After Ruri's provocation, Uchiha Itachi finally grew a little impatient. "Fine, I'll reluctantly agree to fight you. This should also show you just how vast the gap between us really is."
With that, Uchiha Itachi appeared in front of Ruri in a flash.
Although Uchiha Itachi was only five years old, he was the son of the Uchiha Clan Head. From the moment he was born, he had received his father's rigorous elite training day after day, and he possessed talent and ability far beyond those of his peers.
His fundamental abilities had long since surpassed the Ninja Academy's standards. His family had only sent him there to reinforce his foundations, learn about relationships, and understand how to get along with others. It was merely a formality; his family had already said they would have him graduate early in a couple of years.
Watching Uchiha Itachi appear before him, Ruri muttered helplessly, "Idiot. Do you really think I'm on the same level as those two?"
Judging by the way Uchiha Itachi attacked, he had clearly placed Ruri on the same level as the two Hyuga Clan children from earlier.
Ruri gave it no further thought. He pushed off with his rear foot and charged at Uchiha Itachi, moving even faster than him.
They clashed in an instant. Ruri blocked Uchiha Itachi's kick with his hand, while Uchiha Itachi simultaneously blocked Ruri's punch.
A moment later, both took a step back. But after a fierce exchange, Uchiha Itachi's stamina gradually dwindled, and his movements slowed. Now at a disadvantage, he could no longer hold his ground, and Ruri sent him flying backward.
What? How is this possible...? Feeling the tremendous force coming at him, Itachi was shocked. This was nothing like the level of an ordinary Ninja Academy student. Ruri was in an entirely different league from those two Hyuga Clan children.
"Uchiha Itachi, if you don't start taking this seriously, you're going to lose badly today. And your clan's honor will be ruined at your hands!" Ruri said after sending him flying.
With that, the veins at Ruri's temples bulged as he activated his Byakugan and looked at him.
"Reika, look! Ruri looks so handsome with his Byakugan activated!" Watching from the sidelines, Momokusa Harukawa was already swooning, her eyes turning into hearts.
"Oh, really? He can already activate his Byakugan!" Reika Hyuga stood beside her, completely dumbfounded.
He was the same age as her, yet his strength already far exceeded hers. How could she not be stunned?
"You can already activate your Byakugan?" Uchiha Itachi asked in surprise when he saw Ruri's eyes.
Looking at the bulging veins on Ruri's face and those eyes that seemed to see straight through his entire body, Uchiha Itachi was deeply surprised.
"There's plenty more you haven't imagined. If you still won't take this seriously, you're definitely going to lose!" Ruri said as he stood there.
Looks like I'll have to take this seriously. Otherwise, I really might lose to him! Feeling the pressure Ruri exerted, Uchiha Itachi sharpened his focus to the utmost.
He reached behind him with both hands, and eight shuriken instantly appeared between them. With a sweep of his hands, he sent all eight hurtling toward Ruri from above, below, left, and right.
"He really is a genius of the Uchiha Clan! His Ninja Tool Throwing Technique is impressively polished!"
Several Chunin teachers watching nearby smiled as they saw the shuriken Uchiha Itachi had thrown.
At that moment, Uchiha Itachi's ninja tool throwing skill and power were already on par with those Chunin teachers, and his accuracy was even better than theirs.
He truly deserved to be called a genius of the Uchiha Clan. Those few shuriken alone would have left any experienced genin struggling to respond; blocking every one of them would have been difficult.
Just as the Chunin teachers were considering whether to intervene and block the shuriken for Ruri, he had already made his move.
Ruri took a step back, several shuriken appearing in his hands. Facing the shuriken Uchiha Itachi had launched, he flung all of his own with what looked like a casual sweep.
Clink... clink... clang... clang...
After a loud clash, all eight shuriken Uchiha Itachi had thrown were knocked down by the ones Ruri had launched afterward.
That alone showed how much effort Ruri had put into his Shurikenjutsu over the past year.
A genius of the Uchiha Clan, Itachi showed no surprise when he saw all his shuriken knocked to the ground. He quickly drew Ruowu from behind his back and rushed toward Ruri.
"Looks like you haven't disappointed me!" Ruri said with a smile after knocking down Itachi's shuriken. "But you're still a long way from matching me!"
By then, Itachi had already closed in on Ruri with a shuriken in hand, and Ruowu was about to pierce Ruri's chest.
At that very moment, Ruri softly said, "Konoha Whirlwind!"
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