The Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique was a B-rank jutsu. It was extremely difficult to master and immensely powerful; only jōnin could learn this formidable technique.
As for the Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, it was a C-rank jutsu and the most basic Fire Release technique. Almost everyone in the Uchiha Clan knew how to use it.
By rights, the power of a B-rank jutsu should have easily crushed a C-rank jutsu.
But the situation now was completely different.
Under the power of Byakuya's dōjutsu, Futsu-no-Mitama, the Great Fireball Technique had been enhanced, its power increased severalfold.
The enormous fireball easily overwhelmed the fire dragon and kept surging toward Uchiha Fugaku without losing momentum.
"What!? How is this possible?!"
Seeing his jutsu crushed by Byakuya's, Uchiha Fugaku was stunned. He hurriedly used the Body Flicker Technique to dodge.
Although Uchiha Fugaku had narrowly avoided Byakuya's jutsu, the enormous blast of flames still left him in a sorry state. He suffered burns in several places, and half his hair had been singed away.
The Uchiha Clan members watching the fight were all astonished, and began discussing it among themselves.
"My God! Did you see that?"
"Captain Byakuya actually used a C-rank jutsu to defeat Captain Fugaku's B-rank jutsu!"
"Of course I saw it... It's unbelievable!"
"Yeah! A C-rank jutsu actually beat a B-rank jutsu!"
"Captain Byakuya is so strong..."
"I never would've guessed that Captain Fugaku is so much older, yet still weaker than Captain Byakuya..."
"..."
The Uchiha Clan's ninja all looked at Byakuya with admiration.
Uchiha En and the others who followed Byakuya were especially excited.
See? That was Lord Byakuya's strength. What right did Uchiha Fugaku have to compare himself to him?
Hearing the murmurs around him, Uchiha Fugaku's expression darkened.
He'd meant to show off, but instead of impressing anyone, he'd gotten beaten up.
[ Ding! Detected anger from Uchiha Fugaku: +150 Negative Energy, Taijutsu +2... ]
"Trash will always be trash..."
"With strength like that, you still dare act so brazenly in front of me..."
Seeing Uchiha Fugaku's anger, Byakuya continued, full of disdain.
"Damn you... Don't get cocky just yet..."
He might have lost the ninjutsu exchange.
But ninjutsu wasn't all a ninja relied on.
Uchiha Fugaku charged at Byakuya again, Kunai in hand, and thrust it at him.
As he attacked, Uchiha Fugaku activated his three-Tomoe Sharingan.
Using his Sharingan, he cast a genjutsu.
"Genjutsu? You're asking to die..."
Byakuya was utterly disdainful when he sensed Uchiha Fugaku's genjutsu attack.
After all, Byakuya had already awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan.
Uchiha Fugaku was trying to use a genjutsu cast with his three-Tomoe Sharingan against him. How was that anything but asking to die?
"Genjutsu Reversal..."
Byakuya also activated his three-Tomoe Sharingan. The Tomoe spun in his scarlet eyes.
Uchiha Fugaku's genjutsu was reflected straight back at him.
The genjutsu was reflected, severely damaging Uchiha Fugaku's mind. As he attacked, he couldn't help spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Seize your opponent while he's down.
Byakuya certainly wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by.
"Whoosh..."
Byakuya instantly charged up to Uchiha Fugaku and drove a fist into his abdomen.
"Thud... Splurt..."
Uchiha Fugaku, who had already been vomiting blood, spat out another spray of it and crumpled to the ground.
Just as Uchiha Fugaku was struggling to get back up, a foot suddenly loomed over him and came crashing down on his head.
"Thud..."
Uchiha Fugaku's head was brutally driven into the ground.
"Hmph. You're a nobody, yet you dare fight me!"
"You really don't know when to quit..."
Byakuya ground his foot down hard. Uchiha Fugaku's face was so twisted it looked like a bitter melon had become a giant watermelon.
Uchiha Fugaku tried to struggle. He tried to fight back.
But unfortunately, Byakuya was far too strong.
No matter how much he struggled and fought back, it was useless. All he could do was rage helplessly.
[ Ding! Detected anger from Uchiha Fugaku: +200 Negative Energy, Ninjutsu +6 ] [ Ding! Detected anger from Uchiha Fugaku: +300 Negative Energy, Genjutsu +7 ] [ Ding! Detected anger from Uchiha Fugaku: +400 Negative Energy, Chakra +10 ] [...]
"Lord Byakuya is awesome!"
"Lord Byakuya is mighty!"
Uchiha En and the others who followed Byakuya saw him pin Uchiha Fugaku beneath his foot and excitedly shouted their praise.
"Uchiha Byakuya, let Captain Fugaku go!"
Seeing Uchiha Fugaku beaten so badly, those who followed him immediately shouted.
"Hmph. Uchiha Fugaku attacked a fellow villager. I suspect he intends to betray the village..."
"Are you planning to collude with him, too?!"
Facing their accusations, Byakuya spoke imperiously, his scarlet Sharingan fixed on them.
"We... I..."
Under Byakuya's gaze, they nervously took several steps back.
They didn't dare fight Byakuya.
Even their captain, Uchiha Fugaku, had been pinned under his foot.
Why would they pick a fight with him? To get beaten up?
"Just as I thought. You're all useless..."
"Useless men have useless underlings..."
Seeing that they didn't dare fight, Byakuya looked at them with disdain.
Then, with a hard kick, Byakuya sent the half-dead Uchiha Fugaku tumbling in front of Uchiha En.
"Lock him up for me! And be careful—don't let him die..."
"I don't want to earn a reputation for harming a fellow clan member..."
Byakuya added.
"Yes, Lord Byakuya..."
"You lot, take Captain Fugaku to the cells right now..."
At Byakuya's order, Uchiha En excitedly grabbed the half-dead Uchiha Fugaku and locked him up in the prison.
The few ninja who had been following Uchiha Fugaku exchanged glances. They could only watch their captain being locked in a cell, not daring to say a word.
"What do we do now? Captain Fugaku's been locked up..."
"Let's go find the clan head..."
"The clan head will surely have a solution..."
"..."
The men exchanged glances, then quickly left.
They didn't dare provoke Uchiha Byakuya, so all they could do was report what had happened to the clan head.
Before you continue