8. A Young Genius Defies the Odds

8. A Young Genius Defies the Odds

However, Haruto Hyuga, the 7-year-old brother of Hiroto Hyuga and the third youngest member of the entire Main Branch after Hikari and Hiruto themselves, as well as another grandson of the Seventh Elder, didn't give Hikari a moment to react before he swung his fist in extreme anger as soon as he rushed to the scene from the Seventh Estate in front of him.

Haruto had rushed over upon seeing his younger brother lying defeated, in that state, on the ground. As he launched his attack, he also hurled insults at Hikari, seemingly undeterred by the sight of Hikari's activated Byakugan.

Caught off guard by Haruto's sudden aggression, Hikari was forced to halt the activation of the Cursed Seal command he had been using on the other branch members who were still writhing in pain on the ground, saliva dripping from their mouths. Inadvertently, Haruto's intervention potentially saved quite a lot of their brain cells from more severe damage.

'Damn, is this what four years of training amounts to compared to just two?', Hikari thought, a hint of desperation creeping into his mind as he narrowly evaded Haruto's aggressive onslaught.

Despite his ability to still successfully see, and even predict Haruto's moves with his Byakugan, Hikari found his body frustratingly unable to keep pace, the four-year age gap between them translating into a significant disadvantage in terms of physical capabilities,

'Fortunately, his rage is clouding his judgment; otherwise, that first punch might have been the end of me even without him having the Byakugan or the Gentle Fist techniques...', Hikari acknowledged.

As the initial wave of Haruto's anger began to subside slightly, his attacks became more calculated and harder for Hikari to evade. Hikari realized that even if he managed to keep dodging, it was only a matter of time before he either made a mistake or exhausted his chakra and physical stamina, given the clear disparities between them.

Haruto's superior training and physical prowess allowed him to adapt quickly, narrowing the space between them with swift, targeted strikes designed to corner Hikari and limit his mobility.

Haruto skillfully mixed feints and direct attacks, aiming to deplete Hikari's stamina and force errors. Meanwhile, Hikari's attempts to counter were hampered by his need to constantly evade, making it difficult to launch an effective offensive.

However, struggling to keep up, Hikari was suddenly taken by surprise when a kick finally landed squarely on his stomach, causing him to instinctively curl up and lean forward.

Then the immediate threat of another kick aimed at his head filled him with dread, 'This could really mess up my entire skull... No, it could be even worse than that. He doesn't look like he would stop after just that one kick... So, this could even be the complete end for me...',

'But still... Both victories were mainly due to the element of surprise. Had they not underestimated me or been aware of my entire potential capabilities, the outcome would have been my defeat with full certainty.',

'It's clear I need to become stronger quickly to ensure future victories, now that they're aware of what I'm capable of at this stage...', Hikari reflected, his gaze still calm, sharp, and analytical now.

It was not like Hikari didn't prepare for hypothetically facing the seven-year-old brother, in question, as well this time around. He had also strategically considered that possibility too. Or else, he would've obviously waited to train with Takumi for some time before doing this.

However, aware of the unique connection between spiritual energy and brain function that existed in this world, Hikari, who had effectively fused two souls, knew that he possessed enhanced cognitive abilities currently in this world.

This fusion likely improved his memory, focus, intelligence, and even most notably- the enhanced motor and chakra control - the most pivotal elements for awakening the 'resolve'.

Hikari yesterday hypothesized that this advanced level of innate chakra and motor function control, alongside his Byakugan, would increase his likelihood of being able to achieve this breakthrough under pressure, almost giving him something akin to an 'artificial' help, allowing him to leapfrog many other shinobi, and it was a theory he was willing to test in this battle if necessary.

And as events unfolded just now, Hikari's calculated risk paid off. Not only did he exact his revenge, but he also managed to awaken his 'resolve' much earlier than most could dream of, all under the watchful eyes of the clan.

It was a very good 'reward' for this kind of 'risk' percentage, making the overall risk-to-return ratio for this kind of 'chess move' quite profitable.

This achievement was very 'timely' for him now, with the Elder Council meeting, that would determine his fate, happening tomorrow. Awakening both the Byakugan and 'Resolve' at three years old was 'quite something' in his opinion.

That level of talent increased the likelihood of them not only giving up on dealing with him nearly entirely forever but also probably cultivating him instead and giving him many resources back.

"My grandsons!!!",

However, just as Hikari was about to sigh in relief and turn back, a loud yell echoed from the depths of the Hyuga clan compound, from the other side, growing louder and more resonant as it approached his position. A figure soon emerged, old yet exuding quickness and power.