Just One Word: Charge!
Aoba's right fist, activated with Hardening, carried tremendous force as it slammed toward Itachi's chest!
To maintain his balance, Itachi had lowered both hands, leaving his centerline wide open and his heart completely unprotected.
If this had been a real fight, taking that punch to the heart would have been fatal!
However, Aoba held back at the last moment. He didn't aim for Itachi's heart, but for his chest instead.
Aoba was confident that this punch would break several of Itachi's ribs and win him the duel!
But at this critical juncture, Itachi finally regained his composure. The Sharingan showed signs of activating, flickering in and out of view, but he immediately suppressed it by force.
Because the moment he used the Sharingan, it would mean he had lost the duel!
He could lose, but he couldn't lose this way!
So he stopped trying to maintain his balance with both hands and use the force to retreat. Instead, at the last moment, he crossed his arms over his chest and forcibly blocked the punch!
Bang!
Itachi was sent flying by Aoba's vicious punch like a kite with its string cut. He hadn't even landed before he was sent skidding more than ten meters across the ground, only barely managing to come to a stop!
Aoba had just prepared to pursue him when more than a dozen shuriken suddenly forced him back in succession.
Taijutsu naturally included the use of weapons, so this wasn't against the rules.
With his momentum interrupted, Aoba stopped trying to force the pursuit. He stood where he was and watched the somewhat battered Itachi climb to his feet.
Itachi assessed his injuries and discovered that the force behind that punch had completely exceeded his expectations.
His left forearm, which had taken the