CHAPTER 139: CHAPTER 139

Kitazawa could understand Neji’s mindset.

The Byakugan was a bloodline limit — outsiders could never truly master it.

And Neji didn’t know that Kitazawa was already a master of it—he had already taught Hinata the Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.

"What do you think of Sasuke?" Kitazawa asked casually.

Neji blinked at the unexpected question but answered honestly.

"His talent and strength are quite good."

"Compared to you?" Kitazawa pressed.

Neji’s lips curved slightly. "He’s still far behind."

He wasn’t boasting. Last semester, he had fought Sasuke and won with ease. Fire Release techniques were dangerous in theory, but if they never landed a hit, they were meaningless.

"Sasuke joined my special training over the summer," Kitazawa continued. "He’s made remarkable progress. In the next practical class, I want you two to fight again."

Neji’s brows furrowed.

Defeat him... after just one summer? Impossible.

"Let’s make it interesting," Kitazawa said. "If you lose, you join my special training."

"Fine." Neji agreed without hesitation. To him, Sasuke winning was nothing but a fantasy.

Kitazawa nodded. Neji was more mature than most his age—far harder to sway than Hinata or Sasuke. Talking him into something rarely worked. Sometimes, it was faster to let reality do the convincing.

And besides, this was about completing the mission.

They arrived at the training grounds, where the students of First Year Class A and Second Year Class A stood in formation.

"Before we start," Kitazawa announced, "Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji will give us an exhibition match."

The chatter erupted instantly.

"Again? Wonder who wins this time."

"Didn’t Sasuke get crushed last time?"

"It’s only been one summer break—no way he caught up."

"My money’s still on Neji."

Both boys were top talents in their respective classes, and with Uchiha and Hyuga being rival clans—each with a dojutsu bloodline—the tension was practically built-in.

"Sasuke, you can do it!" Naruto shouted.

"Hn." Sasuke stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked forward, cool and composed.

Kiba snorted. "Show-off."

"That’s called genius demeanor," Sakura countered.

"Only if he actually wins," Kiba shot back.

Ino clenched her fists. "Didn’t Sasuke train secretly with Kitazawa-sensei? I believe in him!"

Hinata nodded quietly, her trust in Kitazawa absolute.

The two faced each other, forming the Seal of Confrontation.

"This time," Sasuke said in a low voice, Sharingan flaring to life, "I’m getting my revenge. I already have the Sharingan."

Neji’s eyes narrowed. So that was why Kitazawa had been so confident.

Even so... Sharingan or not, Gentle Fist’s Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms gave him the clear advantage.

He lunged.

"I can see it—clearly this time!" Sasuke grinned, slipping past Neji’s palm and countering instantly.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

A wave of heat rolled toward Neji. He sidestepped sharply—Sharingan was indeed formidable, but not insurmountable.

Neji accelerated, the air whistling around him. Sasuke’s heart jolted at the speed, but his eyes tracked Neji’s movements.

A kick, two kunai thrown—Neji parried both palm and steel.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Sasuke’s hands blurred, sending a spray of small fireballs toward him.

Neji didn’t retreat. Palms lashed out in rapid succession, bursting each fireball mid-air.

More kunai. Neji’s Byakugan caught the fine wires attached—but Sasuke suddenly dropped them, hands flashing through seals.

Not the Great Dragon Fire from last time... Neji realized too late.

"Genjutsu: Bubble."

Sasuke dissolved into a murder of crows.

Neji’s gaze darted—only crows above, circling. His Byakugan revealed his own warping chakra flow. Genjutsu.

Dojutsu illusions were notoriously hard to break without training—and he’d never imagined a fellow Academy student could wield one.

The crows dove, morphing into kunai mid-flight. Neji leapt back. Steel bit into the dirt where he’d stood.

"It’s not... Genjutsu?" he thought in confusion.

"You’ve lost, Neji."

The crows faded. Sasuke stood behind him, kunai pressed to his waist. The earlier "illusions" had been a feint—while Neji was distracted, Sasuke had circled behind.

Neji bit back the urge to claim a rematch now that he knew the trick. A loss was a loss.

"Winner—Uchiha Sasuke," Kitazawa declared.

In the exhibition match, Sasuke’s performance was nothing short of flawless.

Before unleashing Genjutsu: Bubble, he’d thrown in the shuriken with ninja wire—just enough to throw Neji off balance.

It wasn’t just Sasuke’s growth that tipped the scales. The truth was, Neji wasn’t ready for what was coming.

Unfamiliar with countering Genjutsu, he fell hard and fast.

Then again, ocular Genjutsu was anything but ordinary.

Fortunately for Sasuke... soon, it would be his specialty.

Kitazawa’s announcement stirred the crowd.

Given Neji’s previous win against Sasuke, most students had been silently rooting for him.

They hadn’t expected their bet to backfire so spectacularly.

"That’s great!" Sakura beamed, clapping. "Sasuke-kun really is the best!"

"Wait, wait—" Naruto blinked in confusion. "What just happened?"

Genjutsu: Bubble had targeted only Neji, and to Naruto, the win had looked... weird.

One moment they were clashing fiercely—then Neji suddenly stopped, leapt back, and let Sasuke slip right past him.

"It’s Genjutsu," Shikamaru muttered after a pause. "Neji’s caught in it."

"Ohhh... so that’s why," Ino said with a knowing nod. "Then I guess losing isn’t really his fault."

"Genjutsu’s that strong?" Naruto scratched his head.

"Even regular Genjutsu’s a pain to deal with," Shino explained, "but Sharingan Genjutsu? That’s the worst. If you get caught, your only real hope of breaking free quickly is having a teammate shake you out of it."

Being from ninja clans, most of them knew the basics.

"So... one-on-one’s impossible?" Naruto asked, eyes wide.

"In theory," Ino replied. "There’s even a saying in the ninja world: never fight an Uchiha alone."

"But—" Shikamaru suddenly smirked. "There is one way. Shadow Clones."

A clone acted like a second fighter—independent, like a teammate. Of course, it only worked if you summoned it before the Genjutsu landed.

"That’s easy for me!" Naruto grinned in relief. If he fought Sasuke in the monthly exam, he’d just open with Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu

and be done with it.

"But what if you don’t know the Shadow Clone Jutsu?" Iruka asked dryly.

Shino pushed his glasses up. "Then you have one last option: don’t look him in the eyes."

"Exactly," Shikamaru agreed. "Most ninja facing an Uchiha do that... though it’s like fighting with one hand tied behind your back."

Kiba sighed. "And if you’ve got Byakugan, it’s tricky. Though... it can track chakra flow to spot a Genjutsu in time."

That thought eased Hinata’s nerves a little—but not entirely. She made a mental note to find Kitazawa-sensei after class.

"All right, that’s enough. Class time." Kitazawa’s clap cut through the chatter.

Sasuke spared Neji a glance before joining the First-Year A queue. His lips twitched upward, but he forced them back into a cool, unreadable line.

Still, inside, his blood was singing. Revenge tasted better than he’d imagined. He wanted to laugh up at the sky, but pride kept him composed.

He just hoped class ended quickly—he had news to share with his father and brother.

Across the field, Neji returned to his spot in silence.

"Neji—" Tenten hesitated, unsure how to comfort him. The second-year genius had just lost twice in a row... to first-years.

"I’m fine," Neji said simply, eyes drifting to Kitazawa.

Losing to Sasuke meant entering Kitazawa’s special training. Not that Neji gave the man credit—he believed Sasuke’s win came from the Sharingan, not from training.

Still, a promise was a promise. And maybe... just maybe... he could use this to mend things with Hinata.

Kitazawa divided the class, leaving a Shadow Clone behind before heading to the training ground.

"I’ll find Kitazawa-sensei," Neji told Tenten and Lee. A few steps later, he noticed Hinata walking the same way.

"Neji-nii-san," she greeted nervously.

"Hinata-sama," he replied with a nod.

Hinata froze for half a beat. The old Neji would have ignored her entirely. This was... new.

"You two, over here," Kitazawa called.

Neji got straight to the point. "I want in on your special training."

Hinata blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Yes." Neji met her gaze briefly, then looked away.

Hinata’s eyes widened. He’d spoken to her again. Kitazawa was amazing—truly, truly, truly amazing.

Kitazawa caught the sparkle in her eyes and understood. Hinata had been caught up in the older generation’s grudges without ever wronging Neji herself.

"All right. Tomorrow, 8:30," Kitazawa said.

"Yes, Sensei." Neji gave Hinata a polite nod before leaving.

"Kitazawa-sensei, how did you do that?" Hinata asked, still amazed.

"It’s a secret." He patted her head lightly. "Go train."

She pouted slightly but obeyed—until she suddenly turned back.

"If I face Sasuke in the monthly exam... can I beat him?"

Kitazawa was caught off guard. Hinata wasn’t usually this direct.

A sudden system message flashed before his eyes:

Current mission: Help Hinata defeat Uchiha Sasuke.

Reward: Genjutsu: Bubble.

Convenient. Almost too convenient.

"Do you think you can’t handle his Genjutsu?" Kitazawa asked.

Hinata nodded.

"It’s complicated. I’ll teach you tomorrow."

After sending her off, Kitazawa retreated to a quiet corner.

Mission complete: Help Uchiha Sasuke defeat Hyuga Neji.

Reward: One-Tomoe Sharingan.

A scarlet glow swirled in his eyes—one tomoe each.

The perception wasn’t as sharp as Byakugan, but the true strength lay in copying and hypnotism—Genjutsu mastery.

He couldn’t use Sharingan Genjutsu yet... but the next mission might change that.

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