Hiashi sat upright in the center of the spectator stands, his posture straight, hands resting steadily on his knees.
His younger daughter, Hanabi, sat to his left, while his eldest daughter, Hinata, sat on the other side of Hanabi.
The subtle gaps between the three of them silently spoke of the varying closeness in their father-daughter relationships.
"Do you see, Hanabi?"
His gaze fell upon the arena below as he said in a deep voice, "Neji has exceptionally inherited the Kekkei Genkai of the Hyuga Clan. Your elder sister simply cannot compare to him."
His voice was calm yet carried an air of authority. Every word was like a cold needle piercing into the depths of Hinata's heart.
Hanabi and Hinata displayed very different expressions at this moment.
Hinata tightly gripped the hem of her clothes and pursed her lips, her eyes, which were usually submissively lowered, were now buried deep in the shadow of her bangs, making her expression unreadable.
Hanabi first gave her sister a worried look before turning to her father. "Father, but his opponent is very strong, right? Mamoru is said to be the strongest among the Genin."
She was someone who had actually come into contact with Mamoru's abilities, and more than once. Every time they clashed, she was toyed with until her head spun. Only upon reflecting afterward could she realize just how bizarre his abilities truly were.
"Hanabi, do not be deceived by those rumors." Hiashi frowned slightly.
"The Uchiha clan was indeed once at the height of its power, but that is a thing of the past. This match will prove that our Hyuga clan will never be inferior to anyone."
"Yes, father." Hanabi replied in a low voice, but she couldn't help but glance toward the black-haired youth in the arena.
Sitting beside Hanabi, Hinata did not share that sentiment. Anyone who had watched the preliminaries understood just how ridiculous the strength Mamoru displayed back then was. Even an average Jonin would probably have trouble dealing with him.
Among the remaining contestants, the only one who could truly face him was probably that mystery-shrouded Suna Ninja, Gaara.
On the other side, two Jonin were also discussing the match with great interest.
"Now this is going to be a good show." Izumo leaned forward excitedly. "Hyuga versus Uchiha. I didn't expect the first match to be the most anticipated highlight."
Kotetsu crossed his arms, his lips curling into a meaningful arc. "Just how much that Uchiha brat is worth, let's wait and see."
"His opponent is the genius of the Hyuga clan, he'll definitely be in for a hard fight." Izumo said with a smirk, analyzing the situation.
"Hehe, I hope he doesn't lose too embarrassingly." Kotetsu narrowed his eyes, laughing with schadenfreude.
Although they had been offended by Mamoru before, they still really wanted to see the true strength of the Uchiha.
In the center of the arena, Mamoru and Neji stood facing each other. Genma stood between them, the corner of his lips holding a senbon curling up slightly, seemingly quite expectant of this duel.
Mamoru had his hands casually stuffed in his pants pockets, standing in a loose posture with a gaze so lazy it looked like he was just out for a stroll. The breeze blew through his ink-black short hair, and a few strands of his bangs swayed gently, adding to his air of nonchalance.
Neji's expression remained flat, but his eyes were exceptionally solemn. Seeing his opponent so relaxed, he couldn't help but speak, "You really do look like you're at ease."
"Well, it's true that I don't feel even a bit of excitement." Mamoru tilted his head. "Is it because of the opponent?"
"I'm really being looked down upon." Neji's face darkened, and the veins at his temples bulged.
He slowly assumed the starting stance of the Gentle Fist, his voice low. "I will use my actions to tear through that layer of arrogance of yours."
"I'm looking forward to it." Mamoru raised an eyebrow, his tone slightly teasing.
"Then, the first round..." Genma's voice echoed through the arena. "Begin!"
As the words fell, the two remained standing in place.
Time ticked away second by second, and after a full minute had passed, the two on the field had not made a single move.
Mamoru was full of openings, he hadn't even taken his hands out of his pockets.
"Why aren't you attacking?" He asked softly.
Neji did not respond, remaining silent as his feet moved slowly, approaching as cautiously as a predator before the hunt.
"If you wait for me to attack, the battle will end in an instant." Mamoru continued.
Neji remained unmoved, continuing to close the distance.
"Neji, you know clearly that you cannot defeat me." Mamoru's voice suddenly took on a hint of deeper meaning. "Why do you still resist fate?"
Before he finished speaking, Neji's expression changed drastically, and he lunged toward Mamoru.
"Shut up!" He roared, his figure moving like lightning as he closed in instantly.
His hands turned into countless afterimages as the offensive of the Gentle Fist poured out like a rainstorm. A sudden rain of attacks struck toward Mamoru's vital points, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound of breaking air.
Facing this fierce onslaught, a flash of blue light flickered in Mamoru's eyes. He merely raised his right hand, parrying every attack with a posture that was both swift and effortless.
Bang... Bang...
The sounds of collision in the arena were incessant, like a rapid drumbeat.
A clamor rose from the spectator stands as everyone showed expressions of disbelief. They saw the short-haired youth still with one hand in his pocket, fending off all of his opponent's strikes with just a single hand, his feet not even moving an inch.
Neji's eyes were filled with shock. He had long known Mamoru was strong, but he hadn't expected him to be strong to this extent. His arm was as bizarre as a slithering snake, sometimes slow and sometimes fast. Not only did it perfectly block all attacks, but it could also launch counterattacks in the gaps.
What shocked him even more was that Mamoru's moves actually incorporated the pressure point striking techniques unique to the Gentle Fist.
Recalling the scene of their first clash, Mamoru back then was just a Taijutsu novice who barely understood the basics. He hadn't expected him to grow to such a terrifying level in such a short time.
However, there was one person even more shocked than Neji.
In the stands, Hiashi lost his composure and stood up. As the head of the Hyuga vlan, he was more familiar with the Gentle Fist than anyone. The Uchiha youth in the arena below was actually using the secret techniques of the Hyuga clan, a discovery that left him utterly bewildered.
He absolutely could not be mistaken, the pressure point striking technique Mamoru used in his counterattack was precisely the most hidden skill of the Gentle Fist.
He subconsciously turned his head to look at his eldest daughter, Hinata, who was sitting one seat away, immediately suspecting that she had taught the clan's Gentle Fist to an outsider.
But on second thought, it seemed impossible, as the prerequisite for performing the Gentle Fist was possessing the Hyuga clan's Byakugan.
'It's not possible that even the Byakugan was transplanted into that kid, is it?' This thought flashed through his mind, and the corner of his lips twitched slightly.
Hiashi carefully observed Hinata's eyes, confirming that those eyes were still pure Byakugan, which finally gave him a little peace of mind.
But then he noticed something else was wrong. His eldest daughter's eyes as she looked at the arena were filled with a vibrant light, a vivid radiance he had never seen before.
Suddenly, he felt quite unsettled, an emotion he had never felt before sprouting in his heart, it was the feeling of one's own treasure being stolen away.
He sat back down with a grim face, his gaze fixed on the arena, locking onto that composed figure. Ruling out all other possibilities, only one explanation remained: that kid possessed a Dojutsu similar to the Byakugan.
Hanabi, sitting to the side, was full of questions. Her father's unusual behavior naturally caught her attention. But she didn't think much of it, and her gaze soon returned to the arena.
However, the exclamations coming from all around made it impossible for her mind to remain calm.
"That boy is too strong!"
"Is this the Uchiha clan?"
"Should I say... as expected of the Uchiha clan? What a fearsome brat."