Hyuga's Defeat

"Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger... Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Uchiha Kaoru completed the hand seals in an instant. She placed her right hand to her lips, leaned back, and drew a deep breath. Gathering a massive amount of chakra in her throat, she exhaled in one go, and a scorching serpent of fire erupted from her crimson lips—

The fire serpent expanded rapidly in front of her, transforming into a massive fireball roughly three meters in radius. Carrying rolling waves of heat, it swallowed Hyuga Ningbo whole as he was in the middle of a dash!

"Brother Ningbo..."

Hyuga Ningxiang watched Hyuga Ningbo vanish into the sea of flames and screamed, ready to rush out, but Sato Hideaka grabbed her and dragged her back, covering her mouth. Charging out during the climax of a duel would easily make her a target for both sides; given Hyuga Ningxiang's physique, she would be killed instantly if focused upon.

Furthermore, Sato Hideaka did not believe that Hyuga Ningbo, who had already mastered Rotation, would be so easily defeated by a single Fire Release ninjutsu!

Sure enough, just as the massive fireball completely engulfed Hyuga Ningbo, a giant flame tornado suddenly formed in its center. The tornado spun violently, climbing upward and extending a full twenty meters into the air.

It was Rotation; Hyuga Ningbo had used Rotation at the critical moment!

Rotation involved releasing a large amount of Gentle Fist chakra from the tenketsu, spinning at high speeds like a top to create a hemispherical chakra shield for protection. The high-speed spinning chakra carried the flames with it, thus forming a massive vortex of fire...

However...

Sato Hideaka felt a flicker of doubt. The Great Fireball Technique could not be sustained for long—usually about ten seconds. Such a short duration clearly couldn't exhaust Hyuga Ningbo's stamina. Could Uchiha Kaoru, with her intelligence, not know this?

Fire Release, Great Fireball Technique... could it be...

Sato Hideaka's heart jolted. He stared intensely at the twenty-meter-high flame vortex. Was this what Uchiha Kaoru intended? What terrifying combat awareness and tactical planning!

Because the fire fed on the wind, the Great Fireball Technique burned for a full fifteen seconds before slowly beginning to dissipate. Centered on the half-kneeling Hyuga Ningbo, a ring of fire half a person's height remained. At this moment, his entire body was bright red, like a boiled shrimp. Yet, under such intense heat, not a single bead of sweat was visible on him...

His white Byakugan eyes seemed to have lost focus, hazy and unfocused. His breathing wasn't ragged, but he was gasping for air, making one worry he might stop breathing entirely and pass out. Hyuga Ningbo appeared to have reached his absolute limit of exhaustion.

During the previous high-intensity battle with Uchiha Kaoru, Hyuga Ningbo had already consumed a massive amount of stamina and sweated profusely from constant use of Rotation. Now, combined with the scorching heat of the Great Fireball Technique, the moisture in his entire body had been violently evaporated. He was currently in a state of severe dehydration and had completely lost the ability to resist. If he didn't replenish his fluids immediately, his life could even be in danger!

"Ningbo—"

Another member of the Uchiha Clan stepped forward to support Hyuga Ningbo, abruptly activating his Byakugan and glaring at Uchiha Kaoru, who stood atop a tree.

Uchiha Kaoru ignored him as if he were air, turning her head to say to Shimura Masao, "What is your decision? As a teammate of Hyuga Ningbo, what do you intend to choose in this current state?"

Shimura Masao looked at those scarlet Sharingan eyes, took half a step back, and laughed sheepishly. "This is a matter between your Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan; it is not convenient for us outsiders to intervene."

Damn it, Shimura Masao... the Hyuga member cursed inwardly. Although he had considered that Shimura Masao was unreliable, he hadn't expected this guy to stand by and watch at such a critical moment.

Facing the indignant gaze of the Hyuga member, Shimura Masao smiled but made no move. Clearly, his skin was thick to a certain degree!

"Giichi, you... you are no match for her. Give me some water; I can still fight..."

Hyuga Ningbo licked his parched lips and gripped the body of the Hyuga member beside him, struggling to stand, but his movements were weak and listless, as if he no longer had the strength to act.

Uchiha Kaoru watched all of this with cold eyes and asked icily, "Hyuga Ningbo, I will say this one last time: choose to unseal Uchiha Kenichi's tenketsu, and I can let you all leave here...!"

Sato Hideaka, hiding in the bushes, clicked his tongue. This woman was truly ruthless. There was a Hyuga clansman named Hyuga Giichi right beside Hyuga Ningbo; if she truly wanted to unseal Uchiha Kenichi's tenketsu, she could have simply threatened Hyuga Ningbo, and Hyuga Giichi would have obeyed without question.

However, she didn't do that. Instead, she kept forcing Hyuga Ningbo to unseal Uchiha Kenichi's tenketsu himself. Her goal was clearly to humiliate Hyuga Ningbo and strike at the pride he held as a member of the Hyuga Clan. As for Uchiha Kenichi's safety, she likely didn't value it at all!

What a cold, heartless woman!!

Hyuga Ningbo took the canteen handed to him by Hyuga Giichi, took a few small sips, and said in a weak voice, "Uchiha Kenichi attacked our team members first. Since he made that choice, he should have been prepared for retaliation. When I fought you, I had already made such preparations. If my skills are inferior, do with me as you please!"

"Is that so? Then go to hell!"

A cold glint flashed in Uchiha Kaoru's scarlet eyes, and a hint of killing intent appeared on her cold, delicate face. Her hands began to move again, and countless shuriken shot from every angle toward Hyuga Ningbo and Hyuga Giichi in the clearing!

"No—"

Hyuga Ningxiang rushed out from the bushes, spreading her arms to block in front of Hyuga Ningbo and Hyuga Giichi. Sato Hideaka rubbed his nose; in the end, he didn't stop her. After all, this was her choice, and if something were to happen to her clansmen while he had blocked her, the situation would become awkward.

Just as the shuriken thrown by Uchiha Kaoru were about to strike the three members of the Hyuga Clan, Sato Hideaka had already finished his hand seals. He arrived instantly beside Hyuga Ningxiang, tapped the ground lightly with his right hand, and said calmly, "[Crystal Release: Crystal Wall]."

A wall made of crystal rose slowly from the ground. Hexagonal crystals were arranged in an orderly fashion, reflecting a brilliant red light. Countless shuriken struck the Crystal Release: Crystal Wall, sparking endlessly, yet they failed to leave a single mark on the crystals!

Fortunately, Uchiha Kaoru did not use the Uchiha's unique shurikenjutsu to alter the flight paths of the shuriken; otherwise, the Crystal Release: Crystal Wall, which could only block frontal attacks, would have been completely useless.

Seeing the suddenly appearing crystal wall, Uchiha Kaoru stopped throwing kunai and shifted her gaze to Sato Hideaka, frowning as she said, "Kid, this is a feud between the Uchiha and the Hyuga. You had best not interfere!"

"Actually, I have no desire to interfere in such a complicated and troublesome matter, but this Hyuga girl is my teammate. I can't just abandon her like this..."

Sato Hideaka shrugged, saying with utter helplessness.