Shinku Yuhi knew that continuing to ask would be meaningless. No one would reveal their trump card for no reason. He looked deeply at Isshin twice, nodded, and said nothing more before turning around and walking back toward the edge of the field with somewhat heavy steps.
In reality, Isshin had indeed been caught in the Genjutsu.
But when the consciousness of the clone, Isshin, was dragged into the prison constructed by the Genjutsu, Red Lotus. The consciousness of the original body, Shinichi Higashino, who was sitting in the stands, was completely unaffected.
After all, the one caught in the Genjutsu was Isshin. What did that have to do with Shinichi?
It was similar to the relationship between a tailed beast and its Jinchuriki, but the shared thinking between the two bodies was far more closely linked, immediate, and perfectly synchronized than any Jinchuriki and tailed beast.
Like a dual-core processor, if one core crashes or is downclocked due to an external attack, the other can instantly and seamlessly take full control over.
At the moment when Shinku Yuhi believed victory was already secured and relaxed his guard as he approached, the consciousness of the original body acted as a supreme commander, bypassing the portion of the clone disturbed by the Genjutsu, taking control of that powerful body and launching a thunderous counterattack.
After defeating Shinku Yuhi, Isshin did not leave. Instead, he raised his head and directed his gaze straight toward the figure on the high platform wearing the Hokage's robe. His loud voice spread across the arena, which had once again become noisy: "Third Hokage-sama! Although opponents like that are not bad, I still wasn't satisfied!"
He grinned. Although his expression carried a smile, his tone did not hide his disappointment at all.
"Konoha is known as the strongest among the Five Great Ninja Villages! Could it be that there are no stronger experts who can truly make my blood boil? If that's the case, then the commission fee I paid was truly not worth it."
"Arrogant!"
"Insolent! Who do you think you are?!"
"You've gone too far! Shinku-sama was just careless for a moment!"
"You got lucky once, and now you don't know your place!"
"Get out of Konoha! You're not welcome here!"
These completely unrestrained remarks were like sparks falling into hot oil, instantly igniting the accumulated anger and humiliation in the stands. Curses and accusations erupted like a landslide and tsunami.
Many Konoha ninja were red with anger, wishing they could personally step onto the field.
Facing this almost boiling public anger and the direct provocation toward the village, the third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, remained expressionless.
He still maintained that steady, gentle, smiling demeanor, as if everything were under control.
He lightly raised his hand and pressed downward in the air.
Strangely, the thunderous clamor subsided accordingly, demonstrating the incomparable prestige he held in the hearts of the villagers.
"Since Mr. Isshin feels he was not satisfied enough, then…"
The third Hokage spoke slowly. His voice was calm but clearly spread throughout the entire arena. His gaze seemed to casually sweep over the spectator area reserved for the ninja clans.
"Konoha naturally will not disappoint a guest who has come from afar."
In the ninja clan spectator area, at the seats of the Hyuga Clan, the Clan Head of the main house, Hiashi Hyuga, had a solemn expression. He turned his head and spoke in a low voice to the younger brother beside him.
"Hizashi, you go."
"Yes, Clan Head."
Hizashi Hyuga stood up without hesitation. He used the Teleportation Jutsu to appear in the arena. First, he respectfully bowed toward the third Hokage on the high platform.
"Third Hokage-sama, Konoha Jonin Hizashi Hyuga requests to battle."
"Oh? It's Hizashi."
The third Hokage nodded. "Then you will accompany Mr. Isshin in a proper match. Be sure to let the guest enjoy himself."
"I will obey the Hokage's command."
Hizashi Hyuga turned toward Isshin and took the standard opening stance of the Hyuga style Gentle Fist. The veins around his eyes bulged as his Byakugan was activated, then his gaze locked onto the opponent like a blazing torch.
A Jonin from the Hyuga Clan had personally stepped into the arena!
The atmosphere in the stands changed once again. The waves of anger were quickly replaced by rising anticipation and confidence.
"Great! It's someone from the Hyuga Clan!"
"The Hyuga's Byakugan and Gentle Fist perfectly counter someone who only relies on brute strength like that!"
"Let's see how arrogant he can still be! Gentle Fist inflicts internal damage through attacking the body's chakra pathway system. No matter how strong his body is, he'll collapse!
"Jonin Hizashi, teach him a lesson!"
"Let him witness the true power of Konoha's noble clans!"
In the eyes of the villagers of Konoha, the Hyuga clan, as one of the oldest and most prestigious clans in the Shinobi World, possesses the Byakugan, which has unparalleled insight and can see through all chakra flows and chakra pathways.
And Gentle Fist could inject chakra directly into an enemy's body, destroying their chakra pathway system and internal organs. No matter how strong one's exterior was, the interior remained fragile.
Against someone like Isshin, who relied on his physical body to rampage forward, it was practically the perfect counter.
"Konoha Jonin, Hizashi Hyuga."
"Land of Iron, Isshin of the Ashina Style."
The two sides announced their names. The formalities were brief.
At that moment, the referee's arm swung down…
"Boom!"
Just like before, but even more violent!
The stone slabs beneath Isshin's feet shattered inch by inch as his entire body transformed into a blurred afterimage, charging forward like an out-of-control war chariot with a tearing sound that split the air!
Simple and direct.
Yet it pushed power and speed to the extreme, its momentum terrifying to behold!
The veins around Hizashi Hyuga's eyes became even more noticeable. The Byakugan's powerful perception enabled him to clearly capture every movement of the opponent's body and the explosive trajectory of his chakra.
He had no intention of clashing head-on.
His steps were as light as riding the wind, his body like drifting catkins in a breeze. At the critical moment, he sidestepped and slid aside, narrowly avoiding the frontal charge that could have shattered rock.
At the same time, the fingers of his right hand extended like a sword. At the tips gathered a highly condensed chakra, silent yet precise and vicious as they thrust directly toward the vital point at Isshin's side, exposed after the charge.
Gentle Fist: Chakra Point Needle!
If that strike landed, even with Isshin's physique, the chakra flow around the kidney region would immediately be obstructed, affecting both his balance and the force of his movements.
However, just as Hizashi's fingertip was about to touch the opponent's clothing, a sudden change occurred!
Isshin's massive body, which had been slightly leaning forward due to the high-speed charge, abruptly halted with an eerie coordination that seemed to defy inertia. His left arm suddenly swung backward like a boneless python, and the clenched fist in it whipped like a heavy hammer, carrying a whistling wind.
At a tricky angle, it swept upward from below toward Hizashi's temple!
It was a savage style of fighting, attacking the enemy's vital point that must be defended, as if exchanging injury for injury!
Check my Patreon for more chapters and novels, Patreon.com/SweetestDeath