Konoha: Starting with Sage Mode

"After I get back today, I need to train my water-style chakra nature as soon as possible."

Chizuru quietly made up her mind.

She was aware of the weakness of Magnet Release ninjutsu, which could be countered with Water Release. The wet iron sand would significantly increase the chakra consumption of Magnet Release ninjas.

She knew Kirito's weaknesses all too well.

After completing the reconciliation seal with Kirito, Chizuru approached Wasabi Mitarashi, blushing slightly, and said, "Thank you, teacher."

Although she didn't have much respect for Mitarashi Wasabi, who was only a Chunin, she was still grateful that he had just saved her.

Hearing Chizuru, who usually treated her badly, express her gratitude, Mitarashi Wasabi felt as happy as drinking a delicious iced drink on a hot day, and her usually aloof face couldn't help but show a slight smile.

"Ah, Wasabi-sensei smiled."

Rope Tree, who was standing nearby, immediately noticed this and shouted.

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately focused their attention on Wasabi Mitarai, the usually stern and aloof beauty, revealing expressions of surprise. They then began to discuss the matter, with some gossipy girls even revealing that Wasabi Mitarai did not have a boyfriend.

"Wow, it really is! Look, look!"

"The teacher looks really beautiful when she smiles, but it's a pity she's always so fierce."

"That's right. If the teacher smiled more often, there would definitely be many people pursuing her, and she wouldn't still be single now..."

……

Hearing the students' words, Mitarashi Wasabi blushed and punched Nawaki on the head. She quickly regained her icy beauty demeanor, used her cold eyes to suppress the students' chatter, and then loudly announced, "Next group, Hinata Karen, Senju Nawaki."

"Yay, it's finally my turn."

Upon hearing this, Rope Tree, who was still crying out in pain from the head being blasted, was overjoyed.

He quickly arrived at the open space used for the battle, full of fighting spirit, and said to Kirito who was walking off the field: "Kirito, use Magnet Release to fight me later too."

"Sure, but let's talk about it after you win."

Kirito smiled slightly.

"Just wait, I'll take care of my opponent soon."

Rope Tree said confidently.

His progress over the past two years has been remarkable. Although his win rate against Kirito and Chizuru is still extremely low, he has always kept up with Kirito and has never fallen behind.

With the various shadow clone tactics he developed and the many earth and water ninjutsu he mastered, he was able to fight the Chunin of his clan to a standstill.

Therefore, he firmly believed that his strength was second only to Kirito and Chizuru in the class.

"Don't be careless or underestimate your opponent, you idiot. How many times have I told you?"

Kirito noticed that Nawaki was swaying a bit and immediately reminded him.

"Yes Yes Yes."

Rope Tree gave a perfunctory reply, then looked at a girl with a bandage wrapped around her forehead who rolled her eyes.

After spending two years together, Rope Tree naturally knew some information about this girl who rolled her eyes.

Hyuga Karen, a member of the Hyuga branch family, is usually timid and submissive to everyone. She is a beautiful but weak-willed girl. Although she excels in theoretical classes, consistently ranking second in her class, her practical skills are only average.

So, it wasn't that he was overconfident; it was simply that his opponent this time was far too weak.

Although Nawaki couldn't beat a Jonin, he could easily deal with a Genin.

Kirito, seeing that his reminders were ineffective, stopped trying to persuade him, turned around and left. Then, he looked at Hyuga Karen, who was emerging from the crowd, and a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes.

Unlike the rough and careless Rope Tree, he knew very well that this seemingly weak girl was an absolute genius.

Someone who consistently ranks in the top two or three of the theoretical classes offered in Konoha is unlikely to be a simple character.

Unfortunately, ever since the other person was placed under the Caged Bird Seal shortly after the start of the semester, they have become self-conscious, weak, and extremely withdrawn, choosing to isolate themselves.

But Kirito knew that beneath the other person's timid exterior lay a strong heart, and that she had never given up on pursuing freedom.

He could tell this from the fact that the other party had been diligently studying sealing techniques.

The curse seal is originally a sealing technique.

Kirito used to see her studying sealing techniques on her own at the library, and he even discussed sealing techniques with her.

After a while, the other person stopped coming to the library, stopped discussing sealing techniques with him, and even avoided him.

Kirito had some idea of ​​the reasons behind this, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Kirito couldn't even begin to predict the true strength of a genius who was constantly striving to unravel the caged bird, but if Nawaki were to be careless and underestimate his opponent, he would definitely suffer a great loss.

Hinata Karen timidly emerged from the crowd. As she passed Kirito, who was smiling at her, she instinctively lowered her head.

"Go for it, Hua Lian!"

As Kirito brushed past Hinata Karen, he whispered.

Hinata Karen's eyes widened instantly, a happy smile spreading across her face. Her gaze then hardened, and her Byakugan activated.

In an instant, Hinata Karen's demeanor underwent a tremendous change; the timid and weak girl in Nawaki's eyes began to become strong.

"Hyuga Karen, please guide me."

After completing the battle seal with Nawaki, Karen immediately assumed a Gentle Fist stance, stared at Nawaki with her Byakugan activated, and said seriously.

Chapter 30: Hyuga Using Ninjutsu

"Gentle Fist, I hope this will be a wonderful showdown."

Kirito looked at Karen's current stance and thought with anticipation.

Gentle Fist, one of the two major taijutsu styles in Konoha, is a taijutsu passed down through generations of the Hyuga clan, a powerful family in Konoha. When combined with the Byakugan bloodline limit, it allows chakra to be injected into the enemy's body, thereby sealing the enemy's chakra points and causing internal injuries.

Without a doubt, this is a martial art that can largely ignore the enemy's physical defenses. Compared to the Steel Fist style, which attacks head-on, the Soft Fist's attacks seem weak and powerless, but in reality, they are extremely insidious. Once hit, one will suffer terrifying internal injuries.

Because it uses chakra to attack internal organs, this kind of internal injury is more difficult to heal than external injury. The chakra that the Gentle Fist strikes into the body will continuously damage the enemy's internal organs, which is equivalent to planting a serious injury buff on the enemy.

At the same time, Gentle Fist can seal the enemy's chakra points, thereby disrupting or even sealing the flow of the enemy's chakra. It is very effective against ninjas with large amounts of chakra and poor chakra control.

Besides its outstanding destructive power, Gentle Fist also helps open chakra points in the body; those who are proficient in Gentle Fist can open all the chakra points in their body.

Kirito is very interested in Gentle Fist, a taijutsu, because he hates ninjas with huge amounts of chakra. If they can't be controlled, they will become terrifying ninjutsu cannons.

Moreover, because he possesses an immortal-like physique, he can absorb natural energy to enhance his physical attributes, making his physical skills exceptionally outstanding.

His strength and speed still firmly suppress Nawaki and Chizuru. Chizuru is only able to keep up with his speed by using a secret technique that stimulates her body with lightning chakra to enhance her speed.

Gentle Fist is undoubtedly a powerful weapon to counter ninjas with massive amounts of chakra.

If he could master Gentle Fist, he would definitely be able to teach a ninja like Nawaki, who squanders chakra recklessly, a lesson.

Unfortunately, he lacked the Byakugan, a bloodline limit, and was unable to master the true power of Gentle Fist.

To maximize the effectiveness of Gentle Fist in sealing chakra points, the power of the Byakugan is indispensable.

Even so, he still wanted to master Gentle Fist because it was very useful for opening chakra points in the body.

At Mitarashi Wasabi's command, Nawaki and Karen immediately began fighting.

Nawaki immediately threw several shurikens at Hana, but Hana quickly drew her kunai to block them all and then swiftly approached Nawaki.

Nawaki was well aware of the power of Hyuga Gentle Fist, and decisively chose to retreat.

But he didn't expect Hua Lian to be so fast. He took a step back, and the other party took two steps forward. By the time he wanted to form hand seals to use the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, the other party was already rushing in front of him.

There wasn't enough time to use the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

This was Nawaki's intuitive judgment after being repeatedly beaten by Kirito.

In response, he decisively jumped into the air and threw down several shuriken, forcing Hua Lian to stop using kunai to block, thus buying himself time to form hand seals.

Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

The next moment, after a puff of white smoke, more than a dozen rope trees appeared in the air.

But when they appeared, Hua Lian had already completed the hand seals.

"The hand seal for Water Release ninjutsu."

Kirito was surprised when he saw Karen's hand seals.

He never expected that Hua Lian, a ninja from the Hyuga clan, would actually be skilled in ninjutsu.

Most Hyuga clan ninjas only diligently practice Gentle Fist, a type of taijutsu, and do not spend extra time learning other ninjutsu.

After Hua Lian finished forming the hand seals, a slender whip made of water immediately appeared in her hand, and then she quickly lashed it towards the main body of the rope tree.

With her Byakugan, the white smoke created by the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique couldn't fool her; she had already locked onto Rope Tree's true form.

Water Escape: Water Flow Whip.

Rope Tree didn't want to be hit, so the shadow clone next to him immediately threw him aside and took the hit of the water whip in place of the original body. Rope Tree took the opportunity to use the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique again, creating more than a dozen shadow clones once more.

At the same time, the shadow clones created by Rope Tree's first use of the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique began to form hand seals.

Seeing this, Hua Lian rapidly extended the long water whip in her hand, covering it with a thin layer of chakra. Then, following her will, it freely stretched, bent, and pierced through more than a dozen shadow clones of Nawaki who were performing hand seals in the air, finally pointing directly at Nawaki's final body.

"Impressive. With the terrifying observational ability brought by the Byakugan and the excellent chakra control honed through Gentle Fist training, he transformed the Water Whip, which should only have the function of binding and whipping, into a sharp sword that can extend at will."

Kirito couldn't help but applaud and exclaim in admiration when he saw Karen's amazing water whip technique.

The application of ninjutsu should be flexible and adaptable; its effectiveness depends entirely on the ninja's understanding.

Hearing Kirito's words and seeing the smile on his face, Chizuru frowned slightly, let out a soft hum, and then activated her Sharingan, watching the battle between Nawaki and Karen.

At this point, Rope Tree was already in a fierce battle.

Karen, relying on the amazing observational power of her Byakugan, had firmly locked onto Nawaki's true form. Then, she used her retractable water whip to attack him continuously, forcing Nawaki to interrupt the release of his ninjutsu, dodge, and send shadow clones to his rescue.

As for the various attacks from Nawaki's remaining shadow clones, all of them were clearly seen by Karen using his 360-degree Byakugan. He avoided most of them, and used the Substitution Jutsu to avoid a few that he couldn't dodge in time.

For a time, Rope Tree's most effective human wave tactic was completely suppressed by Hana-Ren.

The weaknesses of Nawaki, such as poor chakra control and slow hand seal speed, were exposed at this moment.

Aside from the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, which only requires one hand seal to release, he struggled to successfully unleash any of his other ninjutsu under the threat of Hua Lian's water whip.

Before long, most of Nawaki's shadow clones were destroyed by Karen, forcing Nawaki to use the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique again to create new shadow clones to defend against Karen.

"Wow, that's amazing! I didn't know Hua Lian was this strong."