Beneath the cliff, the river roared fiercely.
Yuhara and Uchiha Fugaku stood face to face on the water, while every Uchiha able to spectate silently observed from the forest above.
A breeze swept past. Neither Yuhara nor Fugaku had made the first move, but their killing intent had already peaked.
The air above the river churned with thick, almost tangible chakra. Under its weight, the two of them radiated an oppressive, deathlike aura.
"Yuhara-kun… I never expected my opponent would be you," Fugaku finally spoke after a long silence. "You really are… full of surprises."
"Should I thank you for the compliment, Fugaku-sama? Or feel guilty for becoming your opponent?" Yuhara shook his head lightly, eyes sharp and focused, constantly analyzing for an opening.
"There's no need to feel guilty. You're simply doing what you must."
Fugaku's expression grew serious.
"What amazes me is your talent—your patience, your vision. I underestimated you all this time, labeling you as just another outlier genius in the clan.
But your actions prove otherwise. You're not just a clan prodigy—you're the kind who belongs in the seat of a Kage.
And your strength… it rivals Shisui's. You even possess the Mangekyō Sharingan. You would make a fine clan head."
"Fugaku-sama, what exactly are you trying to say?" Yuhara frowned. Fugaku's words felt off.
He was speaking like a man who had already accepted handing over the title of clan head—as if the outcome was a foregone conclusion.
If that were truly the case, today's duel wouldn't be happening. But his posture and presence said otherwise.
It was confusing. Still, no matter how strange it all seemed, Yuhara didn't relax for a second—he was facing a Mangekyō user, after all.
"It's nothing. Just a bit of reflection."
Fugaku shook his head gently, then his face hardened.
"You'll understand soon enough. But for now, I suggest you be careful—because the battle…"
Before the sentence even finished, a cold flash of steel sliced past Yuhara's neck—faster than lightning!
"…has already begun!"
Yuhara had been on high alert. The moment Fugaku moved, his eyes had already spun into three-tomoe Sharingan, and he narrowly dodged the fatal blow.
In the same instant, his chakra-charged blade flashed from his hip, streaking toward Fugaku's back.
Fighting between shinobi was always deadly, but Uchiha battles—especially with Sharingan—made every second count.
If either one dropped their guard for even a moment, the other would launch a deadly counter.
From motion to stillness and back again—in mere moments, the two clashed and crossed blades.
Their weapons flashed, chakra surged across the river, but neither had unleashed their full power. It was clear—they were still warming up.
This sparring rhythm let both sides gauge the other's basic strength and style.
Their red Sharingan spun, their vision piercing—every movement dissected in real time.
After dodging Yuhara's slash, Fugaku lunged with a kunai aimed straight at his throat.
But halfway through the motion, he suddenly twisted—thrusting sideways instead.
Yuhara emerged from that exact angle, grabbing Fugaku's wrist and stabbing his blade straight into his gut!
The audience above gasped—but when Fugaku's body puffed into a cloud of smoke, they all nodded knowingly.
This battle was sharp, precise, and thrilling. Even as spectators, they were learning a lot.
"Watching something like this… you've got to activate the Sharingan to even follow it properly."
Many Uchiha thought this to themselves—some had already activated their eyes, carefully tracking the two ghostlike figures below.
Yuhara's Mangekyō eyes spun. In the next moment, his speed erupted.
While his Mangekyō benefits were more chakra-focused and offered less of a physical boost, his current speed was far beyond what his past self could match.
"So fast," Fugaku muttered internally, appearing near the riverbank. But he wasn't shaken—his eyes had already locked onto Yuhara's approach.
Yuhara's blade swept out, knocking Fugaku's kunai away with a flick.
With a twist, the blade was already swinging down—deadly and swift.
But Fugaku had already completed a one-handed seal.
The river water around him surged upward, forming a thick wall of defense.
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
"…Water Style?"
Yuhara blinked. It was rare for Uchiha to use water techniques—most were born with a natural affinity for fire. Water was notoriously difficult for them to learn.
Fugaku's smooth control of the jutsu was a surprise.
But there was no time to dwell on it. Yuhara's blade now glowed with Wind chakra.
Fugaku, meanwhile, flung a kunai through the water wall and leapt backward, creating distance.
Just as he retreated, Yuhara's wind-enhanced slash split the water like tofu.
And that kunai?
"An explosive tag?"
Yuhara's eyes twitched slightly. Wrapped around the handle of the kunai was a clear sealing tag.
No doubt about it—Fugaku was crafty. His tricks were versatile and refined.
His personality might be questionable, but his combat ability was beyond doubt.
His real-combat tactics offered even Yuhara valuable insight. Still, this kind of trick wasn't enough to threaten him.
Especially now—his blade was already humming with Wind chakra.
BOOM!
The explosion tore through the air. A roaring blast and surging flames engulfed Yuhara completely.
But just as the explosion peaked—a faint blue light shimmered from his body…