Next chapter of Blood is Thicker Than Bone. A battle between Kekkai Genkai begins as Naruto finally faces Neji one on one as the crowd looks on as Jiraiya races against time to head back to Konoha and try and stop the planned attack.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
"I'll give you one chance to forfeit." The long haired ninja said. "To give up this instant and not bear the shame of a humiliating defeat." He said smugly.
"Thanks but no thanks, I've come too far to give up now." His blond counterpart said to him.
"You're a fool," Neji Hyuga said to him. "Nothing can withstand fate. Your fate is to lose here to me today."
"Who's the more foolish?" Naruto Uzumaki responded to him. "The fool who goes his own path or the fool who blindly follows orders and never questions anything?"
"Enough!" Neji charged him and aimed a blow at his chest, Naruto dodged it and avoided another jab at his head and backflipped away.
"Going for the jugular already? I see you don't want to waste anytime." Naruto said. Neji smirked at him arrogantly.
"Why should I waste my techniques and time on a weakling like yourself? I have more important things to do and prolonging this is utter foolishness." He said in response.
Naruto rolled his eyes in response. "You sound like a yapping parrot. If you where one, I got a perch for you right here, Twirl on it!" He exclaimed and held up a certain finger causing Neji's smirk to turn to a scowl and gasps and cries to come from the crowd.
Naruto looked around the crowd and let out a mental sigh upon not seeing Jiraiya amongst them. He was hoping he'd be here to root him on but it didn't look like he'd watch him fight. That was a bit disappointing he was hoping he'd be here.
(No matter, I'll still win.) He thought to himself.
Neji rushed him and attacked. Naruto dodged his attacks with his speed. He had Kimimaro and Jiraiya to thank for that as his speed had doubled from what it had been, he wouldn't have been able to dodge his attacks if he hadn't. Neji came at him and Naruto continued to dodge as he couldn't engage him in close range with his Juken.
He dodged an attack and flipped backwards into the air and threw shuriken at him. "Kaiten!" Neji shouted and spun and deflected them. Naruto did hand symbols and prepared a Jutsu.
"Air Cutter!" He shouted and fired the attack which Neji dodged and it cut through a tree. Neji then charged him and leapt up and prepared to dive down onto him and hit him in the chest. To his surprise two clones appeared in front of him and stopped his attack blocking them and held him keeping him helplessly in the air.
Naruto and Neji stood face to face and then Naruto brought his hand up and slapped him lightly across the face and his clones threw him back.
"You dare mock me?" Neji shouted in fury at him at what he did. That was an insulting move he had done, more so to hurt his pride.
"You're always talking about how it is your fate to become Chunin and how you are the strongest and none of us stand a chance against you, well it's put up or shut up!" Naruto responded.
"Byakugan!" Neji shouted and veins stuck out of his face as he activated his bloodline.
(Why are you not using my power?) A voice echoed in Naruto's head. (Use my power now and tear him apart!) Kyuubi shouted in his mind.
(The deal's off! Kimimaro wasn't healed, so I'm not using it!) Naruto responded mentally
(YOU DARE DISOBEY ME?) Kyuubi roared full of fury at him.
(You maybe an all powerful demon Kyuubi but I don't fear or obey you.) Naruto said in his thoughts feeling his anger grow. They had made a deal with Kyuubi providing the secret to healing his cousin, but Naruto was backing out of the deal refusing to go along with the Bijuu's plans. He would not let Kyuubi take control of him! Not now, not ever!
(Impudent wretched boy!) Kyuubi snapped at him. (I'll take control of you myself!)
Naruto's body started to change and for a brief moment his eyes flashed red but returned back to blue. (Shut up!) Naruto shouted fighting for control. (I won't let you harm anyone here!) He said refusing to be taken over. Unaware of what was going on he did not notice Neji charge him until it was too late and he was hit in the chest and knocked back onto the ground.
"Darn it!" He muttered to himself and got up, he didn't have the chance to block or dodge that one.
Elsewhere, Jiraiya moved through the woods, his entire body little more than a blur. He had to get there, he had to get back to Konoha! If he didn't make it in time it would be disastrous! All he knew, Konoha could be attacked this very instant! If he could get there in time, he could stop or prevent the attack from happening or at least notify the defenses so that they'd be able to nullify the attack.
Orochimaru's attack could result in the lost of hundreds of lives if he didn't make it there and stop it. He had to get there, he had to stop it before it was too late! "I got an ominous feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something bad is going to happen, I have got to hurry! Sarutobi, Naruto, please be safe!" He said as he ran using all his speed to try and stop the attack.
Back at the fight Neji dodged Naruto's attacks and thrusted his palm aiming at his chest, Naruto sidestepped it and grabbed him by the arm. Neji went to hit him with his other arm but Naruto blocked and grabbed that one as well. Suddenly Neji felt a piercing pain go into arms and he cried out in shock and he looked and saw that Naruto had extended the tips of the bones on his fingers and where driving them into his flesh. He let out a cry and tossed him off getting free. He looked at his arms and saw the markings from them. He scowled and looked at Naruto who was all business.
(Uncle wants me to be the one who leads the Hyuga to greater glory) He thought to himself (By defeating him, Hiashi will force Sarutobi to agree to have Naruto get put in an arranged wedding with one of the Branch Females as he'll need to in order to ensure the Uzumaki survival.) He remembered his uncle's words, the Head of the clan wanting Shikotsumyaku to strengthen the Clan and make them the most powerful in Konoha, even stronger than The Uchiha with the addition of the Uzumaki bloodline as well as their own Byakugan would make the Hyuga the strongest. But Neji did not feel like just being a clog in the machine.
No, he would prove to everyone here including Hiashi, that he was far superior in his style than anyone else's. Not the Kage Mane, Not The Aburame's insects, Not The Sharingan, and certainly not Shikotsumyaku. He would prove that his Byakugan was superior to everyone else's. That he, a Branch member who if his Father had been born first, would've been the Heir to the clan instead of his cousin, was the one who would lead the Hyuga to its greatest glory. Not some child with two bloodlines from an arranged wedding.
He charged Naruto and struck his attacks at him, Naruto dodged it and moved out of the way. Naruto ducked under an attack and went low to sweep his legs out from underneath him, Neji leapt over it and thrusted his right hand at Naruto's chest. Naruto caught it and blocked it just inches away from hitting him in the chest. He then snapped his head forward and head butted Neji staggering him backwards. Naruto rushed him and Neji attacked him and Naruto dodged it and grasping his arm again and using his own momentum flipped him onto the ground. Neji sprung up ineffective and so fast that few of the onlookers could tell hit Naruto six times across the chest. Naruto staggered backwards and clutched at it as he felt that one. Neji attacked him again and Naruto evaded him and forming hand symbols created multiple Bushins and charged Neji looking to overwhelm him with sheer numbers.
"Tch, how predictable…Kaiten!" Neji shouted and spun around and sent them flying into the air and they landed and disappeared into smoke on contact. He stopped spinning and he frowned when Naruto wasn't in sight.
"Looking for me…?" A voice said and he turned around and was met with a powerful fist to the face delivered by the blonde. "Drilling Bullets!" Naruto shouted and fired them at him. Neji brought his arms up to block them and they passed through him and one hit him in the arm and stuck with blood seeping out of the wound. Neji reached at it and tore it out ignoring the blood stain.
Up in the seats seated next to Sarutobi, the masked Kazekage looked on with interest at the fight. Watching on beneath his covered face at the boy who possessed the one ability he would give a thousand lives to have for himself.
Naruto dodged Neji's next series of attacks ignoring the onlookers and the cheers of the roaring crowd. The only thing that mattered right now was the person in front of him. He wasn't thinking about his cousin, Kyuubi, or anything else, the only thing that was important right now was his fight. He swung a kick at Neji who dodged it and attacked him and Naruto dodged it and leapt up and dropkicked him in the chest knocking him backwards and onto the ground. Neji instantly recovered and got up.
Sakura, seated next to Ino looked on as she watched the fight between them. Most of the crowd was cheering for Neji although Naruto did have a few supporters and gradually as he lasted longer against him he started to gain more cheers.
Naruto did hand seals and a pair of bones sprouted out of his arms and he fired them out Neji who dodged them. Naruto revealed a pair of bone swords and charged Neji and attacked him at speed that caught Neji off guard as he didn't count on him being this fast.
(S-So…fast!) He thought to himself as he barely dodged Naruto's attacks as his speed was rivaling Lee's, and Naruto unless he missed them wasn't wearing any weighted clothing or anything underneath his orange outfit. Naruto slashed at him and Neji ducked under it and went to jab him in the stomach. Naruto dodged it and swung both blades at him and Neji blocked them in just the nick of time from stabbing him in the chest. The two engaged in a test of strength as Neji tried to overpower him and Naruto tried to overtake him.
(Use my power!) Kyuubi shouted in Naruto's mind.
(I said shut up!) Naruto snapped back at him. Kyuubi growled at him in fury at his refusal. (You think I'm going to let a wild demon rampage here? Not on your life!)
Neji seeing Naruto distracted took that opening to overcome him and performed one of his signature attacks hitting Naruto sixteen times in the chest area and knocking him back.
He smirked arrogantly feeling his confidence coming back to him as Naruto staggered. "I'll admit you're better than I thought you'd ever be but it's not enough, my Juken and Byakugan is superior to your Shikotsumyaku in everyway." He said to him. "Now, I'm finished playing around. Now I'll reveal to you the ultimate techniques of the Hyuga clan. Most think that because I am of the Branch family I am limited in my fighting style but they are wrong, I've learned and mastered many of the elite Juken techniques that the Main family is only allowed to learn and use. Everyone will witness after I've defeated you the prowess of my genius and ability!"
On the outskirts of Konoha…
The bound Kimimaro could only look on helplessly as listened on. He was currently tied and bound with chains infused with chakra that a Jonin couldn't break apart.
"When's the damn signal?" He heard Raiga Kurosuki grumbling.
"Kabuto will be the one to give the signal to let us know to attack, until then we don't do anything." He heard another voice, Sakon's by the sound of it. Kimimaro tried to move but couldn't, these chains where meant to hold some of the most insane and powerful test subjects Orochimaru had, he couldn't break them, not in his state even with some of his returned strength.
He opened his eyes as he saw a large group of Sound Shinobi and Kurosuki Family gang members, also attacking from a different area would be the Suna force as well.
"Those damn idiots how could they let those punks escape?" Raiga said again Ranmaru on his back as he was referring to the Sound Trio who along with Haku had escaped and had fled. Those in charge, Misumi and Yoroi along with a minor underling where instead used as Sacrifices for their failure. "I swear I'll find and kill him after this." He muttered.
Kimimaro saw Tayuya and the redhead was quiet not saying a word. She looked over at him and turned her head back not looking him in the eyes. He let out a soft cough as he looked and saw the arena in the distance. Naruto was there, and he was unaware of what was going to happen. He only hoped was that his cousin was able to put his last words together and tell everyone what was going to happen. Then, the attack would be thwarted and he would live.
Sinking further into his despair he ignored all the sounds of talking amongst them as they prepared to attack. Wondering what will happen the inevitable moment he meets his cousin.
Jiraiya kept on moving as fast as he could go, the Toad Sannin passed through an entire forest in under a minute and to any on looking animals he was nothing more than a blur.
"Good, I'm halfway there!" He said as he continued to run out of the forest and was starting to near Konoha now. He was using his speed and chakra that he hadn't used since the days he himself was a Sensei to the Yondaime and his team. "If I can make it in time I can stop Orochimaru's attack! I just hope I'm quick enough and that Naruto will be safe!"
With everything riding on his shoulders, Jiraiya continued his fast pace, knowing that it was all up to him whether or not Konoha would survive this day.
Back at the Arena…
Naruto dodged Neji's jabs and strikes and slashed at him with a sword which he evaded. He prepared another Jutsu.
Neji's body was outlined with several flames around his body, He cried out in shock and tried to pat them away unaware that they where fake. He was unaware of Naruto charging him with a sword in hand ready to skewer him. Naruto let out a battle cry and went to stab him and he raised his head up and saw him and at the lost moment evaded him and he was stabbed in the shoulder area, just narrowly avoiding impalement. He looked at the wound and saw it had cut through his shirt and spilled blood on his shoulder.
He raised his head up and looked past Naruto and saw Hiashi seated with his daughters and the rest of the Clan. He gritted his teeth in anger at their judging eyes. No, he would not be defeated here and overlooked!
He charged Naruto and went to hit him in the heart. Naruto dodged it and swung at his head, Neji dodged it at the last second but the cloth that held his hitai-ate was hit and cut loose and his headband fell off.
Naruto's eyes widened a bit as he saw the markings of two intertwined lines on Neji's forehead.
"So that's what you was hiding all along." Naruto said as Neji picked his hitai-ate back up and strapped it on.
"Those in the Branch family who bear the Caged Bird are forbidden from ever ascending. My father wore this and now I am forced to bear this accursed seal." Neji said to him. "A cruel gift from Fate." He said bitterly. "But unlike him I'll prove I'm capable of bringing glory to the Hyuga clan! I'll start by sealing off all your chakra points forever and keep you from ever using Shikotsumyaku ever again!" He said and charged Naruto.
"Eight Trigrams!" At that Hiashi's ears perked up. "Two Palms!" He attacked Naruto hitting him with all his power. "Four Palms! Eight Palms!" He shouted as he hit him all over his body. "Sixteen Palms! Thirty-Two Palms!" Several more hits where added on as he hit Naruto all over, from his arms to his chest to his legs and to his head.
"Not even Hiazshi was able to perform that at his age." Hiashi muttered to himself. "Clearly I've underestimated Neji's prowess and learning ability."
"Sixty Four Palms!" Neji shouted and delivered thirty one more strikes to Naruto. "And now to finish this!" He shouted and doing the finishing move thrusted his open palm right into Naruto's chest which knocked him backwards and onto the ground laying still not moving.
"And that makes me the winner…" Neji said smugly. He then turned to Genma. "He'll most likely be in a coma for a week after all that. Get him to the hospital as that last one will kill him if not tended too."
"I don't think I have to worry about that…" Genma said as his eyes widened so much that Neji thought for a moment the proctor's eyes where going to fall out of his head. He heard loud gasps and shocks coming from the crowd and he whipped around.
"WHAT?" Neji shouted as standing up showing no signs of damage was Naruto. "Impossible! That could kill a full grown man!" Neji shouted in disbelief as Naruto stood before him. Hiashi and many in the crowd where shocked as well as few could stand after receiving an attack such as that.
"You underestimated Dead Bone Pulse, it's also a defensive bloodline as well as offensive. Using my chakra I can strengthen and make my bones denser and thicker rivaling that of a solid steel wall. That allows me to absorb and withstand any attack that an enemy would throw at me including your attacks just now. And I can still do this as well." He said and a bone sword sprouted out of his arm. "You think you sealed my chakra points but you didn't, I'm still capable of using my bloodline and chakra."
"This is impossible!" Neji shouted in fury as his best attack had done nothing to him.
"Everything's possible," Naruto responded. "Now I'll finish this."
Neji sneered in anger. "I will not lose to a weak clan such as-"
He was cut off when Naruto slammed his fist into his stomach. "Weak clan? Get over yourself!" He said and slammed another fist into his chest. "You claim to have all seeing eyes but you have only blinded yourselves and see only what you and the rest of your family wants to see, refusing to believe that anyone could surpass you!" He said and delivered another series of attacks and blows to him. "A man's bloodline means nothing! It is what he does with himself not what he was born with, that is what determines how strong he is!" He said as he kicked him in the side and then head butted him and knocked him backwards. "Even if I didn't have Shikotsumyaku I still would've found a way to beat you as I'm winning without using it!"
He hit him again and again and ignored Neji's futile attempts to fight back. "Get over your damn obsession with fate! It's nothing more than a load of crap! You think all is determined by something else? No! A person determines his or her own fate in life!" He said and began a series of attacks.
"It's over!" He shouted and dropped low and kicked Neji in the face sending him into the sky. He then leapt up and appeared above Neji. "Dance of the Falling Star Mach II!" He shouted and began kicking him repeatedly in the chest. Naruto delivered hard powerful kicks to him hitting him again and again. He then spun in the air and delivered a powerful kick to Neji's face knocking him out of the air and crashing onto the ground.
He landed on the ground and looked on as Neji wasn't moving as he laid there motionless.
Hiashi let out an irritated sigh and clutched a fist at the outcome and his plan ruined.
"The winner is…Naruto Uzumaki!" Genma announced after a few moments.
Naruto started to make his way back up into the stands before the crowd could respond when he heard something. Slowly the sound of clapping was heard from one individual. Naruto looked and he saw that it was Iruka Umino in the stands who was clapping. Beside him Anko Mitarashi started to clap as well. Others although a bit grudgingly slowly started to clap as well and applaud and cheer him. Naruto looked on unsure what to make of it as he scratched the back of his head as many in the stands including Sakura and the Rookie Nine clapped as slowly many in the arena cheered the fight they had just witnessed.
A smile formed on his face as he looked on.
Sarutobi smiled proudly looking on when the Kazekage stood up. "Pardon me Lord Hokage but I'm afraid there is something I have to attend too before the next fight."
The old man nodded and watched him leave.
The Kazekage exited the arena and slowly a cruel cackle escaped him. "How long before those sounds are replaced by the sounds of death and destruction?" He asked himself as he went to get everything ready.
"Our next fight was to be Sasuke Uchiha and Gaara." Genma said the proctor standing in the arena a short while afterwards. The Redheaded boy was already there. "However since Sasuke is not here we will wait ten minutes, if he is not here before that time Gaara shall win by default." He explained to the group.
"Well c'mon Sasuke now's not the time to copy Kakashi's habits." Naruto said dryly back in the stands. Due to the setup of the matches, he would fight either of them depending on who won this fight."
Jiraiya saw Konoha in the distance and grinned when everything appeared to be alright. "Yes I made it just in time! Now to hurry before it's too late and stop this attack!" He exclaimed and hurried.
Back at the arena Sakura looked on as Sasuke still hadn't appeared and he only had five minutes left.
She looked on as some of the crowd it appeared to be ready to doze off and fall asleep. Bit strange it was after how excited they where during Naruto's match. "Hmm? A feather?" She said as a bird's feather floated down in front of her. She caught it and looked at it and for some reason she started to fell tired.
Unknown to everyone in a secret area The glasses wearing Medic grinned seeing his Genjutsu take into effect. Only a few more short minutes and they would all fall asleep and go into a dream like state.
"And many of them will never wakeup." Kabuto Yakushi said with a grin looking on as his Temple of Nirvana technique was working perfectly. "Once they are all asleep we attack."
Kakashi and Sasuke appeared in the middle of the arena and looked around confused.
"Something doesn't feel right." Iruka said looking around as he saw several people falling asleep.
"Genjutsu!" Anko shouted as she noticed the feathers.
"STOP!" A voice shouted up above and they looked and saw standing at the top was Jiraiya. Bringing his hands together he formed seals and broke the Jutsu. Many of the people started to wake up not understanding why they just feel asleep
"Sarutobi!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. "We're going to be attacked!"
"That damn fool!" The Kazekage cursed seeing him. He turned towards Raiga and mentioned for him to give the signal. The swordsmen charged his swords and fired a bolt of lightning into the air which was noticed all around.
"No! Too late!" Jiraiya shouted seeing it fly into the air and exploded.
"It's time…" Sakon said seeing it. "Send word to the Suna force to strike from behind the moment we enter and engage the enemy! Burn this place and all who live in it to the ground!" He shouted and turned and saw the bound Kimimaro being forced to stand up. "And you.. You know what to do…" He said with a cruel smile.
"Attack!" Kidomaru shouted and the Sound Ninjas, Kurosuki Family, and Suna Force started their assault on Konoha.
A/N: That's it for this chapter. Review please.