Sparring

"Dead last, you're seriously annoying!" Sasuke Uchiha was thoroughly fed up. This blond was such a pest.

"Stuck-up Sasuke, are you scared the great Naruto will teach you a lesson?" Naruto Uzumaki tilted his head back, his face full of provocation.

The boys watching all looked eager for a good show, while the girls began loudly berating Naruto.

"Quit making a scene, you blond Demon Fox! Don't bother Sasuke-kun!"

"Exactly! How could some blond nobody compare to our handsome Sasuke-kun?"

"Honestly, a Demon Fox is still a Demon Fox. No manners at all! Sasuke-kun, teach him a lesson so he stops hopping around like a yellow toad all day."

Naruto Uzumaki nearly exploded with anger at the girls' accusations. He loved showing off precisely because he wanted people's attention, especially that of girls his own age.

Being scolded by so many girls sent him into a rage, and he blamed Sasuke for all of it. The furious Naruto Uzumaki yelled, "It's all your fault, stuck-up Sasuke! Take my Super Naruto Collision Fist!"

Seething, Naruto Uzumaki swung a fist straight at Sasuke's face while Sasuke stood with his arms crossed.

"Hmph!" Sasuke snorted in contempt. "Dead last is dead last. All you do every day is play pranks and sleep. You really are a genuine loser. You haven't even mastered the most basic Taijutsu fundamentals."

Sasuke shifted aside, dodging Naruto's punch as he reached out and caught his arm, then drove his knee hard into Naruto's lower abdomen.

The sudden attack made Naruto's eyes bulge.

Sasuke clenched his right fist and punched Naruto square in the face. With one arm trapped, Naruto took the full force of the blow.

"Dead last, you're pathetic!" Sasuke smiled disdainfully at Naruto's pain-stricken face. He released his grip, leaving Naruto to clutch his stomach and collapse helplessly on the ground.

"That's our Sasuke-kun! He knocked that blond Demon Fox flat in just two moves."

"Sasuke-kun, you're amazing!"

"Ha, and here I thought that blond might actually have some skills!"

The spectators cheered and whooped. No one cared what happened to Naruto Uzumaki.

Seeing that Sasuke had warmed up, Neji walked over from the sidelines.

"Neji Hyuga!"

"Sasuke Uchiha!"

After introducing themselves, both formed the Seal of Confrontation.

The training ground grew especially quiet. Everyone wanted to watch a sparring match between Konoha's two great Dōjutsu clans.

Neji Hyuga and Sasuke Uchiha were both students hailed as geniuses, and everyone wanted to see how skilled they really were.

Thud! Their fists and feet collided. Abandoning the usual style of the Hyuga Gentle Fist, Neji threw powerful, heavy blows with every punch and kick.

This was an unconventional application of Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams: Mountain Crusher.

Eight Trigrams: Mountain Crusher was the Strong Fist within the Gentle Fist. In practice, it was completely unlike the other Gentle Fist techniques that looked soft and slow. It was more like a Gentle Fist technique that followed the Strong Fist style.

Neji swept his palm across and struck Sasuke's arm hard, interrupting his attack, then clenched his other hand and drove a fierce punch forward.

Thud! Sasuke raised his arm to block the punch, then hurriedly retreated several steps.

Neji did not press the attack. Instead, he smiled at Sasuke across from him. "Not bad, Sasuke Uchiha!"

"Hmph! Don't underestimate the Uchiha!" Sasuke snorted and charged forward.

"Heh!" Neji smiled and moved to meet him.

The spectators watched their dazzling Taijutsu exchange, gasping in amazement.

Naruto, who had been curled up on the ground moments earlier, now watched their sparring without blinking, as though nothing had happened. His fists were clenched, and his eyes burned with frustration.

Neji handled Sasuke's attacks with ease. His strength was far beyond what Sasuke could match at this point; he simply did not want to reveal too much.

Having awakened his Byakugan, Neji had already learned the Gentle Fist techniques available to the Branch Family. Sasuke, who had lost his clan's secret teachings and had no one to guide him, was nowhere near his level.

If Neji truly wanted to end the fight, he only needed to activate his Byakugan and unleash the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms on Sasuke. That would leave Sasuke utterly dazed.

Suddenly, mid-fight, Neji abandoned his earlier Strong Fist style and switched to the seemingly soft, delicate movements of orthodox Gentle Fist.

During their exchange, Neji abruptly pressed two fingers together and struck Sasuke's arm.

"!" Accustomed to Neji's previous speed, Sasuke had no time to react to this suddenly accelerated strike.

Sasuke's handsome face twisted as searing pain shot through his arm.

He could no longer move his right arm freely.

"Give up!" Neji told him calmly. "That was a special attack using Gentle Fist. You won't be able to put any strength into that arm for the rest of today."

"Don't underestimate the Uchiha!" Sasuke gritted his teeth and charged again.

"Your defeat at my hands is already destined!" As Neji spoke, he assumed the Hyuga clan's classic Gentle Fist stance.

With one arm out of commission, Sasuke could no longer mount a proper attack or defense. He plunged straight into Neji's Eight Trigrams field.

Thud, thud! A palm strike packed with power landed on Sasuke, sending him flying.

Pain wracked Sasuke's entire body as he stared at Neji, unwilling to accept defeat. He was still struggling to push himself up with his hand.

"Your willpower is impressive! But this is reality. Give up!" After speaking, Neji walked over and held out a hand.

"Sasuke-kun... he actually lost..."

"Sasuke-kun! Sob, sob..."

"Sasuke-kun..."

"Neji-kun really is stronger!"

"The Hyuga truly are Konoha's strongest clan!"

"Damn it... even Sasuke lost when he's that strong!" Naruto slammed his fist against the railing.

Hearing the crowd's comments, Sasuke flushed red. When he saw Neji approach and offer him a hand, he said coldly, "Did you come over to mock me?"

Neji shook his head. "Of course not. We don't have any grudge against each other. I just came to help you up. I know exactly how it feels to be hit by Gentle Fist, even if I struck you without activating my Byakugan."

"You..." Sasuke had no intention of accepting his help and stubbornly tried to stand on his own.

"Stop pushing yourself." Neji grabbed him and pulled him to his feet.

The two teachers had long since woken up. They rushed over, looking at Sasuke with concern.

"Iruka-sensei." Neji turned to him and said, "Sasuke Uchiha is fine. He'll be all right after a couple of days' rest. I only used a special method to stimulate his chakra points and temporarily immobilize him."

Umino Iruka took Sasuke Uchiha from Neji and supported him as they left the training ground.

The other teacher immediately announced that today's exchange was over and dismissed everyone on the spot.