Uchiha Maí and Sarutobi Asuma stood facing each other, each raising one hand to form the Seal of Opposition.
Konoha was a great village, full of rules and formalities. Before any official duel or combat exercise, ninjas were required to perform the Seal of Opposition - the same gesture immortalized by the two statues at the Valley of the End. After the fight, they would perform the Seal of Reconciliation, symbolizing that everything ended there: no grudges, no settling scores afterward. Something like, "I beat you badly, but it's all good now."
- Come on, Asuma! Knock him down!
- Boss, smash that pretty face!
Asuma's followers waved their fists and shouted nonstop, cheering their leader on.
Uchiha Maí was already used to the hostility of the boys at the Academy. What could he do? Being handsome wasn't his fault.
On the other side, the girls were no less enthusiastic. They raised their arms and began to cheer:
- Maí, teach that arrogant guy a lesson!
- Maí, wreck that monkey's face! He's only cocky because he rides on the Hokage's prestige!
In the original Naruto manga and anime, there wasn't much description of Kakashi's generation during their Academy days. It was only mentioned that Asuma had been a rebellious delinquent in his youth, clashing with the Sandaime Hokage before running off to the capital of the Land of Fire.
Experiencing it firsthand, Maí could confirm it himself: Asuma really was a problem back in the Academy. Always surrounded by lackeys, arrogant and flamboyant. He never did anything truly awful, but he was irritating enough to earn widespread dislike - especially from the girls.
Realizing that every single one of them was clearly on Uchiha Maí's side, Asuma's face flushed red like a tomato. Am I really that unattractive?
Yūhi Kurenai glanced around, saw everyone cheering for Maí, and timidly raised her hand as well:
- Maí… be careful, okay?
Crack!
It felt as if Asuma's heart had just been stabbed.
Seeing that the atmosphere was ripe, the instructor Murakami Keinin raised his hand and dropped it sharply.
- Begin!
Asuma was just about to rush forward and smash that irritating face when he saw Maí assume a strange stance, lightly bouncing in place. He stopped short at once.
Maí's left fist was held forward at shoulder height, the elbow bent at roughly ninety degrees. His right hand was clenched, guarding his chin, while his head was slightly lowered.
His torso remained straight but leaned subtly forward, the waist lightly flexed. His legs were staggered, one in front of the other, knees slightly bent; his feet were parallel, spaced about shoulder-width apart.
- What a weird stance… - Asuma frowned, unable to make sense of it.
- Looks kinda ugly, doesn't it? Doesn't match that annoying face of his - Obito commented from the crowd.
- Ugly my foot. Don't talk nonsense if you don't understand - Kurenai shot back, glaring at him.
Obito immediately shut his mouth, thinking to himself that if it were anyone else using that stance, Kurenai would've been the first to call it weird.
Might Guy watched Uchiha Maí in silence, completely focused. Suddenly, his eyes lit up and emotion overflowed. Tears streamed down his face as he shouted:
- I get it! I get it!
- So I'm not the only ninja who specializes in taijutsu! Taijutsu isn't something only people without talent for ninjutsu train!
Guy had always been passionate and expressive. His outburst drew everyone's attention - including Asuma, who was still staring Maí down in the field.
- What's with you now, bowl-cut? - Obito asked, confused.
Guy wiped away his tears and explained excitedly:
- Maí's stance may look strange, but it's an extremely refined taijutsu preparatory posture.
- The left fist forward is perfect for probing and attacking; the right fist protects the chin and can deliver a powerful punch at a critical moment. Pulling the fist back is exactly what allows for a stronger strike.
- The chin is one of the most vulnerable points on the human body. A clean hit there can knock someone out instantly. That's why he keeps his head slightly lowered to protect it.
He took a breath and continued, growing more animated:
- The slightly bent knees help generate power, and keeping the feet parallel - one forward, one back - maximizes balance. Overall, it's a posture that allows both offense and defense in a frontal taijutsu exchange.
Seeing Uchiha Maí use taijutsu made Guy happier than anyone else.
For a long time, ninjas who focused on taijutsu had never been valued. Guy's father, Might Duy, lacking talent for ninjutsu, remained a genin even at an advanced age.
No one understood better than Guy how strong his father truly was. Once he opened the Eight Gates, Might Duy could defeat ordinary chūnin with absurd ease.
Like his father, Guy also lacked talent for ninjutsu. Yet he idolized him and firmly believed that even relying solely on taijutsu, one could become a great ninja.
Still, because he seemed clumsy and couldn't use ninjutsu, he was often looked down upon at the Academy and regularly discriminated against.
But now, the Academy's idol - Uchiha Maí - was also walking the path of taijutsu.
Let's see who dares say anything now.
He's an Uchiha, after all!
- Oh… I see - Obito replied, nodding without much conviction before turning his attention back to the fight.
The other students reacted much the same way. No one suddenly thought Guy was amazing, nor that taijutsu itself was incredible.
In their eyes, the truly impressive one was Uchiha Maí - someone so young, yet capable of coming up with something so extraordinary.
Guy still didn't understand how the world worked. In the end, everything depended on looks.
- Balanced offense and defense? I don't buy that crap.
On the field, Asuma clenched his teeth in irritation. Hearing Guy praise Maí only made him angrier. That pretty boy doesn't know a damn thing about taijutsu.
He lunged forward suddenly, throwing a straight punch at Maí's face.
Maí's pupils contracted. He leaned his head slightly back, narrowly avoiding the blow, and in the same instant fired a fast, precise left punch that landed squarely on Asuma's cheek.
Asuma's face swelled immediately.
- Good! - Sarutobi Hiruzen applauded from inside the office. - I've wanted to teach that brat a lesson for a long time.
After landing the hit, Maí retreated two steps, reestablishing distance, in no hurry to press the attack.
- Tch… - Asuma sucked in a sharp breath. The pain nearly brought tears to his eyes. How does this bastard hit so accurately?
After taking that punch, he became more cautious. He began circling Maí with a serious expression, searching for an opening.
Maí simply smiled. Mayweather's boxing techniques were more than sufficient in a fight between genin.
At this level, almost no one had real combat experience. Hand seals were slow, chakra reserves limited, and most fights were resolved through close-quarters combat. Even when ninjutsu appeared, it was usually something basic like the Substitution or Transformation Technique.
In the end, taijutsu was what decided everything.
And at this stage, boxing techniques showed tremendous value. Even if a ninja battle wasn't a boxing match, the principles still applied.
A boxing guard wasn't only useful in the ring - it worked just as well in unrestricted combat, free fighting, and mixed martial arts.
More important still was the philosophy behind it.
Just as Brazilian jiu-jitsu is known as "human chess," boxing is far more than a contest of brute strength. It carries countless strategies and combat wisdom that could be perfectly adapted to the ninja world.
(End of Chapter)