Whoosh!
The air sliced as Uchiha Shisui took the initiative, launching into Uchiha-style Shurikenjutsu. The thrown stars collided mid-air, their trajectories subtly altered, now hurtling towards Renzou from multiple angles. Under the cover of this initial barrage, Shisui moved with lightning speed.
As expected of Lord Kagami's descendant, he's inherited that fierce fighting spirit, Fugaku and Yusuke thought simultaneously. Cheers for Shisui erupted from the surrounding Uchiha.
Renzou watched the incoming projectiles, his expression serious. Indeed, Uchiha's genius. His strength is not to be underestimated. Looks like I'll have to be serious today. Regaining his focus, Renzou's hands blurred through a rapid sequence of seals. "Water Style: Water Barrier!" With a final hand slap to the ground, a shimmering wall of water erupted, intercepting the incoming shuriken. A series of "ding, ding, ding" sounds echoed as the hidden weapons were deflected and ejected.
Having blocked the first wave, Renzou remained vigilant. Uchiha Shisui, his initial attacker, had vanished. The moment the Water Barrier dissipated, Shisui's figure reappeared directly in front of him – his movements impossibly fast! That speed! Was Renzou's immediate thought. Before he could unleash a ninjutsu, he drew two shuriken from his pouch, throwing them towards Shisui's face and abdomen.
Uchiha Shisui reacted instantly, his hand flashing out to deflect the two projectiles with a flick of his wrist. This brief opening was enough for Renzou to draw his kunai, anticipating Shisui's close-quarters attack. At the same time, it reinforced a thought: relying solely on a kunai against skilled opponents wasn't ideal. The greats had their signature weapons: Madara's fan, the White Fang's short sword, the Third Hokage's Enma… even the legendary artifacts of the Gold and Silver Brothers. Perhaps finding a unique weapon for myself is in order. The Kusanagi sword, scattered throughout the ninja world, comes to mind. Orochimaru had two, if I remember correctly. Something to look into later.
Pushing these thoughts aside, the two faced each other again, launching into a new round of taijutsu. Renzou sprang forward, his legs a blur as he executed a spinning aerial kick. "Leaf Hurricane!"
Shisui blocked with his arms, a flicker of surprise crossing his face upon impact. What power! He was sent skidding backward. Stay calm. Don't engage in a direct power struggle! Shisui thought, executing two mid-air rolls before landing gracefully. His natural physical prowess, befitting a child of a great clan, was considerable, far surpassing that of ordinary children. However, Renzou's two years of grueling training with Might Guy and his father had made his own taijutsu exceptional among his peers.
Suddenly, Uchiha Shisui's hands flashed through another set of seals. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!" A roaring sphere of flame erupted from his mouth, expanding and twisting in the air, a three-meter inferno hurtling towards Renzou with a palpable heat wave.
Renzou's expression remained focused as his own hands moved rapidly. "Wind Style: Wind Cut Technique!" Dozens of miniature wind blades materialized around him, whistling through the air as they shot towards the oncoming fireball.
Boom!The two attacks collided in a violent explosion. The fireball erupted, and the wind blades scattered, the resulting shockwave and gusts forcing Renzou, Shisui, Fugaku, Yusuke, and the rest of the Uchiha to retreat several meters before they could regain their footing and stare at the smoke-filled arena.
"This…" A hush fell over the Uchiha clan. Was this truly a spar between children who weren't even full-fledged ninjas? The raw power on display seemed more akin to that of seasoned Chūnin.
The two combatants, however, were oblivious to the reactions around them. They locked gazes through the dissipating smoke. Uchiha Shisui panted heavily. He was still a child, and the continuous release of ninjutsu was pushing his limited chakra reserves.
Next strike decides this!The same thought echoed in both their minds.
"You're very strong, Renzou… brother," Shisui said, catching his breath, "but I still have one more technique I haven't used. I'm going all out next time."
"Yeah, me too. Give it everything you've got," Renzou replied.
They both surged forward. While running, Uchiha Shisui rapidly weaved several hand seals. "Body Flicker Technique!" In an instant, four or five afterimages of Shisui peeled off from his main body, encircling Renzou from all sides.
Renzou's hands moved just as quickly. "Storm Release… Thunder Sea Realm!" Instantly, a dense mist formed around him, then coalesced into countless water droplets, each crackling with latent lightning. The area covered by the Storm Release expanded rapidly, threatening to engulf all of Shisui's afterimages.
With a sharp cry, Renzou unleashed the power. The lightning within the water droplets connected, creating a lethal web of electrified water, lashing out to ensnare the Shisui clones. But these were merely afterimages, illusions created by his speed.
"Is that all? Then take this! Expand!"Shisui's voice echoed as all the afterimages lunged. His masterful use of the Body Flicker Technique created the illusion of multiple simultaneous attacks. Even if one afterimage was struck, his true form could instantly reappear elsewhere, making him incredibly difficult to hit. However… he hadn't yet perfected this technique.
The onslaught of afterimages halted just before the last Shisui figure. "How about it, Shisui? Got any other tricks?" Renzou maintained the Thunder Sea Realm, his gaze fixed on his opponent.
"I lost," Shisui said with a wry smile. This was undoubtedly the strongest opponent he had ever faced. This level of power… it felt comparable to Konoha's top prodigy, Hatake Kakashi.
"I declare Uchiha Renzou the winner!" Uchiha Yusuke announced, walking towards the two boys. "Renzou, I didn't expect you to possess such strength. That was… the Storm Release bloodline limit." Yusuke looked at Renzou with a mixture of awe and concern.
"Yes, Uncle Yusuke. I would be grateful if you could ask everyone in the Uchiha clan to keep it a secret for me."
"Huh? Although I don't understand why, we will respect your wishes," Uchiha Yusuke replied, then turned to relay the information to Uchiha Fugaku.
"The Storm Release bloodline limit… incredible. He is truly Shanzhou's son," Fugaku murmured, watching Renzou, a hint of melancholy in his eyes.
"Clan Leader, he wants us to keep his power a secret. What do you think?" Yusuke asked.
Fugaku considered this. "Renzou must have his reasons, and it's likely for his own safety. If other villages learn he possesses the Storm Release, he could become a target. Issue an order: anyone who leaks this information will be dealt with according to clan law." This was a simple matter of discretion; they were the Uchiha clan.
"Yes, Patriarch," Uchiha Yusuke acknowledged.
"By the way, Clan Leader, if Renzou possesses such strength at young age, wouldn't it…" Yusuke began, a different thought forming.
Fugaku raised a hand, cutting him off. "I know what you were going to say. Indeed, Renzou's potential strength gives me more reason to consider… changes. However, he is still young. Prematurely revealing his power might not be wise." As he spoke, Fugaku's gaze drifted towards the distant minaret where the Uchiha elders resided.Shanzhou… let me atone for my past indecision.
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End of Chapter 10