"A B-rank jutsu..." Kaito Nakamura muttered, his voice barely a whisper. His wide eyes stayed locked on the battlefield. "Guys like me may never even touch something like that."
Iruka, just returning from group training, froze in place. "The Shadow Clone Jutsu... it sounds powerful. This fight's already over."
The crowd buzzed with murmurs, their shock turning to unease. Even the teachers exchanged uneasy glances. For a student to perform the Shadow Clone Jutsu was unheard of. But Yūgao Uzuki's face was tight with something different—fear. Her fingers dug into her sleeves, and her voice barely rose above a whisper.
"He doesn't have enough chakra... Is he forcing a technique he hasn't mastered?"
Out on the field, Uchiha Hui's Sharingan spun behind his dark glasses. He had already memorized the sequence of hand signs as Hayate performed them. The Shadow Clone Jutsu was his now—a new weapon, one he knew could be invaluable.
His mind raced. With shadow clones, he could accelerate his training just like... well, like him. He couldn't summon dozens like Naruto would one day, but just two clones, devoted to honing his seal speed and shuriken technique, could make a world of difference. Hui smiled faintly. This was going to change everything.
That thought was cut short as Hayate moved.
Before Hui could react, Hayate blurred forward, faster than before. His clones flanked him like phantoms, their swords gleaming, half-drawn from their scabbards.
"His speed..." Hui's muscles tensed. Hayate's previous attacks hadn't been this fast.
"Heh..." Hayate's voice echoed from three directions at once. His pale face twisted into a strained grin.
This... isn't just speed, Hui realized. He's burning himself out.
Hayate's shadowed eyes locked onto Hui's. "Three Days' Moon Dance!"
The name struck the air like a hammer. On the sidelines, the Chunin instructor staggered back a step. "Impossible," he whispered. "That's... an A-rank jutsu. He's still a student..."
The crowd fell silent. Even the rowdiest students could only gape. This was no longer a match—it was a battlefield.
Yūgao's face paled. "This... this is my fault," she muttered. "If I hadn't provoked him..."
Out on the field, Hui's expression stayed calm, cold as steel. His mind worked faster than his body could move. The completed Three Days' Moon Dance can't be stopped. But this... this isn't complete. There's still a flaw.
Hayate's clones shifted, cutting off every angle of retreat. Any seals would be disrupted before Hui could finish them. Even dodging seemed impossible.
Unless...
The Sharingan's tomoe spun faster. The impossible speed of Hayate's movement slowed—just enough. Hui saw it—the flicker in Hayate's stance, the subtle hesitation in his footwork. His body was straining to keep up.
He's overextending.
Hui moved.
His feet slammed into the dirt, and he darted straight for the clone on his left. The crowd gasped, thinking he was rushing straight into a blade.
Hayate's smirk widened. "Idiot."
Steel flashed. Hui twisted at the last second, skidding low beneath the clone's sword. The tip scraped past his face, inches from slicing through his skin. With a sharp thrust, Hui drove his kunai into the clone's ribs—dispelling it in a puff of smoke.
The real Hayate stumbled. Off-balance.
Hui's fist shot upward. His knuckles struck Hayate's chin with brutal precision, sending him staggering back.
Blood trickled from the corner of Hayate's mouth. He blinked, dazed, before his eyes sharpened with rage. His hand shot for his blade again.
"This fight's over," Hui muttered.
His fingers flashed through seals, faster than before. Fire flared in his chest.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Flame Jutsu!"
Tiny fireballs burst from Hui's mouth, spiraling toward Hayate in erratic, unpredictable arcs. Hayate twisted and dodged, but the flames danced too wildly. One clipped his arm, burning his sleeve. Another struck his leg, sending him stumbling to one knee.
Hayate gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his face. "I... won't lose."
But even as he tried to rise, Hui was already walking away, his sunglasses still firmly in place.
"You already did."