Just as Yei emerged victorious from his battle, two people stood atop a building not far away, watching the arena below.
"That Hyuga kid is pretty good. What was his name again? He actually learned even Kakashi's Chidori, and... he gives me a different feeling from other members of the Hyuga Clan, who place such importance on the Gentle Fist. His fighting style is incredibly swift and clean. He's a promising talent!" One of them, an elderly-looking man dressed in fitted black clothes, looked down below. When he saw Yei use Chidori, surprise appeared on his previously composed face.
The other man beside him was handsome, with gleaming blond hair and a sunny smile on his face.
After thinking for a moment, he recalled the name and said with a smile, "Hyuga Yeiichi. He graduated in the same class as Kakashi and the others. He wasn't particularly outstanding back at the Ninja Academy, but he changed greatly after returning from the battlefield. Still, I didn't expect him to learn Kakashi's Chidori, much less develop other applications for it."
These two were none other than Konoha Village's two generations of Hokage: the Third Hokage and the Fourth Hokage!
At that moment, they were both watching the assessment below.
As Kakashi's teacher, the Fourth Hokage knew quite a bit about his student's ninjutsu.
Although Chidori was only an A-rank ninjutsu, it was far from easy to master.
Yeiichi's ability to learn it and develop other applications for it greatly surprised the Fourth Hokage.
"The battlefield truly tempers people. The long war is finally nearing its end. That's a good thing!" The Third Hokage nodded with some gratification. "But young people these days are truly remarkable. The village's future will have to be entrusted to them!"
The Third Hokage patted the Fourth Hokage on the shoulder. "You are now Konoha's Fourth Hokage. You must properly nurture these youngsters."
"I understand, Third Hokage." The Fourth Hokage nodded slightly.
"Oh? That talented Uchiha youngster is up again. Let's watch." The Third Hokage turned his gaze downward as Shisui Uchiha took the field once more.
The Fourth Hokage looked over as well.
On one of the Training Arena's platforms, Shisui Uchiha stepped forward again. This time, his opponent was Kurenai Yuhi.
Facing Shisui Uchiha, who was rumored to have killed an enemy village's Jonin, Kurenai was extremely solemn.
Below, Asuma cheered for Kurenai, but the other students from their class had little hope that she would win...
Shisui Uchiha had already made a name for himself on the battlefield. There were even rumors that he had killed a Jonin. Moreover, as a member of the Uchiha Clan, he naturally countered Kurenai's illusion techniques. It would be difficult for her to win!
After the Anbu Jonin said, "Begin," the battle started!
Shisui Uchiha did not launch the first attack. Seeing that, Kurenai did not hold back and attacked first.
"Cherry Blossom Viewing Technique!" Kurenai formed hand seals and shouted.
Kurenai was a ninja who specialized in illusion techniques. The ninjutsu she used was a secret family technique passed down through her clan, a kind of inheritance.
As she formed seals, cherry blossoms seemed to drift down from the sky. Anyone who saw the falling petals would be disturbed by her illusion technique and fall into sleep.
Shisui Uchiha looked at the drifting cherry blossoms. For a moment, he seemed to have fallen under the illusion, his consciousness becoming dazed.
"Did it work?" Joy appeared on Kurenai's face, but it did not last long.
The next instant, Shisui Uchiha closed his eyes and opened them again. His originally black eyes had turned blood-red, revealing the Three-Tomoe Sharingan!
The Uchiha Clan's Kekkei Genkai, the Sharingan!
"Release!" Shisui Uchiha's eyes widened slightly, and Chakra rippled faintly around him as he dispelled Kurenai's illusion technique!
The entire process was effortless. He merely closed his eyes, opened them, and glared, as though he had done something utterly insignificant...
"This..." Shock flashed across Kurenai's face. He had broken her illusion technique that easily?
On guard, Kurenai retreated several steps and rapidly formed hand seals again. "Illusion Technique: Three Shaded Cherry Blossoms!"
As she formed seals once more, even more cherry blossoms scattered around them. These petals seemed almost tangible, capable of obstructing the enemy's vision and creating an opening for her attack!
The next moment, she charged directly at Shisui Uchiha, thrusting a kunai in her hand!
However, Shisui Uchiha saw through her movements. With a flick of his hand, his kunai blocked Kurenai's incoming blade.
"Kurenai-senpai, disruptive illusion techniques are useless against me." Shisui Uchiha merely smiled. He used his words to draw Kurenai's attention, and the instant her gaze met his, the Sharingan in his eyes slowly began to spin.
"Not good!" The instant Kurenai met Shisui's eyes, she sensed something was wrong. She hurriedly lowered her gaze, trying to avoid his line of sight.
However, the moment Kurenai's eyes met Shisui's, the battle had already been decided!
"Illusion Technique: Sharingan!" Shisui Uchiha shouted softly as the Sharingan in his eyes slowly rotated.
Kurenai felt the entire world begin to spin. Everything vanished, and before her, the only thing that remained was a pair of slowly rotating blood-red eyes!
She had fallen under Shisui Uchiha's illusion technique...
"Referee, Kurenai-senpai has already fallen under my illusion technique." Shisui Uchiha simply looked toward the Anbu Jonin in the distance and spoke calmly.
"Mm." The Anbu Jonin stepped forward to check Kurenai's condition, then nodded and announced Shisui Uchiha's victory!
The battle was over. Shisui Uchiha had won!
Cries of surprise erupted all around. It was over just like that?
Many of them were utterly confused. They could not understand what had happened, but they guessed that it had been a duel of illusion techniques.
In the clash of illusion techniques, Kurenai Yuhi had undoubtedly lost!
Trying to control an Uchiha clansman with illusion techniques is far too difficult. Kurenai could be said to have encountered her natural enemy... Yeiichi muttered as he watched the arena.
Once every Uchiha awakened the Sharingan, they became natural experts in illusion techniques. With the Sharingan, their resistance to illusion techniques was also exceptionally strong!
To ordinary illusion-technique users, they were undoubtedly natural enemies!
It was simply unreasonable!
What was more, Kurenai was facing the greatest prodigy among the Uchiha Clan's prodigies—Shisui Uchiha!
Yeiichi estimated that Shisui Uchiha had already awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan by then...
Even he might not necessarily have been Shisui's match. Kurenai's defeat had been well within Yeiichi's expectations!
After the battle ended, Shisui Uchiha dispelled the illusion technique affecting Kurenai and formed the Seal of Reconciliation toward her. In a gentle tone, he said, "Kurenai-senpai, thank you for letting me win."
"I lost..." Kurenai sighed dejectedly, formed the Seal of Reconciliation as well, and walked off the platform.
Although she knew she could not possibly be his opponent, losing so easily still dealt Kurenai a blow.
Her illusion techniques could not affect him at all and were easily dispelled, while a single glance from him had dragged her into an illusion. The gap between them was simply too great!
It also made Kurenai realize that the Uchiha Clan's understanding of illusion techniques was far too profound. Defeating them in illusion techniques would be incredibly, incredibly difficult!
In truth, Kurenai was overthinking it. Not every member of the Uchiha Clan was that strong. She was simply unlucky enough to encounter a monster like Shisui Uchiha...
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