Most people thought Uchiha Hui would lose this spar.
Not only had Uchiha Hui already fought several rounds, but Uchiha Ryuka was also one of the very best among Chunin like them.
His genjutsu was utterly unpredictable.
Even ordinary Jonin could fall victim to it without realizing.
Uchiha Ryuka had fought on the battlefield, most recently on the Kirigakure front a few years earlier.
During those two years.
The Uchiha Clan had produced Shisui Uchiha, hailed as its "greatest prodigy," who had earned the terrifying moniker "Body Flicker Shisui."
But as members of the Uchiha Clan, they also knew that Uchiha Ryuka had built an impressive reputation during that same period. He had even worked with two teammates to kill a Kirigakure Jonin.
Uchiha Ryuka's genjutsu had played a crucial role!
So.
When Uchiha Ryuka opened with his signature genjutsu, almost everyone could already see how this would end.
Granted.
Uchiha Hui's earlier fights had left a deep impression on them.
He had taken down every opponent with a single punch.
But that still would not change his fate of being taken down in an instant...
"Looks like the fight's over."
The ninja who had arrived with Uchiha Tekka began talking among themselves, as though the outcome of this spar were already decided.
Even Uchiha Tekka, the referee, raised an arm, ready to stop Uchiha Ryuka's next move. He had seen Ryuka raise his kunai, seemingly preparing to attack Uchiha Hui while he was trapped in the genjutsu.
"That's..."
Uchiha Tekka was highly skilled. He keenly noticed the change in Uchiha Hui, and a flicker of surprise passed through his eyes.
Before he could think any further.
Before everyone's eyes, Uchiha Hui, who had seemed helpless after falling under the genjutsu, moved again.
Body Flicker Technique!
In an instant, Uchiha Hui vanished from where he stood.
When he reappeared.
He was already right in front of Uchiha Ryuka.
"How is that possible?!"
Uchiha Ryuka looked equally stunned. He could not understand how Uchiha Hui, who had been rooted in place by his genjutsu and unable to resist a second ago, had suddenly broken free and attacked him.
After all.
The Gakō Technique cast through the Sharingan was no ordinary Ninjutsu.
Ordinary genjutsu.
Could perhaps be broken through conventional methods.
Such as a sudden burst of Chakra.
But clearly, Uchiha Hui had done nothing of the sort. Yet he had undeniably escaped the genjutsu's control.
"Don't think breaking out of my genjutsu means you can beat me!"
Uchiha Ryuka could not help roaring.
He swung the kunai in his hand at Uchiha Hui.
But his reaction seemed a little slow. Uchiha Hui's fist struck his face first.
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
Uchiha Hui struck in fury.
First, he drove a heavy punch into Ryuka's left cheek. Then he closed in and slammed an elbow into his chest before finally thrusting his knee upward, launching him high into the air.
"That's what you get for showing off, asshole! Fuck!"
Uchiha Hui's face was twisted with rage, and a faint trace of pain lingered in his expression.
The Sharingan in his eyes gleamed an eerie crimson. Its two tomoe spun incessantly, as though evolving toward a higher stage, but ultimately lost momentum and remained at the Two-Tomoe stage.
It hurts!
Uchiha Ryuka felt as though his entire body were falling apart.
That left him unable to gather Chakra and cast another Ninjutsu.
But he refused to go down like this.
Finally.
He adjusted his posture in midair and threw his kunai, then grabbed a handful of shuriken and scattered them toward Uchiha Hui like a shower of petals.
As long as I can hold out for these few seconds.
I can still win!
As Uchiha Ryuka thought this, his Sharingan regained its composure.
But...
He had clearly underestimated Uchiha Hui in his current state.
Earth Release: Fissure Palm!
Uchiha Hui silently recited the name in his mind. Then a large amount of Chakra gathered in his palm, and he slapped his hand against the ground.
Rumble!
The ground began to churn, and enormous fissures hurled chunks of earth into the air.
The Ninjutsu was aimed precisely at the spot where Uchiha Ryuka was about to land.
"You like running your mouth? Let's see you do it now!"
Uchiha Hui stared coldly at Uchiha Ryuka, now buried beneath rocks and clods of earth, and could not help laughing inwardly in satisfaction.
It would not kill him.
But it would certainly teach him a lesson!
The bastard went all out right from the start. That genjutsu really fucking hurt. It was only an illusion, but I felt like I'd actually been nailed to the ground. Those huge holes piercing my body felt unbelievably real!
As for how he had broken free of the genjutsu.
It was simple.
After defeating Uchiha Tianshui, Uchiha Hui had received a new reward: a "Trace Pupil Power."
He had planned to absorb it after returning home.
After his first experience, he knew that absorbing Pupil Power was painful. It would be safer to do it alone at home.
But in that situation.
If he wanted to win, he had to make a choice.
Absorbing the Pupil Power had only been an experiment. Uchiha Hui did not know whether it would help him break free of the genjutsu, but fortunately, the result had been excellent. It had actually worked.
And so, enduring the excruciating pain of absorbing the Pupil Power, Uchiha Hui had chosen to give Uchiha Ryuka a savage beating.
It also served as payback for the mockery Ryuka had directed at this body's original owner in his memories.
"This..."
Uchiha Tekka and the spectators were briefly stunned.
In just a few breaths.
Uchiha Hui had turned the tables despite being trapped in genjutsu.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Ryuka, who had seemed certain to win, had suffered a crushing defeat. He had barely managed to put up any resistance at all!
Nearly getting one-shot, then one-shotting his opponent instead?
Was Uchiha Hui really that terrifying?!
Uchiha Tekka quickly reached Uchiha Ryuka, moved aside the rocks by hand, and pulled him out from underneath.
It had looked rather gruesome.
But Uchiha Ryuka had actually managed to put up some defense when Ninjutsu struck.
He simply had not managed to avoid all the damage.
So.
He certainly looked a sorry sight now, covered in dust and dirt, with numerous wounds on his body.
"Winner, Uchiha Hui!"
Seeing that Uchiha Ryuka was not seriously hurt, Uchiha Tekka felt relieved. He had feared that Uchiha Hui might go too far and seriously injure a fellow clansman. That would reflect badly on him.
Even Uchiha Fugaku would not approve of such behavior!
Then he announced the winner of the spar.
At those words.
Uchiha Ryuka, who had recovered his senses, could not help looking disgruntled.
Uchiha Hui's eyes lit up instead. He walked over to Uchiha Ryuka, casually collected his "spoils," then looked at his defeated opponent. "Looks like I won, huh?"
He had to admit.
Uchiha Ryuka really was a "high-quality" opponent.
Everyone else dropped one reward, but not him. He had dropped two at once!
Looks like I'll have to pick a few more fights with him!
Looking at the two glowing orbs he had collected, Uchiha Hui was filled with mischievous delight. His earlier anger had been appeased, and most of the ferocity faded from his eyes.
Uchiha Tekka almost laughed at the way Uchiha Hui rubbed his victory right in Ryuka's face.
His ability to break the genjutsu had certainly been unexpected.
That was also one of the reasons Uchiha Ryuka had lost so quickly.
It had been too sudden!
And the confident Uchiha Ryuka had made no preparations beyond that.
"Once your injuries heal, you can come find me again if you still don't accept it. But before that, you owe me a thousand ryo!"
Uchiha Hui held out his hand to Uchiha Ryuka.
Ryuka looked miserable.
But in the end, he chose to pay. He did not even check how much money he had pulled out before tossing it straight to Uchiha Hui. What generosity!
"All done!"
Uchiha Hui smiled, then turned and headed home.
But after he turned away.
An exhausted look crept onto his face.
He had fought one battle after another.
Although he seemed to have ended each fight quickly.
The toll on his body and mind had actually been immense, especially when he had just absorbed Pupil Power to break the genjutsu.
If he had not absorbed Shikotsumyaku at the very beginning.
He might already have collapsed.
Before you continue