The moment Neji Hyūga finished speaking, he shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, rapidly closing the distance between him and Sasuke Uchiha.
As last year's top graduate from the Ninja Academy—frequently referred to as the "Genius of the Hyūga Clan"—Neji had always been quietly annoyed by how often people now compared Nara Shikamaru to him. And now, Sasuke Uchiha, a year younger, dared to challenge him directly?
Neji was determined to teach him a painful lesson.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Jutsu!"
Sasuke saw Neji charging and quickly formed hand signs. He inhaled sharply and released a barrage of small fireballs.
"Shuriken?" Neji narrowed his eyes. He could see clearly with his Byakugan that hidden within the fireballs were multiple shuriken. With a twist of his legs, he spun aside, weaving between the projectiles, and surged forward. His arms folded briefly at his chest, and then he lashed out with both palms.
"Smack!"
Sasuke's Sharingan wasn't as perceptive as the Byakugan, but it was still far superior to that of the average ninja. He raised his arms and managed to intercept Neji's strikes just in time.
But Neji only smirked. His elbows suddenly shifted, obstructing Sasuke's vision. In the same moment, Neji's knee drove hard into the inside of Sasuke's thigh, throwing off his balance.
The Uchiha's field of vision darkened for a split second. Unlike the Byakugan, the Sharingan lacked full-range vision, and that moment of blindness cost him dearly. He didn't notice the strike until it landed. His legs gave out slightly from the blow to the joint.
"Swish!"
Neji wasn't going to let the opportunity slip. The moment Sasuke staggered, Neji retracted his hands and extended two fingers like a blade. With a precise jab, he struck Sasuke's shoulder, targeting a chakra point.
Though Sasuke's taijutsu was decent, bolstered by his Sharingan and the cursed mark, it was no match for Neji's refined Gentle Fist. Feeling the pain in his shoulder and the instability of his stance, Sasuke shifted his weight and tried to catch himself with a one-handed cartwheel. Then, twisting his torso midair, he spun his legs around like an axe, aiming a powerful heel strike at Neji's head.
It was a clever counter. A kick packed more force than a punch, and most opponents—having landed a hit—wouldn't expect a follow-up that quickly. But Neji was no ordinary Genin.
With his superior field of vision and combat intuition, Neji crouched and raised one elbow, bracing it with his opposite palm. He caught Sasuke's sweeping kick with the precise angle of his elbow joint.
"Crack!"
Sasuke grunted as his leg slammed into the block. Neji wasted no time—he swept Sasuke's supporting arm out from under him.
Sasuke lost his balance entirely and began to fall. Before he could recover, Neji had already closed the distance.
"Too fast—!"
Sasuke's eyes widened. He tried to track Neji's movements, but even with his Sharingan, he couldn't keep up. Neji's fingers danced like twin blades, striking key chakra points across his torso.
"Tap! Tap! Tap!"
Sasuke managed to block a few strikes—but not all of them. Several chakra points were sealed, and his cursed mark's power began to recede. The strength flooding his body was slipping away, and it left him aching with helplessness.
"THUD!"
A final palm strike slammed into his chest, blasting him off his feet. Sasuke flew through the air and crashed into a patch of grass, unmoving.
Neji exhaled deeply. His chest rose and fell rapidly as the burst of chakra expenditure caught up with him. Slowly, he began to steady his breath.
"Sasuke!!"
The fight had lasted mere seconds—from their first exchange to the final blow. It was over before Sakura could even react. But when she saw Neji walking toward the unconscious Uchiha, her instincts kicked in.
Somehow, Sakura forced herself to her feet and stumbled forward to block Neji's path.
"...Hmph." Neji narrowed his eyes, stopping short. Though he hadn't raised his hands, just standing there was enough to pressure Sakura with the sheer presence he'd demonstrated through two dominating battles.
"I-I'm sorry, Neji-senpai!" Sakura's voice trembled, eyes glistening. The events of the day—from the battle with Orochimaru to the Sound Four—had drained her. And now, Sasuke had lost control and attacked Neji, only to be defeated.
"I know Sasuke was wrong. But something happened to him. That man—Orochimaru—did something to him. Please… forgive him."
"Neji…"
A weak voice called out behind him. Neji didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
Rock Lee had woken up.
He could feel Lee watching him intently. Neji turned his gaze back toward Sasuke, then to Sakura—still standing protectively in front of her teammate.
He let out a cold breath and turned away.
"Don't overestimate your strength," he said flatly. "You'll only end up provoking enemies you can't handle."
He paused mid-step, then turned his head halfway.
"Oh, and…" he added, "if you happen to see Nara Shikamaru, tell him—I look forward to facing him in the later rounds."
Then he turned away completely, muttering just loud enough to hear:
"Hopefully he's much stronger than this last Uchiha. I'd hate to be disappointed."
Far from the aftermath of the fight, a group of figures darted swiftly through the trees. Their movements were fast and fluid, barely slowed by the branches and trunks crisscrossing the terrain.
"Almost there!" called the boy in the lead—a tall, lean teenager with dark hair tied into a ponytail.
It was Nara Shikamaru, with the rest of Team 10, Team 8, and Karin trailing behind him.
"Finally!" Kiba whooped, flipping mid-air with a wide grin. "We're almost there—no more hauling around dead weight!"
"Easy for you to say," Chōji grumbled from the back. He was still carrying the corpse of Kawakami Shiman. Though Shikamaru had cleaned it up, it didn't make the experience any more pleasant.
"Try doing the carrying next time, then talk."
"Ugh, the guy reeks," Kiba complained, glancing down at Akamaru. "Poor Akamaru's nose has been burning this whole trip."
"Tch…" Chōji looked like he was about to snap back, but Shikamaru raised a hand.
"Save it," Shikamaru said, his tone quiet but firm.
That's when he noticed Karin had stopped moving. Her brows were furrowed in concentration, and her eyes were closed.
"What is it?" Shikamaru asked, his voice lowering.
Karin opened her eyes slowly, her gaze sharp.
"There's chakra up ahead. Two groups, maybe fighting. But one of them... it's strong. Stronger than him."
She gestured toward the body slung over Chōji's back.
Everyone's expression darkened.
Whoever was ahead, if their chakra surpassed that of Kawakami Shiman…
They were walking into something big.
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