The day of the third round of the exams was upon them and they were all given the time and place where to go to. And so when the time came all of the young finalists came to the arena and after giving their names were allowed to enter.
Once the time came they were lead outside into the arena by their proctor of the exam Genma Shiranui. Looking around they could see the arena was full with spectators who were all cheering for them.
Although the atmosphere in the arena was rather elating Kimiko and Fu couldn't help but feel worried. None of them knew where three of their senseis were, but most of all that worried them was the absence of their redheaded friend. Naruto was nowhere to be found and none of them knew if he was coming. And the last jonin of their party, Kenzo, refused to tell them anything, pretending ignorance.
Hoki and his friends were all seated above in the arena seats, all awaiting the battles with a mix of excitement and worry.. "Where the hell is Naruto?" He wondered.
"I really hope he comes." Aya clasped her hands together, almost like in a prayer. The others of their party nodded. They all hoped he was fine and would come soon.
"Lord Shibuki, is he okay?" Asked Hiruzen the young Taki leader, wondering if the young redhead was alright.
The dark-haired man smiled. "Do not worry, Lord Hokage, he will come, if perhaps slightly late."
The two men were then interrupted by the arrival of the Kazekage whom they both greeted politely before the Hokage stood up and stepped forward to the railing for everybody to see him. "Welcome all, and our deepest thank you for coming to Konohagakure for this year's Chunin Selection Exams!" He spoke up for all to hear. "We have come to the final competition between our remaining nine contestants who made it through the preliminaries!" He continued. "We ask that nobody leaves until all of the matches have been fought. I hope you all enjoy!" Hiruzen finished.
"You said nine." The Kazekage spoke up. "But I see eight candidates."
"One will be slightly late." Commented Shibuki with a mischievous smile.
Down in the arena Genma addressed the finalists. "There is something you should know. There is a slight change in the lineups." He took out a piece of paper and showed it to the candidates.
According to the paper Shino automatically won his match against Dosu and Kin, and would be advancing to the next round of the tournament without a fight.
"Wait a minute, what happened?" Asked the young Uchiha.
"We do not know." Genma shrugged. "All three of the Sound genin vanished without a trace, hence the change."
"And what will happen to Naruto since he too isn't here?" Asked Fu.
"If a candidate isn't present when his name is called the match goes automatically to his opponent." The proctor told them, making the two Taki kunoichi's worries to intensify. "Now, the rules are the same as in the preliminaries. That means there are none. A match ends when one of you is incapable to continue the fight or forfeits." He spoke aloud for everybody in the arena to hear. "The first match is Neji Hyuga against Fu from Takigakure." He announced.
The two combatants stared each other down, while the rest went upstairs into the waiting area, just below the spectator area.
"Good luck!" Kimiko wished to her friend before leaving the arena.
Up in the seats Hinata Hyuga with her friend Kiba Inuzuka sat there watching the two fighters. Although she had faith in the green-haired girl she couldn't help help but feel anxious for the girl. She deeply wished for Fu to win, but it would be a hard battle this.
Hoki and the remaining Taki genin were also watching the two in apprehension, and Sakura and Ino behind them did as well.
Down in the arena Neji smirked at the Taki kunoichi. "Any last words?"
Fu too smirked. "You should ask yourself that." She surprised the boy. "I will not be the one to lose here. I will beat you and show you just how wrong you are!"
Genma looked between the two genin facing each other off, biting down on his senbon he constantly kept in his mouth. This would be an interesting match.
"Whatever." Neji activated his Byakugan and took a fighting stance. "Prepare yourself."
Fut then too took a fighting stance.
"Let the first match begin!" Announced Genma, much to everybody's pleasure, and the arena cheered.
Fu started to make hand seals for her hidden technique, but was interrupted by the young Hyuga. "Useless." Neji stopped her. "My Byakugan is capable of seeing through your shiny mist. Such tactics are useless against me."
The orange-eyed girl stopped and looked at the boy, unsure on how to proceed.
"If you won't come then I will." He charged his opponent, forcing her to evade his strikes less he blocked her chakra points.
Fu had to think fast. If her powder was useless she'd have to try something else. Quickly reaching into her pouch she pulled out a flash bomb and set it off right in front of the boy.
The sudden bright flash blinded the boy for a short while and when his sight returned he had to dodge a barrage of kunai.
Landing a short distance away he was engaged in a hand-to-hand combat by the girl.
"A bad idea." Commented Kiba. Hinata next to him felt anxious.
Neji dodged several of the girl's strikes before taking her hand, knocking the weapon from her and pushing her away, disrupting her balance. "You're in my eight trigrams." He commented, stunning a few people in the audience, taking a completely different pose than before.
Before the girl could get her balance under control and evade he rushed forward delivering two strikes to her body. "Two palms!" Then another two consecutive strikes. "Four palms!" Next step were four more hits. "Eight palms!" In his fourth step he added eight more hits. "Sixteen palms!" Fifth step were sixteen hits. "Thirty-two palms!" His sixth and last step were thirty-two consecutive hits. "Sixty-four palms!" He called as he sent the girl flying backwards.
When he finished he let out a slow, calming breath and deactivated his Byakugan. "I told you you would regret this." He told the girl that lay in a heap on the ground now, trying to stand up. Neji grimaced as he watched her. "It's useless, you know? You can't stand up, least do anything more now. I blocked sixty-four of your chakra points." Still, the girl tried to get up. Neji shook his head at the sad sight. "Your fate was set in stone when you decided to face me"
Up in her seat Hinata looked sad. This was something she feared greatly. That the green-haired girl would have no chance against her cousin.
Kiba learned later after he woke up what the boy told his friend and teammate and it infuriated him. And so he too hoped the Taki girl would be able to defeat him, but it would appear it was all for naught. It too made him sad. Sad for his friend.
Although with great difficulty Fu managed to lift her head up and look at the boy. "Y-you kn-know…." she coughed, "that….that w-we….tr-trained Na-Naruto, r-right?"
Neji couldn't understand what she was getting at. What had any of this to do with their fight and her defeat?
"Did….did y-you re-really be-believe….that….that h-he only l-learned f-from us?" She continued.
Suddenly there was some movement he caught with his peripheral vision. Turning he saw Fu charging him.
The clone next to the boy dissolved in a puff of smoke, which got his attention and he involuntarily turned to face it. 'A shadow clone?' He thought.
'That was undoubtedly a shadow clone that one. A Konoha forbidden jutsu.' Hiruzen too thought. 'Did he really train them in it? And if so how many more can perform it now?'
Shibuki on the other hand was relaxed and smiled at his former student's capability. Yes, Naruto learned a lot from them, but there were things they learned from him as well. This was one of them.
Getting the surprise on the Hyuga boy Fu delivered a hard punch to his jaw and knocked him back.
Hinata watched in amazement. She really did it! She managed to land a hit on her cousin. It made her smile. 'She's amazing!'
Hoki and his friends, together with Sakura and Ino behind them cheered as well, happy to see she was alright. That was one hell of a move.
Fu grinned victoriously. She got the arrogant boy! Now she'd show him what a git he was.
Neji got to his feet and glared at his opponent. "You're quite pleased with yourself now, aren't you?"
"I tricked you and your eyes, you bet I am!" She grinned. "But there is something far more important."
"And what would that be?" Wondered the boy.
"First tell me why do you hate Hinata so much? She's working so hard just to gain your approval." She asked the young Hyuga.
Neji scowled, but nodded. "Very well, I shall tell you, but why does it bother you so much? You're not even from this village." He really wished to know this. Why was she standing up for Hinata this much?
"I was looked down upon once a long time ago." Revealed Fu, surprising the boy. Shibuki looked at his young friend with a sad smile. When she was very young Fu was hated and looked down upon as well. If it wasn't for him she might have been killed had he not found her and brought her to the village. "But I found something that was worth fighting for and it changed me. Changed me for the better. But since then I hate it when anybody looks down upon others. I can't stand it and I want to fight it." This was the deepest of truths, right from her heart.
"I see. That makes sense." The boy nodded. He understood now why the strange girl seemed to hold a grudge against him. "I don't merely hate Hinata, but the entire main branch of the Hyuga clan." He revealed, hatred and disgust obvious in his eyes and voice. "They murdered my father and imprisoned me!" He spat.
"What are you talking about?" Fu was shocked, but also confused.
"I'll start at the beginning." Neji got himself under control. "From the beginning of its existence the Hyuga clan divided itself into two branches, the main family and the branch family." He began his story. "The branch family was established to protect and to serve the main family. That is also why the main family invented the Curse Mark Jutsu. To protect itself and to control the members of the Branch Family."
"But what is it?" The orange-eyed kunoichi listened with interest.
Neji took off his hitai-ate and revealed his forehead. On it was a green tattoo of an x-mark with two hook-like symbols. "This is the mark." He indicated his forehead. "It can be used to turn our brains into mush if the main family thinks we disobeyed them in any way. To discipline us." He bawled his hands into fists. "I was marked when I was a mere three years old." He explained bitterly.
"That is cruel, but what does that have to do with your father and Hinata?" Ashed Fu.
"My father and Hinata's father were identical twin brothers." He continued. "Lord Hiashi, Hinata's father, was born first, making him the head of the main family, while my father was doomed to be part of the branch family, and with it I was born to be Lady Hinata's protector." He continued. "You see, fate has made me a caged bird!"
Fu decided to remain silent for now and listen.
"After the great war ended and the Cloud Village signed a peace treaty with Konoha and the Cloud ninjas were here to negotiate the Hyuga compound was invaded and Lady Hinata was kidnapped. Lord Hiashi confronted the intruder and killed him immediately, saving his daughter." The boy told her. "The masked intruder turned out to be one of the Cloud shinobi that came to negotiate peace. You see, they were in reality after the secrets of the Byakugan wishing to acquire it for themselves." He continued. "After this incident Kumogakure proclaimed shock at such a blatant 'murder' of one of their own and proposed an exchange. A life for a life." He looked to where Hiashi was sitting with his younger daughter Hanabi and shot him a dirty look. "They wished for the man's death who killed their own ninja. A clever move on their part. If their ninja succeeded they'd have the Byakugan, and if not they would demand the death and body of the one who killed him. A win-win situation. Or there would be war once more." He paused for a moment. "And since Konoha didn't want more war and bloodshed it agreed to these terms, which meant Lord Hiashi had to die. However, instead of handing over Hiashi's corpse they gave them my father's one." his voice became heavy. "They killed my father so Hiashi could live and the clan's secrets would be intact, as the eye is sealed after by the Curse Mark Jutsu after death. But it was only then that he found freedom."
"They did that?" Wondered Fu.
"They did. They made me a bird in a cage and I was brought up as a bodyguard for Hinata. A mere tool of the main family!" He sneered. "Being a mere pawn for the main family is my fate and it cannot be changed."
"So why do you hate Hinata so much?" She asked again.
"Didn't I just explain why?" Growled the Hyuga boy. Was she thick?
"You explained why you hate the main family of the Hyuga, but not why you hate Hinata." She pointed out to him. "And I can understand why you would hate them, but why her? Is it her fault when and how her father was born? Was your branding her fault? Was your father's death her fault?" She asked.
"No, but…." He wasn't allowed to finish.
"The why?" She cocked her head to the side. "She never did anything to you. She merely tried to be your friend and gain your approval. She wanted to support you, but all you did was push her away and put her down." She pointed out. "And considering you are supposed to be her bodyguard you are not doing a very good job of it. You nearly killed her after all. What kind of bodyguard does that?" Neji was getting agitated by her words. "And for all your talk about fate I don't think you really believe in that stuff."
The Hyuga heiress and others in the arena listened with keen interest to the Taki girl. The Hyuga boy's views were rather fatalistic to say the least.
"What was that?" The boy growled.
"You heard me. You don't seem to me like you believe your own words, just use it as an excuse to be a jerk and moan around." She smirked at his hate filled look he shot her. "I mean, if you truly believed that wouldn't you be resigned to that fate then?" She asked. "But you don't seem to be. If anything you seem to oppose them as much as you can."
Neji sneered at the girl. She was infuriating him.
"I'm sorry for you father." And she really was. "But you act like a child throwing a temper tantrum." She scolded the boy. "Do you really believe that is the right way?"
"What would you know?!" He demanded.
Hinata watched this exchange with great interest. She knew about the mark and hated it, but she had no idea about Neji's dad. It made her sad and she wondered why her father let this happen. Was the Hyuga clan really that corrupt?
"What would I know?" Asked Fu in all seriousness. "Do you really believe you are the only one having to constantly endure a burden, a mark?" She challenged him. "There are others in the who have been marked for life. I have my own mark." She surprised him with her admission. "Naruto bears more than one even. And there are many more who do as well. And you know what?" Fu gave the boy a fierce look. "We endure it, every single day and we don't let it hinder us! No, we carry on and forge our own paths! If there is a will there is always a way." The girl lectured the Hyuga. "You just have to want to and work for it. You just have to open the bird's cage yourself." She once again took a fighting stance. "That is why I will win here today. I'll show you what it means to take control."
"Try if you like, I'll not roll over and let you just win here." Neji too prepared himself.
"I'd be disappointed if you did." The green-haired girl smirked. She then made a hundred clones of herself, surrounding the boy.
People looked in awe at the sheer amount of the clones present. Suddenly the clones and the real Fu started running around mixing themselves.
'I see, she evenly distributed her chakra amongst her clones and now mixing herself with them I won't know which one is the real one.' Thought Neji. 'Very clever play.' The as he watched all of the Fu's present stormed him as a single body from all sides. If it were any mediocre genin he might have fought them hand-to-hand, but he had to admit she might even be on par with him, so that would be impossible against so many of her. No, there was only one option.
As she attacked him the green-haired girl saw the boy take a strange pose and waiting for her to come close. What was he doing? She learned what he was up to when she and her clones got close enough, then the boy started rotating on the spot and releasing chakra from his body. Combined with his rotation he created a kind of a dome of chakra, attacking everything in the vicinity of his defensive technique.
High up in the audience three people watched with shock. That technique belonged to the main household, so how could he, a member of the branch family, have learned this secret technique?
"Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven!" Called Neji.
The young kunoichi and her doppelgängers stopped in their tracks seeing as they were being crippled by the Hyuga's technique.
As he was finishing his rotation he took out a kunai and attacked the stunned clones, cutting through them and hoping to encounter the real Fu.
Fu had to think of something fast, the boy was getting closer to her. If he found her she'd have her chakra points blocked and the fight would be over.
Quickly over some hand seals Fu took a deep breath. "Wind release: Great Breakthrough!" She exhaled a concentrated gust of wind right towards the charging boy and blew him away. Although as a consequence not only did she give herself away, but also destroyed many of her own clones with that jutsu.
Neji was sent crashing backwards several dozens of yards. It was a hard hit for him and took its toll. And as he looked up he was forced to evade as air bullets were sent his way from the orange-eyed kunoichi. It was getting dangerous for him as well. If she continued these tactics he wouldn't be able to get close to her.
He was then had to dodge a barrage of wind-blades, forcing him to retreat farther, mounting his exasperation.
"What is it?" Asked Fu as she finished her jutsu. "If you believe so much in fate and that you are destined to win here you don't have to do anything, just sit back and wait." She taunted him.
This did it. He then put all of his overflowing frustration into his next, desperate move. Using the Gentle-fist style he concentrated densely packed chakra into his hand and performed a high-speed palm thrust towards the Taki girl he was facing, knowing now which one of them was the real one.
What followed was a vacuum-like projectile flying at high speed towards his target. Before she even noticed it Fu was blown back by the strange attack with tremendous force, all of her remaining clones disappearing as the original was injured.
Looking at his hand Neji couldn't believe a single attack to be capable of this. He couldn't believe he could do such a thing, and he wondered if he would be able to repeat it without using all of his frustration to make it happen.
Shifting his gaze he looked up at the girl now lying on the ground, seemingly in a bad shape. What did it really do to her?
Panting and hurting all over her body Fu slowly got back to her feet. That strange technique the boy just used hurt her greatly. Her only luck was that she wasn't hit into any of her vital points. If that was the case the fight would have been over.
Neji determined from looking at the girl that if he actually aimed the attack he could be able to take out opponents with a single hit. And if he were able to replicate it now he should be able to win even at long-range. If he developed it later on it might even be a near-fatal hit.
"Not so tough now, are we?" The young Hyuga smirked at his battered opponent. "Do you see now how futile it is to fight me?"
"I….don't care….what you think." Panted Fu. "I….won't lose here!"
"We will see about that." He went for another vacuum palm attack, forcing the girl to evade, but as she was still shaken up from the first attack she got hit once again with the boy's next, who shot several after each other, seemingly trying to get the hang of his new technique.
It was a lot worse this time as the attack was well aimed now and just barely missed one of her vital points. Coughing up some blood she rolled over onto her stomach.
"Come on, Fu! You can do this!" Kimiko cheered her friend on.
"Get up, Fu!" Called Aya to her friend. "You can't let somebody like him defeat you!" The others started cheering the girl on as well.
Hinata wished dearly that the green-haired girl would be able to get back to her feet and continue the battle. She just had to win.
Kiba watched his teammate and friend as she clasped her hands together on her chest, wishing for the other girl's victory. He might have been many things, but he was fiercely loyal and it hurt him to see her worry like this.
Standing up he called to the orange-eyed kunoichi down in the arena. "What are you doing?! You promised Hinata you would win!" He surprised the Hyuga heiress and others. "Go on, kick the arrogant brat's ass!"
Looking up Fu looked to where the latest call came from and saw the dog-boy calling to her, and Hinata sitting next to him looking up at him and then to her, a pleading look in her white eyes.
Mustering all the strength she had she got to her feet. "I told you….I'll win." She was breathing hard. "I'll not….give up. No way!"
Scowling Neji once again used his new technique and sent another pressurised projectile the girl's way.
Not wasting even a second she performed hand seals with lightning fast speed, then concentrated her wind into the palm of her hand, compressing it as much as she could before releasing it.
The two techniques clashed and resulted in an explosion, sending strong winds in all directions. Neji didn't expect the girl to have something that could match his devastating attack, but once again he was wrong.
Gritting his teeth he sent one projectile wave after another with Fu copying him and sending her own attack. It was a battle of wills this and the one who faltered first would lose.
People in the audience had to shield their eyes from the strong winds that raged around the arena now. This battle was far more intense than any of them anticipated.
"What incredible power!" Commented Ino as she watched the battle. No wonder she lost so easily against the Taki girl. Such a battle was way beyond her.
Sakura too watched in awe, wishing to be just as strong as that girl.
But of them all Hinata looked with the deepest anticipation, and she vowed to herself that she would train hard and try to become as strong as the green-haired kunoichi that was currently fighting for her. Perhaps the two of them could be friends.
Shibuki too watched with great interest. No matter who won now it was a splendid battle and both combatants should be proud what they have achieved and what show they put on. Although he did wish for Fu to be victorious.
Neji could feel fatigue to set in, but he was sure his opponent was worse off after two of his hits. He would not give up. But as he continued his palm thrusts one of them failed. His new technique he somehow used during this battle failed and he was left completely defenceless.
Fu on the other hand did not falter for even a second and her pressurised air hit him hard and sent him flying backwards. Then another hit him and another.
When he finally came to a halt he spat blood and when he looked up he saw he was surrounded by the girl and her clones.
Although she felt really tired from the exchange she had enough chakra to finish this off. He and all of her clones then made hand seals and prepared their technique.
Neji recognised it from the girl's fight with Ino and made to get to his feet.
"Wind release: Breakthrough!" All of the Fu's called and exhaled a gust of wind, creating each a vortex of their own. Inside of it Neji used his rotation once again to defend himself.
'This is bad.' Thought the dark-haired boy as he continued to rotate. All of the vortexes were the same speed and rotated in the same direction, slowly merging together into one massive vortex. And no matter how much he tried the wind was slowing down his own rotation, which was opposite to the direction of the wind. If he were to rotate in the same direction it would only enhance them, but this wasn't helping him either, the force of the tornado-like force was way too great.
At long last his rotation failed and he was swept off his feet and carried high into the air with no way for him to defend himself.
Once he reached the highest point of the vortex the wind suddenly vanished and as he opened his eyes, finally able to breathe freely he noticed a shadow above him. Shielding his eyes he looked up, only for him to see Fu high in the air and charging him. There was no way he could defend against her attack now.
"Takigakure whirlwind!" Called Fu and with great force she slammed into her opponent, sending him crashing into the ground.
Landing the orange-eyed girl fell to her knees, exhausted. And as the dust cleared she and everybody else could see Neji lying on the ground, unable to move.
Genma looked at the young girl. 'That was a damn good fight this.' Walking over he looked at Neji. "She was right, you know?" He told the boy. "Every bird will in the end open its own cage, it just has to try. And you are no different." He then went over to Fu and looked her over. She was beaten up, but she would be fine. "The winner is Fu from Takigakure!" He announced for everybody to hear.
A massive roar sounded from the audience and people applauded the orange-eyed kunoichi. "Yea, awesome, Fu!" Kimiko cheered and jumped up and down.
The rest of the Taki genin in the audience cheered very loudly as well, very pleased with their friend's performance.
Hinata let out a sigh of relief and applauded the girl happily.
Before going upstairs Fu went over to the fallen boy and addressed him. "Nothing is set in stone, it all depends what you make of it." She told him. "You're strong, don't let something like this hinder you." She then turned and walked away.
As he was whisked away by the medics Hiashi Hyuga stood up in the audience and walked away without telling his youngest daughter anything. He had to speak with young Neji and tell him the truth.
Looking up at the waiting area Genma could see there was still no Uzumaki present. It would appear he had no other choice in this. "Due to Naruto Uzumaki's absence he is hereby disqualified."
Sorry for the long break. Work has been real hard these past two weeks, but I'm still working anwill finish this, Dattebayo!
What I wanted to tell you,however, is that I have ideas for two naruto stories. One is Naruko adopted by Nagato. And the second is Naruto taken into the Uchiha clan as was the wish of his dying mother. I have written pieces down, kind of like notes, but I fear nothing will come of it for myself. So if anybody was interested I would be willing to give them to somebody. However, I'd like some things to remain as they are and some of my ideas to be implemented. Although those are the vast minority. I ahve nothing for the rest, which would be completely up to anybody who would wish to take one. THe only thing I'd want and expect would be the cfull completion of said stories, as I'd wish to read them. So if anybody is interested PM me, please. I really have no plans for them so they'd be wasted.
