The next match drew the most attention of the day. If the earlier fight with Hayashi had been the most loudly cheered, then this battle promised to be the most intense.
On one side stood the graduating class team, led by the Hyuga brothers, Hiashi and Hizashi. On the other side was the fifth-year team, led by Hyuga Himeji.
This was no ordinary match—this was a battle between siblings.
"Sister, if you lose, just come home obediently," Hyuga Hiashi said calmly. Despite his composed words, the faint worry etched on his face betrayed his feelings as he looked across at his younger sister.
"Senior, please guide me," Himeji responded coolly.
She wore the Hyuga clan's standard uniform, her pale eyes gleaming with the activation of her clan's dojutsu. Her light blue hair swayed slightly, giving her a striking resemblance to the future Hyuga Hinata. Yet, unlike Hinata's soft demeanor, Himeji exuded an icy sharpness, a fighting spirit as cold and unyielding as a frozen mountain peak.
From the stands, Hayashi tilted his head in mild confusion. Hiashi had just addressed Himeji as "sister," but Himeji had responded by calling him "senior." Their relationship seemed complicated, and Hayashi's curiosity flared instantly.
Himeji gave a respectful bow to Hiashi before lowering into her stance.
"Byakugan!" she declared, the veins around her temples bulging as her dojutsu fully activated.
Gasps and cheers erupted around the arena.
"It's the Byakugan!"
"Go, Himeji!"
"Defeat Hiashi!"
If Hayashi's reputation came from his mastery of genjutsu and his all-around academic dominance, then Himeji's fame was born from being the perfect balance of genius and beauty.
From the very first year, her presence in the academy had captured everyone's attention. Countless male students had confessed to her, but she had never once accepted. In time, absurd rumors had begun to circulate about her, but none of that dimmed her brilliance.
Himeji had firmly held the top spot in her year without fail, excelling in every discipline. At only nine years old, she could already wield the Byakugan with proficiency and combine it seamlessly with the Gentle Fist. Few in the academy could even stand against her.
She was also the daughter of the Hyuga clan head, one of the most prestigious families in Konoha. This only added to her allure, making her the number one name on the academy's whispered "most desired girlfriend" list.
Naturally, her appearance on the field stirred the crowd into a frenzy. Cheers for Himeji echoed from all directions, while Hiashi received almost no support. Even his brother, Hisashi, stood quietly by Himeji's side.
But Hiashi cared little for popularity. All that mattered to him was his sister.
For a brief moment, neither sibling moved. The tension in the air grew heavy. The crowd, however, was already restless, red-faced and impatient, as if they wanted to leap into the ring themselves.
Finally, Hiashi closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the veins around his eyes surged to life.
"Byakugan!" he declared, his stance lowering.
It was now Byakugan against Byakugan.
The dojutsu of the Hyuga clan allowed them to see the chakra pathways within the body, striking precise points to block or disrupt the flow of energy. Combined with the Gentle Fist taijutsu, it was a fighting style feared across the shinobi world.
And yet, Hayashi couldn't help but think to himself, These are the eyes of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki herself, and the clan only uses them for taijutsu? What a waste of potential.
Back on the platform, Himeji narrowed her eyes. All she wanted was to prove her strength, to show that she surpassed Hiashi.
The two surged forward at the same time.
Their palms clashed with sharp bursts of chakra, each strike echoing like a thunderclap. Himeji twisted away from Hiashi's first blow and countered with a palm aimed at his face. Hiashi ducked low, redirecting chakra through his palm in an attempt to shut down her tenketsu. She spun away, launching a swift kick that Hiashi barely dodged.
The duel grew fierce, each clash faster than the last. Hiashi pressed forward relentlessly, his age and physical strength giving him a slight edge. Still, Himeji matched him strike for strike, her cold eyes unwavering.
Spectators were on edge.
"Despicable! Hiashi's using tricks again!"
"That jerk, always relying on sneak attacks!"
The boys who admired Himeji shouted themselves hoarse, rallying her on. Even some Uchiha students in the stands held up a makeshift banner that read: Down with Hiashi, support Himeji!
Hayashi, watching from above, tugged Mikoto gently away from the crowded railing. If things escalated, he knew some spectators might actually rush into the ring. Best not to get caught up in the chaos.
On the stage, Hiashi suddenly leapt into the air, hurling several shuriken as he descended toward his sister. Himeji's eyes narrowed, and with a flicker, her body vanished, replaced by a substitution log.
Hiashi landed, scanning. His Byakugan tracked her instantly, and he spun behind her with blinding speed.
"Sister," he said firmly, chakra surging into his hands, "I've practiced this technique for years. If you lose, admit your mistake and come home."
A glowing Tai Chi symbol spread across the ground beneath them.
"Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
Himeji turned sharply, but the sequence was already in motion. Hiashi's palms struck with overwhelming precision.
Within the Eight Trigrams, escape was nearly impossible.
"No one escapes my domain!" Hiashi declared, his final strikes closing in.
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