Hinata and Neji faced off, neither of them moving. Neji's stoic expression and Hinata's clam one gave all the spectators no clue as to what was going to happen, but most of them had already pegged Neji as the winner and Hinata as the loser. From what Kabuto had told them all before the beginning of the first stage of the Exam, Neji had completed all his missions successfully, all fifty-two of them, most of them being C rank missions, with only a few D rank missions. His chakra capacity was estimated at Chunin level, and his chakra control was estimated at … Elite Jonin level. Unbelievable. Because he used his clan's fighting style, there was no way he could be ranked in power, but again, estimations had been giving. Within the Hyuga Clan, Neji's mastery of the Hyuga Arts was estimated at Elite Chunin level. Totally unbelievable, that such a guy would still be a genin. Hinata, on the other hand, had not had such a prestigious record. She had done a measly eleven missions, ten being D rank and one being C rank. She had only managed to successfully complete one mission, which ironically was the much harder C rank mission. Her chakra capacity was also at Chunin level, and her chakra control had been estimated at Elite Chunin level. Her mastery of the Hyuga Arts put her at … Genin level, and she was the heir of the Hyuga Clan. Not many people had been optimistic about Hinata's future, but they had kept their opinions to themselves. However, much to Kabuto's surprise, Hinata's activity for the past seven months had not been recorded, but again people had discounted that fact. After all, in thirteen years she had only managed a measly record. What could she possibly achieve in seven months? Neji and Hinata – this was a match many people were looking forward to watch. All chunin and jonin present in the hall were waiting expectantly for this deciding match. Would a branch family member finally be able to surpass a head family member? Kurenai had been very confident about her student, something she normally wasn't on account of Hinata's shyness and lack of confidence. But after seeing this new Hinata, a Hinata that was calm, collected and very sure of herself, they began to believe Kurenai's claims. Hinata might just have done a complete one-eighty in seven months. They couldn't wait to see the results of this match. Hinata and Neji continued to looks at each other. Some couldn't be sure, but it almost looked as if Neji was trying to stare Hinata down. Neji finally broke the tense silence.

"Hinata-sama," he said. "I finally have the honour to fight you." Hinata did not say anything. She simply stood there, silent. Faint lines of anger appeared on Neji's face. "But I feel obliged to tell you, Hinata-sama, that you cannot defeat me. Please, surrender this match before I am forced to hurt you. We both do not want that to happen."

"Really?" Hinata said, speaking for the first time. Her voice was also calm and collected, and it was much more confident and firm than the last time people had heard her speak. "Tell me, Neji-kun, why do you think you can defeat me?"

Neji blinked. "Why? Well, I would have thought that the statistics would speak for themselves. I am above you in every respect. There is no way you could beat me. A mere seven months of training, no matter how intensive, could change this. Fate has doomed you to always live in my shadow, Hinata-sama." Hinata raised an eyebrow.

"Live in your shadow? Is that what you think I do, Neji-kun? Then you have been deluding yourself, dear cousin. And I have worked hard during the last seven months, Neji-kun. I am not the bumbling, weak little girl you once knew. If you still think that, then it shall be your downfall. Pride cometh before the fall, after all." Neji's fist started shaking, slightly.

"You are deluding yourself, Hinata-sama. Relinquish your foolish quest, or I will not be held responsible for what happens to you. Fate had already determined that you would lose the moment you were chosen as my opponent. The gap between us is simply too big to cover with just hard work, and if you believe that then you are truly a fool. Hard work is something losers believe in, simply so that they can disguise their own inadequacy. You have just joined those ranks, Hinata-sama. Fate determined your path the moment you were born, and no amount of hard work will change that!"

Hinata sighed. "I had hoped to convince you your outlook on life was wrong. Your philosophy is heavily flawed, Neji-kun. Explain how Lee-kun nearly won against Gaara of the Sand, or how Naruto-kun won against Kiba-kun. They are both losers in your eyes, are they not, Neji-kun?"

Neji shrugged noncommittally. "Lee lost, plain and simple. No matter how hard he trains he will never be as good as a genius, as good as me. And Naruto always was and always will be a loser. Kiba is simply a bumbling idiot, and therefore cannot be compared to a genius. That match was just one loser fighting another."

"You should show more respect for your comrades, Neji-kun," Hinata said with steel in her voice, the first sign of a fight since the match had started two minutes previously. "And if that is true, then why did I catch you with a worried look in your eyes and a bead of sweat on your brow when you saw the extent of Lee-kun's and Naruto-kun's abilities?" Neji finally lost his sense of control.

"Enough of this talk! We came here to fight, so let's fight already." He got into his Jyuken stance, his body relaxed and poised. Hinata shook her head. "I see I will never convince you, cousin. Very well, let us fight," she said. She got into exactly the same stance as Neji, which surprised him because it showed Hinata had somehow mastered an advanced form of the Jyuken taijutsu. His eyes narrowed. First Hinata's eyes had changed, and now her body. What was she truly capable off? No matter, he was going to enjoy subduing her spirit.

"Byakugan!" both Hyugas shouted.

XXX

Naruto looked down at the conversing Hyugas, his knuckled white from gripping the railing too hard. This was it, the moment her had helped her to achieve. But now that it was here, he was having doubts. Was she truly ready to fight this Hyuga genius? Sakura looked at Naruto, something in his posture alerting her that he wasn't alright. He looked the same, calm and indifferent, but then she noticed his hand gripping the railing, hard. His knuckles were white. What exactly had gone on between Naruto and Hinata? To her surprise, she found that she was slightly jealous. Naruto was stronger than her she had admitted to herself long ago, even though she would never do so in public. Was that where he had been? Training Hinata? Well, no matter. Naruto may be strong, but he was not a genius like Neji or Sasuke-kun. Hinata would lose.

Neji was the first to attack. He jumped toward Hinata, his hands a blur as he attacked Hinata with multiple palm strikes. She blocked them all, her demeanor coiled and posed to strike, like a snake. Neji jumped back from his attack, assessing what he had just seen. Hinata had gotten better, a lot better. Her Jyuken had improved considerably, but not up to his standards. However, her defense was perfect, better than his, and so he had to get past that for him to deliver any heavy damage. Hinata stood there, her hands in front of her, palms open, waiting. Neji snarled slightly. Did she now think she was better than him? Well, he would show her. He attacked again, his barrage more intense than the last time. But again and again Hinata blocked all his attempts to her tenketsu. He was infuriated. She could not have gotten this good in seven months. He increased the speed of his blows and added other limbs into the attack. He was now using his entire body like the weapon it was born to be. He no longer formed chakra needles for his Jyuken on his hands only. He now formed the on his knuckles, elbows, knees and feet. Hinata started to looks overwhelmed, and Neji smiled. Increasing his speed even more, he managed to hit several tenketsu on her chest, sending her flying across the floor. He stood tall, his full confidence restored.

"I warned you, Hinata-sama. You cannot defeat me," Neji said, now calm again.

"Pride Cometh before the fall," everyone hard Naruto say, and Neji looked up, smirking. The loser actually believed that crap? Suddenly, his Byakugan saw something coming at him from behind, moving faster than even he could. He turned round and saw Hinata five feet from him, her right palm aiming for his stomach, where his chakra pool was located. If she hit him, he would not be able to summon chakra for quite a while, rendering him almost useless. He was not fast enough to avoid the blow, curse Hinata, and so the only thing he could do was divert the attack. He crouched down, and so when Hinata hit him, she hit his left shoulder and not his stomach. Neji was surprised by the force behind the blow. All Jyuken users did not have to build muscle strength because their attacks were internal. Instead, they built up resilience and bone and joint strength so their fingers could sustain the effects of hitting someone's body. He was sent flying ten feet across the floor, and as he was in the air, he saw the Hinata he had attacked replaced by a log. She had performed a kawarimi, but when? He has gravely underestimated her.

"Surprising, Hinata-sama," he said as he quickly stood up. "You have gotten stronger, faster, and your Jyuken has improved greatly."

"Stop holding back, Neji-kun, or else." Neji scowled. This had gone far enough. First she gets in a cheap shot and now she thinks she's queen of the shinobi world. He smirked at her.

"What are you really hoping to achieve, Hinata-sama? Are you hoping to prove yourself to your father? Last time I heard, he will not even see you anymore. He has banished you prom his presence and placed you within a branch family compound, away from anyone else so you do not cause him any more embarrassment. Does that sound like the kind of man who would take you back? Does that sound like the kind of man who would forgive you for losing to a branch family member?" For a second, Hinata hesitated, thinking. Was that really what she had thought would happen? In that moment of indecision, Neji struck. He managed to get in three shots to her chest and several on her arms as she defended herself. She coughed, tasting blood. Neji had managed to damage a blood vessel in one of her lungs.

"Really, Hinata-sama, what is it that you expected to happen? Your father is ashamed to call you his daughter and denounces you in front of the other Hyuga members in favour of a more gifted daughter of his that is half your age. Do you not feel ashamed of yourself, Hinata-sama? You have put the head family through so much disappointment, and yet here you are, still trying to prove yourself worthy, and still failing miserably. What do you think will happen when the Hyuga discover their heir has been beaten by a branch family member? They will revolt, plain and simple, Hinata-sama. And do you think that your father will allow such a thing to happen? The Hyuga put together are more important than one incompetent heir, Hinata-sama. What do you think your father would do to stop discord in the clan?" Neji smirked knowingly, and got back into his Jyuken stance.

Hinata looked at him, all vestige of self-control gone. "Shut up and fight!" she yelled, running toward Neji.

XXX

Naruto trembled slightly, his whole body racking. She had not been ready after all. The psychological attacks Neji was using against her were working, no matter how mediocre they were. He tried to hold in his emotions as he saw Neji continue attacking Hinata physically and mentally. By now most of her tenketsu were damaged of fully closed. This was entirely his fault! If he hadn't been so overconfident, this would not have happened. He should have told her to be patient, but he hated seeing her so timid and put-down. He had thought this exam would boost her self-esteem, but instead it was now being eroded away like it wasn't even there. Below him, Hinata was slowly getting bruised and battered, and another minute of this and she would be rendered completely unable to fight. He hung his head, and as Sakura saw that, she felt pity for both Naruto and Hinata. They were two losers who had tried to become better, but there were always geniuses like Neji ready to bring them down. She went closer to him and put a consoling hand on his arm, only to jerk back in pain as her hand was burnt on contact. Her surprise was replaced by anger a moment later.

"What was that for!? I was only trying to help!" Naruto was breathing heavily now, his racking obvious. His right arm suddenly struck out for Sakura, a movement that no one looking would have been able to see. But Kakashi had been anticipating it. He knew Naruto, deep inside, was emotional, and he already knew about the two genin's encounter earlier. He easily gripped the boy's wrist, stopping Naruto's hand a mere millimeter from Sakura's neck.

"Let me go, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto growled.

"Calm down first, Naruto. You are getting too emotional." Naruto ripped his hand from Kakashi's grip, making a disgusted noise. Kakashi was surprised by the force behind the boy. Ever since the formation of Team 7, Naruto was the one he had least spent time with. He did not know the full capabilities of Naruto. Sasuke had already shown to what extent he would go when pushed, and so had Sakura. But Naruto, well, Naruto had been as unmotivated as Kakashi had ever seen a shinobi unmotivated, barring Shikamaru, of course. Naruto only fought when required to, and did not enter emotion into the equation. That was not the Konoha way. Konoha shinobi were at their strongest when fighting to protect someone. Sasuke had protected his teammates during their mission in Wave Country and in the Forest of Death. Sakura had protected her teammates from the Sound and Rain Teams in the Forest of Death when they had been injured and exhausted from their fight with the Grass shinobi. But Naruto, he still remained a mystery to Kakashi. Kakashi had hoped to be able to open up Naruto, but the boy refused to come out of his shell.

"I am not being emotional, Kakashi-sensei. And I thought I already told you to shut up, Sakura. I am in no mood to entertain your fancies." Thoughts ran rampant through Naruto's head. Why was he being so affected by this fight?

XXX

Neji took advantage of the commotion on the balcony.

"You see, Hinata-sama?" asked Neji, panting. Even though he had finally got the upper hand, Hinata had proved that she wasn't going down easily, especially after he had told her she had been disowned as the heir officially, Hanabi, a six year old girl, taking her place. She had been defiant, and as a result, Neji's chakra was severely depleted. Hinata currently held more chakra on account of being on the defensive. He just needed to keep it that way until he got a clear, deciding, shot, or else she would prove almost unbeatable, what with her faster speed, greater strength and better stamina.

"Even your training partner on the balcony does not believe you can do this. He is practically shaking with worry over what he convinced you to do. He is the one who helped you, correct? I saw you two the night he got you out of that bind with the Hyuga patrols. He convinced you that you were something you are not, and now he regrets it. I can see it in his posture. These eyes of mine see everything." Hinata looked at Naruto, surprised. She saw he was shaking.

"… Naruto…kun…" she stammered hopefully, but he would not meet her eyes. She felt the fight slowly drain out of her, and that was when Neji struck. He gathered a large amount of chakra into his palm and pushed it into Hinata's chest, straight toward her heart. She was lifted off her feet and sent careening ten metres. She did not get up.

"I told you, Hinata-sama. Your fate was sealed the moment I was chosen as your opponent. You cannot win." Neji turned toward the Proctor. "Call the match, Proctor. She will not be getting up anytime soon." Gekko looked at the boy, and then at Hinata. He shrugged. He raised his arm and brought it down decisively.

"Don't you dare!" Everyone looked at Naruto in shock. He was shaking visibly, but the most shocking thing were his eyes. The pupils were no longer round, but slit-like, like an animal's. "Don't call the match just yet! She's still going to fight!" Sakura was about to tell Naruto off when Kakashi stopped her. Naruto was already emotional enough. He did not need someone pushing him over the edge.

"Calm down, Naruto," Kakashi said, putting a calming hand on Naruto's shoulder. "You can see for yourself that Hinata is not going to be getting up after a blow to the heart. Let her rest. She's gone as far as she can." Naruto pulled himself out of Kakashi's grip.

"Let me go," he growled. "Just watch Hinata. She's not finished yet." Neji looked up at Naruto and scowled.

"Shut up, loser," he said. "All that shouting, it's very annoying and not the way a proper shinobi should behave."

"Don't … call … Naruto-kun … a loser…" Neji turned back in surprise as he saw Hinata slowly getting back to her feet. What was this new strength she had acquired that allowed her to be so strong?

XXX

Hinata heard Naruto-kun shout, and instantly knew that her fears had been wrong. Naruto-kun did believe in her after all. As her confidence returned, her sight came back. She now saw how Neji had manipulated her psychologically, just as she had done at the beginning of the fight. She berated herself for getting so emotional. Now most of her tenketsu were closed and she could barely feel her chakra. But she had to do this. Kurenai-sensei believed in her. Kiba-kun believed in her. Shino-kun believed in her. Naruto-kun believed in her. She could not let matters as trivial as her father and what the Clan thought to sidetrack her. She would win this match, and prove Neji-kun wrong.

She slowly got up and heard Naruto-kun cheer for her. That was all she needed. She would win.

"I allowed you to get under my skin, Neji-kun, but no more. You talk of fate, and here you are, half defeated by a so-called loser." Neji shook his head.

"You don't want to do this, Hinata-sama." Hinata's expression changed from calm to determined.

"If you won't attack, I will!" she shouted. With that, she moved even faster than Neji had seen her move at the beginning. He took a step back, shocked. Also, her stance had changed. The Jyuken stance had somehow been altered, and it now held a more imposing form.

Naruto smiled, and his shaking stopped. "The Mizuken," he said proudly. Sakura looked at him, forgetting his attack on her earlier, and asked what that was. Naruto was so preoccupied with the battle below he barely paid any attention to who was speaking to him. "The Mizuken, or Water Fist, is Hinata's own specialized form of ninjutsu and taijutsu. She mixed elements of the Jyuken and Tai Chi to create a unique taijutsu that only she can use. It is an internal martial art, but it also has elements of external martial art, such as speed and strength. Because of the Byakugan, many Hyuga have a natural way to fight someone who is faster than them because they can see the attack coming. But with the Mizuken, Hinata has a distinct advantage because she has the same abilities of the Byakugan and Jyuken, but her style is slightly different and has different forms, so any Hyuga will have trouble fighting someone who uses this hybrid."

Hinata attacked Neji with the same technique he had used, by creating chakra needles on multiple parts of her body, something even Jonin cannot do at once. Neji ducked away, concentrating hard just to keep away. She has copied my moves after only seeing them once! Despite his best efforts, Neji was hit several heavy blows that not only damaged his tenketsu, but also his muscles and bones. This triple attack was more crippling than he could have imagined.

"The Mizuken has multiple attack capabilities, which is a disadvantage to anyone who comes across it," Naruto said. "Once Hinata comes in close to her opponent, she sticks to them like glue. That was one reason why she increased her speed. As you can see, Neji is trapped. He cannot get away from her, and soon he shall be defeated. Neji heard this and snarled. It was true. Hinata would not let him catch his breath, and he could feel himself tiring quickly. He needed to use that technique to give him some space. He released a burst of chakra from every part of his body and started spinning. Hinata saw this and instantly knew what he was doing. The Hakkeshō Kaiten, or the Eight Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin. She had perhaps five seconds before the Kaiten was complete and she would be pushed away, and so she began her own jutsu. She gathered a large amount of chakra and expelled it behind herself. She then directed it using her arms and rose it into the air, like a storm's wave. She then thrust it forward until it came within an inch of Neji's growing Kaiten. She made the chakra wave around her, the large stream slowly thining with each revolution until it was a dense and compact layer on her right hand. All present murmured as they saw that Hinata's jutsu was so powerful the could actually see the glowing blue chakra on her right hand. She thrust it toward Neji's heart.

"Hakkesho Kaiten!" Neji yelled at the same time Hinata yelled, "Hakke Hira-koi Tsuppari!" There was a large burst of light as the two attacks met, two attacks that would determine who would win. Neji was shoved back a centimetre. No attack had ever been powerful enough to stand against his Kaiten, let alone move him. Neji's Kaiten battled with Hinata's Dense Palm Thrust, but it wasn't wining. It was slowing down. Hinata's corosive jutsu slowly bore a hole in Neji's slowing Heavenly Spin.

She's getting past my Heavenly Spin! Neji thought in panic, but there was nothing he could do but wait and hope. Hinata held back, timing it carefully, and then with a last burst of power, she thrust the Dense Palm through Neji's Kaiten. The jutsu had lost much chakra while getting past the Kaiten, and so when it hit Neji, it was only at half it's power. Hinata released the dense chakra in one big concentrated burst straight to Neji's heart. However, her manouevre had cost her dearly, because Neji was still spinning when she hit him, she got his full on with the Kaiten. Both Neji and Hinata went flying.

XXX

Naruto looked at the nearly unconscious opponent, hoping Hinata would get up before Neji did, or else she would lose. There was a chance that both contestants would be disqualified if they didn't get up within twenty seconds, but Naruto chose not to entertain those thoughts. Slowly, but surely, both Neji and Hinata got up, panting heavily and barely able to stand.

"I see," Hinata said, her voice still strong. "You are truly a genius of the Hyuga Arts. You were able to teach yourself Hiashi-sama's jutsu, a head family jutsu. Conratulations."

"That jutsu," Neji said, teetering on his feet. "What was it? It was powerful enough to actually defeat a head family jutsu."

"It was my Dense Palm Thrust. I created it specifically to defeat my father's technique, which it appears you have mastered on your own. I created it the night it flooded in Konoha a few months ago. The idea of a storm surge, of all that wild watery power being compressed into a simple Jyuken palm thrust was too good to pass up." Neji suddenly got down on his knees and coughed blood. The attack had succeeded alright. Hinata joined him on the ground. Her body could not sustain itself anymore. Neji's attacks had been merciless on her tenketsu and her organs. Both were near passing out.

"I see," Neji said at length, his coughing fit sudsided. "I have underestimated you, Hinata-sama. A grave error, it seems." He slowly got to his feet. "But you have underestimated my destiny too, Hinata-sama. I am meant to win, and you cannot change that. I have a newfound respct for you, Hinata-sama, but I know my fate, and you should know yours!" With that Neji ran at Hinata, but the Dense Palm Thrust had severly affected him. Hinata saw him coming, but she was too spent to do anything.

"Hinata, move!" Naruto shouted. A moment ago he had been celebrating alongside what remained of the rookie nine, but now he was back to his tense self. He saw the look in Neji's eyes; killer intent. Killing Hinata was the only way to win, what with his much depleted chakra reserves and stamina. He closed his eyes, for the first time in his life praying. He prayed that Hinata would be alright. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Hinata was standing twenty feet from Neji. Both were panting.

"I have shown you two of my original jutsu, cousin," Hinata said, "so now get ready to see a third." Naruto let out a long breath.

"What is she doing?" Sakura asked as Hinaa performed a set of handseals very slowly on account of her shaking fingers.

"I don't know," Kakashi said. "I have never seen those handseals put together like that."

"She had once again combined the Jyuken with a foreign element," Naruto informed them. "At the moment, getting in close to Neji would be disastrous for her. One wrong move and she'll be finished. She cannot allow him to get another shot at her tenketsu, so she has to fight his using mid-range attacks. That's one of Neji's weaknesses; he does not posses many, if any, mid to long-range attacks. Watch."

As they watched, Hinata got into her Mizuken stance again, but they could feel chakra swirling around her palms and feet. Neji, with his Byakugan, saw that she had gathered a lot of her remaining chakra and was now concentrating it into her hands and feet. No matter, he would not give her a chance to use this new technique. He charged, but instantly jumped aside. Hinata had done a palm strike straight toward him and an impression of her fist made of chakra flew toward him. Jyuken at a distance? How? He got angry. She was supposed to be a dropout, like Naruto! All these new techniques, and all very efficient, deadly and powerful. How had she achieved this?

The others, not possessing the Byakugan, only saw Hinata strike forward and then Neji jump away. However, they did see the wall behind Neji crumble inward in the shape of Hinata's palm. They gasped. This girl had truly advanced.

"What is that?" Sakura asked, again.

"She gathers chakra into her hands and feet, and then discharges it in the enemy's direction. Because someone has to have the Byakugan to see the attack, it is one of the most perfect jutsus in existence. It produces no sound, no visual effect and uses little chakra, since it is similar to the Jyuken. Someone would have to be an expert at chakra control to feel this attack coming. Even most Jonin wouldn't know what hit them. She perfected it a few weeks ago, before the beginning of the Exams. She hasn't gotten round to naming it yet."

Neji cursed as he heard this. Just how far had Hinata advanced. He was losing this battle, and it was apparent. He could not get close to Hinata to use any of his jutsu. It was only a matter of luck who would tire first and collapse, and Neji did not rely on luck. He decided on his plan of action and acted. He jumped toward Hinata, allowing himself to be hit in several of his tenketsu by Hinata's chakra palms. He landed ten feet fro Hinata in a stance familiar to Hinata. She jumped back in horror, but it was too late.

"Hakke Rokujūyon Shō!" he said. The Eight Trigams Sixty-Four Palms. Hinata knew that she was finished, but nevertheless she tried to dodge the attack. Still, enough landed to render her useless and sent her careening onto the ground. The match was over. Neji had won. He went over to her, his vision starting to black out. He was utterly spent on this match.

"It's over … Hinata-sama … I have … defeated you…" He fell onto his knees, unable to support himself for longer. Why wouldn't the Proctor hurry up and call the match already!?

"Congratulations … Neji-kun … you have … managed … to master another … head family jutsu …" Naruto jumped down and ran toward Hinata.

"You did it, Hinata. You've brought down the Hyuga genius to his knees," Naruto whispered softly, smiling. Neji would have retaliated, but he no longer had the energy. Hinata smiled at Naruto, blood seeping from her open mouth.

"Thank … you … Naruto-kun." She only managed to words before energy deserted her body, so she only thought that last two words before blacking out.

"The winner is Neji Hyuga!" Gekko announced.

XXX

It was midnight. Naruto stood in the Konoha Forest. He was thinking. Things had been so fast paced recently. To think only six hours had passed before the final match of the Preliminaries. And now he had two months to train before the final stage. Hinata was in critical care at the Hospital, with all the best medic-nins available attending her 24/7. Neji had stabilised soon after reaching the Hospital, and the medics said he would be able to train within a week. Despite Hinata's growth, her father did not come to visit her. None of the Hyuga clan came, except Sanhana. Together, Naruto and Sanhana had stayed with Hinata until the medics had announced that she was out of the red zone. Naruto sighed. He had found that is heart was no longer in the world of the shinobi. Even his dream of becoming the Hokage had dimmed down. He had nearly lost someone precious to him. He had never had someone precious to him. Could he bare it if he lost someone else important to him? He did not know.

He summoned the Taijustu Aid Scroll, and then summoned the dragon armour. He also summoned the training post. He had to train. There was a lot of competition, among them Gaara, Neji, Temari and Sasuke. He had always required little sleep, so he decided to start right away. Yonbi-sama had given him a few scrolls to study for the finals, and he intended to master them in a month. He knew Kakashi-sensei would be too busy with Sasuke to help him, and Iruka-sense was busy teaching the Academy students. He was truly alone.