At Iruka-sensei's announcement, the classroom erupted! No one had expected a clash between two prodigies right from the start!
Countless excited, curious, expectant gazes swung toward opposite corners of the room.
Neji Hyuga rose without expression. Across from him, Sasuke Uchiha slowly lifted his head, his gaze calm and sharp.
Naruko froze mid-step. She watched Neji walk coldly toward the classroom door, then looked at Sasuke as he rose and followed with steady steps. Her blue eyes filled with anxiety and helplessness.
Hinata patted her shoulder. Her tone was as light as ever, though a trace of anticipation slipped through. "Come on, Naruko. This should be good. Don't worry. With Iruka-sensei there, nobody's going to die."
Naruko couldn't relax at all. She clenched her small fists until her nails dug into her palms, then followed the crowd toward the Third Training Ground, soon to become a battlefield.
The sun had baked the Third Training Ground until it was hot underfoot. Dust and tension hung in the air.
The students formed a loose circle, their excited whispers rising and falling like waves. At its center, the two boys faced each other.
Neji had already taken the classic opening stance of Hyuga Style Gentle Fist. His knees bent slightly, his arms spread like a crane's wings. Pale blue veins bulged around his white eyes. His Byakugan was fully activated.
Those white eyes locked onto Sasuke like a precision instrument, tracking every current of Chakra within him and every faint twitch of his muscles.
Sasuke stood straight, his right hand loosely curled at his side and his left extended slightly forward. The stance looked simple, but it drew on years of life-or-death combat experience. It was the best defense he had against a Taijutsu expert's sudden attack.
His gaze remained calm as his