I was too distracted by the promise of free stuff to really hear most of what Daiken was saying. My mind was already running through a list of things I could ask for when suddenly I felt a hand shove into my back.
Shizuru.
She looked extremely annoyed, her eyes flicking between me and Daiken like she was silently screaming, "Focus, or you're going to get pummeled."
Fair enough.
Amazing how much I've started to understand her expressions lately. I'm becoming fluent in Nara scowl.
Daiken announced that six students would be competing in the final evaluation. And in his dramatic, unyielding voice, he listed them off.
Me — Noa De Laurentsiis.
Kaen Uchiha.
Shizuru Nara.
Sena Yamanaka.
Senju Genta.
And the Hyuga girl who dominated the chakra control test.
Apparently, her name was Hyuga Misaki.
Beautiful name, honestly. But I still couldn't look her directly in the eyes. Those Byakugan pupils? Still terrifying. They look cool in theory. in real life, they're a one-way ticket to nightmare fuel.
Daiken explained the format. Three matches. One-on-one. Each student's performance would be evaluated and scored individually based on how well they fought.
All three matches would happen at the same time. Apparently, we were already behind schedule.
Daiken called out the matchups:
Shizuru vs. Kaen
Sena vs. Genta
Me vs. Misaki
And just like that, I was stuck fighting someone with X-ray eyes and chakra scalpels for fingertips.
Great.
The Byakugan is honestly overpowered. Pair that with the Hyuga fighting style, precision taijutsu designed to destroy your chakra flow and yeah, this wasn't my dream matchup. Especially since close combat is still my default style.
Daiken's voice snapped me out of it.
Fight with everything you've got," he said firmly. "Do not hold back. This match will affect your score. We'll stop you if a technique turns lethal. there are healers on standby. So again, don't hold back. If you fall outside the circle, you'll be eliminated. So be mindful of your movement. it's an important part of how shinobi fight, after all."
Three large circles had already been marked out on the ground. I rolled my eyes.
"Great. Not only am I fighting a living radar, I don't even get open space to run. Fantastic. Fairness and ethics, brought to you by Muscle-bound Mother Duck."
As we started walking toward the circles, I heard Sena speak.
"I'm sorry, Daiken-sensei, but I'm too exhausted from today's exams. I won't be able to fight."
She turned to Genta.
"And a powerful opponent like Senju Genta doesn't need to prove anything. I suggest giving him full marks."
Daiken's eye twitched. Mine did too.
Genta looked mildly offended at first. he clearly wanted to fight but Sena turned to him and bowed gracefully.
"I apologize, Genta-san. I know you wanted a fair match, but you have nothing to prove. The strength of the Senju name speaks for itself."
And just like that, Genta's expression softened. He smiled and said, "You don't need to apologize, Sena-san. Your manners and noble intentions are known to all. Thank you for advocating for me."
Daiken looked like he was holding himself back from body-slamming the kid through the floor. He very clearly made a mental note to beat some sense into him later so he wouldn't be so easily manipulated again. probably back at the Senju compound where no one could file a complaint.
I didn't care much.
I stepped into my circle, eyes on Misaki. She approached with calm, graceful steps, stopping at the center of the ring. She returned my smile with a polite one of her own. a little shy, but composed.
Daiken's voice boomed.
"Begin."
Misaki's eyes activated instantly.
Byakugan.
She shot forward with impressive speed. faster than I expected. She was trying to end it quickly, not even giving me the chance to think.
I formed a single hand seal.
Lightning Flicker.
I blinked out of range just in time, her palm missing my ribs by millimeters. Lightning trailed behind me as I reappeared at the far side of the circle.
She stopped, eyes wide. I'd dodged it. With ninjutsu. She didn't look annoyed. just surprised. Maybe even impressed.
Daiken's eyes were locked onto my legs now, and I could feel the buzz in the air from the nearby chunin. Their heads turned slightly. They were murmuring. Analyzing. Probably wondering if they were seeing things.
Before they could fully process it, Misaki came at me again.
Rapid, precise strikes. Aimed at vital points. shoulders, chest, arms. I kept evading as she tried to overwhelm me, slipping past each blow with last-second flickers and controlled steps. Her technique was flawless. But more than that she was pushing me, slowly, deliberately, toward the edge of the ring while slowly closing the distance.
Only when it was almost too late did I realize her plan.
Her footwork wasn't just about closing the distance. It was about controlling it. She was guiding the pace, cutting off my movement options while her Byakugan tracked every angle of escape.
"You idiot," I muttered to myself. "You let her dictate the rhythm."
I stopped retreating.
I stepped toward her.
She was getting tired, too. The Byakugan, especially on a kid, isn't free. Keeping it active that long had to be draining her.
She lunged again fast and direct, trying to end it before she lost her edge. A palm strike aimed straight for my chest.
I ducked under and countered with a punch toward her abdomen. She pivoted smoothly, spinning around my strike with near-dancer grace, and swung her leg toward the back of my head.
I caught it. Barely.
I brought my non-dominant arm up, infused it with chakra, and blocked. The impact still sent me stumbling forward, and my wrist burned from the strain.
She landed, low and steady.
I went for a flying kick hoping to catch her before I regained my balance, but she slid under it like water, striking both of my legs mid-slide with two perfect palm strikes before rising back into a ready stance.
I landed on my feet, wincing.
She'd done it.
She blocked the chakra points in my legs. I couldn't use Lightning Flicker if I needed it.
"Smart and beautiful. What a deadly combination," I said with a somewhat loud voice.
She blushed and, for a moment, looked down reflexively, blinking from the emotional shock and unable to meet my eyes.
A huge mistake in the middle of a duel.
She realized it immediately and snapped her eyes open, instinctively raising her arms defensively but I'd already formed the hand seal.
Current Shot.
The bolt snapped through the air, a white-blue line of lightning that struck her forehead just before her hand reached to block it.
The impact knocked her backward. She stumbled, slipped…
…and fell out of the circle.
------------------------------------------------------
Wow, I got even more support on Patreon! Big thanks to Argon18 ( you baller, you know what you did ;) ) and Mitchell Bizon (you're pretty awesome and super chill!). I love seeing so many people willing to support me. it truly warms my heart. I know I say it a lot, but I genuinely mean it every single time. You're all incredible, and I'm sincerely grateful for everyone who supports me. You help more than you can imagine.
If you're feeling generous or just can't wait to read ahead, please check my profile. you'll find the link there to support me. Cheers!