第2章 对决

The cherry blossoms at Konoha Ninja Academy bloomed and fell, as if only a few cycles had passed.

A strange atmosphere filled the air, restless and relaxed all at once.

Uchiha Narong stepped through the fine morning sunlight and entered the school gates as usual. His stride was steady, and in his black eyes was the distinctive calm of the Uchiha clan.

The clamor in the classroom seemed separated from him by an invisible film. The clan crest—that red-and-white round fan—was embroidered conspicuously on the back of his clothes. It was both an honor and a barrier, naturally setting him apart from most of his classmates.

Akimichi Buza's massive body was wedged into the chair behind the lectern. As a jonin of the Akimichi family, he was only a little inferior to Akimichi Choza. He held a freshly opened bag of snacks in his hand, crunching away as his gaze lazily swept over every student in the classroom.

As the jonin instructor in charge of this class, Buza's strength was unquestionably elite. Precisely because of that, he had long since grasped the measure of these children. Who could graduate smoothly, who still needed to be sent back for more tempering—he had it all clearly tallied in his head.

His management style had also become increasingly "relaxed." As long as no major trouble broke out, he preferred to let these little fellows explore and clash on their own. Actual combat was the fastest catalyst for a ninja's growth; too much theoretical preaching would instead seem redundant at this stage.

Uchiha Narong sat quietly in his seat. He could feel the occasional gazes cast his way—curious, awed, and even carrying a faint, hard-to-detect rejection. He had long since grown used to it. The Uchiha surname had never been an ordinary symbol in Konoha Village.

He clenched his fist slightly, chakra slowly flowing through his body. At this stage, the ninjutsu he could use proficiently could be counted on one hand: the Academy's compulsory "Three Basic Techniques"—the Clone Technique, Transformation Technique, and Substitution Technique—as well as the one his clan took pride in, and the only C-rank ninjutsu he currently had mastered—Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.

However, Great Fireball Technique consumed an enormous amount of chakra. With his current seven-year-old body and chakra reserves, after using it once at full strength, he would basically fall into a state of complete exhaustion. Therefore, this technique was his trump card, but also his weak point. Unless it was a critical moment, he absolutely could not use it lightly.

The afternoon sunlight grew somewhat scorching, and dust on the training field was gently lifted by the breeze. The instant Akimichi Buza announced the beginning of today's practical combat class, all the children's spirits stirred. This was the best time to test the results of their training, and also to release the hormones of youth.

"Next group," Buza said in a deep voice, carrying a trace of nonchalance. "Uchiha Narong, against Hyuga Yutaka."

A small commotion rose from the crowd. Uchiha versus Hyuga, Sharingan versus Byakugan? This was a duel between descendants of the two great dojutsu ninja clans. Even though they were still only children, everyone's anticipation shot through the roof.

Narong calmly walked to the center of the field. His opponent was a boy around his age, about six years old, wearing a white training uniform.

His expression was solemn, even carrying a trace of toughness and forbearance that did not match his age. Narong knew this was a serious opponent. The Byakugan's insight possessed an overwhelming advantage in close combat.

"Begin!"

The moment Buza's words fell, the two figures moved almost at the same time. There was no flashy clash of ninjutsu. Their opening moves were the most basic kunai throws and taijutsu probes.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!" Several shuriken sliced through the air and were easily avoided by Hyuga Yutaka with precise footwork. His Byakugan possessed a 360-degree field of vision, making the trajectories of all hidden weapons incomparably clear.

Narong's eyes sharpened, and he rapidly closed the distance. The Uchiha's taijutsu had likewise been tempered through countless trials, fierce and swift. However, when Hyuga Yutaka assumed the opening stance of the Gentle Fist, Narong felt immense pressure.

Under the Byakugan's vision, all of Narong's movements—the force in his muscles, the flow of his chakra—had nowhere to hide. Every one of his attacks seemed to be predicted in advance by his opponent. Hyuga Yutaka's Gentle Fist was like a continuous stream of water, always neutralizing Narong's offense with the smallest movements, then precisely attacking his acupoints in an attempt to block his chakra flow.

Bang!

In a hard palm-to-palm clash, Narong was knocked back several steps, his arm aching and numb. He took a deep breath, and his hands quickly formed seals.

"Clone Technique!"

Two clones appeared at his sides and charged toward Hyuga Yutaka together. However, in the Byakugan's field of vision, the distribution of chakra was clear at a glance, and truth and falsehood were instantly distinguished. Hyuga Yutaka was not shaken in the least. He locked directly onto Narong's real body and struck with a precise palm.

Narong hurriedly used the Substitution Technique to dodge, leaving a piece of rotten wood in place. His figure appeared several meters away, his breathing already somewhat rushed. Using the Clone Technique and Substitution Technique in succession had consumed no small amount of his chakra.

I can't go on like this! Narong's thoughts raced. His taijutsu and basic ninjutsu were completely countered. The Byakugan's ability was simply too sharp.

At the edge of the field, a figure in a green bodysuit with a bowl-cut hairstyle was excitedly clenching his fists, his eyes almost spitting fire.

"Ohhh! So this is a hot-blooded duel of youth! Too amazing!" Might Guy was almost unable to hold back from shouting. Seeing that there were still hardworking opponents like Narong and Hyuga Yutaka in the class, the flames in his heart once again blazed fiercely.

"Looks like I have to double my training after school! I absolutely can't slack off!" Guy secretly set a new goal in his heart. He looked at Narong, who was struggling to hold on in the field, and there was not the slightest contempt in him. Instead, he was filled with recognition. This was a resonance with someone who worked hard.

The situation on the field grew increasingly unfavorable for Narong. Hyuga Yutaka's Gentle Fist clung to him like a bone-deep plague, constantly eating away at his space to move. Narong could feel that his chakra flow had already begun to stagnate, and his movements were no longer as smooth as at the start.

A thought flashed through his mind.

He formed seals again. This time, the sequence was far more complicated than before—snake, ram, monkey, boar, horse, bird!

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Narong puffed out his cheeks, and a torrent of blazing flame surged forth, forming a huge fireball that charged toward Hyuga Yutaka with astonishing heat! This was the signature ninjutsu of the Uchiha clan, and its power could not be underestimated.

The watching crowd cried out in alarm. Hyuga Yutaka's Byakugan pupils constricted slightly. He did not dare take it head-on, and his body rapidly dodged backward to the side. The Great Fireball skimmed past the edge of his clothes, its scorching heat wave making sweat appear on his forehead.

The fireball smashed into a target in the distance, blasting up a mass of charred black soil.

After releasing the Great Fireball, Narong's face instantly turned pale, and his body swayed slightly. His chakra had been almost completely drained. He forced himself to stand steady, his gaze fixed tightly on Hyuga Yutaka, who had dodged the attack.

A chance! Hyuga Yutaka did not miss this perfect opportunity. In the instant when Narong's old strength was spent and new strength had yet to rise, he closed in like a ghost.

"Gentle Fist Art: Acupoint Strike!"

His fingers precisely hit several acupoints on Narong's chest. Narong only felt a numb, aching force penetrate his body. The little chakra he had left instantly stalled, and his whole body went weak. He dropped to one knee on the ground, no longer able to muster any strength.

The outcome was decided.

Akimichi Choza nodded and announced, "Winner, Hyuga Yutaka."

Narong panted heavily, sweat sliding down his cheeks. He looked at Hyuga Yutaka standing before him. The other boy was also breathing slightly hard, his Byakugan already returned to normal. There was no pride in his eyes, only the calm after completing a battle.

"I lost," Narong said frankly. Without activating the Sharingan, with his current strength, losing to a Hyuga branch-family genius who possessed the Byakugan was no injustice. In this battle, he truly had given it his all.

Hyuga Yutaka nodded. "You're pretty good."

Narong looked at Hyuga Yutaka's smug expression and froze slightly, thinking, Like I need you little brat to say that. Then he flipped himself up and stood. It had been a hearty, exhilarating practical battle. Although the result was unsatisfying, it gave him a strange sense of fulfillment. At the very least, he had shown his own value, not by relying on the Uchiha name, but on his own training and perseverance.

At the same time, in the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was watching everything happening in the Ninja Academy through that mysterious crystal ball. Wisps of smoke from his pipe blurred his wise and profound face.

The duel just now between the Uchiha and Hyuga juniors had fallen completely into his eyes.

Although nearly ten years had already passed since his teacher, Senju Tobirama, died, Hiruzen Sarutobi had always kept his warnings firmly in mind. That stern Second Hokage had harbored deep vigilance toward the Uchiha clan, and had once clearly pointed out that their Sharingan, awakened from intense love, could very easily turn toward obsession and extremism. They were a "naturally evil" clan, the greatest unstable factor within Konoha.

By comparison, the Hyuga, Ino-Shika-Cho, and other ninja clans also possessed powerful kekkei genkai and secret techniques, but their patterns of behavior were relatively controllable, and their family interests were more tightly bound to the village's interests. Only the Uchiha were filled with too much uncertainty in both their power and mental state.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag from his pipe. As the Third Hokage, he had to balance the various forces in the village. Promoting and cultivating large numbers of civilian ninja was precisely the key strategy to check the power of the major clans, especially to guard against the Uchiha clan. He wanted Konoha's foundation of strength to be broader, not concentrated in the hands of a few great houses.

Of course, this "balance" itself was not absolutely fair. His own Sarutobi clan, as well as the Shimura, Mitokado, and Utatane advisor clans that served as the Hokage's right and left hands, naturally did not fall within the scope of those that needed to be strictly "balanced." Politics had always been realistic and complex.

The image in the crystal ball froze on Uchiha Narong frankly admitting defeat, as well as Might Guy's fiercely excited expression at the edge of the field.

"Uchiha... Narong..." Hiruzen Sarutobi murmured to himself. This child seemed to have a decent disposition, tenacious in battle and candid after defeat. But Uchiha blood flowed through his veins. Would that potential seed of "evil" someday sprout in the future?

He needed to continue observing, to guide more cautiously and... monitor. For Konoha's stability, any potential risk had to be controlled while still in its budding state. The light of the crystal ball flickered uncertainly, reflecting the Hokage's complex and unreadable thoughts.

The dismissal bell rang, and the students poured out of the school gates.

Uchiha Narong walked alone on the road home, the details of his battle with Hyuga Yutaka replaying again and again in his mind. The Byakugan's insight, the precision of the Gentle Fist, his own shortcomings... these were all things he needed to overcome and improve. His chakra reserves were his current fatal weakness, and he had to make up for it through even harder training.

On the other side, Might Guy had long since begun his extra training with boiling blood. He ran around the field upside down on his hands, carrying out terrifying physical training far beyond what others his age could imagine.

"Go! Guy! Today's sweat is for fulfilling the promise of youth! Even if Kakashi is already here, I absolutely can't fall behind! Narong and Hyuga Yutaka are also my precious opponents!"

The setting sun stretched his shadow long. That energetic figure and those repeated shouts became the most unique sight on the training field. He had seen the light shining from the other students in his class, and that light inspired him to charge forward with even greater effort.

Uchiha Narong returned to the clan grounds and walked toward the training field by the Naka River that he often visited. He needed to digest what he had gained from today's battle, and he needed to further hone his skills. The clan's reputation was both motivation and pressure. He could not stop moving forward.

The seals for Great Fireball Technique were still not fast enough, his chakra control could still be more refined, and his taijutsu also needed to be more flexible, so he could deal with special dojutsu like the Byakugan...