A Transmigrator’s Story in the Hyuga’s Main Branch

101. Jungle Fighting The Hozuki Clan Patriarch to Death

Hikari, ever composed even in the face of rapidly approaching water bullets, did not waver. Recognizing the immediate threat, he quickly activated his Twin Lion Fists technique.

As he ran towards his adversary, now moving agilely across the surface of the water, his chakra-infused hands glowed with intense energy, manifesting as two massive, roaring lion heads made entirely of chakra.

With precision and control, Hikari used these chakra lions to intercept and neutralize the high-speed water bullets. Each bullet was effectively stopped by the lion heads, dissipating upon impact without causing any harm.

The bullets were approaching at speeds not visible to the naked eye of most shinobi and were fired from such a close range, and yet, Hikari's reaction time, thanks to his unique Byakugan's 'processing speed', outperformed them with ease.

This defensive action not only protected Hikari but also allowed him to maintain his momentum as he continued to close the distance between himself and the Hozuki patriarch.

Now only a few meters away, Hikari advanced with increased intensity, his Twin Lion Fists still active and ready to strike. The air crackled with the energy of his approach, signaling the impending confrontation. 

As Hikari advanced with his Twin Lion Fists ready to strike, the Hozuki patriarch quickly realized the futility of trying to counter such a formidable opponent using conventional tactics or lower-to-medium-level jutsu.

Hikari's prowess exceeded any expectations the patriarch had previously held regarding the capabilities of a Hyuga ninja. Faced with this unexpected level of threat, the patriarch decided that evasion first was his best recourse.

In a desperate move to escape and create a diversion, the patriarch employed the Hyozuki clan's signature Hydrification Technique.

This unique ability allows members of the Hozuki clan to liquefy their bodies at will, turning themselves into water to avoid physical attacks and move swiftly without restraint.

It's a defensive technique that also enables quick repositioning or escape, making it invaluable in combat situations, especially for a clan that excels in water-based environments.

Activating the Hydrification Technique, the patriarch merged his now liquid form with the river beneath him, effectively becoming one with the water.

This rapid transformation was his last-ditch effort to evade Hikari's imminent assault.

Once submerged and integrated with the water, he executed his most powerful jutsu—Water Release: Tate Eboshi, right away.

From his position within the river, the patriarch manipulated the water around him to form a towering wave that took on the menacing appearance of a demon-like fish.

This giant wave surged forward, embodying the force and ferocity of the river's current, aimed at overwhelming Hikari and creating an opportunity for the patriarch to retreat or reposition for a counterattack.

The water took on a life of its own, a formidable barrier meant to fend off Hikari's relentless advance and reset the dynamics of their confrontation.

As the giant wave in the form of a demon-like fish crashed toward him, Hikari quickly assessed his options more seriously and analytically for the first time during the short clash.

The sheer mass and momentum of the water created by the Hozuki patriarch's jutsu presented a significant challenge,

'Huh, it is a little tricky now that I can't locate where his real, transformed body is located in all this giant mass of water... His level of strength, near a huge water body, is not just a 'first class' Elite Jonin, it seems, but more likely even a Quasi-Kage level...',

Hikari pondered, recognizing the difficulty in pinpointing the patriarch's position within the vast liquid form.

The options before him were limited: he could attempt to destroy the entire mass of water with brute force somehow, a feat that seemed inefficient and nearly impossible given the patriarch's terrain advantage.

The alternative required precision and timing, 'Then I should try and locate somehow and then target his real body...', Hikari concluded, formulating a strategy amidst the chaos of the surging water.

Faced with the near impossibility of detecting the Hozuki patriarch through conventional means, even with his Byakugan pushed to its limits, Hikari recognized that a different method of observation was necessary.

The Hydrification Technique, a sophisticated hijutsu refined over centuries, allowed its user to seamlessly blend into water, making it exceedingly difficult to distinguish the transformed body from the surrounding environment.

And Hozuki clan nearly reached the limit of possible power for clans that didn't have any kekkei genkai, and instead relied on special techniques, called hijutsu. Not to mention that the individual he was facing now looked to be among the current top brass of that clan.

Understanding the complexities of this technique, Hikari decided to tap into a deeper aspect of his unique Byakugan capabilities — the ability to perceive natural energy. 

Hikari knew that natural energy almost certainly always interacted with chakra in some kind of way, no matter if masked or transformed like now.

Activating this special mode, Hikari sought out disturbances and patterns in the flow of natural energy within the massive water construct.

This method provided a different layer of sensory perception, one that could potentially reveal the patriarch's true location despite the comprehensive blending of his chakra with the water.

As the battle continued and Hikari was tossed through the air by the force of the watery monster, he concentrated deeply, filtering through the chaos to detect any anomaly and 'signal' in the natural energy currents.

After a tense and focused search, Hikari's unique vision paid off — he finally pinpointed a subtle anomaly that marked the patriarch's location.

With the location of the Hozuki patriarch finally pinpointed within the massive water construct, Hikari prepared to close in for a direct, finishing strike.

Knowing he needed both protection and force to penetrate the watery defense, he activated a unique technique: Wind Release: Armor of the Heavenly Spin.

By creating a continuous, protective layer of spinning wind chakra around his body, Hikari formed a barrier that not only shielded him but also enhanced his mobility and offensive potential.

Though this version of the Armor was slightly less powerful than the traditional Rotation in terms of sheer defensive strength, its advantage lay in its sustainability and lower chakra consumption, allowing Hikari to maintain it for extended periods.

This made it ideal for the current situation, where a prolonged engagement within the hostile environment of the water monster was necessary.

With the Armor of the Heavenly Spin activated, Hikari surged forward, his form a blur of spinning wind as he moved directly toward the heart of the watery sphere-like behemoth.

His approach was calculated to reach the patriarch with minimal interference from the surrounding water, relying on the armor to deflect any residual attacks and navigate through the dense, liquid mass.

As he neared his target, Hikari readied himself for a decisive confrontation, prepared to strike directly at the real body of the Hozuki patriarch hidden within the tumultuous water.

His strategy combined finesse with brute force, aimed at ending the battle swiftly and effectively.

Inside the colossal watery construct, Hikari's strategic approach was clear and calculated.

He understood that while the Hozuki patriarch's body was transformed into water using the Hydrification Technique, the transformation itself was still fundamentally sustained by chakra with some kind of a mechanism.

Disrupting this chakra flow could potentially force the technique to unravel, reverting the patriarch to his original form.

Navigating through the heart of the water giant with his Wind Release: Armor of the Heavenly Spin still active, Hikari reached the core where he sensed the concentrated chakra that maintained the patriarch's transformed state.

Without hesitation, he launched into a precise and deadly execution of the Hyuga clan's famous technique, the Gentle Fist Art Eight Trigrams: 64 Palms, but not acting on the opponent's chakra pathway system, as it wasn't visible now, but on that chakra outline of his enemy that allowed this transformation to keep going, Hikari just used that Eight Trigrams stance to accomplish that goal.

As Hikari delivered the successive strikes, disrupting and dispersing the chakra everywhere, the opponent's real body began to materialize within the water.

The look of shock and fear in the Hozuki patriarch's eyes was palpable as he realized the impending defeat.

He was now vulnerable, his body reappearing, unable to shield himself against the precise and deadly blows of the Hyuga prodigy.

Hikari then delivered the final strikes of the sequence, this time to his real body. The last two palms targeted directly at all the critical internal organs simultaneously, delivering a fatal blow.

The force and precision of these final strikes disrupted all vital functions, effectively ending the life of the Hozuki patriarch.

As the patriarch's lifeless body sank into the water, the giant watery construct around them began to collapse, the chakra that sustained it dissipating into the environment. Hikari stood solemn and resolute, his technique flawless and his mission accomplished.

Reflecting on his first real battle as a shinobi, Hikari found his composure throughout the confrontation to be unsurprising.

His demeanor had always been exceedingly calm and 'mechanical', a result of both his natural inclination and rigorous training.

He could also utilize his chakra to calm the various bodily processes that could affect him negatively in battle, thanks to his amazing vision and chakra control. 

He had mentally prepared for moments like this throughout his life, repeatedly visualizing various combat scenarios and strategizing his responses. Such preparation allowed him to remain grounded and focused when the actual moment of engagement arrived the first time.

As he analyzed this battle, Hikari recognized that his victory was not solely obtained 'so easy' due to his skill or even the element of surprise but also significantly because his specific abilities effectively countered those of his opponent on a fundamental level.

The patriarch's use of the Hydrification Technique, which rendered him nearly invisible and intangible, was a formidable skill set that would typically complicate any engagement.

However, Hikari's unique enhancements to his Byakugan allowed him to detect disturbances in natural energy, which made it possible to identify and target the real body of his opponent despite the transformation.

Moreover, his mastery of the Gentle Fist technique played a crucial role. This technique, which could target chakra directly, proved ideal against an opponent whose main defense was based on chakra manipulation and 'masking' with it.

His ability to manipulate and attack chakra as if it were a tangible substance turned what might have been an elusive and resilient foe into a manageable target at close contact.

Just as Hikari was assessing this victory, his still-activated sharp Byakugan caught sight of six other Kirigakure shinobi rapidly approaching his position.

Each displayed the formidable aura of Jonin-level strength, clearly leaders of their respective squadrons that were nearby and were first to realize something.

Hikari surmised that these shinobi had likely been alerted to the battle by their sensory teammates and had hurried to support their fallen leader, it was just that they were the fastest ones due to their overall Jonin level, so only they came alone.

'I lost a quarter of my chakra already in this battle to finish it quickly...', Hikari thought, preparing to make his next move, 'I need to fight to retreat now, not to win or kill them.'