Chapter 2: The Battle is Decided!
Chapter 2: The Battle is Decided!
Stepping back, she felt the wind of the punch graze her face as she retreated further. Neji Hyuga's eyes widened—he hadn't even realized when she dodged! Based on talent and combat skills alone, he wasn't inferior to her. Yet every time they clashed, he felt an inexplicable sense of powerlessness. It wasn't a gap in ability but something more elusive.
Hinata, on the other hand, also widened her eyes. Her face felt a slight itch. Even with her portable tech terminal activated and running calculations, she couldn't avoid how close he got. It was clear—her training still needed significant improvement. Compared to a genius like Neji, it was still exhausting to keep up.
"Ha!"
Undeterred, Neji continued his relentless pursuit, attacking with a fury that bordered on madness. His mind was clouded with anger—his father's death, all caused by the Main Branch! It was all the Main Branch's fault!
Gritting his teeth, Neji tightened his fists, chakra flowing through him at an even faster pace. His natural fighting instincts were already refined beyond his years, his punches landing with precision, missing by only a centimeter each time.
Hinata's movements were incredibly agile, dodging his strikes at the last possible moment. Despite his raw talent and strength, even the tech terminal's calculations started showing slight errors. Yet as time went on, the gap between them widened again, and that feeling of powerlessness returned. Hinata seemed to be gradually adapting to his fighting style. No matter how he adjusted his attacks, she always evaded them, as if brushing her clothes against his strikes before slipping away entirely.
"Optimization complete, updating strategy."
With the terminal's voice echoing in the background and light spectrums shifting before his eyes, more data appeared around Neji.
"Ha!"
Neji clenched his fist, the bend in his arm, the muscle details in his foot, even his gaze and the distance between them—all captured by the terminal, forming a defensive strategy.
Hinata had grown accustomed to this style of combat. Though she had to admit, Neji's relentless attack earlier had left her almost breathless. The difference in their abilities was apparent. Unfortunately for him, she had activated her script.
*Sorry, Neji, but my data is superior to yours.*
Hinata clenched her fists, recalling the first time they trained at the dojo when she was three or four years old. Back then, he had punched her in the face without hesitation, and she had spent the next month recuperating at the Hyuga estate.
Now, chakra surged through her as she rushed forward.
"Analyzing values... analyzing opponent's physical condition."
"Calculating current distance: 3 meters, 2 meters, 1 meter... imminent impact, calculating post-contact outcome."
As she closed the distance, data and calculations from the terminal streamed in. Hinata sidestepped Neji's punch at the last second. Again, his fist grazed her face, this time with only millimeters to spare. The closer they got, the more she could feel the gap between them—between herself, the system, and Neji. Yet his hateful gaze irritated her deeply.
Her fist slowly approached his cheek as the distance between them shrank. But just before she could land the blow, a sudden sense of danger surged within her, sending chills down her spine.
"Warning! Incoming attack!"
"Calculation result: Unable to evade. Preparing damage mitigation plan."
"Mitigation calculation complete, uploading data."
"Upload complete."
As the data streamed in, Hinata's fist finally connected with Neji's cheek. She felt the contact, the real impact of flesh against flesh. And then, a sharp pain shot through her abdomen.
"Bang!"
"Thud!"
"Thud!"
In an instant, both of them were sent flying backward, tumbling through the air like ragdolls before crashing to the ground with a heavy thud.
Upon closer inspection, Hinata's fall was relatively well-executed. Though it was impossible to avoid all damage, she had successfully mitigated some of it. After uploading the data from the portable terminal, her priority had been to land a punch on Neji, with damage avoidance as a secondary goal.
Now, both of them lay on the ground, unsure if the taste in their mouths was blood or bile. But despite everything, a smile crept across Hinata's face. *I did it!* For the first time since her reincarnation, she had managed to land a blow on Neji during their morning training at the dojo.
In the past, their matches had always ended in stalemates or worse, with Hinata being thoroughly beaten and often confined to bed, wrapped in bandages, sipping medicinal soups while staring out the window.
Filled with satisfaction, Hinata took a deep breath and forced herself to stand. Neji, still lying on the ground, had a split lip and drool running from his mouth. Clearly, her punch to his chin had knocked him unconscious.
*So, to defeat someone, you must first understand their weaknesses.* The terminal's database had done precisely that, perfectly illustrating what a weakness truly was. As long as he remained human, it was impossible to avoid these vulnerabilities.
Hinata's fist throbbed from the impact, likely scraped or bruised from the blow, but it didn't matter.
"The battle is decided. Someone, come here."
Nearby, Hiashi Hyuga's usual cold expression had softened. He understood better than anyone how difficult this battle had been for Hinata. Neji's talent, which even Hiashi found intimidating, had been a constant concern.
The Hyuga Clan had grown stagnant and corrupt—no one understood this better than Hiashi. His guilt over Neji, and his clear recognition of his brother Hizashi's sacrifice, weighed heavily on him. Neji's talent was far greater than Hinata's, yet she had demonstrated the truth behind the saying, *the brave defeat the strong.*
Through her strange movement and keen battle instincts, Hinata had managed to defeat Neji. Despite the battle's rough and sometimes clumsy appearance, victory wasn't about elegance—if it were, they'd be practicing dance, not combat.
This was what made Hiashi all the more astonished.