Chapter 62: The Human Touch in Hiashi's Actions

The next two battles were duels between lower-rank ninja, and their level of excitement far surpassed the first match between Akasaka and Aburame Shibi. Each of these lower-rank ninja had mastered one or two ninja techniques, unlike Akasaka who had not even learned the basic three techniques taught at the ninja academy. 

However, these duels held little interest for Kushina and Mikoto from the Uchiha clan. Kushina had already fought and defeated several lower-rank ninja in recent days, so watching them use their techniques seemed rather showy to her. As for Mikoto, being from the Uchiha clan, she had likely witnessed battles between elite jonin, raising her standards such that watching lower-ranks fight did not offer much to learn.

Minato, on the other hand, watched intently, believing that every person had their own strengths and weaknesses. He aimed to learn by observing these battles, even if the gains were minimal.

Uchiha Homura, however, fixated his gaze here, the smile at the corner of his mouth unwavering since seeing the number in Minato's hand. After a year of dedicated training, today he finally had a chance to prove himself as the strongest of his peers!

"The fourth match, Miyazaki Satoshi vs Hyūga Hiashi!" Sakumo Hatake announced the next combatants after the previous lower-rank duel concluded.

Upon hearing his opponent, Miyazaki Satoshi, who had been accompanying Minato's group, suddenly looked gloomy, his demeanor and actions suggesting intimidation.

Hiashi glanced at him before leaping into the arena.

"Unlucky," Miyazaki gulped but still entered nonetheless, facing Hiashi.

"Why don't you forfeit? You know you have no chance of winning," Hiashi calmly stated, not mocking, simply acknowledging the gulf in their abilities apparent to all.

Miyazaki awkwardly laughed. "If this were three days ago and I knew my opponent was you, I'd have turned tail and run. But now..." His gaze turned towards Minato, Kushina and the others on the second floor.

"Go for it, Bro Satoshi!" Kushina cheered first, followed by Akasaka and Takenouchi Rin's encouragement.

"Just do your best," Minato said simply.

A smile gradually appeared on Miyazaki's face as he turned to Hiashi. "But my friends are all cheering me on. If I just give up without trying, wouldn't that be too lame?"

"Besides, I've come this far already. To forfeit directly would be quite unsatisfying." 

"I see," Hiashi murmured, then took a back stance, his right foot behind, left arm behind his back, and right forearm raised parallel with the white band wrapped around it, palm facing up - the opening form of the Gentle Fist style.

"That's...the Gentle Fist stance," Nawaki commented, his eyes showing newfound interest despite having heard of the famed Hyuga clan's techniques before witnessing them firsthand.

Though resolved not to forfeit, facing Hiashi made Miyazaki inevitably tense as he too adopted a combat stance.

"Begin!" Sakumo declared before instantly appearing on the opposite end of the second floor.

Rather than clashing fiercely like previous bouts, the two combatants remained stationary when the match started. 

Miyazaki hesitated, catching Hiashi's uncharacteristic lack of aggression, before leaping backwards. Giving ground against a Hyuga was common sense to avoid their short-range strikes. Normally, Miyazaki couldn't evade Hiashi's advances, but today's delay afforded him that chance. He then produced several black kunai in his hands - tools he had collected in the Forest of Death over the past few days and would use for the first time.

Swish! Swish! He threw the kunai without hesitation, though even he knew they posed little threat.

As expected, Hiashi simply sidestepped the projectiles while rooted in place. But as Miyazaki threw, his free hand began forming seals in an intricate sequence. 

"Those hand seals..." Minato, having memorized the sealing sequences for all jutsu from the Third Hokage's scrolls, recognized what Miyazaki was attempting.

"Not good!" Minato's expression changed slightly. Though only a C-rank technique, given Miyazaki's current skill level, he likely could not execute it successfully and might even risk injuring his chakra circulatory system - training ninja arts was not entirely risk-free.

In fact, this jutsu was one Miyazaki had witnessed Sakai, the lower-rank ninja they sparred against on the first day, use. Against Hiashi's Gentle Fist, Miyazaki dared not close the distance, his kunai skills were useless, leaving this imperfectly practiced jutsu as his only hope of victory.

The chaotic chakra flow within Miyazaki was apparent to Hiashi's Byakugan, who had not intended to go all-out initially. However, the distance Miyazaki created plus Hiashi's reservation allowed the seal formation to nearly complete.

At that moment, Hiashi re-adopted the Gentle Fist stance, his right arm cocked back this time, the white bandages straining against bulging veins.

"Eight Trigrams Air Palm!" His right hand thrust forward, expelling a concentrated blast of chakra that struck Miyazaki's hands, disrupting the final seal as the force knocked him back. 

In an instant, Hiashi closed the gap, his left hand striking Miyazaki's forehead with a chakra pulse before the latter could react, dispelling the unstable jutsu.

The match outcome was decided, yet Hiashi's face showed a pained expression as he clutched his left arm. 

"What is he..." Even Minato couldn't decipher Hiashi's actions, only that he had saved Miyazaki again.

"He used the Eight Trigrams Air Palm of the Gentle Fist to disrupt Satoshi's hand seals. It was to protect him, but that technique is quite difficult to control. Hiashi forced it out at reduced power, just enough to stop the seals but likely injuring his own chakra pathways," Nawaki from the Senju clan explained, knowledgeable about Konoha's major clans.

Miyazaki stood dazed as his defeat was declared. Aside from Nawaki, few others understood Hiashi's motivations.

Hiashi stood before the fallen Miyazaki, gritting his teeth against the pain. "You were too reckless. Jutsu you haven't properly trained should not be used in actual combat."

"And you did the same, didn't you?" Sakumo appeared before them, his eyes showing a hint of a smile towards his son. 

Compared to his father, it seemed the son had a slightly more compassionate side - quite an achievement for the future head of the Hyuga clan.

(End of chapter)