A few days later, at the Ninja Academy.
In class, Sarutobi Lie was lecturing about the 360 main acupoints of the human body and the network of chakra nodes spread throughout it—explaining how these points were intricately linked to the flow and manipulation of chakra.
Uchiha Yuan listened intently. The structured theory echoed the insights he had gained from his own cultivation, deepening his understanding of how chakra was refined and circulated.
After a while, Sarutobi Lie concluded his lesson and dismissed the class.
The room erupted in chatter as students rushed out, forming small groups in the courtyard, laughing and playing noisily.
Yuan, however, remained seated, eyes reflecting thought. He was still digesting the material.
The lecture had given him a new perspective on the mechanics of ninjutsu.
Everyone knew that most ninjutsu were released through the mouth—because the mouth itself was a chakra node, and the largest one at that.
Unlike other nodes, which required the opening of meridians to channel chakra, the mouth was innately unobstructed and free-flowing.
To train the Fourth Hokage's Rasengan, Yuan mused silently, one would first need to open the acupoints in the hands.
As for Sasuke's Chidori Stream or the Cloud Village's Lightning Body Techniques, they must require even more acupoints to be opened.
A short while later, Yuan came back to his senses, stood up, and prepared to leave the classroom.
That was when he noticed someone else still seated inside, gazing quietly out the window.
It was Hatake Seikū.
"Hatake, why are you still here?" Yuan asked as he approached.
Seikū turned his head slightly, eyelids drooping as he answered softly, "I just like being alone."
Then he turned back toward the window.
Seeing this, Yuan merely curved his lips faintly and left without another word.
Once Yuan had gone, Seikū turned to look after him, a trace of conflict flickering in his eyes—as if he wanted to say something.
But in the end, he stayed silent and continued staring out the window.
—
At the training grounds, senior students were scattered about: some practiced throwing shuriken and kunai at targets, others rehearsed Clone Techniques and Transformation Techniques.
A few clan-born students were showing off their family secret arts, drawing attention from a ring of wide-eyed lower-year students who watched with envy and admiration.
"Punch back! Come on, don't just dodge!"
"Nice kick!"
"Good hit! Keep it up!"
"Careful—move!"
Following the noise, Uchiha Yuan arrived at the training field and noticed a crowd gathered at one corner.
Among the spectators, he spotted several familiar faces—Hyūga Kagami stood with a few other members of the Hyūga clan, and not far from them were several students wearing the Uchiha fan crest. Yuan recognized one of them: Uchiha Eiji.
At the center of the ring, two students were sparring fiercely with taijutsu.
One wore the Uchiha fan on his clothes, while his opponent bore the crest of the Shiranui clan.
A single glance told Yuan that the Shiranui boy was already being overwhelmed.
Sure enough, after a few quick exchanges, the Uchiha's kick slammed into his opponent's chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Hah! I only used seventy percent of my strength. You couldn't even make me go all out, and yet you think you can challenge an Uchiha?"
The victor smirked proudly.
The Shiranui boy's face flushed red with humiliation and frustration. He struggled to his feet and withdrew without a word.
Scenes like this were common at the training grounds.
Students were simple and straightforward—no matter a clan's name or supposed prestige, strength was the only proof that mattered.
Because of their pride and arrogance, Uchiha students often became the targets of such challenges.
Just then, another figure stepped forward from the crowd. He made the seal of confrontation and said firmly, "Hello, I'm Senju Gen. Please spar with me."
The spectators immediately stirred in excitement. The name Senju carried a weight unlike any other in Konoha.
"Senju?"
"He's from the Senju clan!"
"A Senju versus an Uchiha—this is going to be good!"
"So you're that Senju from Class 9," the victorious Uchiha said, eyes widening slightly. Then, adopting a serious expression, he returned the confrontation seal. "Uchiha Shinsuke. Please give me your guidance."
Yuan's interest was piqued.
Senju Gen was known for his warm and humble personality. Beloved by his classmates, he never argued or fought with anyone. After classes, he would quietly return to the Senju compound.
Yuan had never actually seen him fight—only watching others duel against the Uchiha during training sessions.
He hadn't expected that today, Xuan would step forward to challenge them himself.
Each ninja clan had its own taijutsu style.
The Uchiha, perhaps because of their Sharingan, favored swift, sharp movements—clean, efficient, and precise.
The Akimichi, in contrast, fought with wide, powerful strikes, emphasizing raw strength and momentum.
Among the crowd, the moment Senju Gen's name was heard, Uchiha Eiji and the other Uchiha students grew visibly tense, eyes fixed on the two preparing to fight.
For the Uchiha, the Senju were not just another clan—they were the clan.
"Begin!"
At the shout of a nearby student, both Xuan and Shinsuke launched forward like arrows loosed from a bowstring.
In the blink of an eye, their figures collided. Blows and blocks echoed through the air in rapid succession.
"Wow, incredible! As expected of a Senju!"
"Nice counterpunch!"
"Beautiful footwork—he's fast!"
"Only the Senju can truly stand on equal ground with the Uchiha."
The moment that last sentence was spoken, Hyūga Kagami and the other Hyūga students nearby froze, their pale eyes flashing with resentment.
In today's Konoha, only the Uchiha and the Hyūga still held the title of great noble clans.
Both possessed kekkei genkai linked to the eyes—and so, beneath the surface, the rivalry over whose dōjutsu reigned supreme had never ceased.
Yet, deep down, everyone knew: the Hyūga still fell short of the Uchiha.
And perhaps, the Hyūga themselves sensed it too—
Which only made their desire to surpass the Uchiha burn all the more fiercely.
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