A Streak of Bad Luck

Kazan had no intention of accepting the challenge. His real body was still training on the Back Mountain behind the Hokage Building. The Kazan at the Ninja Academy was his Shadow Clone.

Given how Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi treated him, Kazan would not be punished even if he was caught, but it would still cause trouble.

Kazan knew today was the Ninja Academy's practical combat exam, but with so many classmates, he figured he might not be matched against one of the strongest.

As long as he avoided those few, his Shadow Clone could handle it.

Kazan's Shadow Clone ignored the challenges from Jing Uchiha and Asuka Hyuga. He looked to the Chunin teacher instead, waiting for him to announce the matchups.

His luck had always been good. He trusted his Shadow Clone to get him through today.

The Chunin teacher soon cut off Jing Uchiha and Asuka Hyuga, then read out the matchups for the practical combat exam.

"The first match: Obito Uchiha versus Might Guy!" the teacher announced.

At that, Kazan's Shadow Clone turned toward Obito Uchiha.

That fight had happened in the original story. Obito Uchiha had been taken out by Might Guy in seconds.

The two soon stepped forward and formed the Seal of Confrontation, as was Konoha tradition.

By making that sign, they accepted the fight. Once it was over, they would form the Seal of Reconciliation to show that what had happened would not affect their friendship.

It was the pose those two guys struck in the Valley of the End.

Just as Kazan remembered, Obito Uchiha stepped out of the crowd, silently cheering himself on.

You can do this, Obito Uchiha. You really can. Trust in all the work you've put in.

As Kakashi and Kazan made names for themselves throughout Konoha, Obito Uchiha's hunger for strength had only grown.

He wanted to shine like they did and catch Rin Nohara's eye.

He had trained hard lately. Now was his chance to pull off a miracle.

"Go, Obito! You've got this!" Rin Nohara called from the crowd.

At her voice, Obito broke into a goofy grin. His mind supplied a vision of himself punching Kakashi, kicking Kazan, and winning the girl.

He was so lost in the fantasy that he did not hear the Chunin teacher shout, "Begin!"

By the time he snapped out of it, Might Guy had already let out a strange "Hyaah!" and closed the distance. Guy sprang into the air and knocked Obito Uchiha out of the fight with a sweeping kick.

The crowd erupted in laughter.

Rin Nohara pressed a helpless hand to her forehead.

Beside her, Kurenai Yuhi could not quite understand her friend. Rin liked Kakashi, yet she kept getting so close to Obito Uchiha, with no sense of boundaries.

The first match ended quickly. The other students fought according to their assigned matchups.

They were children, after all. There were not going to be many spectacular fights.

Besides, the practical combat exam forbade destructive Ninjutsu. The students mostly fought with the Three Techniques and Taijutsu.

That gave Asuka Hyuga an advantage. He had always excelled in practical combat exams, never placing below third. It was the natural edge granted by the Hyuga Clan's Kekkei Genkai, the Byakugan.

The longer Kazan's Shadow Clone watched, the more uneasy he felt.

More and more students took their turns, leaving fewer and fewer at the sidelines.

Gradually, Kazan realized what was happening. Don't tell me I'm really going to face that guy?

He had barely finished the thought when the Chunin teacher called, "Next match: Kazan versus Asuka Hyuga!"

So he really was.

Kazan froze for a moment, but he had no choice but to step forward.

"Kazan..." Kurenai Yuhi called.

She was one of the few who knew this was Kazan's Shadow Clone, and a faint worry crept into her voice.

Asuka Hyuga's strength was plain to see. He was a genius of his generation in the Hyuga Clan, and Kurenai knew how determined he was to get revenge on Kazan. She feared the Shadow Clone would slip up and be discovered.

"It's fine," Kazan said lightly. "Even if they find out, nothing will happen."

He had someone powerful backing him, after all!

Kazan waved and walked onto the field with steady steps, his round face as carefree as ever.

After all his work these past few days, he had fully mastered the Six Powers.

Shave, Iron Body, Geppo, Kami-e, Finger Pistol, and Tempest Kick.

Garp and his family really were absurdly talented.

People loved to joke that Kaido was a great teacher who had forged an Emperor-level fighter with three swings of his club. But in the end, Luffy's own talent and potential were monstrous.

Asuka Hyuga was already itching to fight. Chakra stirred faintly around him as he fixed Kazan with a blazing stare. "Kazan," he said coldly, "this time, I'll show the whole village that the Hyuga Clan is the strongest!"

The Hyuga Clan was every bit as proud as the Uchiha.

Compared with ordinary people, descendants of Shinobi Clans had one great advantage: they did not need to find their own way.

They could follow the paths their predecessors had laid down and become capable Ninja.

Asuka Hyuga had already awakened his Byakugan, and his fighting strength had long since reached Genin level. Becoming a Chunin was only a matter of time.

At the sidelines, Jing Uchiha clenched his fists, resentment burning in his eyes.

During his days in the hospital, he had dreamed of getting revenge on Kazan.

He was an Uchiha, yet an ordinary kid had beaten him unconscious in front of the whole village. It felt worse than being killed.

The Chunin teacher stood between them and raised a hand. "Form the Seal of Confrontation. Ready—begin!"

The moment he spoke, Asuka Hyuga seized the initiative, activating the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan at once.

"Byakugan!"

With a fierce cry, Chakra—or rather, Dōjutsu Power—burst from his eyes and swept outward.

He flashed forward, using his Byakugan to pinpoint the flow of Chakra in Kazan's Shadow Clone as he charged straight at him.

He shaped his hand like a blade. Gentle yet highly penetrating Chakra gathered around it as he struck for Kazan's Chakra points.

That was the essence of the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist. Once it landed, it could seal an opponent's Chakra flow and leave them unable to fight.

Kazan's Shadow Clone grinned. He did not retreat a step, meeting the attack with his iron fists.

"Fist Bone: Impact!"

Even Asuka Hyuga did not dare take that heavy punch head-on.

The buildings Kazan had smashed through were proof enough of its danger.

Asuka hurriedly channeled Chakra and chopped his hand toward Kazan's joint like a blade.

Smack! Their fist and palm collided, and Asuka Hyuga actually knocked Kazan's iron fist aside.

"Oh?" Kazan's clone looked surprised. Asuka Hyuga caught the change in his expression. "I've seen through your technique, Kazan!"

He roared, his hunger for revenge surging through him.

He would personally erase the stain he had brought upon the Hyuga Clan.

"Gentle Fist Technique: Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms!"

Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms was the strongest technique Asuka Hyuga knew.

He had gone straight for his strongest attack. That was how determined he was to get revenge.

And with his Byakugan, he could clearly see that Chakra was flowing through Kazan's body unusually fast today.

Clearly, Kazan was taking him seriously too, fighting with all the strength of his body and Chakra.

For some reason, excitement rose in Asuka's chest.

It meant Kazan, hailed as one of Konoha's two brightest talents of this generation, acknowledged his strength.

At the sidelines, Kurenai Yuhi grew tense. She unconsciously gripped the hem of her shirt and murmured, "If they find out Kazan's been sending a Shadow Clone to school all this time, the teacher will probably punish him again."