CHAPTER 25
Reviews appreciated, sorry for the long wait for new chapter been lazy when it comes to my stories recently.
Haku and Choji both entered the arena when asked, but Choji's nervousness seemed to pour off him in waves. Hayate proceeded to ask both if they were ready, and when they said yes he brought his hand down and started the match.
Haku grabbed some senbon from her pouch and then jumped back away from Choji. Once she felt that she was far enough away from Choji, Haku started throwing senbon at him left and right. Choji blocked and dodged the senbon to the best of his ability, but some still came through and hit him.
Haku stopped throwing senbons and started weaving through hand signs at a fast pace while Choji did the same but at a much slower pace. Haku finishing first called her jutsu. "Suiton: shock wave." Haku called.
She then spit a large amount of water out of her mouth and slightly flooded the area with her water. At the same time Choji finished his hand signs and activated his jutsu. "Expansion Jutsu." Choji said before he blew up in size. He then jumped into the air and started spinning rapidly before he then rolled at a good speed toward Haku.
Choji was slightly sowed by the water but kept going anyways. Haku seeing Choji charge at her just dodged his move as he kept coming at her. That ended though once Haku landed in front of a wall and jumped to the side but Choji was less fortunate and crashed into the wall and became stuck.
Haku took this moment of opportunity and started going through hand signs at a fast speed before she finished her jutsu. Suiton: Water Wall she called as she launched the highly condensed water at Choji. The jutsu hit with precision and knocked Choji out.
Hayate once more checked for a pulse before announcing the match. "Winner Haku Momochi of Kiri by knock out." Hayate said. Haku then started walking back to her side as Naruto came down and picked Choji up and took him to his team before healing him.
Once both fighters where off the field, the board started spinning names again. Naruto looked at the board with hope until the names came up then he gave a slight scowl towards the board. "Will Neji Hyuga and Hinata Hyuga please come down." Hayate said.
Naruto's scowl lessened as he looked to Hinata. He then moved over to Hinata and whispered in her ear. "Just so you know it doesn't matter who wins, but I want you to know that no matter what we will be rooting for you. Also I want you to give Neji hell and don't let him get in your head." Naruto said.
Hinata just smiled at him before nodding and entering the arena. Once in the arena Neji heavily starred Hinata down before activating his Byakugan as Hinata did the same. "You should just give up now, you can't hope to win against me with your current level." Neji said arrogantly.
Hinata merrily took in a deep breath before she got into a loose stance prepared to fight. Neji seeing that his taunting didn't work became angry and charged at Hinata and began a ruthless Taijutsu match against her. To all those watching the moves didn't seem like much, but those who knew how the Hyuga fought watched as the blows that came were being dealt precisely and deadly.
The match seemed to go the same for a few minutes until the two broke apart and took a moment to collect their breath. Neji then became even angrier as he looked at Hinata. "This entire match is just main house treatment. You must feel so much better than me just knowing that you are from the main house of the Hyuga clan don't you." Neji said heatedly.
Hinata merrily shook her head. "You're wrong Neji, I've never felt like I was better than anyone or above someone just because I am from the main Hyuga family. If anything I'm saddened by it because it brings others so much pain being separated." Hinata said.
Neji just growled. "That's all lies I don't want to hear your pity talk. This match will be over soon and fate will prove me the winner." Neji said before he charged once more. Once again the two engaged in an intense bout of Taijutsu.
There seemed to be no clear winner of the match for several minutes until both Neji and Hinata landed their hands on one another's chests, but after another second Hinata coughed up some blood while Neji was perfectly fine.
Neji then pulled up the sleeve on Hinata's jacket showing her arm and reveling that there were several red marks on her arm from where he had closed he chakra off at the tenketsu point. "Can you see now Hinata, from the very beginning of this match you were destined to lose to me." Neji said.
Hinata shook her head at Neji. She then jumped back once he let go of her arm and started coughing blood lightly. "You're wrong Neji I merrily lost because you are more skilled. Fate has nothing to do with our battle. I feel bad for you Neji you are blinded by your hate towards the main family that you can't even see when someone is trying to help you." Hinata said before she had another fit of coughing.
Neji blinded by his anger at Hinata's words charged at her with the intent to kill as he poured a large amount of chakra into his hand.
The metal rail that Naruto had been holding onto throughout the whole match broke under his strength as he disappeared in a burst of speed along with several others.
Hinata and Neji were both surprised when 15 other people landed in the arena with them. Guy had his hands around Neji's neck to restrain him, Kakashi was grabbing Neji's right hand while Kurenai had his left. Hayate and Asuma were on Neji's sides each prepared to strike if needed, but the surprise for everyone else was Sasuke and Naruto.
Neji couldn't even actually believe what he was seeing. Less than a few inches from his face was two clearly sharp blades, one was bright silver while the other was pitch black. The blades where being wielded by Naruto and Sasuke, but that's not what surprised Neji. No what seemed to surprise him was that they were being restrained just like he was, but to a much more extreme level.
Sasuke was staring at Neji with anger in his eyes as his sharingan blazed. Samui was hugging Sasuke tightly to herself, Tsunade and Jiraiya where holding Sasuke's hands in place and Han had his hands on Sasuke's shoulders to keep him from moving. As Samui tightened her hold on him Sasuke calmed down and lowered his blade.
Naruto was growling quite loudly as he starred Neji down with his eyes that had turned red and had a slit in them, and his whiskers had deepened slightly. Yugito much like Samui was hugging Naruto, but she also had her tails wrapped around Naruto's to try and calm him. Gaara had brought out his sand and had it tightly holding his legs while Zabuza was holding back Naruto's sword arm.
Most surprising to all that could see though was that Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage himself had his hand outstretched with two fingers pointing at Naruto's forehead to help restrain him. Once it was clear that the boys had calmed a great deal Hiruzen spoke.
"Sasuke, Naruto my boys I think you should reconsider what you're doing, should any harm come to another opponent outside a match, you yourself will be disqualified. And you Neji, the very same could be said to you, it was very clear the match was over when you struck Hinata's heart.
"Whether you were angry or not is no excuse for trying to kill a fellow leaf shinobi. Now I believe it is time we all leave and continue to watch the matches." Hiruzen said calmly. Just as he did though Hinata coughed rather loudly, and a large glob of blood flew from her mouth.
"Hinata!" Naruto shouted before those holding him released him and he ran to her side and started performing medical jutsu. Almost immediately the pained face Hinata had lessened as Naruto continued to work on her.
No one seemed to say anything for several minutes as they watched Naruto heal Hinata. After several minutes Naruto stepped aside and allowed the medic Nins to take Hinata to the healing ward. Naruto having still yet to say a word leaned down and placed his hand in Hinata's blood and then pointed his hand at the still restrained Neji.
"If I have to at any point fight you in a match Hyuga Neji, I vow to beat you within an inch of your life in the hopes that you will feel and understand the pain that Hinata went through having to fight you." Naruto said before turning his back to Neji and returning to his place on the observation deck where Yugito was now standing next to him and holding his hand and tails rather tightly to help calm any remaining anger he had.
Samui was also doing the same thing with Sasuke, she had taken his hand and was holding it tightly to calm him.
After Neji had been released, Hayate coughed and the board once more started spinning to show new names. When the board stopped spinning Hayate called for the two opponents.
"Will Chojuro of Kiri and Kankuro of Suna please come down to the arena." Hayate said. The two then came down and stood apart from one another.
When Hayate asked if both contestants were ready and they both said yes Hayate brought his hand down and started the match. Once the match started Kankuro jumped as far back as he could to keep some distance between himself and Chojuro.
Both boys then stayed in one spot and continued to watch one another until Chojuro made some hand signs and then raised one hand in the air. Suiton: Hiding in the Mist Chojuro said quietly. A large dense mist then started to settle over the arena and blocked almost everyone's sight.
"Using that jutsu and going for the win right from the beginning, Zabuza has defiantly been training him." Naruto said aloud. Sasuke merrily grunted next to him as he watched the fight to the best of his abilities with his sharingan and Naruto just feeling out the battle through chakra.
Through the mist those watching the match heard a few metal clinks then what sounded like wood breaking before the mist started to disappear. When the mist was fully cleared it showed Chojuro holding Kankuro's hands behind his back with a kunai at his neck.
But, a few feet away from them was the broken pile of wood that was previously Kankuro's puppet. The match was then quickly announced and Chojuro released the kunai and then apologized to Kankuro for breaking his puppet.
Naruto only chuckled slightly at Chojuro's ever present shy but good hearted nature. Once the two boys cleared the field, Hayate coughed again and started up the name board. "Oh come on is my name even in the roster of names to spin." Naruto pouted again.
Samui only chuckled at her friends joke before she stole a quick kiss from Sasuke and then jumped into the arena when she was called. She then entered a stance and analyzed her opponent waiting for Hayate to call the match.
"The ninth preliminary match between Samui of Kumo and Ino Yamanaka of Konoha will now begin." Hayate said before he brought his hand down and then jumped back. Samui and Ino both stared intently at one another until Samui pulled a tanto out and charged Ino.
Ino seeing the charge dodged the blade as best she could, but she still got hit a few times and now had some blood leaking from where she had been cut. Samui on the other hand was completely unharmed, and didn't have a scratch on her.
Ino quickly went through some hand signs before ending on a strange hand sign as she charge at Samui. Samui having a good idea what jutsu Ino was trying to use kept a good distance between her and Ino until she saw an opening in Ino's guard and took it.
Samui jumped right into Ino's guard and activated a seal less jutsu and punched Ino in the stomach with her Raiton: Thunder fist. The Jutsu pushed a large amount of lightning through Ino causing her to pass out on contact with the fist.
Hayate checked Ino's pulse before announcing Samui the winner and the two girls left the field, Ino being carried by Naruto as he healed her. The board then once more started up with spinning names. Naruto smiled at the board before he turned to his girlfriend Yugito and gave her a kiss.
"Will Yugito Nii of Kumo and Kiba Inuzuka of Konoha please come down for the tenth preliminary round." Hayate said looking as bored as he sounded.