Teaming Up with Hinata

The Eye of Truth instantly provided a detailed analysis.

For Ling Xuan, it made little difference who he teamed up with. He had enough confidence to control the whole battlefield.

Having Hinata as his partner also offered a good opportunity to observe the Byakugan at close range and see if he could guide her in using it effectively.

"Ling Xuan and Hinata Hyuga's opponents are..." The examiner's voice once again drew everyone's attention. "Ino Yamanaka and Choji Akimichi!"

"Yeah! Choji, it's us!" Ino jumped up excitedly and shot Hinata and Ling Xuan a smug look.

"Hmph, luck's not on your side! Choji, are you ready? Just watch me put on a good show!"

"Mm... barbecue..." Choji mumbled in reply, stuffing potato chips into his mouth as he spoke, but he also began to take things seriously.

Though he loved to eat, he still had the basic combat skills expected of a reserve member of the Ino-Shika-Cho team.

When Hinata heard that her opponents were Ino and Choji, her body began to tremble slightly with nerves.

Ino was outgoing and fiery, and always seemed so imposing in class. Hinata was instinctively a little afraid of her.

Just as Hinata stood there at a loss, a calm voice sounded beside her.

"Hinata."

She jumped, then looked up and saw that Ling Xuan had somehow come to stand in front of her.

"About the match in a moment." Ling Xuan's gaze was clear and direct. "Follow my instructions. Don't let your thoughts wander; just perform as you do in training. Remember, your Byakugan is your advantage."

His voice wasn't loud, nor did it carry the slightest hint of emotion, but it was like a sedative, calming Hinata's panicked heart a little.

"Y-yes! Ling Xuan! I... I'll do my best!" Hinata nodded firmly. Her voice still trembled, but her eyes now shone with the confidence his encouragement had given her.

After a brief preparation period, the mock combat matches officially began.

In the first match, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno faced off against Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame.

Sasuke immediately showed his overwhelming strength. He paired Fire Style with Shurikenjutsu, launching a fierce assault.

Sakura was a little flustered, but she did her best to support him.

Kiba and Akamaru worked together seamlessly, but against Sakura and the ferocious Sasuke, they gradually fell behind.

In the end, under the cover of a well-executed Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu, Sasuke defeated Kiba in close-quarters Taijutsu. Shino's insects were also countered by Sasuke's flames, leaving Shino with no choice but to concede.

The second match, between Naruto Uzumaki and Shikamaru Nara, was full of twists and turns.

Naruto charged headlong into battle, using his chakra with absolutely no finesse.

But his relentless momentum and occasional bursts of astonishing stamina still gave his opponents plenty of trouble.

Shikamaru complained the whole time that it was "such a drag," yet at crucial moments, his clever mind always came up with some bizarre strategy.

For example, he used a rudimentary form of the Shadow Possession Jutsu to briefly restrain an opponent, creating an opening for Naruto.

In the end, amidst the chaos, Naruto narrowly defeated his opponent with an "accidental" headbutt and one of Shikamaru's "perfectly timed" traps.

After several matches, the atmosphere around the arena grew more and more lively.

"Next match! Ling Xuan and Hinata Hyuga versus Ino Yamanaka and Choji Akimichi!"

At the chief examiner's announcement, four figures entered the center of the arena.

Ino stood with her hands on her hips and a confident smile, occasionally taunting Hinata from across the arena.

Choji had just finished his last bag of potato chips. He dusted off his hands and assumed the starting stance of Akimichi Style Taijutsu.

Hinata took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She glanced at Ling Xuan beside her.

He still looked calm and composed, as though the opponents before them were nothing more than a couple of trees by the roadside.

That inexplicable sense of reassurance gave her a little courage, and she took up the stance of the Gentle Fist.

Ling Xuan calmly looked over Ino and Choji.

[Ino Yamanaka: Sensory ability B, potential for mental techniques A, Taijutsu C-. Watch for the range and telltale signs of the Mind Transfer Technique.]

[Choji Akimichi: Human Bullet Tank power B+ (current stage), Multi-Size Technique has a high chakra cost, defense A (when enlarged). Watch his momentum and area of impact.]

"Match—begin!"

At the examiner's command, Ino and Choji moved almost simultaneously!

"Choji! Spiky Human Bullet Tank!" Ino quickly formed Hand Seals and leaped backward, clearly intending to support Choji or find an opportunity to use her clan's secret technique.

Choji let out a low growl as his body rapidly swelled, his hair stiffening into sharp spikes!

"Here it comes!" Ling Xuan's voice sounded beside Hinata's ear, clear and calm.

"Hinata, activate your Byakugan. Keep your eyes on Choji's chakra flow, and watch Ino's mental fluctuations. Move to the spot behind me on the left, then..."

Hinata's heart tightened. Almost instinctively, she followed Ling Xuan's instructions and activated her Byakugan! The battle erupted in an instant!

The moment the examiner's words fell, Choji charged at Ling Xuan and Hinata like a cannonball, accompanied by a sharp whistle as he tore through the air!

The Human Bullet Tank came at them with unstoppable force!

At the same time, Ino quickly formed Hand Seals, evidently preparing to follow up or waiting for an opportunity to use her clan's secret technique.

Faced with the ferocious opening attack, Hinata held her breath, her small face pale.

"Three steps to the left. Now!" Ling Xuan said calmly beside her ear.

"Activate your Byakugan. Watch the chakra point beneath his body as he spins, and tell me how it changes."

Hinata followed his instructions almost reflexively.

She darted three steps to the left, moving aside by the narrowest of margins, as veins bulged at the corners of her eyes.

"Byakugan—activate!"

Her vision changed instantly. To her, Choji's rapidly spinning body was no longer just a ball of flesh; she could clearly see the network of chakra flowing through it.

She fought through the discomfort of making such a precise observation in battle for the first time, straining to focus on the chakra point Ling Xuan had mentioned.

The gust from the Human Bullet Tank skimmed the edge of her clothes, leaving her drenched in cold sweat.

"When he... when he changes direction, the chakra at that point... stalls for a very brief moment, then it... it starts flowing smoothly again!"

Hinata's voice trembled, but she reported what she had seen with remarkable clarity.

"Good." Ling Xuan's voice remained calm.

This matched the prediction of his Eye of Truth exactly. Hinata's Byakugan really could detect such a subtle opening.

Just as Choji missed his first attack and tried to adjust his direction for another charge, Ino's support arrived as well.

Several shuriken flew toward Ling Xuan, trying to restrict his movement and create an opening for Choji.

"Hinata, handle Choji. Repeat the same dodge, then try to attack him with the most concentrated force you can muster. I'll deal with Ino."

Before he'd even finished speaking, Ling Xuan shifted slightly and dodged every shuriken without a single unnecessary movement.