Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Test
Three years later.
A six-year-old child was standing in the Hyūga clan's main arena. In front of him stood the patriarch with the current six elders. Around the arena, a group of spectators stood to watch the show.
Patriarch Hiashi took the word: "Young Hezel, you had made a serious pact. You gave up your status as a future elder to have access to the clan library. If what you show us today is not convincing enough you will be delegated to the branch house and branded with the Caged Bird Cursed seal. I hope you are ready."
Hezel looked the patriarch in the eyes and said: "I am."
(Patriarch Hiashi): "The test can begin! Ento come up."
A 13-year-old boy jumped up the platform and prepared himself for battle. He had the cursed seal on his forehead: he was an outer clan member.
(Ento): "I don't know why you made a so stupid decision, but I hope you are ready to join the branch house. I won't lose."
Hezel didn't answer and put himself in the Gentle Fist starting position. Ento, finding that his taunt didn't work, followed suit."
(Hiashi): "Match start."
Immediately Ento dashed towards Hezel and tried to hit him with a left. Hezel redirected the hit with the back of his right arm. At this point, Ento for some reason felt a little out of balance and his next hit with the right hand was quite sloppy. Hezel unhurriedly blocked and then counterattacked with a deliberately slow hit on the forehead of his adversary.
Ento at this point fell to the ground with his arms immobilized like when he tried to hit.
Silence.
(Someone): "What?!"
A chorus of incredulous voices was raised from the audience.
Everyone thought that the match would have been short but with another winner. After all, there is quite a physical gap between a 6-year-old and a 13-year-old. Surprisingly, Hezel won and did it incomprehensibly. He just blocked two attacks and the adversary let him strike to the head.
No just after the first exchange Ento was strange.
(Hiashi): *Cough*
Silence was re-established.
(Hiashi): "So, Hezel. Why don't you explain to us how did you accomplish this?"
(Hezel): "Yes. What I used is the combination of two variations of the Gentle Fist. The first one comes from the opening of my tanketsu. Since we can expel chakra with every part of our body, why can't we use the Gentle Fist with also our forearm, backhand, or even feet? Of course, this needs a very high chakra control and a lot of practice, but as you can see it is possible. I called it Gentle Pulse.
The second is a combination of the Gentle Fist with fuinjutsu. With enough expertise in fuinjutsu is possible to use seals with one's chakra. I infused every one of my hits with a paralyzing seal that blocked his arms and then put him out of commission. I called it Gentle Seal. Their combination creates the Gentle Sealing Pulse style."
Everyone was amazed.
(Hiashi): "Good, good. These techniques will surely improve the strength of our clan. I will allow the Gentle Pulse to be available to everyone while the Gentle Seal will be one of the main house's new trump cards."
Nobody disagreed, after all only the main house was allowed to study fuinjutsu.
(Hiashi): "As for Hezel, you will given the title of Elder and you will be in charge of overseeing the clan techniques."
(Hezel): "Thank you, patriarch."
Hezel was well aware that overseeing the techniques was only an excuse. In reality, he was free and could consult the library or train as he liked.