Secret Technique

It was a secret technique that could only be performed by combining Yin Release with the Byakugan.

It was somewhat like "the Mind Body Switch Technique without the mind-control effect."

But this weakened version of the Mind Body Switch Technique could use the Byakugan to invade an opponent's body from a distance, reaching their blood vessels and organs and directly causing damage!

The damage it inflicted still needed improvement. It couldn't cause terrible injuries directly inside someone's body, but it could still block their chakra points.

He had already figured out how to further develop this Air Palm Pointing secret technique. Perhaps through repeated practice and rapid mental calculations, he could master an advanced secret technique: Air Palm 64 Strikes.

As for how to defend against this kind of long-range attack, he had made preparations too. Yin Release could only be countered by Yin Release, but he had no intention of teaching anyone else how to defend against it.

At least until he had completely taken control of the Hyuga Clan, he wouldn't teach anyone how to defend against it.

Of course, he didn't even intend to reveal this secret technique.

He was only teaching it to his cousin now because he trusted him.

Trust was the foundation that would allow him to build up his own faction.

Besides, his cousin hadn't learned how to refine and convert Yin Release Chakra yet. There was no way he could master the technique in just a few days.

Teaching it to him now was simply the right thing to do.

Hyuga Hoshishaku had realized that his strength was growing too quickly.

By next year, after he turned in the mission he'd taken to find Yuto, he might receive another full-character card reward—one that was at least a Jonin.

With good luck, it wasn't impossible that he'd get a Kage Level character card.

So strengthening the people he trusted was an important part of securing his future.

If he had the power of a Jonin or stronger by next year, he ought to speed up his plans.

After teaching Hyuga Yunfei how to train in the secret technique, he began practicing himself.

Two or three days wouldn't be enough to greatly increase his strength, but it was plenty of time to get familiar with his newly learned abilities.

After he had fully mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique two months ago, Master Tobirama had taught him the advanced Flying Thunder God Slash.

Strictly speaking, Flying Thunder God Slash wasn't a ninjutsu, but an application of one.

So it wasn't difficult to learn.

At this point, Hyuga Hoshishaku had already reached the threshold of an Elite Jonin, relying on nothing but the Rasengan, Chidori, and Flying Thunder God Technique.

With his other abilities on top of that, even without much real combat experience, he was no weaker than an Elite Jonin.

For a while, he'd suspected that the Genius Class and Selection Tournament had been created for his sake.

But then he thought he might be flattering himself.

From the perspective of someone managing a group, why pour vast resources into providing customized training for one person?

Time passed quickly.

With Hoshishaku personally guiding him for three days, Yuto had gained a basic grasp of the Rasengan.

An enhanced Sage Body Naruto was born.

Yunfei had also gained a basic grasp of Yin Release and officially begun training in the Air Palm Pointing secret technique.

For now, though, his strength hadn't improved. He was still close to Chunin level.

Hoshishaku didn't seem to have learned anything new, but his understanding of Flying Thunder God Slash had deepened. He was determined to take first place in this Selection Tournament.

This wasn't the time to keep a low profile.

It wasn't the terrifying era of Sarutobi Hiruzen's rule, when Shimura Danzō secretly harvested the village's geniuses.

The Senju brothers were happy whenever they saw a genius in the village.

So he should use this opportunity to reveal a few of his trump cards and make a name for himself.

Three days later, at the Ninja Academy Arena.

As word spread about the new students' Selection Tournament over the past few days, news of what had happened there had reached the entire village.

The village's first "all-hands" event since its founding had sparked heated discussion among the villagers about the preliminary rounds, and excitement was steadily building.

The Hyuga Clan had "timely" spotted a business opportunity. They copied and sold the surveillance recordings from the preliminary rounds, splitting the profits three ways: the village received the largest share, and the Hyuga and Uchiha split the rest.

As a result, the tournament's later rounds attracted even more attention. Some of the ninja clans finally understood why the Hyuga and Uchiha had wholeheartedly supported the establishment of the Ninja Academy: they'd done it to make money.

Unfortunately, their perspective was too limited. For the village's two largest clans, money mattered, of course, but what mattered more was maintaining close ties with the village.

Aside from the Uchiha, who had been brought in as an ally, only the Hyuga and a few clever people had seen that.

The matches had already begun at the arena.

Compared with the first round's "amateur-on-amateur" bouts, the match to cut two hundred contestants down to one hundred was already quite entertaining.

Those who had made it to the second round were mostly under eighteen, and at least Chunin level.

Fights between ninja were famously quick.

One person took down an opponent in a flash, then got taken down in turn.

Most ordinary matches ended within three minutes. Only clashes between "experts" dragged on.

But the audience loved watching experts clash.

One match worth mentioning was between Sarutobi Hiruzen, whom Hoshishaku knew well, and Uchiha Rinne.

The boy and girl were about the same age, and their fight was intense. It ended when Sarutobi Hiruzen was struck by a genjutsu from her Two-Tomoe Sharingan and collapsed, handing her the victory.

Then there was Kagami Uchiha versus Torifu Akimichi—a fight between two of Senju Tobirama's students.

It was easy to guess how it would go without even watching: the Akimichi Clan's Multi-Size Secret Technique against the Sharingan and Fire Style Ninjutsu.

In the end, Kagami Uchiha also won through genjutsu.

Hoshishaku's own older brother, Hyuga Yueye, had it rough. He faced someone even Hoshishaku considered a tough opponent: Kureha Kurama.

The fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl wielded her clan's secret techniques with incredible skill.

Hoshishaku suspected that whatever she imagined in her mind could appear in reality.

All sorts of strange things appeared out of nowhere and rushed at Hyuga Yueye, beating him mercilessly. The spectacle was shocking.

In the end, Hyuga Yueye managed to hold out for a minute with Rotation before collapsing. Kureha Kurama had won without moving from her spot.

At that moment, the electronic screen in the waiting room displayed the match after next.

Hyuga Yunfei VS Hatake Saku.

After seeing the announcement, Yunfei greeted them and prepared to head to the waiting area.

But Hoshishaku's heart sank, and he hurriedly stopped him.

"Just trade a few blows and then forfeit. The gap is too big; there's no point. Got it?"

That was what he told Yunfei.

Yunfei wasn't stubborn. He looked a little surprised, but nodded before turning and leaving.

Yuto asked, "Is Hatake Saku that strong? Why are you telling Big Brother Yunfei to forfeit?"

Hoshishaku nodded. Looking at the boy heading to the waiting area as well, he said confidently, "He's sixteen, the same age as Kureha Kurama. His strength should be about the same—Jonin level. I don't know exactly how strong he is, though. You know I can see other people's chakra levels and mental energy."