Hyuga Yukina

Yukina lowered her stance and assumed the opening posture of the Gentle Fist. The veins at the corners of her eyes bulged and spread all the way to her temples as the Byakugan activated!

Come on! Let me see your true strength!

At the same time, Uchiha Hirohiko, standing below the arena, was startled once more. His gaze fixed on Chiba. Yukina had activated her Byakugan—she was going all out! Was this Taki Chiba really worth taking so seriously?

Chiba, standing in the arena, also straightened his expression and adopted a more serious attitude. He could tell that Yukina was serious, and the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist was nothing to take lightly.

"Ahh! This will be over soon," the boys said boredly.

"Yeah! There's no comparison at all."

"Taki Chiba is about to get beaten senseless."

The girls were equally listless.

"This is such a waste of time. Hurry up and end it!"

"Yeah, I want to watch Hirohiko, the boys' idol!"

"Taki Chiba, get off the field already!"

Shouts rose one after another from the sidelines.

Teacher shook his head helplessly as well. Hopefully, this Taki Chiba won't be so discouraged by Yukina that he gives up taijutsu. With his taijutsu, becoming an outstanding Chunin in the future shouldn't be a problem. As for Jonin...

Teacher was not even a Jonin himself, so he did not dare say for certain. Still, he felt that Chiba probably would not make it that far.

"Here I come!" Yukina cried, thrusting out a palm as she launched her attack.

Chiba's eyes narrowed. Yukina's palm came incredibly fast. He only had time to shift slightly aside and evade it, but her second palm was already coming. He had no chance to counterattack! He could not let her hit him!

Chiba knew very well that the Gentle Fist, combined with the Byakugan, could use Pressure Point Strikes to restrict the flow of chakra and prevent chakra refinement. Taijutsu required chakra too. Otherwise, relying solely on muscle, Might Guy and Rock Lee's Konoha Style Taijutsu would not possess such power.

Frowning, Chiba desperately evaded Yukina's unceasing Gentle Fist attacks.

Sigh, I should have taken off the Weighted Training Gear! Fighting Yukina like this is exhausting!

Yet Hyuga Yukina was just as astonished. She had thrown out so many palms, yet she had not even managed to brush the corner of Chiba's clothes.

He was so fast!

That was Yukina's immediate impression. Both Chiba's reaction speed and movement speed surpassed hers—that was why she could not hit him.

Uchiha Hirohiko watched the two figures in the arena, one chasing and one evading, surprise flashing through his eyes. He can actually evade Yukina's Gentle Fist attacks! "Is Yukina going easy on him?" one boy asked, staring at the arena in disbelief.

"No way! All of Yukina's attacks were dodged?" The girls were shocked as well.

"Is he really fourth from the bottom?" Ono took a step back, staring at Chiba with a face full of astonishment.

Hmm? Wasn't he supposed to lose instantly? What was Yukina thinking? Teacher was puzzled too.

Hyuga Yukina pressed forward with a relentless barrage, while Chiba struggled to evade. After all, he was still wearing Weighted Training Gear and had not fully adapted to it, which greatly restricted his speed. Otherwise, no matter how fast Yukina attacked, he could have dodged easily.

Although Chiba had never systematically learned Konoha Style Taijutsu, he had read the original work. Now that his physical abilities were sufficient and he could open the Three Gates, he could use some Konoha Style techniques.

Hard Style Taijutsu depended mainly on physical ability and was actually quite easy to learn. Of course, more technical moves like Shadow Dance Leaf, Front Lotus, and Reverse Lotus required someone to teach them. But techniques like Konoha Whirlwind were simply powerful spinning kicks, and Chiba could use them.

But with his speed restricted, Yukina had him completely suppressed. He had no way to use those techniques at all. Besides, this was his first time using Konoha Style Taijutsu in actual combat, and he was afraid he might misjudge his strength and hurt Yukina.

If it comes to it, I'll use that. Chiba pondered as he dodged. He had already gotten used to Yukina's attacks, so dividing his attention did not interfere with his evasion.

He really was amazing!

Yukina was overjoyed, but at the same time, a stubborn desire not to lose rose within her. Through her Byakugan vision, she could see chakra slowly gathering toward Chiba's fist, thread by thread, in perfect order.

Amazing! Such precise chakra control! Yukina thought in admiration, before another thought struck her.

He was going to counterattack! In that case... let's decide this now! I'll use the move I just mastered! Yukina's gaze sharpened as she suddenly retreated a short distance.

As long as the distance was within one meter! Yukina drew back her palm.

Yukina's unbroken assault suddenly stopped, and she retreated several steps, surprising Chiba. Then he saw her withdraw her palm.

That stance... no way. How old was Yukina? She had already learned this? What a monstrous genius! She might even surpass Neji!

Surprise filled Chiba's pupils, but he smiled faintly.

Fine. Let's see which is stronger: Monster Strength or the Eight Trigrams Palm! "Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!" Yukina fiercely thrust out her palm, her five fingers curled like a tiger's claw as she launched the Gentle Fist through the air.

The two were less than a meter apart. As Yukina threw that palm, Chiba clearly felt a patch of air distort in the direction of her strike. The distortion rushed toward him at incredible speed.

Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm—it was actually the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!

The students outside the arena were dumbfounded, and even Teacher was deeply shaken! Though he was not from the Hyuga Clan, he knew that the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm was an extremely difficult Gentle Fist technique to master. It could launch the Gentle Fist from a distance and served as the long-range attack of the Gentle Fist. At seven years old... Yukina had mastered the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm. Her talent was terrifying! Absolutely terrifying! Unprecedented and unmatched! Taki Chiba would definitely lose now! Light flashed in Teacher's eyes, and a smile appeared at the corner of his lips. He had already decided that Chiba was doomed to lose.

Uchiha Hirohiko's expression changed drastically as well, shock flooding his heart. She actually launched the Gentle Fist through the air!

Could I block that strike? Doubt arose in Uchiha Hirohiko's heart.

Taki Chiba was definitely going to lose. In the next match, I'll go up and choose Yukina!

A smile curled across Uchiha Hirohiko's lips. Fighting spirit ignited in his heart, but he too had already judged Chiba the loser.

The distortion shot through the air. Chiba smiled and threw a punch.

Taki Chiba, are you insane?!

He was actually meeting it head-on! Looking at Yukina's Vacuum Palm, a single strike could snap a small tree. Was he trying to lose his hand?!

Uchiha Hirohiko was shocked, and Teacher was shocked as well.

Bang! A dull boom echoed through the air as the fist struck the distortion, and chakra exploded violently!

The distortion shattered instantly!

The momentum of Chiba's punch did not fade as it shot straight toward Yukina!

One punch had shattered the Vacuum Palm! Every student was stunned!

Uchiha Hirohiko was stunned! Teacher was stunned!

The fist stopped before Yukina's pretty face. A bead of sweat slid down from Chiba's temple.

Good. I controlled it. I didn't hurt Yukina!

Chiba quietly let out a breath of relief.

Yukina stared at the fist before her. The wind from it swept past, lifting her beautiful hair.

He released his chakra in an instant and shattered my Vacuum Palm?

Gathering all his chakra together, then releasing it in one violent burst, could actually produce such power? The Vacuum Palm I trained so hard to master... was this possible?

Just who was he?