As the mist filled the center of the stadium, an uproar erupted from the spectator stands.
They came here to watch a ninja battle, but Terumi Mei's jutsu made it impossible for them to see the specifics of the fight.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
Minato Namikaze countered the move. possessing Wind Release chakra, his proficiency in Wind Style jutsu was not low.
With a single Wind Style jutsu, Minato directly blew away the mist created by Terumi Mei, revealing his solitary figure in the center of the arena.
"Hiding underground with Earth Style? Earth Style: Earth Wave!"
Minato thought for a moment, then formed seals to use Earth Style. The ground rippled like waves of water.
Hiding underground, Terumi Mei felt the fluctuations in the earth. Unable to continue hiding, she had no choice but to escape to the surface.
Whoosh!
A kunai flew past. In the blink of an eye, Minato teleported, the sharp blade of his kunai pressing against Terumi Mei's back.
"I surrender!"
Terumi Mei admitted defeat helplessly, and cheers from the Konoha villagers erupted throughout the stadium.
They were Konoha people, after all; they wanted to see Konoha ninja victorious.
"The Yellow Flash... Ooh, how terrifying~" "Terrifying speed from Space-Time Ninjutsu, adaptability from inhuman reflexes... A young Kage-level expert... truly a monster!"
A slick, drawling voice rang out, causing many people nearby to look sideways.
Genji looked at Yagyu with a smile, showing no signs of disappointment on his face.
It didn't matter if Terumi Mei and Yagura both lost. to be honest, they were just here to accompany the runner.
The true main force, the one the Hidden Mist placed high hopes on... had always been Yagyu!
"Let you all be smug for a while. There will be time for you to cry later." The corners of Genji's mouth curled slightly, disdain in his heart.
"You guys lost!"
A crisp voice rang out. Not far from Yagyu, the little loli Kurenai Yuhi waved her hand at him triumphantly.
Kurenai was full of resentment toward Yagyu, the bad guy who made her dad wear big sunglasses.
"I saw. Konoha is truly terrifying~"
Yagyu pursed his lips indifferently, speaking in his rhythmic cadence.
"I lost!" Terumi Mei returned to Yagyu's side, looking dejected.
"Stay calm. Losing to Minato Namikaze isn't shameful," Yagyu comforted her. Minato's Flying Thunder God was indeed impressive.
If this were a MOBA game, he would absolutely be the strongest assassin in the canyon!
Bar none!
"'Losing to Minato Namikaze isn't shameful'... does that include you?"
Terumi Mei's heart stirred, and she looked at Yagyu with interest.
Yagyu replied nonchalantly, "Of course it doesn't include me. No one can easily defeat me. Even Minato Namikaze is no exception."
Just then, the contestants for the second match were decided.
After some behind-the-scenes manipulation, Yagura was paired against Hiashi Hyuga.
Yagyu cheered Yagura on loudly: "Go Yagura! Let him know the terrifying energy contained within your tiny body!"
Yagura's mouth twitched. He was starting to regret provoking Yagyu earlier.
Yagura and Hiashi stood in the center of the stadium, looking at each other calmly.
Yagyu watched them with keen interest; he was intrigued by both of their abilities.
Especially Yagura. Yagyu really wanted to know how strong Yagura was without the Three-Tails.
"Water Style: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"
As the battle began, Yagura unleashed a Water Style jutsu without a word. A torrent of water spewed from his mouth, covering the sky and earth.
The water formed a massive wave, crashing down toward Hiashi Hyuga.
Hiashi's expression changed slightly. He leaped up, using chakra to walk on the water's surface, charging aggressively toward Yagura.
The Hyuga clan specialized in Taijutsu; the Gentle Fist combined with the Byakugan was their signature move.
Although their Byakugan could see great distances, the Hyuga excelled in close-quarters combat.
"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"
Hiashi rapidly approached Yagura, then unceremoniously struck out with his palm. A mass of chakra was launched like an air cannon, blasting toward Yagura.
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
Yagura had used the Exploding Water Colliding Wave to create a lake, establishing a terrain favorable for Water Style.
Forming seals quickly, the lake water churned, and a thick wall of water rose up, blocking Hiashi's chakra blast directly.
"Water Style: Five Feeding Sharks!"
Yagura placed his hand on the water surface. Five sharks formed of liquid burst from the water, attacking Hiashi with powerful force.
"Eight Trigrams Palms Rotation!" (Kaiten)
Hiashi didn't panic. He spun his body in place, creating a semi-circular chakra barrier that enveloped him like a protective dome.
Yagura's sharks slammed into it, shattering directly into water spray, easily destroyed by the repulsive force of the Rotation.
"The Hyuga Clan is the strongest clan in Konoha!"
Hiashi roared internally, though he didn't dare shout it out loud.
After all, within the current Konoha, the Uchiha clan was the strongest; the Hyuga still fell a bit short compared to them.
"This isn't the first or second time the Hidden Mist has fought the Hyuga. Their Eight Trigrams Palms Rotation is indeed powerful—practically invincible in defense—but it's not without weaknesses."
Watching Hiashi release the Rotation, a spark of inspiration flashed in Yagura's eyes. The Rotation couldn't defend from below.
Yagura unleashed another Water Style jutsu. The water surface beneath Hiashi's feet, the area covered by the Rotation, suddenly fluctuated, and sharp water spears shot up towards the sky.
"Such massive chakra, such amazing Water Style!"
Yagyu looked surprised. Yagura becoming the Fourth Mizukage wasn't just due to his status as the Three-Tails Jinchuriki.
In fact, being a Jinchuriki might have even been an obstacle to him becoming the Mizukage.
"A shota body with a young man's soul... Ooh, how scary~"
Yagyu sighed with emotion, making Terumi Mei beside him want to hit him.
If she didn't know Yagyu's strength, she might have thought he was genuinely marveling at Yagura's power.
But knowing Yagyu, Terumi Mei just felt he was posturing.
Boom!
Yagura's attack from below caught Hiashi off guard. Fortunately, the Hyuga clan had a long heritage, and the Rotation had been refined over centuries; they had countermeasures for any situation.
Hiashi leaped into the air, cancelling the Rotation and dodging Yagura's water spears.
Translator's Note: The chapter title
"No Chance for Hanabi"
is a joke implying that if Hiashi gets hit from below in a certain sensitive area by the water spear, his future daughter Hanabi (and Hinata) might not be born.
If his reaction had been just a little slower...
Whether Hinata could still be born was uncertain, but Hanabi definitely wouldn't stand a chance.