Sarutobi Shinnosuke felt a chill behind his back. Without turning his head, he threw three shuriken backward.
Yamanaka Inoichi quickly threw three shuriken to intercept them. While this protected him and Akimichi Chōza from harm, it also exposed their position.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke turned around, his expression serious. Although he found it strange why Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Chōza could cooperate, once he thought about the relationship between the Ino-Shika-Chō families, he quickly accepted this outcome.
So he drew a wooden kunai from his ninja tool pouch and used the Body Flicker Technique to charge towards Yamanaka Inoichi.
Strike first to gain the initiative!
However, Yamanaka Inoichi was already prepared. He began forming hand seals for the Substitution Technique. With a poof, he turned into a wooden log. Sarutobi Shinnosuke didn't think he could take down Yamanaka Inoichi in one move either.
At this moment, Akimichi Chōza, holding a kunai, directly stabbed at Sarutobi Shinnosuke. Seeing this, Sarutobi Shinnosuke changed his stab into an upward flick, twisting the kunai in his hand to deflect Akimichi Chōza's thrust upwards.
Using one move to dissipate force and use the opponent's strength against them, he easily neutralized this attack, then pulled back to maintain a safe distance from Akimichi Chōza. Akimichi Chōza narrowed his small eyes.
He had clearly entered combat mode. Yamanaka Inoichi jumped down from the tree above Sarutobi Shinnosuke and launched a slash at him.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke sensed the danger, raised his hand to block. Bang! He turned his head and looked up, making eye contact with Yamanaka Inoichi.
Yamanaka Inoichi, seeing his attack had failed, immediately pulled back and threw two shuriken, which were knocked down by Sarutobi Shinnosuke using his kunai.
Thud! Thud! Two sounds rang out. Sarutobi Shinnosuke looked up, thinking, 'This won't do. I can't use offensive ninjutsu, my advantages are almost negated.'
'And I'm fighting one against two. Even if I have the confidence to take one down, the other will capture me. No matter what, I won't be the one laughing last!'
He threw three kunai, then left his spot and rushed towards Namikaze Minato.
After receiving the message, the shadow clone of Namikaze Minato at the bonfire didn't delay either, heading towards where Hyūga Hiashi and Uchiha Fugaku were.
Although Sarutobi Shinnosuke found it strange, he still followed. Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Chōza chased closely behind, their expressions serious, unwilling to let Sarutobi Shinnosuke escape.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke's strength ranked second among the six youngsters. Neither of the two was confident they could eliminate him and still retreat unscathed!
Therefore, 'kick a man when he's down'! Eliminating the second strongest would greatly increase their chances of winning.
"Fugaku, without ninjutsu, you cannot defeat me!" Hyūga Hiashi said with a serious expression, an aura of arrogance emanating from him.
"Tch, save your breath." Uchiha Fugaku drew a wooden katana, one he had made himself within thirty minutes.
Even without Uchiha ninjutsu, he could win everything through the Uchiha Style Sword Techniques!
Hyūga Hiashi took a deep breath and focused. The three great sword styles of Konoha Village: Moonlight, Hatake, Uchiha. Their reputation is well-deserved.
He took a deep breath and adopted a Tai Chi fist stance. Tai Chi fist wasn't ninjutsu, but taijutsu. At worst, he just wouldn't use chakra!
Uchiha Fugaku didn't move, maintaining eye contact with him. Suddenly, Namikaze Minato approached from that direction, the sound attracting both of them.
Hyūga Hiashi heard the sound now too, and his back was towards the source. He couldn't activate the Byakugan, so he faced two choices.
Turn around to check the situation behind him.
Ignore the situation behind him and guard against Uchiha Fugaku in front.
Whichever he chose, it was extremely uncomfortable for him. After looking at the wooden sword in Uchiha Fugaku's hand, and remembering that offensive ninjutsu was forbidden, he gritted his teeth and turned around. As a result, he saw Namikaze Minato in front, Sarutobi Shinnosuke close behind, and Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Chōza chasing after them. His face turned pale.
Uchiha Fugaku seized the moment, swung his wooden sword, and thrust it towards Hyūga Hiashi. Hyūga Hiashi, unable to activate the Byakugan, could only guard against one side. Clearly, the damage the other four people could cause was much more severe than what Uchiha Fugaku alone could inflict.
Therefore, he ignored Uchiha Fugaku, allowing the wooden sword to strike his back. Just as Namikaze Minato's shadow clone got close enough... Kaiten!
The Rotation was activated, the defensive ninjutsu deployed, destroying the wooden sword and sending Uchiha Fugaku flying. The high-speed spiraling chakra made Namikaze Minato's shadow clone realize something was wrong. He used the Body Flicker Technique, passing by Hyūga Hiashi.
But Sarutobi Shinnosuke behind him was much less fortunate. With Namikaze Minato blocking his view ahead, his vision was limited. After Namikaze Minato disappeared, he couldn't react in time and crashed directly into the Rotation.
With a bang, he was sent flying back the way he came, rushing towards Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Chōza.
The two were stunned, looking at Sarutobi Shinnosuke and cursing inwardly. What kind of move was this!
Sarutobi Shinnosuke's momentum didn't decrease, he crashed into the two, sending them flying. Finally, the three of them lay together in a heap.
Namikaze Minato's shadow clone controlled his strength, came behind them, and struck their carotid arteries precisely. Instantly, the three fell asleep.
This also meant the three were eliminated. Namikaze Minato's shadow clone took a deep look at Hyūga Hiashi, then returned to the bonfire side, though his attention remained entirely on Hyūga Hiashi and Uchiha Fugaku.
Uchiha Fugaku was sent flying, but because he reacted quickly and let go of the wooden sword, he spun gracefully three times in the air before landing steadily.
Only his left hand was already red and swollen. He hid it behind his back, his expression unchanged. Truly worthy of the Hyūga clan's two secret techniques, the Gentle Fist art and the Rotation.
Even a defensive ninjutsu could cause such significant rebound damage.
After the Rotation was dispelled, Hyūga Hiashi's face was pale. It wasn't that his chakra was exhausted; he still had two-thirds left. It was just the injury from Uchiha Fugaku's earlier strike.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He stared intently at Uchiha Fugaku. So now it was a one-on-one fight! Uchiha Fugau also stared intently at him, though he simultaneously observed Namikaze Minato not far away.
Then, Hyūga Hiashi moved. He took a step forward, activated the taijutsu Tai Chi fist, Flash Through Arm, one fist attacking, one fist defending, combining offense and defense.
Uchiha Fugaku created distance, threw ten wooden shuriken. The target wasn't Hyūga Hiashi, but the area behind him.
Hyūga Hiashi was startled. He felt a chill behind his back. Suddenly he saw transparent wires attached to those ten shuriken. Relying on his sixth sense, he quickly withdrew his move and performed the Rotation.
Only the sounds of banging and popping were heard as the wooden shuriken were crushed by the Rotation, and the wires snapped.
Seeing this, Hyūga Hiashi stopped his movement. This time he was panting heavily, bent over at the waist. Using the Rotation twice in quick succession had consumed too much chakra, making his steps somewhat unsteady now.
Uchiha Fugaku smiled. "I admit, your close combat ability is superior to mine. But if I keep engaging you from a distance, how many times do you think you can perform the Rotation?"
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