Punching a Hyuga

The next day.

Kazan got up and ran to the Forest of Death again to practice his punches, specifically seeking out thick trees to hammer away at and toughen up his iron fists!

His shadow clone, meanwhile, practiced the Six Powers.

Fortunately, the Forest of Death was far from the village. Otherwise, there would have been no hiding the commotion.

Hiruzen Sarutobi learned immediately that he had gone to the Forest of Death to practice his punches.

Kazan's talent for taijutsu—or rather, his physical prowess—exceeded his expectations.

For all his experience, he had never seen a child under ten hone his body to such a degree.

Moreover, the techniques Kazan's shadow clone practiced were unusual. At least, he had never seen them before. Clearly, they were taijutsu techniques Kazan had created himself.

That alone showed just how gifted Kazan was in taijutsu.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had given it considerable thought lately and decided that having Tsunade mentor Kazan would be a good choice.

Unfortunately, witnessing the deaths of her lover and younger brother during the Second Shinobi World War had left Tsunade with severe psychological trauma.

Despite being a ninja—and even the finest medical ninja in the entire shinobi world—Tsunade had developed hemophobia!

Now, Tsunade had left Konoha and was traveling across the shinobi world with Shizune Kato. No one knew her whereabouts.

"If Kazan masters Tsunade's Monster Strength Fist, Konoha might gain a top-tier fighter."

Kazan had already proven what his fists could do.

They were fast enough and hard enough!

But they could hit even harder!

As long as he mastered the Senju Clan's Monster Strength Fist, his fists would be more formidable than any ninjutsu.

"Let's leave things as they are for now. If Tsunade refuses when the time comes, I'll teach Kazan the Monster Strength Fist myself."

As Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi believed he had that authority.

It was all for the village's future.

Monster Strength Fist?

Naturally, Kazan had his sights set on that technique too. Otherwise, he would have had no reason to play along with Hiruzen Sarutobi's act.

The original story made it perfectly clear that the technique originated with the First, Hashirama Senju.

Unlike Tsunade, who treated the Monster Strength Fist as her finishing move, Hashirama Senju used it as his basic attack.

There was a fundamental difference.

Garp's Template had given Kazan an astonishing physique and enormous chakra reserves. And as he improved, the cells in his body would keep supplying him with chakra.

Leaving all that chakra unused would be far too wasteful.

He absolutely had to get his hands on the Monster Strength Fist.

When that happened, Kazan would surpass even Garp in his prime.

Otherwise, how would he handle the Six Paths level figures who appeared during the Fourth Shinobi World War, or the Otsutsuki in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations?

Besides that, he also had to obtain the Eight Gates Released Formation.

Garp's memories contained another technique: Life Return.

It would allow Kazan to freely control every part of his body, including his internal organs.

Quite a few One Piece fans had speculated that Luffy had actually mastered this technique too.

As long as there was enough food, Luffy could digest it rapidly and extract its life energy in a short time.

"Worth a try."

Once he grew tired of punching, Kazan sat down, picked up a roasted deer leg, and took a huge bite.

He could obtain the Monster Strength Fist through Hiruzen Sarutobi, but he needed to think carefully about how to acquire the Eight Gates Released Formation.

"Though I'm close to Might Duy and his son, it's still the family secret technique he spent decades of grueling training mastering..."

Kazan wasn't sure whether Might Duy would be willing to teach him the Eight Gates Released Formation.

"I'll take things one step at a time. This afternoon, I'll beat up Asuka Hyuga and see if I can complete another achievement. Then I'll think about the rest."

Asuka Hyuga was getting beaten up. Not even Jesus could stop it. Kazan said so.

"Eat my fill, then sleep."

Kazan lay back against Hakimi and fell asleep just like that.

By the time he woke, classes at the Ninja Academy were almost over.

Kazan arrived early to wait along the route Asuka Hyuga had to take home. Before long, Asuka Hyuga came into view.

These geniuses hadn't earned their reputations for nothing.

Beyond their outstanding natural talent, they were also diligent enough.

People like Jing Uchiha and Asuka Hyuga would train on their own after returning home from school.

"You're here, Kazan!"

Asuka Hyuga didn't seem surprised by Kazan's arrival.

"Oh? You knew I'd come?"

"Of course. Kakashi and Jing Uchiha both lost to you. Naturally, I, Asuka Hyuga, was bound to become your next target."

Though he didn't know Kazan's motives, since Kazan had already sought out Kakashi and Jing Uchiha, he would naturally come looking for Asuka Hyuga, one of the strongest of their generation.

That was how confident he was!

Asuka Hyuga was delighted that Kazan had come to challenge him. Otherwise, people might think he was inferior to that Uchiha.

"But don't lump me in with Kakashi and Jing Uchiha. The Hyuga Clan's kekkei genkai is the strongest!"

People said the Uchiha Clan was arrogant to the bone, but the Hyuga Clan was hardly any better.

Members of these great shinobi clans were born with kekkei genkai, giving them an innate head start over everyone else. Every last one of them was proud.

"We'll find out if it's the strongest once we fight."

Kazan grinned, clenched his fists, and suddenly burst into motion.

"Shave!"

His feet stamped the ground dozens of times within 0.36 seconds. The resulting reactive force propelled him in front of his opponent in the blink of an eye.

"So fast!!!"

Asuka Hyuga wore the same shocked expression Jing Uchiha had.

Kazan's speed was simply too astonishing.

The Body Flicker Technique? But I didn't see him make any hand seals!

Asuka Hyuga had no time to think further. Kazan's fist was already hurtling toward him with tremendous force.

He hurriedly crossed his arms in front of himself to block the blow.

Boom!

Kazan's punch sent Asuka Hyuga flying.

So heavy!

Asuka Hyuga felt both arms go numb. The power behind that punch involuntarily reminded him of the Monster Strength Fist wielded by Tsunade, the Konoha Princess.

If he hadn't defended himself with chakra, his arms would have been ruined on the spot.

While he was thinking, Kazan's next punch had already torn through the air toward him.

Byakugan!

He screamed inwardly as grotesque lines appeared around his eyes, the veins standing out like writhing worms.

In an instant, Asuka Hyuga's vision lost all its blind spots. He saw through Kazan's skin to the flow of chakra inside his body.

Then.

He was shocked again.

Pure physical strength? That punch wasn't enhanced by any chakra at all!?

He found it inconceivable. Kazan wasn't using chakra to assist his movements. It was all pure physical strength.

How was this a human being? He was practically a savage beast!