After taking over the snake uncle's foundation, Sasuke came to surrender on his own initiative.

Chapter 255 Cheers and Resonance

The stands at the Otogakure Trial Field were packed to the rafters. Even before the morning mist had cleared, it was shattered by the clamor of discussion. Karin, clutching the hem of her skirt, stood in the front row, her crimson eyes fixed on the figures in the arena. Her sensory network had already been deployed, and the chakra fluctuations of Kimimaro and Neji flashed clearly in her mind like two pulsating balls of light—especially the pale red glow from Kimimaro's Mangekyo, which subconsciously clenched her fists with each intensification.

"Don't be nervous, Kimimaro's skeletal chakra is very stable." Haku stood beside Karin, tiny ice crystals condensing on his fingertips, not for combat, but to prevent himself from using Ice Release to block the attacks of the two. His Ice Release sense intertwined with Karin's bloodline sense, allowing him to more clearly capture the details of the chakra flow. "Ningji's atavistic Byakugan isn't hostile; he's simply probing for flaws."

"Probing? That's clearly suppressing!" Tayuya twirled the flute between her fingers, her violet eyes brimming with excitement. She could hear the rhythm of chakra flowing between the two men as they fought. Kimimaro's bone blade slashes carried the heavy rhythmic rhythm unique to the Hyuga clan, while Neji's Baguazhang was like a light musical note, always catching the gaps between the bone blades with precision. "But Kimimaro's Mangekyō had a back-up plan. The trajectory of the bone blade just now was intentionally delayed by 0.3 seconds, luring Neji into attacking."

On the other side of the stands, Sasuke leaned against the railing, his Mangekyō Sharingan half-open, its golden lines jutting into Kimimaro's pale red pupils. He said nothing, but mentally contrasted the predictive logic of the two dojutsu techniques: Neji's atavistic Byakugan, relying on "meridian trajectory prediction," could see the future flow of chakra; while Kimimaro's Mangekyō relied on "combat experience resonance," allowing him to plan ahead based on his opponent's habits. Each had its pros and cons, but both were far more mature than when he had first awakened his Mangekyō.

"Sasuke, who do you think will have the upper hand?" Kototsuchi carried the giant hammer, the lightning crystal gleaming blue in the sunlight. She was more concerned with the "strength" of their power. Neji's Baguazhang chakra was gentle yet resilient, penetrating like water; Kimimaro's bone blade chakra was sharp yet dense, unstoppable like rock. "If Kimimaro uses Susanoo, can Neji's Kaiten block it?"

Sasuke finally spoke, his voice dripping with a subtle acknowledgment. "I can't stop it, but Neji won't force it." He pointed toward the center of the field. "Look at his footsteps. He's constantly adjusting his position. He's calculating Susanoo's attack range, preparing to use Eight Trigrams Ground Movement to restrict Kimimaro's movement."

As soon as he finished speaking, the scene shifted. Kimimaro's Mangekyō suddenly lit up, and half of Susanoo's skeleton condensed from its chakra. The massive blade slashed towards Neji with a sharp, air-ripping whistle. But Neji had already retreated half a step, pressing his right hand into the ground. Golden chakra spread along the cracks and instantly wrapped around Kimimaro's ankle—it was the Eight Trigrams Ground Movement!

"What a quick reaction!" The stands erupted in cheers. Jirobo slapped his thigh, his gruff voice drowning out the others. "Ningji used that move brilliantly! Kimimaro's Susanoo is powerful, but it moves slowly. It'll be troublesome if he gets entangled!"

Kidomaru's spider silk danced gently at his fingertips, and his scarlet vertical pupils were full of analysis: "Not necessarily. Kimimaro's bones can grow from any position. Look at his calves--" Before he finished speaking, several bone spurs suddenly popped out from Kimimaro's calves, cutting off the chakra wrapped around his ankles. At the same time, Susanoo's wings spread out, carrying him into the air and avoiding Neji's subsequent attacks.

"Beautiful!" Karin couldn't help but shout out. Kimimaro's chakra fluctuations in the sensory network stabilized again, even more active than before. "Kimimaro-sama is becoming more and more proficient in controlling his bones!"

Bai also breathed a sigh of relief, and the ice crystals dissipated in his palms. "Ningji hasn't lost either. His Baguazhang just hit the joints of Susanoo, weakening the chakra flow. Now, it depends on who finds the opponent's fatal flaw first."

At the highest point of the stands, Yin Zhu leaned against the awning, the system panel flashing data on his retina: [Kimimaro's Susanoo synchronization rate 89%, Neji's Byakugan prediction accuracy 92%, Bond Resonance value continues to rise]. He didn't intervene, simply observing the two on the field with a faint smile on his face—this was exactly what he wanted, not just a competition of eye techniques, but also a refinement of their bond.

The battle intensified. Kimimaro's "Bone Eyes: Ten Thousand Blades" unleashed dozens of bone spikes, each one bearing the trajectory predicted by the Mangekyo. Neji's "Eight Trigrams: Heaven's Bone" spun a golden shield, blocking all the bone spikes. Simultaneously, he used his atavistic Byakugan to capture the chakra source of the Ten Thousand Blades, gathering his mighty Eight Trigrams Palm in his palm: "Eight Trigrams: Binding Palm!"

The golden chakra, carrying the warmth of a bond, charged directly at Kimimaro's Susanoo. Kimimaro no longer held back, and in his Mangekyo, a flash of images of him fighting alongside his companions flashed through his eyes. Susanoo's armor suddenly took on a golden hue, and the giant blade condensed with golden and red chakra: "Bone pupil? Susanoo? Bonding blade!"

The two "bonded" attacks collided, but instead of the expected violent explosion, a gentle shield of light formed, enveloping the two. Chakra fluctuations intertwined within the shield, like two intertwining streams, eventually merging into a golden and red pillar of light that soared into the sky.

The stands fell silent, everyone holding their breath as they gazed at the dazzling beam of light. In Karin's sensory network, the two's chakra fluctuations resonated perfectly, without a trace of conflict. Shiro's ice-release senses could sense the beam of light imbued with an aura of trust and understanding. Sasuke's Mangekyo shimmered faintly, and he finally understood that this wasn't a duel to determine victory or defeat, but rather a resonance of "eye techniques and bonds."

As the beam of light dissipated, Kimimaro's Susanoo slowly disintegrated, and Neji's Kaiten also withered. The two men stood there, both panting slightly, but without a trace of hostility, they smiled at each other. Kimimaro's Mangekyo glowed with a gentle light, and Neji's atavistic Byakugan softened, his golden lines filled with recognition.

"I lost." Kimimaro spoke first, sheathing the bone blade in his palm. "Your Bagua Binding Palm saw through the core of my Susanoo."

Neji shook his head, the golden chakra dissipating in his palm. "I didn't win either. Your bonded blade also broke through my Kaiten defense." He paused and looked at his companions in the stands. "This is not about winning or losing. This is about us improving together."

The stands erupted in thunderous applause. Karin ran down the stage, healing potion in hand, and rushed towards the two men. Haku and Zabuza followed suit, ready to tend to their minor wounds. Sasuke didn't move, but a faint smile played on his lips. Tayuya played a lively melody, celebrating the wonderful sparring match. Jirobo patted Kidomaru's shoulder and loudly discussed the moves just now. Kototsuchi, carrying a giant hammer, looked forward to the next sparring match.

Yin Zhu walked down from the stands and approached the two men. A new notification popped up on the system panel: [Kimimaro and Neji's bond resonance is complete, unlocking the team bond skill "Bone Eye Bagua Formation," increasing the team's chakra synchronization rate by 30%]. He looked at the crowd gathered around him and said with a smile, "Everyone is a winner in this competition."

Sunlight filtered through the clouds, illuminating the trial field, illuminating the cheering figures of the Otogakure. Standing in the center of the crowd, Kimimaro and Neji felt the care and cheers of their companions, and suddenly realized that no matter how powerful their dojutsu was, it was no match for the bonds between them. This competition not only advanced their dojutsu to a new level, but also solidified the bonds of the entire Otogakure Village.

"Next time, let's have another sparring match." Kimimaro looked at Neji, his eyes full of anticipation.

Neji nodded, his smile firm: "Okay, next time I will let you see the true power of the Atavistic Byakugan."

The companions around him echoed in agreement, discussing the next competition scenario. Laughter and cheers echoed in the trial field for a long time.