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"Now, begin!!" Iruka's loud shout signaled the start of the match.
Yet neither Kagaya nor Neji made a move to attack. Despite the battle being declared, they stood still, as if they hadn't heard, sizing each other up.
Hyuga Neji was the only person in the past six months at the Ninja Academy who made Kagaya this cautious. His hand instinctively reached for his waist, only to find it empty.
Right—sparring matches at the academy didn't allow weapons like kunai, which could cause serious injury. In his focus, Kagaya had momentarily forgotten and reached for his ninja tool pouch, which he'd removed before the match.
"I heard your shuriken skills are impressive, but this kind of duel doesn't allow you to use them. It seems I have the advantage," Neji said, keenly noticing Kagaya's movement.
"Not at all. It's an honor to face a senior like you," Kagaya replied.
Though many saw Kagaya as an "arrogant Uchiha," that was only because he didn't want to waste time on weak opponents. When it came to respect, Kagaya still showed it where due.
"However, Senior Neji, in this match…"
Neji's gaze sharpened, and he spoke in unison with Kagaya:
"I won't hand victory over!" Kagaya declared.
"The victory will be mine!" Neji countered.
With that, Kagaya moved, charging toward Neji.
He hadn't acted immediately because he was observing, but now he'd gathered all the information he could.
"Byakugan!"
Veins bulged around Neji's eyes, a sign of activating the Byakugan, just as an Uchiha's eyes would turn blood-red when activating the Sharingan.
'So fast!!' Neji thought, his first impression after activating the Byakugan.
While the Byakugan's observational range surpassed the Sharingan's, its dynamic vision was inferior. To Shisui, Kagaya's movements would be like slow motion, but to Neji, they were incredibly fast.
Of course, the Byakugan was still the Byakugan—it could still track a Ninja Academy student's movements. The problem was that seeing clearly didn't mean keeping up.
Neji could see Kagaya's actions perfectly, but he realized his body might not be able to match that speed.
The saying "speed is unbeatable" wasn't an exaggeration. Even if you could see the attack, if you couldn't keep up, you'd still take the hit.
Neji twisted his head, barely dodging Kagaya's fist. Chakra gathered in his hand—Gentle Fist!
Kagaya's eyes narrowed. As expected, a genius like Neji was unlikely to lack chakra. A Gentle Fist infused with chakra could not only damage internal organs but also seal chakra points. Kagaya absolutely couldn't let it land.
Retreat!
In the Naruto world, when it came to speed, many thought of Tobirama, Minato, or the Raikage A. But Kagaya knew Shisui was also renowned for speed—"Shisui of the Body Flicker" was a name known far and wide.
Kagaya didn't know how Shisui's speed compared to those three, but he knew Shisui was the fastest person he'd ever seen.
After training with Shisui for six months, Kagaya might lag in other areas, but speed was one thing he excelled at.
'He dodged?' Neji thought, surprised as his Gentle Fist missed. They were so close, and Kagaya's momentum from his punch should have made dodging impossible, yet…
'As expected, so fast. The Patriarch said he's being trained by Shisui of the Body Flicker. No wonder his disciple is this quick. I can't even imagine how fast Shisui himself must be.'
Iruka, watching from the sidelines, was shocked by their exchange. He didn't yet know the extent of Neji's strength, but Kagaya's performance stunned him.
'That speed… it's probably at a genin level, maybe even beyond. And he hasn't used chakra yet!'
Many knew Kagaya had chakra, and now, without even using it, his speed was already this impressive. With chakra, it would likely be even greater.
After dodging Neji's attack, Kagaya didn't pause, pressing his assault with relentless speed.
Fists and kicks flew back and forth.
Kagaya's incredible speed suppressed Neji, but Neji was a genius too, with the Byakugan. Though he struggled to keep up, he managed to hold his ground.
Kagaya's classmates, watching from the sidelines, were dumbfounded. They couldn't fathom how someone their age could fight like this.
They could barely follow the movements. Were these two really Ninja Academy students?
The fight drew no cheers or shouts—everyone was too stunned.
Another figure, an old man in the Hokage's office, was equally shocked.
The Third Hokage gazed at a crystal ball on his desk, displaying the scene of Kagaya and Neji's battle.
Watching a fight that looked nothing like an academy student spar, he couldn't help but sigh. "The young are formidable. Both the Uchiha and Hyuga clans have produced extraordinary geniuses."
In the arena, Kagaya frowned. He realized they were at a stalemate. Neither could overpower the other in the short term.
This wasn't what Kagaya wanted. He knew Neji had the Byakugan, giving him a significant advantage in perception over Kagaya, who hadn't awakened his Sharingan. In a prolonged fight, Neji's Byakugan would allow him to adapt to Kagaya's attacks, putting Kagaya at a growing disadvantage.
If that's the case…
Kagaya made a decision. After finishing an attack, he immediately retreated, pulling back from close combat with Neji.
Neji having chakra was within Kagaya's expectations, so chakra wasn't an advantage between two geniuses. To gain the upper hand, Kagaya needed something more—ninjutsu!
In the original story, when Itachi's teacher discovered he could use the forbidden Shadow Clone Jutsu, they were so shocked they reported it to the Third Hokage, recommending Itachi graduate early, saying they'd never seen such a student.
It was clear how astonishing it was for someone this age to use ninjutsu. Though Kagaya's Fireball Jutsu wasn't on the level of Itachi's forbidden technique, it was enough to shock everyone present. Kagaya had wanted to keep it hidden, but continuing to hold back might lead to defeat.
So…
"I'll focus all my chakra into the next few seconds. This is my strongest technique, Senior. If you can withstand it, you win. If not, I do." Kagaya declared this boldly.
Neji regarded him with utmost seriousness. "Come!"
Kagaya took a deep breath, raising his hands to his chin.
Iruka, seeing this, was struck by an absurd thought.
In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage was startled. "This kid, he's not going to…"
Neji, standing directly in front of Kagaya, widened his eyes. "Could it be…"
Iruka: "Is it ninjutsu?!"
Third Hokage: "Is he going to use ninjutsu?!"
Neji: "Ninjutsu?!"
All three shared the same shocking thought.
Kagaya answered their suspicions with action.
Snake–Ram–Monkey–Boar–Horse–Tiger.
"Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu!"
A fireball, about one meter in diameter, erupted in the arena, dispelling all doubts and making Kagaya's genius shine even brighter under its blazing light.
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