Within the Uchiha compound's training grounds—
Senju Gen and Uchiha Yuan stood side by side, watching the silhouettes training across the field while exchanging stories of their recent experiences.
"…I really hate Cloud shinobi, but I have to admit—those guys aren't afraid of dying."
"…The Fourth Raikage looks like a short-tempered brute, but he's actually sharp. The moment you slip up, he'll seize that opening and hit you with a strike like thunder."
"…As for the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki, Killer B—'the Killer Bee' really lives up to his name. His swordsmanship is terrifying. That multi-blade style of his… it's like a storm of steel."
Gen listened with widening eyes, his expression shifting between awe and excitement.
Each dangerous moment Yuan described drew a gasp from him.
"Yuan, I heard people now call you the 'Leaf's Savage Tiger.'"
Gen's eyes shone with longing. "One day, I want to become a shinobi whose name shakes the entire ninja world too. I wonder what title I'll get…"
Yuan chuckled.
"I'm the Savage Tiger of the Uchiha.
You… can be the Destruction Dragon of the Senju."
"Savage Tiger… Destruction Dragon!"
Gen grinned wide. "I like that."
But his expression soon turned serious. His eyes burned with fighting spirit as he faced Yuan.
"Yuan, fight me at full strength. I want to know just how far behind I still am."
"Alright."
The two exchanged a knowing smile—
—and then vanished.
A heartbeat later, they reappeared in an empty training field.
"Yuan, I won't hold back."
Gen clasped his hands into a seal.
A powerful wave of chakra rippled out from his body.
Yuan's expression sharpened.
"Come, Gen."
"Water Release!"
Chakra surged behind Gen, instantly gathering into a massive torrent.
The eruption caught the attention of every Uchiha nearby.
"What a massive chakra output!"
"That's Uchiha Yuan on one side… who's on the other?"
"Senju Gen. Incredible… that chakra really is worthy of the Senju."
"Still—Yuan is no slouch. Let's see how he answers this."
The two boys' auras clashed violently.
Gen's chakra raged like a river bursting its banks, surging toward Yuan with overwhelming force.
Yuan stood unmoved—steady and immovable like a boulder standing against a raging sea.
No matter how Gen's power swelled, Yuan's presence did not waver.
"Gen, you've grown fast."
Yuan noted something important:
Gen hadn't used a single hand seal when summoning water.
His chakra control had reached the point of thought guiding flow—a level extremely rare for his age.
"That's all thanks to your guidance."
Gen grinned, then roared:
"Water Dragon Bullet!"
The massive torrent behind him twisted upward, instantly forming a roaring water dragon that lunged at Yuan.
"Whoa! That water dragon is on another level compared to most chunin!"
"A true Senju… that chakra pool is insane."
"At this rate he might already be jōnin class."
Three Uchiha Police Force members had appeared, observing with interest.
"I'm curious how Yuan will handle that," one muttered.
"Yorito wasn't weak, but Yuan crushed him."
Another chuckled.
"Yorito? Trash. I've already heard Yuan repelled the Fourth Raikage on the battlefield."
"What?! Captain, is that true?!"
Their captain didn't take his eyes off Yuan.
Yuan remained absolutely still as the water dragon slammed toward him—
only for his palm to cut forward like a blade.
SPLIT!
The water dragon was cleaved cleanly in half.
The split torrents roared past him harmlessly.
"Gen, if that's all, I'll be disappointed."
Gen's smile didn't fade.
"My attack isn't done!"
He shouted—
"Twin Dragons Burst Bite!"
The bisected torrents suddenly whirled back, twisting upward into two water dragons that snapped their jaws toward Yuan from both sides.
BOOM!
A massive sphere of raging water engulfed Yuan.
Inside, countless currents spun violently, water-pressure slicing the air like phantom scales.
Gasps erupted from the spectators.
"What a terrifying Water Release!"
The Police Force captain tensed.
"If that hit me, I doubt I'd come out unscathed."
"Captain! Is Yuan in danger?"
"No… he excels in taijutsu. He'll endure."
At that moment—
BOOOOM!
The water sphere exploded outward, the force shredding the currents into mist.
A powerful burst of wind rippled across the grounds.
"Hard Vortex Water Blade!"
Gen descended from above, thrusting forward a spiraling water drill like a spear.
Yuan flickered backward.
Gen chased relentlessly, the spinning vortex lunging again and again.
Their exchange was fast—precise—brutal.
Then—
A massive wave dropped from above.
Yuan stepped in and punched upward, releasing layered shockwaves that blew the water apart into rain.
Droplets fell like shimmering mist.
Gen landed lightly, then bowed his head.
"Yuan… I concede. Even with everything I used, I still couldn't restrain you."
Yuan smiled faintly.
"Don't belittle yourself, Gen. Your growth far exceeded my expectations."
His eyes narrowed appreciatively.
"To think you've mastered Hard Vortex Water Blade… a technique created by the Second Hokage himself. Its difficulty is notorious."
Gen scratched his cheek, embarrassed.
Yuan continued:
"If you learn to compress that water flow even further, even I wouldn't dare block it head-on."
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