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58.33% Path Of War / Chapter 125: Shira

Chapitre 125: Shira

The crowd both looked and sounded animated due to the show.

Jada, seated among her friends, narrowed her eyes at the screen, revealing the next matchup: Neji Hyūga versus Shira.

"That's not good," she murmured.

Naruto, caught mid-cheer for his friend, turned to Jada with a frown and asked, "What do you mean? Neji's strong! He can beat anybody!"

As Jada shook her head, causing her dark hair to sway with the motion, Arthur decided to chime in on their conversation.

"That's not what I meant," she said. "Naruto, you don't understand yet who Shira is."

Margaret and William exchanged glances, each understanding what she knew. Iruka, observing the sudden shift in mood among the group, adjusted his posture and asked, "Why is everyone so quiet?"

Jada let out a soft sigh, realizing she needed to clarify. So she replied, "For a guy like Shira, this tournament is like his calling. He's like Lee—he grew up relying solely on taijutsu as his only method of fighting."

Lee perked up, and they could all see the spark ignite in his eyes. With enthusiasm, he screamed, "I would like to fight this Shira and compare our taijutsu!" His boisterousness was just as infectious as Naruto's.

"It's not that simple," she cautioned. "Shira is smart, too, like Neji." He's not just strong physically; he's tactical."

Margaret interjected, "And if Neji didn't have the Byakugan... he might have become a lot like Shira."

The two then elaborated on his character. Shira was written to have been born in the Land of Wind and started his journey in a small town before relocating to the Sand Village at a young age.

He faced significant challenges due to his lack of talent in genjutsu and ninjutsu, which led to a ban from the village's academy instituted by the fourth Kazekage. As a result, he was subjected to the mockery of his peers but refused to be discouraged.

He therefore dedicated himself to perfecting his taijutsu, the only area where he could excel, employing unconventional training methods to hone his abilities.

Eventually, Gaara, who became the fifth Kazekage, recognized Shira's dedication and impressive taijutsu skills. In terms of personality, he's quite a calm, composed, and strategic shinobi. His loyalty to his village is also apparent, being that he continued training despite being ostracized.

Appearance-wise, he's tall with a fit build. He also has marks like spiky taupe-gray hair, several scars, and a blue dragon tattoo on his shoulder.

As excellent as he looks and sounds, it's important to note that Shira is still a filler character within the narrative. His role ultimately diminishes after the interlude, and his character does not significantly impact the overarching storyline beyond that point.

Of course, the three Naruto fanatics would know everything about that character.

"How do you two know so much about him?" Iruka wondered.

Living in a world where one knew everything about it often led to questions like these. The players forgot that some things had to be hidden so as not to arouse suspicion.

"Ugh… He's from the Sand Village, and I visited there once," William lied.

"Will, you idiot," Margaret whispered to herself.

"But… that doesn't explain how Marge and Jada know about—ya know what? Let me not push things."

What really mattered was how Neji felt about the situation. He remained stoic but was quite intrigued by who Shira was. Neji was not one to back down from a challenge.

"I know what I need to do," he stated firmly, refusing to show any sign of intimidation.

Jada, anticipating his resolve, smiled gently, knowing he would need some guidance. "Alright, Neji. Let me give you some pointers since I know how Shira fights."

From what Arthur recalled, Shira was strong enough not to be fazed by Neji's usual tactics. If this fight goes all out, Shira would undoubtedly have the edge simply because he's been honing his abilities without the same constraints.

That realization settled over the group as well. Neji understood well the limits of not being able to use his Byakugan in this tournament, a handicap that only heightened the stakes of this match.

Shira, meanwhile, was getting encouragement from some of the Sand shinobi who had traveled with him. None of those in his group were participants—just silent supporters who had come to watch. None of them were actually Shira's teammates, Sen and Yome, since Gaara hadn't been inaugurated as the Kazekage yet.

As Neji listened intently to his friends' strategies, he felt grateful. This Neji was undoubtedly not the same arrogant one before having his personality converted. Then Arthur witnessed him say something he wouldn't have expected.

"While I might not be the strongest Hyūga in my clan," he began, "I have been training alongside the strongest—Alex."

His admission drew gasps from the group. While this shouldn't have been a surprise, it didn't stop them from being a little astonished. Hardly any of the players actually trained with the other characters. Except for William, who loved Naruto so much that he even decided to live with the boy.

"Alex is extremely powerful!" William exclaimed. "If that's the case, then there's no doubt Neji's gonna win."

Arthur considered that statement. He, unlike the other players, wasn't aware of who the strongest was. He could make a guess, but he didn't want to be wrong. Just hearing that Alex's training was enough to boost Neji's prowess by so much that everyone else believed the Hyūga would win meant a lot.

'How strong is Alex?' Arthur thought to himself. 'No… if he didn't come here because he knew the opponents wouldn't be worth his time, then it'd be safe to assume he's the strongest player out of the other six.'

The arena's announcer called out the fighters to take the stage. With a calm stride, Neji approached Shira, who was already standing at the center. Both had determined looks.

"I have a friend just like you," Neji began.

Shira's interest piqued as he said, "There aren't many shinobi like me."

Neji allowed a small smile and replied, "You'd be impressed because the friend I'm referring to just fought in the first match."

"Lee?" Shira's wondered. His eyes didn't lie; he had been in admiration of Lee and clearly wanted to fight him. "I was looking forward to meeting him… But right now, it's my destiny to advance to the finals."

"I knew it!" Lee tried to scream out until his friends brought him back down.

"Lee," Margaret whispered while covering the boy's mouth, "don't ruin the scene!"

Neji's attention remained on Shira as he said, "I know a thing or two about destiny. You see, it can always change." He then turned his head back to his friends, who had given him the insights he needed. "Thanks to them, I can see something that even my Byakugan can't—the truth."

His declaration struck a chord within Shira, momentarily softening the competitive vibes surrounding them. However, both knew at that moment they had a purpose: to compete.

The announcer's voice boomed through the arena, capturing everyone's attention. "Fighters ready?" The breathless crowd leaned forward with anticipation. "Begin!"

Neji and Shira exploded into motion, their feet barely making a sound on the concrete floor. As they engaged, Neji quickly realized what his friends had meant about Shira's fighting style: the boy had been using the "Silent Fist."

Each of Shira's movements was so fluid that Neji scarcely heard a thing; it was as if the arena was enveloped in an eerie quietude around them, where even a pen drop could be heard.

In response, Neji relied on his acute instincts. He blocked and evaded that belied his lack of the Byakugan's enhanced vision. Every punch and kick Shira threw towards him was met with an equationally swift evasion.

Neji countered deftly, trying to anticipate Shira's moves. Shira, in turn, began to note Neji's uncanny performance.

Suddenly, the two stopped, allowing the crowd to erupt in wild cheers.

"Have we met in the past by any chance?" Shira asked, feeling a tad frustrated. He was asking because Neji was fighting as if he had seen his techniques before—the way he blocked and dodged with an almost supernatural ease.

"Maybe I'm just that good," Neji responded with a smirk.

"Yes!" Lee cheered. "Show him who is the boss, Neji!"

Shira grimaced with determination. Drawing from his own reserves of strength, he pushed forward, hoping to catch Neji off guard. The two exchanged blows once more.

Jada watched, absorbing the fight. She had shared her concerns earlier, but as she observed Neji's movements, her worries began to ebb.

"Bet you're frustrated not using that fancy Byakugan," Shira taunted as he sent a kick aimed directly at Neji's midsection.

Neji, unfazed, retorted coolly, "I can see just fine without it." As he spoke, his body shifted to a familiar stance—an indication that he was transitioning into a defining move. "The moment you stepped foot in this ring, you were already within my Eight Trigrams range."

With that, he moved into the Gentle Fist stance and launched into his signature technique: "Eight Trigrams: 64 Palms!"

"Look at him go!" Naruto yelled.

His hands became a blur as he unleashed a rapid sequence of strikes toward Shira.

Arthur activated his Tamashii to truly see what was happening. He was quite intrigued to see that each palm was directed at Shira's tenketsu points!

To use an Eight Trigrams technique like this one effectively required the Byakugan. Because to target one's tenketsu points, it was obligatory that a user have a dōjutsu that could see just as good as the Byakugan. Now he understood why the players were so confident in Neji's skills: the Hyūga had adapted to Alex's straining so well that he had new insights that no longer needed the Byakugan.

Neji continued. "Sixteen palms…! Thirty-two palms!" His intent was direct—he wanted to bring down his opponent without releasing his own chakra, testing Shira's defenses.

But Shira, being resilient, managed to defend against the flurry of strikes. He either moved or brushed aside Neji's attacks with a combination of skill and instinct. The blows being landed, however, were felt.

Lee, watching intently from the sidelines, stared in shock, realizing that no one had ever been able to withstand Neji's sixty-four palms without receiving serious injury.

Arthur, however, had a different perspective. While everyone marveled at Shira's unexpected defense, he recognized the underlying strategy behind Neji's assault.

"He's testing Shira's defenses," Margaret addressed.

Jada also recognized it. This prompted Naruto to dart his head from left to right and ask, "Huh? Why's he doing that? I thought they were going all out."

"Naruto," Margaret answered, "Neji wants to gauge him without overcommitting."

"Oh… I knew that!" the boy smiled.

To be frank, not even Iruka was aware of what Neji was doing. His attention immediately fell on Margaret. Were his students really that analytical when it came to taijutsu?

"Impressive," Shira smirked after withstanding the last palm, "but let's see how you handle this."

He contemplated activating the third Activation of the Seven Heavenly Breaths. Yet, just as the thought crossed his mind, Neji was already a step ahead. With agility that caught everyone off guard, Neji shouted, "Last Resort: Eight Gates Assault!"

He surged forward with a devastating burst of speed that landed perfectly on Shira, cutting through his momentum and preventing him from activating the Seven Heavenly Breaths.

This was truly a big deal, since he had done it without using the Byakugan! It was a near-impossible feat. To even be able to see the right tenketsu points to either block or unblock them was a skill only ever shown to be used by one character—Shira!

Reeling from Neji's strike but quickly recovering, Shira refocused his energy. He analyzed the situation and determined that he needed to unblock his tenketsu points.

Had he been aware that Neji could also block his tenketsu points without the need for the Byakugan? Had he known, he wouldn't have let his guard down so easily. No; he would have activated the Seven Heavenly Breaths from the start.

And Arthur knew what move Shira was thinking of using to fix his predicament: the Tenketsu Blocking Strikes technique.


next chapter

Chapitre 126: That Bored?

Neji became relentless and pressed his advantage. With excellent speed, he darted forward, unleashing a rapid sequence of taijutsu blows, leaving Shira staggered as he barely managed to parry the strikes.

Both fighters showcased their tenacity, treating the onlookers to a spectacle. Even if Lee and Naruto had impressed them earlier, this match was something else altogether.

Shira was far from yielding. He absorbed multiple hits from Neji while managing to return a few counters of his own. But things were clear: if only he could activate the Eight Gates, he believed the fight would have ended long ago. Neji was relentless, exploiting any moment of hesitation from Shira and not giving him a moment to breathe.

"You're not half bad," Shira admitted, sweat glistening on his brow.

"And you're pretty strong," Neji replied evenly.

At that moment, Shira advanced to the side and utilized a barrage of rapid strikes aimed at overwhelming Neji. But Neji, having anticipated this tactic, employed a series of flips and evasive maneuvers, seamlessly avoiding the attacks.

The crowd roared as Neji countered with a swift and powerful kick, aiming for Shira's midsection. The blow landed with a solid thud, but it wasn't enough to stagger the Sand shinobi back.

Then something shifted. Neji adopted a different stance, a barely perceptible change that Shira noticed but didn't fully comprehend.

All the players recognized that stance immediately; it was a technique used only once.

Neji felt oddly serene in that brief moment, as if time slowed down around him; his body was attuned to the rhythm of the fight. He squinted at Shira and said with a voice that resonated through the arena, "Eight Trigrams: 128 Palms!"

In an instant, Neji's hands blurred in motion as he assaulted Shira head-on. The first two strikes came, targeting Shira's hands; they were expertly blocked. Sensing his opponent's movements, Neji quickly pivoted to Shira's side, landing four swift strikes along his opponent's ribs.

Before Shira could fully react, Neji launched himself again, slipping into his blind spot to deliver eight more precise hits, aiming for the crucial tenketsu points.

The pattern continued; each combination of strikes left Shira reeling, struggling to keep up with the relentless assault. Each twin of strikes sent waves of excitement through the audience; they were witnessing a dazzling display of combat perfection that they had never witnessed.

Every time Shira raised his defenses, Neji found a new angle or exploited a gap, his attacks tearing through Shira's positioning with perfect timing. The attacks were like a built-in crescendo, leading to the final explosive notes of his technique.

As he completed the onslaught, landing the last of the one hundred twenty eight strikes with an impeccable finish, the crowd erupted.

Shira, having endured the onslaught, finally succumbed. His body suddenly dropped to the floor, the hard-fought battle finally taking its toll.

Breathing heavily, Neji stepped back. The adrenaline continued pumping through him as he surveyed his opponent.

"You are undoubtedly one of the strongest opponents I have had the pleasure of facing," he admitted, acknowledging Shira as a worthy shinobi.

The announcer's voice boomed over the arena, causing the excitement of the crowd to reach a fever pitch: "And the winner, by knockout, is Neji Hyūga!" Applause rose in admiration and support towards Neji as he respectfully bowed to the audience.

He stood humbled, feeling the weight of victory. He then glanced briefly at near the bottom, spotting his group cheering for him: Naruto, Jada, Margaret, Iruka, and Lee, their enthusiastic expressions igniting a sense of camaraderie that made the competition all the more worthwhile.

But amid the celebration, a familiar hazy thought occupied his mind—if there were truly stronger fighters out there, what would his next challenge be?

Just as that notion began to settle, he focused back on Shira, who was attempting to rise to his feet, determination alight in his eyes.

"Allow me to help you up," Neji called out, stepping toward him.

Shira, with a smile, waved a hand dismissively and said, "No need. I can stand on my own."

When he finally gained his footing, only slightly unsteady, Neji couldn't help but be impressed.

"You managed to regain your balance after that?" he said, shockingly.

How could those watching not be stunned? The Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms technique was devastating enough that it could effectively neutralize an opponent's chakra and render them immobile.

Although Neji hadn't hit all of Shira's tenketsu points, he had surely disrupted the flow of his chakra to leave him unable to use any taijutsu. And because of the technique's speed and precision, it wasn't something that easily could be withstood.

Despite the intensity of the match, Shira's resilience was undeniable. A newfound respect for him was given after seeing him stand.

"Even though I'm back on my feet," he said, brushing himself off, "the victory is still yours, Neji." He looked the Hyūga squarely in the eyes. "Truthfully, I'm surprised myself that I'm even standing."

Neji nodded, appreciating the words. This mutual respect was only something that could be forged between two strong fighters.

"You fought honourably, Shira. Your strength is impressive; you'll only continue to grow from here."

As the two shinobis shook hands, there was a sense of finality to the motion—an unspoken agreement of sorts. The crowd let out another wave of applause due to their sportsmanship.

Then, after exchanging quick but meaningful glances, they returned to their respective corners.

Shira's colleagues gathered around him, offering words of encouragement and apologies for his defeat.

"I'm alright," he reassured them. "Coming here was worth it. It only shows how much more I need to train."

His fellow fighters nodded in agreement and said, "We're glad to have you back on your feet, but we really hope you're not planning to leave just yet. We'd love to see more of this tournament!"

"I'm sticking around," Shira declared, "I want to see how the others fight, too; I'm sure I can learn a lot watching the rest of the matches."

With the Sand ninjas firmly in the mix, the group left their designated area to find seats in the stands. Shira might have lost, but they knew that he never came here for any prize or glory; he came to test his skills and to prove himself—a mindset most ninjas his age didn't have.

The announcer projected his voice once again, directing everyone's attention to the giant monitor, and said, "Next up, we have a match between Kasuga Nara and Santa Yamanaka!"

As the names were heard, the audience became restless. The last three matches really had their blood boiling. But the Nara and Yamanaka clan members in attendance were shocked.

"Wait," one said, "you mean we were matched up with those from our group?"

The announcer swiftly clarified, saying, "The matches were selected randomly. Yes, there's a chance they might fight one another!"

Despite the tension of competing against their own friends, Kasuga and Santa looked at each other resolutely. They shared a glance of understanding, and their clanmates agreed that they should give it their all regardless of their alliance.

They stepped forward, undeterred by the matchup.

"Let's do this," Kasuga said firmly.

"Right!" Santa replied with an equal sense of enthusiasm.

The two fighters took their stances, and as the match began, the fighters dove into their tactics. However, as the match unfolded, it quickly became clear to the spectators that it wasn't as exciting.

Their combat focused primarily on a series of parries and strikes that lacked the flair and depth that characterized previous fights. While it wasn't unimpressive to watch since they were ninjas, it simply wasn't as flamboyant or enthralling.

"Not that I'm not enjoying this, but it's—" a spectator began before trailing off, shaking his head.

"Boring," another voice chimed in. "It's too tame compared to the last matches."

"Well, it's to be expected," the spectator finished.

Though the crowd cheered, their excitement was a fraction of what it had been just moments before.

As the two fighters exchanged blows, Santa occasionally landed solid hits on Kasuga, who was working hard to keep up. The flow of the fight felt labourious and lackluster compared to the earlier matchups.

Meanwhile, not far from the action, Naruto overheard a couple of spectators discussing the fights.

"I hope not all of them are like this. I want to see that blond kid fight again!" one commented.

Naruto's grin took an edge of mischief; he relished the attention. But before he could bask in the moment, Jada nudged him and said, "Keep your eyes on the prize, Naruto. The winner of this match could be your next opponent."

"You're right," he laughed heartily, not letting the pressure get to him. In truth, Naruto was itching to fight just about everyone in the tournament. He had that much confidence that he could win.

Arthur, however, remained unaffected by their camaraderie. There was a sense of unease simmering just beneath the surface of his thoughts. He wasn't moved by their display of friendship; his focus rested on not just the fighters in the arena but everyone's gazes.

"I'm thinking of going to the bathroom," the Raikage said out loud.

"Are you that bored?" Mei wondered.

"They had their time to impress me…"

As the fight continued, Arthur had already deduced who would win.

Santa was actually a Chūnin right now, while Kasuga had yet to achieve the same rank. The gap in their experience was tangible, and even though Kasuga fought valiantly, he was limited by the current capabilities of a Genin. The crowd's muted reactions only reinforced this notion—there was a reason for that gap in confidence.

The minutes ticked by, and the conclusion of the match drew closer. Kasuga, to his credit, was holding his own, but no amount of rapid learning could fully bridge that divide.

Arthur recalled why he had allowed them into this tournament in the first place. The Leaf Village shinobi held potential, certainly, but he believed they needed to gather more métier before they could truly pose a threat. That's why they were selected—so he could assess their village's strength.

A group able to harness their abilities together would garner his respect, but alone they were still a considerable while away.

The match concluded, and Santa declared the victor through sheer accumulation of experience. He raised his arm in triumph as the crowd clapped.

"Good fight!" Kasuga said with an amiable smile on his face. Despite the loss, he embraced the sport of fighting, acknowledging Santa's skills with gratitude.

"Thanks! You did well too," Santa replied, returning the gesture. Respect passed between the two as they left the arena, once again proving their collaboration irrespective of their clans' allegiance.

The crowd settled, and the announcer's voice boomed through the arena. The monitor then generated the next set of fighters: Samui vs. Margaret Senju.

Margaret's heart raced at the sound of her name. She couldn't believe it—she thought she was going to have to wait awhile before seeing her name. She bounced on her heels, pumping herself up with a fierce grin brightening her face.

Iruka, however, looked concerned. So he asked, "Marge, are you sure it was a good idea for you to come here?"

"Why's that, Iruka-sensei?"

"I mean, don't you feel all the stares?" he wondered.

Truth be told, a lot of spectators were indeed eying her as she stretched. Not out of lasciviousness but out of greed.

Margaret's character was a Senju. One of her negative traits was that if her surname got out, she would be targeted for her cells.

"Oh, I'm not worried about them," she commented, focusing on her match.

"Iruka-sensei, if I may," Jada asked. "Marge is actually used to her name being out there. Remember that report that followed after we saved you, Naruto?"

"You mean from that Arthur guy?!" he addressed. "Yeah, I'd love to see him rise from the grave so I can beat him back down!"

The group smiled at his infectious behaviour.

"Marge's name was released to the public because of that," Jada continued. "Since then, she's been training hard, ready for attackers."

"Yep, and I'm not remotely worried," Margaret added.


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