"Shimura Kizaru, Hyuga Toda!"
As Yamakawa Kiyoshi's words rang out, Kizaru stepped forward from the back of the crowd under everyone's gaze.
Hyuga Toda stood at the very front of the crowd, not far from Yamakawa Kiyoshi. His eyes were also fixed on Kizaru as he approached.
He took a deep breath to steady himself, silently adjusting his state of mind.
Kizaru's astonishing performance just now had made it clear to Hyuga Toda that he was no match for this demon-king-like figure.
"Shimura Kizaru, I admit you're a true genius! Your strength really is impressive, but I, Hyuga Toda, will never give up. I'll give it everything I've got and defeat you with the strongest Taijutsu in the Shinobi World—my Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist!" With his hands clenched tightly at his sides, Hyuga Toda thought to himself, feeling both tragic and fired up.
If Kizaru could read minds, he would definitely have roasted Hyuga Toda for calling Gentle Fist the strongest Taijutsu in the Shinobi World! Who would dare claim their Taijutsu was the strongest in the Shinobi World when, in the future, there would be a man who almost kicked his way to the end of the story?
"Fellow student Kizaru, I'll give it everything I've got. I hope you'll do the same!" Hyuga Toda said earnestly, staring straight at Kizaru, who had stopped in front of him.
Kizaru looked down at the guy who had already "burst into flames" and couldn't help raising a hand to rub his head. Had kids in the Shinobi World already reached their chuunibyou years this early? he wondered.
Looking at Hyuga Toda's tragic yet impassioned expression, Kizaru knew without a doubt that the guy had cast himself as the hero about to challenge the villainous demon king.
Honestly! Kids shouldn't read and watch so many chuunibyou-filled, hot-blooded novels and anime. It was way too easy for them to get carried away!
Though he was making fun of him in his mind, Kizaru didn't dampen Hyuga Toda's enthusiasm. He smiled and nodded. "The Hyuga Clan really is impressive!"
"Of course!" Hyuga Toda replied seriously.
"Enough, you two. Get into position. The match is about to begin!" As he spoke, Yamakawa Kiyoshi kept giving Kizaru meaningful looks, making his message clear: Watch your strength.
Kizaru understood what his teacher meant and smiled as he nodded.
Under the watchful eyes of all the students and their teacher, the two walked to the center of the field and faced each other.
"Good luck, Hyuga!"
Perhaps they felt sympathy for the weaker side. Quite a few students called out to cheer Hyuga Toda on!
Hyuga Toda didn't dwell on it. Hearing his classmates cheer from all around him only strengthened his resolve to defeat Kizaru!
Yamakawa Kiyoshi looked at the two students on the field, took a deep breath, and shouted, "Begin!"
At the signal, Hyuga Toda moved at once. He didn't retreat to create distance; instead, he charged straight at Kizaru.
Kizaru's Ninjutsu during the ninja tool throwing exam had made Hyuga Toda realize that his only chance of winning was to close the distance right at the start and fight Kizaru with the Taijutsu he was best at.
Hyuga Toda knew Kizaru had displayed monstrous physical abilities during the entrance test. He might not have the advantage in a Taijutsu contest against him, but compared to the Wind Release Ninjutsu Kizaru had demonstrated, Hyuga Toda still believed that closing in and engaging in Taijutsu was his only hope of winning!
As Hyuga Toda charged toward him at full speed, Kizaru remained where he was. He didn't even take his hands out of his pockets.
Kizaru's response kindled a surge of anger in Hyuga Toda. As he charged, he activated his Byakugan, Chakra surging into his hands. Having reached Kizaru, he unleashed the Gentle Fist technique he had spent a month training.
Hyuga Toda formed his right hand into a palm and used his height advantage to strike at Kizaru's abdomen.
"Damn you! This is what you get for underestimating me!" Seeing his palm about to hit Kizaru's abdomen, Hyuga Toda's eyes filled with joy.
"That's frightening!" Kizaru lowered his head as Hyuga Toda's attack was about to land.
In the blink of an eye, Kizaru finally moved. He twisted his body and dodged Hyuga Toda's right palm by the narrowest margin.
Then, almost in the same instant, Kizaru raised his right leg and kicked so fast it left an afterimage, sending Hyuga Toda flying.
Kizaru's fierce counterattack in that instant made the watching teacher and students cry out.
Impressive—simply incredible!
Whether it was the perfectly timed movement with which he dodged the attack or the fierce kick that left an afterimage, everyone present could clearly see that the demon king Shimura Kizaru also had astonishing talent and skill in Taijutsu.
Seeing Hyuga Toda flying through the air, Yamakawa Kiyoshi instinctively opened his mouth, ready to end the match and declare Kizaru the winner.
But Hyuga Toda, still in the air with his Byakugan activated, noticed his teacher's movement and hurriedly shouted, "I can still con—"
Thud!
Before Hyuga Toda could finish speaking, he hit the ground hard.
Suppressing the pain throughout his body, especially in the backside where he had been kicked, Hyuga Toda ignored his embarrassment and anger, quickly got to his feet, and shouted, "I can still go on!"
Looking at his student, brimming with fighting spirit and refusing to give up, Yamakawa Kiyoshi hesitated, then closed his mouth.
Seeing the teacher fall silent, Hyuga Toda looked at Kizaru and continued, "I told you to use all your strength, you jerk! Don't you dare look down on me!"
Shouting as he spoke, Hyuga Toda charged at Kizaru again.
"What an impressive guy!" Kizaru praised.
As he spoke, Kizaru began forming Hand Seals. "Then watch out! If you can't handle it, you could die!"
"Kizaru!" Hearing his words, Yamakawa Kiyoshi cried out, his body tensing as well.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Great Sphere!"
Kizaru took a deep breath, then exhaled a large amount of Wind Release Chakra infused with nature transformation. A huge, transparent sphere of wind formed in front of him.
The enormous transparent sphere was like an Air Missile, shooting straight toward Hyuga Toda.
I'm going to die, aren't I? Am I really going to die?
Faced with such a terrifying Ninjutsu for the first time, Hyuga Toda froze in place, frightened out of his forward charge.
"Get out of the way!" Seeing that Hyuga Toda seemed stunned, Yamakawa Kiyoshi shouted as he rushed forward.
It wasn't just Yamakawa Kiyoshi. A Jonin from the Hyuga Branch Family, who had been secretly watching from the edge of the school grounds, abandoned his concealment and used the Body Flicker Technique to rush onto the field.
Even faster than the Hyuga Branch Family Jonin were the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo. The two had started moving as soon as Kizaru began forming Hand Seals.
In the blink of an eye, the Air Missile Kizaru had unleashed reached Hyuga Toda. Yamakawa Kiyoshi, who was closest, had already reached him, but faced with Kizaru's powerful attack, he had no good options. He could only put himself between the attack and his student.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo, rushing over from outside the school grounds, were still just a little too far away. It seemed that everything was already too late.