"Stop right there!"
Seeing Kirito ignore his command without hesitation, it became painfully clear to the Hyuga Grand Elder, his olive branch had been flatly rejected. The shame and fury twisted in his chest like a storm.
It was the Grand Elder himself who had once initiated the motion to expel Kirito from the Hyuga Clan. Yet now, faced with Kirito's overwhelming potential, he had been forced to backpedal, wanting to bring him back, for the sake of the clan's future.
He knew that doing so would cost him his prestige. But as a seasoned strategist, he also understood that some sacrifices had to be made.
In his own mind, this sacrifice of pride was a noble act. He believed Kirito should feel grateful, should kneel in reverence and give thanks for being allowed back.
But Kirito, had refused.
That refusal, to the Grand Elder, was an intolerable insult.
Kirito walked ahead, ignoring the enraged elder's bellowing as though he hadn't heard a thing, striding confidently through the Hyuga compound.
"Fine! You haughty little kid with no sense of propriety!" The Grand Elder's voice roared behind him. "Since you refuse to return, then don't ever dream of setting foot in the Hyuga clan again!"
No matter how furiously he shouted, Kirito gave no response. That only fanned the flames of the elder's wrath to the breaking point.
Without hesitation, the Grand Elder raised his palm and launched a "Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm" straight at Kirito's back!
Sensing the devastating force surging toward him from behind, Kirito's expression finally changed. The power behind that attack… was clearly even stronger than the Fourth Elder's earlier blow!
"Eight Extreme Collapse!" Kirito reacted on instinct, spinning and punching back with force.
But the moment his fist connected, it was like striking an invisible iron wall. The overwhelming pressure shattered his force mid-air, and the remaining impact slammed directly into his shoulder!
"Urgh…"
It felt like a war hammer had crushed into his shoulder, sending a wave of numbness through his body as he staggered back several steps.
Kirito grit his teeth. His Eight Extreme Collapse was still incomplete. A full version of the technique unleashed eight stacked waves of energy, each compounding the last, its destructive power immense. At best, he could now manage three layers. No wonder he couldn't match the Grand Elder's fully mastered Vacuum Palm.
Even a brief exchange made one fact clear: the Grand Elder's strength was far beyond that of the Fourth Elder.
After knocking Kirito back, the Grand Elder gave a cold snort.
Having resolved to teach the "disrespectful" boy a bitter lesson, the Grand Elder wasted no more words and attacked again.
Though aged, his Body Flicker Technique was swift and flawless, his movement sharp and controlled. In the blink of an eye, he appeared before Kirito, palm glowing with Gentle Fist energy, thrusting directly at the chakra network in Kirito's chest!
Kirito's eyes narrowed with a flash of danger.
He knew human anatomy well. The spot being targeted, a key junction along the chakra path to the Gate of Pain. If struck, it could cause serious internal injury.
To aim for such a point without hesitation… this man meant serious harm.
Kirito's fingers curled into a claw, lashing out and snagging the elder's wrist mid-strike.
The Grand Elder's eyes narrowed. "You can read the path of a Gentle Fist strike?"
Kirito twisted sharply, and a streak of blood appeared across the elder's hand, five shallow claw marks trailing from wrist to knuckle.
"Hmph. Not bad strength…" The Grand Elder smiled coldly, "But this is a ninja's fight, and in the ninja world, power means chakra."
Though surprised, he had shielded his hand with chakra. Kirito's claw strike had barely scratched him.
Suddenly, the Grand Elder twisted his foot and swept Kirito's legs, tripping him mid-motion. As Kirito fell, he swiftly planted one hand on the ground and flipped back upright.
But in terms of taijutsu mastery and battle experience, Kirito was still no match for the old veteran. The moment he regained balance, the elder dropped low and surged forward, striking Kirito square in the chest.
Kirito couldn't dodge in time, but he managed to cross his arms and block. Even so, the blow launched him violently through the air.
"Ugh !"
His feet smashed against the ground, and he slid back several dozen meters before finally regaining his stance.
The entire exchange had happened in a flash, and left the onlookers stunned.
Yes, Kirito was clearly being overpowered.
But none of the elders felt joy.
After all, the Grand Elder was one of the top three most powerful members of the entire Hyuga clan. His strength was beyond dispute.
What shocked them was this: even under a full-power assault with no holding back, Kirito hadn't been defeated outright. He was merely at a disadvantage.
The Grand Elder's expression was anything but pleased. He had expected to crush Kirito, to reassert dominance through overwhelming power.
But Kirito had endured.
"Tch…" The elder's brows furrowed. "Seems I'll have to use that…"
He took a deep breath, tightened his posture, and raised his hands into a profound stance.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"That stance… Is the Grand Elder really going to- ?!"
Kirito's gaze turned to ice.
"So that's how it is," he muttered. "If I don't put you down completely, you're not going to stop, are you?"
He let out a cold breath.
A fine frost began to form around his lashes and eyebrows.
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• TL/N •
Hello guys Fanfic recommendation!
Check out my other work:
> Naruto: Mind Control
If you like smart and strong MC, this fanfic is for you.
It's Peak.
Give it a chance and you won't be disappointed