As Neji Hyuga's Eight Trigrams formation spread out, Heavenly Dao felt a faint sense of danger. It was as if an invisible Eight Trigrams array had formed beneath his feet, subtly restricting his movements.
This is the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms?
Outwardly, Heavenly Dao remained calm, but inwardly he was surprised.
Shouldn't Neji only master this technique after graduation? Did he have a breakthrough in the middle of the fight?
By now, Neji's Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms was fully unleashed. His palms moved so quickly they left behind afterimages, his speed surging several times over as he struck directly toward Heavenly Dao's tenketsu.
Palm after palm rained down like a storm.
Despite the sudden escalation, Heavenly Dao didn't panic.
I was only using about seventy percent of my strength before. Looks like I'll have to get serious.
Heavenly Dao rapidly mobilized his chakra, forcibly resisting the suppression of the Eight Trigrams field. His mastery of Konoha-style Taijutsu fused perfectly with the heightened perception granted by his Uchiha bloodline.
As the principles of Konoha-style Taijutsu flowed through his mind, Heavenly Dao immediately realized something crucial:
Neji couldn't keep this up.
Defend to win. If I endure, victory is mine.
And reality unfolded exactly as he predicted.
After a stretch of relentless, airtight attacks, the rhythm of Neji's offense abruptly slowed. Forcing himself to use the still-unfamiliar Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms had nearly drained his chakra.
Seizing the opening, Heavenly Dao pushed Neji's arms aside with both forearms. Before Neji could regain his stance, Heavenly Dao calmly reached out and tapped him on the forehead with two fingers.
"I'll take the win, little brother Neji."
[Mission Complete: Successfully defeated Hyuga Neji.
Byakugan reward issued. Please claim it promptly.]
As the outcome became clear, an uproar erupted among the surrounding students.
Most of them weren't particularly surprised. In their eyes, it was only natural for a Chūnin to defeat someone who hadn't even officially graduated from the Ninja Academy.
But for the Twelve Genin—especially those from shinobi clans—the impact was entirely different.
For Hinata Hyuga, it was devastating.
Ne… Neji-niisan has already… already mastered the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms?
Hinata, who hadn't even fully learned tenketsu strikes yet, lowered her head unconsciously. She wanted to step forward and show concern for the defeated Neji, but her extreme shyness kept her rooted in place. She didn't even dare look him in the eye.
Another person deeply shaken by the duel was Sasuke Uchiha.
He stared fixedly at the center of the field, calculating over and over in his mind. If he fought either of them, he probably wouldn't last more than a few exchanges—even if he went all out.
A heavy sense of powerlessness settled over him.
Sasuke, who had been training relentlessly but lacked proper guidance, suddenly felt an intense frustration well up inside.
What have I been doing all these years…
He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails nearly cut into his palms.
There was also something else that bothered him deeply.
That forehead poke just now… that Chūnin—does he know him?
Countless questions churned in Sasuke's mind, but outwardly, his reaction was much like Hinata's: he stood there in silence, his expression flickering between shadow and light.
After all, Sasuke was emotionally stable—at least compared to later. Only the appearance of Itachi Uchiha could truly make him lose control.
As someone familiar with the original story, Heavenly Dao naturally knew that poking Neji's forehead had triggered Sasuke's deepest trauma.
It wasn't a random gesture.
He had done it deliberately.
Ever since the two missions triggered by Mizuki, Heavenly Dao had been experimenting with how to control mission activation. Sure enough, the moment he provoked Sasuke, the system responded.
[New Mission: Increase Clan Strength
Train Hyuga Hinata and improve her self-confidence.]
[Reward: Gentle Fist Art – Tenketsu]
[New Mission: Increase Clan Strength
Train Uchiha Sasuke and shatter his self-confidence.]
[Reward: Fire Nature chakra enhancement]
Two missions appeared at once.
Even so, the system remained as nonsensical as ever. Heavenly Dao had nothing to say about training Uchiha Sasuke being counted as "increasing clan strength."
But Hyuga Hinata?
Does my Uchiha Revival System trace everything back to the Ōtsutsuki Clan?
Does it think anyone with Ōtsutsuki blood counts as an Uchiha?
Isn't this a complete reversal of the family tree…?
Meanwhile, Mizuki watched Heavenly Dao standing confidently in the field, his teeth itching with hatred. Still, he clung to one last hope—that the Hyuga Clan would resent Heavenly Dao after this humiliation.
That hope was quickly crushed.
After his defeat, Neji steadied his emotions and approached Heavenly Dao, thanking him sincerely for holding back. Heavenly Dao replied with a smile and even pointed out several flaws he'd noticed in Neji's palm techniques during the fight.
Mizuki could only watch helplessly as the two spoke amicably.
"Good. Very good."
An aged voice reached their ears.
A short figure walked onto the training field. He had slightly protruding cheekbones and graying hair, looking like an ordinary old man.
But the Hokage cloak draped over his back revealed his identity.
Everyone immediately bowed.
"Hokage-sama."
"Alright, alright. You're all good children," said Hiruzen Sarutobi, waving his hand with a smile.
"There's no Hokage here today—only your principal."
"I've been watching from the very beginning," Hiruzen continued.
"Conducting practical combat training before graduation is a good idea."
"Who proposed it?" he asked.
Standing off to the side, Mizuki hurriedly raised his hand and nodded.
"Letting students fight a full-fledged ninja before graduation," Hiruzen praised, "is an excellent idea."
Hearing the Third Hokage's words, Mizuki felt as if he'd drunk sweet nectar. Even the side of his face swollen like a pig's head seemed to stop hurting.
"The key point," Hiruzen went on, "is that the person chosen was outstanding. As Hokage, I've been negligent—I failed to properly scout such talent."
At those words, Mizuki sensed the direction shifting.
"Heavenly Dao," Hiruzen said with a chuckle, turning his gaze to him, "for an Agricultural Machinery Researcher, you're quite the hidden gem. It seems I've wronged you."
"Hokage-sama, you flatter me too much," Heavenly Dao said, shaking his head repeatedly. Yet the slight upward curve of his lips betrayed his true thoughts.
Go on, keep praising me. I can take it.
"Akita," Hiruzen continued, "your Farm Implement Research Squad is about to show results, isn't it?"
Sensing danger, Inuzuka Akita quickly spoke up.
"Heavenly Dao is a core member of our team. You can't just transfer him away."
"Oh? 'Your team,' 'our team'—everyone works for Konoha," Hiruzen chided lightly. Then he added calmly,
"Don't worry. My proposal is simple: Heavenly Dao will take on a part-time position at the Ninja Academy as a Combat Instructor. Two classes a week, specifically to guide the graduating students in real combat. What do you think?"
"Our research schedule is already very tight—" Akita tried to argue.
"Starting next month, the Farm Implement Research Squad's funding will increase by twenty percent," Hiruzen said casually, his calm words carrying undeniable authority.
"Hokage-sama, my research duties are indeed extremely demanding…"
Seeing Akita falter, Heavenly Dao hurriedly joined in.
"I think your salary can also be adjusted upward, Heavenly Dao."
The Third Hokage achieved total victory.
"Remember," he said with a smile,
"you start teaching tomorrow."