415. Sharingan vs. Shikotsumyaku

Leaf Village, Root Training Grounds.

A thrilling training match was about to begin.

Uchiha Itachi stood tall and straight in the center of the training ground, wearing the Leaf Village's signature green genin combat uniform.

Across from him, Kimimaro was dressed in a light robe, his long white hair flowing freely behind him, giving him a more relaxed and casual appearance.

The main reason for this attire was that the combat uniform would restrict his use of the Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse) ability, so he opted for something more comfortable.

In the audience, not only were Danzo, Kabuto, Haku, and Chino present, but even the Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had been invited to watch this training match.

As the two formed the seal of confrontation, the spar officially began.

"Please guide me!" they both said in unison.

As soon as the words left their mouths, Uchiha Itachi immediately activated the Body Flicker Technique.

Although his taijutsu had improved significantly under Might Guy's brutal training, he still knew there was a gap between him and his fourth junior, who was naturally gifted in close combat.

Keeping his distance and avoiding close-quarters combat was the wisest choice.

Kimimaro, fully aware of his advantage in close combat, had already grown a sharp bone spike from his palm at the start of the match.

With a cold glint, the bone spike shot toward his senior brother, cutting through the air with a hissing sound, exuding a menacing aura.

Itachi wasn't surprised by Kimimaro's choice of attack. In fact, he found it quite... reasonable.

After spending time together, Itachi was almost certain that his junior brother's combat talent was no less than his own.

In terms of pure taijutsu and close combat, Kimimaro was even stronger!

"But I won't hold back," Itachi thought.

As Kimimaro closed in, Itachi's eyes sharpened like a hawk's.

He quickly pulled out several shuriken from his tool pouch and, with a flick of his wrist, sent them flying like wild horses breaking free.

The shuriken traced elegant yet deadly arcs through the air, whistling as they hurtled toward Kimimaro.

The shuriken crisscrossed, their silver glints forming a deadly metallic net that enveloped Kimimaro.

"The Uchiha clan's renowned shurikenjutsu, huh?" Kimimaro thought, his pupils focusing on the incoming projectiles.

During his time in the Leaf Village, he had naturally filled in some gaps in his knowledge.

Among the most important things about the Uchiha were their Sharingan, fire-style jutsu, and shurikenjutsu.

With this in mind, Kimimaro calmly swung his bone spike, deflecting the shuriken with precision, like a nimble snake.

Sparks flew as metal clashed, resembling fireworks lighting up the night sky—brief yet dazzling.

However, just as Kimimaro prepared to press his advantage, Uchiha Itachi's lips curled into a faint smile.

"Be careful, Kimimaro," he warned.

With a sharp tug of his hands, the wires hidden behind the shuriken were revealed, spreading out like a spider's web, rapidly closing in on Kimimaro.

The wires glinted in the sunlight, like threads of fate attempting to ensnare him.

In the next moment, a searing flame erupted from Itachi's mouth, following the wires like a fiery dragon.

The flames devoured the surrounding air, turning the battlefield red. A wave of heat rolled forward, as if intent on reducing everything to ashes.

Facing the oncoming inferno, Kimimaro's body underwent a startling transformation.

Bone spikes erupted from his skin, sharp as blades, slicing through the wires binding him.

"Boom!!"

The explosion from the flames sent thick smoke billowing across half the battlefield.

"To master such a powerful fire-style jutsu at such a young age..." Minato, the Hokage, couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement.

If not for Danzo stopping him, he would have rushed in to pull the white-haired boy out of harm's way.

"Don't worry, Kimimaro isn't that fragile," Danzo said calmly, signaling Minato to remain patient and keep watching.

Sure enough, under everyone's gaze, a white figure shot out of the smoke like a bolt of lightning, charging straight toward Uchiha Itachi with unstoppable momentum.

"Using the Shikotsumyaku to grow bone spikes and cut through the wires, huh?" Itachi thought, a smile of admiration on his face as he observed the bone spikes covering Kimimaro's body.

He didn't dare let his guard down.

His black pupils turned crimson, with three tomoe slowly swirling within, like eyes from the depths of hell, exuding a mysterious and dangerous aura.

With the enhanced perception of the Three Tomoe Sharingan, he could finally keep up with Kimimaro's lightning-fast movements.

Itachi formed a one-handed seal and spat out several fireballs in an attempt to slow Kimimaro's advance.

But Kimimaro was too fast. Using the smoke as cover, he closed the distance in an instant.

Left with no choice, Itachi drew a kunai from his tool pouch and was forced into close combat.

Their figures darted across the training ground, the clashing sounds of kunai and bone spikes ringing out incessantly, each collision sparking brilliantly.

Kimimaro's attacks grew fiercer, his strikes like a storm, leaving Itachi no room to breathe.

After a clever strike shattered Itachi's kunai, Kimimaro's bone spike appeared like a ghost behind Itachi.

The sharp tip was mere inches from piercing his skin, the cold touch feeling like a prelude to death.

Kimimaro's white hair fluttered as he calmly said, "You lose."

"Oh?" Itachi chuckled softly.

When he turned his head, a pair of crimson eyes imprinted themselves into Kimimaro's mind.

In the next moment, Itachi's figure dissolved into a flock of crows, their cawing echoing across the training ground.

The crows scattered like a black tide, filling the entire field of vision.

"It's the Uchiha's genjutsu... When did he...?" Kimimaro thought, startled.

He quickly followed Danzo's teachings, disrupting his chakra flow to break free from the sudden genjutsu.

"I win," Itachi declared, pulling out a new kunai and pointing it at Kimimaro, ready to claim victory.

But Kimimaro suddenly broke free from the genjutsu and deliberately lunged toward the kunai.

"Clang!"

The expected piercing didn't happen.

Itachi's kunai only grazed Kimimaro's skin before being stopped by a layer of bone beneath.

"I created a bone membrane under my skin. A kunai can't pierce through it," Kimimaro said calmly, then added, "Your genjutsu is impressive."

Hearing this, Itachi simply put away his kunai and smiled. "Your Shikotsumyaku is impressive too!"

He rubbed his slightly numb wrist from the intense battle and said, "Let's call it a draw this time. After all, we're not really fighting to the death."

Kimimaro nodded. "Agreed."

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