Neji Hyuga engaged Uzumaki Sōnagi in close combat using the Gentle Fist Style Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms technique.
However, Uzumaki Sōnagi clearly understood Neji Hyuga's Gentle Fist techniques and effortlessly blocked every strike.
Hiashi Hyuga was left speechless watching this battle unfold.
The Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms was a secret technique passed down orally through generations of the Hyuga Main Family. How did Neji learn it?
Did he figure it out on his own?
Neji finished the entire Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms sequence without landing a single blow on Uzumaki Sōnagi. He'd expected that to happen—but still, he couldn't help but furrow his brows slightly.
Uzumaki Sōnagi continued to press forward with physical strikes against Neji.
[Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!]
Neji compressed air and launched an invisible vacuum wave imbued with Gentle Fist principles.
Uzumaki Sōnagi dodged by utilizing Shifting Body Technique to retreat backward.
The vacuum wave struck the ground, creating a small crater.
[Fire Release! Fireball!]
After forming several hand seals, Uzumaki Sōnagi released a massive fireball from his mouth, sending it roaring toward Neji.
Neji countered again using the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, sending out a vacuum wave that blocked the flames.
[Earth Release: Pillars of Rock!]
After performing hand seals, Uzumaki Sōnagi transformed the surrounding rocks into numerous sharp pillars that shot toward Neji from all directions.
[Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven!]
Neji released chakra from all the tenketsu points on his body while rapidly spinning, creating a spherical chakra barrier that deflected all the incoming rock projectiles.
Hiashi Hyuga was utterly astonished.
[Revolving Heaven? He knows this too? This young man is truly amazing—he's managed to reach such a level...]
Uzumaki Sōnagi frowned slightly at the sight of the spinning Neji.
This so-called absolute defense known as Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven?
It won't work!
Sōnagi drew his ninja sword from his waist and applied his Lightning Chakra Nature onto it.
[Lightning Release: Lightning Sword!]
Sōnagi lunged toward Neji, gripping the hilt tightly with his right hand while pushing forward with his left hand positioned at the end of the hilt, stabbing directly at Neji's protective barrier.
Upon contact with the Revolving Heaven, Sōnagi immediately felt a powerful resistance trying to deflect his blade away.
With both hands pushing forcefully on the hilt, he tried pushing further forward but found minimal effect.
Suddenly, electricity surged through Sōnagi's arms as lightning crackled around them. Stimulated by the electrical current, his arm muscles activated intensely, increasing his strength.
This time, Sōnagi's ninja sword slowly penetrated into the protective chakra sphere.
Watching this scene unfold, Minato Namikaze exclaimed in admiration, "What an impressive strategy—using Lightning Chakra Nature to charge the ninja sword with tremendous piercing power, concentrating force on one point to pierce through the Revolving Heaven's defense purely through sheer penetration capability. The talent of this genin (a low-ranking ninja-in-training) from Otogakure (Hidden Sound Village) is formidable indeed."
Hiruzen Sarutobi observed Uzumaki Sōnagi with a slight frown creasing his brow.
Judging from his appearance, Sōnagi seemed about the same age as Neji. For Otogakure—a minor hidden village—to produce a ninja with such extraordinary talent was quite remarkable.
As Sōnagi's blade pushed halfway through the barrier, Neji cut off the Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven technique immediately.
If the blade advanced any further, it would begin wounding Neji himself who was continuously spinning within the defensive dome.
[Eight Trigrams Vacuum Wall Palm!]
Neji released another vacuum shockwave from both hands, sending the sword-wielding Sōnagi flying backward.
Uzumaki Sōnagi flipped backward to absorb the impact and landed steadily on his feet.
Sōnagi rested his ninja sword on his shoulder and tauntingly crooked his finger at Neji Hyuga with his left hand. "If that's all you've got, then you're definitely going down."
Neji understood this as a challenge issued by Uzumaki Sōnagi.
Neji drew his ninja sword from his waist and released a breath calm and fluid like water.
Seeing Neji preparing to use Water Breathing Sword Techniques, Sōnagi couldn't help but grin with excitement.
[Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!]
Sōnagi formed hand seals with both hands. As he exhaled, he unleashed numerous spiraling wind slices aimed directly at Neji.
[Water Breathing: VI – Turning Swirl!]
Neji twisted his body violently, creating a powerful whirlpool that swallowed all of Sōnagi's wind slices into its vortex.
Then the swirling current transformed into an enormous, razor-sharp blade slashing toward Sōnagi.
Facing this colossal water blade, Sōnagi sidestepped sharply.
[Water Breathing: VII – Droplet Ripple Thrust!]
Neji lunged forward in a straight line with his ninja sword, moving like ripples spreading across still water—quick and sudden.
Sōnagi had barely dodged the massive water blade when Neji's thrusting attack came too fast to evade. He could only cross his sword horizontally to block the strike.
The tremendous force sent Sōnagi flying backward, rolling across the ground twice before finally stopping.
Since the battlefield was already soaked with water, when Sōnagi stood back up, he was completely drenched and covered in filth.
"That all you've got?" Neji jeered, flicking his fingers mockingly at Sōnagi.
Neji's cool demeanor triggered a roar of cheers from the crowd around them.
The very first match was already a spectacle—this was pure adrenaline!
Sōnagi's temple pulsed with rising fury as he gripped his sword tightly.
After taking several deep breaths, Sōnagi said, "Now this is fun! It would be way too boring if I finished you off too quickly anyway. Now it's just starting to get good!"
Sōnagi created a Shadow Clone. Both clones simultaneously formed different hand seals.
[Wind Release: Gale Blast!]
[Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!]
When the gale force winds combined with the fireballs, they became an instant blazing tornado hurtling toward Neji.
[Water Breathing: IV – Striking Tide!]
Neji launched a multi-strike tidal wave-style attack straight ahead. Each swing of his blade produced powerful torrents of water, carving a gap through the flaming hurricane. The fiery storm swept past both sides of Neji.
Unconvinced, Sōnagi attempted another combined ninjutsu technique.
[Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!]
[Lightning Release: Thunder Dragon's Tornado!]
[Lightning Storm Dragon Jutsu!]
The technique Sōnagi used wasn't actually the Kekkei Genkai version of Storm Release.
Ordinary lightning techniques couldn't be freely controlled. Storm Release incorporated a water element characteristic, allowing the technique to flow like water. The lightning transformed into laser-like beams, capable of being manipulated freely in direction and angle. Storm Release compensated for the inherent difficulty in controlling raw lightning, becoming a Kekkei Genkai that perfectly combined the strengths of both lightning and water elements.
Uzumaki Sōnagi's Lightning Storm Dragon Jutsu couldn't change the direction or angle of the lightning, nor could it be freely controlled—it could only move straight forward. It was simply because water conducts electricity, carrying the lightning through itself and making it hard for Neji Hyuga to evade.
The Lightning Storm Dragon Jutsu roared and charged toward Neji Hyuga.
Neji Hyuga watched the massive Lightning Storm Dragon Jutsu coming toward him, his expression remaining calm.
"It's time to decide the outcome."
Neji inserted his Ninja Sword into the ground.
[Water Breathing, Eleventh Form: Nagi]
In an instant, time seemed to freeze.
The area where Neji stood became eerily tranquil, forming a sharp contrast with the roaring Lightning Storm Dragon Jutsu charged with violent electricity.
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