Chapter 190 True Hyūga’s Legacy

While Hinata attacked Naruto who used his Wind Style Shadow Clone, he attacked her blind spot. Almost everyone watching could feel the same thought rise in their minds. It's Naruto's victory.

Hinata is underestimated. Tatsuya chuckled softly, sensing the tension in the air.

In the blink of an eye, Hinata's hands moved in perfect synchronization, her chakra flaring out in two contrasting colors—black and white. The delicate form of her body spun violently, and before anyone could fully process it, she had transformed into a swirling yin-yang sphere, her chakra resonating in perfect harmony.

"What... what technique is that?"

Whether it was Hyuga Hiashi, Hyuga Hanabi, or even Hyuga Neji in the stands, all of them—Konoha shinobi who had spent years understanding the Gentle Fist—watched in stunned silence. Their faces changed as they processed what was unfolding.

"Reverse Revolving Heaven? No, this is different, not just Revolving Heaven!" Hyuga Neji whispered in shock.

Although Hyuga Hizashi did not die in this timeline, and Neji had no resentment toward the main branch of the clan, the relationship between the branch and the main house was still distant. Neji had rarely communicated with Hinata, the heir to the clan. This was the first time he had witnessed such an extraordinary version of Revolving Heaven, infused with the Yin and Yang Chakra.

"So cool!" Neji's voice was filled with awe as he realized how different this technique was.

The chaotic swirl of the Yin-Yang Revolving Heaven's storm sent Naruto—who had been in the midst of it—flying back with tremendous force. He crashed into a fifty-meter-high wall behind the martial arts field, his body crumpling with the impact.

Two seconds later, he fell to the ground, groaning in pain.

"What... was that?" Naruto managed to lift himself, but there was no time for contemplation. His body protested with every movement, and his vision swam as he shakily stood up.

"There's no way... I'm losing like this," Naruto muttered under his breath. He gritted his teeth and prepared to use his best Shadow Clone technique, hoping to turn the tide with his final move.

But before he could take another step...

"Don't move, Naruto-kun."

The voice came from behind, cold and unforgiving. An arm, no—shoulder—pressed firmly against his neck. Naruto froze, the chill creeping up his spine as he turned his head in shock.

Another Hinata?

No... it wasn't just another Hinata. This was… a Shadow Clone. His technique.

But how?

Before he could form another thought, the implications of what was happening settled over him. Hinata wasn't just a victim of underestimation—she had turned the tables in a way no one, least of all him, had ever expected.

"While using that strange Revolving Heaven, she also incorporated Shadow Clone?" Neji said in disbelief.

Shiranui Genma, with a thousand needles clenched between his teeth, interjected calmly, "There's no need to continue the fight anymore."

Naruto, who had just raised his hands in preparation for another move, let them fall in defeat as the cross-mark was formed, signaling his loss.

"Victor, Hyūga Hinata," Shiranui Genma announced, raising his hand to signal the end of the match.

The fight hadn't lasted long, but the arena was alive with applause. The young girl from the Hyūga clan had demonstrated impressive strength. Even Naruto, the son of the Fifth Hokage, had shown abilities worthy of his heritage. Though the fight wasn't groundbreaking, it was certainly thrilling.

"Naruto, you lost in the first round?" Kushina grinned, rolling up her sleeves, her expression dangerous. Naruto flinched and instinctively recoiled, worried about the consequences of his loss.

"Kushina, calm down," Uchiha Mikoto said with a helpless smile, gently restraining her friend. "It's just the first match."

"The second round, Sabaku no Temari vs. Yuki Haku, hurry up!" Shiranui Genma called, shifting his attention to the next players.

Namikaze Minato, watching from the sidelines, spoke with a smile, "Are you the candidate for the next Mizukage? And the daughter of Master Kazekage, no less. This is shaping up to be quite an interesting match."

Hatake Kakashi, his gaze sharp, turned to Terumi Mei. "Isn't it a bit early to be grooming successors at such a young age, Mizukage-sama?"

Terumi Mei let out a dramatic sigh, her expression one of playful annoyance. "Ahhh, if I don't get to stay with my husband soon, I'll turn into an old woman under the pressure of being Mizukage~"

Kakashi didn't respond, choosing to remain silent, clearly uninterested in engaging in such conversations.

Suddenly, Kushina's demeanor changed. Her expression grew tense, and her gaze shifted to the eastern side of the stadium, where something was amiss. As one of the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, she could sense something beyond the usual disturbances. Something was happening.

The four purple beams of light shot into the sky, rising higher and higher until they converged to form a massive purple rectangular parallelepiped.

"That is... Four Violet Flames Formation!?" Uchiha Mikoto's face tightened with concern. Her reaction was mirrored by the increasing unease around her as more spectators in the stands noticed the unusual phenomenon.

It was hard to miss in broad daylight; the beams stood out like a beacon.

"That direction is... the Sarutobi and Shimura family lands!?" Minato, the Hokage, and Sakumo Hatake, now Raikage, immediately sensed the deeper implications of the scene.

Minato rose from his stone chair, his brows furrowed. He waved his hand, signaling an immediate halt to the exam. "We need to investigate this."

"It's just someone practicing a sealing technique. It's nothing to worry about," came Tatsuya's calm voice, cutting through the tension.

Though his tone was measured and neutral, his words rang clearly in the ears of the thousands gathered.

"Continue the exam, and let's carry on the show. There's no need for concern."

Hearing Tatsuya's voice, the previously restless crowd slowly quieted, their unease slowly dissipating.

Shiranui Genma, the referee, hesitated briefly but then called out firmly, "Haku and Temari, please proceed!"

Without further hesitation, the two women—well, one was a woman and the other a very convincing impersonator—sprang into action. They leaped effortlessly from the stands, which were over ten meters high.

Meanwhile, Minato, who had just stood up in alarm, found himself awkwardly sitting back down. His intentions had been interrupted, and now he felt somewhat out of place.

"Didn't I say? Continue the fight~" Tatsuya's voice echoed again, faint but distinct.

Minato, now with no other choice, leaned back into his chair, an amused smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He wasn't about to argue with Tatsuya's calm command.

...

...

Twelve years had passed since the Nine-Tails incident, but the scars it left on the lands of the Shimura and Sarutobi clans were still evident. The once proud territories of both clans had shrunk significantly in the aftermath.

Back then, Orochimaru had escaped, unable to defeat the combined might of the two powerful clans led by Sarutobi Hiruzen. However, his retreat had come at a high cost, and it had caused untold suffering for the people of both clans. Many innocent lives had been lost, and the wounds from that day had never truly healed.

Now, in the heart of the Sarutobi clan's residence, inside the very center of the Four Violet Flames Formation, Orochimaru stood before the aging figure of his former sensei. His words dripped with mockery and twisted amusement.

"It's been a long time, teacher. Why do you look so much older?" Orochimaru's voice was chilling, a cruel smile dancing across his lips. "Compared to you, I'm getting younger and younger~"

With a fluid motion, Orochimaru pulled at his face, his skin stretching unnaturally. The transformation was grotesque, revealing a woman's visage beneath, one that appeared no older than thirty. The sight was both shocking and surreal.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes widened in horror as the nightmarish memories of twelve years ago flooded back. His anger surged like an inferno, and he could barely contain it.

"You... damn monstrosity!" Hiruzen's voice trembled with fury, his chakra flaring uncontrollably. "This is the price of your twisted ninjutsu?"

Orochimaru unfazed by the old man's outburst, raised a hand and began counting on his fingers, his face still contorted in mock thought. "Three... no, wait, the fourth one, I believe," he mused, a sinister grin forming on his face. "How about it, teacher? Want to see your son's face again? That's no problem."

With those words, Orochimaru moved as if to peel his face away once more, a horrifying reminder of the depths of his madness.

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