Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Uchiha VS Hyūga
However, Hiashi didn't pay attention to Sakumo's words. He jumped back to the second floor and shook his head towards Nawaki and Minato.
"What does he mean by that?" Nawaki muttered, not understanding Hiashi's action.
Minato pondered and said, "From the beginning of the battle, Hiashi-senpai could have easily won. The reason Miyazaki was able to keep distance from him was because Hiashi was going easy on him."
"You mean he was considering Miyazaki's feelings?" Nawaki might not be as quick-witted as Minato, but he wasn't stupid.
"Yes," Minato nodded. "So I think he doesn't want us to reveal the reason he got injured, or Miyazaki-senpai might blame himself."
Upon hearing this, Nawaki's gaze towards Hiashi changed.
"Didn't expect this guy to be so considerate of others' feelings," Nawaki said with a laugh.
Hiashi could understand their conversation because the Hyūga clan members practice lip-reading from a young age due to their Byakugan. Miyazaki couldn't hear what Nawaki and Minato said on the second floor, but Hiashi could read their lips.
Miyazaki also returned, looking dejected. Following Hiashi's request, Nawaki and Minato didn't tell him the specific reason for Hiashi's injury.
Sakumo Hatake, usually calm-faced, had a meaningful expression before announcing the next match.
"The fifth match, Uchiha Mikoto versus Hyūga Hizashi!"
Swish!
Two figures swiftly descended from the second floor, standing opposite each other with Sakumo in the center.
The genin who weren't paying attention earlier, even Uchiha Homura, now focused their gaze on the arena.
The reason was not just the two individuals but also their respective clans.
"An Uchiha versus a Hyūga, an interesting match," the smiling, blue-faced genin, the only one besides Nawaki who hadn't fought yet, commented on everyone's expressions.
In present-day Konoha, the Hyūga clan's reputation was no less than the Uchiha clan's.
More interestingly, the kekkei genkai bloodline limits flowing in their respective clans were both dōjutsu (eye techniques).
The Hyūga's Byakugan and the Uchiha's Sharingan were both renowned in the ninja world.
There was even a theory that the Sharingan originated from the Hyūga clan.
Regardless, in a sense, this match was the most exciting and interesting of all the matches today.
"Go, Mikoto!" Kushina naturally cheered for her friend, who responded with a gentle smile.
Minato had complete faith in the strong-willed and powerful Mikoto.
In the next moment, her black eyes became sharp. Although Mikoto lacked the Uchiha clan's arrogance, she felt pride in being born into this clan.
So, she absolutely didn't want to lose this match against Hizashi Hyūga!
Hizashi took the same starting stance as Hiashi earlier.
"Begin!" Sakumo shouted.
The two immediately sprang into action. Hizashi took the initiative, charging towards Mikoto with a speed unmatched by any genin.
While genin like Akasaka, Miyazaki, and Takenouchi Rin couldn't keep up with his movements, Mikoto could. As Hizashi rushed at her, she swiftly retreated.
Simultaneously, she grabbed at least ten kunai in her hands. She didn't need her eyes to locate Hizashi's position, directly throwing them all out.
Mikoto's thrown kunai had slightly different heights, angles, and speeds. Not even Miyazaki's level could match them.
The Uchiha's kunai techniques were renowned in the ninja world. Bulging veins appeared at Hizashi's temples as he activated his Byakugan, but his foot speed didn't decrease, seemingly ignoring Mikoto's kunai coming from various tricky angles.
Seeing the abnormality in his eyes, Mikoto knew he had activated his Byakugan, allowing him to precisely judge the landing points of her kunai at different time intervals.
With this, he could evade them directly – that was the Byakugan's observational power.
Against the Byakugan's intel, Minato only knew a little. He likely wouldn't dare face Mikoto's kunai head-on and would have to dodge, but Hizashi with his Byakugan could confront them directly.
However, Mikoto then took out and threw a few more kunai.
Clang!
The later kunai moved even faster than the previous ones, hitting the earlier kunai and changing their trajectories. Some even curved as if taking a turn, attacking Hizashi from behind.
Nearly ten kunai coming from all directions – this was no longer an issue of just seeing and resolving. The body movements required to dodge so many kunai in an instant were impossible.
Through his Byakugan, Hizashi realized Mikoto had changed the force on each kunai with her second throw, making their landing times nearly simultaneous.
Ingenious kunai techniques!
Minato was startled, and even the distant Uchiha Homura's eyes narrowed. When he had sparred with Mikoto before, her kunai techniques hadn't reached this level.
In this short time, her kunai techniques had become so formidable.
"So powerful, leaving no blind spots!" Nawaki, Kushina, and the others praised. If they had to face such an attack, they could only take the hits, with no other options.
"I know the Byakugan's observation has a 360-degree view with no blind spots, but how will you defend against kunai coming from 360 degrees?" Mikoto asked.
Hizashi regretted his reckless charge, allowing Mikoto to seize the initiative. However, this still didn't defeat him.
He stomped his front foot, forcibly halting his movement, then quickly formed a horse stance. To everyone's astonishment, he began spinning at an incredible speed.
"Rotation!"
While rapidly spinning, his chakra seemed to form a semi-circular shield, protecting him at the center.
All of Mikoto's kunai coming from various directions were deflected.
"So fast!" Even Minato's visual nerves could only see afterimages, prompting his admiration.
Beside him, Nawaki was even more shocked, saying, "I didn't expect Hizashi from the Hyūga Branch Family to have mastered the Rotation technique. To achieve this at his age is pure genius!"
Mikoto's kunai fell, but she never expected the battle to end there. As she threw the previous kunai, her hands had already begun forming hand seals.
Mikoto's seal speed was extremely fast. Afterward, she clasped her hands, with the index fingers joined in front of her mouth, and scorching flames erupted.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
(End of Chapter)
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone