In the stands~
Tsunade saw Uchiha Lei turn his head and smile at her, mistaking it for a provocation. When she saw Lei and the three girls flaunting their affection again, she could not help cursing:
"You only won one duel! What's so great about that, you rotten brat!"
"Tsunade, you seem awfully concerned about Uchiha Lei."
Orochimaru turned his head and replied with a mischievous grin, then looked at the Kusanagi Sword at Chiya Rai's waist and marveled:
"That chakra weapon is quite impressive. Very sharp indeed!"
"It cut my student. How could it not be sharp?"
Jiraiya replied rather coldly, watching with concern as Minato Namikaze walked back toward them. Seeing that he had only suffered a slight break in the skin, he breathed a sigh of relief!
Hearing Orochimaru's mocking tone, Tsunade grew even angrier and shouted at him through gritted teeth:
"That brat and I aren't on good terms! Not at all!"
Kushina Uzumaki's call rang out from a distance~
"Big Sister Tsunade, are you here to watch our graduation assessment too?"
Hearing Kushina Uzumaki's voice, Tsunade instantly regained her composure. She gave a sweet smile, turned, and waved, greeting Kushina warmly:
"Kushina, I am here to watch your assessment. Do your best!"
"Tsunade, you're a professional at changing faces!"
Jiraiya teased her mockingly, then immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to hide behind Orochimaru, afraid Tsunade would retaliate!
Tsunade turned her head, shot Jiraiya a fierce glare, and roared furiously:
"Jiraiya, get lost-"
Tsunade's roar echoed throughout the Ninja Academy, drawing everyone's attention!
When everyone noticed Tsunade, they merely glanced at her before turning back. That was Lady Tsunade-who would dare criticize her!
Noticing those gazes, Tsunade's fair cheeks flushed red. She instantly lowered her head in embarrassment, burying it like an ostrich!
In the dueling arena~
Sato Ichiro continued calling out:
"Next pair, Hyuga Hiashi against Hyuga Mie! Both students, enter the arena!"
Uchiha Lei smiled at the troubled-looking Hyuga Mie and encouraged her:
"Mie, believe in yourself. Go for it! You're the best!"
"Thank you, Lei. I'm off to compete!"
Hyuga Mie replied with a smile, then rapidly formed hand seals for a little over a second and performed the Body Flicker Technique, appearing on the right side of the dueling arena!
Opposite her, Hyuga Hiashi was also 1.65 meters tall, wearing an off-white ninja outfit. He had a slender build, though his face was somewhat gaunt. He looked at Hyuga Mie dejectedly. Ever since his heartbreak, Hyuga Mie had not spoken a single word to him, so his appetite had been poor. But with the match before them, he still kindly reminded her:
"Mie, don't push yourself beyond your limits!"
"Hiashi, thank you for your concern, but I'm not that fragile!"
Hyuga Mie replied coldly, already raising her hand to form the Seal of Confrontation!
As the referee, Sato Ichiro called out:
"Form the Seal of Confrontation, then begin the combat assessment!"
Seeing Hyuga Mie form the Seal of Confrontation, Hyuga Hiashi raised his hand and formed it as well. Then his expression turned serious again. He drew his right toes back and raised both hands with his palms open, left in front and right behind, assuming the opening stance of the Gentle Fist!
"Byakugan, activate!"
Hyuga Mie gave a low shout. The veins at her temples beside her eyes bulged, and she could clearly see the flow of Hyuga Hiashi's chakra. Then she also assumed a Gentle Fist stance!
Crack~
Hyuga Mie pushed off hard with both feet and vanished from her spot, leaving spiderweb-like cracks in the ground!
Hyuga Hiashi had not expected Hyuga Mie to activate her Byakugan. His gaze abruptly sharpened, and he quickly formed hand seals to prepare the Body Flicker Technique. But Hyuga Mie's figure appeared before him in an instant, along with a white palm blur!
Bang~
Hyuga Hiashi's forehead was covered in cold sweat. He sharply raised his right arm to block the surprise Gentle Fist attack and felt his right arm go numb. His refusal to lose drove him to thrust his left palm toward Hyuga Mie's shoulder with the Gentle Fist!
Whoosh~
Hyuga Hiashi missed. He kicked backward hard with both legs, trying to put distance between himself and Hyuga Mie and preparing to activate his Byakugan. He had only managed half a low shout:
"Byakugan... urgh-"
Bang~
Hyuga Hiashi felt a sudden, sharp pain in his right shoulder and could not help drawing in a cold breath. Then Hyuga Mie appeared before him again!
What followed was~
Hyuga Mie's unrelenting Gentle Fist attacks on Hyuga Hiashi's acupuncture points. Her Gentle Fist was fast enough to deliver five palm strikes in a second, striking his right shoulder, lower abdomen, right thigh, and left thigh in succession, leaving his whole body paralyzed!
Then a green Eight Trigrams diagram appeared beneath Hyuga Mie. Coordinating her waist and stance, she fiercely thrust a white palm imprint through the air toward Hyuga Hiashi's left chest, then gave a low shout:
"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm~"
Bang~
The white palm imprint slammed into Hyuga Hiashi's right chest. A tremendous force struck him, and with his entire body paralyzed and unable to move, he was sent flying five meters backward, landing outside the red circle!
Pfft~
Hyuga Hiashi's head tilted to one side as he spat out a mouthful of blood containing clots. Then his vision blurred and went black, and he collapsed unconscious on the ground!
Hizashi Hyuga's cry came from the line of students~
"Brother-"
Hizashi Hyuga instantly used the Body Flicker Technique to appear beside Hyuga Hiashi. He raised his hand to support his older brother Hyuga Hiashi's head, then turned toward Teacher Sato Ichiro and called loudly for help:
"Teacher, call a medical ninja to treat him!"
"All right..."
Sato Ichiro came to his senses and got halfway through his reply before Tsunade interrupted him!
"Don't bother calling. I'll save your brother!"
Tsunade used the Body Flicker Technique to appear beside Hyuga Hiashi and knelt on one knee. Then she raised both hands and performed the Mystical Palm Technique. A faint green glow covered her hands as she pressed her palms against Hyuga Hiashi's left chest, slowly channeling yang release chakra to stimulate the wound to heal again!
Five minutes later~
Hyuga Hiashi opened his eyes, his face somewhat pale. Noticing his anxious-looking younger brother and Tsunade beside him with cold sweat covering her forehead, he thanked her weakly:
"Thank you for treating me, Lady Tsunade!"
"It's fine. Pay attention to your diet from now on. Look how depleted your body is! Don't you realize it yourself?"
Tsunade reminded him quietly, then stood up. With cold sweat on her forehead and her breathing somewhat hurried, she turned toward Sato Ichiro and reprimanded him:
"Teacher Sato, don't just stand there in a daze! Students have been injured in both matches now!"
"I'm sorry, Lady Tsunade. The fights really ended too quickly. I couldn't react in time either!"
Cold sweat beaded on Sato Ichiro's forehead as he offered a timid excuse!
Tsunade thought that was true. Uchiha Lei and Hyuga Mie had both struck quite quickly in those two matches. Unless someone possessed strength like hers, there was simply no way to stop them. So she said:
"Then I'll stand nearby and watch. This really is a bit much to ask of you!"
"Thank you for your understanding, Lady Tsunade!"
Sato Ichiro immediately clasped his hands and bowed slightly to Tsunade. Then he turned to the students nearby and reminded them loudly with a serious expression:
"All students, stop short of causing injury. If you feel you can't win, surrender immediately. Hyuga Mie wins the second match!"
On the right side of the dueling arena, Hyuga Mie breathed a sigh of relief. She had not expected Hyuga Hiashi to be so unable to withstand her attacks. Had she known, she would have controlled her strength. Then she formed hand seals with both hands and used the Body Flicker Technique to return to Uchiha Lei. She leaned forward slightly, smiling at Lei without speaking!
Uchiha Lei understood. He raised his right hand and rubbed Hyuga Mie's head, praising her with a smile:
"Mie, you're really amazing. All your daily hard work paid off. I'm truly happy!"
"Thank you for the praise, Lei. It was also thanks to your encouragement. Otherwise, I couldn't have worked that hard!"
Hyuga Mie replied with a smile, recalling how, over the past three years, whenever she visited Chiya Rai's home, Uchiha Lei would smile and encourage her to practice the Gentle Fist. She liked Lei even more!
Uchiha Mikoto and Kushina Uzumaki also smiled, taking Hyuga Mie's hands and congratulating her:
"Mie, congratulations on winning!"
"Thank you, sisters!"
Hyuga Mie replied, then returned to Uchiha Lei's side to wait!
Before you continue