A sharp crack of bone echoed, and the intense pain twisted the expression of the Hyuga ninja who had charged forward. But before he could assess his injuries, Kawaki Aoba's attack struck again.
The Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, infused with overwhelming momentum, slammed into the opponent's chest.
Once again, the sound of bones snapping reverberated through the air. The Hyuga ninja lost count of how many bones had been broken as his body was sent flying backward.
The sudden turn of events left the onlookers—including the rich-looking young master and those who had blocked the streets on both sides—in stunned silence.
By the time they grasped what had occurred, the Hyuga ninja who had initially jumped out had already been sent sprawling far away.
"Hyuga clan, don't mistake me for an easy target, someone you can manipulate at will!" Kawaki Aoba roared, his voice full of fury. He pointed toward a specific direction and shouted, "You there, Hyuga Main Family lapdog! Go back and tell your Second Elder that if he dares to use underhanded tactics, don't blame me for being impolite. From now on, if the Hyuga clan dares to bare their fangs at me again, I'll pull out all your dog teeth!"
Kawaki Aoba was fully aware that his actions were impulsive and rash. He knew that if he had just bided his time, the Hyuga clan would have eventually posed no threat.
But seeing his future wife being humiliated right in front of him, swallowing his anger was simply impossible.
So what if it's the Hyuga clan? He had his own trump cards. Why not use them now?
"Dare to insult our Hyuga clan, brat? You deserve to die!" Several more figures jumped into the fray. It was clear from their appearance that they were all Hyuga clan ninjas, their Byakugan eyes gleaming.
The sight of so many Hyuga ninjas gathered together was an obvious problem.
However, in the face of their overwhelming numbers, Kawaki Aoba was not intimidated. Adopting a stance, he unleashed the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, meeting their assault head-on.
Normally, Kawaki Aoba's combat strength was enough to handle a couple of Hyuga Branch Family ninjas, employing hit-and-run tactics.
But now, facing a siege of Hyuga Chunin, he handled the situation with ease. In fact, it was as though he were overpowering them with sheer force.
No, it wasn't just suppression—it was a complete rout.
Though Kawaki Aoba struggled when facing Jonin in his regular state, when pitted against the specialized Taijutsu Chunin of the Hyuga clan, his max-level Observation Haki, which allowed him to foresee the future, combined with the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist—far more overbearing than the Hyuga's Gentle Fist—made it clear that no matter how many Hyuga Chunin came, they were no match for him.
After effortlessly taking down another Hyuga Chunin, Kawaki Aoba felt his power grow even more.
In a matter of moments, half of the Hyuga clan ninjas who had emerged to confront him were already lying on the ground.
Yuhi Kurenai: "Do you think I'm dead?"
Kawaki Aoba, driven by anger, had taken down most of the Hyuga clan's ninjas on the street, turning the situation into an absolute spectacle.
Now that things had escalated, Kawaki Aoba decided to press on even further.
Pointing once more in the direction he had previously indicated, Kawaki Aoba's tone was icy, laced with a hint of mockery. "Still not showing yourselves? You've been watching me from the shadows, but you don't dare reveal yourselves. Is this the so-called magnanimity of the Hyuga clan?"
He then gestured to the Hyuga ninjas scattered across the ground. "And these weaklings—sending them out to embarrass themselves. Does the Hyuga clan truly believe that even if these Branch Family ninjas are defeated, it won't tarnish the reputation of your thousand-year-old legacy? If that's the case, it's truly pathetic."
Kawaki Aoba suddenly shifted his tone, the mockery replaced with cold finality. "But, this is an internal matter for the Hyuga clan, and I have no say in it. What I can control, however, is your attempts to scheme against me. If you attack the people around me, I'll chop off every claw you dare extend."
He continued, his voice dripping with disdain. "Still thinking of using Gentle Fist to plot against me? Heh, you probably don't know my true talent, do you? With the stuff you put in the hidden compartment under my bed, I could develop something far stronger."
He glanced around at the defeated Hyuga ninjas. "You saw the technique I just used, right? It's called the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist—an S-rank Nin-Taijutsu that I developed myself. It's far stronger than your Gentle Fist."
He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Still not coming out? Fine. If that's the case, when I get back, I'll make sure to spread the things you gave me all over Konoha. What do you think of that?"
At these words, the figure watching from the shadows—who had been observing Kawaki Aoba's methodical defeat of the Hyuga ninjas—finally lost his composure.
Having seen the power of Kawaki's Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, he had already acknowledged its might, but he had not expected that Kawaki Aoba had developed it himself.
Such talent was terrifying, and the thought of it stirred murderous intent. However, knowing that the street was filled with people, he hesitated, waiting for the right moment to strike.
But when Kawaki Aoba mentioned exposing the Hyuga's Gentle Fist to the public, the watcher could no longer contain himself.
Releasing a chilling aura, he moved to strike, determined to eliminate the "hidden threat" to the Hyuga clan right then and there.
For the Hyuga clan, their glory was above all else. Even if this would lead to his execution by the village for killing a fellow villager in public, he couldn't care less. In his mind, he would be a hero of the clan, and the Hyuga would remember his actions.
But what he didn't anticipate was that his strike would be abruptly halted.
It wasn't that Kawaki Aoba had used any tricks, but rather, a new ninja had intervened, stopping his attack cold.
It was Yuhi Kurenai.
"My disciple's words are the same as mine," Kurenai said, stepping into the scene, her gaze cold and sharp. "You dared to scheme against my precious daughter? Hyuga clan, do you really think I, a Jonin, am dead?"
After intercepting the opponent's attack, Yuhi Kurenai stood there, her fierce expression reminiscent of a wild beast ready to devour her prey.
Never doubt what lengths a daughter-con would go to for their daughter.
However, her appearance did not scare the other party. They were all Jonin who had survived countless life-and-death situations, so retreating out of fear was not in their nature.
Moreover, a mere commoner Jonin was not enough to make him back down.
The Hyuga clan ninja was prepared to fight to the death. Even if it cost him his life, he was determined to kill that brat today.
But before he could make a move, the sound of movement came from behind him.
"People of the Hyuga clan, you truly are Konoha's noble clan. Do you think we, these commoner ninjas, don't even deserve your attention?"
"This is Konoha Village's main street, not your Hyuga clan grounds. Don't get too presumptuous."
Two mocking remarks rang out, causing the Hyuga ninja's body to stiffen. He turned his head to see a group of seven or eight Jonin and Special Jonin approaching from behind.
They all had one thing in common: they were commoners.
These people were all brought by Yuhi Shinko. As commoner ninjas, their individual strength was too insignificant compared to the established ninja clans. Only by banding together could they sometimes make an impact in the village.
The people who had arrived were all friends of Yuhi Shinko.
With their arrival, the atmosphere instantly quieted down. A tense stalemate ensued, with both sides wary of each other, neither wanting to make the first move and lose momentum.
It wasn't until a group of Uchiha arrived that the tension was broken.
"What is going on here? Causing trouble on the village's main street? All of you, come with us back to the police force headquarters."
"As ninjas, you're brawling in public, attacking fellow villagers. No matter the reason, we're taking all of you in."
The arrival of a large number of Uchiha police force ninjas caused the impending conflict to dissipate.
After dispersing the onlookers blocking the street, the Uchiha force took both sides away, effectively giving everyone a way out.
This incident quickly became one of the largest disturbances Konoha had seen in recent years.
The main culprits received special attention. Not only were they locked in separate cells, but they were also personally interrogated by Uchiha Fugaku, the captain of the police force.
Under the influence of the Sharingan's genjutsu, the truth was swiftly uncovered.
"Captain Fugaku, the situation is mostly clear. It's that kid again. This time, the Hyuga clan is targeting his little girlfriend. This is quite a complicated matter."
"That Jonin named Yuhi Shinko has already been taken by the Anbu, and the Hyuga clan's head and two elders have been summoned to the Hokage Building. The clan head has asked us to stand by and not get too involved."
An Uchiha whispered in Fugaku's ear.
"Mm." Fugaku nodded, signaling his understanding. This was a delicate matter involving the commoners and the Hyuga clan, so it was best not for the Uchiha to get involved.
However, recalling the genius kid he had seen before, Fugaku decided he would go and have a look.
Inside the prison cell, Fugaku looked at Kawaki Aoba, who he was seeing again, with a complex expression.
The first time they met, this kid had surprised him, allowing Fugaku to gain some leverage over the Hyuga clan.
Who would have thought that so soon he'd be seeing him again?
But this time, the commotion caused by Kawaki was far greater than before. The scale of the incident was massive, and soon it would likely spread throughout Konoha.
Looking at Kawaki Aoba, who was sitting silently with a black cloth covering his eyes, Fugaku knew it was a miracle that this kid was still alive and sitting there.
However, Kawaki Aoba was truly remarkable.
The last time Fugaku saw him, he was just a somewhat famous genius. Although he had defeated two mediocre Hyuga Chunin, that had been the extent of it. Such geniuses were rare, but the Uchiha clan was not lacking in talent.
This time, however, Kawaki had lost his eyes—likely his Byakugan. But even without them, his genius was even more evident.
With his own strength, he had defeated more than a dozen Hyuga Chunin on the street in a short period, creating his own ninjutsu and taijutsu techniques. Even if it wasn't the S-rank move he mentioned, it was still formidable.
His personality was also something the Uchiha could respect.
It was a pity that he wasn't an Uchiha!
Even worse, he was being targeted by the Hyuga clan. Fugaku didn't know how long this kid could survive.
"Is that Captain Uchiha Fugaku? You've been staring at me for a while. Is there something you want to say?" Kawaki Aoba suddenly spoke, startling Fugaku.
He had been silent ever since he entered, so how did this kid recognize him?
"Captain Fugaku doesn't need to be surprised. From the first time I saw you, I memorized your chakra signature, so it's not strange that I recognize you now."
Before Fugaku could respond, Kawaki Aoba answered the question Fugaku was about to ask.
Fugaku was taken aback, then nodded.
Considering that Kawaki had managed to defeat so many Hyuga ninjas despite losing his Byakugan, it was no surprise that he was special.
Initially, Fugaku had no intention of engaging with the troublemaker, but now he was curious.
"Your tone is very calm. Aren't you nervous? You must know that the Hyuga clan, a millennia-old clan, wants you dead. Or do you think your Jonin teacher can really protect you? Because of you, your teacher's daughter has already been dragged into this."
Out of curiosity, Fugaku was prepared to see how Kawaki Aoba would handle the pressure. It was typical behavior for an old Uchiha like him to be intrigued.
This was their Uchiha police force headquarters, and Fugaku had nothing to fear. Once he left, he could easily deny that he had ever asked such questions.
Sensing Fugaku's emotions with his Kenbunshoku Haki, Kawaki Aoba understood what was going on.
Since he was locked up with nothing else to do, he might as well talk to Fugaku, get familiar with him, and possibly use this opportunity to build a future rapport.
"The Hyuga clan is indeed not easy to provoke, but I'm not someone to bully easily either." Kawaki Aoba responded, not trying to be mysterious.
Under Fugaku's curious gaze, the first sentence he spoke made Fugaku feel both amused and conflicted.
"Captain Fugaku, do you know? I'm a genius, a genius to the point where I could be compared to the Second Hokage."
"You must be familiar with my self-created S-rank ninjutsu taijutsu, Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, right?"
Uchiha Fugaku nodded with a strange expression. He had seen many genius ninjas before, and he himself was one. But this was the first time he had seen someone so openly praise themselves.
Kawaki Aoba had used his self-created ninjutsu taijutsu to defeat over a dozen Hyuga Chunin in public.
Becoming famous by stepping on the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist style—it was hard for Fugaku not to recognize the significance of it.
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