Sorry for the huge delay, I was really busy. Well here it is enjoy! Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. Please Read and Review.

****** Chapter Seven – The Challenge of Separate Paths******

*******Early Morning at the South Gate*******

At the south gate of the town the eleven Genins and the only Chuunin were preparing to continue their journey. Sakura noticing the bag on Naruto's back and soon asks, "What is in that bag?" With a smile on his face replies, "Heheheh...Our rations for our journey...RAMEN!" Sakura yells at him fiercely, "You baka, I can't believe you wasted the money on Ramen!" Naruto says, "You told me I was in charge of buying the food." Shikamaru with his lazy attitude interrupts, "Lets stop the fighting, it's so troublesome." As soon as the two calmed down they started to travel once again. Sasuke looking at the map announces to the group that they should head towards the forest because a hidden ninja village would most likely be found in a huge forest.

****** On the Forest Road*******

By the afternoon the shinobis were taking a break. Neji was meditating, Lee was stretching, Shikamaru was trying to take a nap and everyone else was either drinking water or just sitting around talking amongst him or herself. As soon as the break was over they began to venture through the forest. Soon the group comes across a wooden sign. They examined the sign and it read, "Once this sign is read by tongue or thought, the challenge begins."

Shikamaru, being the leader of the group asks, "What does that mean?"

Naruto replies," Who knows, who cares, lets just move on?"

The group of Genins advanced a little further from where they read the sign and soon they all felt the thickening of air around them. Before their eyes down the path they followed, they saw a huge thick black mist floating towards them. As the mist engulfs the group they all collapsed one by one.

***** In the Deep Forest*****

Awoken from the thick mist, Neji rises up from the spot where he laid. His head was pounding from the effects of the mist. He looked around to see if any of his comrades were with him when he collapsed. The area surrounding him was too dark and was blocking his sight.

Neji thought to himself [This must be some kind of powerful Genjutsu]. Being frustrated with the lack of sight he closed his whitish eyes. He opened them and said, "Byakugan!" His eyes now became glass like and the veins around his eyes began to form. The mist was now becoming weaker to his sight. While looking 360 degrees of his surroundings, he soon noticed kunoichi lying on the floor in his fifty-meter sight. Neji approached the body of a female ninja. He realized that the body was his teammate Tenten. Standing next to his unconscious friend, he reached down and shook her, which woke her up immediately. Being startled so suddenly she drew a kunai and threw it at Neji. Being the Genius that Neji is, he caught the flying projectile with his two fingers. After realizing it was just Neji, Tenten shouted, "What the hell are you doing to me?"

Neji replied, "I'm just trying to wake you up."

Tenten being very angry continued to yell; "You could have just woke me up less aggressively, like calling my name!"

Neji not caring said, "Whatever."

After Tenten calmed down, Neji explained to Tenten that the mist must be some sort of Genjutsu the sign that they read earlier released. Neji also concluded that there must be some challenge in this forest they need to accomplish in order to find a way out. After explaining his thoughts, the mist was beginning to lighten up to the right of the two ninjas revealing a stoned paved road. Neji turning off his Byakugan decides to walk in the direction of the road.

Tenten asked, "Where are you going?"

Neji told her, "I'm going to find a way out of here."

Tenten yelled, "You're not leaving me behind!"

Following the path, the two have ended up in a circular arena. The floor was tiled with stone and the arena was shaped like a huge circle surrounded by trees. The two Konoha ninjas walked further in and soon realized they incased within the arena by a huge barrier formed by chakra. Neji being surprised by the turn of events decides to palm strike the wall of energy hoping to make a hole in it. The strike failed because the chakra level was too high and now it was fortifying them in the now domed arena. Approaching the pair a ninja in a greenish cloak wearing the hidden moon forehead protector on his forehead addresses them.

The ninja tells the two, "I am Inoji, pass the challenge and you may pass."

Tenten questioning asks, "What is the challenge?"

Inoji Replies, "You must defeat Moon Ninjas in arenas similar to this one."

Neji announces, "I'll defeat you and any others who try to stop us."

Inoji removes his cloak and reveals a light weighted brown sleeveless ninja vest with brown pants and black sandals. Inoji also was wearing the forehead protector, had short gray hair and his eyes were hazel. Inoji went into a slump position with this arms hanging.

Inoji states, "Let's go."

Neji replies, "Ok."

Neji announces, "Tenten, I don't want you interfering in this match."

With that said Tenten respected her comrade's wish and decides to stand down for this fight. Neji says, "Byakugan!" He immediately moves his legs apart having his left leg in front of his right leg and having his left hand palm facing his opponent. Now that Neji was in his Hyuga Style stance, he is prepared for battle. Neji charges towards Inoji trying to land a strike on him. Inoji turned into a blur and evaded the current attack. Neji being surprised by this backs away with a leap from his opponent. The gray haired ninja vanished. Inoji drew out a chain and sickle and tried to slash Neji in the back. Neji made a quick sidestep and elbowed Inoji in the stomach and turned around and struck him in the chest with a palm strike from both hands. This attack made Inoji fly backwards.

Inoji being astonished, "What the hell are you? Do you have eyes on the back of your head?"

Neji faces Inoji and tells him, "This is the Byakugan, and it allows me to have a 360 degree sight."

Inoji soon felt an aching in his chest. He coughed up blood from his mouth and felt pain with in himself. Inoji thought [What is happening to me?]. He recovers and attempts to stand up to fight.

Neji tells him, "You were hit by my Jyuuken. By channeling my chakra into my hands I can admit damage into your inner organs and with the Byakugan I can see your inner organs, Keirakukei, and your Tenketsu."

Inoji being wounded from one blow disappears. Neji notices from his Byakugan that Inoji was using his immense speed to run around him in a circle. Inoji being aggressive throws many shurikens and kunai at Neji. Inoji smirks and thinks to himself [That kind of attack is unavoidable after being struck from all directions.]

Neji unable to dodge such an attack turns his body sideways and puts his bandaged right arm forward. Neji shouts, "Kaiten!" Inoji notices visible chakra radiating from Neji's body from some kind of barrier and sees all of his weapons being deflected off as Neji's body spins in a circle like top. After the impenetrable defense blocked all attacks a miniature crater formed around Neji. Inoji attacks several times with his weapons and Neji's Kaiten blocked them all. Inoji studying how they were being blocked decides to charge at Neji head on. Neji seeing this prepares an attack. As Neji strikes, Inoji dodged it with speed similar to Lee's starting without the weights and ties one of Neji's legs with the chain on the sickle and sickle blade was stuck in the ground. Inoji also imbued it with chakra making it more durable.

Neji could not initiate Kaiten or dodge the attacks and was currently defenseless from his opponent's fast attacks. Inoji was striking Neji on his arms and chest with two fingers from each hand. Neji can feel chakra being drained from his body. Neji being immobilized at the moment now knows that Inoji is fast and can drain chakra, but his defense can easily be broken.

Neji draws a kunai and channels his chakra into it and cuts the chain from his leg. Neji stands tall, takes a deep breathe and says, "Come." Hearing this Inoji became overconfident and tried to attack Neji head on. As Inoji's attack was about to connect Neji releases a burst of chakra from his body repelling the attack and Neji tells the stunned Inoji, "You are now in the range of my Hakke. Jyuukenpou Hakke Rokujuu Yonshou." After being said Neji moves into his Hakke Rokujuu Yonshou stance and charges at Inoji.

Neji spins his body clockwise and connects two fingered and continues the combo. During this he yells, "Hakke, Ni-Shou, Yon-Shou, Hachi-Shou, Juuroku-Shou, Sanjuuni-Shou, Rokujuu Yon-Shou!"

After being hit, Inoji flew to the floor being unable to move or channel any chakra was now unconscious. Neji now standing as the victor was now exhausted. From the darkness of the arena shurikens flew at Neji. Neji in time reflected them with Kaiten. A dark figure appeared who was now the next opponent. Neji was now on one knee taking in deep breathes from the lack of chakra. Neji felt the effect from the draining attacks of Inoji and the excess use of Kaiten. The unknown figure appeared ready to fight. Before the figure could fight Neji, Tenten steps in front of Neji.

Tenten tells Neji, "I'm going to fight this one. You're already exhausting from the over use of chakra."

Neji deactivates his Byakugan and says, "Fine."

As Tenten prepares for her fight what will happen in this battle and what has become of the other Leaf ninjas? Find in the next Chapter!

So how was the first chapter in a long time? Please Review your opinions.

Character Inoji - Credit goes to Shadowyfigure

Jyuuken – Gentle Fist Tenketsu – Chakra points Keirakukei – Chakra Channel Kaiten – Heavenly Spin Hakke Rokujuu Yonshou – Sixty-Four Points of Hakke