This is an illusion! It has to be an illusion!
The scene in front of them was simply too unbelievable.
Right in the center of the gathering, a shallow crater had formed, and Hyūga Makino was lying face-down inside it like a ragdoll.
Rukawa stood atop his head, one foot firmly planted, arms crossed, eyes filled with disdain.
"Hah! This trash thought he could string me up at the village gate? Pathetic!"
Rukawa's mocking tone echoed across the crowd.
The entire Hyūga clan was stunned, jaws slack.
Their well-known Jōnin, someone held in high regard within the clan, had been one-shot KO'd…
By a seven-year-old.
When did the world become so absurd?!
Hiashi instinctively turned to look at Fugaku.
He suspected this shady bastard must've cast some sort of Genjutsu behind the scenes.
How else could this nonsense be explained?
Fugaku, meanwhile, raised both hands innocently as if to say, "Don't look at me—I didn't touch a thing."
"Byakugan—activate!"
Hiashi's temples bulged as his chakra surged, veins appearing around his eyes.
When his gaze fell upon Rukawa…
Shock overtook his expression again.
That amount of chakra… how could that exist in a child?!
It was on par with a tailed beast.
Suddenly, everything made sense.
So that's why Fugaku agreed so easily.
This "child" was no child—he was a monster wearing human skin.
Hiashi took a long breath, trying to calm the storm in his chest.
Then, suppressing his anger, he said:
"Fine! Uchiha Rukawa, for someone your age to possess such power… we, the Hyūga Clan, admit defeat."
"Now release Makino. Let this be the end of it between us."
Hiashi understood clearly—no one in his clan could take down this monster unless they committed everything.
And frankly, it wasn't worth the risk.
But Rukawa sneered.
"You think it's over just because you say so? Who do you think you are?"
Hiashi's face darkened. A bad feeling welled up inside.
"What do you want, then?!"
Rukawa pointed at the man beneath his foot.
"This guy said he wanted to strip me and hang me at the village gate. I'm just a fan of returning favors."
"So I've decided—he's getting stripped and strung up twice as long. Two full days and nights should do it."
"You little brat! Don't go too far!"
Hiashi was shaking with fury.
But Rukawa calmly stepped harder on Makino, silencing the man with a faint crunch.
Hiashi turned to Fugaku in desperation.
"Fugaku! This is your son! Do you really want to push our clans to war?!"
Fugaku remained silent for a moment, then turned to Rukawa.
"Rukawa, come on. Let it go. There's no need to escalate things this far—besides, you started it…"
But Rukawa cut him off coldly.
"Shut it. You don't get a say."
Fugaku's face darkened instantly.
This damn brat had embarrassed him in front of everyone. Again!
Anyone who didn't know the situation would think he was the kid and Rukawa was the dad!
Rukawa, unfazed, gave Makino a little kick and said:
"This guy's getting strung up. Even if the Sage of Six Paths shows up, he can't stop it."
Hiashi stepped forward, his expression grim.
"As head of the Hyūga Clan, I will not allow this."
White eyes blazing, he walked toward Rukawa, step by step.
"Release Makino. That's an order."
Rukawa smirked, tilted his chin in challenge.
"If you want him back so badly—come take him."
Makino rolled limply behind him like a sack of flour.
"I'll admit, your power is impressive for your age," Hiashi said, closing in.
"But you're still young and reckless."
"Ever heard the saying: 'Never let a Hyūga ninja get close'?"
BOOM!
Suddenly, a powerful chakra wave burst from Hiashi's body.
"You're within range now, boy. It's too late to escape."
He shifted into a strange stance—an intricate Eight Trigrams symbol faintly forming beneath their feet.
Rukawa stood at the center.
"Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Two Hundred and Fifty-Six Palms!"
A furious barrage of palm strikes flew toward Rukawa like a storm.
2… 4… 8… 16… 32…
64… 128… 256!
When the final strike landed, Hiashi exhaled heavily, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.
"To take you down, I pushed my limits. You should be honored."
"Your chakra network has been completely sealed.
Without chakra, you're nothing more than a weak little brat."
He double-checked with his Byakugan—sure enough, Rukawa's chakra flow had completely halted.
Perfect.
Just as Hiashi reached to grab him—
Whoosh!
Rukawa vanished.
Hiashi's eyes widened in disbelief.
Before he could even process what had happened—
SMACK!
A crisp slap echoed through the air as Rukawa reappeared and backhanded Hiashi across the face.
"You really think I need chakra to deal with you?"
Rukawa stood emotionless as a system notification chimed in his head:
[Ding… Congratulations! Mission complete. Sign-in count +1]
Hiashi's vision swam. His cheek was blazing red.
He'd just been publicly slapped—by a child!
Rage erupted from him.
"You brat! You dare humiliate me?! I'll kill you!"
"Rotation!"
Hiashi spun rapidly, creating a dome of spinning chakra—the famed Hyūga defense technique.
A glowing blue barrier formed.
Rukawa smirked.
"You think this crap can stop me?"
BOOM!
With a single punch, the spinning chakra shield shattered like glass.
Hiashi could only watch in disbelief as the small fist slammed into his chest.
CRACK!
BOOM!
Hiashi flew backward like a cannonball, ribs shattering under the impact.