Naruto - Azure Awakening

The battle between Hyūga Yuki and Ishigane Akatsuchi had just ended. The towering Iwa shinobi stood in stunned silence, his wide, bewildered eyes fixed on the ground.

'How did this happen? I was controlling the whole fight…'

Despite his superior strength and dominance throughout most of the battle, Akatsuchi had lost. And it was because Yuki Hyuga was no ordinary opponent.

Yuki was exceptionally talented, a prodigy even among the Hyuga. Though she was not from the main branch, her skill was so extraordinary that Hiashi Hyuga himself had taken her under his wing. Unlike other clans, the Hyuga did not fear branch family members surpassing the head of the clan. While Caged Bird Seal's primary function was to ensure that no outsider could ever steal and wield the Byakugan, it also had the ability to suppress the branch family members if needed and even though that ability was rarely used, it was till there.

So, Yuki's talents were not feared within the clan, they were celebrated. And today, she proved why.

Despite Akatsuchi's overwhelming advantage for most of the fight, she needed only a single opening. A single mistake and Akatsuchi's chakra points were sealed. The moment she severed his chakra flow, he was unable to mold chakra anymore. The fight was over.

Yuki won, but her struggles against Akatsuchi revealed a harsh truth - she wasn't ready for the true titans of this tournament. Against Kaoru, Itachi, Mizuki, or even Toji, she wouldn't be given the same opportunity to land a decisive blow. They wouldn't make the same mistakes.

And now, the arena buzzed with anticipation as the next and most anticipated match of the round was about to begin:

Itachi Uchiha vs. Mizuki Kasai.

The star prodigy of Konoha, already the center of attention, would now face the brightest flame of the tournament.

Both Itachi and Mizuki walked toward the center of the arena at an unhurried pace, their steps steady, their faces calm.

Kaoru had done everything he could to warn Mizuki about the dangers she was about to face.

"Don't look him in the eyes. If you do, you'll be trapped in genjutsu instantly. Keep disrupting your chakra flow during the fight - it's the only way to break his illusions before they take hold. His Sharingan can see chakra, so tricks like hiding underground won't work as easily. In taijutsu, he'll have an immense advantage, not just because of his speed, but because his Sharingan lets him anticipate movements."

Kaoru was like a dedicated coach, breaking down Itachi's strengths and weaknesses, ensuring Mizuki was as prepared as possible.

But Mizuki wasn't worried. She didn't care about winning or losing. She just wanted to fight Itachi Uchiha and see his strength firsthand. She wanted to test herself against the one shinobi Kaoru wouldn't stop hyping up.

Both Mizuki and Itachi were people of few words, so they simply nodded to show respect and waited for the judge's signal.

The moment they received it, Itachi charged, his Sharingan already glowing, locking onto Mizuki. It was an immediate sign of recognition - unlike his previous matches, he had no intention of holding back.

Mizuki adjusted her approach as well. Dust and smokescreens were useless against someone who could see through chakra. Instead, she flickered backward, creating space between them.

'I need a breather to complete the hand seals and use Butterfly Inferno. Without it, I won't be able to defeat him.'

While Itachi was a terrifying duelist - his speed, perception, and sheer technical skill making him nearly untouchable in close combat, Mizuki's strength lay elsewhere. She thrived in large-scale, AOEt attacks. The challenge was time, she needed to complete her jutsu and spread her butterflies before Itachi could close the gap.

As she retreated, she molded chakra, a Scorch Ball forming beside her before launching toward Itachi. But as expected, he dodged it effortlessly, barely breaking stride as he used the momentary distraction to push forward.

'He's really tough to deal with.'

With Itachi rapidly closing in, Mizuki reacted instantly. A clone formed beside her and rushed forward, intercepting him. Itachi moved to counter, his leg snapping out in a precise, practiced kick, but at the last moment, his Sharingan picked up on something. Something was wrong. The chakra flow was different.

He flickered back just as the clone exploded in a fiery blast.

Mizuki had gained a few more seconds, but it wasn't enough. Itachi was already coming for her again, and while she had managed to complete her seals, the fiery red butterflies had only just begun to form.

'As long as I don't let her spread them, this won't be a problem. There are too few of them right now.'

Itachi's hands blurred into seals. 

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu."

He inhaled deeply and exhaled a massive ball of fire, its heat roaring toward Mizuki, ready to burn her away before she could gain advantage.

'As expected. He's trying to stop me before I can spread my technique.'

She had already predicted this. If she were in Itachi's position, she would have done the same.

"Scorch Release: Chain Barrier."

Unlike other elements, Scorch Release didn't flow like fire or water. It couldn't form a solid, defensive wall in the traditional sense. Instead, Mizuki created an interconnected chain of scorching spheres, stacked and linked together to block the incoming flames. The technique had been crafted with several advantages in mind. It could halt almost any attack and serve as a powerful area divider, forcing opponents to fight on her terms.

But it had a critical flaw. It required absolute concentration to form, meaning she couldn't shape it while moving or fighting. The process was delicate, consuming more chakra than most of her other techniques.

Still, the Chain Barrier was more than just defense. Each of those scorching spheres could be launched as projectiles at will, however that required additional chakra making it less cost efficient.

Itachi's fireball crashed into the wall, flames colliding with searing heat, sending waves of distortion rippling through the air. But the wall held.

And Mizuki, hidden behind it, was already preparing for her next move.

The moment the fireball dissipated, she acted. With a flick of her wrist, the scorching spheres detached from the wall and launched toward Itachi in a staggered pattern. They weren't as fast as kunai, but each one carried searing heat that could dry out skin with just a graze.

Itachi flickered away, dodging the first wave, but Mizuki anticipated it. She twisted her fingers, and another wave of fiery balls launched toward Itachi.

'She's good. She's controlling them better than I expected.' 

The technique itself was not very difficult to dodge, but Itachi knew that the purpose of Mizuki spending so much chakra on slow, doomed to fail technique was to win time.

Itachi twisted his body, avoiding the spheres one by one, but as he landed, Mizuki was already finishing another set of seals. More butterflies began forming, their fiery wings spreading out into the arena. She wasn't just playing defense anymore - this was her hunting ground now.

The audience was starting to catch on.

"She's keeping up with Itachi."

"No, she's forcing him back."

"What kind of jutsu is that? Those butterflies… why aren't they disappearing?"

"Scorch Release. It's different from Fire Release, it's way more dangerous."

Even Fugaku, watching from the stands, was nodding in approval. "Her techniques are well-crafted. She's not just throwing attacks - she's layering them."

Itachi didn't let up. He flickered again, this time appearing at Mizuki's side. His hand shot forward for a palm strike - close combat would shut down her techniques completely.

'I still got some time until those butterflies spread'

Mizuki reacted instantly, bringing up her wakizashi to intercept, but Itachi twisted at the last second, redirecting his attack toward her wrist instead of the blade.

'Too fast…'

His strike connected, forcing her grip to loosen. Her wakizashi wobbled for just a second, but that was all Itachi needed. He flickered behind her, aiming a kick toward the back of her knee.

Mizuki gritted her teeth. Instead of resisting, she dropped her stance and let the kick push her forward, rolling with the momentum instead of against it. As soon as she hit the ground, she twisted mid-roll and launched another Scorch Ball straight at him.

Itachi had already flickered away.

But now, the butterflies had completely spread.

The moment his feet touched the ground, he felt it - air that was unnaturally dry, heat that seemed to suck the moisture from his skin. Mizuki was standing on the other side of the arena, breathing heavily but smiling.

'It took me quite bit of effort and chakra, but now im set,' Mizuki was on good mood.

"Now it's my turn."

Itachi barely had time to react before the first wave of butterflies came for him.

'She could not do that before, or at least did not use them to attack in the first round,' analyzed Itachi.

They weren't like kunai. They didn't just fly straight. They fluttered, shifting unpredictably, moving like real insects caught in the wind. Dodging them wasn't just about speed - it was about reading their chaotic patterns.

He weaved through them, but a few grazed his sleeve. The fabric dried and crumbled instantly.

'If those touch me directly, I'll lose.'

He flickered again, but Mizuki had already anticipated it. The moment he reappeared, another wave was already there to greet him. He twisted, barely escaping the second attack, but it forced him into a more defensive position.

'His sharingan makes it so much more difficult. I myself have no idea how butterflies move but he can predict their pattern… truly terrifying dojutsu' Mizuki was impressed with Sharingan.

The crowd was getting louder.

"She's actually pushing Itachi back."

"I thought he'd dominate, but this… this is close."

Kaoru was grinning. "That's Mizuki for you. She's relentless."

Maki smirked. "I'd say she's more like a wildfire."

Itachi narrowed his eyes. He couldn't let the fight drag on like this, she had more control over the battlefield than he did now. He had to create an opening.

He flickered again, this time appearing further away instead of closer. His hands moved in a blur.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu."

Small fireballs shot out from his mouth, each one moving in an unpredictable arc, forcing Mizuki to react. She dodged most of them, but a few got dangerously close, disrupting the butterflies.

That was his goal.

As soon as the butterflies scattered, he flickered again - straight at her.

Mizuki barely had time to react before he was in her face. She brought up her wakizashi, aiming for a counter, but Itachi wasn't attacking with his hands this time.

His eyes spun.

Mizuki's body locked up.

'Genjutsu—!'

For a split second, she was trapped. It wasn't a strong genjutsu, just a momentary illusion meant to cause hesitation. But that was all he needed.

His foot slammed into her gut.

She gasped, the force sending her flying backward. She crashed against the ground, her breath knocked out of her lungs.

The butterflies immediately lost their coordination, the chakra they needed to move and exist was disrupted.

Itachi didn't wait. He flickered again, closing the distance. This time, when he appeared in front of her, his kunai was already drawn, hovering just inches from her throat.

Mizuki looked up at him, panting. Her butterflies flickered in the air, still partially active, but she knew she had lost.

She let out a sharp breath, then raised her hands. "I surrender."

The arena exploded into cheers.

The judge stepped forward, nodding. "The winner is Uchiha Itachi."

Itachi stepped back, slipping his kunai away. He offered her a hand, and Mizuki, after a brief pause, took it. He pulled her up, and for the first time since the fight started, he smiled.

"You were incredible," he said, genuine admiration in his voice.

Mizuki showed a faint smile. "Thank you, you weren't too bad yourself."

Sugeru was already shouting from the stands. "Mizuki! You almost had him! If you'd just landed one of those butterflies—"

Akane smacked him on the back of the head. "Shut up, Sugeru."

Mizuki rolled her eyes but felt warmth in her chest. She didn't win, but she had fought on equal terms with Itachi. That was enough.

As they both left the arena, Fugaku watched his son with a thoughtful expression.

'That was too close. He had to use genjutsu to create an opening.'

He glanced at Mizuki. 'Takimura's shinobi… They might be small, but they are not weak.'

The crowd was still buzzing with energy, people arguing about the fight, about how close it had been, about Mizuki's unique techniques.

Meanwhile, Danzo sat silently in the stands, watching Mizuki and Kaoru - who had joined her - walk back to their seats.

**

A/N -

Hope you enjoyed the fight! 

I'll let you decide the matchups for the semifinals Kaoru vs Yuki or Itachi vs Yuki. In the meantime, I'm off to watch Lord of the Rings, it's been over a year since I last watched it, and that's just unacceptable!

Character Notes:

Mizuki - Pleased - 'I lost, but it was a good experience'

Itachi - Suspicious - 'Why is that everyone I fight is from Takimura?'

**