Lin Ze turned his gaze toward Hikaru Hyūga as he walked off the field, silently weighing things up.
His speed, accuracy in striking chakra points, and the way he generates force with Gentle Fist are all excellent. With the Byakugan supporting him, his taijutsu is definitely at Chunin level. Those attacks targeting the chakra pathways are especially troublesome.
My constitution may far surpass an ordinary person's, but my chakra pathways and points are still weaknesses. If his Gentle Fist lands repeatedly and blocks my pathways, my strength and speed will be greatly reduced, no matter how strong or fast I am.
Looks like the final won't be as easy as the earlier matches.
Perhaps... I need to lift my restrictions a little.
Lin Ze took a deep breath. He thought of the Eight Gates Released Formation.
The Gate of Opening and Gate of Healing primarily increased chakra flow, physical function, and recovery without causing drastic changes in appearance, unlike the Third Gate, the Gate of Life, which surrounded the entire body with currents of air.
Opening only the first gate, the Gate of Opening, should be fine. It'll greatly improve my reaction speed and chakra control, making it easier to avoid his chakra-point strikes. Even if he occasionally hits me, the stronger chakra flow will clear the points faster.
As for the second gate, the Gate of Healing... I'll see how things go. I can't reveal too much yet.
The brief rest ended, and the atmosphere around the central arena reached its peak.
Everyone's attention focused on Lin Ze and Hikaru Hyūga, who were about to take the field.
This was not merely a fight for the championship, but a clash between two top-tier taijutsu styles!
"The final: Lin Ze versus Hikaru Hyūga! Both contestants, please enter the arena!" The referee's booming voice carried across the entire training ground.
In the stands, Hiruzen Sarutobi set down his pipe, his gaze growing intent. Having come this far, Lin Ze had already demonstrated exceptional talent as a ninja, and he had decided to do everything he could to protect him.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi also wanted to see just how far Lin Ze could go, and whether he could demonstrate even greater value!
Lin Ze and Hikaru Hyūga stepped into the center of the arena at the same time.
Hikaru Hyūga still wore that gentle, false smile, but his white eyes were utterly cold. He bowed slightly. "Hikaru Hyūga. I look forward to our match."
Lin Ze calmly returned the courtesy. "Lin Ze. I look forward to our match."
"Begin!"
The instant the referee finished speaking, Lin Ze and Hikaru Hyūga moved almost simultaneously!
Neither pulled back to test the other as the other contestants had, because they both knew that taijutsu was the heart of this match!
In a close-range taijutsu battle like this, especially against the Byakugan's 360-degree vision without blind spots and Gentle Fist's swift counterattacks, there was little room to use ninjutsu.
There was no dazzling ninjutsu, no flying shuriken-only two figures colliding in an instant!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sounds of fists and feet clashing rang out like a rapid drumbeat, their movements dazzlingly fast.
Lin Ze's taijutsu used broad, sweeping movements and fierce power. His actions were simple and efficient, every punch and kick whistling through the air in pursuit of maximum destructive force.
This was Strong Fist Style!
Hikaru Hyūga's movements, by contrast, were strange and tricky. Rather than meeting Lin Ze head-on, he used the Byakugan's powerful perception to predict the paths of Lin Ze's attacks, wielding his palms and fingers as weapons to target Lin Ze's wrists, elbows, shoulders, and chakra points all over his body.
This was Gentle Fist!
He really is troublesome! Lin Ze grew wary. The Byakugan's perception lived up to its reputation. Hikaru Hyūga saw through many of his attacks in advance and deftly neutralized them.
Moreover, Hikaru Hyūga's Gentle Fist finger strikes were extremely penetrating. Even when Lin Ze blocked them, that cold chakra seeped into his body, numbing his arms and slightly hindering his chakra flow.
Several times, Hikaru Hyūga's fingers narrowly brushed past Lin Ze's vital chakra points, forcing him to change his moves at the last moment to defend.
Cries of astonishment kept rising from the sidelines.
"They're so fast! I can't see their moves at all!"
"The Hyuga Clan's Byakugan is too powerful. It looks like he's seeing through all of Lin Ze's attacks!"
"But Lin Ze is so strong that Hikaru Hyūga doesn't dare take his blows head-on either!"
The two moved at high speed through the arena, colliding, separating, then colliding again. For a time, neither could gain the upper hand, and they appeared evenly matched!
But Lin Ze knew that if this continued, he would undoubtedly lose!
Gentle Fist's defining trait was its accumulating damage. The longer the fight lasted and the more chakra-point strikes landed, the more severely his chakra circulation would be obstructed, reducing both his speed and strength.
I can't drag this out! I have to break his rhythm!
At that thought, Lin Ze abruptly accelerated his attacks again, his assault raging like a violent storm as he tried to overwhelm Hikaru Hyūga with sheer speed and strength.
Whoosh!
Hikaru Hyūga sneered. Through his Byakugan, he could clearly see Lin Ze's chakra flow and the way his muscles exerted force.
If this was all Lin Ze could do, victory was his!
With the Byakugan's support, Hikaru Hyūga moved with extraordinary agility, always avoiding Lin Ze's fiercest attacks by a hair's breadth while his fingers struck at Lin Ze's chakra points again and again like venomous snakes.
Thud! Thud!
Finally, a lapse from Lin Ze allowed Hikaru Hyūga's fingertips to strike his left and right shoulders almost simultaneously!
Although Lin Ze instantly tensed his muscles and dispersed most of the force, preventing his chakra points from being completely sealed, a powerful sensation of aching numbness and blocked chakra immediately followed, visibly slowing the movements of both arms by half a beat!
"Oh no!" Kurenai Yuhi cried out from the sidelines.
"Heh." A cold sneer curled Hikaru Hyūga's lips. Seizing the opportunity, he moved both hands in a blur, going straight for the vital points in Lin Ze's chest and abdomen!
He could almost see Lin Ze's chakra crippled, his body collapsed on the ground, howling in agony.
I have no choice! A glint of resolve flashed in Lin Ze's eyes.
Bang!
Driving power through his feet, Lin Ze instantly pulled back, putting distance between himself and Hikaru Hyūga.
Eight Gates Released Formation, first gate, Gate of Opening! Open!
There was no earth-shaking eruption of power, but the chakra flowing through Lin Ze's body instantly accelerated to a new level!
The chakra that had been slightly sluggish from the chakra-point strikes suddenly burst through its restraints, and a stronger force surged throughout his body!
His speed abruptly increased as well, allowing him to twist his body at an unbelievable angle and narrowly evade the chain of chakra-point strikes Hikaru Hyūga pursued him with!
"What?!" The smile froze on Hikaru Hyūga's face. His Byakugan clearly saw the amount of chakra in Lin Ze's body and its flow speed surge in an instant!
"His chakra... what's going on?!"
He was not the only one. The sharp-eyed Jōnin and Kage-level fighters in the stands also noticed something.
"Oh? His chakra suddenly became much more active. Did he use some secret technique?" Jiraiya asked curiously.
"It's a little like the Strength of a Hundred... but it isn't..." Tsunade frowned slightly. As a master of medical treatment, she was extremely sensitive to chakra and the human body.
Orochimaru's snake-like pupils contracted slightly, and he licked his lips. "He knows the Eight Gates Released Formation too? Interesting..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of smoke, his gaze deep, and said nothing. He knew Lin Ze could use the Eight Gates Released Formation. Now he only wanted to see just how much value Lin Ze could demonstrate.
Meanwhile, Danzo's gaze grew even deeper as he sat beside Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Previously, he had only wanted to put Nonō in her place, dealing with Lin Ze along the way to make it easier to control her.
Now, however, he had genuinely set his sights on Lin Ze himself. Talent like this had to enter Root and draw in nutrients for Konoha, for him, Shimura Danzō!
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