Chapter 120: Analyzing the Gentle Fist
In just one exchange, Koshino only used a Leaf Whirlwind, and Hyuga Ren, a Jonin, suffered a crushing defeat!
Especially afterward, as Koshino's indifferent voice echoed, not only was Hyuga Takano stunned, completely frozen in place,
but even the other Hyuga Clan ninjas, who were ready to teach Koshino a lesson, turned pale upon witnessing Hyuga Ren's defeat!
It's important to know that the Hyuga Clan ninja Koshino defeated was not a nobody!
The person Koshino defeated was Hyuga Ren!
Even though Hyuga Ren was from the branch family of the Hyuga Clan, which many of the clan members present looked down upon, his strength was undeniable.
Even Hyuga Takano found it challenging to defeat him, certainly not as effortlessly as Koshino did, defeating him in just one round!
So, the moment Koshino defeated Hyuga Ren, nearly all the Hyuga Clan ninjas gasped in shock!
Those stronger than Hyuga Ren managed to maintain their composure in front of Koshino.
But the remaining Hyuga Clan ninjas, who were not as strong as Hyuga Ren and knew his strength well, couldn't help but show fear in their eyes after recovering from the shock.
Some even took several steps back, as if trying to avoid Koshino's sharp edge!
"What just happened? Did I see it wrong? Ren actually lost?"
"In just... just one round, that kid from the Nara Clan defeated Hyuga Ren. Am I seeing things?"
"What a terrifying guy! No wonder Hyuga Nachirin died at his hands; he really has some skill!"
"Of course! Becoming an Anbu at such a young age, do you think the people in the village are fools?"
"Will Lord Takano send me to spar with him? I don't want to die!"
"He's Anbu! Anyone who dies at his hands dies in vain! I say we should go back to the village and let Lord Hizashi handle this!"
Just by defeating Hyuga Ren, Koshino shook the Hyuga Clan ninjas' resolve for revenge and trampled on the so-called noble dignity of the Hyuga Clan!
However, when Hyuga Takano heard the fearful exclamations of the Hyuga Clan ninjas, the look in his eyes became even more sinister!
"Not only did he trample on the noble dignity of the Hyuga Clan, but at such a young age, he has this potential.
This kid from the Nara Clan will definitely become a threat to the Hyuga Clan in the future!"
"Even if it costs me my life, I can't let him leave alive. Otherwise, not only will the Hyuga Clan have a hidden threat, but we'll also become a laughingstock for the Uchiha Clan!"
Determined in his heart, yet recalling Hyuga Ren's crushing defeat, Hyuga Takano hesitated.
"But... if I really fight this kid, will I be the one who wins?"
"No way!"
"I must have absolute confidence before I act; I can't lose to this kid and lose face!"
Thinking this, Hyuga Takano took a deep breath and ordered again:
"Once, Ren lost, so it's your turn!"
"Yes, Lord Takano!"
Even though Hyuga Ichiji, another branch family ninja, wasn't as strong as Hyuga Ren, he knew he had to lose to Koshino.
But he had no choice.
After all, Hyuga Takano was the highest authority of the Hyuga Clan in the camp.
Moreover, Hyuga Takano was from the main family of the Hyuga Clan, so Hyuga Ichiji could only bite his lip and silently acknowledge, then cupped his fists toward Koshino and said:
"Hyuga Ichiji, please teach me!"
"Oh? Another branch family member from the Hyuga Clan?"
Seeing another branch family member step forward, how could Koshino not understand Hyuga Takano's intentions?
Clearly, in Koshino's estimation, Hyuga Takano was sending one branch family member after another to exhaust his chakra.
Whether it was Hyuga Ren before or Hyuga Ichiji now.
As long as he could exhaust Koshino's chakra, Hyuga Takano didn't care how ugly their loss might look.
After all, they were all members of the Hyuga Clan's branch family. If they lost face, it was the branch family's disgrace, as if they weren't part of the main Hyuga Clan at all.
However, even if Koshino knew Hyuga Takano's plan, what could he do?
Since Koshino had long decided to treat all members of the Hyuga Clan as stepping stones, he didn't care how many schemes the Hyuga Clan had up their sleeves!
But knowing Hyuga Takano's plot, if Koshino didn't mock him a bit, it wouldn't be in Koshino's nature!
So, when Koshino realized that Hyuga Ichiji was indeed from the Hyuga Clan's branch family, he gave Hyuga Takano a disdainful smile and said,
"Hyuga Ichiji, if I'm not mistaken, you're from the Hyuga Clan's branch family, right?"
"Y-yes! Just now, Hyuga Ren was also from the branch family!"
"Another branch member? Interesting!"
Hearing Hyuga Ichiji's response, the contempt in Koshino's eyes grew stronger, and he laughed,
"You, leading the Hyuga Clan, if I'm not mistaken, should be from the main family, right?
I've heard it said that the main family produces fools, while the branch family produces geniuses. It seems that's true."
"If there's ever a problem, it's always the branch family that helps you out."
"And yet, those without ability can issue orders just because of their main family status."
"Hyuga Ichiji, am I right?"
By exploiting the conflict between the Hyuga Clan's main and branch families, Koshino delivered a stinging slap to Hyuga Takano.
After Koshino finished speaking, even Hyuga Ichiji looked at Hyuga Takano with a strange gaze, making Hyuga Takano's face burn with embarrassment.
However, as a member of the Hyuga Clan's main family, Hyuga Takano certainly didn't want to lose face in front of Hyuga Ichiji.
He merely gave Hyuga Ichiji a fierce look. Under Hyuga Takano's aggressive gaze, Hyuga Ichiji gritted his teeth, activated his Byakugan, and launched a Gentle Fist attack towards Koshino!
"Enough talk, take this!"
"Gentle Fist!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
The same Byakugan, the same Gentle Fist!
When Hyuga Ichiji activated his Byakugan, just like when Hyuga Ren used the Gentle Fist earlier,
Koshino used his wind-like perception, comparable to the Fourth Hokage, to constantly sense Hyuga Ichiji's attack patterns.
However, unlike his swift victory over Hyuga Ren, Koshino didn't defeat Hyuga Ichiji in a single move.
At this moment, it wasn't that Koshino couldn't quickly defeat Hyuga Ichiji.
To be honest, when Koshino used the acceleration technique comparable to the Fourth Hokage,
as long as he could seize the opponent's weakness and fully unleash the power of the Leaf's Strong Fist style, he had at least a fifty percent chance of defeating even Hyuga Takano, the elite jonin.
After all, Koshino was constantly maintaining that feeling of mental energy on the verge of "qualitative" change!
The second stage of extreme wind chakra nature transformation, that wind chakra usage method comparable to the Fourth Hokage, was no joke!
However, knowing that the Hyuga Clan intended to wear him down with a battle of attrition, if Koshino didn't master the weaknesses of the Gentle Fist early on, wouldn't that make him seem a bit foolish?
So, using his wind perception to constantly sense Hyuga Ichiji's attack patterns, Koshino appeared to be struggling to dodge Hyuga Ichiji's Gentle Fist, causing the watching members of the Hyuga Clan to secretly rejoice.