Uchiha vs. Hyuga—this was the match everyone was waiting for!
The Hyuga clan was currently the most ancient and prestigious family in the ninja world, with the fame of the Byakugan spreading far and wide, and their Jūken (Gentle Fist) technique was equally renowned.
Even though the Uchiha had been wiped out, the might of the Sharingan remained. Everyone wanted to see what kind of performance the Uchiha's sole surviving heir would deliver, and more importantly, they wanted to see which of the two clans would prove stronger.
Even the daimyos of both countries were excited, chatting eagerly about the upcoming match.
"Uchiha Sasuke vs. Hyuga Neji, begin!"
As Genma announced the start of the match, Sasuke immediately activated his Sharingan, his two-tomoe crimson eyes gleaming with a hypnotic intensity. His aura surged.
A few seconds later, he dashed toward Neji, short sword already drawn, slashing forward with the Hakkō Chōkenjutsu (White Fang Swordsmanship).
Neji showed no fear. His Byakugan was already active, clearly tracking Sasuke's every move.
He raised his hands into the stance of the Hakkeshō (Eight Trigrams Palm) and, as Sasuke approached, unleashed a rapid barrage of Hakke Rokujūyon Shō (Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms), colliding head-on with the blindingly fast White Fang Sword Technique.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The short sword and Neji's hands clashed in a flurry of afterimages, each impact resounding like muffled thunder.
Neji focused on avoiding the blade's lethal edge, counterattacking with precision while using the Byakugan to predict and evade Sasuke's strikes.
Sasuke, knowing full well the danger of Neji's chakra-imbued palms, was equally cautious, keeping his distance and dodging whenever necessary—after all, a single solid hit from the Hakke Hyaku Jūsan Shō (Eight Trigrams One Hundred and Thirteen Palms) could seal his tenketsu or even damage his internal organs.
The two fought at full strength, locked in a fierce stalemate.
Though the audience couldn't fully follow the rapid exchanges—sometimes they couldn't even see the afterimages—it didn't stop their excitement from surging.
After more than ten minutes and several hundred exchanges, neither had gained the upper hand. Both recognized each other's tenacity and knew they couldn't keep this up indefinitely.
Almost simultaneously, they disengaged, leaping backward to reset.
Neji landed in a Kamehameha pose—not to fire a Kamehameha, of course, but as he thrust his palms forward, the air compressed and blasted out in a shockwave.
"Hakke Kūshō! (Eight Trigrams Air Palm!)"
This mid-range technique was the result of Neji's month of focused training.
Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise, but he managed to dodge just in time—though he tumbled across the ground in a less-than-graceful fashion, cold sweat dripping from his forehead.
Had he been a moment slower, the shockwave could have ruptured his internal organs. The Hyuga's Gentle Fist was not to be underestimated.
In the audience, Hiashi nodded in approval and said to his younger daughter, "Hanabi, make sure you watch closely. Neji is the most talented of our clan's younger generation—you have a lot to learn from him."
Little Hanabi nodded sweetly, but her gaze drifted toward the second-floor competitor's area, where her older sister Hinata sat watching the match anxiously.
Though still young, Hanabi had an inkling of her sister's thoughts.
It was obvious—Hinata believed that with Neji's talent, he should have been the one to inherit the clan's leadership, not her. She was timid, struggled with Gentle Fist, and it was natural their father favored Neji.
Thinking of this, Hanabi sighed softly, feeling that things were complicated.
In the second-floor competitor's area, Naruto and Sakura cheered loudly for Sasuke, while Lee enthusiastically shouted encouragement for Neji. Their shouting match made everyone else twitch at the corners of their mouths.
"At the moment, Neji has the upper hand. Kakashi, it looks like Sasuke's about to lose," Guy said with his arms crossed and a grin.
"Well, let's not jump to conclusions just yet—Sasuke still has a trump card to play," Kakashi replied calmly.
"Trump card? What kind of move could give him an edge over Gentle Fist…? Masaka! Kakashi, you taught Sasuke that technique?! That's too risky!"
"Guy, you're the one who taught your student the Hachimon Tonkō (Eight Gates Release Technique). If you can do that, why can't I teach Sasuke Chidori? It's the era of the young—it's time to let them learn and grow."
"Ugh…"
Guy fell silent for a moment, but he couldn't help worrying for Neji.
As Kakashi's eternal rival (though Kakashi didn't see it that way), he knew just how dangerous Chidori was. Whether Sasuke could handle it was one thing, but Neji was definitely at risk of losing.
Sure enough, down in the arena, Sasuke formed a series of hand seals. Lightning crackled in his left palm as Raikō (Thunder Light) sparked.
The lightning grew brighter, and in the next second, it coalesced into a crackling orb in Sasuke's hand, buzzing furiously as if a thousand birds were chirping in unison.
Genma's expression instantly turned serious. He knew just how deadly Chidori was and was prepared to intervene at any moment.
Neji's Byakugan also saw the concentration of lightning-nature chakra, recognizing its extraordinary power. He tensed up, going fully on guard.
"Raiton: Chidori! (Lightning Style: Chidori!)"
Whoosh! Sasuke charged at Neji with the Chidori in hand, moving so fast he appeared in front of Neji in the blink of an eye.
Neji reacted instantly, spinning his body to generate a semi-spherical barrier around himself—this was the Hyuga clan's Hakke Kaiten (Eight Trigrams Rotation).
The next second, their techniques collided in a blinding explosion.
BOOM! Chakra erupted at the center of the clash, sending both fighters flying backward and opening a huge gap between them.
Clap clap clap! Applause thundered through the stadium, cheers shaking the air.
The audience was thrilled, especially by the spectacle of the two big moves colliding head-on. They couldn't contain their excitement, though their praises often missed the mark—after all, what did they know? They were shouting about the prowess of dōjutsu families, but Chidori and Kaiten had nothing to do with dōjutsu!
Genma observed both fighters. They were injured, but still able to continue, so he said nothing for now.
Sasuke, however, was visibly frustrated. The Chidori was powerful, yet it hadn't been enough to defeat Neji. The Hyuga clan's Kaiten was clearly no joke.
It seemed Natsuki's earlier evaluation had been right.
Sasuke had been a little too full of himself after learning a few new techniques, thinking he was invincible. But the truth was, there were strong opponents everywhere. One moment of carelessness, and he'd end up eating dirt.
Now that he thought about it, it was true—when he first mastered the Chidori, his confidence had swelled, convinced he'd win any match. But looking at his opponent now, Neji's techniques were just as formidable, and his physical abilities were on another level. After such a violent collision, Neji looked unfazed. That was outrageous.
Of course, Sasuke didn't realize that Team Guy's training regimen was the most brutal in Konoha. Naturally, their physical conditioning was exceptional. Ten collisions like that wouldn't even faze them.
Moreover, Neji was smarter and calmer—he wouldn't lose his cool, even if his moves didn't land. He'd quietly analyze his opponent and find a chance to strike.
That was something Sasuke couldn't match yet.
Just then, Sasuke gathered chakra once more, forming the Chidori again, and charged forward with a roar.
Neji, however, seemed to freeze, not immediately using Kaiten. As Sasuke neared, Neji's body suddenly erupted with a surge of chakra—an all-too-familiar feeling that sent a chill down Guy's spine.
"Hachimon Tonkō Dai Ichi Mon, Kai! (Eight Gates Release, First Gate: Gate of Opening, Open!)"
(End of Chapter)
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