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Back in the hall, stunned silence still hung in the air like a mist.
"What... just happened?" Temari mumbled, her fan drooping slightly as she stared at the battlefield below. Her lips were parted, eyes wide in disbelief.
She wasn't the only one.
Gaara narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, the sand gourd on his back shifting subtly. Even he, the monstrous prodigy of the Sand, had to admit that Naruto Uzumaki was different.
"He beat him... without even trying." Temari added, barely a whisper.
The memory of Naruto's movements replayed in her mind: the way he dodged, the smooth footwork, the ghost-like backstep, and the devastating precision of that final strike.
Her heartbeat sped up, not just in awe, but in curiosity and a flicker of attraction.
A few steps behind them, Ino stood frozen, lips trembling.
"Shadow clones and Taijutsu," She muttered. "He didn't even use a real jutsu..."
She wasn't sure whether to feel impressed or hopeless. Compared to Naruto-sama now, they all looked like academy kids pretending to be ninja.
Shino adjusted his glasses coolly.
"That Naruto... he's on a different level." His voice was even, but his expression was serious. "He's far beyond what Genin should be."
Ino licked her lips and looked toward where Naruto now leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes calm, as though nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, near the stretcher where Kiba was being carried off, Hinata rushed over.
"Kiba-kun!" She called, worry etched across her face.
Kiba groaned, attempting to sit up. His muscles ached from the hit. His pride ached even more.
"That Naruto..." He muttered, biting down frustration. "I didn't even touch him... not once..."
Akamaru whimpered softly, resting beside him with a small bandage already wrapped around one leg.
"He was just..." Kiba shook his head. "Unreal."
But even as jealousy clawed at his chest, there was a deeper truth that hurt more.
He didn't realize that Naruto hadn't even been on the field. That he had spent the entire match playing with shadow clones. If he had... he might have genuinely quit being a ninja right there.
Trying to swallow his bitterness, he looked up at Hinata with more seriousness than ever before.
"Forget me, Hinata. Look... there are only a few of you left. You, Chouji, Lee, Neji, the Sound freak... and that Sand guy."
His expression darkened.
"Listen carefully... if you end up against Gaara, don't hesitate. Withdraw immediately. No match is worth your life."
Hinata blinked in surprise but nodded quietly. Her heart fluttered with anxiety, but also a strange, new sense of resolve.
"Let's continue," Hayate's voice called out as he stepped toward the arena's center again.
The big screen behind him buzzed to life, its light flickering through the room as names began to rotate rapidly across the display.
'Come on...' Naruto whispered mentally, eyes glinting as he watched the randomizer shift.
Beep!
Hyuuga Hinata vs Hyuuga Neji!
A stunned silence once again took over the arena.
On the observation deck, Shikamaru's eyes narrowed. "Troublesome... she's going up against Neji."
Naruto clenched his fist slightly. "This was bound to happen."
Sakura watched Hinata as she took a slow step forward, her form composed and elegant, yet underneath tha, there was fire.
From where she stood, Temari tilted her head.
"Hyuuga... wait, they both have the same name?"
Karin, standing near Naruto, adjusted her glasses and leaned slightly toward Temari.
"They're both from the Hyuuga Clan. The oldest noble clan in the Leaf," She explained, brushing her crimson hair back. "But there's a catch."
Kakashi, watching from the shadows near the other Jonin, added casually, "They're from different branches of the same family. Main branch and Branch family. That difference... it runs deep."
Kurenai, Hinata's sensei, couldn't hide her concern. Her knuckles gripped the railing above. She knew what this match truly meant.
"This isn't a fight. It's Neji trying to prove a point."
She remembered Neji's resentment clearly towards fate, the Hyuuga, and especially the main family.
Down in the arena, Neji had already arrived and stood with perfect posture, calm but intense. His pale Byakugan eyes gazed forward, sharp and almost scornful.
When Hinata stepped into the circle across from him, there was a brief moment of silence.
"I never thought I'd be fighting you, Hinata-sama," Neji said, bowing his head lightly but without warmth.
Hinata's eyes narrowed just a bit. "I'm here as a ninja. Not as a princess of the main family."
That earned her a twitch of a smile from Neji. It was cold and biting.
"You've grown bolder. That's unexpected."
Before Hinata could answer, he stepped forward half a pace.
"Just one thing... before we begin," Neji said, his voice sharper now. "I have a piece of advice for you."
"Withdraw!"
His voice echoed across the hall like a blade being unsheathed.
Hinata's brows furrowed slightly, but she stood still.
"You're not suited to be a ninja. You never were."
Gasps and murmurs broke out in the audience, even some of the genin winced.
Naruto's furrowed his brows. "Neji... you—"
Sakura reached out to touch his arm. "Wait. Let her answer."
Hinata inhaled deeply, then let it out slowly. Her fingers curled at her sides, her chakra quietly gathering beneath the surface.
"Neji-niisan..." She said, her voice calm but firm. "There was a time... when I would have accepted that. When I would've believed your words and run."
Her eyes shimmered with memories, the childhood training sessions where she fell again and again, the silent pressure from her clan, the loneliness she hid behind a smile.
"But not anymore."
Her hands moved into the stance of the Gentle Fist, and chakra flared subtly around her fingertips.
"Now, I have someone I want to prove myself to."
Naruto's heart skipped. He knew exactly what she meant.
"I won't run, not from you, not from my clan, especially not from myself."
Neji's expression hardened, almost in disappointment.
"So be it," He said, slipping into his own stance. "But don't say I didn't warn you."
Hayate raised his hand and announced.
"Match 8: Hyuuga Hinata vs. Hyuuga Neji. Begin!"
As the call was made, the chakra around both fighters erupted, subtle yet powerful.
Neji moved first, dashing forward with incredible speed. His palm came for her chest.
Thrust!
But Hinata was faster than expected. She pivoted, redirected the strike with a curved elbow, and sent her own palm toward his ribs.
Neji deflected it, surprised by her timing.
Their palms clashed again in a flurry of movement.
The audience watched, transfixed.
"This isn't the Hinata we knew," Shikamaru muttered.
"She's different now," Ino whispered, her eyes sparkling with pride for her sister.
Kurenai felt tears prick the corner of her eyes. "She's fighting."
Neji spun and sent three lightning-fast strikes toward her neck.
Hinata dropped low, swiped with her leg, and disrupted his footing. She followed up with a palm aimed for his shoulder, forcing him to use rotation—Kaiten!
Hinata was blown back, but she flipped midair and landed smoothly, sliding across the floor with grace.
A small smile formed on Naruto's lips.
"She's going all out... without fear."
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