"Cough, cough... what was that?"
If not for his two layers of protection, Sasuke was sure he would have been seriously injured. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with his left hand, he stood and looked at Neji, who was also standing there, panting.
"Huff, huff, huff... I used up too much chakra on the shadow clones earlier..." Neji wiped the sweat from his forehead. Seeing Sasuke get back up, he began molding the chakra in his body again.
By the time Sasuke restored his protective techniques, Neji had already positioned his hands one above the other again.
Whoosh!
Sasuke's pupils contracted at the sight, and he immediately began darting around the arena to evade him. What a joke! Even his Sharingan hadn't been able to make sense of that punch. All he knew was that it wasn't genjutsu or ninjutsu. It was pure...
"It was actually taijutsu!!! Neji, he's incredible!!!"
In the spectator stands, Rock Lee trembled with excitement. His hands unconsciously tightened around the railing, nearly crushing it.
"Taijutsu?"
Everyone beside him was stunned. Temari hadn't even been able to tell what had happened, so she hurriedly asked the strongest person she knew nearby, "What just happened?"
"Don't ask me." Gaara shook his head. He couldn't answer Temari's question either.
Because he couldn't understand it himself.
He hadn't even been able to see the instant that punch formed.
Could my Sand Armor stop it...?
"Hmph, you're fast! But you should know that speed is useless before my eyes!"
Watching Sasuke dart into the woods, his silhouette almost blurring from his speed, Neji wore a smug expression. "I won't let you unleash that Fire Release technique again. Divine Empty Strike!"
As Neji swung, the purple fist appeared again, followed by a violent vacuum shock wave. This