Naruto: Forbidden Arts and an Immortal Agenda

At the First Training Ground, drums thundered and crowds gathered in waves.

"...Wherever leaves dance, flames will burn. The firelight will guide us through darkness, and new leaves shall rise once more. When one wishes to protect those they hold dear, that is when a ninja's true strength emerges. Now, Konoha stands at war with Hidden Cloud—it's time for all of you to unite and offer your strength..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood on the podium in the north, passionately preaching Konoha's Will of Fire.

Yet he had forgotten the origin of Konoha's name.

"Konoha" referred to the forest of Senju and the leaves of Uchiha.

Aozora hadn't expected Konoha's upper echelons to act so decisively—already secretly informing other clan ninjas and forcing them to pick a side.

Honestly, he felt a little hurt.

Though they had only been together for three months, they had shared life-and-death experiences.

Aya was an innocent girl who always tried to act like the big sister, though her maturity level wasn't much higher than a Siberian Husky's. Her energetic presence brought vibrancy into Aozora's life. Every time after training at home, just seeing her energetic face always lifted his spirits.

Jifeng was as quiet as him, sometimes even lazy, but when it came down to business, he was the most reliable one. Aozora believed that without outside interference, they could have become very compatible friends.

He fully understood Jifeng's decision.

That was the most rational choice anyone would've made—you can't fault him for being practical.

After all, how deep could feelings run in just three months?

On one side were teammates he'd known for three months; on the other was his own family—the place he grew up in. Any normal person knew what choice to make.

Aozora understood Jifeng, yet still felt a flicker of anger inside.

This anger wasn't aimed at Jifeng, but rather at Konoha's upper echelons.

What crime have the Uchiha committed? Why this distrust, surveillance, and pressure?

The trees were already gradually withering—did they truly intend to let the leaves fall until none remained?

"Uchiha Aozora!"

"Uchiha Aozora! Please enter the arena immediately, or you'll be considered forfeited!"

The examiner's voice echoed repeatedly.

Just as Shibi Aburame was about to step forward to rouse him, Aya finally snapped Aozora out of his trance.

His gaze turned piercingly sharp, sending a slight chill down Aya's spine.

She hesitated for a moment before saying, "Aozora, it's your turn!"

Aozora nodded lightly, then leaped into the arena.

Thump!

The ground trembled ever so slightly, yet Aozora steadied himself instantly, not even kicking up a speck of dust.

"Flawless control!"

His opponent looked more serious now, commenting, "So your Taijutsu skills are this good too, Uchiha Aozora! Why didn't you reveal any of this at school?"

Even without activating the Byakugan, his observational skills allowed him to notice the precise motion Aozora used in that split second to dissipate the impact force.

Something even he couldn't have done better.

"Rong Hyuga?" Aozora responded slowly, as if awakening from a dream.

Only now did he realize his opponent was none other than Rong Hyuga—the genius who had been in the same class for six years.

Aozora replied, "I've barely scratched the surface."

To him, simple bodily control amounted to nothing at all.

The pinnacle of Taijutsu shouldn't be about possessing an immortal body or eternal life? In that regard, Rong had barely begun his journey.

Upon hearing this, Rong Hyuga's expression turned grim.

Not only did Uchiha Aozora disregard him entirely, but he also belittled the Taijutsu Rong had meticulously refined over the years.

"Round three: Uchiha Aozora vs. Rong Hyuga—begin now!"

In the stands,

The battle between these two noble-born prodigies drew everyone's attention.

"Bets are in, bets are in! Uchiha versus Hyuga!"

One has held the top spot in his class for six years. The other's performance since graduation has stunned everyone. Who will win?

Hearing the villagers shouting excitedly, Kona remarked, "Master Shibi, I didn't expect our students would meet each other so soon!"

Shibi frowned. "Unfortunately for Rong; he was originally destined to become a Chunin."

Although battles between noble-born geniuses were always crowd favorites, they often caused many other talents to be overlooked.

Though she hadn't seen Rong fight before, Kona knew that Aozora alone possessed enough strength to overwhelm all participating Genin.

Kona nodded thoughtfully—she had witnessed Aozora injuring Yugito with a single slash, and even she herself wouldn't have been able to dodge it.

Still, they were her own disciple, so she said, "If Aozora draws that throwing knife of his, then Rong losing is understandable. But without it, Rong still has a thirty percent chance of winning."

Shibi shook his head. "He has absolutely no chance."

Kona didn't immediately argue back but silently watched the two down below. Shibi wouldn't speak carelessly like this—what made him so confident?

Could it be that Aozora really did take down that Cloud shinobi alone?

Down in the arena, Rong Hyuga had already assumed his starting stance.

Rong asked, "Are you ready?"

"I'm in a bad mood today!" Aozora looked up somberly at the sky and softly said, "Why don't you just surrender?"

"What?"

Though spoken softly, Rong heard every word clearly.

His expression turned grim. "Please respect your opponent!

Standing before you is me—Rong Hyuga, the current genius of the Hyuga family.

I don't know why you're hiding your strength, but regardless, I was the second-best in my class!

Give me your all. If you're not careful, don't blame me for seriously injuring you."

As he spoke, a surge of chakra flooded into his pale eyes.

His temples pulsed with veins as the world turned black and white—he saw it all now, like he'd finally grasped reality itself.

He turned his gaze toward Aozora.

The next instant, shock filled his pale eyes.

"Why? Why do you have so much chakra?"

Rong's face twisted in disbelief, repeatedly muttering, "Impossible."

Under the Byakugan, Aozora's vast reserves of chakra, rivaling those of a Jonin, were fully exposed.

Aozora said calmly, "Give up. You can't beat me."

Rong completely ignored him.

His mind raced until fury twisted his face into a snarl. "So what if you have more chakra? I can still close the distance—I refuse to believe your Taijutsu is stronger than mine!"

"

Finishing his words, Rong Hyuga erupted with chakra from his feet and shot instantaneously toward Aozora.

Aozora shook his head. The kunai in his hand flashed and vanished.

His right hand remained in the throwing posture, yet the kunai had already pierced Rong Hyuga's chest.

This kunai throw utilized [Yu Qi – Art of Weapon Channeling]. Though merely a kunai and not an artifact, it carried a mere two percent of the 'Zhanxian' might—the Slayer of Immortals.

He was in no mood today and had no intention of dragging out a prolonged battle.

The kunai came too fast—too fast for Rong Hyuga to evade or unleash his ultimate defense.

Yet somehow, he clearly saw its trajectory.

He felt the same despair Ao had once endured.

The difference was, this time, he could do nothing but await death.

"Pfah!"

Rong Hyuga remained mid-charge, yet the kunai had already impaled his chest.

Blood gushed out as he clutched his wound and collapsed.

A heavy silence enveloped the battlefield.

The watching members of the Hyuga clan gasped, their eyes wide with horror, leaping to their feet in unison!

Melons and snacks tumbled from the villagers' hands as they gawked in disbelief!"

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