The Fateful Uchiha

All the other matches had started with Taijutsu, but this one began with volleys of shurikens. Natsumi had summoned storage scrolls and opened them to release numerous projectiles. Michi immediately activated his Sharingan and also threw his shurikens, which multiplied, to counter his opponent. However, the Uchiha was still pushed back, dodging the four-pronged metal stars.

Natsumi’s talent for throwing weapons was excellent. She varied her projectiles, mixing shurikens, kunais, and senbons. Michi was forced to remain on the defensive. Natsumi chased him around the arena. She kept the advantage for several minutes. Then, the volley of projectiles decreased. She didn’t possess an infinite number of them.

Michi noticed it and switched to the offensive. His fighting style was a mix between Taijutsu and Genjutsu. Jun didn’t activate his Sharingan, but he could sense Natsumi’s chakra fluctuated strangely. He knew that the Uchiha was trying to place her under an illusion. Jun wasn’t really worried about his comrade when it came to Genjutsu. They had practiced with Susumu since Team 14 was formed on how to break illusion techniques.

However, Michi was also harassing her with close-quarter combat. He didn’t give her time to focus as she needed to defend against the punches and kicks coming her way. The Uchiha started to put pressure on his opponent. Ultimately, Natsumi’s focus dropped, and she was caught in a Genjutsu. She couldn’t break it on time and was forced to surrender under the threat of a kunai on her throat. Michi was declared the winner.

Natsumi was disappointed, but Jun was proud of the way she fought. His teammate gave him a reassuring smile and send him a thumbs up before joining the audience. Michi, on the other hand, returned to the balcony. He remained silent. Jun found it strange but didn’t say anything to the Uchiha.

Only four contestants remained, Kenji, Jun, Kyo, and Michi. Jun realized that Konoha was represented by two Uchihas. He found it ironic because of the tension between the clan and the village. Even though he wasn’t part of the clan, the crowd probably didn’t know that. He had their surname and looked like one. It was enough for people to associate him with the clan.

He took a deep breath and focus on the upcoming fight. He quickly checked his condition. He wasn’t injured and still had more than half of his chakra left. Hizo stood at the center of the arena and waited for the cheers to die down before announcing the next battle.

“The first round is over. We will start the next one immediately. Kenji, Jun Uchiha, please come down to the arena.”

Both genins answered the call. Jun knew this fight would be more difficult than his first one. There was no telling who would be victorious. The referee took several steps back before giving the signal to start.

“Begin!”

The two genins didn’t move. They looked at each other for several seconds. Jun was thinking. He couldn’t use his Sharingan since he wanted to hide it from the Uchihas. His opponent was strong. He was convinced he didn’t reveal everything during his fight against Miyamoto. Jun was confident Kenji still had a few tricks left up his sleeve. He was the person who would become the bodyguard of the most powerful shinobi in Kumo.

Kenji changed his stance. Jun tensed up, but the Kumo genin did not attack.

“You didn’t use the Sharingan during your first match. You don’t have it?”

Jun raised his eyebrows in surprise. He didn’t expect his opponent to start a conversation. But he quickly regained his composure and shook his head.

“What a shame! I wanted to measure myself against the famous Dojutsu of the Uchihas. I thought every Uchiha has it.”

“Sorry to disappoint you. I’m half-Uchiha.”

Jun could hear the confidence in his tone. He genuinely believed he could win against a Sharingan user.

“If you want to fight someone with the Sharingan, you need to win this fight first and hope for Michi to win his. But beating me won’t be easy.” Jun added.

“I know. You’re strong.” Kenji declared.

“Indeed, I am strong,” Jun replied with a smile.

Kenji prepared himself to attack. Jun vanished with the Shunshin and reappeared above his opponent. He kicked him. The Kumo genin barely dodged it and took his distance with a backhand spring. He used Raiton around his body. Sparks flew around his hands.

Jun smiled. He charged up his Electric Discharge in his hand but did not release it. Kenji, who was about to charge forward, froze and squinted.

“Katon and Futon during your previous fight, and now Raiton… Not bad for a genin.”

“Thanks. However, the Raiton is my main affinity. I liked the technique you used during your fight with Miyamoto. I have a similar one. How about we test them against each other.”

“Hmm, it could be dangerous. It could generate a big explosion.”

“Only if we lose control of our techniques.”

“You know your stuff.”

Jun shrugged.

“I’m curious to see which one of us has the most powerful Raiton,” Jun said.

Kenji smiled and leaped forward. Jun also rushed in. They jumped, dodged, collided, and repelled each other. Blue sparks flew in all directions. They were moving very fast. They seemed to be everywhere at once. The battle wasn’t solely about brute strength and speed. They also had to maintain perfect control over their Raiton.

With each collision, a shower of electric sparks shot out in a flash of light with a deafening screech. The fight seemed balanced. No one could overpower the other with his Raiton. They both knew that the moment one of them weakened, the other’s Raiton would overpower its opponent and easily pass through its defense. Therefore, they didn’t hold back. It was a high-speed combat with precise control of the Raiton element.

However, things weren’t easy for Jun. The Jutsu he was using wasn’t meant to be maintained continuously. So, it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep it under control. An explosion was imminent if he didn’t release the technique. Kenji must have noticed it as he kept charging with more vigor. Jun was forced to retreat. He was defending more than attacking. He gritted his teeth and made up his mind. He put some distance between himself and his opponent and released the Electric Discharge.

The lightning, which had been accumulating, shot out. Kenji couldn’t avoid it and got hit in the chest. The impact pushed him back a few meters, but he landed on his feet. The Raiton around his body had shielded him. His lightning armor increased in intensity. The brightness increased. Jun jumped back and the two genins stared at each other again. They were breathing a little faster. Jun was smiling. His heart was pounding. He could feel the adrenaline going through his body, boosting it.

“You shouldn’t have done that. My Raiton absorbed most of your attack. I have the advantage now.”

He was right. Jun noticed the Raiton around his body grew stronger after he had gotten hit by his Electric DIscharge. However, it meant he had a more intense Raiton to control. How long could he keep such an armor running at such power?

“Don’t count me out yet,” Jun replied.

He clasped his hands.

There was a blast. The ground beneath Kenji’s feet exploded as if he had stood on a mine. It was only his inhuman reflexes that kept him from losing his legs. The Kumo ninja emerged from the cloud in a flash of Raiton. He was landing on the ground when the place he was about to touch down on, also exploded. The shockwave hit him, and he was thrown in the air. There were shocked cries in the crowd. Jun only kept smiling.

He had moved all over the arena, not only during this fight but also during his last one against Fujitaro. He had virtually been everywhere. Every time a foot or a hand touched the ground, he injected some chakra into it to form a specific seal. It was a seal he was familiar with and had trained hard to master. The arena was virtually covered with the same seal used to create explosive tags.

Setting up traps and ambushes was Team 14’s specialty. Some people could see it as fighting dirty, but Jun didn’t care. Kenji tried to land in a few other places. But the result was the same. Jun made those seals explode, and the Kumo genin found himself thrown into the air on multiple occasions.

Most genins might have been killed already, or seriously injured. However, his opponent had lightning armor that absorbed most of the power coming from the blasts. Jun kept trying to blow him up because he knew the Raiton shielded him. He knew he wouldn’t die accidentally.

Kenji eventually landed against one of the arena walls. It was one of the few places Jun hadn’t touched. The Kumo ninja clung to the wall as he caught his breath. He had lost his shoes and was now barefoot. His feet were red and smoking. His clothes were smeared with dust. His blond hair was all over the place. He had lost his headband. A piece of rock or something must have struck him because a light trickle of blood ran down his face. And more importantly, he was out of breath. Jun was satisfied upon seeing his miserable figure. He had pushed the most powerful genin of Kumo to his limits.

Kenji had lost his calm and serious expression. He looked a little disheveled. It took several seconds for the dust generated by the previous explosions to settle down.

“You trapped the entire arena except for the walls,” Kenji said, seizing him up cautiously.

Jun had also been in contact with some areas of the walls where his fights had taken him. But he wasn’t going to reveal that information to his opponent.

“You’re giving me too much credit. Don’t you see how big the arena is? I only trapped parts of it.”

“Only parts?”

“There are probably a few square meters safe to land on.”

There was stifled laughter in the audience. Kenji smiled as well. He was regaining his composure and starting to think clearly. Jun could see it in his eyes.

“When did you set it up? I can’t believe I missed you doing it.”

“It was during my last fight.”

Kenji elevated his eyebrows, a little impressed.

“You were thinking that far ahead? Why didn’t you use them against the other Uchiha?”

“I didn’t need to.”

The truth was Fujitaro would have been killed. He lacked the speed and defensive ability that Kenji possessed.

“Are you going to stay on that wall forever?”

Kenji shrugged. He didn’t look embarrassed at all.

“Kai,” Jun uttered.

He had been monitoring Kenji’s chakra and his own. He found out the moment his chakra was getting affected by a Genjutsu. He didn’t need the Sharingan to dispel the Illusion. It was a minor Genjutsu. It was probably meant to distract him for a chance to get close without fearing the explosions.

“You are well prepared. You noticed my Genjutsu. You are very talented.” Kenji commented.

“So are you.” Jun smiled.

He didn’t feel any negative feelings toward his opponent.

“You know; you could surrender. It would save us some time.” Jun added.

“The fight isn’t over yet. Raiton, Lightning Wave!”

A rising wave of lightning was launched towards Jun. It was huge and fast. Jun was threatened by the Jutsu power. He slapped his hands against the ground. There were multiple explosions in rapid succession. The Raiton Jutsu was shattered in all directions; the ground shook. Jun felt the detonations in his body as whole clods of earth flew in the air. The arena was covered in a cloud of smoke.

Jun had utilized his Shunshin to distance himself from the explosions. He glanced around him and realized that he had lost his opponent. Kenji was nowhere to be found. He cursed. He focused his senses, searching for his chakra.

Jun suddenly threw himself to the ground just in time, dodging a vertical kick when Kenji fell from the sky. The latter didn’t give him time to run away and rushed at him again. A ferocious exchange of punches and kicks followed.

They were both tired and knew the end was near. If Kenji gave him enough space, he would detonate one of his seals on the ground. The Kumo genin no longer had his Raiton armor; therefore, he was bound to suffer damage if an explosion occurred. They fought like wild animals. Kenji didn’t give him an inch; they were always in contact. Jun swung an Electric Discharge at point-blank. His opponent didn’t dodge and took it head-on. He let out a muffled cry and continued to attack. Jun found it crazy.

He realized the genin had no intention of backing down. If jun continued using such Jutsus, he may end up killing him. So their Taijutsu exchange continued. They were reaching their limits. Whoever would make a mistake first would probably lose the match.

They swirled, kicked, and countered each other. Jun was trying to push him away to get some distance between them. But Kenji refused to back down and allow his opponent to detonate one of his traps. Their attacks became more desperate and more violent. Jun was only relying on n his instinct to parry and block. His breathing was getting heavier. He was getting close to his limits. Then he saw it. The hand seal Kenji used in his previous fight.

“Raiton, Lightning Pillar!”

Jun closed his eyes and instinctively used the Body Flicker Technique.

“Futon, Air Bullet.” He countered.

He didn’t know if his Jutsu had hit. Kenji’s blinding light seemed to beam through his shut eyelids, and a violent pain pierced his skull. Jun was enveloped by darkness.