You, when did you-

The Eye of Truth had already calculated Ino's throwing trajectory, force, and spin, even the subtle habits in the way she wielded her wrist.

Ino's pupils contracted. Her pride and joy, her Shurikenjutsu, had been neutralized so easily?

On the other side, Hinata took a deep breath and faced Choji as he came rolling toward her again.

With her first experience and Ling Xuan's clear instructions, she was still nervous, but her movements were more disciplined.

She successfully evaded him again. The instant Choji forcibly changed direction and exposed the opening Ling Xuan had mentioned, she steeled herself and stepped forward.

She gently struck the back of Choji's right knee with a palm infused with all the chakra she could muster.

"Gentle Fist!"

Thump!

A soft, muffled sound.

Choji's Human Bullet Tank jolted. Its spinning momentum abruptly faltered, and he veered uncontrollably to one side, nearly losing the technique altogether.

His right leg went numb with a dull ache, and his chakra flow became sluggish.

"What?!" Choji was stunned. He never imagined that Hinata's seemingly feeble palm could strike his weak point so precisely and have such an effect.

Ino was even more dumbfounded. Hinata Hyuga, who usually didn't even dare speak loudly, had actually... actually hit Choji's Human Bullet Tank.

And she had nearly broken through his technique?! It had to be a fluke!

At that instant, as Choji lost his balance, Ling Xuan moved.

He used no flashy ninjutsu. His figure appeared beside Choji.

A kunai had appeared in his hand at some point. From an extremely tricky angle, he stabbed with pinpoint accuracy.

More importantly, the subtle force carried through the kunai's tip penetrated Choji's body, further disrupting his already unsteady chakra.

"Ugh!" Choji cried out in pain. His massive body could no longer maintain the Human Bullet Tank form. He shrank back to normal and fell to the ground, panting heavily, his face filled with pain and confusion.

"Choji!" Ino cried out, her expression instantly turning grim.

The tide had turned!

"Hinata, keep Choji suppressed. Don't give him a chance to use the Multi-Size Technique again."

Ling Xuan's voice rang out, calm and commanding. Hinata was still a little afraid of Choji, but seeing how easily Ling Xuan had injured him filled her with courage.

She charged at the panting Choji, her small fists infused with the chakra of the Gentle Fist, striking repeatedly at his joints.

Choji struggled to defend himself. For a moment, Hinata had him completely on the back foot.

"Yamanaka Ino, I'm your opponent." Ling Xuan walked slowly toward the wary Ino.

Ino gritted her teeth. She knew she could only rely on herself now!

She swiftly formed Hand Seals, aiming straight at Ling Xuan. "Don't underestimate me! Mind Transfer Technique!"

An invisible mental strike shot straight toward Ling Xuan.

However, through the Eye of Truth, Ling Xuan could clearly see the fluctuations in Ino's mental energy, the technique's trajectory, even her fingertips trembling slightly with nerves.

[Target: Mind Transfer Technique. Effective range: 10 meters (Ino's current limit). Method: A straight-line mental energy strike that invades the target's mind...]

[Weaknesses: The user cannot move while casting. The mental energy follows a single path and can easily be disrupted or evaded...]

Just as the mental strike was about to touch Ling Xuan, his figure vanished—it was the Substitution Technique!

"What?!" Ino was stunned. Her Mind Transfer Technique had missed!

The next instant, she felt a chill at the back of her neck. A figure had silently appeared behind her.

Ling Xuan extended two fingers and accurately pressed a special pressure point at the back of Ino's neck, where a nerve could be controlled.

"Ugh!" A numbing sensation spread through Ino's body. She stiffened instantly, unable even to muster the strength to form Hand Seals. "Y-you... when did you..."

"Your Mind Transfer Technique has an obvious wind-up, and your mental energy is too scattered."

Ling Xuan stated the facts calmly. "You also seem to have forgotten that revealing your position and intentions so carelessly in battle is extremely dangerous."

On the other side, Choji was also being given a hard time by Hinata's Gentle Fist. It wasn't powerful, but it was exceptionally precise.

His joints ached all over, and his chakra flow was sluggish. He couldn't use the Multi-Size Technique again.

"Match over!" the examiner finally announced loudly. "The winners—Ling Xuan and Hinata Hyuga!"

When Hinata heard the announcement, her legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed.

She panted heavily, sweat dampening the bangs on her forehead, but her pale eyes shone with a light she had never shown before.

She looked at her hands, then turned to Ling Xuan in disbelief.

"W-we... won, Ling Xuan?" Her voice trembled with excitement.

Ling Xuan gave her a slight nod. "Mm. Your Byakugan is useful for finding enemies and judging their movements, and your Gentle Fist is quite precise, too. Keep working hard, and you'll become even stronger."

It was an objective assessment, but to Hinata, it was the sweetest praise imaginable.

Two crimson clouds rose on her cheeks again, and she nodded firmly. "Yes! Thank you, Ling Xuan!"

She felt that maybe... just maybe, she was starting to keep pace with him.

Outside the arena, silence had fallen.

Everyone was stunned by what could only be called a "demonstration-style" battle.

Ling Xuan had barely fought himself. Through precise commands and perfect timing, he had brought out Hinata's potential to the fullest and easily defeated the formidable combination of Ino and Choji.

"S-so strong..." one student muttered. "Ling Xuan is amazing on his own, and he even made Hinata stronger!"

"It wasn't Hinata's doing alone! Ling Xuan was directing her the whole time!"

"But Hinata's Byakugan and Gentle Fist landed their hits, too! It might not have worked even with Ling Xuan giving orders if someone else were in her place!"

Iruka and Toma exchanged glances, both seeing deep shock and delight in the other's eyes.

"That kid's tactical mind and ability to lead... He's a born commander!" Chunin Toma said quietly.

In the shadows, the Anbu quickly sent out a new report.

[Target Ling Xuan has demonstrated S-rank tactical leadership skills and can greatly draw out his teammates' potential. He possesses terrifying insight into enemy techniques and combat patterns, along with the ability to counter them.]

[Recommend including him in the "command-type ninja" or "special tactical adviser" development track...]

Sasuke clenched his fists. Ling Xuan's "total control" style of fighting filled him with a pressure more terrifying than mere strength.

Naruto shouted excitedly, "Wow! You're amazing, Ling Xuan! Hinata, you were great, too! That was awesome!"

Ino leaned on Choji for support, her face full of frustration and dejection. "How could this happen... I actually lost to a shy girl and a blockhead..."

But when she looked at Ling Xuan, there was something else in her gaze, something she hadn't even noticed herself.

That boy was terrifyingly calm and powerful... enough to make anyone admire him.

Ling Xuan and Hinata walked off the field side by side. They felt the gazes around them—some full of awe, some envy, others curiosity—but Ling Xuan remained unperturbed.

To him, this was just another successful experiment.

The experiment had proven that, with the right guidance, Hinata's Byakugan could indeed become a powerful asset.