Chapter 41: The Arrogance of the Strong
"Huh?! But teacher, Sasuke still hasn't shown up!"
After listening to Shiranui Genma's announcement, Naruto Uzumaki spoke anxiously, though he had no idea what had happened to Dosu to cause such a change in the match order.
Shiranui Genma bit down on his senbon needle calmly. "Whether he shows up or not is none of my concern. Now, have you all clearly read the match format? Good. Except for Yagyu Ryuzen and Hyūga Neji in the first round, everyone else proceed to the waiting room immediately."
The nine candidates dispersed at once. Even Naruto, who wanted to delay and give Sasuke more time, had no choice but to leave with the others.
Soon, only Ryuzen, Hyūga Neji, and the proctor Shiranui Genma remained on the arena floor.
In the VIP section, Hiashi Hyūga addressed his youngest daughter without taking his eyes off the arena. "Hanabi, watch carefully now. Neji's talent far exceeds your sister's. He is a true genius who perfectly inherited the bloodline limits of the Hyūga clan."
"Yes, Father."
Hyūga Hanabi responded quickly, but her eyes kept drifting toward the silver-haired boy who had arrived with her sister. Compared to Neji, she was far more curious about this young man who had walked in holding Hinata's hand.
"It's great! We get to see Hyūga clan taijutsu in the very first match!"
"That's Hyūga Neji, right? I heard he's been called a genius ninja since he was young."
"Who's the silver-haired guy across from him? Poor thing."
"Yeah! Fighting against Hyūga Neji—that's just unfortunate."
Before the battle even began, the audience buzzed with conversation. Many spectators looked at Ryuzen with pity, their words suggesting they had already witnessed his defeat written in advance.
Their assumptions weren't entirely unreasonable.
After the Uchiha—once called the strongest clan in the ninja world—were destroyed, the Hyūga had become Konoha's most prominent family. Hyūga Neji's reputation as a genius had spread during his Academy years. These civilians might not understand the finer points of combat, but they understood the gap between those born with bloodline limits and those born without.
Blood determined destiny. Everyone knew that.
Hyūga Neji seemed filled with confidence. He activated his Byakugan, the veins at his temples bulging as his kekkei genkai awakened. He settled into the opening stance of the Gentle Fist—weight balanced, hands positioned for precise strikes, chakra already flowing to his tenketsu.
His pale eyes fixed on Ryuzen with cold intensity. "Draw your sword. I will repay the humiliation you gave me a month ago twice over."
Ryuzen blinked. Then a surprised expression crossed his features, quickly replaced by a disdainful smile. Contempt filled his red eyes as he looked at Neji.
"What are you talking about? You alone are worthy of making me draw my sword?"
Neji's expression darkened at the casual dismissal.
Ignoring the humiliation radiating from his opponent, Ryuzen reached into his robes and produced a strip of black cloth. He looked at Neji with a cold expression, his tone still carrying that same contempt.
"Speaking of which, you and Hinata are cousins, aren't you? For the sake of your relationship with her, I'll give you a pair of eyes and a chance."
He tied the cloth strip over his eyes, blinding himself completely. Then he reached behind his back and withdrew the red paper umbrella he always carried—the same one that had caught the Demon Brothers' blood in the Land of Waves.
"I hope your Gentle Fist can actually make me feel some pressure."
"Is this guy... serious?" Shiranui Genma's eyes finally showed genuine surprise at Ryuzen's actions. Even a jōnin like him hadn't expected this level of confidence.
If Genma was surprised, the audience was stunned speechless.
"What's that silver-haired boy doing? Why is he blindfolding himself?"
"Maybe he's preparing some kind of perception technique? There are ninja who fight using senses other than sight..."
At the Hokaga's viewing platform, the Third Hokage and the Fourth Kazekage—actually Orochimaru in disguise—exchanged glances.
"Konoha truly is the cradle of genius," the Kazekage said smoothly. "I haven't seen such a confident young ninja in many years."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded with a smile, though his eyes remained fixed on Ryuzen. "He shows no nervousness at all, which proves he isn't bluffing. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do."
Others might think Ryuzen's actions were pure arrogance. But Kage-level powerhouses understood better. Aura didn't lie. The confidence radiating from that blindfolded figure wasn't false—it was earned.
To Hyūga Neji, however, Ryuzen's behavior represented the ultimate humiliation.
His eyes went cold with killing intent. He looked at Ryuzen—eyes covered, holding a paper umbrella like some kind of joke—and felt genuine rage building in his chest. He turned to Shiranui Genma.
"Can I kill him?"
Shiranui Genma shrugged around his senbon. "Whatever."
Neji turned back to Ryuzen, his voice dropping to ice. "In that case, die with your arrogance."
Ryuzen said nothing. He rotated the paper umbrella in his hand like a staff, spinning it casually. His other hand raised, index finger curling toward Neji in a mocking "come here" gesture.
Whoosh—
Neji exploded forward without another word, becoming an afterimage as he crossed the distance between them. His bandaged right hand extended, palm aimed directly at Ryuzen's chest—a Gentle Fist strike that would seal tenketsu and cause internal damage.
Ryuzen didn't move.
The palm approached. Closer. Inches from impact.
Then it stopped. Frozen in place.
Ryuzen's left hand had raised at some point—so fast that neither Neji's Byakugan nor Shiranui Genma's jōnin eyes could track the motion. His entire wrist was coated in black, a strange hardened substance that caught Neji's palm like an iron wall.
Armament Haki: Hardening.
Neji's pupils contracted in shock. His instincts screamed at him to counter with his left hand—
BAM! — GHHK!
Before his body could respond, enormous force crashed into his stomach.
The red paper umbrella had thrust forward, its tip driving deep into Neji's abdomen. The power behind it was incredible—far beyond what such a flimsy-looking weapon should be capable of delivering. Neji's mouth opened, air explosively escaping, nearly vomiting from the impact.
Then a footprint filled his vision.
The hand gripping his wrist yanked him forward. Ryuzen jumped, his shod foot planting directly into Neji's face and kicking him away across the arena floor.
Grab wrist. Stab stomach. Kick away.
Three actions. Three seconds. All performed while blindfolded.
Neji tumbled across the ground, skidding to a stop in a heap. The audience, which had been lively and noisy moments before, fell into absolute silence.
Above, Hiashi Hyūga's eyes narrowed dangerously.
Beside him, Hanabi stared with wide eyes, her earlier curiosity about the silver-haired boy transforming into something else entirely.
At the Hokage's platform, the Third Hokage's smile widened almost imperceptibly. Beside him, the disguised Orochimaru studied Ryuzen with renewed interest—the same interest he usually reserved for Sharingan users and jinchūriki.
In the waiting room, the other candidates watched monitors showing the arena feed.
Shino remained impassive behind his sunglasses and high collar.
Naruto's jaw dropped. "He... he's not even using his sword!"
Shikamaru's lazy posture had straightened slightly. "Troublesome... that guy's on a whole different level."
Temari and Kankuro exchanged worried glances. They had seen Ryuzen fight Gaara in the Forest of Death. This casual destruction of a Hyūga prodigy only confirmed their worst fears.
Hinata watched with mixed emotions—pride in Ryuzen, concern for her cousin, and a small, shameful warmth at seeing him fight for her sake.
Gaara watched with those empty eyes, but beneath the surface, something stirred. Strong. So strong. When I kill him, I'll prove I exist.
On the arena floor, Neji slowly pushed himself up. Blood trickled from his nose where Ryuzen's kick had landed. His pride hurt worse than any physical injury.
"You... you bastard..."
Ryuzen stood where he had landed, the paper umbrella returned to its resting position. The black cloth still covered his eyes. He hadn't moved from that spot since the exchange began.
"Your Gentle Fist can't touch me if you can't get past my defense," Ryuzen said calmly. "And you can't get past my defense if you can't match my speed. You're a genius of the Hyūga clan, Neji. But in the grand scheme of things... that doesn't mean much."
He raised that mocking hand again, finger curling.
"Try again. You have two eyes and one chance left."
Neji's rage burned hotter, but beneath it—for the first time in years—a seed of doubt planted itself in his genius heart.
What is this guy?
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