A person's outward expression of vitality, spirit, and energy often reflects the truest state of their inner self.
This was something Hyuga Kagami firmly believed.
The way Uchiha Hiiragi immersed himself in his swordsmanship on the outside mirrored his inner pride in his skills and his trust in the finely forged short sword in his hand.
And it was precisely this pride and trust that made him prone to taking reckless risks whenever he was engaged in a fierce battle.
This flaw was something he had never realized.
Or rather, apart from Shisui, no one in the entire Uchiha clan had noticed it either.
Sometimes, such small details are the key to deciding victory or defeat.
After several close-combat exchanges, Hyuga Kagami intentionally pulled back and used the terrain of the small forest to keep Uchiha Hiiragi at bay.
*Slash!*
With another sharp whistle of his short blade cutting through the wind, yet another tree—thick enough for a grown man to wrap his arms around—was sliced cleanly in half.
That made eight or nine trees in total that had fallen victim to Uchiha Hiiragi's sword.
Using the cloud of dust stirred up from the fallen trunk, Hyuga Kagami widened the distance between them again.
Uchiha Hiiragi shouted with killing intent, "Coward! Is all you can do hide?!"
Hyuga Kagami calmly replied, "And is all you can do chop trees?"
"You—!"
Uchiha Hiiragi was at a loss for words.
Hyuga Kagami didn't press the mockery any further. Instead, he focused completely on countering Hiiragi's relentless assault.
True to his reputation, Uchiha Hiiragi was a top-tier member of the Uchiha clan. Even without using Genjutsu or Ninjutsu, his strength was definitely that of a Jonin. His swordsmanship, paired with the power of the Sharingan, was blindingly sharp.
Honestly, without using his Wheel of Fortune technique or the Third Kazekage puppet, Hyuga Kagami didn't have many options against someone like Uchiha Hiiragi. If it weren't for the intelligence Shisui had shared with him beforehand, this battle could've gone south quickly.
Kagami's strategy was simple: drag it out.
He needed to prolong the fight until Uchiha Hiiragi grew frustrated and reckless. Only then would he show an opening.
Like many of his clan, Uchiha Hiiragi wasn't known for patience. After chasing Kagami and launching wave after wave of aggressive attacks, his emotions became increasingly unstable.
His every move was filled with murderous intent, but an excess of killing intent leads to predictability.
As a result, through his Tenseigan, Hyuga Kagami started seeing more and more openings in Hiiragi's technique. There were even moments when Kagami could have launched a counterattack with Gentle Fist.
But he waited.
He trusted Shisui's intel, but he trusted his own eyes more.
After another round of chase and combat, the two leapt out from the devastated forest and arrived at a lakeside, startling nearby villagers who had been washing clothes.
Standing atop the lake's surface, Hyuga Kagami panted lightly and said, "Looks like you're tougher than the last guy."
Uchiha Hiiragi roared, "You coward who only hides—you have no right to judge the Uchiha!"
No sooner had he yelled than he began coughing violently.
With naturally poor stamina and consumed by frustration without an outlet, his energy had been drained much more than Kagami's.
Knowing the time was right, Hyuga Kagami grinned. "Coward? Your shallow thinking is truly astonishing."
Before Hiiragi could reply, Kagami launched an attack.
Hiiragi's spirit surged at the sight and he immediately swung his sword to meet the charge.
In an instant, the tranquil lake erupted in waves. Amid the crashing spray, the two clashed fiercely.
Hyuga Kagami immediately noticed that Hiiragi's swordsmanship had grown sloppier. Though his killing intent still burned hot, his strikes had lost their speed, replaced by sheer ferocity.
But killing intent alone doesn't win fights.
Opportunity!
Opportunity!
Opportunity!
Through his Tenseigan, Kagami saw opening after opening in Hiiragi's form.
Still, he waited.
He wasn't just looking for a chance to defeat Uchiha Hiiragi—he wanted the perfect moment to disarm him.
He wanted to shatter Hiiragi's confidence completely.
Finally, after a few breaths, the moment came.
Without hesitation, Kagami turned his palm into a fist and punched straight at Hiiragi's chest.
Just as Kagami predicted, Hiiragi didn't retreat. Instead, he went on the offensive, slashing toward Kagami.
"Just as I thought—he can't resist taking risks."
Kagami's lips curled into a slight smile.
At that very moment, the fist he had feinted with suddenly shifted upward, striking Hiiragi's sword-wielding wrist. With his other hand, he snatched the short blade away.
The entire disarming maneuver happened in the blink of an eye.
By the time Kagami backed away, blade in hand, Hiiragi was still frozen, not yet realizing what had happened.
Twirling the short sword in his hand, Hyuga Kagami said calmly, "This really is a fine blade. A shame it's wasted on someone lacking skill."
"You—"
Kagami tossed the sword back to him. "You lost."
Without waiting for a reply, Hyuga Kagami turned and walked off the lake.
Not long after, Shisui appeared in front of him and asked, "Was everything successful, senpai?"
Because Uchiha Hiiragi was strong, Shisui hadn't dared follow closely during the battle, unlike last time with Uchiha Shinichi.
Kagami nodded. "It went relatively well. That Hiiragi is strong, though. If I hadn't set the rules to Taijutsu only, I'm not sure how it would've ended."
Though he had seemed calm during the fight, in reality, without the use of his more dangerous techniques, this was about the extent of what Kagami could manage.
And if they hadn't agreed on only using Taijutsu from the start, defeating Uchiha Hiiragi might've been impossible.
Shisui smiled. "I wasn't worried about you for a second."
"You know there are certain techniques I can't use within the village," Kagami said, pausing before continuing, "If next time the Uchiha send someone even stronger, I really might not be able to handle it."
This time, Kagami had relied on exploiting Hiiragi's personality. If the Uchiha sent a Jonin stronger than Hiiragi next time, Kagami's chances of victory would shrink drastically.
Accepting challenges from the Uchiha wasn't just about honing his skills. Kagami also saw it as an opportunity to build his reputation.
Though the Uchiha weren't well-liked, their name carried weight. Most villagers secretly equated "Uchiha" with "elite." And since the higher-ups in the village were suspicious of the Uchiha, defeating one was one of the most effective and safest ways to boost one's prestige.
Shisui quickly assured him, "Don't worry. After Hiiragi's defeat, the clan likely won't be sending anyone else to challenge you for a while."