At the last possible moment, Aburame Shimbi intervened and stopped Meihui's attack.
He flashed between Iripo and Meihui, and an invisible force pushed them apart.
"The match is over once a clear winner has been decided, Meihui. You went too far." Aburame Shimbi spoke sternly, his gaze fixed on her.
Meihui put away her kunai and snorted, saying nothing.
She was somewhat dissatisfied, but she didn't dare argue when reprimanded by an elder.
Iripo took a deep breath and calmed himself.
Although he had lost, he wasn't discouraged. Instead, the defeat only fueled his determination.
He knew the gap between him and Meihui was still enormous. He would have to train even harder to catch up with her.
The spectators around them murmured among themselves, all shaken by the spectacular match.
The Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan were both prominent families in Konoha, so a match between their descendants naturally drew considerable attention.
"I can't believe Meihui awakened the Sharingan. It's incredible!"
"Yeah, and she can use Fire Release too—that's the Uchiha Clan's signature ninjutsu!"
"Looks like the Uchiha Clan has another genius on its hands!"
Everyone praised Meihui's talent, convinced she would become one of Konoha's pillars in the future.
Aburame Shimbi watched Meihui. He knew she was exceptionally talented, but he also worried that her proud, aloof nature might lead her astray.
He decided to report the matter to Lord Hokage after the matches were over and let him decide what to do.
"Next match, continue!" Aburame Shimbi announced.
Though Hyuga Iripo had lost, his performance had earned the crowd's respect.
He hadn't awakened the Byakugan, but his Taijutsu and Gentle Fist were both excellent, and he had shown remarkable resolve.
Meihui stood on the platform, her gaze sweeping over the crowd.
"Hmph. The Hyuga Clan is nothing special," Meihui thought.
Iripo was disappointed, but he knew how great the gap between him and Meihui was.
He wasn't discouraged. Instead, his resolve only grew stronger.
He believed that if he kept working hard, he would surpass Meihui one day.
Just then, Meihui suddenly sensed a powerful surge of Chakra. She snapped her head up and looked toward the stands.
There, a figure in a black cloak watched her in silence, a strange light flickering in his eyes.
Who is that? Meihui was startled, and a sense of foreboding welled up inside her.
Haotian sat in the stands, watching Meihui's performance with keen interest.
Her movements were swift. The shuriken seemed almost alive as they sliced through the air with a sharp whistle and struck Hyuga Iripo with pinpoint accuracy.
Haotian could sense the powerful Chakra within Meihui, as well as the red Three-Tomoe in her eyes—a power she could possess only after awakening the Sharingan.
He couldn't help marveling at it. The Sharingan truly was a wondrous power.
At the same time, he wondered what could give rise to such an eye technique. Was it merely inherited through blood?
He regarded Uchiha Meihui with a hint of curiosity.
On the platform, Iripo lay on the ground. He struggled to stand, but in the end, he could only collapse to his knees.
He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh and blood seeped out, yet he felt no pain.
He couldn't accept the result. How could his Hyuga Clan lose to the Uchiha Clan?
Meihui put away her shuriken and lightly brushed the dust from her hands. Then she walked up to Iripo and looked down at him.
Her voice was gentle, but every word cut deep. "The Hyuga Clan is nothing special. Your Byakugan is useless against me."
Iripo clenched his teeth and glared at Meihui, but he had no strength to argue.
Meihui merely smiled and turned to leave the platform. Her gaze swept over the crowd, then settled on Haotian. The corners of her lips lifted slightly, her eyes carrying both a hint of challenge and a trace of curiosity.
She began walking toward Haotian, each step confident and sure. The air around them grew tense.
The matches that followed, however, were as dull as chewing wax.
The contestants moved like clumsy ducks, slow and mediocre, nothing like the thrilling bout between Meihui and Iripo.
The spectators whispered among themselves, their earlier excitement gradually fading.
"Is this the future of Konoha?" an older ninja sighed quietly, his voice full of concern. "How can they stand against the ninja of other villages at this level?"
Another ninja shook his head, his face clouded with worry. "Sigh. It seems Konoha is nowhere near as strong as it used to be."
Even some members of the Konoha High Command began to frown. Watching the disappointing young people on the field, they felt deeply let down.
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