Chapter 3: A Prodigy in Combat
This child might just be a genius in battle, thought Hiashi as he looked at Hinata Hyuga, who was standing awkwardly, slightly staggering. His gaze softened with affection. My daughter is strong too.
"Take a rest for now. That's enough training for today," he said gently, which was a rare tone for him. The maids kneeling outside the door immediately entered, guiding both of them to leave. Hinata, clutching her stomach in pain, followed them out while keeping her thoughts to herself.
Hinata now had a clearer understanding of her situation. In a prominent family like hers, you either climb to the top or get discarded as useless. Living a mediocre life was never her style, and in the world of ninjas, becoming a failure wasn't an option. The feeling of not being in control of her destiny was unbearable.
Her eyes sharpened with determination. In my past life, I had to beg others for things I couldn't achieve due to my lack of ability. I had no control over my life, and I never want to experience that again!
I, Hinata Hyuga, will work hard! No matter how difficult things become, I will strive to succeed! she vowed silently as she walked.
Being a transmigrator, she knew that the challenges ahead were more than just the Hyuga clan's trials. There were ninja missions, the Chūnin Exams, and even the looming threats like Pain's attack on the village and the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Although it might seem early to worry about the Chūnin Exams, she couldn't help but feel anxious when thinking about drawing Neji Hyuga as her opponent. At her current level, she wasn't confident she could defeat him. And with time, Neji's strength would only become more formidable. She had to get stronger!
I need to train harder! What I'm doing now isn't nearly enough! Far from enough!
At midday, under the blazing sun at the Hyuga compound, Hinata tried to lift her arms and legs, weighed down by the 100-pound iron bands engraved with the word "perseverance." She felt as if a mountain was pressing down on her. Despite her enhanced physical condition due to her bloodline limit and years of training, the weight was overwhelming. How could Lee move so effortlessly while wearing weights like these in the Chūnin Exams?
"Terminal, schedule my training plan."
"Command received. Calculating data and searching the database."
A stream of information flowed through her portable system terminal, which quickly processed the results.
"Calculation complete. Arranging the training schedule."
"Training plan as follows: Recommend changing 100-pound weights → to 10-pound weights. Reason: Adaptive training is optimal for current host's stats."
"Suggested training time: No set target → One hour per day."
"After seven days, increase training time by one hour, incorporating basic physical exercises to enhance adaptive training."
"Note: High chakra energy levels detected. Consider using chakra as an energy source for the portable terminal."
Hinata reviewed the information and agreed. The terminal's efficiency was undeniable, even if its AI logic was straightforward. It was just a series of data, after all, but she trusted it. In the future, portable terminals would be common for everyone.
"Please prepare a set of 10-pound weights," Hinata requested, turning to the maid behind her. She couldn't remember the maid's name; there were just too many in the Hyuga household.
"Yes, my lady," the maid responded promptly, hurrying off to fetch the requested items. Recently, Hiashi had instructed that Hinata's requests should be considered, as long as they weren't excessive. A 10-pound weight didn't seem unreasonable for training. Plus, watching the young lady's efforts was truly endearing. If it weren't inappropriate, the maid might have pinched Hinata's cute, chubby cheeks while she was pinned down by those heavy weights.
Hinata struggled to remove the 100-pound iron bands from her body.
Boom!
The bands hit the ground with a resounding crash, kicking up dust and leaving a large crater. If I threw these with enough force, they could be a deadly weapon, Hinata mused, a bead of sweat running down her forehead as she stared at the hole in the ground.
After tidying up, she sat on a bench, gazing at the artificial mountains and water features around her, feeling a bit helpless.
"My lady, here is what you requested," the maid returned quickly, carrying a tray with surprising speed and stability despite the heavy weight on it. These maids, serving prominent families, clearly had skills—Hinata could sense their readiness to handle emergencies, even an enemy attack. These are the true elites.
Hinata reached out and took the 10-pound wristbands wrapped in white cloth from the tray. They felt cool to the touch, and although her hand sank slightly under the weight, it was still manageable—much lighter than the 100-pound bands. They were more of a hindrance than a burden.
Next, she secured the leg weights, and immediately, it felt like her entire body had stiffened. She could move, but barely. I bet even a turtle could outrun me now, she thought, wiping sweat from her brow. Training is tough from the start.
"The countdown has begun. Please wait."
"Remaining training time: 00:59:50."
With everything set, Hinata started her adaptive training, moving slowly to adjust. It wasn't necessary to push herself too hard just yet—this was only the beginning of her journey. Back in her previous life, she had even joined a gym to pursue a fit physique, partly to stay healthy after long hours in the lab and partly to stay competitive, though not necessarily against boys.
"Alright! Let's begin!" Hinata officially started her adaptive training.