"Gentle Fist... show me what you've got!"
A sound like ringing bells and drums suddenly resounded.
Hyuga Sho's voice sounded vast and rolling, every word crystal clear.
Although the "Hardening Jutsu" granted by the second Star Point, Earth Style, could operate on its own, Hyuga Sho could also focus and activate it deliberately.
When he went all out, not only did his muscles and bones produce a rebounding force, but even his words seemed amplified by the vibrations.
Thus... a low growl spread directly across the academy grounds.
Then—
Hyuga Sho threw a punch.
His figure stepped forward along with that strike.
In Kakashi's eyes—
His opponent's fist filled his entire field of vision.
It was as though everything before him had suddenly gone dark.
Before the fist even arrived, the fierce wind it stirred had already struck his face.
That violent power, that soul-shaking low growl—
It immediately forced Kakashi to focus completely, and an unprecedented seriousness flashed through his eyes.
"Ha!"
Kakashi also gave a low growl, but compared to Hyuga Sho's shout, it was nearly inaudible.
He nearly squeezed every ounce of strength from his body and poured it into his arm.
Bang!!
The two clashed.
At that moment—
Kakashi felt an unimaginable force travel from the face of his fist into his arm.
His entire body was driven backward again and again by that impact.
"His strength is greater than mine!"
Kakashi judged that in an instant.
Even as he thought, Kakashi abruptly threw out a kick.
He hoped to use the strength of his legs to overturn the disadvantage from their first exchange.
His reaction could not have been faster.
Even Hyuga Sho praised him. "Sure enough... there was a reason you could defeat Uchiha Tekka."
Without a doubt—
Kakashi was stronger than Uchiha Tekka,