Kurenai's words weren't entirely wrong.
But was it really appropriate to crush a kid's confidence like this?
Anko didn't agree with such a method.
On the field, Shikaku raised his right hand and brought it down sharply between Might Guy and Yuichi.
"Begin."
With that single word, he immediately leapt back.
There was no need to explain the rules—both fighters understood them perfectly.
Might Guy's expression was a little conflicted.
Yuichi was undeniably strong—strong enough to suppress even tailed beasts without much effort. But here, with Wood Style forbidden, Yuichi could only rely on taijutsu.
As a Jōnin, Might Guy couldn't shake the feeling that this was bullying a child.
Still, Shikaku had been very clear: he had to go all out against Yuichi.
The reasoning Shikaku gave was simple: "To prevent such a promising pillar of Konoha from growing crooked."
So Guy had no choice. He had to defeat Yuichi—and with everything he had.
He exhaled softly.
"Yuichi… let's begin."
"Please guide me, Mr. Might Guy," Yuichi replied politely.
That courtesy only made Guy feel worse.
Bullying a polite kid… it left a sour taste in his mouth.
He turned toward Shikaku.
The strategist gave him a small nod, urging him forward.
If that was the case, Guy would fight as ordered!
Whoosh!
In an instant, a whirlwind burst from beneath Might Guy's feet.
His body blurred into afterimages, vanishing and reappearing as the sound of the wind split the air.
"Guy isn't holding back?"
Anko's eyes widened. At that speed, there was no doubt—Guy was serious from the very start.
"He's going all out in taijutsu… Yuichi has no chance of winning like this."
Kurenai nodded faintly. "With Guy's personality, this isn't surprising. More likely, it's Shikaku's order."
Anko clenched her jaw. "That guy really is going too far… crushing Yuichi's confidence like this?"
Even without opening the Eight Inner Gates, Guy's taijutsu was already overwhelming. His sheer physical ability was something few in the village could match.
At blinding speed, he circled Yuichi, his afterimages forming a ring around him.
Yuichi's eyes narrowed.
As expected of Konoha's proud blue beast… this speed surpasses even the Body Flicker of ordinary Jōnin.
Boom!
Guy struck without warning.
From behind Yuichi, he launched a devastating punch, his speed flaring up another notch.
"His speed increased again—he's almost invisible!"
One of the Jōnin watching broke out in a cold sweat.
"When Guy goes all out, almost no one in Konoha can compete with his taijutsu. Even Kakashi has to rely on ninjutsu to stand a chance."
"In pure physical combat… maybe only Asuma could last a little while."
"Then Yuichi… he won't be able to stop this blow."
Could it really end in a single strike?
After all, Yuichi had been restricted by Shikaku—no Wood Style, only taijutsu.
Losing would be acceptable under those terms.
The rushing gale roared in Yuichi's ears like thunder.
Guy's fist cut through the air, rippling it apart.
He was a man who chased the very limits of taijutsu, honing his body to the peak of human possibility.
Boom!!
His fist tore through the air, shockwaves bursting outward.
But then—Guy's eyes widened.
His punch had missed.
What…?
He had felt the hit connect—yet his strike had landed on nothing but empty space.
All around the square, the observing Jōnin froze in shock.
A person couldn't just vanish like that.
Before they could even process what had happened, a dark shadow appeared behind Guy.
Yuichi hung two meters in the air, eyes calm, his right fist pulled back.
Guy sensed the change in the airflow instantly and twisted his gaze behind him.
The moment he saw Yuichi, his expression became complicated.
Behind me?
This kid's speed… how could it be this fast?! Ninjutsu?
No… he didn't form any hand seals, and Shikaku forbade ninjutsu. He wouldn't break the rules.
Then how could it be explained?
This speed was beyond even his own.
A heavy premonition gripped Guy's chest.
Boom!!
Yuichi's fist fell.
His pale, slender hand looked delicate—yet the moment it struck, every Jōnin watching felt their scalp prickle in terror.
Crack! Crack!
The ground beneath shattered like glass.
From Yuichi's strike point, a ten-meter radius exploded into rubble.
Stones splintered into the air.
Dust surged in every direction, rising like smoke from an explosion.
The sheer destructive power resembled a detonation tag going off.
Guy had retreated just in time, staring at the ruined ground where Yuichi's fist had landed.
His mouth fell open.
This… this was the power of a twelve-year-old's punch?
What kind of fist was that?
How could anyone wield such power?
The smoke rolled outward, cloaking the square in silence.
The Jōnin looked on, wide-eyed, struggling for words.
Some of them had seen Yuichi's "strange force punches" before, but this was different.
They had thought it wasn't frightening—just avoid it and there was no problem.
But now…
Yuichi's terrifying speed paired with that monstrous strength.
This wasn't one plus one. This was something far greater.
If you couldn't dodge his strike, one punch could end a Jōnin's life.
As the smoke settled, one of the Jōnin finally muttered:
"That speed… was that ninjutsu?"
Asuma, who had been watching carefully, spoke up after a pause.
"No… that was the Body Flicker Technique. But his version is different. He can use it without hand seals—and the speed is on another level entirely…"