Far in the outskirts of the Land of Fire, in the poorer settlements, Daniel hovered above a certain village, peering into its affairs with his Byakugan. His eyes pulsed with chakra as he scanned the area. "Mmm," Daniel mused. It hadn't been long since he was tasked with investigating the kidnappings. Konoha suspected Orochimaru's involvement, but as Daniel observed the village, he found no traces of the snake pedophile.
"Was that guy already making his move at this time?" Daniel wondered, shifting his gaze to the next village along the border of the Land of Fire.
Meanwhile, back in Konoha, Ryuu and Daichi were preparing to spar. "Are you that nervous?" Ryuu asked, noticing Daichi's unease.
"Of course I am. Among our opponents is Neji, the star and genius pride of the Hyuga," Daichi replied, his voice tinged with anxiety. "And look, there's Toru and Chizuru. All of them are really strong shinobi," he muttered to Ryuu.
Hikari chuckled, hearing Daichi's concerns. "Well, I guess it just shows how far we've come," she said, though she too felt a flutter of nerves. She didn't let it show, and neither did Ryuu.
"Yes, today is the day we prove ourselves to our clan. Then we'll prove ourselves to the village when we become Chunin," Ryuu remarked boldly, his confidence unwavering.
The stage was set, and everyone stood ready. It was a one-on-one match: Ryuu versus Neji, Hikari versus Chizuru, and Daichi versus Toru. The first match was Daichi's. He felt the weight of everyone's eyes on him, observing his every move. Taking a deep breath, he focused.
"Byakugan," both participants said in unison, veins pulsing around their eyes as they stood in their battle stances. The crowd watched in anticipation, eager to witness the techniques forstered by the help of the Hokage's disciple.
Daichi took a deep breath, centering himself. He knew this was his moment to prove himself. Toru, on the other hand, stood confidently, his stance solid and unwavering.
"Begin!" the referee announced, and the match was underway.
Daichi moved first, his speed impressive as he closed the distance between them. He launched a series of swift strikes, each one aimed at Toru's chakra points. Toru countered with equal precision, blocking and deflecting Daichi's attacks with practiced ease.
"You're fast, Daichi," Toru remarked. "But let's see how you handle this."
Toru shifted his stance, his movements becoming more fluid. He executed a series of rapid hand signs, and suddenly, the ground beneath Daichi's feet began to tremble. "Earth Style: Mud Wall!" Toru called out, erecting a barrier between them.
Daichi didn't hesitate. He channeled chakra into his hands, forming a concentrated ball of energy. "Chakra Bullet!" he muttered, firing the projectile at the mud wall. The impact shattered the barrier, sending debris flying in all directions.
Toru leaped back, avoiding the debris with agility. "Impressive," he said, his eyes narrowing. "But I'm just getting started."
"Gentle Fist!" Toru exclaimed, aiming a series of precise strikes at Daichi's vital points. Daichi's Byakugan allowed him to see the attacks coming, and he deftly dodged and parried, his movements a blur.
"Not bad, but I've got a few tricks of my own," Daichi replied, a determined glint in his eyes. He shifted his stance, adopting the Fist of Flowing Waters technique. His hands moved differently from before in a more fluid manner, redirecting Toru's strikes and countering with his own.
As two exchanged blows, the crowd watched in awe as the techniques Daichi was using pushed Toru, one of this generations best, to his limits.
Toru attempted to create distance, but Daichi was relentless. He closed the gap instantly, his strikes becoming more aggressive. "Kimontonkō!" Daichi called out, creating a loupan circle around himself. He positioned himself at the center, reacting to Toru's movements, countering Toru's advances as if he knew exactly how to respond every to every attack Toru launched.
Toru's eyes widened in surprise as he found himself on the defensive. With a burst of chakra, Toru executed a spinning kick, aiming to break through Daichi's defenses. Daichi anticipated the move, using his Byakugan to read Toru's intentions. He sidestepped the kick and countered with a powerful palm strike to Toru's chest, sending him sprawling to the ground. The match was now over.
The crowd erupted in a brief silence as Daichi stood victorious, his chest heaving with exertion. Toru slowly got to his feet, he was slightly in a daze to what just happened, losing to a nobody from his clan. "I guess Neji is not the only one." he muttered to himself, extending a hand in congratulations to Daichi.
Daichi accepted the handshake, a sense of pride and accomplishment washing over him. After Daichi and Toru's match, the spectators were given a brief recess to digest the display they just witnessed.
"Impressive! To think such techniques could be created" One of the Hyuga elders remarked, "Indeed. These children must've worked really hard" Hikari's father said with a hint of pride. Hayashi continued to observed as he remained silent as of yet.
The atmosphere was charged with anticipation for the next match: Ryuu versus Neji. "Let's see how far you've come" Ryuu brother muttered as the spar began.
Ryuu stood at one end of the sparring ground, his eyes focused and determined. Neji, the prodigious Hyuga genius, stood at the other end, exuding an air of confidence and calm.
As the referee signaled the start of the match, both fighters activated their Byakugan simultaneously. Veins bulged around their eyes, enhancing their vision and chakra perception. The crowd fell silent, their eyes locked on the two combatants.
Neji moved first, closing the distance between them with blinding speed. He launched a series of swift, precise strikes aimed at Ryuu's chakra points. Ryuu countered with equal agility, blocking and deflecting Neji's attacks with fist of flowing waters technique, each palm strike of Neji was deflected, creating small pressure waves at each deflect.
"You're skilled," Neji remarked, his voice calm and measured. "Hee" Ryuu smiled as he released a burst of wind from his body like a shield creating some distance as Neji jumped a few steps backwards to avoid impact.
"Wind style?" Neji wondered, his eyes narrowing with curiosity.
"Your friend displayed some unusual ninjutsu as well. It seems you don't perform ninjutsu the way we do," Neji commented, his voice calm and analytical.
"So you've caught on. Although it's not like we're keeping it a secret," Ryuu responded, a confident grin playing on his lips.
Neji's movements became a blur as he executed the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, his hands striking with lightning speed. Ryuu's Kimontonkō technique allowed him to anticipate the strikes, but the sheer speed and precision of Neji's attacks forced him to stay on the defensive.
"Neji's technique is flawless," Ryuu thought, his mind racing to keep up. "But I have my own strengths."
Ryuu shifted his stance, catching and redirecting Neji's strikes with calculated precision. He then channeled chakra into his hands, changing its nature to fire. Flames enveloped his fists, the heat radiating off them.
"If he gets me with that, then I'm done for," Neji admitted, his eyes narrowing. "But I'm not done yet."
Neji executed a spinning kick, aiming to break through Ryuu's defenses. Ryuu sidestepped the kick, his Byakugan reading Neji's movements with remarkable clarity. He countered with a powerful palm strike, sending a giant fiery palm towards Neji. But Neji anticipated the move, dodging to the side with graceful agility.
The crowd watched in awe as the two fighters continued their dance of combat. Each move was calculated and precise, a testament to their skill and intellect. Ryuu's adaptability and unique techniques allowed him to gain an advantage, but Neji wasn't going down easily.
Neji's eyes darted, analyzing Ryuu's movements. "He's adapted well, but there's always a way," he thought. He attempted to create an opening with a series of rapid strikes, but Ryuu met each one with fluid counterattacks, his fiery fists adding an extra layer of danger.
"He's relentless," Neji thought, admiration and frustration mingling. He decided to change tactics. Channeling chakra into his palms, he aimed for Ryuu's shoulders, hoping to disrupt his control. Ryuu saw the intent, deflecting the blows with his Fist of Flowing Waters.
"You're skilled, Neji, but I've learned from the best," Ryuu said, his voice steady and confident.
Neji's expression remained composed. "Let's see how you handle this," he replied, launching into a sequence of high-speed strikes. Ryuu countered with equal speed, the air around them crackling with chakra and intensity.
The crowd was on the edge of their seats, captivated by the display of power and technique. Neji's genius and Ryuu's innovative approach clashed in a spectacle that left them breathless.
Despite Neji's best efforts, Ryuu's relentless pressure began to wear him down. Ryuu's fiery palm strikes created openings that Neji struggled to close. With a final powerful strike, Ryuu broke through Neji's defenses, sending him to the ground.
The crowd erupted in cheers as Ryuu stood victorious, his chest heaving with exertion. Neji slowly got to his feet, a smile of respect on his face. "Well done, Ryuu. You've truly grown strong," he said, extending a hand in congratulations.
Ryuu accepted the handshake, a sense of pride and accomplishment washing over him. He had proven himself, not just to his clan, but to everyone watching.
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