy eyes. The crimson glow of the Sharingan emerged, its three tomoe spinning ominously, drawing the attention of everyone present.

“So this is the Sharingan…”

For Tenya, a reclusive main-branch member of the Hyuga clan, it was his first time witnessing the Sharingan. As a wielder of a bloodline dojutsu himself, he could sense the immense and enigmatic power emanating from Gin's eyes. This ignited a fierce competitive spirit within him.

“This trip was worthwhile after all. Mr. Gin, please enlighten me!”

As a proud Hyuga, Tenya had no concept of retreat. His white eyes shone brightly as he formed a hand seal. The veins around his temples bulged as he activated his Byakugan, releasing a surge of energy that even drew a frown from the distant Senju brothers.

“Big brother, that pompous Hyuga kid isn’t too bad,” Tobirama observed.

“He’s not bad,” Hashirama admitted with a smile. “But compared to Madara, he’s still lacking.”

“True, but even so, Gin probably won’t be able to handle him,” Tobirama replied.

“Don’t worry,” Hashirama laughed, patting his brother’s shoulder. “It’s just a sparring match. If anything goes wrong, we can step in easily.”

Meanwhile, Gin’s interest was piqued. Judging by Tenya’s aura, he possessed strength rivaling Izuna—at least without the Mangekyo Sharingan.

“Mr. Gin, what Sousuke demonstrated earlier was merely the introductory Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms. Beyond it are even more advanced techniques. Please be cautious—I’ll hold back as much as I can,” Tenya warned before vanishing in a blur.

The next moment, his palm was aimed at Gin’s chest. However, this time, Gin wasn’t about to take the hit head-on.

“Impressive speed!”

Gin dodged with a smirk, his Sharingan fully active.

“If you’re curious about the Uchiha clan’s copying abilities, let me show you~”

Gin raised a hand, assuming the Hyuga clan’s signature stance.

“You’ve got to be kidding me…” Tenya muttered, his Byakugan scrutinizing every move. Yet, as the spar continued, he had no choice but to admit: Gin was replicating his techniques perfectly, even the chakra flow.

"Is this real?" Tenya asked after exchanging several rounds.

“Of course!” Gin grinned. “Our Sharingan might not be much, but copying is kind of our specialty.”

“But… why does it feel so… off?” Tenya muttered, noticing a peculiar rhythm in Gin’s movements.

“Wait, does your Gentle Fist have genders?” Gin quipped.