His movements were faster, and his analysis of the situation was incredibly sharp.
Shikai was taken aback. In a matter of moments, Itachi seemed to predict each of his attacks. Every strike, every ninjutsu, every dodge—all were anticipated with terrifying precision.
Itachi's blows became more relentless. Despite Shikai's efforts, he accumulated burns on his hands and cuts on his face.
"You can't keep up with me," Itachi stated calmly but sharply.
Shikai, breathless, realized he had to do something drastic to match Itachi's speed and accuracy.
In a desperate move, Shikai created four shadow clones and dispersed them around the arena.
"He has a lot of chakra for a Nara," commented Mikoto as she arrived on the scene. Fugaku, observing the battle from above, narrowed his eyes. "He's very close to Kushina. Do you think he's a Nara-Uzumaki?"
Mikoto shook her head. "I doubt it."
She glanced at her son, who, although stoic, showed subtle signs of fatigue. "They're more or less evenly matched, but endurance will be the deciding factor here."
"I'm not so sure," Fugaku said. "This kid still has more to show."
Shikai formed complex mudras, and suddenly, bright yellow lightning appeared on the clones. Using the *Yellow Flash* technique, they moved swiftly among Itachi's shurikens.
"A technique created from the speed of the Yondaime?" wondered the right-hand man.
"I'd say it's more of an imitation of the Raikage's technique. Quite ingenious of Minato," Fugaku concluded.
Shikai's clones attacked from all sides. Itachi, though struggling, managed to defend himself with his Sharingan and strategic prowess. The battle became a dynamic ballet of dodges and counterattacks.
One of Shikai's clones executed *Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu* (Water Dragon Technique), a massive and impressive attack. The water dragon charged at Itachi, creating a powerful wave.
Itachi remained unfazed. He used *Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu* to counter the attack, creating an explosion of steam and a deafening roar.
But Shikai took advantage of the shadow cast by the explosion. His shadow techniques slipped through the chaos, immobilizing Itachi.
However, Shikai quickly realized that the body he had paralyzed was just a clone.
"Damn it!" he hissed through his teeth.
The real Itachi appeared behind him, kunai in hand, ready to deliver a decisive blow.
Suddenly, a kunai marked with a seal appeared in the air, speeding towards Itachi. Itachi barely dodged, but the kunai exploded into a blinding light.
The Shikai that Itachi was attacking disappeared in a cloud of smoke—another clone.
Itachi, surprised for the first time, quickly pivoted to avoid the strike. Shikai's kunai grazed his cheek, leaving a thin line of blood.
"Not bad," Itachi acknowledged.
In a golden flash, the real Shikai reappeared behind Itachi, kunai in hand.
"Hiraishin," Fugaku murmured, his brows furrowed.
Then, with a spinning kick in the air, Shikai sent Itachi flying away.
Itachi quickly got back up, wiping the blood from his cheek. "You're full of surprises, Shikai. I didn't know you had learned this technique from the Yondaime-sama. But I'm not beaten yet."
Shikai, panting, formed new mudras. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Itachi. But I still have a few tricks up my sleeve."
Shikai: *Tairitsu no In* (Confrontation Seal)
The ground crackled with electricity, and Itachi saw that he was completely surrounded by ten kunais. Shikai could appear anywhere, and he could even use this as a feint with a clone and deliver a fatal blow.
But what Itachi didn't know was that Shikai had very little chakra left, and with a bit of luck, after using the Hiraishin, he might pass out.
Itachi shook his head.
"I concede, this time you've won."
Shikai, still breathless, nodded.
"It's 127 to 254 in our battles."
"Well, next time, I'll win."
...
As Shikai, visibly exhausted, left the Uchiha clan, his face slightly marked by the burns and cuts from his intense battle with Itachi, a familiar silhouette appeared, running towards him.
"Shikai-kun! Wait!"
He turned his head slightly, raising an eyebrow, to see Izumi Uchiha approaching at full speed, her cheeks slightly rosy and a bright smile on her face.
'Oh no...' he thought, gritting his teeth, "not now..."
When there were people around, he played his role, but now he had no interest in conversing with her.
Izumi stopped in front of him, breathless but still radiant.
"You're really good!" she said with sincere admiration. "I watched you face off against Itachi-kun. I knew you were strong, but that was incredible!"
Shikai averted his gaze, looking irritated, but to Izumi, he seemed merely embarrassed due to their proximity.
"Hmph. It was nothing. Itachi didn't even give it his all."
Izumi frowned. "But neither did you, right? I mean, you still have some techniques up your sleeve, don't you?"
He sighed loudly, running his hand through his messy hair. "Maybe. That's none of your business, Izumi."
But instead of getting offended, Izumi blushed even more. She interpreted his cold tone as a clumsy way of hiding his interest.
"You're really... a bit tough on me, you know?" she said, laughing softly. "But I find it cute."
Unlike Itachi, who was a stoic training all the time, Shikai was just as talented, and it was well-known that he wanted to challenge Itachi because of her.
Shikai gave her a disbelieving look, slowing his pace as she walked alongside him.
"Cute? Me? You must be more tired than I am."
Izumi laughed. "Really!"
Shikai rolled his eyes, picking up his pace slightly, hoping she would get the message and leave him alone. But Izumi, undeterred, hurried to catch up with him.
"Tell me, Shikai-kun," she asked with a mischievous smile, "why do you come to challenge Itachi-kun so often? Is it because you want to impress someone, isn't it?"
Shikai stared at her for a moment, his icy expression showing no sign of wavering. "I do it for myself. No need to impress anyone."
But Izumi, completely unaffected by his coldness, placed her hands on her hips with a triumphant smile. "Oh, I see... You're just too humble to admit it, aren't you? If you were more brave..." She said the rest in a soft whisper.
Shikai came to an abrupt halt, fixing his gaze on the blushing Izumi with an exasperated expression.
'Why are the kids here so precocious? And wasn't she supposed to be in love with Itachi? What the hell is this turn of events?'