The Power of the Dead Bone Pulse

Hyūga Masato refused to reveal his name, causing Kaguya Nobunaga to laugh coldly. "I can't stand people like you," Kaguya Nobunaga sneered. "No wonder you side with the cowards of the Taketori clan."

Without finishing his words, Kaguya Nobunaga charged forward, bone blade in hand, stabbing rapidly at Hyūga Masato. Though he appeared bulky, his swordsmanship was surprisingly graceful, like a dance, with fluid movements.

Hyūga Masato maintained a serious expression. He might disdain the Kaguya clan's barbarism, but he never underestimated their Dead Bone Pulse. His father had always taken this bloodline limit seriously, considering it the natural enemy of taijutsu users—not just a rumor, but a proven fact.

Hyūga Masato dodged Kaguya Nobunaga's strikes one after another. As he closed the distance between them, Hyūga Masato's palm darted toward Kaguya Nobunaga's body. However, just before making contact, Hyūga Masato abruptly withdrew his attack, giving Kaguya Nobunaga the opportunity to retreat.

Curious, Kaguya Nobunaga asked, "Why did you suddenly stop attacking?"

Hyūga Masato remained silent, then launched another assault, aiming precise strikes at Kaguya Nobunaga's chakra points. Realizing he wouldn't get an answer, Kaguya Nobunaga refocused on defending himself.

The Hyūga clan's fighting style, known as Gentle Fist, is famous for its "softness." By channeling chakra into their opponents' bodies, Hyūga fighters can directly damage their chakra network and internal organs. In contrast to the brute force of Strong Fist, Gentle Fist relies more on technique than raw power.

Hyūga Masato either dodged or deflected Kaguya Nobunaga's attacks, neutralizing them without allowing Kaguya Nobunaga to gain the upper hand. Yet, every time Hyūga Masato seemed poised to land a decisive blow, he would inexplicably withdraw at the last moment.

Kaguya Nobunaga, having forced Masato to retreat once again, suddenly realized something. Pointing his bone blade at Hyūga Masato, he asked, "Can you see it?"

Hyūga Masato understood and replied, "No matter the bloodline limit, using it requires chakra. I can see it clearly with my Byakugan."

"I've heard your clan's eyes can see chakra, but I didn't realize they were this powerful," Kaguya Nobunaga mused. "If that's the case, there's no point in hiding anymore."

With that, Kaguya Nobunaga's body erupted with bone spurs, sharp and gleaming. He appeared fully armored, with no obvious weaknesses.

Kaguya Nobunaga had intentionally left openings earlier, hoping to bait Hyūga Masato into attacking and then impale him with bone spurs. But Hyūga Masato, who had seen his father battle a Dead Bone Pulse user years ago, knew the risks. As he mentioned, any chakra anomaly is visible to his Byakugan, making it easy to avoid Kaguya Nobunaga's trap.

Realizing his deception had failed, Kaguya Nobunaga decided to fight without holding back. "Let's see what you've got, Hyūga Patriarch!" he roared, charging forward.

Hyūga Masato quickly dodged the barrage of bone shards fired from Kaguya Nobunaga's fingertips. However, Nobunaga immediately closed the distance, his entire body a deadly weapon. For a taijutsu user like Hyūga Masato, facing someone like Kaguya Nobunaga was a daunting disadvantage. This was why the Dead Bone Pulse was considered the natural enemy of physical fighters.

Suddenly, Hyūga Masato stopped retreating. Instead of dodging, he began to spin rapidly, releasing chakra from every point in his body, creating a protective barrier.

"Rotation!"

This Hyūga clan technique, known as an absolute defense, was one of the few ways Hyūga Masato could counter Kaguya Nobunaga. The collision sent Kaguya Nobunaga flying, but Hyūga Masato quickly followed up, keeping him within range of his Gentle Fist.

"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

Hyūga Masato's hands struck with precision, targeting the bone spurs protecting Kaguya Nobunaga. After the intense clash with Rotation, the bone spurs were already weakened. Hyūga Masato's strikes shattered them, and the remaining blows landed directly on Kaguya Nobunaga's body.

Kaguya Nobunaga was sent crashing to the ground, but he quickly got up, coughing up blood. Despite his injuries, he grinned. "So, this is Gentle Fist? Not bad."

Hyūga Masato adjusted his breathing, frowning slightly. Despite landing thirty-two of his sixty-four strikes, Kaguya Nobunaga was still standing.

Hyūga Masato soon realized the problem. Kaguya Nobunaga had used his Dead Bone Pulse to alter his bones, shifting his chakra points out of reach. While Hyūga Masato's strikes had connected, they failed to hit vital points, diminishing their effectiveness.

Hyūga Masato sighed internally. His father would have accurately struck the chakra points before Kaguya Nobunaga could use his bloodline limit. But unlike his extraordinary father, Hyūga Masato was merely average. The Dead Bone Pulse was indeed formidable, and his own strength wasn't enough to defeat Kaguya Nobunaga.

However, Hyūga Masato understood that this was a war, not just a duel. He didn't need to defeat Kaguya Nobunaga, just keep him occupied.

As Hyūga Masato caught his breath, Kaguya Nobunaga prepared to attack again, bone spurs extending from his body. But before he could advance, Hyūga Masato struck with an Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, stopping Kaguya Nobunaga in his tracks.

Hyūga Masato focused on containing Kaguya Nobunaga rather than defeating him outright. As long as he kept Kaguya Nobunaga from aiding the other Mist ninjas or breaking through his defense, he considered his mission accomplished.

Meanwhile, the Mist ninjas, though recovering from their initial disadvantage, were still under pressure from the Konoha forces. A perceptive Mist ninja noticed reinforcements approaching—dozens of Konoha ninjas led by Fumori Masaki.

The Mist squad leader quickly ordered a retreat using their village's signature Hidden Mist Technique. Thick fog enveloped the battlefield, obscuring visibility. Even the Hyūga clan members struggled to distinguish friend from foe within the dense chakra-filled mist. The Inuzuka and Aburame clans, known for their unique tracking methods, also hesitated without clear sight, regrouping instead of pursuing.

Amidst the swirling fog, Kaguya Nobunaga understood that the retreat signal had been given. He glanced at Hyūga Masato with a hint of regret. Though Hyūga Masato's Byakugan still tracked him through the fog, Masato remained motionless.

"Next time, Hyūga Patriarch," Nobunaga said before vanishing into the mist.

Hyūga Masato didn't give chase. It would be reckless to fight alone or lead others into an ambush by the Mist ninjas. With a nearby river ideal for water-style techniques, advancing could turn the tables against them.

As he watched the Mist ninjas retreat, Hyūga Masato noted that they likely intended to regroup and launch another attack. He returned to the main force just as Fumori Masaki and his reinforcements arrived.

"Looks like we're a bit late, Hyūga-dono," Masaki remarked, surveying the dispersing fog and the reorganizing Konoha forces.

"No, you arrived just in time," Masato replied. Although the Mist ninjas had stabilized and were ready to counterattack, Masaki's timely arrival forced them to retreat, avoiding a prolonged and uncertain battle.