People in Demon Slayer: The Journey That Began with Demon Slayer

"I've heard of you being called a genius back in the Ninja Academy, Uchiha Sasuke!"

Hyuga Neji adopted a Gentle Fist stance, appearing relaxed, but was actually very tense.

Because of this battle, no one had high hopes for Neji, believing it was a match he was destined to lose.

Even Jiraiya only taught Neji defensive ninjutsu, assuming Neji would lose, in order to help him hold out a little longer during the battle.

Neji, a genius of the Hyuga clan, was extremely unwilling. Why did he think he would lose before even fighting?

Neji was born into the branch family. From birth, apart from his own father, no one cared about him as a child of the branch family. No matter how outstanding his talents were, he was still controlled by the main family and was destined to be a servant serving the branch family for his entire life.

Just like the seal on his forehead, it is called 'Bird in a Cage'.

After her father died for the sake of the main family, she no longer had anyone who cared about her.

Neji harbored no resentment towards anyone, attributing it to fatalism, believing that everything was predestined.

But this time, Neji was unwilling to accept his fate.

For Neji, he had long since lost everything, except for the title of genius.

Neji, who has always been called a genius, does not want to lose this title, because this title is all he has left, and it is Neji's only value.

Sasuke stood there, his defenses shattered, without uttering a word.

In Sasuke's eyes, Neji Hyuga's defeat was already inevitable.

This very contemptuous attitude infuriated Neji.

"You really are arrogant, Uchiha Sasuke. In your eyes, I don't even deserve to be called an opponent?"

Sasuke looked at Neji with indifference: "You talk too much nonsense. Your Hyuga clan will always be trampled underfoot by our Uchiha clan, both in the past and now."

Sasuke's disdain provoked Neji's anger.

"Eight Trigrams Empty Palm!"

Neji aimed at Sasuke's vital points and unleashed a super-fast palm strike. The compressed, vacuum-shaped projectile, containing the Gentle Fist, struck Sasuke with ferocious pressure.

Sasuke moved his feet seemingly casually, but the vacuum cannonballs compressed by the Eight Trigrams Palm all seemed to be avoiding him, grazing past him.

Sasuke scoffed, "Is this all the strength Hyuga Neji, who's been called Konoha's number one genius, has?"

Neji Hyuga did not answer Sasuke, but took the initiative to fight Sasuke using taijutsu, which showed that Neji's state of mind was not calm at this time.

"Damn it, Neji has been enraged by Sasuke Uchiha and has lost his mind." Jiraiya frowned as he watched Neji continue his attacks.

"This tactic wasn't your idea? Wasn't Lee very successful?" Hiruzen Sarutobi thought it was Jiraiya's idea, a tactic similar to Lee's.

Jiraiya shook his head and said, "Lee's tactics are to finish the battle quickly because Lee's Eight Gates has a powerful explosive force. Neji's Gentle Fist lacks the explosive force of Lee's Steel Fist and is good at grappling. Sasuke's attacks are not only explosive but also have amazing endurance. Neji simply cannot finish the battle as quickly as Lee."

"So what tactics did you arrange for Neji?"

"Lee was able to fight to a draw because after opening the Eight Gates, his strength was on par with, or even surpassed, that of Kaoru. But Neji couldn't do that. The gap between him and Sasuke Uchiha was too big. So the tactic I arranged for him was not to retaliate."

"Not retaliating?" Lee's draw gave Hiruzen Sarutobi hope of winning, so he hoped that Neji could overcome the odds and defeat Sasuke.

Jiraiya explained, "That's right. He used the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist technique, along with the defensive ninjutsu I taught him during this time, to withstand Uchiha Sasuke's attacks until he gave up after exhausting his chakra and stamina. That was the tactic I arranged for Neji."

This battle wasn't fought with the intention of winning; it was fought to buy time and prevent a humiliating defeat.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression also turned serious: "Is the gap that big? Then what's the worst-case scenario?"

"If Uchiha Sasuke wanted to, he could end the battle in an instant."

...

Neji launched a series of attacks on Sasuke, but Sasuke never fought back and only dodged.

Shion, standing next to Yosuke, asked in confusion, "Why doesn't Sasuke end the battle right away?"

Yosuke smiled and replied, "He's studying."

"study?"

Yosuke nodded and said, "Yes, the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan has the ability to copy. Sasuke is copying Neji's movements."

Shion didn't understand: "Sasuke is already so strong, why does he need to copy the actions of someone weaker than him?"

"That kid named Hyuga Neji has his own unique footwork and fist techniques. Sasuke probably wants to copy them to make up for his own shortcomings."

Yosuke sighed, "Sasuke's true talent is not the Sharingan or his physical abilities, but his ability to learn and innovate."

Yosuke's analysis was correct; Sasuke was indeed copying Neji's actions.

Breath of Thunder is the ultimate speed, like Rock Lee's powerful punch, it's straight and direct.

But this also lacks flexibility.

The Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist style combines softness with strength, balancing yin and yang.

Sasuke wanted to learn and improve his Lightning Breathing by copying Hyuga Neji's Gentle Fist technique.

Sasuke's constant avoidance drew Neji's displeasure.

"Why didn't you fight back?!"

Seeing Neji's state, Sasuke knew he had to provoke him so that Neji could better demonstrate the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist technique to him.

Sasuke pushed the katana out with his thumb and then gripped the hilt.

Seeing Sasuke's stance, Neji was on high alert. He had witnessed Sasuke's speed during the preliminaries after the battle between Kaoru and Tenten, so he had already begun to form hand seals in advance.

"Thunder Breathing? First Form? Thunderclap Flash!"

Sasuke transformed into a bolt of lightning and sped toward Neji.

Neji also finished forming hand seals.

"Earth escape? Earth formation wall!"

An earthen wall rose from the ground, protecting Neji.

Just as Neji thought he had stopped Sasuke and was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a sharp pain shot through his chest.

Neji looked down in disbelief and saw a new wound on his chest, from which blood was dripping continuously.

Chapter 308 'The Caged Bird'

Neji saw the intact earthen wall and immediately realized what had happened.

Although he had formed the hand seals in advance, Sasuke had already rushed over before the earthen wall was fully raised as the ninjutsu was released and the earthen wall was rising from the ground.

Only when Neji faced Sasuke's speed head-on did he realize just how incredible it was.

The Byakugan of the Hyuga clan is superior to the Sharingan in terms of insight.

However, even with the strongest insight, he could only barely discern Sasuke's movements.

Neji now understood why no one had any faith in him.

Neji himself now believes that he has absolutely no chance of winning.

Neji's chest wound wasn't serious; Sasuke showed mercy.

After all, if Neji were defeated in one blow, the opportunity to learn would be lost.

To provoke Neji, Sasuke mocked, "How ironic that you, a member of the Hyuga clan, would actually use ninjutsu and abandon your proud Gentle Fist?"

Neji didn't answer Sasuke, but instead glanced subtly at Hyuga Hiashi sitting in the audience.

It was clear that Hiashi Hyuga sighed deeply.

Neji was filled with resentment. 'What is this? Are they looking down on me?'

To Neji, the cheers from the audience sounded like harsh mockery, as if they were ridiculing him for being a genius who didn't live up to his reputation.

Neji looked at Sasuke, as if speaking to Sasuke, yet also as if speaking to himself.

"Everyone must live through a fate they cannot resist, except for one fate that is equal for all: death!"

Sasuke didn't understand why Neji was saying such things at this moment, but judging from Neji's expression, he should already be prepared for battle.

Sasuke did not use the Lightning Breathing Sword Form, but instead used ninjutsu to attack, forcing Neji to show more of his Gentle Fist techniques.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Sasuke gathered chakra in his throat and then spewed a huge fireball forward from his mouth.

"Eight Trigrams Empty Wall Palm!"

Neji used both hands to fire compressed vacuum projectiles, which collided with the fireball and canceled each other out.

Sasuke gave Neji no time to catch his breath.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Technique!"

The flames Sasuke spat out spread in all directions, attacking Neji.

Neji assumed a fighting stance and let out a low shout.

"Bagua Palm Reverses Heaven!"

Neji released a large amount of chakra from all the chakra points in his body, while spinning his body to deflect all the flames.

Sasuke unleashed several more Fire Release ninjutsu, but they were still deflected by Neji's Rotation.

"Releasing chakra through acupoints, combined with his own rotation and the Byakugan's extremely strong observational ability to deflect attacks, is that interesting?"

Sasuke has analyzed the method Neji used in his Rotation and has figured out its weakness.

Sasuke threw a large number of kunai and shuriken at Neji.

Neji used the Reincarnation technique again to deflect all the ninja tools Sasuke threw.

Before Neji could finish using Rotation, Sasuke's attack came again, forcing Neji to use Rotation again.

As Neji continued to use the Rotation Technique, something unbelievable happened to him.

The speed of the return journey slowed down.

And it wasn't because of physical exhaustion that it slowed down.

Neji was forced to stop using the Rejuvenation Technique and finally discovered the reason.

Sasuke's throwing tools are all tied with transparent threads, and these threads are all connected to Sasuke's chakra.