A Sudden Turn

"That's right. These eyes of mine have nearly 360-degree vision. Nothing on the entire battlefield can escape my control."

Neji Hyuga said.

As for the force that had knocked away the ninja tools, it was undoubtedly Chakra released directly from the body's chakra points.

"A person's talent is decided from the moment they are born. Just like your eyes and mine."

"Everyone judges the value of others—and is judged by others—based on their looks, intellect, abilities, physique, and character."

As he spoke, Neji charged toward the Shadow Clones around him.

"These factors cannot be changed."

"From the moment a person is born, everything is predetermined."

Calm and unhurried, Neji moved at an even pace as he gradually destroyed the Shadow Clones one by one.

"Everyone must live within a fate they cannot resist."

"And your fate is to be defeated by me here!"

Boom!

As the last Shadow Clone vanished, the battlefield once again returned to a confrontation between the two of them.

"It's over. You're already within my Eight Trigrams Array."

Neji stepped forward with his right foot, tracing an inward arc as he hooked it in, assuming the first stance: Asking the Way While Leaning on a Horse.

Damn it, do I have no choice but to meet him head-on?

Sasuke cursed inwardly, deeply regretting that he had not insisted on learning that Fire Style Ninjutsu from Jiraiya Sensei yesterday—the one that could continuously track an enemy.

On one hand, its tracking ability could ensure it hit its target even without the support of the Three Blades.

On the other, its powerful momentum might be able to break through Heavenly Spin's Absolute Defense.

Faced with the aggressively advancing Neji Hyuga, Sasuke could only take a desperate gamble.

Sasuke gritted his teeth and rapidly formed hand seals based on what he had seen and memorized with the Sharingan.

Upon seeing the sequence of his hand seals, the Third Hokage raised his eyebrows in surprise in the stands.

At the other end of Konoha, inside an inn room.

After a night of heavy drinking, Jiraiya had just gotten out of bed.

He held a brush in his hand, spread out a sheet of rice paper, and pondered deeply.

First, he drew a circle.

Then, inside it, he wrote: Fire Release, Wind Release, Earth Release, Sage Art, Summoning Technique, Yin Release, Sealing Technique, Barrier Formation.

Next, he drew another circle beside it, overlapping the first.

Inside that circle, he continued writing: Sharingan, Genjutsu, Taijutsu, Fire Release.

Clearly, these were the collections of ninjutsu that he and Sasuke respectively excelled at.

After staring at the diagram for a while, Jiraiya finally wrote the first entry in the overlapping section with solemn care:

Fire Release.

"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"

Sasuke felt an immense surge of energy roiling within his chest as Chakra-filled flames burst forth.

However, the violent fire dragon was completely beyond his control, roaring as it scattered in all directions.

Neji did not dare let down his guard at the sight. He used Eight Trigrams Palm: Heavenly Spin once more.

Because he had never practiced it, Sasuke's Fire Dragon Flame Bullet was far inferior to Jiraiya's from yesterday in both precision and power.

The force that truly struck Neji was no more than a tenth of its potential, and it was ultimately blocked by Heavenly Spin.

It was all thunder and no rain.

"It seems you really have exhausted all your tricks."

Neji lowered his body and shouted as he took his stance:

"Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

"Eight Trigrams Two Palms!"

Spinning, Neji struck toward Sasuke's chest with one hand raised and the other lowered.

"Good. Then I'll start teaching him Fire Release!"

In the room, Jiraiya held up the sheet of rice paper and muttered to himself.

Ding!

Congratulations, you have completed the proposal—successfully found Jiraiya and become his disciple! You have received a C-Rank Scroll!

A scroll glowing with azure light appeared in Sasuke's mind.

"Open!!"

In his panic, Sasuke shouted aloud.

You opened the C-Rank Scroll. Congratulations, you have obtained Rank A Ninjutsu: Fire Release: Flame Armor.

Immediately afterward, a flood of memories and insights poured directly into Sasuke's mind.

Without time to examine the ninjutsu's description, Sasuke swiftly formed hand seals. Chakra immediately surged throughout his body, forming a hard protective armor around him.

At the same time, the Chakra outside the armor continued to burn, forming blazing red flames.

The essence of this ninjutsu lay in continuously controlling the output of Chakra while simultaneously maintaining internal protection and external combustion. It undoubtedly demanded extremely high mastery and control over Chakra.

Yet at that moment, Sasuke seemed as though he had practiced it countless times. There was not a trace of waste or insufficiency as he executed the ninjutsu with flawless precision.

The stands fell silent, broken only by a few involuntary gasps and cries of shock.

Neji's first two palms had already struck. The scorching flames seared his hands, and unbearable pain instantly swept over him.

However, Neji did not want to stop.

"Eight Trigrams Four Palms!"

The surface of his Chakra-covered palms began to redden slightly.

"Eight Palms!"

The bandages around his arms had already burned to ash.

"Sixteen Palms!!"

The skin on Neji's arms split open, while Uchiha Sasuke remained completely unharmed.

"Thirty-Two Palms!!"

Neji clenched his teeth fiercely as blisters suddenly rose across his hands, painful to behold.

"Stop! Neji!"

Tenten could not help crying out from the stands.

"Sixty-Four Palms!!!"

A storm of palms struck the chakra points around Sasuke's body. Flame Armor swayed on the verge of collapse beneath the force of the palm strikes as tiny cracks gradually appeared.

With the final blow, Flame Armor collapsed with a crash. Sasuke was finally struck in the internal organs by the Gentle Fist, and bright red blood poured from his mouth.

It turned out that the amount of Chakra within Sasuke's body could no longer sustain Flame Armor.

When the dance ended, both of them collapsed onto the arena.

After a long while, Sasuke once again struggled to his feet through sheer Will of Steel.

He staggered toward Neji.

"Enough!"

Might Guy, Neji's teacher, shouted sternly.

Sasuke spoke softly.

"I don't know much about fate."

"But a monkey once told me that there's more than one way to accomplish something."

"This world isn't only about you living or me dying."

Sasuke reached out, trying to help Neji to his feet.

Black smoke rose from Neji's hands. Clearly, he could no longer continue fighting.

"First match, Uchiha Sasuke wins!!"

After confirming the situation on the field, Hayate Gekko announced the end of the match.

The entire arena was silent. Everyone was still immersed in the battle they had just witnessed.

The Absolute Defense of Heavenly Spin, the spectacular Fire Dragon Flame Bullet, the shock of the never-before-seen Flame Armor, and the perseverance of the Sixty-Four Palms—

Everything had happened too quickly.

When Flame Armor had appeared, everyone believed Neji was certain to lose.

Yet the determination behind Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms had moved every person present.

After about half a minute, everyone finally came to their senses, and the first cheers rang out.

"Well done!"

"Great fight!!"

Lee and Kiba cheered loudly.

"As expected of Sasuke! He was actually hiding such an incredible trump card!"

Ino Yamanaka shouted.

"Neji! Keep it up!!"

Tenten shouted, and soon others began calling Neji's name as well.

"The finals came early!"

This was Neji's first defeat in all his life.

Yet as he listened to the cries filling the arena, something within Neji seemed to quietly change.

"Konoha's new generation is truly full of talent."

Baki said to the Third Hokage with a flattering smile.

The Third Hokage merely smiled, deep in thought.