Hinata and every other genin had heard how hardcore the ANBU were and what Jonin did to their genin when testing them. But there were no traps, no clones and no genjutsu waiting for her when she had arrived on training ground seven.
The only thing waiting for her was one tall, beautiful, purple-haired, kunoichi standing patiently and calmly. There was no black cloak that ANBU wear fluttering in the wind. There was no battered flak jacket that spoke of her past battles. Her clothing was utterly casual, including black trousers and a crop-top. She didn't even wear a headband.
Frankly, the only thing that even hinted she was a kunoichi was the simple katana strapped to her back. Her long purple hair fluttered in the chilly wind, as she stood ramrod straight. Even without her Byakugan, Hinata could see that her muscles were taut, ready to spring into action at any moment.
It was oddly…. very normal. If she was a civilian, that is. A failure trying to better herself as she might be, she was a Hyuga. It hadn't escaped her notice that she couldn't sense her chakra signature, smell her scent, or even hear the sound of her breath.
All in all, if she wasn't standing right opposite her so obviously in the sunlight, she would have been practically invisible to her. It was an uneasy revelation to the apparent heiress who hailed from the all-seeing clan. She knew, by her own admission, that even Kurenai sensei couldn't manage this.
So, this was the power of an ANBU black ops.
'Good afternoon', said the kunoichi without flare or dramatics.
In short, Hinata was impressed.
'So', the beautiful woman with long purple hair, looked towards the fidgeting genin standing a few feet away from her. 'You're Hiashi-sama's older daughter.'
Of course, she already knew who the girl was. After Kurenai had roped her in to tutor her genin, Yugao had done what any ANBU does when he or she is given a new case or mission.
She studied her apparent student in detail. Everything from personality, to academy reports, to what Kurenai thought about the girl. Not only that, but the preliminary talk she had witnessed with Kurenai in the tea shop, told her everything she needed to know. And she was not impressed.
Of course, she wasn't meant to be impressed. That was the whole point of tutoring a seemingly useless genin.
The girl nodded nervously, although Yugao could see that she was trying not to push her fingers together. Instead, she the girl fisted her overly large and bulky jacket from inside her pocket.
Before they could start, Yugao needed to know what this girl wanted. From herself, from her, and from life. That, and she needed to get any silly notions about the results of their training out of this girl's head as soon as possible.
They hadn't really talked the day before, Kurenai having dismissed her as soon as Yugao had been introduced and after a time for the meeting was set.
Kurenai, even though her friend was a Jonin, had slight ostrich-like habits. And it was clear to Yugao that her friend had only enabled this child's similar traits, perhaps subconsciously. She wasn't nearly as naïve as her friend, maybe because she had never served in the regular corps and had seen the dark side of their career much more than her raven friend.
That and she knew it would get back to Hiashi about the tutoring. They needed to pre-emptively deal with that situation before it could blow up in Hinata's face and ruin her further.
'Now, we'll start with a simple introduction', she said softly, hoping to put the girl at ease.
'L…like with Kurenai-S…sensei?' Hinata stammered, prompting Yugao to nod as she resisted from sighing. It was clear that the apparent initiative this girl took in requesting a tutor was once in a blue moon type of things.
'Yes. I will begin. My name is Yugao Uzuki. I am twenty-two years old. I became a Genin at nine, Chunin at twelve, Jonin at fourteen and I've been serving in the ANBU ever since. My speciality is kenjutsu, and chakra sensing. I am also proficient in taijutsu. I like training, hanging out with my friends and boyfriend. I dislike traitors. My dream is to become the premiere kenjutsu master in Konoha and Fire Country.'
Yugao finished her longer than normal introduction. Usually, there was no way she would disclose this much information to anyone but it was nothing that can't be found in unclassified records. She needed to get the girl to be comfortable at sharing with her team. Especially since there was no way this habit would be contradicted in her future ranks.
But while most genin would be intimidated when – if they even did – realise that they couldn't sense her chakra, or smell her, Hinata only looked at her with curiosity in her eyes. Interesting.
But would she prove the rumours she had heard about the timid heiress from the other ANBU Hyuga?
'Now please. Introduce yourself, your strengths and weaknesses.'
Hinata nodded, and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. It was hard when she sat opposite an ANBU who had become a Jonin when she was only a year older than Hinata was now. Compared to her, Hinata was pretty much useless. What could she say that could even come close or impress her tutor?
'I…I'm Hinata Hyuga….'
Yugao's eyes narrowed very slightly. Why would the girl repeat herself when she already knew her name? The question was standard procedure amongst the ANBU ranks and although Yugao was beginning to realise how out of touch she was when dealing with normal shinobi, she was determined to follow what she best.
The girl pushed her fingers together before she caught herself and dropped her hands, 'I'm t-thirteen years old. I became a G-genin t-two months ago. My strengths lie in Jyuken and T-taijutsu. My weaknesses are… ninjutsu and genjutsu. I like g-gardening. I dislike a-arrogant people. My dream is to m-make my father and c-clan proud of me', here she stared at the ground, if trying to hide something with her eyes.
She had been an ANBU for so long that she has apparently forgotten how to interact with genin who are not groomed to function in a deadly, fighting unit. So, when the girl came into the clearing with sounds, chakra and smell spewing everywhere, she realised how raw and untrained this girl was.
It was disconcerting to realise how fragile and vulnerable this girl really was. Were the other members of team like this too? Honestly, she was a little disappointed in her friend. From what she knew, Hinata's team was meant to be a tracking and reconnaissance unit. They needed to be stealthy and yet this girl had no idea about it.
Didn't Kurenai realise how breakable Hinata was? How easily she could be killed. A senbon at just the right pressure point, a stray shuriken at the right artery, a kunai to the jugular vein and this girl's death would be on Kurenai. Or maybe her friend had realised this and it was why she had contracted her.
'I… I also need help with t-taijutsu', Hinata whisper-added, dreading the fact that her tutor will find out she was actually bad at taijutsu when she had called it one of her strengths and then refuse to teach her for lying.
But she wasn't lying! Not really. Among what little she knew, her taijutsu was by her strength. The fact it itself was horrible was another matter entirely. Other than that, she only knew what they were taught in the academy.
Hinata almost dropped to the ground in shock when she heard the woman's reply, 'Good.'
'S-sensei?', Hinata asked, trying to get her head around the apparent compliment.
Yugao sighed, 'It's good that you know what you need help with. Even if it is one of your strengths. Too many genin get overconfident and then suffer for it', she stated, noting how the girl's spirits rose slightly. Kurenai was right; she had a lot of work to do with this one. Which makes her wonder, what has her friend been doing with this girl for the last two months.
'Now we will spar and see where you're at. And then decide on a training programme. Is that okay?' Yugao asked, merely for formality. In truth, the girl had no choice but to agree. If she was going to do this, she wasn't going to go by the whims on a genin.
But she enough of psychology to know that if she started this from outright giving orders, Hinata will subconsciously liken this tutoring to her experience at home and her father, no matter how different Yugao may be to the Hyuga head.
That was the exact opposite of what they were trying to accomplish. So, if asking her what she wanted was going to slowly bring Hinata out of her shell, then Yugao will do it.
Hinata nodded nervously and walked forward slightly, but Yugao could almost sense the fear that the girl was spewing all over the place. It was in the way she walked, in the way her eyes darted from her to the sword on her back.
Finally, Hinata settled into her basic defensive Jyuken stance and waited for her tutor to commence the fight. It was well known in the academy that Hinata Hyuga never initiated the fight. She always waited for her opponent to make their way and then respond with an appropriate counter. Even in the academy when the instructors tried to break this habit out of her, she stubbornly refused.
And so, she was getting increasingly more panicked as the seconds ticked by. And then minutes. Had she missed the go-signal? Why wasn't her sensei moving? Or was she in a genjutsu. Her heart rate quickened at thought of already failing the test before she had even done anything. Hinata activated her Byakugan with the Ram seal as soon as that uncomfortable thought made its way into her mind.
As soon as she had activated it, and the familiar Byakugan black and white vision came into frame, her sensei disappeared in a burst of speed before she could even think. She had no time to react from she appeared behind Hinata, a kunai held to the back of her neck.
Hinata's eyes widened as she felt the cold steel on her neck, and saw the chakra network of her sensei behind her. She hadn't even sensed or seen her move. But more than the panic, what she felt was frustration. How was supposed to learn when the woman wasn't going to tone down her skills for her.
Yugao knew what her charge was thinking and quickly disabused her of that notion, 'Whenever in doubt, always take the initiative, Hinata. Unless you have the advantage.'
The ANBU however was surprised to see the young girl shake her head. 'N-no… Outo-sama always says… A Hyuga is as unmoveable as a mountain, t-tall and p…proud-'
But that was as far as Hinata got in parroting the philosophy of her father before her sensei interrupted her by lightly pressing the kunai more.
'I am not here to train you like a Hyuga or reinforce those silly notions. If you want that, go find a Hyuga. I'm here to help you survive and learn to fight', Yugao said sternly. She had heard this spiel before by other members of the girl's clan and it never ceased to amuse her. They were ninja, not samurai!
Hinata however, didn't find anything amusing. What she heard was this ANBU insulting her father. She maybe the worst Hyuga of all, but she was a proud Hyuga, dammit! No one makes fun of her father; her clan, in such a demeaning manner.
Yugao, who had returned to her original position saw the momentary haunted and dazed look on Hinata's face. The girl seemed utterly oblivious of her presence as Hinata looked past her to a point far beyond. She was seemingly struggling with a sudden realisation.
'How dare you!', she spat.
Yugao's eyebrow rose at the highly unexpected voice being raised. Kurenai had told her she always spoke meekly. She was beginning to tremble, but this time it wasn't out of anxiety.
No, it was anger pure and simple. Her fists clenched and the veins around her eyes bulged, without even needing a hand sign.
Yugao sensed the pressure building up on her, like a hunter's desire to kill its prey; a thick, crooning, killing intent began to fill the training ground, centred on the purple haired woman standing ramrod straight. Thick, warm and viscous. It wasn't the killing intent of a mere genin. It belonged to a shinobi who wanted vengeance before anything else.
At that moment, Hinata didn't care that this woman was one of the most dangerous kunoichi in the Leaf. That standing before her was an ANBU Captain. That the woman had become a Jonin when she was barely a year older than Hinata was now.
She didn't care that this was her would-be tutor. She didn't care that she was Kurenai-sensei's friend. All she cared about at the moment was to make her pay for her words. She had insulted her family in a demeaning, lowly manner that was utterly unforgiveable.
'No one insults my father!', Hinata hissed venomously.
Somehow, Yugao didn't think that the Hyuga taught their children this, as she took note of the killing intent slowly, but gradually filling the training ground.
How interesting!
That was Yugao's last thought before Hinata struck.
'Well, well. What do we have here?'
Yugao was mildly surprised at seeing the usually timid girl lunge at her, like a hunter going for its prey's neck. She didn't run away, or even back off in response to Hinata's attack, instead letting her get close.
Her senses on full alert, she focused on the chakra concentrated on the girl's fingertips as they tried to strike her again and again.
Yugao gracefully sidestepped Hinata's thrust attack, she couldn't help but be surprised at the force behind her thrust. She batted away yet another chakra filled palm, she sidestepped Hinata again, prompting the girl to stumble almost instantly.
Granted, Yugao wasn't moving at more than Chunin speeds, but it shouldn't make a Hyuga stumble. Something was off here. But quicker than she expected, Hinata stopped her stumble midway and lunged at her again, this time attacking with her left palm, keeping her right guarded.
Smart move. But not smart enough. Yugao quickly stopped that attack by quick downward chop with her wrist at the girl's forearm. Hinata hissed in pain but didn't cry out. Instead, she tried to hit the tenketsu on Yugao's arm, prompting the older woman to jerk it away just as quickly.
Hinata let out a growl of frustration as her attack, yet again, met nothing but air. But she didn't let it get her down. She was on the offensive again. And after the fifth time Yugao dodged her attack, Hinata expected her pivot.
Instead of aiming straight at her, she aimed for the spot she would have been at, striking with her two fingers, chakra coiled to be let out in an instant.
Clever! Very clever!
Yugao barely avoided the blow in time, going at her current speed. Granted, she had been sloppy the entire time she was on defensive, using the same two dodges again and again.
Watching the girl stumble and catch herself yet again, Yugao decided to test her more, by going on the offensive.
Just as Hinata turned, Yugao lashed out with her palm to her girl's forehead, slapping her head away like a nuisance. Hinata hadn't been expecting such an unorthodox move but ignored the sting on her forehead.
Yugao didn't give her more time and was on her, attacking without giving her an opening. Hinata barely blocked and dodged her hard strikes. The woman wasn't going easy on her, in Hinata's opinion.
Hinata pivoted, much like Yugao did earlier, and lashed out with a round kick, which was blocked very easily by the older woman, who threw a straight punch at the girl. Hinata barely blocked it with her forearms, her bones aching in pain from the force of the blow.
Yugao's attacks were relentless however, and Hinata was forced backwards with a frustrated cry. Yugao forced her to retreat, following her attacks with increasing intensity.
Even though Hinata was fighting like a wild cat cornered, unlike the sophisticated Hyuga she was, she was tiring quickly. Yugao saw the trembling in her arms, which were no doubt aching because of her academy styled blocks, and the slight slump in her shoulders.
'You can do better than this', Yugao intoned, kicking Hinata into a tree, who barely blocked it in time, protecting her ribcage.
Hinata's back was against the tree, a renewed hopeless began to settle in her eyes, her shoulder began to slump even more.
'You can do better', Yugao said again. She spoke softly, not scornfully or critically. She spoke patiently, all the while kicking the girl's shin.
'He'd be disappointed in you', her tutor whispered but Hinata's ears caught in clearly. Her eyes read Yugao's lips and Hinata growled. It was true. Naruto would be disappointed. There was a fire of renewed vigour in the genin's eyes as the girl pushed off against the tree.
Hinata whirled around, both her palms closing with only two fingers extended. She attempted what she had never done in her entire life.
Yugao quickly dodged the straight palm and backed away, her eyes narrowing at the stance the girl had taken just before she had lunged. Chakra was concentrated in the two fingers of each hand. Her right hand lashed forward; Yugao batted away but instantly the left did the same, aiming for her abdomen.
Left, right, left, right and Yugao kept batting it away until it looked like the girl would collapse from the strain. She had only ever seen this technique once and that was when Hizashi Hyuga had served in the ANBU briefly.
Yugao had seen enough. 'Enough', she intoned but the girl didn't stop. Instead, she launched herself forward again, intent on hitting Yugao at least once.
'En –' but it seemed that the girl wasn't listening.
In a burst of Jonin level speed, Yugao appeared behind the girl, holding the back of her neck and pushing it just slightly forwards to emphasise her point. Yugao sensed the chakra vanish from Hinata's fingertips and took it as a sign of surrender.
But then, suddenly the girl forcefully turned her head and attempted to bite her hand, only for Yugao to pull it away. She growled as her teeth clashed together around air, her eyes filled with nothing but the desire to hurt.
Interesting.
Yugao's practised hand's flashed down to her pouch, and instantly a kunai was pressed against Hinata's cream coloured neck, its cold steel biting against the warm, sweaty skin.
Hinata instantly froze as she felt the bite of the kunai, not enough to draw blood but enough to make the tutor's point clear. Moreover, she froze when she felt the sharp killing intent flooding her being. Hinata shut her eyes in dread.
Yugao saw all the fight leave the girl at her killing intent.
Hm… Curious.
'Very good', Yugao said, the kunai vanishing back into her pouch.
Hinata's eyes flew open and gazed into her own, wide and confused with fear, 'S-sensei?'
Yugao could barely contain her shock at the sudden turn in the girl. It was almost as if she had two different personalities. Her confused eyes were so wide, she was so vulnerable. But still, there was a hopeful glint in them that made Yugao even more apprehensive to taking the girl under her wing.
'Very good', she said firmly, but not sternly. 'That was a very good performance, Hinata.'
She didn't give praise lightly, but this time she meant it. She felt slightly guilty about manipulating the girl into showing her true potential. But she had known that like all Hyuga, she would not go all out and only do what was necessary.
It was a mindset that they grew up with in that stifling compound of theirs. But Yugao had needed Hinata to go all out so she deliberately insulted her clan, knowing that like all Hyuga, Hinata would take it quite personally. And take it personally she did, if that killing intent and what followed was any indication.
But the girl hadn't shown her true potential until Yugao had taunted her; how her performance would disappoint Hiashi. That was when Hinata had well and truly attacked her with all her vigour.
Once again, looking at the wide smile on the girl's face she was reminded how innocent she was.
That, and what she had learned about her little student over the course of the fight, left only one thought in the ANBU's mind.
'This is going to be troublesome.'
'Sit', Yugao motioned towards the nearby bench, as she contemplated how to break it to the girl. Likely, the Hyuga already knew but still, hearing it would be difficult for her. But she wasn't going to progress until she accepted that fact.
Hinata's heart was still pumping fiercely, eyes still wide with adrenaline still coursing through her veins, though her Byakugan had now turned off. She could barely believe what she had done. She had actually attempted not to disarm her tutor, but to actually kill her.
And for a second, when she felt the killing intent rippling across her skin and the cold kunai, she had thought she was going to pay the price. But more that that fear, was the happiness she felt. The giddiness at finally having done something worthy of a compliment.
Yes Kurenai-sensei had complimented her before, but that was only to save her from being disappointed, and keeping her status in the village in mind. This one, this ANBU who didn't care if she was a Hyuga, if she was an heiress to a noble clan, who had attacked her relentlessly, actually meant her compliment.
And that elated her. She knew she had passed the test. Gone was the insecurity that she would fail it. But now the question was, what now?
And as she sat on the bench, allowing the cool wind to calm her hot skin, she kept her eyes on the woman who seemed to be deciding how to word her verdict. She would be lying if she said she wasn't a little apprehensive.
Yugao watched the hopeful eyes of the little genin and internally winced at what she was about to do. She decided to begin with the good news first, 'First of all. That was a good performance as I have just said. Your strengths as I saw are your impeccable chakra control, your flexibility and agility, and some of your Jyuken strikes. Now, the good news is that even with your chakra control, you are not suited towards genjutsu and long-range fighting, which makes it easier for me to train you.'
Hinata nodded in agreement. Truth be told, she wasn't really that interested in learning genjutsu either. That was seen as a very weak speciality within her clan and practising it wouldn't gain her any favour. She waited with bated breath to hear what Yugao thought her weaknesses were.
'But you were right. You do need help with taijutsu', Yugao began, seeing the girl's slightly dejected sigh and the slump in her shoulders. 'But the fact that you know this, is a good thing. The first step in solving a problem is recognising there is one.'
Hinata lit up slightly, hearing this. She wasn't completely writing her off.
'But I would be lying if I said that was the only problem', Hinata was slightly confused. What did Yugao mean? Were there more problems other than the fact that she sucked at taijutsu; the branch of ninja arts that her clan excelled at?
'W-what do you mean, s-sensei?' she asked, somewhat hesitant to hear the answer.
Yugao decided to be blunt with the girl, 'The fact of the matter is that you are not well suited to Jyuken. Like I said, you are flexible and agile. Which also means, and it shows in your fighting, that you struggle to maintain your momentum at the same time as retracting your force. Which is essential in the Gentle Fist style.'
Hinata's eyes widened at hearing the tutor's claims. Yes! That was true! Her father had berated her quite a lot on her failure to stop her momentum in time. But the fact that this woman, this outsider was able to analyse their style the first time Hinata used it, and able to decipher its key component was too close for comfort.
That, however didn't change the fact that Yugao was very correct in her assessment. But it seemed like she wasn't done.
'You also struggle to shift your centre of gravity fast enough and it costs you precious seconds', Yugao added, noting the slightly confused look on Hinata's face, unlike the one she had on before. So, she hadn't known this about herself.
'The Gentle Fist is an old, traditional style, Hinata. It has a set of complete, defined attacks and moves. It is a rigid style, akin to an avalanche of rocks sliding down a mountain, pounding down on their opponent.'
Hinata had never heard their style explained it that way, but it made sense. It just didn't focus on breaking bones and muscles like others did. It was ironic, in that it was called Gentle Fist but it was quite forceful.
'What you need is a style that is more like water, is fluid in its katas so you can flow from one movement to the next, all the while conserving your force and momentum.'
Hinata's jerked herself awake, disbelief colouring her face when she realised what Yugao meant. 'B-but, Outo-sama will not a-allow me to t-train in a-another style!' She had thought Yugao would help her practise her taijutsu against whatever style she uses, and in turn make her Jyuken better. Like she does with Kurenai-sensei and her team.
Yugao sighed, having already expected this. 'I know. He most certainly will not like it. But the fact is, he gave responsibility of your training to Kurenai, and she gave it to me. That means he cannot object to what I teach you. Is there anyone who can train you in the Jyuken at home?'
Hinata shook her head, 'N-no. No one else is allowed to train me without Outo-sama's permission.'
Yugao nodded, 'I can't teach you to fight like a Hyuga. No one outside of your clan can. But I can teach you how to fight. Your clan might not like it, but they will learn to respect your strength. And if there's one thing that Hyugas respect, it's strength.'
Hinata nodded and pondered the dilemma for a little while, weighing the pros and cons against each other. At this point, she had nothing to lose essentially.
She took a deep breath and bowed, having come to the decision that will change her life, 'Yugao-sensei, I would be honoured to learn whatever you teach me, even if it's not the Jyuken!'