Chapter – 27 Uchiha Tatsumi vs Hyuga Tsukiko

Elder Council’s Discussion Room, Hokage Building, Konohagakure

Inside the Elder Council’s discussion room, two individuals sat on the sofas, focused on the crystal ball placed on the wooden table in the center. The scene in the crystal ball displayed the Konoha Ninja Academy’s playground, and the two watched as events unfolded.

Orochimaru's voice echoed through the room as he announced the six candidates who had made it to the final round: [The six candidates promoted to the final round are Uchiha Tatsumi, Uchiha Mikoto, and Namikaze Minato from the second grade. Then, Aburame Shibi from the third year, Hyuga Tsukiko from the fifth year, and Senju Kagura from the sixth year.]

As the names were announced, one of the two individuals, the one smoking, the Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure, and the current Patriarch of the Sarutobi Clan, Sarutobi Hiruzen, muttered, "For an orphan with a civilian background to place in the top 6... this is quite surprising..."

It is indeed surprising that Namikaze Minato managed to rank among the top 6. He didn’t just rank 6th in his class or grade; he placed in the top 6 out of the entire ninja academy, which includes many geniuses and children from noble shinobi clans. Some of these children are even heirs to their respective clans, having already undergone strict training. Yet, despite being an orphan, Minato secured a spot in the top 6.

Stroking his beard, Hiruzen murmured, "Namikaze Minato... he might be a talented child... and someone worth paying attention to."

Different from Hiruzen, the other person in the room, Utatane Koharu, one of the two supporting elder advisors of the Sandaime Hokage and the current Patriarch of the Utatane Clan, although maintained a neutral expression, her mind was absentminded, as her eyes were focused on a certain child.

‘Kagami-kun's child...’ she thought, her gaze fixed on the black-haired child who reminded her of an old friend.

As she looked at the child, memories from her youth flashed in her mind, and her heart ached. She felt heartbroken and saddened, but she could do nothing about the pain. All she could do was sigh in sadness, ‘If only you were still alive…’

…

Back at the Konoha Ninja Academy, unaware of the two individuals watching them, Tatsumi stepped up to the wooden box to draw a lot. After his turn, the remaining five candidates took their turns one by one.

When everyone had drawn their lots, Tatsumi looked at his and noted the number. He then turned to Mikoto and asked, "What’s your number, Mikoto?"

"I’m number '3'," Mikoto replied, showing him her lot. "What about you, Tatsumi-kun?"

"I’m number '1'," Tatsumi answered, then turned to the little sun. "What about you, Minato?"

"I’m number '2'," Minato replied, showing his lot to Tatsumi and Mikoto.

"Mm, this is good," Tatsumi said, noticing that all three of them had different numbers.

Minato and Mikoto agreed. "Yes."

The fact that all three had different lot numbers meant they wouldn't have to fight each other for a top 3 spot. Instead, they would compete against the ones who had drawn the same numbers. This also meant that all three had a chance to receive guidance from the Sandaime Hokage’s three disciples without having to fight one another for it.

At that moment, Orochimaru's voice echoed through the arena. "The ones who drew '1' come to the arena."

"Well, that's me," Tatsumi murmured.

"Good luck, Tatsumi-kun," Mikoto said, encouraging him.

Minato added from behind, "Don't lose, Tatsumi."

"Of course," Tatsumi nodded, slipping his hands into his pants pockets as he made his way to the arena.

Handsome face. Powerful posture. Noble-like aura. Crushing strength.

With every step Tatsumi took, the hearts of countless little Kunoichis thumped in excitement, and they cheered for him, their faces turning red.

"Tatsumi-sama~" "Tatsumi-sama~" "Tatsumi-sama~" "Tatsumi-sama~"

While almost all the little Kunoichis cheered for him, the remaining crowd began to cheer for Hyuga Tsukiko as she stepped toward the arena.

It turns out that Tatsumi’s opponent is none other than Hyuga Tsukiko.

Compared to the cheering for Tatsumi, the cheering for Tsukiko was even louder, as almost all the boys cheered for her.

"Tsukiko-sama~" "Tsukiko-sama~" "Tsukiko-sama~" "Tsukiko-sama~" "Tsukiko-sama~" "Tsukiko-sama~"

The cheering was so loud that rather than cheering, the audience seemed to have started rioting, which was also not strange since the ones competing against each other were the

“Show her, her true place, Tatsumi-sama!”

"Tsukiko-sama, crush that bastard!”

Uchiha Tatsumi and Hyuga Tsukiko were the two most popular trainees at the Konoha Ninja Academy, and a fight between them was sure to make the audience restless.

But ignoring the excited crowd, Tatsumi and Tsukiko stood in the arena, staring at each other.

Tsukiko had a slender figure, fair skin, and long black hair that reached her hips. Her featureless white eyes carried a cold gaze. Her expression remained stoic as if reflecting the chill of the moon itself.

Staring into the featureless white eyes, Tatsumi introduced himself. "Uchiha Tatsumi, pleased to meet you," he said, giving a slight bow.

The Kunoichi responded with only her name. "Hyuga Tsukiko…" Then, she activated her Byakugan as the nerves around her eyes swelled.

Tatsumi noted her silence, thinking, ‘It’s been so long since we last spoke, and not even a proper greeting?’ He shook his head and assumed his fighting stance. Tsukiko mirrored him, matching his focus.

Once both were ready, Orochimaru gave a subtle nod and issued the signal. "Begin..."

…

Although Tatsumi had not yet awakened the Sharingan, his Genjutsu skills were still potent enough to target his opponents' five senses by manipulating the flow of Chakra within their bodies. This made most of the trainees at the academy easy prey for him.

However, there were exceptions—Hyuga Tsukiko was one of them.

Tsukiko possessed the Byakugan, which granted her a 360° field of vision and the ability to sense the flow of Chakra within her own body. Furthermore, as a member of the Hyuga clan who specialized in the Gentle Fist, Tatsumi knew that Tsukiko likely had exceptional Chakra control. This would allow her to quickly detect any disturbances in her Chakra flow, realizing she was under a Genjutsu.

While most academy trainees might struggle to break free from a Genjutsu, Tsukiko, with her Byakugan and precise Chakra control, was a notable exception.

Tatsumi thought to himself, ‘I’ll have to be clever with my Genjutsu against her. Her Chakra control is probably superior to mine.’ There was no doubt in his mind.

‘It's best not to get too close to her. If I do, she’ll seal my Tenketsu,’ Tatsumi thought, keeping a watchful eye on Tsukiko.

Meanwhile, Tsukiko, noticing that Tatsumi wasn’t making the first move, decided to take the initiative. She threw several Shuriken at him.

Tatsumi knew that Shuriken were mostly used to restrict an opponent's movement rather than to inflict serious harm—especially at the start of a fight. He was well aware that Tsukiko was likely planning a follow-up attack.

And sure enough, Tsukiko charged forward, clearly intending to capitalize on the Hyuga clan's strength in close combat.

Tatsumi wasn’t about to make things easy for her.

He quickly drew several Kunai from his Shinobi pouch. With his left hand, he expertly deflected the Shuriken Tsukiko had thrown while simultaneously tossing the remaining Kunai into the air with his right hand, positioning them at precise angles and speeds.

The time spent dealing with the Shuriken was more than enough for Tsukiko to close the distance between them.

As she closed in, Tsukiko struck with her hands, but Tatsumi blocked her blows with the Kunai in his left hand, careful to ensure she couldn’t make contact.

The two trainees exchanged blows, weaving through the arena as their battle intensified.

It had to be said—Tsukiko, a specialist in the Hyuga Clan’s Gentle Fist, was truly formidable. Tatsumi had always concealed his full capabilities in close combat, never needing to fight seriously since no one had ever pushed him to that point. But now, for the first time, he found himself treating a battle with genuine seriousness. Tsukiko was forcing him to take the fight a bit seriously.

Meanwhile, the Kunai he had tossed earlier continued colliding midair, altering each other's trajectories.

“Well… you’re really good,” Tatsumi admitted with a nod, glancing at the Kunai from the corner of his eye. Then, without warning, he stopped attacking with his hands and launched a sudden kick.

As expected, Tsukiko reacted swiftly, managing to block it. However, her defense was slightly rushed, and the sheer force of Tatsumi’s kick pushed her backward.

Seizing the opportunity, Tatsumi executed a backflip to gain distance. In the same motion, he hurled the Kunai in his left hand toward the midair collision, subtly shifting its trajectory—sending it hurtling straight toward the spot where Tsukiko had been forced back.

This kind of Kunai throw was extraordinary—many in the audience had never seen anything like it before.

"This is it… this is the Shurikenjutsu I’ve been talking about…!" Nawaki exclaimed excitedly from the stands, sounding every bit like a fanboy. He had always envied Tatsumi’s skill with Shurikenjutsu. No matter how much he practiced, he could never achieve the same level of finesse and precision.

Even Hyuga Tsukiko was momentarily taken aback by the unusual technique Tatsumi had used. However, she remained composed. Even with the Kunai attacking her from behind, she didn’t panic. Instead, she skillfully defended herself by releasing Chakra from her Tenketsu at the precise point of impact, stopping the Kunai mid-flight and causing it to drop to the ground with a metallic clang!

Having dealt with the attack, Tsukiko calmly resumed her stance and spoke in a quiet but confident tone. "In front of these eyes, anything you do is meaningless."

Tatsumi raised an eyebrow. ‘Isn’t that the standard show-off line for the Sharingan? Since when did a Hyuga start using it?’ That said, if he was being honest, the phrase suited a Hyuga even better—after all, their Byakugan granted them a near-perfect 360° field of vision.

‘Oh well, it doesn’t matter…’ Tatsumi shook his head indifferently before swiftly weaving one-handed hand signs. Then, without hesitation, he unleashed a Fire Jutsu. ‘Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!’

The iconic Fire Style Jutsu of the Uchiha Clan—used as a coming-of-age rite within the clan—was a powerful technique. The more Chakra infused into it, the larger and hotter the flames became.

Pouring an excessive amount of Chakra into the attack, Tatsumi deliberately amplified the Jutsu, releasing an enormous fireball that roared toward Tsukiko, leaving her with no room to escape within the arena.

The sudden surge of intense heat overwhelmed her senses. She hadn’t expected such a massive attack, and for a brief moment, she froze. With no opportunity to use the Substitution Jutsu—nowhere to evade—Tsukiko had only one option left.

She chose it without hesitation. ‘Gentle Fist Secret Art: Revolving Heaven!’

Without hesitation, Tsukiko expelled Chakra from every Tenketsu in her body and began spinning in place, forming a rotating barrier of Chakra that shielded her from the flames and deflected them outward.

"An almost perfect defense, huh…" Tatsumi muttered, watching as his fire was repelled. He continued releasing flames for several more seconds before finally stopping.

"But… it’s not flawless," he murmured with a smirk, his sharp eyes observing Tsukiko as she ceased her Revolving Heaven technique.

At a glance, he could tell the toll it had taken on her. Her skin was flushed red, her clothes were drenched in sweat, and her breathing had grown labored. This wasn’t the result of excessive movement—it was the consequence of prolonged exposure to intense heat from proximity.

"You can block the fire with Revolving Heaven," Tatsumi said, meeting her gaze, "but you can’t block the heat." He paused before adding, "And I’d guess you don’t have much Chakra left either. Meanwhile, I can keep going for quite a while… wouldn’t it be better to surrender?"

“…” Tsukiko said nothing. She only stared at him, her breath coming in heavy, uneven gasps.

"Isn't it quite a burden to use Revolving Heaven more than twice in a day? I doubt you can manage another one so easily," Tatsumi said, pressing her to surrender.

“…” Once again, Tsukiko remained silent. She simply stood there, her chest rising and falling with deep, steady breaths, determination etched onto her face.

Tatsumi observed her expression carefully. It was clear—she was fighting for something, striving to prove herself and achieve a goal. And he understood exactly what that goal was. In a way, he was the one who had set her on this path. However, he also knew that in the brutal world of Shinobi, her current approach wouldn’t be enough to ensure survival or success.

He had given her the drive to chase her ambition, but he had failed to guide her toward it properly. As a result, she was struggling—swinging wildly, trying to fight for something without fully knowing how.

But growth demands change. At some point, one must break away from one's former self in order to transform. And sometimes, that transformation comes through hardship, even though bloodshed.

Right now, Hyuga Tsukiko was on the path of growth.

Recognizing this, Tatsumi made his decision. He would fight her with his full strength—not only as a sign of respect but also to force her to awaken completely.

"You claim that before your eyes, every action is meaningless… well then, just how much can your eyes truly see?" Tatsumi said with a grin while weaving one-handed hand signs. As soon as he completed them, the number of voices in the arena suddenly multiplied.

"We look forward to finding out."

A faint cloud of dust rose from the ground as multiple Tatsumis appeared across different positions in the arena.

"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu?" Tsukiko murmured, her brows furrowing. "No… but the hand signs were different…"

She focused intently on the numerous Tatsumis, trying to make sense of what was happening. But something felt off.

"Multiple Shadow Clones won’t help you win," she said, steadying herself for the battle.

"Haha…" all the Tatsumis chuckled in unison before launching their attack. One moment, they stood still—the next, they were vanishing and reappearing, surrounding Tsukiko from all directions.

"From the left, from behind, and from above…" Tsukiko whispered as she quickly repositioned herself, ready to counter the incoming attacks. She struck out at the first Tatsumi—only for her hand to pass right through him as if he were nothing but an illusion.

"What? An afterimage? No, a Clone… but not a Shadow Clone? Then that means—"

Before she could finish processing, the second and third Tatsumi—one from behind and one from above—struck her at the same time.

"This isn’t the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu…" they said in unison.

Their synchronized double kick landed cleanly, sending Tsukiko flying across the arena and crashing into the wall with force. Bang!

"Gahaa!"

Tsukiko slammed into the wall face-first, the impact sending a sharp jolt of pain through her body. Several bones felt as though they had cracked, and blood trickled from multiple wounds, including a deep gash on her forehead. Even her nose seemed broken, crimson leaking from her nostrils.

Yet, despite the agony, despite the overwhelming damage, she refused to fall. Gritting her teeth, Tsukiko struggled to her feet, her legs trembling beneath her. With unsteady hands, she forced herself back into a fighting stance.

"I… I… am not… d-defeated yet…" she declared, her voice shaking but her resolve unwavering.