Facing an Uchiha

Inoichi gave a fair assessment.

"Even so, as long as no one can counter that technique of Eiji's..."

Shikaku muttered under his breath, recalling the classroom farce and how Eiji had stopped a flying chair in midair without forming any hand seals.

What a pain. Why are all my classmates monsters? Shikaku scratched his head helplessly at the thought.

"We will now begin the first match of the ninja selection exam: Ryuuzaki Eiji versus Uchiha Yai!"

Since this was the first match, the audience was brimming with enthusiasm. Hearing the name Uchiha sent the cheers from the Spectator Seats surging even higher.

Who in the shinobi world hadn't heard of the Uchiha?

That legendary figure had founded Konoha alongside Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi. Naturally, the Uchiha Clan, whose members possessed the same Sharingan, had gained fame throughout the shinobi world as well.

Eiji and Yoruichi exchanged a glance, then walked into the Circular Training Arena together.

The thunderous cheers washed over Eiji, stirring his emotions.

Should I hide my strength because I'm not truly invincible yet?

Maybe.

But that was how losers thought!

I'd finally gotten my cheat. What was wrong with showing off a little?

He raised a hand and clenched it. Starting with this match, he would make his name resound throughout the shinobi world!

With that thought, he looked up at Uchiha Yai, who had already taken his position opposite him.

The Arena was five hundred meters across, with plenty of trees and rocks to provide varied terrain for combat.

Having both contestants stand at opposite edges would waste time, so they had been positioned only about forty meters apart.

That distance gave ninja accustomed to long-range combat enough room to pull back quickly, making it reasonably fair.

"Look, Eiji's up!"

Seeing Eiji and the other contestant enter the Arena, Kushina turned excitedly to Minato beside her, her large eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"Go, Eiji! Win this in one shot!"

Kushina's cheers were drowned out by the villagers' chatter about the Uchiha. After all, Ryuuzaki Eiji's name was well known only among the Ninja Families and the Konoha High Command. To Konoha's ordinary residents, the Uchiha were far more famous.

"What's wrong with that Ryūzaki kid's eyes? Does he have some weird disease?"

"Hahaha, even a kid like that can take the graduation exam? He doesn't even look ten. Did he lie about his age?"

"Blue eyes, huh? Another freak. If he loses, let's all laugh at him."

The Konoha villagers' Will of Bullying had kicked in, making Kushina pout in displeasure. How could they all be so blind?

My friend is going to be the strongest person in the shinobi world! Not only is he the best cook, but his ninjutsu leaves everyone else in the dust. You'll see how amazing he is any second now!

"An Uchiha right off the bat... Not very lucky."

Jiraiya folded his arms, looking regretful. Orochimaru said nothing, but his brow furrowed, and he offered no objection.

I wanted to gather more information about those eyes, but he has to face an Uchiha in his very first match?

They really are beautiful eyes, though. I wonder what power lies within them.

Tsunade scoffed inwardly. Just watch. If Eiji gets serious, he won't even need ten seconds to deal with an opponent at this level!

"Are they the kind that remain visibly apparent, like the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan?"

"Eiji's eyes are very different from the Byakugan. The Byakugan needs chakra to activate, and when it's fully active, the veins around the eyes bulge. Eiji's eyes, on the other hand, are always ready."

Listening to Jiraiya and Tsunade's exchange, Orochimaru pondered silently. He can't deactivate them at will?

Then the chakra consumption must be astronomical. Is this a kekkei genkai with a drawback?

"Go, Yoruichi! Beat him!"

"Don't disgrace the Uchiha Clan!"

Cheers rose from the younger members of the Uchiha Clan.

"You're that Ryuuzaki Eiji everyone's been telling those crazy stories about lately, right? Everyone in the clan says you're a genius, but as far as I'm concerned, even ocular kekkei genkai have their differences—

"—and I'll show you right now that the Sharingan is the greatest ocular kekkei genkai in the shinobi world!"

Without wasting any more words, he activated his eyes. A red gleam flashed, and a single tomoe began spinning in each eye.

Obito Uchiha awakened his Sharingan when he was on the brink of death at eleven. So this Uchiha Yai awakening a one-tomoe Sharingan at twelve hardly makes him mediocre, Eiji thought.

In the VIP Box, Hiruzen Sarutobi noticed the Sharingan in Uchiha Yai's eyes and considered it silently. It seems Uchiha Yōichi isn't the clan's only prodigy. This Yoruichi just about qualifies as a capable talent, too.

His gaze shifted to Ryuuzaki Eiji, who still looked rather relaxed on the other side.

But against Ryuuzaki Eiji as he is now, how many exchanges can you last?

Yoruichi rapidly formed hand seals. With the distinctive sound that marked the technique's completion, an identical figure appeared beside him.

Not the Clone Technique from the Three-Body Technique, but a Shadow Clone?

Ordinary clones were merely illusions, useful only for confusing an opponent's vision. Shadow Clones, however, had physical bodies.

Through his Six Eyes, Eiji detected that each figure possessed half of Yoruichi's original chakra. In other words, it worked just as the original story had described.

Shadow Clones divided the original's chakra equally, and when a clone was voluntarily dispelled or destroyed, its remaining chakra returned to the original.

Yoruichi pulled a Smoke Bomb from his Ninja Tool Pouch and hurled it at his feet. A thick cloud of smoke rose, completely concealing him.

Then two identical figures charged out of the smoke toward Eiji, each wielding a kunai!

In the original story, Neji Hyuga had once said that as long as chakra was divided equally among the clones, even the Byakugan could not distinguish the original.

But the Six Eyes were different.

Although Yoruichi had used a Smoke Bomb to obscure his movements, the Six Eyes let Eiji clearly see that the clone's energy originated from the real body. This was the Six Eyes' ability to See Through the Nature of Techniques at work.

Well, even if I couldn't tell them apart, it wouldn't matter. For now, Limitless provides an absolute defense.

"Go, Eiji!"

"Go, young man! Youth will never let you down! Burn bright!"

Hearing Kushina and Might Duy's cheers, Eiji gave the Grandstand a thumbs-up.

Eiji raised one hand and activated Azure. Its immense gravitational pull brought Yoruichi and his Shadow Clone before him in an instant.

"Wha—!?"

Yoruichi's vision blurred, and he abruptly found himself in front of Eiji. Before he could understand what had happened, he saw Eiji's fist hurtling toward him!

This is bad! I have to get some distance!

But he discovered that his body no longer obeyed him. He was pinned firmly in place!

His Shadow Clone wore the same expression. He had no way to resist this technique!

THUD!!!

Even from a hundred meters away, amid the noisy crowd, the dull impact sounded painfully heavy!

Ignoring the Shadow Clone entirely, Eiji drove his fist viciously into Yoruichi's stomach. His opponent's eyes bulged, and his body flew backward like a cannonball!

"Argh!"