It Starts Now

It Starts Now

The next day, Kagami got up early, finished preparing everything, and brought himself into peak condition. He knew what he would have to face today.

Elsewhere.

Shisui arrived at Itachi's house early and prepared to head to the Anbu with Itachi to carry out today's mission.

"Do you really think he can win?"

Itachi suddenly asked.

Shisui countered.

"Then what do you think?"

Itachi smiled faintly.

"When it comes to him, I might have even more confidence than you do."

Shisui couldn't help feeling puzzled.

"Hmm?"

Itachi smiled faintly.

"Although our views are different, setting those views aside, I have high hopes for him. Didn't you say it yourself? He resembles the way I was back then. If that's the case, I don't think I would lose to the genius of the Hyuga Clan."

Shisui smiled without confirming or denying it.

"Is that so? That's enough, then."

The Hyuga Main Family.

Hyuga Hiashi spoke earnestly to the young man before him.

"Neji, when you go today, you absolutely must not leave that Uchiha Kagato with a fatal injury. Remember to hold back. The situation between the Uchiha and the village is very complicated right now. This is merely the village testing the Uchiha. The Hyuga Clan cannot make an enemy of the Uchiha because of this."

The young man named Hyuga Neji shook his head.

"No, Clan Head. You haven't gone to the Academy to see that Uchiha Kagato, but I have. He's very strong—I'm certain of that. If I don't use my full strength, I'm afraid I'll lose. No, I will definitely lose!"

Hyuga Hiashi spoke in surprise.

"Even you aren't confident of winning decisively?"

Hyuga Neji nodded.

"Yes. I might even lose. Between him and me, the outcome is impossible to predict."

Hyuga Hiashi lowered his head and thought for quite some time. Finally, he raised his head and spoke firmly.

"Then win! Compared to the Uchiha, the village's higher-ups are the ones we cannot offend. Neji, use your full strength and win!"

Hyuga Neji replied.

"I will, Clan Head."

As usual, after waiting for Sasuke on the way, Kagami went to school with him.

"Kagami, the final exams are almost here. What kind of result do you think you'll get?"

"What do you think?"

""

"Why don't you worry about yourself? You don't need to worry about me."

"Damn, is this the arrogance of a genius?"

"Hahaha, maybe it is."

And so, Kagami and Sasuke chatted nonstop along the way. It had practically become part of their daily routine.

However, when they reached a place not far from the Ninja Academy, Sasuke suddenly tugged at Kagami's sleeve and pointed in a direction.

"Kagami, look. Do you see that person in white? He's the genius one year above us—the genius of the Hyuga Clan. I heard he's the strongest in his year. I wonder who's stronger, him or you, Kagami."

Kagami smiled with interest.

"You want to watch?"

"Of course I do! It's a battle between two geniuses—one from the Hyuga Clan and one from the Uchiha Clan. If you ask me, I still think you'll win, Kagami. After all, you're an Uchiha. Even the Hyuga Clan can't compare with our Uchiha Clan!"

Kagami sighed earnestly.

"Yes, the Uchiha. The proud Uchiha cannot afford defeat."

The proud Uchiha could not afford defeat. What was laughable was that this pride had played no small part in the reason the Uchiha Clan would eventually be wiped out.

Kagami sighed inwardly but had no intention of changing anything. The tide of the world was not something a minor student like him could change at present. His era lay in the future, not the present. Whatever the Uchiha did, Kagami could not interfere with it for now.

Sasuke felt that Kagami's tone was strange and couldn't help asking,

"Kagami, why do I feel like you want to say something?"

Kagami put on a smile.

"No, it's nothing."

With the final exams approaching, there was still plenty of training today, as usual. The first exercise was shuriken throwing.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

Five shuriken flew from Kagami's hand. They crossed and struck one another in midair, then hit the bullseye simultaneously at an unbelievable angle.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!!!!"

"Kagami!!!"

"Hmph, a mere trick."

"Exactly. It's nothing special."

As they spoke, the two took out two kunai and threw them simultaneously. They crossed and struck one another in midair, then avoided the target in a perfect arc. It was truly marvelous.

After shuriken throwing came physical training—in other words, running.

Unsurprisingly, Kagami was still first.

And next came sparring.

Kagami smiled almost imperceptibly. He knew the main event was here!

Sure enough, not long after the sparring in Kagami's class began, the boy in white arrived. He walked up to Iruka and spoke respectfully.

"Teacher Iruka, hello. I would like to request a challenge against your student—Uchiha Kagato."

The boy's words were extremely concise and clear, representing his unshakable determination. As soon as he said this, many people were shocked, each reacting differently.

Sasuke was stunned at first, then clapped his hands.

"Great! Kagami didn't go looking for him, but he came looking for Kagami himself. Kagami, show him that the Uchiha genius isn't someone the Hyuga genius can compare with. Even though you're a year younger, you're still not someone their Hyuga Clan can compare with."

Ino, standing nearby, frowned and spoke worriedly.

"Why would the upperclassman Hyuga Neji come challenge Kagami? Isn't that bullying?"

Naruto was the most direct. While everyone else discussed it quietly, Naruto jumped out without caring about anything and shouted,

"Teacher Iruka, this isn't fair! An upperclassman is challenging Kagami! That's bullying!"

Everyone had their own reaction, but Kagami remained calm from beginning to end, quietly watching Hyuga Neji.

Indeed, an upperclassman challenging an underclassman was against the rules. But who made the rules? The Konoha higher-ups did! If they said it was allowed, then it was allowed.

Sure enough, Iruka reprimanded Naruto and sent him back.

"Naruto, what do you know? This is a normal sparring match. Go back!"

Sparring? Was this the excuse the Konoha higher-ups were using to test him?

Kagami neither agreed nor disagreed. It was indeed a fairly decent excuse.

Afterward, Iruka approved the sparring match and came over to ask Kagami,

"Kagami, do you agree? I've already approved it. As long as you agree, the spar can begin."

At a time like this, how could Kagami retreat? He readily agreed.

"Teacher Iruka, I agree to this sparring match as well."

Iruka nodded and raised his hand, signaling the students who had gathered around after Hyuga Neji's arrival to step back and clear an area for Kagami and Neji.

Then Kagami and Neji stood opposite each other, about three meters apart, and formed the opposing hand seal.

Iruka stood between them and raised his hand high. Once he saw that both of them were ready, he suddenly swung it down.

"Then, begin!!"