Battle Against Aotian

After accepting Aotian's challenge, Lihuo didn't slack off for even a moment.

He ate all kinds of food like a man possessed, then used his Life Return ability to convert it into the energy his body needed. This helped him recover his strength and heal his hidden injuries.

In less than a day, Lihuo's injuries had mostly healed. Both Kakashi and the doctor were astonished when they came to visit him.

At Kakashi's insistence, Lihuo underwent a thorough examination. Only after the doctor confirmed that he was basically healthy and could resume training did Kakashi agree to let him leave the hospital.

"However, Uchiha Lihuo's cells are clearly much weaker than before, as if they'd been forcibly drained," the doctor added.

Kakashi looked at Lihuo, full of suspicion. His expression seemed to say, If you don't explain this properly, there's no way I'm letting you leave the hospital.

Lihuo was glad to have such a caring friend as Kakashi. He explained, "It's a kind of secret technique I have."

Kakashi didn't press him for details, but he still asked the doctor to explain the situation.

"In cases like Uchiha Lihuo's, the cells usually recover their strength gradually after a few days of rest."

"But if he keeps using this secret technique, his body could very well fall apart!"

Hearing this, Lihuo understood how serious it was and promised that he wouldn't use the secret technique again unless absolutely necessary.

Afterward, the two completed the discharge formalities. Lihuo told his friends the news that he was leaving the hospital, and everyone—including Teacher Oshima—found it unbelievable.

"That's some monstrous recovery ability!" Dai said in astonishment.

"You've had a rough time lately. The school has decided to give you seven days off," Teacher Oshima said. He didn't mention that he'd specifically applied to the Third Hokage for the leave.

"As long as there aren't any lasting effects, that's good. Take the next few days to rest," Lu Miao said, showing concern while still getting in a couple of cutting remarks.

After receiving the good wishes of his teachers and friends, Lihuo began his seven-day break. He and Aotian had agreed that he would spend the first five days resting and preparing, then fight Aotian on the sixth!

For the rest of the time, Lihuo went to Kakashi's house almost every day, becoming a regular there. His main reason was to learn from Sakumo.

After his last spar with Kakashi at the Hatake Clan's home, Sakumo had left to complete an A-rank mission—not the one from three years later.

Sakumo only returned after Lihuo had recovered, so Lihuo quickly seized the chance to ask him for guidance. Instruction from an elite Jonin was a rare opportunity, after all.

Sakumo also liked the studious, friendly Uchiha boy and guided Lihuo without holding anything back. The only thing that gave him a headache was that the boy brought him a big jar of sword oil every time he visited.

As Lihuo put it, "I can't let Uncle Sakumo teach me for nothing."

Sakumo thought to himself, Who gives someone only one kind of gift? You could at least bring me a scabbard! (ﾟoﾟ;;

During those five days, Lihuo trained at the Hatake Clan's home during the day and went home at night to review what he'd learned and improve.

He soaked up knowledge like a sponge, to the point that even Kakashi urged him to take a break now and then.

Lihuo replied, "I've got a duel with Aotian coming up. Of course I have to prepare properly!"

Kakashi looked puzzled. "But with your strength, beating Uchiha Aotian should be a piece of cake."

Lihuo replied seriously, "Aotian's been preparing for this fight for months. He's taking it seriously, so I have to give it my all, too."

"I believe he's training hard right now as well."

Just as Lihuo expected, Aotian was undergoing grueling training.

His father, Uchiha Ting, had spent a fortune to hire an elite Jonin from the Uchiha Clan to train him.

When the private instructor reported back to Ting, he said, "The young master trains very hard and always pushes himself to do extra. I don't know what goal he's training for, but I can tell it makes him feel a tremendous sense of urgency."

Time flew by, and the five days of training passed quickly. At Sakumo's instruction, Lihuo had finally learned how to launch a quick follow-up attack after a failed strike without leaving himself open.

At last, the duel was about to begin. They had agreed to meet at an abandoned training ground in the Uchiha Clan's territory. No one had visited it in years; weeds had overrun the once-spacious grounds, and rusty Kunai still stuck out of the wooden training posts.

"I can't believe you found this place," Lihuo said.

And by "you," he meant Aotian, who had brought all his underlings to the fight—at least twenty or thirty of them. Lihuo, on the other hand, had come alone.

"I didn't realize you were so popular. What, are you going to gang up on me?" Lihuo teased, though he knew Aotian hadn't trained so hard just to fight him with numbers.

"They're just here to watch. Don't worry," Aotian said calmly, though he felt a little nervous inside.

The two didn't say much more before entering the training ground. Aotian's underlings formed a circle on their own. Not a sound came from them as they watched in silence.

A breeze swept through, stirring the weeds on the training ground. Suddenly, two figures clashed, then sprang apart just as quickly. The duel had begun!

After that brief exchange, Lihuo had a rough idea of Aotian's strength. Compared with when he'd first entered the academy a few months ago, Aotian had made astonishing progress.

His speed, strength, reflexes, and technique had all improved immensely.

"Man, this guy really has been working hard," Lihuo thought.

Aotian reached into his ninja pouch and drew a Kunai. Without hesitation, he threw it. Then he smoothly tossed one Kunai after another, as if he'd practiced these movements thousands of times.

Lihuo's eyes darted around, searching for the best escape route. He pushed off the ground, his body shooting forward, and was just about to break free of the Kunai's encirclement.

"Naive," Aotian said with a soft snort. He hurled his last Kunai at one he'd thrown earlier.

That final Kunai triggered a chain reaction. The Kunai still flying through the air ricocheted in all directions, suddenly speeding up until they cleverly blocked every escape route Lihuo could take.

It was the Uchiha Kunai Throwing Technique, which Lihuo had tried desperately and failed to learn.

Just as Lihuo was about to be turned into a pincushion by the dense shower of Kunai, he moved. He lightly swept his right hand across his ninja pouch, and a Kunai slid smoothly into his grip.

Then, using both his hands and feet, Lihuo deflected the incoming Kunai one after another.

To the underlings, Lihuo had been trapped in a hopeless situation, but he used whirling, dancing Taijutsu to deftly turn the tables.

"Is Uchiha Lihuo really that strong?"

"I didn't believe it before, but now I finally understand why the boss has been training so hard."

"Right? If that had been me, I would've died eight times over."

Unlike the underlings, who were stunned, Aotian wasn't surprised that Lihuo had effortlessly dealt with the attack.

He was convinced that a display of this level couldn't possibly trouble Lihuo. He only wanted to close the distance quickly while Lihuo was occupied.

Aotian rushed in, then followed with a quick, accurate, and vicious straight punch.

Lihuo saw Aotian charging toward him.

At least this Kunai isn't so limp and feeble anymore, he thought. He shifted to the side and easily dodged Aotian's attack—but, to his surprise, Aotian hit him all the same.

Aotian had trained hard, but he still couldn't match Lihuo, who had both a cheat-like advantage and a strong work ethic.

So the straight punch didn't seriously injure Lihuo.

Instead, it piqued his interest.

"I clearly dodged it. How did you hit me?"

"I'll tell you after I win!"

Aotian and Lihuo continued to trade blows. But after no more than three exchanges, Lihuo spotted the trick.

He watched Aotian's movements closely. Aotian wasn't relying on wide, powerful attacks.

Instead, he used those broad attacks as bait, predicting how his opponent would dodge. Then he struck the position his opponent would move into, creating the illusion that his attacks couldn't miss.

So what if I dodge in a way my opponent can't predict—or don't dodge at all? A wild look appeared in Lihuo's eyes.

In an instant, Aotian's sharp, forceful straight punch came at him again. But Lihuo stood completely still, as if frozen in place.

"Has Uchiha Lihuo gone stupid?"

"What do you know? The boss has beaten him so badly he can't fight back."

But what happened next left everyone dumbfounded. Aotian's fist flew straight into the spot on Lihuo's left where he usually dodged!

"Looks like I was right! That trick of yours isn't very interesting after all!"

"Try this!" Lihuo suddenly threw a punch, moving so fast that Aotian couldn't even perceive it.

Aotian instinctively dodged the lightning-fast strike. But the next moment, his face contorted as if he'd been hit by a speeding truck, and he went flying backward, stiff as a board.

"I thought the Uchiha Style Taijutsu would let me handle you, but it looks like my plan backfired."

"Uchiha Style Taijutsu? I've never heard of it."

"Uchiha Style Taijutsu is a form of Taijutsu that relies heavily on the Sharingan. It uses the Sharingan to predict an enemy's evasive movements and strike in advance. It can also use the Sharingan to interfere with an opponent using genjutsu during Taijutsu, making it an extremely powerful style."

Aotian laughed at himself.

"It's just that I don't have enough talent to use it properly."

Lihuo looked Aotian in the eye.

"Don't sell yourself short! Don't forget why you started. The duel isn't over yet!"