Capítulo 82: Spar
Reaching the training ground in the Hyuga Compound where they always trained together, Hanabi and Ryomaru started defining the rules for their casual sparring tournament.
"So, no lethal moves, obviously," Hanabi said, twirling a kunai between her fingers.
"Agreed," Ryomaru said, looking at Temari and Hinata, who were sitting to the side. "Also, no summoning, and let's make it best two out of three?"
Hanabi grinned. "Trying to show off?"
Ryomaru chuckled. "Just want to make sure we have enough time for a proper rematch in case you get lucky."
"Lucky?" Hanabi huffed. "Alright, whoever loses has to get everyone else some dango."
"Dango? Make it something more challenging," Ryomaru shot back playfully.
"Fine, how about a week's worth of chores?" Hanabi smirked.
Ryomaru raised an eyebrow, "You're on."
Temari leaned over to Hinata and whispered, "Wow, they're really into this."
Hinata smiled, watching the interaction. "They both enjoy competition. It's nice to see them happy."
"Ready?" Hanabi asked, tightening her stance, her kunai held firmly in her hand.
"Always," Ryomaru replied, spreading his weight evenly, ready to spring into action.
The tension in the air thickened as they locked eyes, both sets of pupils shimmering with a competitive spark. And then, like arrows released from their bows, they lunged at each other.
Hanabi swung her kunai, aiming for Ryomaru's chest. But Ryomaru deftly sidestepped, avoiding her strike with ease. He counter-attacked with a series of rapid punches.
"I see you're not holding back," Hanabi said, barely managing to block Ryomaru's rapid-fire assault with her kunai.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Ryomaru shot back, a wry smile on his lips.
Ryomaru could sense the surge of chakra in Hanabi's movements. She'd gotten better at controlling it, each strike more precise and impactful than before. It was a testament to her growth.
Feeling Hanabi's chakra control improving, Ryomaru also amped up his game. He focused his chakra into his palms and released it in a controlled burst as he swung his fists, amplifying the power of his strikes but keeping them non-lethal.
"Nice!" Hanabi exclaimed, barely avoiding Ryomaru's last strike. She then launched a quick knee strike toward Ryomaru's midsection.
Predicting her move, Ryomaru countered by locking his arm against hers, stopping the knee mid-air and twisting gently to redirect her energy away from him.
"Close call," he said, pushing her back to create some distance.
Hanabi skidded a few feet but recovered her balance quickly. "I'm just getting started."
"Same here," Ryomaru replied. The atmosphere grew thick with competitive energy.
This time, it was Ryomaru who initiated, rushing toward Hanabi with a spinning kick. Hanabi ducked, but Ryomaru had expected that. He had already channeled chakra to his other leg and performed a secondary spin, the airborne heel of his foot arcing toward Hanabi's head.
"Nice try!" Hanabi shouted, barely dodging by bending her body backward in a limbo-like move, her chakra control allowing her to maintain balance in that awkward position.
Using her chakra-enhanced reflexes, Hanabi sprung back up and lunged forward. But Ryomaru was ready. He flexed his muscles and surged chakra through his legs, propelling himself high into the air to avoid her.
As he descended, he thought of trying to end it with a descending kick, but a flash of foresight stopped him. Hanabi would be ready. Instead, he landed softly and immediately rolled away, just in time to dodge Hanabi's upward slash with her kunai.
Hanabi looked at him, eyebrows raised. "You could've ended it there, you know."
Ryomaru smirked. "So could you. But where's the fun in that?"
Both circled each other, eyes never breaking contact. The gap in their skills had closed significantly since they first started sparring. Yet, Ryomaru could see it wasn't enough. He wasn't winded or even strained, his chakra control too refined. Hanabi, on the other hand, was starting to show slight signs of fatigue, a testament to the relentless pace he'd set.
Mustering his chakra for one final push, Ryomaru darted toward Hanabi faster than before. His arm extended, hand open, aiming not for a strike but a grappling move, to lock her in and end the fight.
Sensing the finality of the move, Hanabi gritted her teeth. She focused all her remaining chakra to her arms and attempted to counter his grab.
Their hands clashed, chakra against chakra. For a brief moment, neither yielded. But Ryomaru's superior chakra control began to show, and slowly but inexorably, he began to overpower her.
With a final burst of chakra, Ryomaru locked his grip on Hanabi's wrist, twisting gently but firmly, forcing her into a submissive position.
"Match," he announced softly.
Hanabi let out a sigh and then smiled, a mix of exhaustion and admiration in her eyes. "Alright, you got me. But you'll be doing my chores for a week soon enough."
Ryomaru chuckled. "We'll see about that."
"You're up, Hinata," Ryomaru called out, his eyes meeting hers. The atmosphere had changed slightly, a sense of respect now hanging in the air after his bout with Hanabi.
Hinata stepped into the makeshift arena, her eyes focused and stance refined. "Ready when you are."
Without another word, both combatants closed the gap between them. Hinata extended her palms, aiming to strike Ryomaru's chakra points directly. Ryomaru dodged nimbly, recognizing the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist technique.
"You've improved," Ryomaru noted, barely avoiding a palm strike to his shoulder.
"And you're just as fast as ever," Hinata responded, her eyes narrowing as she focused her chakra.
Ryomaru unleashed a high kick toward Hinata, who sidestepped effortlessly. He noticed how Hinata's chakra flowed seamlessly through her movements, showing how well she'd refined her control over the past year.
Ryomaru then aimed a jab towards Hinata's abdomen, his chakra focusing on the tip of his fingers. Hinata brought her hands together in a defensive stance, parrying the jab while directing her chakra to form an almost invisible barrier around her palms.
"Your chakra control is impressive," Hinata remarked, keeping her eyes locked onto Ryomaru's.
"That's the Cloud Village for you," Ryomaru said, grinning. "We like to stay electrifying."
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