"Hmm, brings back memories. Attending school here."
Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi arrived outside the Ninja Academy. Looking at the familiar campus, a trace of nostalgia flickered in their eyes.
"Go, go! Hurry, hurry!"
"I heard that Uchiha genius, Uchiha Sasuke, is hanging out with the fox demon again, going to challenge the Hyuga clan's genius!"
"Haha, they're about to get beaten up again. Serves them right!"
The children at the Ninja Academy, upon dismissal, not only didn't leave but instead gathered one after another toward the small playground at the back of the school.
"Yeah, that arrogant jerk Uchiha Sasuke is the worst!"
Hearing others criticize his younger brother Uchiha Sasuke like this, a hint of awkwardness flashed across Uchiha Itachi's face.
Uchiha Shisui couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh again.
At the Ninja Academy, being able to hear other children call an Uchiha kid "arrogant" was, for him, a source of joy.
If only everyone in the village thought the Uchiha clansmen were just a bit arrogant, how wonderful that would be.
"Let's go, Itachi. I really can't wait to see your arrogant little brother get beaten up too!"
Uchiha Itachi felt helpless, yet there was also a sliver of anticipation in his heart. He followed Uchiha Shisui, skillfully making their way inside the Ninja Academy.
"You two guys, you've lost so many times, can't you see your fate clearly?"
Hyuga Neji was somewhat annoyed.
Fights between youngsters didn't involve very heavy blows or serious injuries.
But Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto, these two guys were like cockroaches. After getting beaten black and blue, they'd recover in a couple of days and come challenge him again.
It was incredibly annoying!
"I think, we see the fate of you being defeated, Hyuga Neji!"
Following Uzumaki Naruto's voice, a moving brilliance shone in Uchiha Sasuke's eyes.
From being utterly helpless in their first defeat, to being able to hold out for significantly more moves before losing in their challenge two days later.
Coupled with Naruto's encouragement, Sasuke could clearly feel himself improving with every challenge.
Every improvement brought him one step closer to his goal of defeating Hyuga Neji!
Excited, Uchiha Sasuke couldn't help but take a step forward. Standing there, even though some swelling hadn't completely faded from his face, he still had his hands in his pockets, his eyes hidden in shadow, appearing exceptionally cool.
He exuded an aura of an "arrogant king" from head to toe.
"Hyuga Neji, we can fail a hundred times! But just once! As long as we beat you once, you'll never be our opponent again!"
Hyuga Neji's body trembled. The surrounding students froze. Even Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi, who had just arrived, couldn't help but be somewhat shocked upon hearing Uchiha Sasuke's words.
"You... you two!"
Hyuga Neji clenched his fists. Very well, very well indeed, you two. You think you can win?
Win once, and you'll never lose to me again?
Naruto clearly saw the anger in Hyuga Neji at this moment. This guy was probably going to use heavier force today.
In reality, after gaining twenty-five percent of Hyuga Haku's power, including his ocular power, Naruto could defeat Hyuga Neji quite easily now.
After all, it was a quarter of an adult Hyuga branch family member's power. Seeing through the Gentle Fist of a second-year academy student like Neji was effortless.
But he had been holding back, both to accompany Sasuke and to avoid suddenly revealing power beyond the village's control as the Nine-Tails jinchuriki. He had been feigning weakness.
It looked like they were in for a serious beating today?
But what surprised Naruto was that today, Uchiha Sasuke seemed like he was on some kind of stimulant. The boy erupted with an extremely fierce momentum.
"Hyuga Neji!!!"
"Uchiha Sasuke!!!"
The two most famous geniuses of their generation from the Hyuga and Uchiha clans erupted into a fierce battle under the watchful eyes of numerous academy students.
Shuriken, Clone Technique, Substitution Technique.
Today, Uchiha Sasuke used these basic skills every genin must master with dazzling, flower-like brilliance.
The usual stuttering transitions between taijutsu, ninjutsu, and weapon usage were now flawlessly smooth.
Uchiha Sasuke, who had never posed much of a threat to Hyuga Neji before, erupted with combat prowess that commanded attention today.
"So fast! So strong!"
*Swish swish swish!*
Shuriken forced Hyuga Neji to dodge and weave. Taijutsu attacks pressured Neji, making him constantly defend.
The moment Hyuga Neji found an opening to counter, Sasuke used the Clone Technique to confuse his vision or the Substitution Technique to evade his Gentle Fist strikes.
At this moment, Uchiha Sasuke's speed genuinely astonished Hyuga Neji.
"So amazing! Go, Sasuke!"
Witnessing Uchiha Sasuke's brilliant performance, the girls in the class couldn't help but scream with excitement.
Seeing Sasuke so pumped up, Naruto glanced around. Spotting two familiar faces, he showed an expression of understanding.
So Uchiha Itachi had come. That explained why Sasuke was so excited.
"Ah!"
At that moment, a chorus of surprised gasps erupted from the surroundings.
Uzumaki Naruto focused his attention, looking toward Sasuke's direction.
Their fight had reached its most intense point.
"Hyuga Neji! Today, I will defeat you here!!!"
With the encouragement of having his brother Uchiha Itachi present, Uchiha Sasuke felt an unprecedented strength and was in exceptionally good form!
Then, unable to contain his excitement, he shouted loudly and, full of arrogance, aggressively closed the distance toward Hyuga Neji.
He felt that the other's Gentle Fist could no longer threaten him.
This, finally, thoroughly angered Hyuga Neji.
Uchiha Sasuke, do you think you're the only one making progress, the only one moving forward?
"Today, I'll let you see your fate even more clearly, Uchiha Sasuke! You cannot defeat me!"
Hyuga Neji suddenly accelerated, bursting forth with a speed he hadn't shown in their previous challenges. He grabbed Sasuke's leg mid-sweep and pulled him in.
A series of Eight Trigrams Palms pressure point strikes, *pat pat pat*, easily sealed Sasuke's chakra once more, sending him crashing heavily to the ground.
"Damn... it!"
Caught off guard by his own excitement and carelessness, forgetting the overwhelming power of the Gentle Fist in close combat, Sasuke had lost once again.
Uchiha Sasuke lay on the ground. Under his brother Uchiha Itachi's gaze, he felt too ashamed to even get up.