Using Gentle Fist with chakra and without chakra was like dealing with two entirely different concepts.
Without chakra, Gentle Fist was simply an exquisite form of taijutsu.
But once chakra was incorporated, its meaning completely changed.
The terror of Gentle Fist wasn't in hitting the opponent directly. Even a strike that didn't land could send chakra into an enemy, injuring them or even sealing their chakra pathways.
Once an opponent could no longer access their own chakra, they became nothing more than a fish on a cutting board.
Especially when Hiashi Hyuga unleashed it.
Chakra surged into his strike, and a single palm could easily flatten a patch of forest.
Though Hiashi wasn't going full force, the impact of that palm was still formidable—snapping a tree was effortless.
If it hit Yasu, the thin, needle-like chakra would instantly penetrate his body, wreaking havoc internally.
A single misstep could leave permanent damage.
Even a genius could fall here.
"Boy, give up already! No—dodge! Now, or it's too late!"
Hiashi knew the full force of his palm. His anxiety was palpable, far more than anyone else present.
Yet Yasu stood perfectly still, unmoved.
Hiashi's palm had already been released; there was no turning back.
Suddenly, a pang of regret struck him.
The hope of the Hyuga clan's rise… was about to be destroyed by his own hand!
Then Yasu moved. Chakra began to ripple throughout his body, faint but steadily increasing.
Kakashi shook his head slightly.
Facing Gentle Fist with Gentle Fist was indeed the optimal counter.
But the key issue was Yasu's lack of chakra—he had barely more than a normal person, even after training.
How could he possibly match Hiashi?
"No… his chakra is increasing!" Kakashi's eyes widened in disbelief. He turned to Guy. "When did you teach him Eight Gates?!"
"What? No way!" Guy's face was full of confusion.
Since first meeting Yasu, he had no time to teach him such a dangerous jutsu—certainly not now.
Then Guy's eyes widened as realization struck, and he stammered:
"I… I just used it once earlier… that kid didn't see, right?"
"No way!" Kakashi's mind reeled.
Though they were close enough to observe Yasu, trees and foliage obstructed the view. It would have been impossible to fully see him.
And the Eight Gates technique wasn't something learned lightly.
Even Kakashi, the Copy Ninja, couldn't master it under such conditions.
But this was the only reasonable explanation.
"Do we step in now?" Guy asked with a bitter smile.
"Let's wait a bit, stay ready," Kakashi said, pulling up his forehead protector to reveal the Sharingan.
With sufficient chakra now flowing, Yasu's palms glowed, enveloped in chakra, and he struck. His palm shattered Hiashi's incoming strike effortlessly.
"How is this possible? This kid knows the Eight Gates? Guy actually taught him this?!"
While Hiashi's mind reeled, Yasu vanished from his sight.
"Flying Thunder God Technique? No… it's Shunshin! Using Shunshin to escape before my eyes… how many secrets is this kid hiding?"
Even shocked by Yasu's speed, Hiashi didn't fully acknowledge it yet.
Most eyes couldn't follow such high-speed movement—but the Byakugan was different.
The Byakugan had a 360-degree field of vision, leaving no blind spots. No matter how fast an opponent moved, traces could always be tracked.
"Byakugan!"
Hiashi's veins around his eyes bulged, and a gaze that could pierce through a soul pushed outward.
"Got him… how is he this fast?!"
Hiashi's disbelief deepened.
Yasu's speed had surpassed his expectations. Several times, what appeared to be Yasu's position was just afterimages caused by his insane speed.
Guy let out a dry chuckle. He had become numb to Yasu's velocity.
Even without opening the Eight Gates, his speed had already reached an extreme level. With the Gates open, it had entered the realm of the unimaginable.
"Third Gate, the Life Gate… when did he even learn Eight Gates?!"
Opening more Gates increased all physical abilities dramatically—but at the same time, it inflicted greater damage on the body. Open the Eighth Gate, and the result was singular: death.
At this moment, Yasu's speed reached a near-inhuman level. Even with Byakugan activated, Hiashi could only catch a faint afterimage.
"I only used a little chakra, and this kid… unleashed his ultimate!"
Hiashi exhaled sharply, fully alert now.
If he lost even with chakra, his pride would be completely shattered.
Suddenly, Yasu reappeared in front of Hiashi, striking a palm at his chest.
It looked soft, harmless… yet Hiashi felt an overwhelming sense of danger.
He tried to retreat, but before he could take a step, a searing pain exploded in his chest, sending him flying backward. He stumbled five or six steps before regaining his stance.
"Visual illusion!"
Hiashi stared in disbelief.
Hyuga clan members trusted their eyes implicitly—but once deceived, they were completely vulnerable.
If it had been a normal day, Hiashi could have dodged Yasu's strike easily. Even if he failed, he could have used Kaiten in time.
But the illusion made him feel safe, leaving him utterly unprepared.
Hiashi's gaze hardened.
Visual illusions usually relied on genjutsu—but ordinary genjutsu was like child's play against Byakugan; one glance and it was seen through.
This strike relied entirely on Yasu's own speed—so extreme that it created a visual illusion.
Compared to genjutsu, this was far more terrifying.
Hiashi snorted coldly.
Speed that created illusions was impressive, but for a seasoned fighter like him, it did not confer absolute advantage.
"Boy, I must admit, you're strong… but this ends now!"
Hiashi closed his eyes and slowly spread his hands.
"Eight Trigrams, Sixty-Four Palms!"