Kakashi vs. Hyūga Kenji
"Are you Hatake Kakashi, the so-called strongest genius of Konoha?"
Kakashi's opponent introduced himself as Hyūga Kenji, a member of the Hyūga clan a few years older than Yuyan.
"Uh... did I offend you somehow?"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow, puzzled by the hostility in Kenji's tone. He hadn't heard of such a title before, and certainly didn't think he deserved to be singled out over it.
"I just want to remind you—being a genius doesn't mean you can act with impunity."
Kenji's voice was laced with contempt, his disdain for Kakashi practically radiating off him. To outsiders, it might've seemed like the two had a grudge.
Kakashi felt uncomfortable at the accusation. He couldn't even refute it. After all, his rigid belief in the Shinobi Code—"the mission comes first"—had led him to cold decisions that earned him a reputation for being callous toward his teammates.
That was part of the reason he graduated a year early, only to be assigned a team with Rin and Obito, both freshly minted Genin. His original jōnin instructor, appointed by the Third Hokage, lacked the temperament to guide him. Minato-sensei had to step in.
"Hey, Yuyan, is your clan always this hostile to geniuses?"
Bai Ye, observing the situation, watched Kenji's bitter rant with some amusement. "He's like the opposite of Neji. Neji looked down on the weak. This guy seems to hate the talented."
"I've heard a bit about Kenji's story..."
Yuyan leaned in, whispering softly to Bai Ye, mindful not to let others hear.
Kenji was about four years older than her. When he was younger, he showed decent talent—nothing groundbreaking, but above average. However, compared to Yuyan's exceptional gifts, he quickly faded into obscurity.
Like most branch family members, Kenji had the Caged Bird Seal placed upon him. It was a Hyūga tradition: protect the secrets of the Byakugan and enforce loyalty. Few escaped it. Yuyan was a rare exception.
In his early years, Kenji accepted this fate. He had been raised to believe it was unchangeable. But when Yuyan was born—and it was discovered that her Byakugan was remarkably pure—everything changed.
Her talent was undeniable. She mastered the Gentle Fist with grace beyond her years. At first, Kenji and Yuyan had a good relationship, almost like siblings, often sparring and pushing each other to improve.
But that changed when Kenji learned that Yuyan wouldn't be sealed.
Without her knowing, the warmth between them vanished. Kenji even confronted Yuyan's father—about it, claiming he wasn't inferior to her. The result: he was punished and confined for more than a week.
That incident changed him. The gentle older brother vanished, replaced by someone increasingly bitter—someone who couldn't stand the mention of prodigies.
Still, there was a silver lining. Since then, Kenji had pushed himself harder than ever, striving to prove his worth to the clan.
"Honestly, your clan has some of the most messed-up family dynamics I've ever seen."
Bai Ye shook his head. "I wouldn't be surprised if this kind of dysfunction repeats every generation."
It reminded him of Hizashi's quiet resentment. Hizashi had never said it out loud, but when Neji was sealed because of him, his discontent with the clan's traditions became clear.
"Hmph!"
Yuyan twisted Bai Ye's arm in irritation and turned away. On the field, the fight between Kakashi and Kenji had officially begun.
Kakashi, known for his proficiency with the White Light Chakra Sabre, didn't rush in recklessly. He'd fought Yuyan before—he knew Hyūga had limited ranged capabilities, so he maintained distance, probing Kenji's tactics.
"Don't you think it's inconvenient that Hyūga don't use ranged ninjutsu?"
Kakashi began using basic Fire Release techniques—small bursts of flame, akin to burning balsam seeds—to block Kenji's advances.
Bai Ye watched with a furrowed brow. "Later, the Hyūga clan develops Hakke Kūshō (Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm), which is excellent at range. But early on, their options are... lacking."
"And it's not like they can't learn ninjutsu," he added, glancing at Kenji. "He has the potential but chooses not to."
"For us from larger clans, training is... restricted,"
Kenji, lounging against the railing, cut in lazily.
Bai Ye was reminded that most clan heirs or promising members were pressured to focus solely on their kekkei genkai or secret techniques. Common ninjutsu were often considered beneath them.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
After driving Kenji into a corner with a Fire Release technique called Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu (Hōsenka no Jutsu), Kakashi hurled a shuriken—and it split into dozens of clones, surrounding Kenji.
Kenji had no room to dodge. His back was to the wall.
"That's an A-rank technique. Developed by the Third Hokage himself. I didn't think Kakashi could already use it."
Bai Ye was impressed. The Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique could multiply a single shuriken into hundreds, or even thousands, depending on chakra control. Kakashi couldn't generate thousands like Hiruzen, but dozens was impressive for a Genin.
"Damn that Kakashi..."
Yuyan muttered. "He held back when we fought."
As the storm of shuriken rained down, Kakashi's breath became heavier. The move had clearly taken a toll on his chakra. He kept his eyes trained on the smoke.
Everyone else stared in anticipation. That single technique had validated Kakashi's reputation. But the real question remained—could Kenji survive it?
"Why wasn't I reincarnated into the Hyūga clan..."
Bai Ye muttered enviously, eyeing Yuyan's Byakugan. Among all the spectators, she alone could see through the smoke clearly.
Though the Byakugan didn't offer powerful jutsu, its utility was undeniable. Entire nations had tried to steal it for a reason.
Before the smoke cleared, Kakashi dashed forward, drawing the White Light Chakra Sabre from his hip. Better to close the gap before Kenji recovered.
From what could be seen through the fading dust, Kenji was cut and bleeding—but still standing. He hadn't managed a perfect defense like Kaiten (Rotation), but he'd used kunai to deflect the most lethal hits and tanked the rest.
Kakashi recognized it immediately: Kenji hadn't mastered Kaiten, which meant there was no reason to waste chakra on flashy ninjutsu.
Kakashi smiled slightly. In close combat, he had the edge.
With Byakugan not yet awakened and Kenji lacking 360° defense, the next exchange would come down to skill, judgment, and experience.