I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

Awakening shortly after the compress was applied to her head, Hinata weakly muttered, "Where am I...?" Catching Hinata by surprise, a slightly husky voice replied, "You're at the Hokage's house. We're supposed to be training with Wu, remember...?" Looking toward the source of the sound, Hinata found Kaia sitting in seiza, using her thighs to prop up her feet. The young Inuzuka adopted a catty smile in response, explaining, "Wu told me to elevate your feet. He said it helps get blood flowing to the brain and heart." "Wu-kun...?" Recalling what had transpired before her collapse, a faint red hue colored Hinata's cheeks. This was one of the things she hated most about herself, a timidity that bordered on uselessness. Her father once believed she had chronic anemia, but that was ultimately disproven after months of medical screening. Reaching up, Hinata moved the cold compress from her forehead to her eyes and cheeks, concealing the rest of her face with her hands. The chill had a sobering effect on her mind, but she still couldn't believe she had fainted over something as simple as a boy asking to look at her eyes. Just as Hinata was beginning to hope she was in a dream, reality set in as Wu came over, now wearing a sleeveless top, asking, "You awake? You've been out for a few minutes. A while longer, and I would have had to carry you to the hospital." Removing the compress just enough to see Wu, Hinata exhaled an internal sigh of relief when she saw he was no longer shirtless. She then tried to sit up, but Wu's expression and tone became firm as he said, "Stay down. If you try to sit up so soon after recovering, you could pass out from the blood vacating your brain. Give it a few minutes, and then you can sit up." As Wu's tone reminded her a lot of her father, Hinata responded with a meek nod and stayed down. Seeing this, Wu nodded his head in approval before turning to Kaia and adding, "Look after her for me." Smiling broad, Kaia replied, "You got it, Aniki~!" in a spirited tone. She was a little annoyed that she had to watch him train from far away, but looking after members of the same 'pack' was important. Hinata might not see it the same way, but Kaia regarded everyone in Wu's group as a member of his pack. Nodding a second time, Wu gave one last look at Hinata before making his way over to the reinforced wooden post. Sakura was there waiting for him, so he offered her a curt, "Sorry for the wait..." before picking up his staff and preparing to continue his practice. Before Wu could begin, Sakura gave him the urge to change the recipient of his attacks, asking, "Do you like Hinata...?" "???" Looking at the green-eyed pinkette as if she had lost her mind, Wu asked, "What kind of question is that? How many people do you know that would invite over someone they didn't like?" Believing Wu was being intentionally daft, Sakura's face morphed into a half-lidded expression as she asserted, "You know what I mean. Do you like her in the way Ino and I like Sasuke?" "..." Closing his eyes, Wu took a moment to consider his response before opening them, adopting a serious expression, and declaring, "We're eight years old, Sakura. All I care about, at least for the time being, is enjoying myself and being the best 'me' I can be. Things like romance? That can wait. Besides, we both know who Hinata fancies. I hate drama, so why the hell would I target a girl who already has a crush on someone else?" Feeling chastised, Sakura averted her eyes and lowered her head slightly, her hands linking behind her back. She had always thought it, but Wu's response made him sound so 'mature.' It almost made her feel like there was something wrong with her, pining after Sasuke when she should be training. Breaking Sakura from her thoughts, Wu smacked the oversized log with enough force to leave a visible indentation on its surface. The loud sound caused Sakura to startle, but she only pouted for a few moments before losing herself in the rhythmic intensity of Wu's training... ... .. . By the time Wu had completed one set of his usual routine, Hinata had recovered enough to rejoin Sakura alongside Kaia. Noticing this, Wu set aside his bo staff and approached the girls, pausing to accept the water and towel proferred to him by Kaia before saying, "Now that you've seen what my training looks like, I want each of you to demonstrate your usual routine. Kaia, you can start." Thumping her chest, Kaia exclaimed, "Leave it to me~!" before taking off at a full sprint. Then, after a few seconds, she dropped onto all fours and began going even faster, circling the clearing several times before coming to a stop in front of Wu, her breath ragged and an expectant look on her face Realizing what the sweaty girl was after, Wu eventually extended his hand to ruffle the girl's hair as he asked, "That's how you normally train?" Nodding her head enthusiastically, Kaia explained, "The foundation of the Inuzuka Clan...is the Four-Footed Technique...Kaa-san-" Before Kaia could finish her panting explanation, Wu returned the water bottle she had given him previously, saying, "Go rest in the shade. We'll talk more once everyone has completed their warm-up." Grabbing the half-emptied bottle with stars in her eyes, Kaia downed the entire thing with a single mighty suck, crushing the plastic in the process. Then, as if the ruined bottle was some kind of treasure, she held it close to her chest with both hands and scampered over to the nearest tree. "..." Ignoring the poorly domesticated girl's antics, Wu shifted his attention to Sakura, saying, "You're up." Though she knew her turn would come eventually, Sakura's expression morphed into an awkward smile as she took a few tentative steps forward and demonstrated the basic forms of the Academy's Taijutsu. When she was finished, she looked toward Wu and Hinata with a nervous smile and said, "That's all I know..." Tilting his head to the side, Wu questioned, "You don't do any other forms of training? Like push-ups, sit-ups, and crunches...?" With her smile becoming even wrier, Sakura nervously scratched her cheek and revealed, "I do calisthenics and stretching exercises in my room, but I don't want to demonstrate those in front of a boy..." Instead of asking Sakura to explain her reasoning, Wu just shook his head, saying, "Take a break..." before looking to Hinata, silently urging her to begin her demonstration. Returning a slight nod, Hinata emulated Sakura's actions by taking a few tentative steps forward. However, instead of demonstrating the piss poor techniques taught by the Academy, she lowered her body into a reactive posture, palms facing outward with her left hand extended and her right closer to her body. Then, she began performing unexpectedly swift and precise strikes, her index and middle fingers emulating tiny daggers. Though Wu couldn't imagine the strike packing any power, he knew that the Hyuga Clan specialized in a Taijutsu known as the Gentle Fist. He had yet to experience it directly, but they could use apparently their Byakugan to see through objects and target the invisible Tenketsu(Chakra Points) in a person's body. Doing so crippled their opponent and made it impossible for them to mold Chakra, so it was widely regarded as the most powerful and efficient Taijutsu style. With nothing to compare Hinata's techniques to, Wu just nodded his head and said, "Pretty interesting technique. Good job." once she was finished. His words elicited a faint smile from the purple-haired heiress, but before she could be too happy, Wu asked, "Is that all you do...?" Pressing the tips of her index and middle fingers together, Hinata averted her eyes and replied, "Tou-sama says the Hyuga have no need for things like physical conditioning and weight training. We polish our skills through active sparring..." Tilting his head to the side, Wu asked the first question that popped into his head, "Then why are you so bad at it? You clearly have the form down, so why not use it during our spars at the Academy?" Shrinking into herself, Hinata's voice became so faint Wu had to strain his ears to hear her reveal, "I...I don't like hurting people..." "..." Resisting the urge to retort with a, "Yeah, and...?" Wu remained silent for several seconds before responding with an equally faint, "I see..." while really thinking, ("This brat shouldn't be a Kunoichi...") Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Wu surprised Hinata by saying, "If anything, that's even more of a reason to become strong. Your position as the heiress of a founding clan doesn't give you many options, so the best way to avoid a life of harming others is by being so powerful that nobody can force your hand. Now, hit me." "...?" Just as she was beginning to consider Wu's words, Hinata was left feeling confused by his subsequent command. She just revealed that she didn't like harming others, so why would she attack him? Adopting a serious expression, Wu explained, "I want to experience the effects of your Gentle Fist Technique. With a better understanding of it, I might be able to help you develop a technique that can disable someone without harming them. Now, hit me. Right here. Come on...!" With Wu patting his chest, seemingly suggesting she hit him in one of his central Tenketsu points, the expression on Hinata's face went from worry to reflective as she asked herself, ("Can he really help me develop such a technique...?") Growing annoyed with the Hyuga's inaction, Wu issued a disdainful snort before looking off into the distance and muttering, "This village is doomed if the wife of the future Hokage can't even attack a willing opponent..." Though she blushed crimson at the insinuation that she would become Naruto's wife, an uncharacteristically severe expression adorned Hinata's face as she asked, "Can you really help me become so powerful...enough to decide my own fate?" Without needing to consider his answer, Wu shook his head and admitted, "That depends entirely on you. I can help, but the truly powerful get there by merit of their conviction. Nobody can make you powerful unless you're willing to exert yourself and put in the effort." Furrowing her brows into an even more severe expression, Hinata found herself seriously considering Wu's words. They were similar to Naruto's Nindo, the personal creed by which all Shinobi lived, but they were also different. Wu wasn't speaking of believing in oneself, but believing in the effort one makes to attain their goals. If she wasn't willing to seize what she wanted, how could she ever expect to obtain it? Forming her conviction, the veins around Hinata's eyes began to bulge as she 'glared' back at Wu. The latter felt his skin crawl, but he still managed a cocky smile and asked, "Do you need another invitation?" Shaking her head, Hinata's voice was soft and serious as she lowered into her stance and replied, "No..." Then, without the need for additional dialogue, she lunged forward, her feet sliding across the ground as she landed a swift, precise strike on Wu's diaphragm. ("Oh, fuck...") Overestimating his pain tolerance and durability, Wu's eyes became round as saucers as he dropped to his knees, clutching his abdomen. It felt like every muscle in his torso was seizing, forcing him to take rapid, shallow, and painful breaths. Seeing the state Wu was in, regret and worry replaced Hinata's transient conviction. However, before she could even think to offer her assistance, Wu made a stopping gesture with his right hand, glaring back at her as he growled, "I'm...fine...this...is...nothing...!" Using his Mystical Monkey's Palm, Wu began trying to forcibly unseal his Tenketsu point. He couldn't see it, but he could sure as hell feel where the pain was radiating. It was like a tiny, red-hot needle had been jabbed into his diaphragm, so he utilized the Monkey's Palm technique with the image of removing it. The effectiveness of Iryojutsu was heavily affected by the user's knowledge and intent, so a proper 'image' went a long way toward guaranteeing the desired outcome... Seeing what Wu was doing, aided by her Byakugan, Hinata couldn't help thinking back on his previous words. She still had numerous doubts, but seeing a boy her age do something that should have been impossible, at least according to her father, she couldn't help thinking there was some merit to his words...at the very least, Wu appeared to practice what he preached... ... .. . (A/N: Oof...)

After successfully unsealing his Tenketsu, Wu left Hinata and Sakura at a loss for words as he rose, dusted himself off, and acted like he hadn't just spent the last three minutes keeled over. "Well, now that that's out of the way, let's get started with our training. We don't have much time before the three of you need to return home, so I'm only going to demonstrate the basics of what I want you to practice in the months to come." Before Wu could demonstrate the training method, Kaia abruptly shouted, "So cool!" She didn't know how painful having a Tenkesu sealed was, but seeing Wu recover so quickly left the snaggletoothed Inuzuka with stars in her eyes. Furrowing his brows, Wu failed to quash but managed to diminish some of Kaia's excitement as he said, "Pay attention." in a firm tone. Nodding her head, Kaia stood a little straighter while Hinata and Sakura just watched on in silence. As they did, Wu once again demonstrated his ability to sit on empty air, this time without using the Adamantine Body to freeze his lower body. "This is what I intend to teach you. While it might look simple, this is the basics of the basics when it comes to strengthening your core while also improving your Chakra circulation." Raising her hand, Sakura asked, "How does it improve Chakra circulation? Does it have something to do with your feet sticking to the ground...?" Though he wasn't particularly fond of being interrupted in the middle of a demonstration, Wu nodded his head in affirmation, answering, "I was just about to get to that part." Rising to his full height, Wu turned away from the trio and approached the reinforced log that served as his striking post. Then, to the wonder of the three girls, he walked up the side of the log, standing completely parallel before turning to them and saying, "This is the Tree Sticking Exercise. By infusing Chakra into the soles of your feet and maintaining an equilibrium with the surface, you can walk on or adhere to just about anything. Better yet, it's amazing for improving your core." Demonstrating his point, Wu placed his hands behind his head and began doing crunches. Just standing parallel to the ground placed a tremendous burden on the body, but things got really intense when you transitioned to doing handstands and finger walking. Flipping onto his feet after busting out a quick ten crunches, Wu turned to the bewildered duo and overexcited Inuzuka, asking, "Any questions...?" Raising her hand a second time, Sakura responded, "Yeah...how, exactly, do you channel Chakra into your feet? I mean, I can kind of imagine how, but we're still working on the Leaf-Sticking Exercise back at the Academy. How do you expect us to do something this...advanced?" Crossing his arms, Wu shamelessly replied, "Trial and error. So long as you take into consideration what you're doing wrong between attempts, you'll eventually be able to succeed. Just make sure you don't practice alone or climb too high. If you fall onto your head or land on the back of your neck, that's it. You're done." Understanding what Wu meant when he said they would be 'done,' a knot formed in Sakura's throat. She had never been afraid of heights, but the thought of falling backward onto her head caused her knees to tremble... Rolling his eyes, Wu asked, "What's with the overdramatic reaction? I'm not asking you to start the Tree-Sticking Excercise right this instant. I was just giving you a demonstration of what allows me to stick to the ground." Raising his right foot, along with a rather sizeable chunk of earth, Wu added, "Once you attain sufficient mastery, you'll be able to spread your Chakra through surfaces to harden and cling to them. Doing it with dirt is pretty tricky, so I intend to have the three of you take turns atop this log. If you fall, I'll catch you. Then it's the next person's turn." After patting the log for emphasis, Wu directed his gaze to Kaia and said, "You're up, Kaia. Take off your sandals and climb up. Once you get used to doing it barefoot, you can switch to having your sandals on." Without needing to be told twice, Kaia peeled off her sandals, throwing them off to the side before scurrying up the log. It was around three meters tall, more than twice the height of everyone present, but children with Chakra were capable of some pretty incredible things. Expecting Kaia to immediately throw herself off the log just so he would have to catch her, Wu was pleasantly surprised to see her bring her hands together to form a Ram Seal. Unfortunately, the moment she attempted to squat, she immediately lost her balance, tumbling backward off the log. Catching the petite Inuzuka before she could impact the ground, Wu did his best not to reveal his disappointment as he smiled and said, "Don't let it bother you. For now, move off to the side and practice the Leaf-Sticking Exercise with your feet." Though she was somewhat reluctant to leave Wu's arms, Kaia nodded her head before rising to her feet and scampering off to the side. A faint blush colored her cheeks, but thanks to her fang-like tattoos, it didn't stand out as much as it would have. Shifting his gaze to the remaining girls, Wu was about to order Sakura up before pausing when he gazed into Hinata's eyes. They immediately gave him an idea, so he adopted a massive smile and said, "I just thought of a way we can increase the effectiveness of our training." Before the girls could ask what he meant, Wu pointed at Hinata's eyes and asked, "Your Byakugan can see the flow of Chakra, right? From now on, I want you to use them when Sakura and Kaia go up on the log. That way, we'll know for certain whether or not they're circulating their Chakra properly." While Wu's idea wasn't bad, Hinata nearly threw a wrench into his plans, revealing, "The Byakugan places a heavy strain on the eyes...using them too frequently can lead to temporary or permanant blindness..." Instead of being discouraged by the revelation, Wu gave a curt nod and asserted, "If it's ordinary ocular strain, I should be able to treat it with my Mystical Monkey's Palm. You can also just deactivate them if they start to hurt. I'm not going to force you to overuse them." As she was used to her father doing precisely that, Hinata blinked a few times, stunned by the 'pragmatism' of Wu's words. She wasn't sure about letting him use his Mystical Monkey's Palm to treat her, but it was nice to know he was thinking about her well-being... ... .. . Demonstrating she had at least some redeeming qualities, Hinata was able to use her Byakugan precisely as Wu had envisioned. As a result, Sakura managed to stick to the log on her very first attempt, albeit after threatening vengeance if Wu tried looking up her dress. Her words gave Wu the idea of letting her hit the ground when she fell, but he managed to restrain himself for the sake of the trust he had built over the past month and a half. When Sakura inevitably fell from the log, Wu received her without issue before giving Kaia another opportunity. The Hyuga were famous for their finesse and Chakra Control, so after confirming she was okay with it, he had Hinata watch closely as Kaia struggled for nearly twenty minutes to infuse Chakra into her soles. That was already pushing the limits of the Hyuga heiress's capabilities, so she ended up deactivating them before Kaia was able to succeed. As it was already pretty late in the day by then, Wu had Kaia leap off the log so that Hinata could have a go. Her control was surprisingly worse than Sakura's, something Wu made special note of, but she managed to hold the squat for a few seconds before falling off. Not because she was lacking in Chakra Control, but because her muscles gave out on her. Out of curiosity, Wu asked Hinata to perform an ordinary squat. She was reluctant due to the embarrassing nature of the pose, but she eventually gave in after a bit of peer pressure. Proving Wu's suspicions, Hinata was only able to hold a squat for around ten seconds before her legs were trembling like a newborn fawn. She did her best to endure a while longer but inevitably fell onto her bottom after an additional five seconds. Comparably, Sakura held out for more than a minute while Kaia had no trouble holding the pose as long as she wanted. The Inuzuka Clan's techniques conditioned their entire body, so Kaia had decent stamina and a well-balanced physique. At least compared to other girls her age. Once each of the girls had had a turn on the log, Wu decided to end the training session so that he would actually have time to focus on his own. Kaia wanted to continue, but Wu managed to talk her down by reminding her they would be training together frequently from then on. That was enough to convince her to leave, though not before Hiruzen could appear out of thin air to 'greet' them. Having left his hat inside, Hiruzen appeared even older than usual as he adopted one of his grandfatherly smiles, musing, "Ah, you must be Wu's friends. I trust he wasn't too hard on you during your training session...?" Though they were a little surprised and intimidated by Hiruzen's sudden appearance, Sakura managed to speak on the group's behalf, answering, "No, Sir. Wu-kun made sure we took the necessary precautions and did his best to prevent us from injuring ourselves..." "Hoo~?" Caressing his beard, Hiruzen gained a twinkle in his eye as he remarked, "You're a very well-spoken young lady. I imagine you're among the top of your class in terms of academics. Keep up the good work." While she was used to receiving praise for her academics, Sakura became bashful in response to Hiruzen's words. The latter was the most powerful, influential, and, most importantly, the most respected person in the entire village. In his prime, people referred to him with titles such as the 'God of Shinobi' and 'The Professor.' He was a legendary figure in the hearts and minds of most of Konoha's citizens, so Sakura felt a little overwhelmed to be receiving his praise. "T-Thank you, Sir...m-m-my name is-" Interrupting Sakura's stammering, Hiruzen's smile softened as he mused, "Haruno Sakura. My grandson here has told me much about you. You also have a very conspicuous head of hair." Blushing crimson, Sakura reached up and began smoothening her hair. She hadn't looked in a mirror since the training ended, so she was a little worried it looked unsightly. Amused by Sakura's reaction, Hiruzen was tempted to tease her further before noticing the flat expression on Wu's face. He then took a moment to clear his throat before saying, "Well, I just wanted to meet Wu's friends. Now that I have, I should be preparing for dinner. Be sure to take care on your way home. Konoha is safe, but caution forever trumps complacency." Finished with what he had to say, Hiruzen folded his arms behind him in a sagely manner before walking in the opposite direction of the children. He had intended to tease Wu a bit more, but that could wait till later. After all, he didn't want to embarrass his young protege in front of a group of girls, one or more of which he might have a crush on. Seeing Hiruzen walk away, whistling in amusement, Wu had to restrain himself from pulling out his staff and attempting to smack the old man over the head. His chances of landing a hit were slim, but the imagined payoff almost made it worth the risk. Instead, he turned to the trio of girls and asked, "Did you forget that you're supposed to be leaving? Come on. I can at least escort you to the front gate." With Wu's words returning them to their senses, Kaia, Sakura, and Hinata followed after him before eventually departing the estate. The latter was almost immediately received by a member of the Hyuga Clan, one of four that had been spying on the manor. Almost immediately after that, a two-meter tall grey wolf appeared to pick up Kaia, the little girl climbing atop it and waving enthusiastically before departing. This left Sakura on her own, looking back at Wu with a hint of expectation in her eyes... Feigning obliviousness, Wu returned a smile and raised his hand, saying, "I'll see you tomorrow, Sakura. Oh, and good work during today's training. Your Chakra Control genuinely surprised me." Realizing that Wu wasn't going to walk her home, Sakura's expression revealed a hint of anxiousness as she meekly replied, "Thanks...I don't have a lot of Chakra, so I do my best not to waste it..." Nodding his head in approval, Wu asserted, "It really shows." Then, as he didn't want to give the girl an opportunity to ask for an escort outright, he gave one final nod before turning around and walking away. At least, that was his intention... "W-Wu-kun...ano..." ... .. .

With the supplemental lessons ending after a week, those that had been forcing themselves to attend returned to their usual afterschool activities. Naruto stuck around a few days longer, largely to spend time with Sakura, but he eventually got bored and started hanging out with Kiba, Choji, and Shikamaru. After Naruto left the group, Wu expected Hinata to follow suit, but she ended up sticking around. She could justify spending time with him while they were in the Academy, but if she were caught following Naruto around outside, someone from the Hyuga Clan would quickly show up to retrieve her. Instead of Hinata, the last to leave the study group was Ino. She had fun at the beginning, but spending 3-4 hours a day learning things that would be taught to her in class quickly lost its appeal. Following the departure of Ino, Wu began looking for reasons to justify his own. Unfortunately, his excuse of wanting to train just led to Kaia asking if she could come over to play. Hinata and Sakura also had good reasons for becoming more powerful, so it wasn't long before Wu found himself in the awkward position of having to explain to Hiruzen his reasons for bringing over the three girls. Though he listened attentively and nodded his head in response to Wu's well-crafted 'excuse,' Hiruzen had a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he inhaled from his ornate wooden pipe. After inhaling a mixture of tobacco and a few minor narcotics, Hiruzen exhaled several rings of smoke before adopting a 'knowing' smile as he mused, "Ah, to be young..." Before Wu could ask if the old man had finally gone senile, Hiruzen stared directly at him and added, "So long as their parents permit it, you have my permission to bring them over. However, as all three are girls, you must treat them delicately and with due consideration. Boys have a much easier time building muscle than girls, so you shouldn't hold them to your standard. If you injure them, even accidentally, it could become a serious incident..." Revealing his thoughts on the matter, Wu's usual smile was nowhere to be seen as he groaned, "You could just say no...spare me the hassle..." Exhaling an amused chuckle, the twinkle in Hiruzen's eyes became more prominent as he said, "Trust me, Wu. You may not understand it right now, but there will eventually come a time when you look back on this day with fondness. You can thank me then." Finding Hiruzen's words difficult to believe, Wu shook his head in mock exasperation, muttering, "Whatever you say, old man..." He couldn't see how he could ever be 'thankful' to Hiruzen for allowing him to spend his precious training time looking after a bunch of frail and feeble girls... ... .. . Staring up at the gate bearing the Kanji for Monkey on it, Sakura couldn't help feeling nervous as she weakly inquired, "Can an ordinary civilian like me really enter the Hokage's mansion?" Stopping just over the threshold, Wu looked back to the trio of girls that had followed him home, saying, "If you want to turn around and leave, I won't stop you. Just don't complain to me if you find your strength lacking in the future..." Furrowing her brows, Sakura said, "You don't have to be rude, Wu-kun. I came all this way; I'm not turning back now." As if to prove her point, Sakura stomped toward the estate's entrance but stopped just short of the threshold. However, instead of hesitating at the last moment, she turned around to ask, "Are the two of you coming, Kaia-chan, Hinata-chan...?" "Mraow...?" Tilting her head to the side, Kaia replied, "I'm waiting for Aniki. Kaa-san said I shouldn't enter someone's home without their permission." Playing off of Kaia's words, Wu said, "Feel free to make yourselves at home. The only off-limits places are the Hokage's quarters and private library. I'll show you where they're at so you don't accidentally wander inside." Without needing to be told twice, Kaia ran across the threshold with her arms spread like the wings of an airplane. Wu didn't know what an airplane was, but it was the 'impression' he got when seeing the petite Inuzuka's antics. Following shortly after, Hinata gave a slight bow and said, "Pardon me..." before stepping across the interior. This left Sakura as the only one still 'outside,' so Wu raised his brows at her and asked, "What are you waiting for?" Furrowing her brows a second time, Sakura looked like she wanted to say something but decided against it. Instead, she followed after Kaia, doing her best not to look around like an idiot as she made her way inside... ... .. . After a quick tour of the Sarutobi Estate, including his room, Wu showed the trio to the clearing where he usually conducted his training. Hiruzen had purchased him all kinds of equipment during his training with Kurenai. This included a number of straw mannequins, a massive log that had been treated with some kind of liquid to make it tougher than iron, and a dozen weighted staffs ranging from 50kgs to 600kgs. Interrupting the trio's silent gawking, Wu explained, "I've never trained another person, and Lord Hokage told me to avoid pushing you too hard. So what I'll do for now is show you how I usually train. After that, I'll have you demonstrate the training methods you've been using until now." Without waiting for the girls' response, Wu crossed his arms and grabbed the base of his t-shirt before removing it in a single smooth motion. At the exact same moment, Sakura stepped forward to punch him in the back of the head, exclaiming, "What do you think you're doing, Wu!? You can't just take off your shirt in front of a bunch of girls...!" Instead of answering Sakura's question, Wu stared at her with curiosity, asking, "Is your hand okay...?" Confused by Wu's words, Sakura looked down at her right hand to find it was already beginning to swell. Wu hadn't used his Adamantine Body, but his toughness drastically exceeded that of an average human. Seeing the pinkette begin to tear up, the words of Hiruzen appeared in Wu's mind. Thus, even though he felt like she deserved to experience a bit of pain after carelessly attacking him, he grabbed her hand and said, "Hold still..." in a firm tone. Though she was initially going to pull her hand from Wu's, Sakura stopped herself when the former's palm began emitting a pale green light. Most of the pain in her hand immediately faded, replaced by a gentle warmth that caused the tips of her fingers to tingle. Releasing the befuddled girl's hand, Wu preempted her query by holding up his own and explaining, "It's the Monkey Clan's version of the Mystical Palm. It didn't have a proper name, so I've taken to calling it the Monkey's Palm Technique. Creative, I know." Lowering his hand, Wu turned to Kaia and Hinata, asking, "Do either of you care if I remove my shirt? I tend to sweat a lot during my exercises, so I'd rather not have to wear it." Without any hesitation whatsoever, Kaia raised her hands and shook her head vigorously, insisting, "No, no, no! Shirtless is good!" with a little too much excitement coloring her face. Wu might not have been a paragon in terms of physique, primarily due to his age, but he was moving in the right direction. Ignoring the red-faced Inuzuka, Wu shifted his attention to the equally crimson Hyuga, patiently awaiting her answer. She had covered her face with her hands, but the sizeable gaps between her fingers allowed her pearl-like eyes to peer through. Realizing that Wu was expecting her to say something, Hinata hesitated for a moment before muttering, "I...I think I should go home..." Instead of insisting she stay, Wu gave an understanding nod and said, "Then I guess we'll see you at school tomorrow. Take care on your way home." "..." With Wu turning away almost as soon as he was finished speaking, Hinata found herself at a loss. Just as she was about to turn around and leave, however, Kaia tugged her sleeve, asking, "Are you really leaving, Hina-chi? Didn't you want to get stronger to impress that boy...?" Blushing even fiercer than when she had been staring at Wu, Hinata averted her eyes and began nervously pressing the tips of her index fingers together. While it was true she wanted to impress Naruto, the real reason she had come to the Sarutobi Estate was because she had been invited and didn't know how to refuse. She expected her father to forbid it, but he immediately gave his permission when she told him she would be training to get stronger... Realizing that her father would likely be disappointed in her if she just turned around and left, Hinata buried her face into her hands, gradually gathering her conviction. This went on for so long that Kaia abandoned her to get a closer look at Wu's training, but she eventually mustered up enough courage to raise her face, revealing veins bulging at the corners of her eyes... Feeling a sudden sense of discomfort, Wu ceased swinging his bo staff and immediately looked toward Hinata. He immediately noticed the veins around her eyes, but while they were kind of creepy, the look on his face was one of intrigue as he asked, "Is that the active form of the Byakugan? Mind if I get a closer look...?" "Eh...?" Having just formed the courage to raise her face, Hinata was unprepared to hear Wu ask if he could stare into her eyes. She knew he was probably just curious, but the thought of him leaning toward her like the day he had cornered her in the hallway caused her brain to short-circuit. Seeing Hinata suddenly collapse, Wu clicked his tongue, surprising Kaia and Sakura as his figure seemed to blur for a moment. In the next, he was guiding Hinata to the ground, muttering something neither of them could hear. "Damn you, Hiruzen...grateful my ass...!" Resisting the urge to smack Hinata awake, Wu looked to Kaia and said, "Run inside and ask one of the servants for a cold compress and some towels. Our little princess here seems to have fainted..." Straightening her body, Kaia gave a salute and replied, "Roger that, Aniki!" before zooming back to the manor as fast as her feet could carry her. The Inuzukas were fairly famous for their speed, so even though her form was horrendous, she was suitable for fetching things. Trusting that Kaia would carry out his order, Wu picked up Hinata's almost weightless body, prompting Sakura to narrow her eyes and ask, "What are you doing?" Deadpanning in the pinkette's direction, Wu flatly retorted, "Aren't you supposed to be the smart one? If a patient faints and doesn't wake up within a few seconds, you should treat them as if they have heat stroke. What I'm doing is carrying her to the shade. Any other stupid questions?" Though she frowned deeply, Sakura didn't say anything and just watched as Wu carried Hinata to the shade. She hated being called stupid, but, at the same time, she couldn't fault Wu for being quick to act in a situation where most children wouldn't know what to do. He was only eight years old, but he always seemed to have everything under control... ... .. . (A/N: Kaia be like, "I am speed...!")

Chapter 12: I, Your Father, May Have F**cked Up