A special thank you to all my patrons:
—Cain, Jacob Mooe, HADES, Varun Madhu, Gonzalo Sumalavia, kevin Williams, merp., Jose Carrillo, Derek M, DancingMonkey65, Joseph, Jose Sierra, AR3S, Nuro.
You can read 30 chapters ahead of everyone on p@treon.
P@TREON - [email protected]/lessaservantofcosmos
(just replace the "@" with "a")
ps: Please support me on P@treon. I can really use your help!
—————————————————————
Indeed, the technique Ryūsei used was the Phantom Instantaneous Body Technique.
After obtaining the Lightning Blade: Kiba, Ryūsei had been using this ninja sword to practice Lightning Release nature transformation.
After over a month of tinkering, he had finally mastered the Lightning Release Chakra Stimulation Method, and his speed was now no inferior to Lee without his weights.
Initially, Ryūsei just wanted to increase his speed.
It wasn't until one day, during an unregulated spar with Karin using a shadow clone, watching the clone use the Red Eye Illusion and Body Flicker Technique to toy with her, that Ryūsei had a sudden flash of inspiration. He thought of Uchiha Shisui's Phantom Instantaneous Body Technique.
In Ryūsei's eyes, this technique, in a one-on-one fight, was absolutely no weaker than the Flying Thunder God Technique or Kamui intangibility.
However, the training requirements for this technique were demanding: powerful Genjutsu and exceptional Body Flicker prowess.
Especially the Genjutsu prowess—it had to be capable of being performed without hand seals.
After mastering the Lightning Release Chakra Stimulation Method, Ryūsei finally met the conditions to practice this technique.
His proficiency in Sharingan Genjutsu, while not on par with Uchiha Shisui's and unable to create non-dissipating phantom clones, wasn't a barrier.
Ryūsei didn't need Sharingan Genjutsu to create non-dissipating phantom clones.
He had two methods: the Red Eye Illusion, and the Naraku Clone he learned from Kurenai.
Both of these were Genjutsu-based clones!
The former couldn't even be seen through by the Byakugan, and the latter could be enhanced with the Sharingan.
Moreover, these two types of Genjutsu clones could even be fused together.
When Ryūsei tried it, it worked.
Thus, Ryūsei began developing the Phantom Instantaneous Body Technique using the Red Eye Illusion and the Naraku Clone.
Through his efforts, he finally mastered this combined Ninjutsu-Taijutsu-Genjutsu technique just a few days before the Chunin Exams.
Unless an opponent's Genjutsu prowess and Body Flicker speed far surpassed Ryūsei's, the Phantom Instantaneous Body Technique would be a nightmare for them.
Shikamaru was the perfect example.
"I surrender!"
Once Shikamaru, his left cheek already swollen, regained his senses and saw the three Ryūseis walking towards him, he raised his hand without hesitation.
The new ability Ryūsei displayed rendered all the combat plans Shikamaru had prepared over the past month completely useless.
Even if Ryūsei went easy on him, he had no idea how many beatings he'd have to endure just to gather intelligence on this technique and formulate a plan.
And no one could guarantee that Ryūsei didn't have other hidden techniques.
What if, after enduring all those beatings and finally managing to gather intel and devise a new strategy, Ryūsei just revealed another new ability? Wouldn't those beatings have been for nothing?
Since losing was inevitable, Shikamaru decisively chose the option with the least losses.
Even Sasuke had been losing for six years; losing to Ryūsei was nothing to be ashamed of!
"The match is over. The winner is—Hoshina Ryūsei!" Hayate announced loudly, his gaze towards Ryūsei also filled with astonishment.
This descendant of the Senju, who had recently gained great fame in the Jonin circles, actually had this up his sleeve besides his Water Release secrets?
Whoosh—
Almost the instant Hayate finished speaking, a beam of blue light flashed from Shikamaru's body.
The light flew out from within him, forming a hovering blue orb of light beside him.
Ryūsei walked up to Shikamaru, extended a hand, and said with a smile, "Thanks for the match, Shikamaru."
"You... you really are... full of surprises!" Shikamaro stopped himself from saying something more cynical, grabbed Ryūsei's hand to pull himself up, and inwardly mourned for Sasuke and Naruto.
Being the same age as a monster like Ryūsei was both a blessing and a curse for their generation.
Once Ryūsei fully matured, no matter what major events occurred in the future, there would always be a tall figure to shoulder the burden.
Conversely, they could only watch his back, perhaps not even seeing his shadow clearly.
The sense of powerlessness was enough to make anyone feel negative and passive.
After forming the Seal of Reconciliation, Ryūsei and Shikamaru walked towards the contestant passageway.
At that moment, the hovering blue orb triggered the automatic collection.
However, it didn't fly towards Ryūsei. Instead, it rose higher into the air and then flew off towards a certain direction within Konoha.
This meant that the Ryūsei walking into the contestant passageway with Shikamaru was not the real body, but a… Shadow Clone!
"Ino, Hinata, it's your turn. Do your best!"
Back in the contestants' viewing area, Ryūsei's shadow clone cheered on Ino and Hinata.
"Mhmm... Hinata, remember to go easy on me later. Don't let me lose too badly in front of my father."
"Let's both do our best, Ino."
The two close friends almost walked down hand in hand.
After exiting the contestant passageway, their expressions instantly turned serious. They arrived beside Hayate, stood facing each other, and both raised their index and middle fingers in the Seal of Confrontation.
"The third match: Ino Yamanaka versus Hinata Hyuga… Begin!"
As Hayate's voice fell, Hinata and Ino began their friendly duel.
Much like Ino's fight with Sakura, the two girls first tested each other with ninja tools and smoke bombs. Ino tried to use the smoke's cover to find an opportunity to use the Mind Body Switch Technique.
However, if even Sakura didn't give her a chance to use the technique, let alone Hinata who possessed the Byakugan.
Hinata simply activated her Byakugan, locked onto Ino's position, and charged towards her.
Faced with Ino's attempts to force her back with thrown weapons, Hinata neither dodged nor blocked with tools. Instead, she extended her slender, jade-like fingers, sometimes inserting them into the central hole of a shuriken, other times pinching the handle of a kunai between two fingers, catching every single one of Ino's projectiles.
This display left Ino staring dumbfounded.
This was the power of the Hyuga clan's Byakugan and Gentle Fist art.
After catching all of Ino's weapons, Hinata continued her charge and quickly closed the distance.
Then the two girls engaged in the taijutsu spar they had performed countless times over the years.
In terms of pure taijutsu, Ino and Sakura had their wins and losses against each other.
But against Hinata, they had never won a single time.
It was the same now. Facing Hinata, who could see the chakra pathways in the human body, Ino couldn't even use the basic Three Academy Techniques, let alone the Body Flicker Technique.
Every time she tried to mobilize chakra, Hinata seemed to know exactly what she intended to do next and would promptly interrupt her.
However, Hinata didn't embarrass Ino. Initially, she only used ordinary taijutsu skills to spar.
It wasn't until after thirty exchanges that Hinata changed her fighting style. She employed the Gentle Fist, striking specific tenketsu points on Ino's body, causing her arm to instantly go numb and weak.
Under Hinata's continuous strikes, Ino quickly lost her ability to fight.
"The match is over. The winner is—Hinata Hyuga!" Hayate immediately announced the result upon seeing Hinata subdue Ino.
"As expected, I'm no match for you," Ino said, taking Hinata's offered hand to get up. "Hinata, you're really getting stronger and stronger."
"No, I could only defeat you because of type advantage," Hinata, having exited her battle mode, reverted to her shy demeanor, gently shaking her head. She raised her index and middle fingers towards Ino. "Thank you for the match, Ino."
"Hehe... Thank you for the match too!" After forming the Seal of Reconciliation with Hinata, their relationship instantly switched back from opponents to best friends.
Then, holding Hinata's hand, the two girls walked towards the contestant passageway.
Seeing the two girls like this, the audience suddenly realized they were good friends.
Inoichi and Hiashi both nodded in satisfaction.
Especially Hiashi; he was quite satisfied with both Hinata's strength and her interpersonal relationships.
His only dissatisfaction was that Hinata's personality in and out of combat were like two completely different people.
Her usual temperament was simply not suited to being a leader.
If her personality were more like Hanabi's, then given her relationship with the Yamanaka clan heir, she would absolutely be the best candidate to inherit the main family.
After all, being friends with the Yamanaka heir meant being friends with all three Ino-Shika-Cho clans.
Once Hinata became clan head, the Hyuga clan would become allies with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.
At that time, even the Konoha leadership wouldn't dare to suppress the Hyuga clan arbitrarily.