Uchiha Zuho (V)

Uchiha Zuho steadied his stance and lunged at Hyuga Shinichi once more, only for Hyuga Shinichi to sidestep the attack and deliver a punch toward Uchiha Zuho's temple.

Uchiha Zuho jerked his upper body backward to dodge the blow, but Hyuga Shinichi immediately followed up with a sweeping kick, catching Uchiha Zuho squarely on the heel before he could evade.

His torso, already tilted back, continued to fall toward the ground; just as he was about to hit the dirt, Uchiha Zuho gritted his teeth.

"Damn it!"

He performed a backflip, lashing out with a kick at the advancing Hyuga Shinichi mid-motion. Hyuga Shinichi dodged the strike, which allowed Uchiha Zuho to put some distance between them.

"Damn it, I shouldn't have tried to out-taijutsu a Hyuga from the start. Once they get inside your guard, it's impossible to shake them off."

Uchiha Zuho muttered this to himself, brushed the dust off his sleeves, and narrowed his eyes with newfound intensity. He decided to unleash his trump card, his hands blurring into a sequence of seals as the chakra within him surged.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball!"

A scorching Great Fireball erupted from Uchiha Zuho's mouth. The spectators outside the arena were electrified by the sheer size of the flame, and even the teachers were impressed by Uchiha Zuho's natural talent.

Three people in the crowd remained unmoved: Nawaki and his two companions, who were busy chatting.

Seeing the Great Fireball, Inuzuka Gai and Aburame Tomohiro grew concerned for Hyuga Shinichi and turned to ask Nawaki.

"Hey, Nawaki, doesn't Shinichi only know Wind Style? Wouldn't using Wind Style just feed the flames and increase the power of that Great Fireball?"

"Yeah, this puts Shinichi at a disadvantage."

Only Nawaki stood with his arms crossed over his chest, speaking with absolute confidence.

"Relax, relax. Shinichi will be perfectly fine. He'll probably shatter that fireball with ease."

In his heart, he knew that ever since Shinichi had become an apprentice to his grandmother at the age of three, he had witnessed the boy's talent and a level of strength that far surpassed their peers over the past year.

On the field, as Uchiha Zuho was weaving seals for the Great Fireball, Hyuga Shinichi didn't retreat an inch; instead, he began weaving his own seals at high speed.

He gathered wind-natured chakra in his right hand, compressing it continuously.

As the Great Fireball surged toward him in a wave of heat, Hyuga Shinichi made his move.

"Wind Style: Vacuum Blast!"

Hyuga Shinichi had perfected and mastered this Wind Style: Vacuum Blast shortly after becoming a student under Uzumaki Mito.

The wind-natured chakra, compressed to its absolute limit, shot forward at a terrifying speed. Like an invisible spear imbued with an unstoppable, razor-sharp momentum, it pierced straight into the heart of the oncoming, roaring Great Fireball.

The air seemed to tear apart in its wake, emitting a shrill, piercing whistle.

When the Vacuum Blast met the Great Fireball, there was no violent collision or explosion.

The Vacuum Blast punched straight through the fireball, and through the gaping hole it carved, Hyuga Shinichi could see the look of utter shock on Uchiha Zuho's face.

The Wind Style: Vacuum Blast didn't lose momentum after piercing the fireball; it continued its trajectory, finally slamming into the school wall behind Uchiha Zuho, leaving a spiderweb of cracks before dissipating.

The sheer power of this Wind Style: Vacuum Blast stunned the entire arena, plunging the spectators into a deathly silence!

Just as the crowd began to stir, thinking the technique had finished once it pierced the fireball, something unexpected happened.

The true power of the Wind Style: Vacuum Blast was only just beginning to show.

The fireball, now riddled with a massive hole, should have dissipated, but the wind pressure from the Vacuum Blast swept up the remaining flames, forming a heatwave that followed the blast toward Uchiha Zuho.

The stunned Uchiha Zuho felt a wave of hot air rushing toward him. He reacted instantly, crossing his arms to shield his face as his hair and clothes whipped violently in the gale.

He could even feel the sharp, cutting sensation of the air currents against his skin, accompanied by the lingering, stinging heat of his own fireball.

After a long moment, the hot wind finally died down, and Uchiha Zuho slumped onto the ground, gasping for air.

The spectators snapped out of their trance, their eyes locked on the two figures in the center: the disheveled Uchiha Zuho and Hyuga Shinichi, who wore a faint, relaxed smile.

Everyone knew the match had reached its conclusion! The winner was!

"Still want to go, you arrogant Uchiha brat?"

Hyuga Shinichi walked up to Uchiha Zuho, who was sitting on the ground, and looked down at him.

"I... I lost."

After saying those words, Uchiha Zuho felt as if all his strength had been drained away, his entire being radiating a sense of defeat.

He had never imagined he could lose so thoroughly. He had always considered himself the undisputed strongest in the school, but the cruel reality now hit him like a heavy hammer.

Uchiha Zuho slowly lowered his head, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"Winner! Hyuga Shinichi!"

When the teacher acting as referee announced the final result in a loud, clear voice, the already lively scene exploded, the crowd erupting into a deafening roar.

"Shinichi! Shinichi!"

Hyuga Shinichi didn't wave to the crowd; instead, he bent down, extended his right hand toward Uchiha Zuho, and spoke.

"What's wrong? You arrogant Uchiha brat, can't handle a little setback? If that's the case, you'll never be of any help to anyone."

Uchiha Zuho, who had been staring at the ground, suddenly saw a small hand appear in his field of vision. He could clearly see the thick calluses on the palm.

Uchiha Zuho could tell this was a hand that had endured grueling training, for he possessed the same calloused hands himself.

Just as he was about to drift into his own thoughts, Hyuga Shinichi's annoying voice rang in his ears, snapping him back to reality and prompting an immediate retort.

"Hmph! I lost this time, but that doesn't mean I'll lose forever to a Byakugan fool like you from the Hyuga clan!"

Although Uchiha Zuho said that, he still reached out and grabbed Hyuga Shinichi's hand.

As Hyuga Shinichi gripped Uchiha Zuho's hand, he felt the calluses on his palm, smiled, and pulled Uchiha Zuho up with a firm tug.

The spectators erupted into even louder cheers at this sight; some young girls, captivated by Hyuga Shinichi's gentle and handsome demeanor, screamed, "Hyuga Shinichi, I love you!" and even chanted the strange cry of, "Get together! Get together!"

"Both sides! Perform the Seal of Reconciliation!"

Hearing the teacher acting as referee, the two, who had just let go, pressed their hands together in the Seal of Reconciliation before slowly pulling apart, as if symbolizing that their conflicts and disputes had vanished into thin air.

At this moment, Nawaki ran up to Shinichi with a grin and slapped him hard on the shoulder.

"Shinichi, well done! That Wind Style: Vacuum Blast of yours was truly impressive."

Hyuga Shinichi curled the corners of his lips and said.

"Of course, look who you're talking to."

Inuzuka Gai and Aburame Tomohiro, standing nearby, also offered their congratulations.

Finally, Hyuga Shinichi bowed slightly toward the spectator stands and prepared to leave the training ground amidst the cheers.

Uchiha Zuho, who had intended to leave alone, was suddenly pulled back by a hand, and the owner of that hand was none other than Hyuga Shinichi.

"Want to come along? I'm in a good mood after graduating today, so I'm treating you to barbecue at the Akimichi Clan's restaurant."