"I lost? Shiyu, I don't understand what you mean." Hizashi Hyuga was just as confused. It was obvious that he had dispelled Shiyu's jutsu, so how could he have already lost?
"Teacher Hizashi? You don't believe me?" Shiyu asked, sounding rather pleased with himself.
"Go ahead. Show me how I lost, and make sure I'm convinced." Hizashi readied himself once more.
"Then watch closely, Teacher. Right now, it would take me only five seconds to defeat you," Shiyu said with complete confidence.
"Five seconds? Are you going to blast me with some large-scale jutsu?" Hizashi asked nervously. He knew all too well how terrifying the little boy's Compound Ninjutsu could be.
"Of course not." Shiyu shook his head. "I'll show you."
It was actually quite simple. Although Hizashi had used Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms to destroy Shiyu's shuriken, several Flying Thunder God Formulas were still on the broken pieces. Shiyu used the Flying Thunder God Technique, formed a Rasengan in his left hand, and, turning slightly to the side, struck Hizashi from behind.
Hizashi wasn't stupid. The moment he realized Shiyu had appeared behind him, he knew he had already lost.
"I lost. I can't believe you've already surpassed me, Shiyu. You really are Konoha's super-genius." Hizashi was thoroughly convinced now.
"This blue ball... It seems to have incredible destructive power!"
"And, Shiyu, you didn't use the Body Flicker Technique to get behind me, did you?" Hizashi was completely won over. Like a student, he questioned Shiyu.
"That's right. This blue ball is a jutsu I developed, and the technique I used to move wasn't the Body Flicker Technique. It was a Space-Time Ninjutsu: the Flying Thunder God Technique!" Shiyu declared the name of the technique loudly.
"Flying Thunder God!? The jutsu invented by the Second, Tobirama-sama? But you can already use Shadow Clones and shuriken as formula carriers to travel through space and time. In that respect, you've even surpassed the Second!"
"That's truly incredible. You're making this Jonin feel ashamed," Hizashi said, shaking his head.
Just as Shiyu was about to comfort Hizashi, a round of applause came from outside.
"Clap, clap, clap!"
"Not bad! You must be Shiyu, right? That battle was truly an eye-opener!"
Shiyu looked toward the voice and saw a man in a kimono who looked exactly like Hizashi. The man was studying him.
"Big Brother? What brings you here?" Hizashi asked in surprise. As a member of the Main Family, Hiashi could enter the Branch Family compound whenever he wished, but he almost never came over of his own accord. Usually, the Branch Family went to the Main Family.
"You must be Hiashi Hyuga, Teacher Hizashi's older brother. Teacher Hiashi, would it be all right if I called you that?" Shiyu asked politely.
Hiashi smiled. "Of course. I'm a Konoha Jonin too. But after watching that match, I think the two of us are nowhere near your level."
Shiyu neither agreed nor responded.
"Hizashi, how long has it been since we fought side by side?" Hiashi asked suddenly.
"Hm? Big Brother, what do you mean?" Hizashi was surprised. Could his twin brother be itching for a fight too?
"I'd like the two of us to team up and fight this young man, Shiyu."
"I was just passing by and happened to see your fight. It got me fired up, but I don't think I'd be a match for this young man on my own."
"Why don't we brothers fight him together?" Hiashi suggested.
"I'm certainly willing to continue. What do you think, Shiyu?" Hizashi asked.
Shiyu was still hesitating when Hiashi added, "If you defeat us, I'll tell you everything I know about your mother."
At that, Shiyu nodded. "All right, let's do it! I'm ready to keep going!"
Hiashi and Hizashi nodded. They became more serious than ever, having already seen how formidable Shiyu was.
"Who would've thought that after all these years, the reason the two of us would team up again would be to fight a five-year-old? It's a little embarrassing," Hiashi joked.
"But he's no ordinary child! He might be the most promising ninja in the Shinobi World today," Hizashi said.
"Are you ready, Shiyu?" Hiashi asked.
"Bring it on!" Shiyu was eager to fight. He planned to end this match as quickly as possible.
The Hyuga brothers were both Taijutsu experts, so they moved in close to Shiyu, planning to defeat him with Gentle Fist at close range.
Shiyu threw shuriken at them, but once the Hyuga brothers activated their Byakugan, they deftly knocked every one away.
This time, they pushed their Gentle Fist to its limits. Each shuriken marked with a Flying Thunder God Formula was smashed to pieces by their gentle force, making the Space-Time Formulae impossible to sense.
"As expected of the Hyuga brothers," Shiyu thought admiringly. He immediately used Shadow Clone Jutsu, creating five clones. Two at a time, the clones held off each of the Hyuga brothers.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shiyu marked the clones with formulas.
"Even his Shadow Clones are this troublesome!"
Every time two of the clones managed to get close to the Hyuga brothers, the brothers' attacks disrupted them, forcing them to retreat.
The fight had reached a stalemate. The Hyuga brothers exchanged a glance and shook their heads. They decided to use Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms once more.
Their elegant strikes hit the tenketsu again. After taking Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, four of Shiyu's Shadow Clones turned into clouds of smoke and vanished.
Shiyu had clearly achieved his aim. His last Shadow Clone charged at the brothers, and at just the right moment, Shiyu used the Flying Thunder God Technique to appear between them.
The Hyuga brothers worked together seamlessly. They had naturally guessed that Shiyu's real body would appear where the Shadow Clone was, so the attacks they had aimed at the clone now came down on Shiyu.
"Shiyu! You lose this time!"
"Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms: Double Strike! Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms!" The Hyuga brothers unleashed a flurry of blows against Shiyu. Through their Byakugan, it seemed that every one of Shiyu's tenketsu had been struck by their Gentle Fist.
The Hyuga brothers' perfect teamwork took Shiyu by surprise.
But when Shiyu fell, the brothers were just as astonished.
"Poof!"
"What? Substitution Jutsu?! When did he—?!"
The Hyuga brothers weren't ready to give up. Hizashi sent a blast of Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm at the Shadow Clone and knocked it away, while Hiashi tried to use his Byakugan to find Shiyu.
Before you continue