Seeing Senju Gen gritting his teeth in pain, Hatake Seikū couldn't help but burst into laughter.
He knew exactly what Gen was going through—because he had been on the receiving end of similar attacks countless times while sparring with Uchiha Yuan.
It was through those endless rounds of beatings that Seikū realized just how frighteningly precise En's understanding of the human body was, and how his mastery over the flow of power—explosive force, drilling force, vibrating force, and countless other nuances—was practically divine.
Those sparring sessions had given Seikū an exquisite blend of pain, numbness, and ecstasy that was… unforgettable.
And through that, he came to understand that taijutsu wasn't just brute force—it contained endless layers of subtlety and technique.
"Senju Gen," Seikū said, his tone turning cold as his smile faded. "You followed us in secret and even attacked En-kun from the shadows. What exactly do you mean by that?"
Senju Gen answered calmly, "I only wished to have a proper match with Uchiha Yuan."
Then his gaze turned toward En, his eyes brimming with fighting spirit. "Uchiha Yuan, it seems my suspicions were right—you really are strong."
As the only Uchiha in their class, En had always drawn some quiet attention from Gen.
But over the years, En's performance had been… ordinary. His grades were average, his demeanor subdued. In one-on-one training matches, he would typically exchange dozens of blows with his opponent before losing or barely drawing. His strength seemed solidly middle-tier—around tenth or twelfth in the class.
So eventually, Gen stopped paying him much attention, turning his focus instead to Hyūga Kyo—the other student from a great clan—and to the top students from the other seven classes.
What reignited his interest in En was the recent spar between Uehara Isamu and Uchiha Yuan.
En's taijutsu in that match had astonished him—especially the final strike, where En's hand became a blade and left a thin line of blood across Isamu's throat.
To perform such a precise attack required near-perfect control over one's strength.
When Hyūga Kyo later challenged En, Senju Gen watched in secret, full of anticipation.
He respected Hyūga Kyo's strength; he had watched many of his matches and estimated that defeating Kyou would take him about forty exchanges.
Yet Uchiha Yuan had beaten Hyūga Kyo in just ten.
That feat ignited Gen's curiosity—and his fighting spirit burned hotter than ever.
Uchiha Yuan's once-calm demeanor vanished. His eyes gleamed sharply, cutting straight into Gen's soul as he declared, "I've always been the strongest."
Under that gaze, Gen's eyes stung involuntarily. He had to look away.
Inside, he was shaken.
Why does he feel so different now? The same Uchiha Yuan who was so ordinary in class—how can he suddenly radiate such overwhelming presence?
Gen grinned, leaping down from the tree to land before them.
"Uchiha Yuan, whether you're the strongest or not—we'll only know after we fight!"
"Then let's have that match here and now," En said flatly.
"Good!" Gen replied instantly.
Though part of him wondered why En had suddenly changed his mind and agreed to a duel, his excitement quickly drowned out his doubts. He locked eyes on En, his spirit ablaze.
But before the fight could begin, Hatake Seikū stepped forward, placing himself between them.
"Hold it. Senju Gen, your opponent is me. If you want to fight En-kun, you'll have to defeat me first."
He turned slightly to look at En.
Their gazes met—and En nodded. "What Seikū says is what I say."
Senju Gen looked at Seikū and chuckled. "The Hatake Clan—once home to the 'White Fang of the Leaf,' and now the legendary Kakashi-senpai. Very well then, Seikū-kun, let me see your strength first."
The two backed apart, forming the seal of confrontation.
Standing off to the side, Uchiha Yuan raised one hand in a quick seal. Instantly, four Shadow Clones appeared silently around him, taking positions in the four corners and forming a faint barrier.
Shadow Clones? No… multiple Shadow Clones.
Senju Gen's eyes narrowed in surprise.
To summon multiple clones with not even a flicker of chakra… that level of control is astonishing.
As a member of the Senju Clan's current generation, Gen had undergone elite training since childhood. His strength might not yet match a full-fledged Chūnin, but his ability to analyze and observe far surpassed that of ordinary students.
The more he saw, the more intrigued he became.
Uchiha Yuan's every small action revealed techniques far beyond the academy's level—each glimpse only made Gen more eager for the eventual clash between them.
In the anime, when Naruto used the Multi Shadow Clone Technique, it was always accompanied by a grand spectacle—but that was only because Naruto's chakra control was crude.
For Naruto, it didn't matter—his vast reserves of chakra let him overwhelm enemies head-on.
But during the legendary final battle between Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, it was Hashirama's mastery of chakra that allowed his Wood Clone to deceive even Madara's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and deliver the decisive sneak attack.
If Hashirama's chakra control had been as rough as Naruto's, how could that have been possible?
After forming the confrontation seal, Seikū spoke up, "Gen, before we start, I need you to agree to one thing."
"What is it?"
"You must promise not to tell anyone about what happens here today."
"…Fine."
"I want you to swear it—on the honor of the Senju Clan."
Gen blinked in surprise, glancing between Seikū and En.
These two were acting strangely. It was just a spar between classmates—why make such a solemn oath?
Still, after a moment of hesitation, he nodded.
"Alright. I swear, on the honor of the Senju Clan, that I won't tell anyone about this match."
Both of them immediately took their stances.
At Uchiha Yuan's calm voice—"Begin!"—Senju Gen vanished, springing backward like an arrow from the string.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"
A massive sphere of water shot forward, surging toward Hatake Seikū.
Seikū leapt high, flipping out of its path—but before he could land, Gen's voice rang out again:
"Water Style: Water Consecutive Bullets!"
A dozen smaller spheres of water burst forth, roaring toward Seikū like cannon fire.
With a flick of his wrist, Seikū produced a kunai, its edge glinting.
In a blur of motion, he sliced apart three of the water bullets, then weaved through the rest with serpentine agility. In a heartbeat, he broke through the barrage.
The moment Gen landed, a sharp gust struck him—Seikū was already in front of him, thrusting his kunai straight toward his chest.
Gen swung his arm, blocking Seikū's forearm and halting the kunai's advance.
He then twisted his torso to the side, stepped in, and countered with a powerful punch aimed at Seikū's ribs.
Not far away, Uchiha Yuan watched the exchange with a faint nod.
Impressive. Even in that split-second movement, Gen's taijutsu technique was solid.
Facing the incoming fist, Hatake Seikū didn't dodge—he met it head-on with a punch of his own.
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