The arena was alive with anticipation. Thousands of spectators filled the stands, buzzing with excitement as the Chunin Exam Finals officially began. The air was thick with tension, the sun casting long shadows over the battle stage.
Naruto Uzumaki stood on one end of the battlefield, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet. His usual carefree grin was absent, replaced by a focused expression. He had trained for this moment, pushing himself harder than ever before. He wouldn't let this opportunity slip away.
On the other side, Hyūga Neji stood calmly, his pristine white robes barely shifting in the wind. His lavender eyes, the signature of the Byakugan, gazed at Naruto with quiet confidence. Unlike the Neji of the original timeline, this one lacked the overwhelming bitterness of fate—his father was alive, after all—but he still despised the Caged Bird Seal forced upon the branch family.
"Uzumaki Naruto," Neji spoke, his voice smooth yet commanding. "I'll give you credit for making it this far. But fate has already decided the outcome of this match."
Naruto scoffed, rolling his shoulders. "Yeah, yeah. Fate this, fate that. I don't care about any of that, Neji. I'm here to win."
The proctor, Genma Shiranui, stepped forward. He glanced between the two combatants before raising his hand.
"First match—Naruto Uzumaki vs. Hyūga Neji. Begin!"
The moment the words left Genma's mouth, Naruto bolted forward, closing the distance between them in an instant. His speed had increased dramatically since his training with Jiraiya, and he wasted no time in launching a powerful right hook at Neji's face.
Neji effortlessly sidestepped, his expression unreadable. As Naruto's fist sailed past him, he retaliated with a precise palm strike aimed at Naruto's ribs.
Naruto barely managed to twist his body, dodging the attack by a hair's breadth. But before he could counter, Neji pivoted on his foot and unleashed a second strike, slamming his palm into Naruto's stomach.
"Gentle Fist!"
A burst of chakra rippled through Naruto's body, sending him skidding backward. He gasped as he felt his chakra pathways momentarily disrupted.
"Damn, he's fast!" Naruto thought, gritting his teeth.
Without missing a beat, Neji pressed forward, launching a series of rapid strikes. Naruto was forced onto the defensive, weaving between attacks while searching for an opening. But Neji's precision was relentless.
Naruto ducked under a swipe and leaped backward, putting distance between them. He flashed through a sequence of hand seals.
"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"
He thrust his hands forward, releasing a concentrated burst of wind. The sudden gust kicked up dust, forcing Neji to shield his eyes momentarily.
Seizing the opportunity, Naruto charged in, forming a Rasengan in his palm.
"Gotcha!"
But just as he was about to land the attack, Neji's Byakugan glowed, and his body spun violently.
"Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation!"
A dome of chakra erupted around Neji, intercepting Naruto's Rasengan and blasting him backward. Naruto hit the ground hard, rolling before pushing himself up with a groan.
"Damn it!" Naruto wiped a trickle of blood from his lip. "That defense is insane!"
Neji straightened his posture, staring at Naruto with cool detachment.
"I told you," he said. "Fate has already determined your defeat."
Naruto scowled. "You keep saying that, but I'm still standing!"
Neji exhaled slowly. "Then let's finish this."
The Gentle Fist's True Power
In a blur, Neji surged forward, his fingers glowing with chakra.
"Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms!"
Naruto's eyes widened as Neji struck.
"Two palms!"
Neji's fingers jabbed Naruto's chest, sending a ripple of pain through his body.
"Four palms!"
Naruto staggered back, gasping. His chakra was being sealed with each hit.
"Eight palms! Sixteen palms!"
His movements slowed.
"Thirty-two palms!"
He tried to raise his arms to block, but his body wouldn't respond.
"Sixty-four palms!"
Neji delivered the final strike to Naruto's stomach, sending him crashing into the ground. His body twitched as he struggled to move.
The crowd fell silent. The match seemed over.
Neji exhaled, stepping back. "It's over, Naruto. Your chakra is sealed. You can't fight anymore."
The Power of the Nine-Tails
Naruto lay motionless, his vision hazy. He could barely feel his body.
"Damn it…" he thought. "Is this really it?"
Somewhere deep inside him, something stirred.
A bubbling, burning sensation welled up in his chest. His fingers twitched. His breathing grew heavier.
The seal on his stomach flared to life, and in an instant, red chakra surged around him like wildfire. His wounds healed rapidly, his eyes flashing an eerie red.
Naruto slowly pushed himself up, his body trembling with raw energy.
Neji's eyes widened. "Impossible… I sealed your chakra!"
Naruto smirked, his voice carrying a deeper, more menacing edge. "You sealed my chakra. But this… this isn't mine."
In a blur, Naruto disappeared.
Before Neji could react, Naruto was already in front of him. A fist slammed into Neji's chest, launching him backward.
Neji flipped mid-air, skidding across the ground. But Naruto was relentless. He darted forward again, his movements wild yet precise.
Neji barely managed to block a kick aimed at his head. The force sent him staggering, his arms shaking from the impact.
"What is this power?"
Naruto landed a clean uppercut, sending Neji soaring into the air. He jumped up after him, spinning mid-air as he slammed his foot down.
Neji crashed into the ground, coughing as he struggled to get up. His Byakugan was still active, but his breathing was labored.
Naruto landed a few feet away, red chakra flickering around him like flames. His smirk faded, his expression turning serious.
"I don't care what fate says," he said. "I make my own future!"
Neji panted heavily, struggling to his feet. He could barely keep up anymore.
Naruto clenched his fists. "It's over."
With a final burst of speed, he closed the distance and drove his fist into Neji's stomach.
The impact sent Neji flying, rolling across the ground before stopping, unconscious.
The stadium erupted in cheers.
Genma stepped forward, glancing at Neji before raising his hand.
"Winner: Naruto Uzumaki!"
The Hokage's Perspective
From the Kage balcony, Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled, stroking his beard. "Your son is remarkable, Minato."
Beside him, the Kazekage—Orochimaru in disguise—nodded approvingly. "A splendid match indeed. He possesses incredible potential."
Minato smiled, pride swelling in his chest. "He's worked hard for this moment."
As Naruto stood victorious, looking at the crowd with a triumphant grin, Minato knew—this was only the beginning.