Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…

Finally the big match starts. Enjoy…

Chapter 29 – Game day…

Naruto, Hinata, Hiashi, and Hanabi meet Kiba, Shino and Tenten on the way to the stadium. Hinata was holding Naruto's hand. This caused Kiba to give Naruto and Hinata a hard time. They both just blushed and said nothing, Tenten blushed also. Hiashi just smirked at the teens antics. Hanabi looked at them and just did not understand what was going on so she acted like what she thought a Hyuga should act like, quiet and stoic like Shino.

When they got to the stadium, Naruto was looking depressed. Shino entered while the others went into the stands. Hinata looked at Naruto and gave him a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. Naruto looked at her quizzically. She then gave him another kiss on the cheek, "For luck." This caused Naruto to grin from ear to ear.

She then looked him in the eyes, "Naruto-kun I know you can do this. I know you are not sure right now but you can do it. You are strong, and you help others become strong." She blushed, "You helped me become stronger. You are someone who will do great things Naruto-kun. Never forget your nindo 'You never give up.' And you will do fine." She kissed him on the cheek one last time. "I will watch you Naruto-kun. I know you are angry at Neji niisan, but please just open his eyes."

"Sure maybe I can knock some sense into him. Oh thanks for all the information you told me about Neji." Hinata nodded. "I did wonder why he was so angry at you. Maybe I can help him with his anger. Good bye Hinata-chan." Naruto said as he went into the contestant area.

A few hundred meters away Neji was standing by a tree watching the scene play out. "You understand what you must do?" A voice said from behind the tree, Neji nodded. "He must die, or all is lost. He will taint the clan and destroy all that has been worked for. But you must make him suffer also as he has smeared the reputation of the Hyuga clan. I am counting on you."

Neji nods, "I understand. Now I must enter the stadium. Enjoy the show." Neji then entered the stadium.

Neji moved next to Naruto as Shino took his place farther down the contestants. Noticeably missing was Sasuke and Dozu. Hayate was coughing as usual but then said he had an announcement, "There has been a change in the lineup. Please take a look at the new order for the matches." Only Temari and Shikamaru were surprised by the match lineup as Dozu was now missing. "Ok now that we have most of our competitors here we shall begin. May I have Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuga please remain here? And the others please take your place in the observation box?" The others left the arena area. "Naruto, Neji are you both ready to begin?"

Neji looked at the proctor, "Proctor I am going to wipe the existence of Naruto Uzumaki from the face of this world. Do I make myself clear?"

Hayate looked shocked at this statement. "Neji, the rules are as follows. You will continue to battle until either your opponent is either incapacitated, dead or I call the match. You WILL stop when I call the match or you will be disqualified. Do 'I' make myself clear Neji?"

Neji smirked, "Perfectly." He turned to Naruto, "You know you have the worst luck, you have to face me. It was your destiny to lose. Once it was decided that you would face me your destiny was set. Now I will relieve your suffering and your miserable existence. Do you have anything to say?"

Naruto frowned, "Neji I know of your pain." Putting his fist up directly at Neji, "What you did to Hinata was unforgivable. I am going to beat you like a drum. Maybe you will learn something, maybe not."

Neji was incensed, "Pain? Pain? What do you know of pain? Pain and suffering. Let us end this now, for you know nothing about me." He moves into his stance.

Naruto just nods to Hayate, "You may begin!" Hayate yells as he backs up from the both of them.

Up in the stands Hinata and Kiba find a place away in the general stands.

"You know he is out classed by Neji?" Kotetsu said.

"Well what did you expect Naruto was the last in his class? He barley passed, now he is up against a genius, he has no chance of winning. I will bet you this will be over quick." Izumo replied.

Hinata looked at the two chunin "How dare you judge him!" Both looked shocked that the usually quiet Hinata Hyuga spoke up, and for Naruto of all people. "He is strong, stronger than you may think. Now shut up and watch the match."

Kiba just chuckled at this, knowing Hinata's feelings towards Naruto. 'You screwed up, and you should not judge a book by its cover, Naruto is possibly the strongest we have down there.'

Izumo finally no longer stunned replied, "We are sorry Lady Hyuga, and we did not see you there. We meant no insult towards Naruto. It is just we have heard of both of their matches. We know Neji was not kind to you and Naruto had an easy time with the Yaminaka girl. We will try not to disturb you further." Both bowed their heads in respect.

Naruto smiles, "Here is a tried and true way of showing of my abilities." He made a hand sign, "Shadow clone jutsu." There were now ten Narutos. "Are you ready Neji? Because we are!" The Narutos said in unison as four take up positions around Neji.

Back up in the stands Kotetsu smiles, "Shadow clone jutsu. That is a jonin level jutsu, who knew he could use that. This may be more interesting then we first thought."

Back in the arena Neji shifts his stance some. "You would use clones to distract me? How naïve."

One of the Narutos comments, "Use your Byakugan, these are not clones they are shadow clones. They pack a little bigger punch."

Neji activates his Byakugan and to his surprise all the Narutos have chakra coils and physical substance. 'This may be a problem.' "This is an interesting trick but I will figure which one you are and then kill you."

The Narutos all smiled, and the ones in front and behind Neji charged. Neji pulled out a few shuriken and threw them at the other six Narutos. He then ducks the Naruto that is behind him swinging at his head. He then does a foot sweep on the Naruto in front of him knocking him to the ground. He quickly hits both with an open palm. The one laying in front of Neji is hit in the side of the head and the one behind in the chest above the heart. Both disappear in clouds of smoke.

The other two Narutos charge with kunai in their hands. Both swing at Neji who places his hands on the weapon hand of each and deflected the blows as five of the six Narutos left disappeared. Neji the strikes the two Narutos he is engaged with in the hearts they disappear too. Neji smiles broadly, "Is that the best you can do? A few clones that are not even worth fighting."

Naruto pulls the shuriken out of his arm and smiles. "Oh I can do so much more. But this is fun. Shall we continue? Shadow clone jutsu." This time fifty Narutos appear. "Ready, charge." Most of the Narutos charge.

Neji slightly changes his stance. He waits for the Narutos to get closer he then starts to spin and release chakra "Eight Divinations, Heavenly Spin." All the Narutos that hit the hemisphere of chakra disappear in clouds of smoke. Neji finishes his spin. "Now I have you." Neji runs towards a Naruto in the back of the group.

"You thought you could hide from me? I could tell which one you are. Having your clones attack me. While you stood back from combat, you revealed yourself by not attacking me." He came up to one of the Narutos and hit him square in the chest. Naruto coughed up blood. "This is over." Several of the remaining Narutos disappear leaving only three or so left. "You now are going to die."

Up in the stands, Hinata is smiling as if she knows something, but Kotetsu says "That was entertaining but it is over."

Naruto coughed up blood with blood running out of his mouth, he then just smiles. Neji brings his hand back and smashes his palm into Naruto's skull, "You die." He hears a satisfying pop behind him. Then the Naruto in front of him pops and turns into a cloud of smoke.

Neji quickly adjusts his stance. "A ninja should see underneath the underneath. How could you believe that I would hold myself back and not attack you myself?" The two remaining Narutos are charging. Both Naruto connect to Neji's jaw but seem to have no effect.

Neji suddenly let out a lot of chakra and started to spin saying, "Eight Divinations, Heavenly Spin." The hemisphere of chakra throws Naruto away and disperses his last clone. Neji stops spinning and changes his stance, "You are within range of my attack." Neji comments as Naruto gets up. "Eight Divinations, Sixty-Four Palms." Neji quickly moves to Naruto and starts to hit his chakra points. "Two palms, four palms, eight palms, sixteen palms, thirty-two palms, sixty-four palms." Neji says as his last round of strikes hits Naruto sending him flying backwards.

Naruto feeling a little woozy starts to get up. "It is no use I have closed off all your chakra points." Neji arrogantly says with a smirk. "Now shall we talk about pain? You have no idea what it is like to have pain." Naruto coughed and then laughed as he his pulled himself up to one knee. "You do not know what it is like to carry a mark that you can never wipe away."

Naruto again coughed as he stood. "If this is a speech about how you have been wronged and you are more worthy of being in the main branch, then save it. I know about the curse seal you carry, and that all of the side branch members carry." Naruto's face contorted in rage. "As for pain, I know more than you will ever want to know about it. Like you tried almost a month ago. You are the latest in a long line of people who hunted me most of my life. When was the last time you have been attacked for no reason with the intent to kill?"

Neji looked shocked at Naruto, "Why would you know about the curse seal? And what do you know about my father?"

Naruto's breathing steadied, "I know your father died to protect his brother, for the incident which I tried to protect Hinata-chan. As for the Caged Bird Seal, I know that it is put on the branch members and use it to control them."

Naruto looked sadly at Neji, "I also know it can cause extreme pain all the way to death if activated." Naruto expression changed to anger, "Several of the council members use it as a way to control the branch members. I also know you got yours when Hinata-chan became three. The day Shikamaru and I were attacked and nearly killed. I also I nearly died protecting Hinata-chan later that very evening."

"I also know you got the seal because your father was born after Hiashi-sama."Naruto continued, "I also know you blame Hinata-chan for this, a thing she had no control over. She maybe heir but you are supposed to protect the main branch not kill them."

Naruto smirked, "You also called foul when I stopped you from killing her in the preliminaries. You said she was being protected because she was from the main branch, having special privileges." Naruto spit on the ground in front of Neji. "Give me a break, I was just protecting her, she is dear to me. You want to know about privileged?"

Naruto anger was started to come to the surface. "You got a pass for attempted assassination of me, trying to eliminate me from the exams. You suffer only a week of restriction. I got a week in the hospital with a week of light training. So because of your actions I got about two weeks of training while you got three. Now tell me you did not make out better on this deal? And what do you suffer from with this attack? Nothing! You made me suffer for your arrogance! Now you will pay!" Naruto took a stance to focus his chakra.

"That will never work. I closed all of your chakra points. You are right that I was given light discipline for my actions. You seem no worse for the wear though." Neji responds.

Naruto felt excruciating pain as his chakra points were forced open. Red chakra started to leak out of him. Chakra then started to spin around Naruto as nine lashing whiffs of red chakra trailed off from Naruto. "Are you almost ready for that beating I promised Neji?" Naruto said with a foxy grin.

Neji reactivated his Byakugan and then is astounded that all his chakra points were open again and red chakra flowed through his chakra system. "There is no way this can be happening. You cannot open a closed chakra point. It just isn't done." 'Have to prepare for an attack.' Neji returned to his stance.

Naruto stands as the swirling chakra slows and then encompasses him. He then pushes the quick release for his weights and removes them. "I am sorry Neji, but you need to see the light and stop heading down that dark road. I will do what I need too to accomplish this. I am truly sorry but now it is time for you lose. Understand I was ready to come in here and kill you. But because a pretty young woman asked me not too I am going to spare your life but you still need to be able to understand that I will stop you here and now. We shall begin with a lesson." Naruto vanished.

"Where did he go? Behind?" Neji turned but was kicked in the ribs sending him into the far wall. Neji hit the wall and made a crater the size of his body. He then fell to the ground. He picked himself up and looked around. "Where is he?" Suddenly in front of him was an angry Naruto surrounded by red chakra.

"Now that I have your attention, I will give you another lesson." The red chakra dissipated. Naruto grabbed Neji by the collar and threw him over his shoulder into the center of the arena. "Now let's have some fun." Naruto ran at Neji.

Neji saw Naruto coming his way and thought, 'I have to get a defense up.' Neji quickly started to spin. "Eight Divinations, Heavenly Spin." Again a hemisphere of chakra formed to protect Neji.

Naruto just finished some hand signs. "Wind style, wind barrier jutsu." A wall of wind formed around Naruto as he approached. It hit Neji's barrier and there was a blinding light as they collided. The explosion and wind released was terrifying. People in the stands closer to the actual arena were nearly blown from their seats.

As the winds blew the dust away it revealed that Naruto stood only about five meters from where he collided with Neji. Neji on the other hand picked himself up after hitting the side wall. "Still think it is my destiny to lose? You can make your own destiny." Naruto attention was averted as a kunai hit the ground near him with an explosive tag. He pushed more chakra into his wind barrier jutsu as the tag exploded.

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A/N: What is going on? How can there be an explosive tag? Find out in the next chapter. Sorry about the cliff hanger…. But it works so well in the story…