Chapter 56: I, Your Father, am the Greatest Obstacle

With all of the delegations from foreign nations having arrived, Wu began using his miniature clones to gather as much information as possible. He wasn't the type to leave things to chance, so he secretly sat in on a few Council meetings and accumulated intel on every participant, proctor, and test that would be administered.

After learning that the Elimination Round would be taking place in Training Ground 44, colloquially known as the Forest of Death, Wu dispatched well over a thousand clones to conduct a survey and create supply caches. He had already memorized the topography during a past training session, but it was better to be sure than to assume everything was still the same. The Forest of Death was the origin of the 50m long snake Wu had slain, so the terrain was constantly changing as Chakra Beasts clashed for supremacy and to protect their dens.

While his clones carried out his investigation, Wu's 'focus' was on helping his 'friends' prepare for the event. He initially started with just Tenten, but it wasn't long before her entire Team began showing up at the Senju Clan Compound. Shortly after that, Teams 7, 8, and 10 showed up, primarily at the insistence of Sakura and Ino. Once the duo discovered they had been given a chance to participate in the Chunin Exams, they instantly thought of training with Wu. Ino was basically the decision-maker in her Team, so she easily 'convinced' Shikamaru and Choji to participate. The dynamic in Sakura's Team was a bit different. Still, by persuading Sasuke and Naruto to join in, she created the opportunity for Hinata, Kiba, and the enigmatic Shino to do the same.

When he first discovered that Naruto 'and' Hinata would be coming to the Senju Clan Compound for training, Wu expected some kind of incident to occur. There was still a notable tension in the duo's relationship, but upon learning that Wu was now married, Naruto 'enthusiastically' congratulated him, seemingly forgetting their past argument. Everyone else had mixed views on the relationship between Wu and Tsunade, especially those who had looked up to the Legendary Kunoichi their entire lives, but the general vibe within the group was that they were happy for him. At least, that was how things appeared on the surface...

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"Are you prepared this time? I wouldn't want to knock you on your ass before you can prepare your 'absolute defense' again."

Seeing Wu standing in a relaxed posture, not even bothering to make use of his staff, the perpetual scowl on Neji's face became even grimmer than usual. He had trained exhaustively since his last spar with Wu, but despite awing nearly everyone in his clan, the 'distance' between him and the boy across from him seemed to have increased exponentially...

Despite history having proven otherwise, Neji answered, "I'm ready..." in a firm tone, the veins around his eyes bulging. At that exact moment, Wu's figure seemed to 'flicker' before appearing right in front of him, seemingly without taking a single step. Neji immediately backstepped, but found his vision blocked as Wu's hand stopped right in front of his face.

("Not again...")

Disregarding the prodigious Hyuga's thoughts on the matter, Wu promptly grabbed the grim-faced youth's face before tossing him to the side before he could present any meaningful resistance. It's not that he didn't attempt to, but every time he struck one of Wu's Tenketsu, the mysterious, bright green energy within his body would condense in that location, effectively repelling the Chakra of his Gentle Fist Technique.

While Neji bounced back to his feet immediately, rebuilding his stance and showing a willingness to continue, Wu just stared at him with a bored look and said, "I've said this time and again, but if you keep relying exclusively on the Gentle Fist Techniques, you'll never be able to defeat anyone truly powerful. It might be exceedingly powerful against 'ordinary' Shinobi, but extraordinary individuals like me see it for what it really is, a gimmick. You are powerless against anyone that can counter your attacks or stay out of melee range."

To prove his point, Wu leaped a few tens of meters into the air before crossing his arms and asking, "Now what? Will you throw a kunai at me?"

Clicking his tongue, Neji reached into the angular pouch strapped to his right thigh and grabbed three kunai, throwing them at Wu's grinning face out of spite. In response, the latter just let them hit him, a metallic ding ringing throughout the training field as they deflected off his skin.

"..."

Refusing to be 'played with,' Neji dropped his guard and said, "We're done here. Sparring against you isn't going to help me get stronger..."

Maintaining his cross-armed posture in the sky, Wu retorted, "It would if you actually tried devising countermeasures against my abilities. Do you think your 'enemies' will just let you walk away? Are you going to accuse people on the battlefield of being 'dishonorable' for not standing at your ideal range and permitting you to poke them to death?"

Without waiting for Neji's response, Wu shifted his attention to the peanut gallery watching off to the side, shouting, "Hinata! Come and show Mister Destiny over here how a capable Shinobi fights...!"

Hearing Wu shout her name, Hinata, still wearing baggy clothes, looked to Naruto as if to seek his permission. Only once he had nodded and told her good luck did she rise from his side and make her over to where Neji had been standing moments prior. Then, instead of getting into the traditional Gentle Fist stance, she stood with her feet close together, back straight, and hands hanging loosely at her sides.

Maintaining his position in the air, Wu's expression and tone hardened as he said, "Give it your best..."

Instead of responding to Wu's words with her own, Hinata closed her eyes, veins bulging along their periphery as a high-pitched 'humming' sound began to reverberate through the area. From the centers of her palms, laser-like blades of extremely condensed Chakra began to take shape before she suddenly kicked off the ground with enough force to generate a small explosion.

Though most Shinobi would avoid launching an aerial assault, as it placed them in a highly vulnerable position, Hinata exhibited no fear or hesitation as she attempted to slice through Wu with her exceptionally sharp blades of Chakra. When he evaded her by simply dodging to the side, she flipped her body in mid-air, surprising Neji by 'stopping' in place and appearing to crouch against an invisible wall. She then used said wall as a springboard to continue her assault on Wu, changing directions several times without needing to return to the ground.

Nodding his head in approval, Wu remarked, "You've improved..." while continuing to dodge Hinata's assault. The latter had struggled a bit with her control near the start of the training but had quickly surpassed even Sakura once he began providing her supplemental lessons in secret.

Though he couldn't keep it up for long, as empty air was a pretty shitty medium, Hinata could emulate the effects of Wu's greaves by diffusing her Chakra into the air to create a solid surface. Her strength had also increased explosively, allowing her to vault about at high speeds, punch through trees, and even destroy large boulders with a palm thrust, utterly transcending the typical Gentle Fist user.

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Hearing Wu's praise, a faint smile developed across Hinata's face before immediately disappearing. Then, for the first time since her assault began, she opened her eyes to reveal a Byakugan tinged with glowing blue light. At that moment, her strength and speed seemed to compound, her figure turning into a blue and beige blur as she zipped through Wu's afterimage and impacted the ground like a small meteor...

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Witnessing Hinata's performance, Kiba couldn't help asking, "Is that really Hinata?" in an incredulous tone. This was the first time he had seen her go 'all out' since they were placed on the same Team about five months prior. He knew she was strong, especially after training with a 'monster' like Wu for four years, but he never imagined she was 'this' strong...

Rubbing the underside of his nose with his index finger, Naruto had what could best be described as a shit-eating grin as he replied, "Yeah, that's my Hinata, alright. You should see her when she summons these massive lion heads around her hands. She's only using those blades because she's trying to conserve Chakra, and they're probably the only things that can cut through Wu's defense."

As he often trained with Hinata as a substitute for 'other' kinds of physical exertion, Naruto was intimately familiar with her abilities. The only way he could win against her was by keeping a safe distance and 'spamming' his Wind and Earth Release Jutsu. The moment he fell into her range or ran out of Chakra, he was basically 'fucked' as Wu would say. Fortunately, he had 'a lot' of Chakra...

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Rising from the rather sizeable crater she had created, an embarrassed smile developed across Hinata's face as she glimpsed the damage she had caused to her surroundings. It faded almost immediately, but Wu had noticed it, remarking, "No need to worry. A bit of damage here and there adds character to the Estate."

Since Hinata seldom spoke to anyone when Naruto was around, Wu didn't wait for her response. Instead, he turned to Neji and questioned, "Do you still think this kind of training is pointless, or are you just going to continue making excuses for your shortcomings?"

Furrowing his brows even deeper than usual, Neji replied, "Lady Hinata has trained with you since she was a child. I won't be able to emulate her abilities just by seeing them in action..."

Though he had seen Hinata dispersing her Chakra into the air, thanks to his Byakugan, Neji couldn't understand how it permitted her to create a foothold in empty air. He could also disperse Chakra outside of his body, but it generated a stream of pressure, not a static wall. He presumed it had something to do with her control and immense physical strength, but he couldn't be certain without hearing an explanation or observing Hinata utilizing the technique over a prolonged period.

Egging Neji on, Wu teased, "Excuse it is..." before dropping to the ground and adding, "Two years ago, Lee was the weakest kid in your Class. Now, he's running around with 12,000kg of weight strapped to his calves. How much can 'you' carry, Mr. Prodigy...?"

With his angriest expression yet, Neji replied, "It doesn't matter how much weight he can carry. He's never once defeated me in a spar. Not everyone is as 'monstrously talented' as you, Wu-kun. Some people are fated to-"

While making a sock puppet gesture with his right hand, Wu interrupted Neji's monologue with a "Blah, blah, blah..." before adding, "Just because you cry me a river, that doesn't mean I'll drown myself in it. Actions speak louder than words, asshat. And talent can only get you so far. Give me six months with Lee, and I'll have him surpass you so thoroughly you'll never catch up on your own. Why? Because you lack the conviction. A person who believes their fate was decided from birth will never rise above it..."

Finished with what he had to say, Wu preempted Neji's response with a shooing gesture, stating, "I know you're the center of your own distorted little world, but I have other people to train. If you interfere with someone else's progress, I'll fucking destroy you..."

"..."

Though he had a lot he wanted to say, Neji turned away and stormed off with a characteristically grim expression. In his place, Lee happily jumped into the fray, not even waiting for a starting cue as he performed a flying kick towards Wu, shouting, "Have at thee, Wu-kun...!"

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(A/N: I wonder how Naruto would react if he learned this isn't the limit to Hinata's power...?)

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