Chapter 19

Hyuga Neji's pupils suddenly contracted.

The Chunin teacher and the classmates watching from the sidelines wore similarly stunned expressions.

In an instant, Tian Yu blurred into an afterimage and vanished from his original spot.

"What?!"

Gasps erupted from the watching crowd.

Neji, still standing in his Gentle Fist – Eight Trigrams stance, was also caught off guard.

"Konoha Whirlwind!"

By the time Tian Yu's figure reappeared, he was already behind Hyuga Neji.

Even with the Byakugan, boasting a nearly 360-degree field of vision and superior chakra perception, Neji couldn't keep up with Tian Yu's movements.

Because his speed was too fast!

Bang!!

A powerful roundhouse kick crashed into Neji's lower back with precision.

A sharp jolt of pain shot through Neji's spine. His body was thrown forward, collapsing hard onto the training ground.

Before he could react, he realized—

Tian Yu had already mounted him from behind, pinning his arms and placing one foot firmly against his lower back, locking him in place.

The situation on the training field flipped in an instant.

The smiles of the students who had been cheering for Neji just moments ago froze on their faces.

In mere seconds, the tide of battle had reversed dramatically.

"The assessment is over—Tian Yu wins!"

The Chunin teacher announced the result without hesitation.

"Whoa, what a fast fight!"

"He beat Hyuga Neji with just one move?!"

"No way! Tian Yu is this strong?!"

"He's definitely the chief student this year!"

Exclamations burst from the crowd outside the field.

Everyone had believed Hyuga Neji, the Hyuga clan prodigy, was the strongest in their class.

But now, he had been decisively defeated.

Some of the girls who used to admire Neji for his noble status, strength, and cold demeanor found themselves shaken.

Wasn't Tian Yu even stronger and cooler?

"Alright, Tian Yu. Get off Neji and perform the Seal of Reconciliation."

The Chunin teacher spoke, suppressing the shock in his heart.

"Yes, Sensei."

Tian Yu stood up and extended a hand toward Neji, prompting the customary reconciliation seal.

Although the battle had looked brief and simple—Tian Yu overwhelming Neji in a flash—there was far more beneath the surface.

Hyuga Neji wasn't weak. In fact, he was already at Genin-level strength.

Defeating him in one move had required a strategy.

The Byakugan was a formidable dōjutsu, able to see chakra networks and detect clones or substitutions effortlessly.

That meant Tian Yu couldn't rely on common trickery.

Instead, he didn't use a single ninja tool—no kunai, no clones—choosing instead to go with pure taijutsu.

Against overwhelming speed and power, tricks became meaningless.

What Tian Yu used was Might Guy's signature move—Konoha Whirlwind.

And he didn't use it just to defeat Neji.

He used it to make a statement.

He wanted the "people watching behind the scenes" to see this moment.

Tian Yu knew his performance today would catch the attention of certain individuals.

Letting them know about his connection to Might Guy this early would bring significant benefits down the line.

This match had been part of a bigger plan.

After Tian Yu left the field,

His close friends Rock Lee and Tiantian rushed over.

"That was amazing! I thought the fight would go on longer, but you took him out in one hit! You're getting stronger and stronger! Just what I'd expect from my future rival!" Rock Lee said, his eyes shining.

"My brother is the best!" Tiantian grinned playfully.

"How did you do it?"

A quiet, low voice broke the excitement.

It was Hyuga Neji, supported by a classmate as he limped over from the field. The strength of that kick had left his body aching.

"What?"

"I'm asking—how did you do it? You clearly stepped into my Eight Trigrams field. How could you still move?!"

"Oh, that?" Tian Yu replied calmly. "Simple. I'm stronger than you. Your domain couldn't restrain me."

"Stronger than… me…"

Neji murmured, face pale and eyes shadowed with disbelief and pain.

"Stop calling yourself a genius all the time," Tian Yu said coldly. "You've got talent, but you're not unbeatable."

"There's no such thing as a fixed fate or destiny. As long as you put in the effort, anything can be changed."

Tian Yu patted Rock Lee on the shoulder and smiled.

"Just look at us—we're all hardworking geniuses."

Hardworking genius…?

Neji froze in place.

That phrase echoed in his mind, striking at his core beliefs.

Could hard work really surpass talent?

Could effort really change fate?

For the first time, Hyuga Neji doubted the creed he had clung to for so long.

…

After the final evaluation,

Tian Yu secured first place in the class, becoming the undisputed chief student.

Rock Lee and Tiantian also performed well, earning top rankings.

From that point forward, no one dared to underestimate Tian Yu or the close-knit trio.

Their strength was plain for all to see.

"Let's go get something to celebrate after school!" Rock Lee said excitedly.

"Barbecue! Barbecue! Barbecue!" Tiantian cheered, pounding her fists on the desk.

"Sounds good." Tian Yu nodded with a grin.

After all, meat is the best food in the world.

"B-Barbecue…" Rock Lee hesitated. The price was steep, and his allowance wasn't enough.

"I'll pay!" Tian Yu said with a smile. "Eat to your heart's content—you've earned it."

"That's not right…" Rock Lee murmured, feeling awkward. Tian Yu had already given him ninja tools. Letting him treat again made him feel guilty.

"It's fine! My brother gets way more pocket money than me! Like, way more!" Tiantian chimed in.

"Seriously, don't worry about it." Tian Yu smiled. "If you're that uncomfortable, just agree to be my sister's full-time sparring partner and keep her from slacking off."

"I do not slack off!" Tiantian huffed, puffing her cheeks.

…

The three of them walked toward the village's barbecue shop, chatting and laughing as they went.

At the same time,

Back at the ninja academy,

The Chunin teacher, having organized and recorded the results of the day's assessment, was already on his way toward the Hokage's Office beneath the Hokage Rock.

In his heart, he thought:

When Lord Third sees this report… he's going to be shocked.