Chapter 567: Breaking Free from the Constraints of the Gentle Fist

Chapter 567: Chapter 567: Breaking Free from the Constraints of the Gentle Fist

Shock, anger, and even fear— all sorts of emotions filled the hearts of the four Uchiha jonin.

What had just happened was simply too bizarre in their eyes. They had never imagined that Kagami could actually break through the combined ninjutsu unleashed by their two comrades head-on.

Although the Great Fireball Technique and Wind Tornado were not particularly high-level ninjutsu, the shinobi performing them were genuine jonin. Moreover, those two comrades had always possessed excellent coordination. The timing of their Fire Release and Wind Release was impeccable, and with the two techniques complementing each other, the power of their combined ninjutsu far exceeded that of an ordinary A-rank technique!

Under normal circumstances, when faced with ninjutsu of such power, let alone an ordinary jonin, even a Kage-level expert would never choose to confront it head-on.

It was precisely because of this that the two Uchiha jonin had been caught completely off guard by Kagami.

Looking at the uncertain and bewildered expressions on the faces of the Uchiha jonin, the corners of Kagami’s mouth curved slightly upward.

The Hyuga clan’s absolute defense, Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven, actually worked by releasing one’s own chakra to form a barrier outside the body, using that chakra barrier to withstand incoming attacks.

The reason the user needed to spin rapidly when performing Revolving Heaven was simply that the chakra intensity of most Hyuga clan members was insufficient. They needed to rely on the rotational force generated by spinning to further strengthen Revolving Heaven’s defensive power, allowing it to achieve a state approaching absolute defense.

However, if one’s chakra intensity was already sufficiently powerful, then there was no need to rely on rotational force at all.

Take the successive Raikage of Kumogakure, for example. By directly covering their entire bodies with high-intensity Lightning Release chakra and activating Lightning Release Chakra Mode, they had no need for any rotational force whatsoever.

Just now, Kagami had employed the principles of Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven, but he had omitted the spinning process entirely.

Instead, he directly released his chakra outward, forming a high-intensity chakra barrier around his right hand.

Using his right hand as the leading point, he had broken straight through the combined ninjutsu unleashed by the two Uchiha jonin, catching them completely by surprise.

Although doing so consumed considerably more chakra, to Kagami, who was currently controlling his Yin Release true body, an expenditure of this magnitude was nothing more than a drop in the ocean.

The reason the four Uchiha jonin were so astonished was simply that Kagami’s technique was exceptionally refined. His control was effortless, his movements decisive and sharp, without the slightest hesitation or unnecessary motion.

Furthermore, the flames and shockwaves from the combined ninjutsu had obscured their vision. As a result, their Sharingan had failed to capture the Revolving Heaven that Kagami had executed with his right hand in that fleeting instant.

"W-What should we do?"

"He’s only one person! There are four of us! We won’t lose!"

"Yeah! Don’t be afraid, everyone! This guy is just a little fast, that’s all!"

"No matter how fast he is, he can’t be faster than our Sharingan!"

Encouraging one another, the four Uchiha jonin gradually rekindled their fighting spirit.

Although they still couldn’t quite understand how four of their comrades had somehow been defeated, the honor of the Uchiha clan would not allow them to retreat.

Kagami smiled. "Don’t get distracted!"

Whoosh...

Before his words had even finished, Kagami’s figure vanished from where he stood.

The four Uchiha jonin were instantly startled. Their faces tightened as their crimson three-tomoe Sharingan darted about in their sockets, searching for Kagami’s figure.

At that moment, one of the Uchiha jonin keenly detected a change in the airflow behind him.

He abruptly turned around and discovered Kagami preparing to lunge at him from behind.

Seeing this, the Uchiha jonin immediately revealed a vicious grin.

"Found you!"

But at that very instant, his brows furrowed as he noticed that Kagami’s left hand, concealed within his sleeve, was actually forming hand seals with one hand!

Because of the sleeve obstructing his view, he could only make out the movements of Kagami’s left fingertips. He was unable to capture the precise sequence of hand seals being formed by Kagami’s left hand.

"Huh? He can actually form hand seals with one hand?! What ninjutsu is he using?"

In an instant, the Uchiha jonin’s attention was irresistibly drawn to Kagami’s partially concealed left hand, which flickered in and out of view beneath his sleeve. Relying on his own experience, he began trying to predict the ninjutsu Kagami was about to perform.

And in that brief moment when the Uchiha jonin’s attention wavered, Kagami suddenly accelerated, closing in directly before him. His left hand, previously concealed within his sleeve, joined his right hand in launching a ferocious barrage of attacks.

Bang! Bang! Bang...

Because his attention had been diverted, the Uchiha jonin barely managed to block four or five palm strikes before Kagami struck his neck with a knife-hand blow.

With a face full of unwillingness, he lost consciousness.

With a light flick of his foot, Kagami sent the unconscious Uchiha jonin flying toward the three comrades who had previously been knocked out, piling all four together.

Then, Kagami turned around and smiled at the three remaining Uchiha jonin.

The remaining three were shocked and furious, their hearts filled with resentment and fear. They had witnessed the entire process of Kagami toying with their comrade.

"Damn it! This guy understands us Uchiha very well! He knows our habits when using the Sharingan!"

"He can accelerate over short distances! He wasn’t even moving at his full speed earlier!"

"Hey, is that really the Gentle Fist he’s using? Why does it look more like the Strong Fist?!"

The three Uchiha jonin exchanged the information they had gathered from their observations.

They were all battle-hardened shinobi, and it didn’t take them long to figure out the methods Kagami had just employed.

Because they possessed the Sharingan, members of the Uchiha clan were accustomed to observing and analyzing everything about their opponents. This habit had become so deeply ingrained that it was practically instinctive.

And Kagami had exploited precisely this.

By pretending to form hand seals with his left hand inside his sleeve, he had lured his opponent into diverting his attention. Then, with a sudden burst of acceleration and taijutsu honed to the utmost sharpness, he had instantly defeated an Uchiha jonin whose taijutsu was by no means weak.

Without wasting a single word, Kagami once again began walking slowly toward the three remaining Uchiha jonin.

Watching Kagami gradually approach, the three Uchiha jonin continuously retreated, as though Kagami were the one who held the numerical advantage, while they were the ones outnumbered.

At that moment, one of the Uchiha jonin demanded, "Y-You... why do you know so much about our Uchiha Sharingan?"

"Why do I know so much about the Sharingan?"

Kagami smiled without stopping his footsteps.

Naturally, he wasn’t going to tell them that he possessed a pair of Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan himself.

...

At the edge of the battlefield.

Neji’s eyes sparkled with admiration. Tugging at his father Hizashi’s sleeve, he eagerly asked, "Father! Father! What kind of Gentle Fist is Sensei using? Why is it so powerful?"

With a solemn expression, Hizashi kept his full attention on the battlefield as he explained, "Your sensei isn’t using any particular Gentle Fist style. His attacks incorporate our Hyuga clan’s Gentle Fist, Konoha-style kenjutsu, Uchiha taijutsu, and even some Strong Fist techniques. Not only are his movements simple and practical, they’re also exceptionally sharp and ferocious!"

Neji froze for a moment.

"What does that mean?"

Hizashi sighed with admiration.

"Your sensei has already broken free from the constraints of the Gentle Fist!"