https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-280-The-Battle-with-the-Strongest-Taijutsu-User/12558336/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-282-Wood-Leaf-Divine-Dragon-vs-Midday-Tiger/12558339/
Chapter 281: Mu Yue's Intel
Chapter 281: Mu Yue's Intel
After Deidara shouted 'begin', neither Chen nor Mu Yue moved immediately, instead, they stood in place, observing each other.
Mu Yue initiated an appraisal on Chen, and his panel appeared in his mind.
Name: Chen Long
Chakra: 48,000
Skills: Konoha Fluid Style (Proficiency: 7000/15000), Wood Leaf Dragon God (Mastery), Fire Nature Chakra Transformation (Skilled: 2800/3000)...
As expected, Chen possessed a wide array of highly skilled taijutsu techniques. However, Mu Yue was surprised to see two nearly mastered nature transformations on his skill list, indicating that his ninjutsu prowess was not far behind that of a typical Jonin. He even spotted genjutsu listed among Chen's skills.
"While his skill set is quite comprehensive, he would still rely on taijutsu when facing a truly powerful opponent," Mu Yue thought to himself.
Given Chen's reputation as the pinnacle of taijutsu in Konoha, Mu Yue knew he couldn't be measured by ordinary standards.
"As expected of a Jonin-level showdown, the aura emanating from both sides is quite intense," commented Hiashi Hyuga, observing the standoff.
In the Ninja Academy's practical exams, students usually initiated attacks immediately to gain the upper hand.
"Since they don't know each other's capabilities, they're likely strategizing on how to probe and gather more information," Ebizo speculated, pushing up his sunglasses with his middle finger.
Deidara scratched his head and quipped, "They've just been standing there for half a minute, and you've figured out all that?"
He figured that both sides were probably waiting for the other to make the first move.
Deidara's guess was partly correct; Chen was indeed expecting Mu Yue to take the initiative as he was the senior ninja.
Seeing Mu Yue remain still, Chen interpreted it as a special tactic and decided to take action.
"Katon: Ryuka no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique)
Chen swiftly performed hand seals, concentrating chakra in his throat to perform a fire nature transformation, and expelled a straight line of fire from his mouth.
Ryuka no Jutsu was a unique fire jutsu, as most fire techniques created large areas of flames to attack enemies. In contrast, this jutsu produced a thin, arm-width line of fire.
This technique could be made more precise with the aid of wires, but there was no time for such setups at the beginning of the fight. Chen's primary goal was to test Mu Yue's abilities.
"Wow, he used a fire jutsu! Isn't he supposed to be a taijutsu specialist?" Deidara exclaimed in surprise at Chen's choice of opening attack.
He had expected Chen to use the Body Flicker Technique to appear beside Mu Yue and deliver a devastating kick that could topple a tree.
"While Chen's taijutsu is indeed formidable, it doesn't mean his ninjutsu is lacking," Ebizo analyzed. "Our Konoha Jonin are typically well-rounded in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu. It's just that one of those three tends to be more developed. In a situation like this, where there's little information about your opponent, it's much safer to start with a long-range ninjutsu attack."
Deidara found Ebizo's thorough and logical analysis convincing. He couldn't help but exclaim, "I never knew you had such insight into battles, Ebizo. Why don't I ever see you in the inter-grade practical exams?"
Ebizo: ...
The reason was that he was usually eliminated in the first round. With sixteen participants, the odds of facing Ebizo in a single exam were slim, and there were only two exams per semester.
"Hahaha, that's just how it is with Ebizo," Hiashi laughed, patting Ebizo's shoulder. "He talks a big game, but when it comes to actual combat, he's useless."
"Isn't it possible that it's not that I'm bad at practical exams, but that you're just too strong?" Ebizo countered, trapping Hiashi's neck with his arm as he spoke.
The fact that he had qualified for the inter-grade practical exams already indicated that he was among the best in his grade. After all, only two students from each class could participate, so qualifying meant being in the top two of the entire class.
"Katon: Ryuka no Jutsu!"
Seeing Chen's ninjutsu, Mu Yue immediately performed the same hand seals and replicated the technique, expelling a straight line of fire.
Mu Yue's proficiency with the Ryuka no Jutsu was low, as he had only encountered it once during a class. However, with the boost from his perfect-level fire nature transformation, the fire he expelled was twice as thick as Chen's.
The two lines of fire collided, and Mu Yue's thicker fire inevitably prevailed, pushing back Chen's attack and continuing to advance toward him.
Without hesitation, Chen ceased channeling chakra into the technique and used a chakra burst to leap away, avoiding the fire.
Boom!!
The thick line of fire struck the spot where Chen had been standing, leaving a charred pit in its wake.
Chen wasn't overly surprised by this turn of events. After all, Mu Yue was a ninja capable of making a difference in a jinchuriki battle, so it was only natural for him to possess such abilities.
"Futon: Kukoku no Jutsu!" (Wind Release: Vacuum Wave Technique)
Perched on a tree branch, Chen rained down transparent gusts of wind, akin to bullets, on Mu Yue.
As fate would have it, not only did Mu Yue know the Kukoku no Jutsu, but it was also one of the advanced wind jutsu he could freely use without arousing suspicion.
"Futon: Kukoku no Jutsu!"
Mu Yue replicated Chen's hand seals, concentrating a large amount of chakra in his mouth before releasing a series of transparent gusts of wind.
While Mu Yue's proficiency with the technique was average, he had recently unlocked a mastered-level wind nature transformation, which greatly enhanced his wind jutsu.
Not all of their gusts of wind collided, as there were simply too many, but whenever they did, Mu Yue's gusts prevailed.
Boom, boom!!
The ground next to Mu Yue was pockmarked with small craters from the gusts of wind, while Chen's side bore the brunt of the attack. Many trees were toppled, the ground was scarred with fissures, and the resulting debris and dust left Chen looking disheveled.
"Mu Yue-sensei's strength is truly unexpected. To use the same jutsu and come out on top twice in a row is impressive," Hiashi remarked, his eyes fixed on the battlefield.
Using identical jutsu was the best way to gauge one's skill, as the superior technique would always win.
Deidara remained silent, wanting to tell Hiashi that this display was nothing compared to the ninjutsu Mu Yue had used on missions. However, Mu Yue had instructed him not to reveal those details, so Deidara decided to keep quiet.
"Indeed, Mu Yue-sensei seems to have the upper hand in ninjutsu," Ebizo acknowledged after a moment's thought. "But we'll have to wait for Chen-sensei to employ his taijutsu before determining who has a higher chance of winning."
While he was unsure of Mu Yue's specialties, there was no doubt that Chen's forte was taijutsu.
"What powerful wind jutsu! And to think he also has fire and wind nature transformations. He's completely outclassed me in ninjutsu," Chen thought to himself after his consecutive probing attacks were thwarted. He then decided to shift the battle to his forte—taijutsu.
After all, he couldn't afford to keep losing face in front of his disciples.
"Rest assured, Senior. Although my taijutsu may not be as refined as yours, I have some understanding of it," Mu Yue replied with a smile.
This time, he did not underestimate himself. Without the use of his tiger stripes or the Eight Inner Gates, his taijutsu could only be considered slightly above average compared to Chen's expertise.
As for using them, Mu Yue could only rely on the principle that supreme power breaks all techniques.
Chen exhaled, his eyes sharpening with intensity.
Mu Yue, on the other hand, quietly altered his breathing rhythm from a normal, steady breath to an extremely focused breath, enhancing his physical capabilities.
Chen gathered his chakra in the lower half of his body and, with an explosive burst of speed, rushed towards Mu Yue. His speed was so fast that Ebizo felt Chen appeared in front of Mu Yue in the blink of an eye.
Not wanting to be outdone, Mu Yue countered with multiple bursts of the Body Flicker Technique.
Seeing the two finally engage in taijutsu combat, Might Guy wore an extremely serious expression as he began to watch their battle intently.
"Wood Style: Great Spiraling Wind!"
Mu Yue channeled his strength into his legs and unleashed a powerful spinning kick towards Chen.
Facing Mu Yue's rapid kick, Chen displayed his mastery of the art, effortlessly deflecting it with his fists, and instantly retaliated with a triple spinning kick.
"Wood Style: Gusting Wind!"
The powerful kicks whipped through the air towards Mu Yue.
Mu Yue barely dodged the first two kicks, but unable to evade the final one, he braced himself and blocked the kick with his arms. The force of the blow sent him stumbling backward for seven meters.
"Your taijutsu is impressive. Perhaps I've been too detached from the village's affairs, as I wasn't aware of such a talented young ninja," Chen thought after pushing Mu Yue back.
Although not as refined as ninjutsu, Mu Yue's taijutsu was still commendable in Chen's eyes—his speed, strength, and decisiveness in his attacks were notable.
"As expected, the tide has turned in his favor now that taijutsu is involved," Ebizo thought as he witnessed Chen gaining the upper hand.
After all, Chen was renowned for having the strongest taijutsu in Konoha.
"Although he looks like a slovenly uncle, Chen's taijutsu is indeed formidable," Genma Shiranui realized that one should never judge a book by its cover.
Both he and Ebizo believed that the scales had tipped in Chen's favor.
However, Might Guy and Obito maintained their trust in Mu Yue, especially Might Guy, who was the only one besides Mu Yue to have trained in both the Eight Inner Gates and Rock Breathing. He knew just how terrifying Mu Yue's taijutsu could be.
Mu Yue had anticipated falling behind in the taijutsu showdown; his mastery of the art was inferior to Chen's, and his combat experience paled in comparison. He merely wanted to gauge the strength of someone with such a high level of proficiency in taijutsu.
Having witnessed Chen's exceptional taijutsu skills, Mu Yue quietly altered his breathing once more, entering the state of Rock Breathing with his tiger stripes.
In his opinion, Chen's strength surpassed that of Rock Lee when he had opened six of the Eight Inner Gates. If he were to rely solely on breathing techniques, he would have to enter the tiger stripe state.
Upon activating his tiger stripes, Mu Yue's chakra began to deplete rapidly, working in tandem with his extremely focused breathing to enhance his physical capabilities. Mu Yue could feel his strength surging within him.
It was impossible for his body not to undergo a transformation with such enhancements. Mu Yue's aura gradually intensified, becoming increasingly powerful. The sheer force of his aura caused the grass around him to stir without a hint of wind.
"Senior, your taijutsu is truly exquisite. However, I, too, possess some formidable taijutsu techniques. Please be cautious," Mu Yue warned.
"Is that the Eight Inner Gates? No, the aura isn't violent enough; instead, it feels heavy and oppressive," Chen thought.
Having witnessed Might Guy utilize the Eight Inner Gates before, Chen now had a basic understanding of the technique. Seeing Mu Yue's sudden surge in aura, his first thought was of the Eight Inner Gates, but he quickly dismissed the idea.
Chen steadied his mind. Regardless of the abilities Mu Yue possessed, he only needed to bring out his own strength.
After activating his tiger stripes, Mu Yue also activated his Transparent World, attaining perfect control over his body. With the aid of Transparent World, he could see through Chen's body and movements.
Although Mu Yue's current aura was unusual, it only served to ignite Chen's battle instincts. He hadn't encountered such a formidable opponent in a long time.
Whoosh!
Chen lunged forward, kicking out with incredible speed.
With utmost seriousness, Chen moved swiftly, appearing before Mu Yue in an instant.
However, Mu Yue had already activated his Transparent World, allowing him to predict Chen's movements as soon as his muscles began to act. He knew exactly what attack Chen was about to execute.
As Chen lunged forward, Mu Yue took a single step backward, perfectly evading the incoming attack.
"Hmm? Was that a coincidence or did you predict my movements?" Chen sensed something amiss and once again unleashed his Wood Style: Gusting Wind.
Mu Yue's figure flickered as he deftly dodged each of Chen's spinning kicks, causing all three to miss their mark.
Once could be a coincidence, but evading so many attacks was a testament to Mu Yue's skill.
Chen was astonished. This was the first time he had encountered such a situation; it was as if Mu Yue could see through his thoughts, predicting all his attacks.
After evading the final spinning kick, Mu Yue took action once more, raising his palm and casually slashing towards Chen with what seemed like minimal force.
Chen channeled his chakra and threw a punch to counter Mu Yue's attack. But as their hands made contact, Chen's expression changed drastically. The seemingly effortless slash contained a power that shocked him.
Boom!!
Under the immense force, Chen was sent flying, crashing into three large trees before coming to a stop.
"What technique is this? I can't sense any chakra, yet it possesses such terrifying power," Chen thought, his expression grave. To him, this was an advanced taijutsu technique that he had never encountered before.
The sudden shift in the battle left Genma Shiranui and Ebizo astonished.
"Chen was sent flying? But just a moment ago..." Genma Shiranui found it challenging to follow the battle between these advanced ninjas.
Both close-quarters taijutsu clashes resulted in vastly different outcomes—one in Chen's favor and the other in Mu Yue's.
"Teacher Mu Yue's taijutsu is incredibly powerful," Ebizo exclaimed in shock. This was the same Chen who held the title of having the strongest taijutsu in Konoha.
(End of Chapter)
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