Chapter 25 — Extra Match! Obuya vs Uchiha Shisui
The arena fell into a brief, stunned silence—as if the entire crowd needed a moment to process what they had just witnessed. Then, like a dam breaking, it erupted into a storm of astonished voices.
"Obuya… actually defeated Hyūga Tokuma!"
"What just happened? Was that a medical ninja's chakra scalpel? Since when could something like that pierce the so-called absolute defense of the Eight Trigrams: Revolving Heaven?!"
Shock rippled through the stands. The Hyūga clan's defensive techniques had always been regarded as near-impenetrable. Yet now, before everyone's eyes, that reputation had been shattered.
On the battlefield, Obuya stood calmly as the faint glow of chakra around his hand gradually faded. The chakra scalpel that had decided the match dissipated into nothingness, leaving behind only the evidence of its precision—a clean, diamond-shaped wound on Tokuma's chest.
The wound was deep—deep enough that, under normal circumstances, it would have been fatal.
Yet strangely, not a single drop of blood flowed.
The reason was simple.
Tokuma was still within Obuya's barrier.
Inside that barrier, conventional rules of life and death no longer applied. Even if someone were dismembered, they would not truly die—so a wound like this, though severe in appearance, was rendered harmless.
It was precisely this controlled environment that allowed Obuya to strike without hesitation.
"Amazing!"
From the observation stand, Rin waved energetically at Obuya, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Her entire demeanor radiated pride, as if she had been the one who won the match.
Beside her, Minato Namikaze watched with a composed smile.
Unlike the others, he was not surprised.
He understood Obuya's abilities better than anyone present. The chakra scalpel, the precise timing, even the way Obuya had exploited the weakness in the Revolving Heaven—all of it bore the mark of careful guidance and repeated refinement.
After all, those techniques had been honed under his supervision.
"Obuya wins!"
The referee's voice rang out clearly, cutting through the lingering noise of the crowd.
On the field, Hyūga Tokuma's body, which had been stiffened by the lingering effects of high-frequency electric stimulation, gradually relaxed. Sensation returned to his limbs, and he slowly steadied himself.
He looked at Obuya.
There was no anger in his gaze. No resentment. Only calm acknowledgment.
"Your power is… unusual," Tokuma said evenly. "My Byakugan barely played any role in this match. I accept my defeat… though it is regrettable that I didn't get the chance to use my final technique."
Obuya returned the look with a faint smile. "Then hopefully, next time, you will."
There was no hostility between them—only mutual recognition.
With that, the two turned and departed in opposite directions, each leaping lightly back onto the observation platform.
"Obuya, that was incredible! You actually defeated a member of the Hyūga clan! Do you realize how big of a deal that is? After today, no one will dare look down on you again!"
Rin's face was flushed with excitement, her words tumbling out in a rush. Her reaction was so animated that it almost seemed as if she had won the match herself.
Obuya opened his mouth, about to respond—
—but at that very moment, a cold, mechanical notification sounded in his mind.
[Victory over a Kekkei Genkai: Byakugan user. Gained 1 Demon Point.]
Obuya's heart skipped.
"Another Demon Point…"
A flicker of excitement surged through him, but it was quickly followed by a trace of confusion.
"…But that's strange. Why didn't I receive anything after defeating Tōki last time?"
His brows furrowed slightly as he began to think.
Then, like a puzzle piece snapping into place, realization dawned.
The first time he had ever obtained a Demon Point… was when he defeated a member of the Uchiha clan—a Sharingan user.
And now, he had defeated a Byakugan user.
Both shared one defining trait.
Kekkei Genkai.
"So that's it… Demon Points are only awarded when defeating opponents with Kekkei Genkai."
"And not just any opponent—you have to win."
The conclusion was clear.
A shortcut—no, a method—to rapidly strengthening his abilities had just revealed itself.
Challenge Kekkei Genkai users.
Defeat them.
Earn Demon Points.
Without hesitation, Obuya activated the Demon Engraving System and opened the Ability Attributes panel.
With practiced familiarity, he allocated the newly acquired Demon Point.
[Cardiac Shock: Stage 3]
→ [Cardiac Shock: Stage 4]
As the upgrade completed, the ability's description shifted, becoming noticeably more potent.
[Cardiac Shock: Stage 4 — Refined high-frequency electric current now possesses long-range attack capability, along with short-range chain conduction.]
Obuya's eyes narrowed slightly as he processed the change.
"Long-range… and chain conduction…"
The implications were immediate.
Long-range attacks expanded his combat reach significantly—but it was the second effect that truly stood out.
Chain conduction.
Electricity's natural property.
If a single target was struck, the current could propagate—jumping from one target to another.
Against multiple enemies… it was devastating.
"If a thousand shadow clones rushed me at once…" Obuya thought, a faint smile forming, "…then the moment I hit one, the current would spread through all of them."
"In an instant… they'd all be wiped out."
The practicality of the ability was just as terrifying as its power.
"This isn't just strong… it's absurdly efficient," he murmured inwardly.
Suddenly, a surge of noise from the arena snapped him back to reality.
"Uchiha Shisui is entering the field!"
"His opponent is Mutou from the Aburame clan!"
"I wonder how Shisui will win this one…"
"It won't be easy. The Aburame clan's insect techniques are tricky and deadly. This match could go either way."
Amid the rising chatter, Obuya turned his gaze toward the center of the arena.
There, a boy stood with his back to him.
The fan-shaped crest of the Uchiha clan was clearly visible on his clothing. A short blade was strapped across his back, its presence understated but unmistakable.
Opposite him stood Mutou of the Aburame clan, his entire body concealed beneath a dark cloak. His eyes were hidden behind opaque sunglasses, giving away nothing of his thoughts.
"Mutou, ready? I'm making my move."
Uchiha Shisui spoke with a relaxed smile, his tone light and confident.
Mutou gave a small, silent nod.
Then—
silence.
The arena grew unnaturally quiet.
Both fighters stood perfectly still.
No movement. No attack.
Time seemed to stretch.
"It's genjutsu," Rin whispered beside Obuya, her voice low but certain.
Obuya's pupils shrank slightly.
So that was it.
Uchiha Shisui's Sharingan was famed for its overwhelming genjutsu—a technique capable of defeating an opponent without a single physical exchange.
To outsiders, the battlefield looked calm.
But in reality…
Only Shisui and Mutou knew the true intensity of the clash.
Within the illusion, an invisible battle was raging—one where Shisui held absolute dominance.
Moments later—
Mutou's body trembled.
As if struck by an invisible force, he staggered, then dropped to one knee. His breathing grew uneven, his posture unstable.
There were no wounds on his body.
But his mind…
had been completely overwhelmed.
"I… I've lost…"
His voice was hollow, drained of strength.
He understood now.
Shisui had shown mercy.
If Shisui had truly intended harm, his consciousness would have been shattered beyond repair.
Even his insects—his most reliable partners—had not been able to resist.
Only by experiencing it firsthand did he grasp the true terror of the Sharingan's genjutsu.
The crowd erupted once more.
The match had ended almost before it began.
"As expected of Uchiha Shisui… he won using nothing but genjutsu."
"But isn't his specialty supposed to be high-speed movement? That instant, almost invisible speed? What a pity—we didn't get to see it."
The referee quickly declared the result.
Shisui stood victorious.
Just as the audience assumed that the matches between the four recommended participants had concluded—
the referee spoke again.
"By order of the Hokage, in order to more accurately assess the true strength of the participants…"
"A special additional match will now be held—"
"Uchiha Shisui… versus Obuya."
On the observation platform, Obuya's eyelid twitched slightly.
Beside him—
Rin's face turned pale.