A Draw

"Kid, do you think I'm an idiot?"

Hyuga Hiashi had spent many years making his way through the Ninja World. He might not have been one of its strongest fighters, but his years of combat experience told him that there was no Kekkei Genkai in this world that could make someone completely immune to Taijutsu.

Even the armor rumored to belong to the Uchiha Clan couldn't fully withstand Taijutsu attacks!

"This has to be a genjutsu. He must have used an illusion to make my attack disappear..."

As he watched Yun Xi's movements, Hyuga Hiashi tried to figure out how he had dodged the attack.

Meanwhile...

Seeing that Hyuga Hiashi didn't believe what he'd said, Yun Xi looked a little awkward.

"Come on, does nobody believe me when I tell the truth?"

After grumbling to himself, Yun Xi turned his attention back to the fight. Looking at Hyuga Hiashi's cautious expression, he said, "It's time I showed you what the next generation can do!"

"You think you can?"

Hyuga Hiashi sneered.

In his eyes, Yun Xi was nothing but a clown!

"Take this!"

"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

A flash of blue light flickered across Hyuga Hiashi's fists, and he charged at Yun Xi again.

Compared to his previous attack, this one was clearly much more vicious!

"Ha!"

With a forceful shout, Hyuga Hiashi swung the fist he'd been preparing for some time straight at Yun Xi's heart.

Clearly...

This time, Hyuga Hiashi intended to kill Yun Xi on the spot.

"Yun Xi, watch out!"

Tenten didn't know how Hyuga Hiashi's attack worked, but she could tell from the killing intent he was showing that Yun Xi was in serious danger.

At that moment, even Hyuga Neji, standing off to the side, looked surprised.

Neji had always thought of the clan head as strict and composed, but he'd never seen him like this before.

"Tenten, don't worry. Wait here for me..."

While everyone else was worried about Yun Xi, he himself wasn't the least bit rattled.

Not only that...

A playful smile appeared on his face.

"I told you Taijutsu wouldn't work, but you still don't believe me..."

"Looks like it's time to fight back..."

Yun Xi narrowed his eyes and gathered the power of the flames inside him into both fists.

The next moment...

A fierce blaze burst into life around Yun Xi's fists.

The orange-red flames gave off an imposing aura.

Their intense heat even made Hyuga Hiashi hesitate as he charged in.

"What is this?"

"Taijutsu?"

"Some kind of unique Kekkei Genkai?"

Seeing this, a few possibilities flashed through Hyuga Hiashi's mind.

But...

He still charged straight at Yun Xi.

"It's just a cheap trick!"

Though he didn't know what had changed about Yun Xi, Hyuga Hiashi was certain he wouldn't lose.

"Bang!"

Hyuga Hiashi and Yun Xi collided once again.

But this time, Yun Xi wasn't simply taking a beating. Blue and red auras crashed violently against each other.

The impact sent sparks from Yun Xi's flaming fist scattering through the air.

At the same time...

The chakra-infused Gentle Fist struck Yun Xi's body directly.

"How is this possible..."

Staring at the burn marks on his own fist, then at Yun Xi, who was completely unharmed, Hyuga Hiashi froze. Then, in a shocked voice, he muttered, "It's impossible. There can't be any ninjutsu or Kekkei Genkai in this world that makes someone immune to Taijutsu!"

"You're so naive..."

Yun Xi shook his head at Hyuga Hiashi, who still refused to believe him. Then he murmured, "Let the raging flames bring this fight to an end!"

"Fire Fist!"

As Yun Xi spoke, even stronger flames gathered in his hand.

"Impossible! You can't beat me!"

Faced with Yun Xi's counterattack and confident words, Hyuga Hiashi clearly couldn't believe that an elite Jonin like him would lose to a child!

"You'll find out when you try..."

Yun Xi murmured.

As soon as he finished speaking, the flames in his hand began to surge.

Without hesitation, Yun Xi shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow and launched his first attack against Hyuga Hiashi!

"Eight Trigrams Palms: Rotation!"

Though Hyuga Hiashi had spoken contemptuously of Yun Xi, the Byakugan had sensed the immense power in his fists.

So Hyuga Hiashi didn't hesitate or let his guard down.

He immediately used Rotation.

As he spun rapidly, a white aura surrounded him, forming a circular barrier that completely enclosed him.

"You really think highly of me. You're even using Rotation..."

Yun Xi had assumed that Hyuga Hiashi would underestimate him and rely on simple defensive techniques to deal with his attack.

But...

He'd actually used Rotation.

Yun Xi was a little surprised.

After all...

Eight Trigrams Palms: Rotation was one of the Hyuga Clan's most powerful secret techniques, and it was known as an absolute defense.

It could repel most physical attacks and even some long-range ninjutsu.

In principle, the instant an attack landed, the user released a large amount of Gentle Fist chakra through the chakra points in their body and spun in a circle like a top. This could repel all physical attacks and some ninjutsu.

A technique like that...

Was a little troublesome for Yun Xi.

After all, without activating his Sharingan, Yun Xi could at best be considered a Jonin. The main reason Hyuga Hiashi hadn't gained the upper hand earlier was that Yun Xi's Flame-Flame Fruit naturally countered his Taijutsu.

That didn't mean Hyuga Hiashi was weak.

Yun Xi might have a cheat ability.

But he wasn't stupid...

Trying too hard to show off could get him into trouble...

"Bang!"

Sure enough, the instant Yun Xi's Fire Fist hit Hyuga Hiashi's Rotation, he felt a powerful force rebound into his fist.

Not only that, Yun Xi could feel the flames around his fist being reflected back as well...

The moment Yun Xi's attack ended, an eerie silence fell over the area once more...

"Tenten, let's go..."

After a long pause, Yun Xi was the first to speak.

Because he understood...

If the fight continued under the current circumstances, it wouldn't end anytime soon.

The reason was simple.

Yun Xi couldn't break through Hyuga Hiashi's Rotation.

And Hyuga Hiashi's Gentle Fist was ineffective against Yun Xi...