Ranking Match!

Most of the students at the academy came from civilian ninja families, with only a small number belonging to clans. At their age, children from civilian families couldn't learn advanced jutsu; at best, they could manage the Three Basic Techniques and the like. But among the clan children, two brothers with white eyes stood out in Mirai's memory: Hizashi Hyuga and Hyuga Hiashi. There were also Inoichi, Shikaku Nara, and Choza Akimichi. They would all become the fathers of Konoha's future young heroes.

"Mirai Uchiha, I want to fight you!" Hizashi Hyuga, who was only five, walked up to Mirai and declared firmly.

The Hyuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan had always been at odds. Both were Dojutsu clans, and even if they didn't say it aloud, deep down they each believed their own clan's eyes were superior. With that kind of thinking, clashes were inevitable. Mirai was an Uchiha and the academy's top student, so Hizashi wanted to defeat him and prove which clan was stronger.

Looking at the short Hizashi, Mirai couldn't help finding it amusing. Back when he'd watched the anime, this kid had been Neji Hyuga's father. He hadn't expected them to be classmates. Hearing the challenge, Mirai nodded. "All right. I accept!"

He'd just learned the Great Fireball Technique, so he could use Hizashi to test it out.

After exchanging the Seal of Reconciliation, the two took their places in the center of the field, kicking off the first match of the ranking tournament.

"Mirai, you can do it! Beat him!" Uchiha Mikoto cheered as soon as Mirai stepped onto the field.

"Mirai, beat him! The Uchiha Clan is the strongest!" Uchiha Fugaku jumped up and shouted, taking the Uchiha Clan's honor very seriously. He had the clan's education to thank for that: every child was taught the importance of Uchiha pride from a young age.

"Hizashi, beat Mirai Uchiha! The Hyuga Clan is the strongest! Do your best!" Hyuga Hiashi shouted toward Hizashi in the middle of the field, unwilling to be outdone.

With two children from great clans facing off, the atmosphere quickly heated up. Even the teacher watched with interest. Which was stronger, the Byakugan or the Sharingan? That was what the civilian ninja students most wanted to know. But the two clans had never fought in Konoha, so the question had never been answered.

Of course, if anyone had asked during the Sengoku era whether the Sharingan or the Byakugan was stronger, the answer would invariably have been the Sharingan. Back then, only the Senju could stand against the Uchiha in the Shinobi World. The Hyuga Clan had been merely a first-rate clan, forced to live under the protection of others. Later, after Konoha was founded, Madara Uchiha disappeared following his battle with Hashirama Senju, and the Uchiha Clan produced no more great fighters. Naturally, the once-feared Uchiha Clan no longer seemed so frightening. Even the Hyuga Clan dared to compare its Byakugan to the Sharingan, and brazenly claim that the Byakugan was stronger.

The Hyuga Clan specialized in the Eight Trigrams Palms, so Hizashi took up its stance as soon as the match began. Mirai, meanwhile, drew a Kunai and watched him calmly.

Taijutsu was the Hyuga Clan's main style, centered on close-quarters combat. As soon as the fight began, Hizashi rushed toward Mirai, hoping to subdue him with Taijutsu. Mirai smiled faintly and charged forward instead of retreating. No matter how skilled the Hyuga Clan was at Taijutsu, Hizashi was still just a child. How strong could he be?

They exchanged blows for several rounds. When Hizashi realized he couldn't gain the upper hand, he sprang back, pulled a Kunai from his tool pouch, and hurled it at Mirai. Then he assumed the Eight Trigrams Palms stance and rushed forward after the Kunai, which led the way.

Zap!

The Kunai struck Mirai. Hizashi froze mid-charge, not expecting to land a hit so easily. But at that moment, the Mirai he'd struck vanished with a poof, leaving behind a log. Hizashi realized something was wrong and was just about to move when a Kunai came to rest against his neck.

"You lose," Mirai said calmly.

Hizashi's face fell, but he quickly protested, "Hmph! If I could use the Byakugan, I'd have seen through your Substitution Technique. I'll admit defeat this time, but once I can use the Byakugan, I'll challenge you again!"

That was how kids were. Even when they lost, they wouldn't admit it. He still couldn't use the Byakugan, but it hadn't occurred to him that Mirai hadn't awakened the Sharingan either.

"I'll be waiting." Seeing how dissatisfied Hizashi looked, Mirai didn't hold it against him. He stepped away, and the two exchanged a Seal of Reconciliation.

Watching the match, Morita Mushio shook his head helplessly. Hizashi was simply too young and lacked combat experience. Mirai had fooled him with a simple Substitution Technique, and even after realizing he'd been tricked, Hizashi hadn't managed to react in time.

"Mirai Uchiha wins!" Morita Mushio announced loudly.

Uchiha Mikoto and Uchiha Fugaku immediately jumped up in delight. Fugaku even gave the fuming Hyuga Hiashi beside him a smug look.

There wasn't much to watch in a group of little kids competing. The children from civilian ninja families were especially dull to watch. Once they ran out of moves, some would just grab their opponents around the neck and topple them to the ground. Then they'd roll around fighting on the ground, no different from ordinary children getting into a scuffle outside.

"Mirai Uchiha, I'd like to have a friendly match with you!" Just then, Minato Namikaze walked up to Mirai with a smile. He'd just finished a match of his own and won easily.

Mirai narrowed his eyes slightly, then nodded at Minato. "All right. I've been wanting to fight you, too."

It was another match that drew everyone's attention. Though Minato Namikaze came from a civilian ninja family, he could outperform the clan children at the academy. Only Mirai was a little better. To the other civilian ninja students, Minato was their pride and joy.

"Minato, you can do it! Beat Mirai Uchiha!" Several girls from civilian ninja families cheered him on.

Uchiha Mikoto immediately took offense and shouted back just as loudly, "Mirai, you can do it! Beat Minato Namikaze!"

Mirai glanced at Uchiha Mikoto with an amused smile. She was such an energetic little girl. But he was also deeply touched. Ever since he'd been old enough to understand, she'd always followed him around, cheering him on no matter what he did. He might not say it aloud, but he was grateful to her.