Hyūga Hayaku

Hayaku was born the heir to the noble Hyūga clan; his father Hamaki was the clan leader, and one of the most well respected shinobi in Konoha. As such, he was groomed for leadership from an early age. However, Hamaki was far more concerned about Hayaku's well being then his ability to lead the clan. He had always been wary of Konoha's rapid growth in power and influence, and he had to foresight to predict that by the time his son came of age, the village would find itself locked in another war. He trained his son every chance he got, and hired a tutor to pick up his training when he could not be there to instruct him. Hamaki always expressed his pride in his son's accomplishments and boasted to all that would listen.

However, his grandfather was a different story entirely. Hirama was stern and cold, never seeming to find satisfaction in Hayaku's work. Rather then commend him for his accomplishments, he would would scold him for not doing better. In his own way, it was how he expressed love, but it left Hayaku desperately yearning for his praise.

The young Hyūga learned to use his Byakugan by the age of nine, a feat that earned him the unadulterated adoration of his father, and the harsh dejection of his grandfather; Hamaki had learned to use his Byakugan by the age of eight, so by Hirama's standards, Hayaku was remedial. One thing that could be said for the Hyūga heir was that he never allowed himself to become overwhelmed by his grandfather's high expectations. It never quite occurred to him that he was reaching for a bar that was forever moving just beyond grasp. Through his determination, he became strong.

Unlike his father and grandfather, his mother Konari had no interest his training. Her only concern was the he was well and happy, and she did her best to ensure that Hayaku would receive a fair balance of work and play. She regularly invited Naoto, the son of her husband's close friend, to play with Hayaku and the two quickly became the best of friends. However, given the striking similarities between their situations, there was a tremendous amount of pressure for one to outdo the other. Their closeness would not last.

In the academy, Naoto and Hayaku had little to do with one another. Although they were both at the top of their class, they sat on opposite sides of the classroom and did their best not to acknowledge the other's existence. Over time, their indifference evolved into a fierce and bitter rivalry. But the village didn't care for their personal problems. As the war waged on, the demand for able bodies became too great and the top students were whisked out of the academy and given their forehead protectors. In an effort to make up for their inexperience, they placed the most talented academy students on teams together. Consequently, Hayaku was teamed with a young Nara girl by the name of Rika and, much to his disgust, Naoto.

For the most part, they played only a minor supportive role in the war. Their missions generally included retcon and trap setting along future battle fields. Under the watchful care of their sensei, their team was able to safely and successfully carry out their tasks. There was only one incident where they were caught in the fray, caught in the middle of an enemy ambush on Konoha forces. Through their collective talents, a stroke of serendipity, and the unfortunate sacrifice made by their sensei, the managed to survive. They were each badly injured, though a leaf medic happened upon them and managed to heal their wounds.

As was the case for most, the war was a particularly traumatic time for Hayaku. His father was killed in battle, having sacrificed himself so that his squadron could survive and successfully complete their mission. Around the same time, his mother had fallen ill. Hayaku was forced to take on some of the responsibility of raising his younger brother Hyomaru. With his father gone and mother incapacitated, his grandfather took over both leadership of the clan and Hayaku's training. Given the circumstances, the pressure was on more than ever to make a leader out of the young heir.