Since Ino had already leaked the exam questions to Choji, she naturally didn't forget about Hinata.
Hinata's academic performance was originally fine, but after becoming a Genin and as Ino and the other Konoha Four began to make a name for themselves, her pressure suddenly increased. She trained very hard every day, practicing taijutsu until her mind was blank. She hadn't looked at her academic subjects for a while, and she was on the verge of forgetting them.
Ino went to the Hyuga Clan to play with her for two consecutive days and found her engrossed in her old textbooks. With her small body and large head, holding thick books, she looked as miserable as a sports specialist having to repeat a grade.
Poor thing, you don't need to struggle anymore. I'll just tell you the exam questions directly.
"Ah? No, no!"
"You can't do that!"
"Ino, don't!"
After receiving the leaked exam questions from Ino, Hinata was terrified. Even in her own house, she would occasionally look back, as if she had done something illicit.
"What are you afraid of? You're too timid. It's fine. During the actual exam, on-site cheating is even allowed, let alone now?" Ino patted her on the shoulder repeatedly to reassure her.
"Ino-neechan!" Hinata's younger sister, Hyuga Hanabi, was also very familiar with Ino. The seven-year-old girl was poised and greeted her politely, then bowed to her own sister.
"Oh, it's little Hanabi. You've started attending the Ninja Academy, right? How is it? Is the schoolwork heavy?" Ino asked in a senior's tone.
Hanabi was much more confident than her sister, her chin slightly raised: "The school is full of little brats who don't understand anything. That kind of studying is a complete waste of time. Sister, please use that Genjutsu on me again from yesterday. I want to see if I can break it."
Ino smiled: "Alright."
Following Tayuya's Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains method, she whistled, using sound to confuse and manipulate Hanabi's Chakra, instantly sending the little girl into a psychedelic world.
Her 'Gen' stat was now 6 points, making it easy to deal with a child like Hanabi.
Hanabi stood still, her eyes unfocused. Hinata watched her sister with a bit of worry, temporarily forgetting about the exam questions.
A minute later, the Chakra Ino used while whistling ran out, and Hanabi awoke from the Genjutsu. She hadn't broken free.
Her gaze towards Ino was full of admiration.
Without any hand seals, without a Bloodline Limit, to be able to achieve this was truly amazing!
"Sister, sister, again, please?"
"Sister, again, please! I will definitely break free from this Genjutsu this time, Byakugan!"
Ino teased the little girl for a while, receiving a wealth of praise.
Byakugan and Byakugan are also different. There isn't a tiered system like the Sharingan's single Tomoe, double Tomoe, Three Tomoe, and Mangekyo, but as an eye within the legendary eyes, and as a direct descendant of the Ōtsutsuki Clan, the Byakugan also has a question of Dojutsu Power.
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's was a Byakugan, Hyuga Hiashi's was also a Byakugan. Their eyes looked exactly the same as Hanabi's Byakugan, but in reality? Can one say that Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's Byakugan is the same as Hanabi's Byakugan? There is a vast difference in their Dojutsu Power, like heaven and earth.
"Sister, goodbye!"
"Little Hanabi, goodbye."
Ino looked left and right, seeing no one, and whispered: "The little troublemaker is gone. I'll tell you about the second exam questions. Although I'm in charge of the second exam, I can't openly help you cheat. You still need to put in some effort yourself."
Isn't that still cheating?! Hinata, the honest child, shifted her thoughts from her sister back to the exam.
Although she felt that doing this instantly violated dozens of Village regulations, when she memorized the exam questions, a thrill surged from the bottom of her heart. Wow, how exciting!
After discussing the exam, as per usual, Ino sparred with Hinata in Taijutsu.
Her Taijutsu stat was currently 7 points, while Hinata's was probably around 6 points. Ino lacked martial arts refined over dozens of generations like the Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Palm, but she had rich combat experience and could often adapt on the fly, countering moves as they came. She slightly held back her strength, making each spar very comfortable.
"Watch out!" This time, Ino specifically picked up a samurai sword and used the Konoha-Style Swordsmanship she learned from Yūgao Uzuki, striking an opening pose.
Hinata's hands were one in front of the other, her Byakugan activated, her gaze fixed on every one of Ino's movements.
Ino used the tip of her sword to flick up a handful of dirt, then went straight for the center!
Hinata anticipated her intention a step ahead, moving to the side and striking her sword-wielding wrist with an open palm.
Ino twisted her wrist, the blade rotating to cut at Hinata's fingers. Hinata pulled back, and Ino, with a flick and a shake of her wrist, delivered three consecutive strikes aimed at her arm, shoulder, and throat.
This was the Taijutsu 'Dance of the Camellia' read from Kimimaro's mind. While the Shikotsumyaku ability couldn't be used, some Taijutsu ultimate techniques could be imitated with a sword.
Kimimaro was still a child when he left the Kaguya Clan. Orochimaru's Taijutsu was also quite ordinary, but he was extremely knowledgeable, able to acquire all sorts of Secret Techniques and ultimate techniques. Through his summarization, Kimimaro's Taijutsu had already reached a very high level.
Ino could only imitate the form now, but even just the form put immense pressure on Hinata.
With a "snap," Ino drew her soft whip, swinging her right arm in a wide arc. Following the pattern of the 'Dance of the Clematis,' she struck a weak point in Hinata's Eight Trigrams: Thirty-Two Palms, instantly breaking her defense.
"Again."
Hinata lost a move. Ino waited for her to recover for a few seconds before swinging her sword to attack again.
From the third-floor viewing platform, Hyuga Hiashi, the head of the Hyuga Clan, watched Ino and Hinata spar with his arms crossed from a distance.
Hanabi watched alongside him.
"Father, what kind of moves is Ino-neechan using now? They look so complex."
Hyuga Hiashi observed carefully for a moment: "It seems to have some moves from the Kaguya Clan's Taijutsu, a bit of Konoha-Style Swordsmanship foundation, and even traces of Kumogakure's Ninjutsu-infused Taijutsu. This Yamanaka Clan girl learns a lot of different things. You shouldn't learn like that; specializing in the family's Eight Trigrams Palm is enough."
Hanabi, at her age, was at the peak of her curiosity. Being told to diligently practice the family's martial arts day after day felt monotonous to her. For a moment, she thought Ino-neechan was amazing! She had learned so many things!
She asked with some hesitation: "I heard that Ino-neechan's best skill is Ninjutsu?"
Hyuga Hiashi had witnessed Ino clashing with Kisame Hoshigaki in Ninjutsu that day. There was nothing to dispute. He nodded: "She is indeed a Ninjutsu genius. That Yamanaka Inoichi fellow is truly lucky."
He brought the topic back to the present: "Do you know why a Ninja who excels in Ninjutsu is sparring in Taijutsu with your sister?"
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