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Chapter 234: Fire Release Without Seals?
Chapter 234: Fire Release Without Seals?
"We can leave after this fight. The winner of this match will undoubtedly be the top student."
"I heard they both interned with Teacher Mu Yue. Kakashi's taijutsu has clearly improved, and although Might Guy hasn't shown it, he should have made progress too. I wonder if his progress matches Kakashi's."
The spectating students eagerly anticipated the battle between the two. Kakashi and Might Guy were frequent rivals, and their strength far surpassed that of their peers, making their matches highly entertaining.
"Guy, don't forget the restrictions. Don't get too excited and open the second gate," Kakashi reminded his opponent before the fight began.
He could ensure that he wouldn't activate his Sharingan, but he was concerned that Might Guy might get carried away and forget the limitations, opening the second gate.
"Don't underestimate me in that regard. I've made it a point of self-discipline!" Might Guy replied with a smile, giving himself a thumbs-up.
After a brief exchange, both opponents formed the standing confrontational seal, ready to begin their battle.
When the proctor saw that they were in position, he shouted, "Begin!" about twenty seconds later.
As soon as the proctor finished speaking, Kakashi and Might Guy adjusted their breathing and entered a breathing technique state.
Kakashi, in particular, entered the highly taxing concentrated breathing state: "Breath of Fire, Total Concentration Breathing!"
After a period of constant practice, Kakashi felt that his endurance in breathing techniques had improved.
Bang! Bang!
The two fighters' figures kept flashing as they punched and kicked with incredible speed.
Although they had fought countless times before and often sparred during practical exams and Mu Yue's arranged training sessions, they still began with a round of probing attacks.
They were well aware that each had grown significantly stronger. Although Kakashi couldn't activate his Sharingan, he could still utilize the enhanced chakra within him, along with his improved breathing techniques and Yin Release.
While Might Guy couldn't use the second gate of the Eight Gates, his breathing techniques had progressed, and his physique had become stronger.
After this initial probing, both fighters had a better understanding of each other's capabilities.
"Eight Gates, First Gate: Open!" Might Guy directly activated the Eight Gates, further enhancing his physical strength.
Kakashi, having assessed his opponent during the probing exchange, quickly flashed to create distance.
Given the flat, open area and limited space, he needed to maintain a safe distance to have enough time to perform ninjutsu and avoid being instantly knocked out by Might Guy's full-power kick.
To compensate for the disadvantage of the battlefield, Kakashi had to prepare accordingly.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Kakashi gathered chakra in his throat, swiftly manipulating its nature to create a massive fireball engulfed in raging flames.
Might Guy remained unfazed as he watched the incoming fireball. He knew this jutsu was merely a feint, and the real threat was yet to come.
Whoosh!
Might Guy unleashed the chakra in his legs, further increasing his already impressive speed and effortlessly dodging the massive fireball rushing toward him.
"Such incredible speed! It feels like he teleports with every blink of an eye!" The spectating students marveled at Might Guy's formidable physique.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!!
Kakashi continuously threw shuriken with his right hand to disrupt Might Guy's movements, but Might Guy dodged each one with his lightning-fast speed while steadily closing the distance.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Suddenly, Kakashi spat out several small fireballs that sped toward Might Guy.
Might Guy was slightly taken aback. He knew this jutsu, and it wasn't just some basic technique.
But when he saw Kakashi's left hand hidden behind his back, he immediately understood.
Kakashi had previously favored using kunai to perform the Phoenix Flower Jutsu, but this time, he chose not to combine it with a weapon, changing his usual approach to catch Might Guy off guard.
Might Guy understood what was happening, but the spectating students were immediately stunned by Kakashi's technique.
"What just happened? I didn't see Kakashi perform any hand seals. How is he casting Fire Release jutsu? Don't ninjutsu require hand seals?" A confused student asked.
"Yeah, he was still throwing shuriken, and then suddenly, he's spitting fireballs," said another student, unaware of what was going on.
Even the teachers were perplexed, unsure of what they had just witnessed.
"How is it possible for Uchiha Kakashi to perform Fire Release jutsu without seals?" one teacher asked, bewildered.
"Teacher Chi, he's your student. Do you know what's going on?" a teacher beside Chi inquired.
"Well, his current strength is mainly due to his own hard work. Perhaps it's an advanced Fire Release technique unique to the Uchiha clan," Chiyo replied, improvising an explanation.
When asked, he was just as clueless as everyone else, so he could only come up with a plausible answer.
"That's possible indeed. After all, the Uchiha clan is renowned for their Fire Release abilities," the inquiring teacher, Iruka Umino, agreed, finding Chiyo's explanation reasonable.
"You could say it's a Fire Release technique, but it's not a seal-less jutsu. He's using single-hand seals. Recall if you can that Kakashi was only using one hand to throw the shuriken just now."
In a sense, Obito was taking a shortcut, as he had the benefit of the Breath of Fire.
"Indeed, Teacher Mu Yue, your observation is keen," Chi Yu said, nodding in agreement after pondering Mu Yue's words.
"Wait, isn't Uchiha Obito your intern, Teacher Mu Yue? Could it be that he learned this technique from you?" a jonin teacher beside them asked, his eyes wide with surprise.
"It's not really that remarkable a technique. Anyone can master it with enough practice," Mu Yue replied with a smile.
Times had changed, and he now needed to gradually bolster his apparent strength. This was an opportunity to step into the spotlight, offering insights into the battle and showcasing his extensive knowledge of ninjutsu.
"Breath of Stone, Total Concentration Breathing!"
Up close, faced with the barrage of small fireballs, Might Guy had no choice but to focus his breathing to augment his physical strength.
At this point, aside from the second gate of the Eight Gates, he had unleashed all of his power.
With the activation of Total Concentration Breathing, Might Guy's aura intensified.
The power boost from Total Concentration Breathing wasn't static; it grew stronger as one's breathing technique improved. Might Guy's breathing technique had already advanced significantly since he first started practicing it.
Might Guy concentrated chakra into his legs, kicking away the first two fireballs that reached him, then dodging the rest with incredible speed. If he couldn't dodge, he would take the hit.
The Breath of Stone didn't just enhance his body's strength and speed; it bolstered all aspects of his physical capabilities, including defense. In gaming terms, it was like increasing both attack and health points.
With the amplification of chakra and the boost from the Breath of Stone, Might Guy appeared to be in a dire situation, but in reality, he hadn't sustained any significant injuries that would impede his combat ability.
"Guy's body is so strong! He kicked away several fireballs and is still running so fast. Wasn't he burned by the Fire Release?"
Obito's single-handed Fire Release had surprised everyone, and now Might Guy's resilience against Fire Release had the spectators in awe.
Just as the onlookers thought the tide of the battle would turn, Obito began to retreat, swiftly forming hand seals.
"Genjutsu: Tree Binding Death!"
Obito immediately cast the genjutsu he had recently mastered on Might Guy.
Everything was going according to his plan so far. He had forced Might Guy to move with the Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu, then struck with the Phoenix Flower Jutsu, causing Might Guy to exert himself fully and sustain injuries. Now was the perfect time to employ a genjutsu.
Might Guy felt as though a large tree had suddenly sprouted from the ground, binding him tightly and rendering him immobile.
"Haha! I've been saving this move for the year-end practical exam. I'm going to claim the top spot this year!" Obito couldn't help but reveal a triumphant smile.
During yesterday's class practical exam, he had intentionally held back this move to use it in the year-end exam.
Obito approached Might Guy, kunai in hand. To everyone else, the tree was non-existent, and it seemed as though Might Guy had suddenly stopped running.
As he placed the kunai at Might Guy's neck, the proctor would declare him the winner.
"What's going on? Why did Guy suddenly stop moving?" Genma Shiranui sensed that something odd was happening during their fight.
"He must've fallen for a genjutsu. Looks like Obito's going to win," Ebizo Jinpachi speculated.
Although he lacked practical combat ability, he excelled in theory and instantly realized that Might Guy had fallen prey to a genjutsu.
"Genjutsu: Release!"
Just as Obito was about to celebrate his victory, Might Guy, who had appeared dazed, suddenly regained clarity in his eyes.
"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!"
Might Guy's chakra erupted, and he unleashed a whirlwind kick with incredible speed.
Having fallen victim to genjutsu before, he had specifically sought out Mu Yue to learn how to counter genjutsu-type ninjas and dispel their illusions.
Might Guy's sudden outburst caught Obito off guard, leaving him no choice but to protect his chest with both hands to block Might Guy's attack.
Bang!
Under Might Guy's powerful kick, Obito was sent flying. Might Guy pressed his advantage, leaping into the air and delivering an elbow strike that sent Obito plummeting to the ground.
Boom!
Obito crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
With Obito lying on the ground and Might Guy standing beside him, the outcome of the battle was clear.
"Might Guy wins!" the proctor announced.
"It seems Obito still needs to work on his combat awareness," Mu Yue thought to himself.
Although the terrain favored Might Guy, Obito had managed to gain the upper hand with his clever tactics, and his chances of winning had been high. However, he had ultimately lost in a decisive move.
(End of Chapter)
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