52.Bluffing

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Chapter 20: Spring-Loaded Shenanigans and Sage Wisdom

The sun had barely peeked over the horizon when Hanabi Hyuga found herself standing outside the imposing gates of the Hyuga compound. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the inevitable confrontation with her father. The Chunin Exams had been a whirlwind of chaos, deception, and unexpected dance parties, but now it was time to face the music – or in this case, the stern gaze of Hiashi Hyuga.

As if summoned by her thoughts, the gates creaked open, revealing the imposing figure of her father. Hiashi stood there, arms crossed, his expression as unreadable as ever. Hanabi gulped, feeling like a tiny genin facing down a Kage-level opponent.

"Welcome back, Hanabi," Hiashi said, his voice as cool and crisp as a winter morning. "I trust your... camping trip was enlightening?"

Hanabi nodded, trying to channel some of Sora's unflappable confidence. "Yes, Father. It was quite the experience."

Hiashi's eyes narrowed slightly, and Hanabi felt as if he was peering directly into her soul. After a moment that felt like an eternity, he sighed. "Hanabi, we need to work on your lying skills. They're atrocious."

Hanabi winced, feeling like she'd just been hit with a Gentle Fist strike to the ego. "I... what?"

"Your body language, your tone, even the way you're avoiding eye contact – it all screams 'I'm hiding something,'" Hiashi explained, his voice taking on a lecturing tone. "If you're going to deceive someone, you need to commit fully. Believe your own lie, and others will too."

For a moment, Hanabi was too stunned to speak. Was her father... giving her tips on how to lie better? This was not how she expected this conversation to go.

"I... it was a secret assignment from the Hokage," Hanabi blurted out, deciding to go with a half-truth and throwing the Hokage under the bus as Sora had taught her

Hiashi's eyebrow raised a fraction of an inch – the Hyuga equivalent of a jaw-dropping reaction. "Ah, I see. And this secret assignment involved... camping?"

Hanabi nodded vigorously, warming to her story. "Yes, Father. We were... testing new stealth techniques in a forest environment. Very hush-hush."

Hiashi studied her for a moment, then nodded approvingly. "Better. Half-truths are always the most effective lies. They're grounded in reality, making them easier to remember and more believable." He paused, a hint of amusement creeping into his voice. "Though I suspect this 'camping trip' involved more than just stealth training. Perhaps... a certain exam?"

Hanabi's eyes widened. How did he know? Was her father secretly a mind-reader? Or worse, had he somehow developed a Byakugan that could see through time?

Seeing her panic, Hiashi actually chuckled – a sound so rare that Hanabi briefly wondered if she'd fallen into some sort of genjutsu. "Relax, Hanabi. The Hokage informed the clan heads about a... special assignment involving some of our younger shinobi. He was quite vague on the details, but it wasn't hard to put two and two together."

Hanabi let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "So... you're not mad?"

"Mad? No," Hiashi said, his expression softening slightly. "Concerned? Yes. Curious? Absolutely." He gestured for her to follow him into the compound. "Come. Tell me about your experiences in the Chunin Exams. I'm particularly interested in how you and your... creative friend managed to infiltrate such a high-security event."

As they walked through the meticulously manicured gardens of the Hyuga compound, Hanabi began recounting her adventures. She told her father about the first phase of the exams, how Sora had systematically thinned out the competition with his ridiculous antics and clever use of seals.

"He did what with the test papers?" Hiashi asked, his eyebrows climbing higher with each detail.

"He turned them into origami animals," Hanabi explained, a small smile tugging at her lips as she remembered the chaos. "There were paper cranes dive-bombing other examinees, origami frogs hopping across desks, and I'm pretty sure I saw a paper dragon chasing Ibiki around the room."

Hiashi's mouth twitched, and Hanabi could have sworn she saw a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "I see. And the proctors allowed this?"

Hanabi shrugged. "They were too busy trying to catch the paper animals to stop him. By the time they regained control, a lot of participants had either given up or been disqualified for cheating."

"Unorthodox, but effective," Hiashi mused. "And the second phase?"

Hanabi's expression turned more serious as she recounted their experiences in the Forest of Death. She told her father about their initial plan to target a specific team, how they were ambushed by another group, and their encounter with the Ame team.

"And then," Hanabi said, her voice dropping to a whisper, "we ran into Gaara of the Sand."

Hiashi's eyes widened fractionally – the Hyuga equivalent of gasping in shock. "The Suna jinchuriki? How did you survive that encounter?"

Hanabi took a deep breath, steeling herself for her father's reaction. "Well, you see, Sora kind of... started a conga line."

There was a moment of silence so profound that Hanabi could hear the koi splashing in the nearby pond. Then, to her utter astonishment, Hiashi threw his head back and laughed. It wasn't a chuckle or a restrained chortle, but a full-bodied laugh that echoed through the garden.

"A conga line?" Hiashi managed to say between bouts of laughter. "In the Forest of Death? With a homicidal jinchuriki?"

Hanabi nodded, still not quite believing her father's reaction. "Yes. Sora convinced Gaara it was some sort of special party jutsu. Before we knew it, half the teams in the forest had joined in. I think I even saw Anko doing the macarena at one point."

Hiashi wiped a tear from his eye, his laughter finally subsiding. "That boy is either a genius or completely insane. Possibly both."

"That's what I keep telling him," Hanabi agreed.

As they continued their walk, Hanabi filled her father in on the rest of the exam, including the preliminary matches. When she described her own match against Choji, Hiashi's expression turned thoughtful.

"You used the Eight Trigrams Sixteen Palms," he said, a note of pride in his voice. "That's impressive for someone your age. But tell me, how did you incorporate... dancing into your fighting style?"

Hanabi blushed slightly. "It was Sora's idea. He said that if we're going to fight, we might as well look good doing it. So he taught me how to incorporate some dance moves into the Gentle Fist style. It's actually quite effective – opponents never know what to expect."

Hiashi nodded slowly as if considering something. "Interesting. Perhaps there's something to be learned from this unorthodox approach." He turned to face Hanabi fully. "You've shown great progress, Hanabi. I believe you're ready to learn one of our clan's most powerful techniques – the Rotation."

Hanabi's eyes widened, sparkling with excitement. "Really? You mean it?"

Hiashi nodded solemnly. "Yes. But be warned – it won't be easy. The Rotation requires perfect chakra control and split-second timing. It will take dedication, hard work, and-"

"And maybe some sick beats?" Hanabi suggested before she could stop herself.

Hiashi blinked, then sighed in a way that suggested he was already regretting his decision. "We'll... discuss the musical accompaniment later. For now, let's focus on the basics."

As Hanabi followed her father to the training grounds, barely containing her excitement, little did she know that across the village, an entirely different kind of training was about to begin.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office...