The bodybuilding continued.
Might Duy's body expanded under the gaze of the entire arena.
Not bloated, but refined and fierce as if hammered by iron, every inch of muscle vibrating slightly like bowstrings filled with explosive Chakra.
Just the act of raising his fist made the air hum under pressure.
Fugaku's Two-Tomoe Sharingan spun wildly, his pupils tracking Might Duy's muscle movements, breathing rhythm, and shifts in center of gravity...
Attempting to capture the trajectory of his opponent's actions with a Glare, even for half a second.
However, Might Duy gave him no chance to use the Sharingan.
Flames swirled, the earth shattered.
He burst through the air like an awakened crimson beast, locking onto Fugaku's chest.
Boom!
The moment that fist descended, the entire arena seemed to shudder to a heart-stopping halt.
Uchiha Fugaku's arms didn't even have time to fully react before he was struck squarely in the chest.
His body was sent flying like a ragdoll tossed by a giant beast, hurtling three meters before crashing against the Barrier and bouncing back to the ground.
Dust and debris scattered.
Fugaku knelt awkwardly, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
The arena fell into dead silence.
No one dared make a sound.
The Ninja School students, parents, ninjas, even the announcer—all were as quiet as if their throats had been squeezed shut.
On the platform,
Hiruzen Sarutobi's pipe dropped onto his lap, tobacco scattering. He stared blankly at the field.
"No wonder..."
He murmured, "No wonder White Fang praised Duy so highly... saying that after a certain level of effort and sweat, he would unleash power bright enough to illuminate the Hidden Leaf Village."
Danzo snorted coldly upon hearing this, his lips curling with disdain: "Sakumo Hatake? That ninja who abandoned missions..."
Yet even Danzo couldn't conceal the shock in his eyes.
That punch from Might Duy...
Its destructive force was astonishing.
On the field, Uchiha Fugaku slowly rose, his fists trembling as he supported himself.
His expression was extremely grim.
Below the spectator stands, Mikoto Uchiha gripped the railing tightly: "Brother Fugaku...!"
Her Vulpix cried out anxiously.
The moment Fugaku glanced at Mikoto, shame, rage, and frustration flashed in his eyes...
At that instant, the last thread of composure in his heart snapped completely.
"Raaaaaah!!!"
Fugaku roared as he charged toward Might Duy.
His Two-Tomoe Sharingan blazing, Chakra surging wildly, he even began preparing to release Fire Release.
To defeat Might Duy head-on.
To prove the power of the Uchiha.
To win back his pride before Mikoto.
But just as he reached Might Duy, Might Duy exhaled softly.
As if preparing for an ordinary training session.
He began bodybuilding again—the third time.
His muscle density doubled once more.
His bone load-bearing capacity skyrocketed.
His taijutsu speed broke through its limits.
The air was forcibly compressed aside.
Fugaku's heart shuddered violently:
...Stronger than before!
Might Duy lifted his head, his entire body burning with the crimson flames of youth:
"Young Master Fugaku."
"What comes next is... even greater power."
He slowly raised his right hand, pressing it over his heart.
His tone was calm, even gentle: "First Gate—Open."
Boom!
The ground beneath Might Duy's feet shattered into a spiderweb pattern!
The energy surging through his body sent flames whipping wildly in all directions.
His black hair was swept by the fierce wind, his entire body enveloped in a crimson aura.
He resembled a volcano on the verge of eruption.
This punch was unavoidable.
Just as Fugaku Uchiha began to raise his hand, Might Duy was already before him.
The force of the fist felt like a thousand-ton boulder pressing down.
Fugaku was struck head-on, his body flung into the air before crashing heavily onto the center of the arena.
Stone fragments scattered in all directions.
The air trembled with visible white ripples.
The entire arena fell into deathly silence once more.
On the Uchiha clan's seating area, every face was ashen with shock.
Fugaku lay on the ground, his chest heaving rapidly, his Sharingan gradually dimming.
Might Duy stood in place, retracting his fist,
his breathing as steady as a mountain.
He showed no provocation.
No boasting.
He simply gazed firmly at the fallen Fugaku: "That was a good match."
At that moment, all the contestants, including Minato Namikaze, wore solemn expressions, contemplating how to deal with this taijutsu monster.
The moment Fugaku Uchiha hit the ground,
the entire Uchiha spectator section fell into thunderstruck silence.
In the next instant, the clan's Jonin and Medical Ninja rushed onto the stage, carefully lifting Fugaku,
shielding him from prying eyes as they hurriedly carried him away from the battlefield.
Might Duy remained standing, his chest rising and falling as he slowly extinguished the blazing red flames around his body.
He raised his hand, clenched his fist, then gradually relaxed it.
Only the sound of his breathing remained in the arena.
The once-mocked eternal academy dropout had now become someone no ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village could afford to underestimate.
Even Hiruzen steadied his pipe,
murmuring quietly:
"A new hope for the Leaf has been born, one who possesses a strong Will of Fire."
Danzo: "..."
Uchiha Rest Area
Fugaku was settled in the clan's private tent,
where Jonin were slowly adjusting his Chakra flow.
Not long after, he awoke from unconsciousness.
The first face that met his eyes was Mikoto Uchiha's dark orbs filled with concern.
"Brother Fugaku!"
Mikoto was almost kneeling beside him.
Fugaku remained silent for a long time.
Staring blankly at the tent ceiling without uttering a word.
Mikoto whispered softly:
"Are you... alright?"
Fugaku took a deep breath,
as if forcing all his negative emotions deep into his chest.
He was a proud Uchiha.
He couldn't vent his frustration on Mikoto because of his defeat.
This only shamed him further.
Instead of answering about his condition, he suddenly turned his head, his gaze unprecedentedly serious:
"Mikoto.""
Mikoto blinked: "Hm?"
"You absolutely cannot lose next."
Mikoto's eyelashes trembled slightly.
"No matter who your opponent is."
Fugaku continued, "Even if it's Kushina... you must win."
Mikoto's lips moved: "I... must win?"
Fugaku closed his eyes, as if forcing himself not to see the confusion in Mikoto's gaze.
"Everything is for the Uchiha."
"We... cannot afford to lose any more matches now."
His tone held no jealousy, no prejudice,
nor any resentment toward Might Duy.
Only the obsession regarding the Uchiha clan.
Mikoto Uchiha watched him quietly.
Fugaku had always been the clan's pride, their future leader.
Since childhood, he had never failed in any occasion.
But today, before the entire Hidden Leaf Village, he had been decisively defeated by a taijutsu monster.
That sense of shame burned through his heart like fire.
Fugaku continued:
"Mikoto, your Vulpix is the most brilliant symbol of our Uchiha clan."
"Your strength is the Uchiha clan's final hope this time."
"You must stand until the end, defeating anyone who stands in your way."
In that moment, Mikoto truly understood the look in Fugaku's eyes.
For a brief instant, Mikoto Uchiha's cheeks flushed slightly red, because Fugaku suddenly seemed incredibly handsome.
Just as Mikoto was admiring Fugaku's striking features, he had already composed himself.
His final words were spoken so softly that only Mikoto could hear:
"Everything... is for the Uchiha."
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