11 - Hirohiko Uchiha

Yukina Hyuga had given up quite simply, showing no sign of frustration from the loss of the duel. Instead, she looked into Chiba's eyes with a flash of light passing through them.

Chiba withdrew his hand and offered the seal of reconciliation. Yukina reached out and completed the ritual. They exchanged few words, and after the seal was made, Yukina returned to the crowd.

The onlookers, including the students, Hirohiko Uchiha, and even the teacher, were stunned as they looked at Chiba standing in the field.

'Is this... the strength of someone who is fourth-to-last? That's incredible! To smash the Gentle Fist with a single punch!' one student thought.

'Can a seven-year-old child really do this?' another wondered.

The teacher remembered his own experience at seven years old, a time when he hadn't even mastered the Three Basic Ninjutsu. He began to doubt his own judgment. Such a physical prodigy had been overlooked by him and considered insignificant. This student, who often slept in class, was actually a genius capable of defeating Yukina Hyuga?

It was then the teacher realized his bias against Chiba, stemming from Chiba's father's betrayal. Normally, he would not ignore any student sleeping in class. But this traitor's son, he had no desire to teach.

The thought of the traitor's blood flowing in this child filled him with disgust. Seeing him sleep every day and perform poorly academically was a relief, and he had let it slide.

Unexpectedly, this child turned out to be a genius, capable of defeating a member of the Hyuga clan, known for their physical prowess and Gentle Fist, considered the strongest in Taijutsu.

'No, it's still too early to say. Not necessarily is this Chiba Taki a genius!' the teacher thought. 'Relying solely on physical skills proves nothing. There are many Taijutsu Ninjas, but how many of them become high-level Ninjas?'

The teacher pondered several thoughts, initially denying Chiba's talent, until Chiba had returned to the crowd. Then, he announced, "This time, Chiba Taki wins. Next, who will come?"

There was no response. Everyone was still in awe of Chiba's punch that shattered the Gentle Fist. They couldn't react for a while, even Hirohiko Uchiha, the genius known to be the next prodigy after Kakashi, capable of graduating early at the age of 7, looked on in disbelief. Possibilities raced through his mind.

'Can I do it myself?' Hirohiko wondered.

Chiba secretly smiled. His right hand was shaking so much that it hurt. Although he had shattered the Gentle Fist, the recoil had affected his hand, leaving him temporarily unable to muster his strength.

However, Chiba was also surprised. He realized that the Chakra he had refined in a flash had nearly doubled his previous amount. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to crush Yukina Hyuga's Gentle Fist.

'Could it be that continuously activating the Gate of Life mode during this period has increased my Chakra amount? Can the *Eight Gates* mode passively increase Chakra?' Chiba pondered, and instinctively wanted to take out a steamed bun, only to find his bag empty.

"Where is my steamed bun?" he muttered.

He looked around and saw the remains of his buns lying on the ground, covered in dust. Chiba was exasperated. 'They obviously fell out during the duel just now.'

"Next, who will come?" The teacher called out again after a long silence.

"Me," someone responded, and Hirohiko Uchiha stepped out of the crowd.

With his appearance and the sound of his voice, everyone immediately snapped back to reality. The impact of Chiba's punch and the shattered Gentle Fist were quickly forgotten.

"Even if he smashed the Gentle Fist, he cannot be a match for Hirohiko!" one student exclaimed.

"How can this Chiba Taki compare with Hirohiko!" another added.

The girls became visibly excited, each holding their chins, their cheeks flushed and eyes gleaming with admiration. Some even started cheering.

Hirohiko Uchiha made his way onto the field, casting a glance towards the teacher. The teacher, hearing the girls' screams, couldn't help but smile bitterly at the thought of Hirohiko's popularity.

"Hirohiko Uchiha, who would you like to choose as your opponent?" the teacher inquired.

Hirohiko scanned the crowd. Then his gaze settled on Chiba.

"I choose Chiba Taki," Hirohiko stated calmly.

"Me?" Chiba, who had been lamenting over his uneaten steamed bun, was taken aback upon hearing his name.

Not just him, everyone was surprised.

"Chiba Taki, it's your turn to play again," the teacher announced, somewhat resigned.

Thus, Chiba had no choice but to face Hirohiko again. Facing Hirohiko's intense gaze, Chiba felt somewhat helpless.

At that moment, his right hand was still weak. Chiba had originally planned to rest a bit before facing Hirohiko Uchiha, but he hadn't expected to be chosen so soon.

Chiba quietly clenched his right fist, feeling a slight soreness, but figured it would be manageable in a fight.

Hirohiko had already formed the seal of opposition, waiting for Chiba to prepare.

"Wait a moment!" Chiba said, raising his hand.

Hirohiko frowned, lowered his hand, and asked, "What is it?"

He spoke coldly and succinctly, his handsome features drawing screams of admiration from the girls below.

Hearing the girls' shouts, Chiba's mouth twitched. 'These little fangirls...'

However, Chiba quickly noticed a different kind of gaze among the girls. He turned his head and saw Yukina Hyuga looking at him, a fleeting smile on her face. She was clearly the only one offering him support amidst the jeers.

Chiba turned back to Hirohiko and said, "Wait for me, I need to prepare."

Hirohiko nodded and asked, "How long?"

"A couple of minutes," Chiba replied, beginning to remove the weights from his legs.

"Okay!" Hirohiko nodded. A few minutes, that was fine with him.