Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld

"What are you doing?"

Akeshi was visibly startled by Kageka Maple's actions, causing her to subconsciously take a half-step back.

"Just curious about Akeshi-san's Eye Technique bloodline."

Kageka Maple blinked, saying it with an innocent look.

"Hmph."

Akeshi snorted softly and immediately deactivated her Two-Tomoe Sharingan. She greatly disliked being 'observed' like that.

Seeing this, Kageka Maple stuck out her small tongue slightly, then gave Yuzuru a cute smile before continuing to watch the upcoming battles...

"...Next match..."

As Kageka Maple and Nara Zentaro successively stepped down, Ootani Yuuto continued to read out the names on the battle list.

And so, one match after another began. However, unlike Uchiha Akeshi and Kageka Maple, their classmates, they hadn't won a single match so far. Or, more accurately, they simply couldn't force the upperclassmen out of the circle, so naturally, they couldn't get a perfect score from Ootani Yuuto...

This showed that it wasn't that the older ninja academy students were too weak, but that Uchiha Akeshi and Kageka Maple's true strength was too abnormal, making even the well-known upperclassmen no match for them...

As the battles continued, it was finally Hyuga Yuzuru's turn.

"...Next match, Hyuga Yuzuru versus Hyuga Hiashi!"

As Ootani Yuuto's voice fell, it immediately caused an uproar.

Hyuga Yuzuru and Hyuga Hiashi both belonged to the Hyuga Clan, and Hiashi was four years older than Yuzuru. Furthermore, Hyuga Hiashi was the son of the Hyuga Clan leader, so his status was in no way lower than Yuzuru's, who was the son of a Hyuga main family elder...

According to normal people's guesses, Hyuga Hiashi, with his age advantage, was definitely stronger than Hyuga Yuzuru. After all, four years of training couldn't be compensated for by talent and aptitude alone...

"A clan battle, huh? It seems the next match will definitely be more interesting."

Akeshi hadn't left the side, wanting to see who Yuzuru would fight. Now that the result was out, it made her a little expectant.

"Yuzuru-kun, good luck!"

Kageka Maple encouraged Yuzuru from the side.

Yuzuru simply nodded and took the lead in entering the battle arena, his eyes looking towards Hyuga Hiashi's face in the upperclassmen area.

"Brother, go. Facing Lord Yuzuru, we won't be disgraced."

Beside Hiashi, a black-haired, black-eyed boy who looked exactly like him spoke solemnly.

"Mm."

Hiashi nodded to his younger brother, then walked directly towards the battle arena, but not towards the circle where the 'champion' was, but in front of Ootani Yuuto.

"Hiashi-kun, you..."

Ootani Yuuto looked at Hyuga Hiashi in surprise, not understanding what he was going to do.

"Ootani-sensei, I'm here to admit defeat. I'm no match for Lord Yuzuru, so I won't humiliate myself!"

After Hyuga Hiashi finished speaking, he bowed to Ootani Yuuto and left, ignoring Ootani Yuuto's astonished gaze.

Hyuga Hiashi's voice wasn't quiet, so the ninja academy students in both the lower and upper grades clearly heard him admit defeat, and they immediately began to whisper among themselves.

"What? Is it because it's a clan battle, so he doesn't want to fight?"

"Exactly, how could an upperclassman who's trained for four more years not be able to beat a lower-grade clan junior!"

"Inside story, this is an inside story!"

"That's right, it's unfair, this is unfair!"

"..."

At first, it was normal discussion, but later it was all drowned out by the dissatisfied voices of those ninja academy students who had 'failed to be the champion'. They couldn't stand Yuzuru getting a perfect score so easily!

Ootani Yuuto also didn't expect Hyuga Hiashi to admit defeat so directly, which surprised him greatly. So, after a brief moment of thought, he once again shouted loudly: "This time, our practical exercise focuses on 'practical combat', so even if Hiashi-kun admits defeat, Yuzuru-kun still has to have an actual battle..."

"So..., this match, Yuzuru-kun's opponent will be temporarily changed to Hyuga Hizashi!"

Ootani Yuuto announced loudly.

Watching his older brother just return, Hyuga Hizashi didn't expect Ootani Yuuto to replace him. Did Ootani-sensei think his strength was higher than his older brother's?

So, with this speechless feeling, Hyuga Hizashi, under the gaze of his brother Hiashi, also came to Ootani Yuuto and said the exact same words.

"Ootani-sensei, I'm also no match for Lord Yuzuru, so I also admit defeat!"

After speaking, he politely bowed to Ootani Yuuto and returned to the upperclassmen's viewing area outside the arena.

"..."

Ootani Yuuto was completely speechless. How could the brothers Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Hizashi be so 'modest', even disregarding their 'upperclassman face' and 'clan brother's prestige' to admit defeat to their clan junior Yuzuru.

"How boring!"

Akeshi also looked impatient. The clan battle she had originally been looking forward to was gone just like that, which made her label the brothers Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Hizashi with a series of labels such as 'weakling' and 'coward'.

"...As expected of Yuzuru-kun..."

In the depths of Kageka Maple's eyes, she looked at Yuzuru in the battle arena with a face full of adoration. How could anyone be a match for Lord Yuzuru, who could grant her the Shadow Release ability?

"Hey, are you two kidding me?"

"Or are you saying you two have sparred with your clan brother in private before?"

"..."

Among the older academy students, some classmates with good relationships with Hiashi and Hizashi asked one after another, their faces full of confusion and doubt. Clearly, the two brothers were among the best in their class, so how could they suddenly concede so easily? It was simply too bizarre and outrageous!

Hiashi and Hizashi exchanged glances upon hearing this, each revealing a subtle bitter expression. If there had been even a sliver of a chance, how could they have conceded so easily?

The Ninja Academy Principal's Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya were once again in shock. As the sons of the Hyuga Clan leader of this generation, Hiashi and Hizashi's strength, nurtured by the Hyuga Clan's resources, naturally far surpassed that of their peers. It could even be said that their strength was already sufficient to graduate from the academy, and they could immediately become Chuunin without any discussion or consideration...

But even the Hiashi and Hizashi brothers, with their Chuunin-level strength, didn't dare to fight Lord Yuzuru, their clan brother. There was simply too much hidden information in that!

It was too frightening to even think about...

"Lord Sarutobi, have you tested Hyuga Yuzuru's true strength?"

Jiraiya stared curiously at the figure on the transparent crystal ball in front of him, then asked Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Orochimaru's serpentine eyes also narrowed, clearly showing that he had also become interested in Hyuga Yuzuru.

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. It wasn't that he didn't want to test Hyuga Yuzuru's true strength, but Hyuga Yuzuru simply hadn't given him the opportunity.

"Lord Sarutobi, how about I test his 'mettle' for you?"

Jiraiya volunteered, looking eager to try.

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at Jiraiya, but didn't agree, mainly because he felt that this student was a bit unreliable.

"Orochimaru, you should do this. Remember to be tactful."

Subsequently, Hiruzen Sarutobi decisively handed this matter over to his most prized student, Orochimaru.

"Understood, Lord Sarutobi."

Orochimaru licked his lips slightly, a look of anticipation on his face. He also wanted to know just how strong the so-called 'strongest Hyuga genius' really was!

Yuzuru, who was on the battlefield, sighed softly. He hadn't expected that his encounter with the Hiashi and Hizashi brothers a year ago would bring them such a great shadow, that they wouldn't even have the courage to stand in front of him...

"Ahem... Aburame Shibi, you will fight against Hyuga Yuzuru next!"

The Hiashi and Hizashi brothers' voluntary concession completely disrupted Ootani Yuuto's plans, so after thinking about it, he could only temporarily have Aburame Shibi replace the Hiashi and Hizashi brothers.

"Okay."

Aburame Shibi, wearing sunglasses and a high-collared trench coat, spoke sparingly. He went directly to the 'circle' in the battlefield, then signaled to Ootani Yuuto that he was ready.

"...Hyuga Yuzuru versus Aburame Shibi!"

"Begin the battle!"

As Ootani Yuuto announced, Aburame Shibi immediately entered battle mode. Although he was usually taciturn, his strength and combat awareness were among the best in his class. Even Aburame Hotaru, a member of his clan one year his senior, was no match for him, which was why Ootani Yuuto chose him instead of Aburame Hotaru.

"Secret Technique: Parasitic Destruction Bugs!"

Aburame Shibi immediately stimulated a large number of parasitic destruction bugs from his body, turning them into clouds of black 'smoke' that permeated around him. These parasitic destruction bugs were his 'partners' for defense and attack.

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

However, facing Aburame Shibi's actions, Yuzuru simply began weaving hand seals on his own. The speed of his hand seals was dazzling, making it impossible to see his hand seal speed clearly.

"Such fast hand seals!"

"I can't see what seals he's making at all!"

"Is this the 'strongest Hyuga genius' that the Hyuga Clan claims to be?"

"..."

Based solely on the hand seal speed that Yuzuru revealed, the older academy students watching the battle from outside the arena were filled with awe. Accordingly, their gazes turned imperceptibly towards the Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Hizashi brothers, seemingly understanding why they would rather concede than fight their clan brother, Hyuga Yuzuru...

"Damn it! How could his hand seal speed be so fast!"

Akihime bit her silver teeth, her dark pupils once again turning into the color of scarlet tomoe. Her normal dynamic vision couldn't capture Yuzuru's hand seal speed, and only by opening the Two-Tomoe Sharingan could she see Yuzuru's hand seal speed clearly.

"Having weaved so many seals, is he going to use an A-rank ninjutsu?"

Akihime clenched her fists unconsciously. She could barely master low-level B-rank ninjutsu, but looking at Yuzuru's skilled movements, it seemed that using A-rank ninjutsu wasn't a problem for him at all.

"This is..."

Ootani Yuuto's face showed surprise. Although he had been a Chuunin for many years, he wasn't a combat-type ninja, so he had mastered very few A-rank ninjutsu. One of the A-rank ninjutsu that he had mastered was the one that Yuzuru was about to use.

At the same time, in the Ninja Academy Principal's Office.

The same voices echoed in unison.

"This is the A-rank ninjutsu [Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld]!"

The three of them spoke in unison, each revealing a look of shock on the other's face. To master an A-rank ninjutsu at the age of six, such ninjutsu talent was simply too exaggerated!

As Yuzuru completed the hand seals, he slammed his hands on the ground, and immediately chakra quickly melted into the ground from his palms.

Then, the hard soil of the entire battlefield almost instantly turned into a liquid state, and then formed a huge swamp that swallowed people whole...

"..."

After seeing this scene, even the taciturn Aburame Shibi wanted to curse. Facing such a large-scale Earth Release ninjutsu, and with his movement range restricted, how could he avoid the attack of this A-rank Earth Release ninjutsu, other than the non-existent option of flying?

"Secret Technique: Insect Sphere!"

However, Aburame Shibi didn't immediately concede. Instead, he tried to struggle and resist, manipulating the Parasitic Destruction Bugs beneath his feet on the swamp, hoping to use their chakra-devouring properties to indirectly destroy the Earth Release ninjutsu.

"How is this possible?"

But to Aburame Shibi's despair, his Parasitic Destruction Bugs were indeed working very hard to devour the chakra contained within the swamp beneath him, but the chakra within the swamp hardly decreased. On the contrary, he learned from the feedback of the Parasitic Destruction Bugs that they were already 'full' and could no longer devour chakra!

Time passed quickly, causing Aburame Shibi's body to sink, gradually being swallowed by the swamp. When only his head was left, he decisively chose to surrender. Ootani Yuuto immediately announced Hyuga Yuzuru's victory, and Yuzuru naturally released the ninjutsu, restoring the battlefield's soil to its usual hardness.

Ootani Yuuto pulled Aburame Shibi up from the ground, but the eyes under his sunglasses looked a little depressed, and the face hidden by his high-necked windbreaker inevitably showed embarrassment. After all, he had been instantly killed by a 'junior,' so this 'junior's' strength was very abnormal...

Although Aburame Shibi was usually quiet and taciturn with a low profile, he couldn't stay here any longer, so he left directly...

"...Next match..."

Ootani Yuuto looked at the departing Aburame Shibi and the Hyuga Yuzuru who had already returned, and continued to announce the next match...

"Hyuga Yuzuru, what is your true strength!"

Akeshi looked at Yuzuru who had returned and immediately questioned him. The surrounding classmates also cast curious glances at him. This question had always lingered deep in their hearts.

"Want to know?"

Yuzuru looked at Akeshi and spoke calmly.

Akeshi naturally nodded heavily.

"Then wait until you become stronger in the future, and then come and test my strength yourself."

After Yuzuru said these words, he directly formed a hand seal, and then his body directly exploded into a cloud of white smoke and disappeared.

"As expected, a Shadow Clone..."

Akeshi looked at the place where Yuzuru disappeared and muttered to herself.

Kageka Maple, seeing Yuzuru release the Shadow Clone, also quietly left this place. After all, the next battle here was no longer of any interest to her.

"Hyuga Yuzuru... and Kageka Maple..."

Coming back to her senses, Akeshi had already lost sight of Kageka Maple. She muttered to herself and also left the Ninja Academy. Now she had to go home to recuperate, after all, there was still a duel waiting for her tonight!

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