A/N: SNOW!! INCHES AND INCHES OF SNOW!! Over in England there is lots of snow! AND NO SCHOOL!! Seeing as I have a real exam in a few weeks thats probably not good but still -- SNOW! Thank you for your reviews, I miss Kari's POV too, but it's nice to see the world through Naruto, ne? Even if he is a little down. Thank you for all of your reviews, I'll get the fanart up ASAP to show my appreciation for you wonderful people.

Disclaimer: Naruto-kun and all associated with him belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Claimer: Kari, Kita and all associated with them are mine, as well as the snow. The snow covering my house and garden is mine.

Demo, Kari Doko Desu Ka?

But Where Is Kari?

He inwardly prepared himself, ready to prove himself to all of Konoha

But there was that lingering doubt, that slight apprehension

Where was his source of strength?

Naruto clenched his fist, he'd been so impatient to see her and she wasn't here yet. But why? She wouldn't miss this for anything. Even if both her legs were broken she'd drag Kakashi and Sasuke the whole way here by their ears.

Looking round, Naruto noticed Kari's opponent which he had missed before. The guy seemed perfectly calm, looking up at the crowd. Murasaki Akira…

"Sasuke and Kari are still missing?" the Hokage asked the chuunin beside him.

"Several ANBU teams are searching for them, but they are nowhere to be found" the chuunin replied. He bent down to whisper in the Hokage's ear. "They may have fallen into Orochimaru's hands already. If that is the case it will be impossible to find them."

"Wakatta…" the Hokage said solemnly. He looked round at the sound of approaching footsteps. "Oh! Look who we have here! Kazakage-dono!" The Hokage stood and motioned for the Kazekage to sit in the seat beside him. The man was taller than the Hokage with similar robes but in blue instead of red and the kanji for wind instead of fire on his hat. His face was mostly covered, only his eyes visible. "You must be tired from your long trip" the Hokage said, sitting down again and looking around at the leader of Suna.

"Iie. I'm glad the stage is in Konoha" the Kazekage replied. "Although you are still young, visiting another village would be tough on you Hokage-sama. Perhaps you should choose a Fifth soon." The Hokage laughed.

"Don't treat me like an old man now!" the Konoha leader said with a smile. "I'm still considering doing this for another five years." The Hokage stood up and approached the railings. "Then, let's begin this." The Hokage took a deep breath before beginning his speech.

"Minna-sama, thank you for coming to the village of Konoha's Chuunin selection exam today. We will now begin the matches with the ten that have passed the preliminaries. Please enjoy the matches!"

"If there are supposed to be ten, it seems that two are missing, unless you are counting that wolf as a participant" the Kazekage commented.

"There are some things that I need to tell you before the matches" the proctor said, reaching into his chuunin vest he pulled out a scroll. "Look at this, there was a little change in the match ups. Check to see who you're going against again."

Fight 1 - Uzumaki Naruto Vs Hyuuga Neji

Fight 2 – Gaara Vs Uchiha Sasuke

Fight 3 – Murasaki Akira Vs Kari

Fight 4 – Kankurou Vs Aburame Shino

Fight 5 – Temari Vs Nara Shikamaru

Fight 7 – Winner from Fight 1 Vs Winner from Fight 2

Fight 8 – Winner from Fight 4 Vs Winner from Fight 5

Fight 9 – Winner from Fight 3 Vs Winner from Fight 7

Fight 10 – Winner from Fight 8 Vs Winner from Fight 9

Shikamaru was surprised to see that his first opponent Dosu was no longer there. Did he drop out? Gaara's face darkened, remembering the last time he, or anyone for that matter, saw Dosu.

"I was thinking of defeating you right here and right now. Then, I'll have a higher possibility of fighting Sasuke-kun and Kari-chan." The Oto-nin pulled back his sleeve, revealing the metal device on his arm. A shadow blocked out the moonlight and Dosu's eyes widened in horror. "Nan de…?! What are you?!" Dosu was hit, a scream escaping him before he was smothered in smoke.

"Ano sa! Ano sa!" Naruto cried, putting his hand up.

"What?" the proctor asked, putting his scroll away. Kita jumped on Shikamaru's head and then on to Naruto's.

"Sasuke and Kari-chan haven't arrived yet. What are we going to do?" Naruto asked, while Kita whined to show her agreement.

"Maybe something happened to Sasuke-kun and Kari-chan…?" Sakura murmured from the stands, the snake of worry coiling tighter around her insides.

"If they do not arrive by the time their matches start, they will lose by default" the proctor said simply. Naruto looked back at the entrance to the arena. Where are you?

Kita glanced at Gaara while Naruto pondered. The redhead seemed more on edge than before and to be honest it scared her. After seeing him in Lee's hospital room she knew he was capable of pretty much anything. She wished she could see into his thoughts like her Okaasan sometimes could.

"Where are you going Gaara?" the Suna-nin's sensei asked as the boy slid the door open.

"To confirm my existence" Gaara stated, not bothering to look back.

He had hidden behind a large rock, listening to the sounds of fists hitting flesh. With his sand he made the third eye and sent it around the rock.

"Again!" Kakashi ordered, as Kari and Sasuke faced each other panting with exhaustion and sweat rolling down their skin. "Doushita? You can both still move!" Sasuke clenched his fists as Kari stumbled slightly unsteady on her feet. "Again. I'm not going easy on you this time and you two need to stop holding back on each other!"

With a cry they shot at each other again as Kakashi charged towards Kari, kunai in hand.

'What is he doing?' Gaara's sensei thought, looking at the smirk that crossed Gaara's face. 'I told him to avoid anything that would attract attention. Did he kill that Uchiha Sasuke kid and that Kari girl too?'

"Listen up!" the proctor said. "Although the landscape's different, the same rules apply as in the preliminaries; there are no rules. The match will only end when someone dies or gives up. But if I decide the match is over, I will stop the match. Do not argue with me over it. Got it? The first match is Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Neji. The rest of you need to go back to the waiting room." Naruto and Neji remained still as the others went to leave.

"Ganbatte! Naruto-kun!" Kita cried, licking him on the cheek and rubbing her head against his temple to show affection. "Make Okaasan proud!" and with that, the wolf bounded off after Shino.

"Oi Hinata! Here are some open seats" Kiba said motioning to two seats. They sat down and looked down at Naruto and Neji. "I can't wait to see this! I just hope Kari-chan gets here soon, she'd hate to miss this." Kiba said, settling Akamaru on his lap.

Naruto-kun… Kari-neechan…

"Ne Sakura. I understand that you're worried about Sasuke-kun and Kari, but why don't you cheer on Naruto a bit" Ino said to the depressed girl beside her.

"You're right" Sakura said with a smile.

"But then again, he has no chance since he's up against Neji" Ino said, looking back down where the two genin stood.

"That's not—" Sakura began.

"Are you sure?" Ino asked. Sakura looked away, unable to deny it.

"To think that kid actually made it this far" a chuunin said with a smirk.

"Hai, but someone who made it this far with luck alone, won't get any further. That Naruto kid, that is" his friend agreed.

"He has a bad opponent; he can't beat someone from the Hyuuga clan."

Kiba smirked, knowing the chuunin would see soon enough that they were wrong about Naruto. A soft whine pulled him out of his thoughts. "Doushita Akamaru?" Akamaru whined again. "What did you say?" Kiba gasped. His eyes scanned the area, looking for something. Doko ka? And then he found it. Behind the back row, stood a man in a mask and a black cloak with the hood up. Why are the ANBU here? Did something happen?

Naruto and Neji moved so they were standing opposite each other a few feet apart.

"You look like you want to say something" Neji said with a slight smirk. Naruto clenched his fist and then stuck it out towards Neji, reminding the Hyuuga of his vow.

"I told you before" Naruto growled. For Hinata, for Kari-chan! "I will win!" Neji silently activated his Byakugan. His eyes told him Naruto was perfectly confident in himself, without even the slightest hesitation.

I know you have good reason to not be here Ookami-nee, but I know you're watching. I can see it in Kita's eyes; I know you're by my side every step of the way.

"That makes this even better" Neji chuckled, sliding into stance. "When you find out the true reality, I will enjoy seeing your discouraged eyes…"

"Stop chattering!" Naruto growled, dust being picked up from the wind and spinning around them. "And let's begin!"

"Now, first match… Begin!" the proctor announced. Cheers erupted from the crowd, adrenaline pulsing through the air. They barely heard as the crowd quietened with anticipation, too locked in each others intense stare. A bead of sweat rolled down Naruto's cheek.

"Watch closely Hanabi" the Hyuuga head said to his youngest daughter. "There is no on else who has inherited the kekkei genkai of Hyuuga as strong as him. You're older sister does not even compare with him."

"And he's just as bad! Belittling Hinata just because she's not perfect!" Those eyes… Like the devil itself…

"Even more than Oneesan?" Hanabi repeated.

"And most likely more than you" Hiashi said. Hanabi gasped softly and turned back to look at Neji.

The Hyuuga branch prodigy adjusted his stance, sliding his front foot outwards slightly. Naruto stood their and glared, until with a sharp movement he hurled three kunai towards Neji. Catching the first, deflecting the second and catching the last kunai in the ring of the first, Neji didn't even flinch. Without missing a beat, Naruto charged.

"Baka! Who would charge in right from the front?!" Kiba cried.

Throwing the kunai aside, Neji effortlessly pushed Naruto's fist away from him with a confident smirk. Just like her, but without her strength and talent. Using Naruto's own weight, he pushed the blonde shinobi past him. Naruto went to kick him but Neji dodged and Naruto flipped some distance away. With a leap he went to punch Neji, but the Hyuuga simply smirked and tilted his head to the side. He then easily blocked Naruto's rapid assault of blocks and when he went to kick him, pushed his foot to the side. Naruto faltered and jumped in the air to send a kick at him, but once again missed.

'They fight with the same determination.' Neji observed, remembering clear as day that she would have that same fierce spark in her eyes.

Naruto went to punch him again but Neji just avoided it and shot towards him, closing the space between them. Without hesitation, he thrust his chakra filled palm into Naruto's stomach, making the boy choke and cough. Naruto's eyes widened as Neji went to strike him with two fingers of his other hand.

"Iie Naruto! He can see the tenketsu!" Sakura cried, jumping out of her seat. Naruto's fingers pressed into Naruto's shoulder sending him flying backwards. Naruto rolled over, panting as he clutched his shoulder. Neji's eyes narrowed slightly.

'I missed.' Neji got back into stance.

'So if I get too close, he'll hit me at those points and I won't be able to use any techniques.' Naruto thought, remembering when Hinata fought Neji.

"Now you understand that you have no chance of winning." Neji said blankly.

"Heh! That was just a test to see how strong you are" Naruto said with a smirk. He stood up looking confident. "The real battle begins now, dattebayou!" Naruto formed a familiar hand sign and concentrated his chakra. "Kage bunshin no jutsu!!" At once four clones appeared around him in a square.

"What an interesting guy" the chuunin beside Hinata commented.

"The Kage Bunshin is a Jounin level technique" his friend cried. "I didn't know he could use it."

"Now we don't know who'll win." The chuunin said with a smirk as all of the clones pulled out a kunai.

'Kage Bunshin? I see. If the chakra is distributed equally among the replications… even my Byakugan cannot tell which is the right one.'

"But there is only one real one" Neji said with a smirk.

"Heh! Don't act so tough dattebayou!!" the Narutos' cried.

"Come if you wish!" Neji challenged.

"It's useless…" TenTen said. "In front of Neji's defence, he isn't offence only" TenTen said with a confident smile.

"Oi!"

"Don't…"

"Underestimate…"

"Me…"

"NEJI!"

The clones shouted one by one, oozing confidence. Four Naruto's charged towards Neji while one hung back. Neji jumped and pushing down on two of the Naruto's backs, he flipped into the air. He deflected the next two Naruto's with ease, pushing their kunai away from him. Another Naruto went to kick him and for a moment it seemed as thought the hit had landed.

"He got him!" Sakura cried.

"What a fool…" TenTen said smirking. Neji had jumped at the last second and leant backwards, Naruto's kick missing by an inch. Neji flipped and landed easily.

"Chikusho! We'll get him on the next try dattebayou!" A Naruto exclaimed. Two Naruto clones ran at Neji and the Hyuuga jumped and folding his arms close to his body spun in mid air. He caught one clone on the crown of the head with his heel and the other in the jaw. There was a poof of smoke two more clones ran at him. He pushed them forwards then struck both with a palm. The two clones disappeared in a cloud of smoke beside the Naruto that had been hanging back.

"He… has eyes in the back of his head too?" Naruto whispered as Neji defeated the last clone that was laying on the floor.

"Become Hokage ka?" Neji said with a mocking smirk. "You can't like this." Naruto grit his teeth. "I can figure a lot of things with these eyes. You're talent is determined when you're born. In other words, everything is predetermined at birth." Naruto clenched his fist.

"Nande? Why do you have to label things like that dattebayou temee!?"

"Then are you trying to say anyone can become Hokage by trying hard?" Neji asked. "Only few are chosen to become Hokage. Look at reality closely! Those who become Hokage are born with that fate. It's not something that you can become because you want to. It's already determined by fate. People are different. They can only live in the indisputable flow of life. But there is just one fate that everyone possesses" Neji closed his eyes for a moment and paused, he then reopened them. "And that is death."

"So… So what?!" Naruto cried clenching his fists. He stuck his fist out, once again reminding Neji of his vow. "I don't give up so easily dattebayou!" Once again he formed the hand sign of his trademark jutsu. "Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"

Immediately, clones charged at Neji, the Hyuuga's Byakugan sharp and ready. But just like last time, each clone was deflected or dodged with ease.

"Damn it I can't catch him at all dattebayou" Naruto panted. Neji moved like Kari, quick, flexible and fluid, but he used it for defence, while her defence was painfully poor.

"I told you that I'm not that stupid" Neji said with a confident smirk. He charged through the many clones to the one that had been holding back and struck him in the chest. "The one who attacked the least because he feared his tenketsu would be hit. The more you attacked me, the more you stood out." The clones disappeared in puffs of smoke. Neji's smirk widened. "You're the real one." Hinata gasped in shock. "That's why I told you that it was useless."

"Naruto-kun… don't lose…!" Hinata whispered through her coughs. To her surprise those, Naruto started laughing.

"I told you… not to come to conclusions on your own…" and Naruto poofed into smoke.

"Could it be…?"Neji cried spinning around at the sound of footsteps to see two Naruto's heading straight towards him.

"YOSHA!! NARUTO!!" Kiba cheered as Hinata smiled in relief and amazement.

"He was one step ahead of me, and made one of his replications stay back?" Neji murmured in shock.

"I've been attacking you with everything I had!" Naruto cried going to punch Neji in the cheek but was stopped by a blue glow of chakra. Naruto and his clone were repelled when Neji span, his chakra pushing them away. The clone disappeared and Naruto crashed to the ground as Hiashi's eyes widened in realisation.

"That's…!" A small crater had formed around Neji, the earth worn away by his chakra. Neji straightened up, looking down at Naruto.

"What was that?" Naruto asked as Neji smirked at his question.

"Did you think you had won?" Neji asked. Naruto scowled and forced himself to sit up.

"Nan de?" Ino asked confused.

"Naruto's punch hit him!" Sakura cried.

"That's…" Hinata murmured in shock.

"Kaiten…" Hiashi said, his hand clenching his kimono.

"Don't underestimate me!" Naruto cried, jumping to his feet and creating six Kage Bunshin. The Naruto's surrounded Neji while TenTen smiled and shook her head.

'Neji's Byakugan's maximum field vision is almost 360 degrees. And he detects all enemy attacks within it. That's where Neji's defence mechanism begins, the Hakkesshou Kaiten.'

The Naruto's charged and Neji's body glowed a dim blue as he focused his chakra. In a rapid spin he sent all the Naruto's flying, the clones disappearing in puffs of smoke.

'The moment he is attacked, he releases an enormous amount of Chakra from his body's Chakra holes. He intercepts the enemy's attack with the Chakra, then spins his body like a top to parry the attack.'

TenTen smirked, remembering the amount of times Kari struggled to find a way to beat Kaiten, sadly she always failed.

'Normally, controlling the amount of chakra released from the chakra holes is hard, and even a Jounin can only release a small amount from his hands or feet for a special move. But Neji, who has mastered the Jyuuken, can release Chakra from his entire body and completely nullify physical attack with his Chakra's centrifugal force. In other words, its power is even greater than Gaara's and is another type of absolute defence.'

"But that is father's…!" Hanabi gasped turning to Hiashi in hope of answers.

"The Kaiten is a Hyuuga technique that is only passed down to Hyuuga successors… In other words, those from the Head family. But he came up with the move by himself? What a guy… I didn't expect him to be this talented…"

"It's too early to be surprised, Neji hasn't shown his true powers yet" TenTen sighed.

"Chikusho…" Naruto whined, rubbing the dust out of his eyes.

"This is it" Neji said. "You are within the range of my Divination." Naruto stood up, watching Neji, his eyes alert. "Jyuuken: Hakke Rokujuuyonshou" Neji said switching his stance, bending his knee with one arm straight in front of him and the other behind him.

"That stance, is he going to…?" Hiashi questioned. Neji charged and span, preparing to attack.

"Hakke!" Naruto gasped he was struck twice in the chest. "Two strikes!" Before Naruto could try and understand, he felt Naruto's chakra filled fingers piercing him all over his body. "Four strikes! Eight strikes! Sixteen strikes! Thirty-two strikes!" Naruto couldn't breathe; the attacks were all coming too fast. "Sixty-four strikes!!" Neji bellowed, ending his attack and sending Naruto flying backwards, blood running from his mouth as he gasped for air.

"So a branch family member is going to surpass a head family member…" Hiashi whispered. What incredible talent… To think that a branch family member, who cannot succeed the clan, has received the Hyuuga's Kekkei Genkai so strongly. Hizashi… Perhaps you should have succeeded the Hyuuga family… Neji sighed, relaxing back into his stance. Naruto lay still on his back.

"I guess that's the end" the proctor said, walking over to them. Naruto groaned and crouched over his knees, panting through the pain. 'And Kari-chan trained with this guy? Was he this rough on her?'

"I've hit all sixty-four tenketsu in your body, you cannot stand up anymore." Neji stated.

"Kuso…" Naruto grumbled trying to pull himself into a sitting position but struggling to move his burning muscles. 'Kari-chan… The training you must have gone through…'

"It's mortifying isn't it?" Neji said, the smirk returning once again on his pale lips. You are on your knees against a power you cannot face, finding out how truly powerless you are. It is only an illusion that hard work makes dreams come true."

Hinata coughed, the stress finally getting to her.

"Oi Hinata, daijoubu ka?" Kiba cried.

"Just as I thought!" Ino whined, smacking her forehead.

"Naruto…" Sakura whispered anxiously.

The sun felt hot on Naruto's back as he laid face down in the dirt. His body was on fire, heavy and weak. Where are you Kari-chan? It doesn't hurt when you're here… Naruto struggled to lift his head, his blurred eyes looking at Neji's sandals. An image of Lee crossed his mind, standing even though unconscious. 'Gejimayu…' Hinata struggling to stand, clutching hold of her ribs. 'Hinata…' Kari blindly reaching for a kunai as blood spilled down her chin, stabbing it into Akio's arm... and then rushing between Hinata and Neji, desperate to protect her. 'Kari-chan…' Naruto clenched his fist. 'I promised you, I promised you all, I promised Kari-chan.' Naruto used every ounce of willpower and managed to struggle to stand, panting through the pain.

"This guy…" Neji said in shock. "I'm fine! I can go again!" "Like Kari…" he said in barely a whisper, that dull ache tugging at his heart at the thought of her. "This can't be…"

"I told you I don't give up that easily…" Naruto wheezed with a light chuckle.

"Oi Hinata you're bleeding!" Kiba cried in alarm as Hinata's cough became more violent.

"Doushita?" the chuunin beside them asked in concern.

"You're still hurt from that match…" Kiba said worriedly. "If Kari-chan hadn't…" he trailed off shaking himself out of those thoughts. "Hinata hold on!"

"I'll take a look at her." Kiba looked round to see the ANBU from earlier.

"Who are you?" Kiba asked.

"No one suspicious" the ANBU replied from beneath the monkey mask.

"Stop fighting, it's going to be the same even if you continue" Neji said, his eyes fixed on Naruto. "I have no grudge against you."

"Ha! Shut up dattebayou. Even if you don't, I have one against you" Naruto replied.

"What are you talking about?" Neji asked.

"Why… When you're so strong… Why do you have eyes that seem to say you know everything… Why did you mentally attack Hinata like that when she was trying her best?!" Naruto cried.

"That has nothing to do with you" Neji said, his expression hardening. Hinata meanwhile, was taken to the top of the stands and laid down so the ANBU could heal her, Kiba right behind him.

"You ridiculed Hinata and labelled her as a dropout. The head family and branch family, I don't know what happened between them, but temee like you who call other people dropouts will have to deal with me!" Naruto cried.

"Who are you?" Kiba asked again.

"It's okay, I'm a doctor" the man replied his hand glowing green over Hinata's heart.

"Very well, I will tell you since you seem to care so much. The Hyuuga's fate of hatred!" Neji said bitterly. "Hyuuga has a secret ninja technique that is passed on within the head family. And that is the cursed technique."

"Juin jutsu?" Naruto repeated confused.

"That cursed seal represents a caged bird… and also a symbol of those who are bound within an inescapable destiny" Neji said, closing his eyes and remembering his pain. He reached up and untied his hitai-ate, holding it limply at his side. Naruto's eye widened at the sight.

"Nan de…?" A green swastika like symbol was on Neji's forehead, a line on both sides of it. "That seal is…?"

"One day, when I was four… this detestable seal was carved in to me by that Juin jutsu. That day, there was a big ceremony going on in the village of Konoha. It was also the day when the country of Lightning, which had been at war with Konoha for a long time, had sent their Hidden Cloud's head ninja to come conclude the alliance treaty. But in that even where everyone from Konoha including Jounins to Genins participated, there was one clan that did not attend. The Hyuuga clan. That day was the long awaited day when the head family's successor turned three. It was Hinata-sama's third birthday."

Neji turned slightly, looking up at the crowd where Hiashi and Hanabi sat watching him.

"My father Hyuuga Hizashi and Hinata-sama's father up there, Hyuuga Hiashi-sama were twin brothers. But Hinata-sama's father, Hiashi-sama, was born first, a head family member. And my father, who was born second, became a branch family member." Neji breathed as memories swarmed his mind.

"Hinata-sama is now three."

"Congratulations."

Hinata shyly clutched her fathers robe, as though wishing to hide behind it, but then turned and smiled at the young boy in front of her.

"She's kawaii father" Neji whispered to Hizashi. His father turned to him and smiled, but the smile was sad, full of pain and regret. "Doushita father?" Neji asked worriedly, his innocent smile disappearing.

"No… It's nothing…" Hizashi relied, looking away from his young son.

"Then, I am going to borrow Neji for a while Hizashi" Hiashi said to his brother.

"Hai."

"When the head family's successor reached the age of three, I was engraved with the cursed seal, and became a caged bird; a Hyuuga branch family member." Neji finished.

"Why do they have to do that?" Naruto asked. "Why separate the head and branch families? What kind of meaning is their to that weird seal dattebayou?"

"This seal on my forehead is not for decoration" Neji said, his mind filled with his childhood once again.

He and his father sat watching the Hyuuga head train his daughter. She panted stumbling back.

"You're footwork is not good" Hiashi commented displeased.

"Hai!" Hinata cried, running towards her father again, her movements were clumsy and light, her father brushing them off with ease.

"Listen up Neji. Hinata-sama is from the head family. You must live to protect her and protect the ability of Hyuuga" Hizashi explained to his son.

"Hai father!" Neji cried, watching in amazement as the little heiress struggled in her training. Hizashi looked back at the tiny girl and his expression grew bitter and cold. His eyes seething with anger as his Byakugan itched to be activated and slowly began to show through veins at the sides of his eyes. Hiashi, sensing the intention to kill rushed in front of his daughter and made a hand sign. Hizashi screamed clutching his head in agony. He fell to the floor, his hitai-ate flying off and clattering to the wooden floor.

"Father!!" Neji cried in alarm, kneeling beside Hizashi helplessly. His cursed seal was glowing, veins on his forehead threatening to burst. His face was screwed up in pain. "Father doushita?!"

"Go home. This is the only time I will forgive that fool" Hiashi said sternly, his face blank despite his brothers cries. "Do not forget your fate." And with that, the Hyuuga head left, leaving Neji to cry and Hinata to stand frozen with fright.

"The cursed seal is the absolute fear of death that the head family gives to the branch family. The secret seal that the head family forms easily destroys the branch family's brain cells. Needless to say, killing is easy as well" Neji explained. "And this cursed seal will only disappear after my death and it seals up the Byakugan ability. The Hyuuga family has the most unique Kekkei Genkai. There are many who are after its secret. So this cursed seal means that the branch family only lives to protect the head family, and it does not allow the branch family to go against the head family. It is an efficient system to protect the Hyuuga's Kekkei Genkai, the Byakugan, forever. And… that incident occurred…" Neji closed his eyes as the most painful memory of all burned through his mind.

"My father was killed by the head family." Naruto's eyes widened in shock.

"One nigh, Hinata-sama was almost kidnapped by someone. Hiashi-sama caught up to the perpetrator immediately and killed him. He was wearing dark clothes and hid his face with a mask. Who do you think it was? It was the country of lightning's head ninja who had just signed the alliance treaty. It was apparent they came here to seek the secrets of the Byakugan. But the country of Lightning failed in their scheme and ended up with a dead shinobi. So they claimed that Konoha had broken the treaty. Of course, the relationship between Konoha and the Lightning worsened and a war almost broke out. But Konoha wanted to avoid the war and made a secret agreement with the Lightning." Neji said.

"Agreement?" Naruto asked.

"They wanted the body of the one that had killed their ninja. In other words, Hiashi-sama's dead body. And Konoha agreed."

'But father is still…' Hanabi thought confused, looking round at the Hyuuga head. Neji's grip was death-like around his forehead protector.

"And war was averted, thanks to Hyuuga Hiashi's double, who died to protect the head family… My father!" Neji's Byakugan activated in his rage and pain. "Death is the only way to escape this detestable cursed seal." Neji lifted his hitai-ate, staring at it as the sun reflected off its metal plate. "They were twins with almost the same strength… But when they were born first and second, their fates were sealed." He held his hitai-ate tightly and his Byakugan receded as he controlled himself. "And in this match, your fate was sealed the moment I became your opponent!"

"You don't know that until we actually fight" Naruto growled. Neji's retied his hitai-ate around his forehead. "I don't know how tough you've had it with your Otousan getting killed a long time ago… But you've got the wrong idea by using that alone to decide that fate is predetermined dattebayou!" Naruto cried panting.

"You're hopeless…" Neji stated. His Byakugan reactivating as he charged towards Naruto. He struck the blonde shinobi in the stomach causing him to cough and fall hard on his back, rolling until he came to a stop. "Examiner. It's over. Hn, you dropout" Neji scoffed, he turned and went to walk away.

"Don't run away…!" Naruto hissed as he struggled to stand, his body shaking. "I'm not running away… I'm not going to take back my word… that's my way of the ninja."

"I've heard that somewhere" Neji chuckled, remembering Hinata saying the same thing word for word.

"I won't lose to a guy like you, who blames everything on fate and other crap!" Naruto cried.

"You know nothing. Don't lecture me. People are born carrying an unchangeable fate" Neji said.

"Neji, you live." Hizashi said, kneeling down and placing a hand on the four year olds bandaged head. "You are blessed with more talent than everyone else in this clan. I wanted to give birth to you as a head family member…"

"To carry a seal on you that can never be removed… a guy like you will never understand what that means!" Neji shouted in anger.

"No… I understand. And so does Kari-chan…" Naruto said, clutching his side.

"It feels like your branded Kitsune-nii, that everyone can see you're different to them" Kari said, tightening her hitai-ate over her ears after a dozen or so people had commented on them with distaste. 'Hanging around with a monster' they had said. 'It's clear she's a monster too, look at the ears and tail, that creature isn't human, at least he can almost blend in'.

"So what of it? Stop acting cool" Naruto scoffed with a weak smirk. "You're not the only special one here dattebayou. Hinata… was suffering like you… Hinata was from the head family, and trying her best to change herself because no one would acknowledge her. That's the determination she had, and fought you even after she was injured. And if Kari-chan hadn't have stepped in, she would have died just to prove herself" Neji's exterior hardened.

"She shouldn't have interfered…"

"That goes for you as well!" Naruto cried, disregarding Neji's comment. "The branch family is supposed to protect the head family, yet you did that to Hinata when it was only an exam. You were trying hard to fight against fate weren't you?!"

"She's okay now" The ANBU said, finishing in treating Hinata. Her face had more colour and was less pained now. Kiba had to admit, this guy was good. "She just needs to rest now."

"All sixty-four of your tenketsu are closed. How are you going to fight now? You won't be able to use your Chakra for a while." Neji said smirking. "In the end, you are going to follow the same fate as Hinata-sama."

"Urusai! Stop talking as though you know everything with that Byakugan of yours!" Naruto shouted in frustration.

"Then show me if what you say is true" Neji challenged.

"Sure I'll beat you and prove it to you! I promised Kari-chan after all!" Naruto said confidently, despite his battered appearance.

'Kuso! Kuso! Even when I say that I feel no Chakra inside me. It feels like when I used up all of that Chakra during that training.'

Naruto gasped in realisation, remembering what Jiraiya had told him.

"You have two Chakra's inside you. You need to be able to call up the humungous Chakra sleeping inside you at any time and use it."

'Hai Kyuubi no Chakra…I'll use that' Naruto closed his eyes and looked inside himself. 'Damn kitsune! Lend me your power!' Naruto cried through the dense red fog.

"The chatting ends here. Examiner, I intend to kill him" Neji stated as Naruto felt his heart skip a beat. "If you're going to stop me, stop me whenever you want."

Naruto felt a lurch of anger, but not his anger. Kari-chan…

"Tch…" the examiner scoffed at the cocky genin. "Geez…" Naruto formed a hand sign and concentrated.

"I told you that it's useless" Neji said smirking.

'I can't lose here!' Naruto thought determined.

"I will win!"

"It's useless, I hit your tenketsu" Neji repeated.

"Be sure to come and watch me beat Neji!"

"A dropout will defeat a genius through hard work but I may be his opponent. I have no grudge if you or Kari-chan fights him instead."

"Why do you fight your fate that hard?" Neji asked, shaking his head.

"I'll win Ookami-nee! I'll win it for you!"

"Because you called me a dropout..."

"My happiness comes from your joy Naruto-kun; our hearts are intertwined and always will be…"

"And you hurt my best friend!!"

Small rocks began to rise off the ground around Naruto. The wind began to pick up and wisps of orangey-red Chakra swam before his eyes.

'Nan de…? Chakra is leaking out from him! What's going on?! This guy…! What in the… Who is this guy?!' Neji thought in shock.

"That Chakra… Can it be?" Hiashi whispered.

"What? This is impossible!" TenTen cried.

"The hell?! His Tenketsu were hit!" The Chuunin that had been sitting beside Hinata and Kiba before cried.

'That Chakra is no doubt the Kyuubi' the Hokage realised. 'When did he learn how to use it?'

The Chakra whirled around him in nine orange streaks, causing huge gusts of wind that Neji tried to defend himself against.

"Let's begin" Naruto cried.

"It's wrapping around him? What is that? Is it really Chakra?" Neji whispered. The wind died down and the streaks wrapped around Naruto, coating his body in orange chakra.

'What enormous power… I feel more powerful…'

Naruto shot to the side, his speed incredibly increased. He pulled out shuriken and flung them at Neji, who used his Kaiten to deflect them. He then caught two of the shuriken and pulled out two of his own. Naruto landed on the wall and leapt towards Neji. The Hyuuga flung his shuriken but Naruto disappeared.

'He's as fast as Kari now! What in the world is going on?'

Neji dodged to the right just in time to miss Naruto's fist and pulled out a kunai. Naruto quickly pulled out on of his own. The kunai hit each other in mid air and Naruto and Neji leapt up towards each other and grabbed their kunai once more.

"You… are confident about close combat right?" Naruto asked with a smirk. He charged, kicking up dust and rocks behind him, Neji's words ringing in his ears.

"Hokage, ka? You can't, like this. Only a few are able to become Hokage. Look at reality closely! Those who become Hokage are born with that fate. It's not something you can become because you want to. It's already determined by fate. People are born to be different. They can only live in the opposable flow of life."

Naruto picked up speed and Neji readied his kunai.

"I don't know about the Hyuuga's fate of hatred but if you think it's impossible don't do anything!" Naruto shouted as Neji prepared for Kaiten. "After I become Hokage…" Their attacks collided causing a flash of bright light. "I and Kari-chan will change Hyuuga for you!"

There was a huge explosion from the impact of their chakra, dust and rocks flying everywhere within the arena. The crowd hung on the edges of their seats, desperate to see what had happened.

'What an enormous amount of Chakra… That kid used a huge amount of energy there…' the proctor thought as the dust began to clear. There were two furrows where Neji and Naruto were, both of them buried by the dirt they had disturbed by their attacks.

"Which one is Naruto?!" Sakura cried.

"I don't know that!" Ino cried.

Neji pulled himself out of the ground and coughed, trying to get the dust out of his eyes. TenTen sighed in relief and Neji struggled to walk over to where Naruto was. He panted, sore and exhausted and looked down at Naruto's smoking unconscious body.

'Neji's Kaiten works by rotating his body and parrying the opponents attack. Seeing as he charged in directly, Naruto-kun seems to have suffered the most damage.' TenTen thought. 'There is no Genin that can beat Neji. Demo, Naruto-kun, you are amazing. You made Neji get serious.'

"Dropout boy… I'm sorry, but this is reality. This truly is the end—" Neji was cut off by a sound beneath him. He looked down in time to see Naruto's fist swinging at him and catching him under the chin. Blood rushed up his throat and he coughed setting it free as he landed on his back. Naruto panted in exhaustion as blood dripped from his broken fingernails.

"M-my body…!" Neji cried weakly. Naruto's clone disappeared in a puff of smoke.

'He left a Kage Bunshin in the hole and dug his way to victory' the proctor thought with a smile, looking at the hole underneath where the clone had been. 'Although beaten, he believed in victory and kept thinking of his next move. The power to believe in yourself... that will become the power to change fate. He knows that, and he knows it instinctively.'

Naruto walked over to where Neji lay.

"You made a Kage Bunshin in that situation? You're favourite technique, ka? I was careless" Neji said weakly.

"I've failed three times in the academy finals. Unluckily the jutsu that was given in the finals was always… the ninja technique I hated most." Naruto paused for a moment. "The Bunshin no jutsu was the technique I sucked at. Stop complaining about fate and how it can't be changed. You're different from me, you aren't a dropout. And to Kari-chan… you're considered an important person."

Neji looked up at the sky to see a bird flying directly overhead. The proctor smiled and lifted his hand.

"Winner; Uzumaki Naruto."

The crowd screamed and cheered with delight. Kita rushed out of the waiting area and up to Naruto her tail a whizzing blur as she jumped into his arms almost knocking him over.

"Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun!" she whispered. "You did it! You won for Okaasan!"

"YATTA!!" Sakura cried in delight. The crowd all applauded Naruto, who finally realised that they were clapping for him.

"Yeah!!" Naruto cried in delight flashing a peace sign. He cheered and began running around in delight, Kita bounding after him in excitement.

"He still has the energy to run around… Geez he has a lot of stamina." The proctor said with a soft chuckle.

"Naruto is getting stronger and stronger…" Sakura whispered.

"He's pretty good!"

"Yeah he's strong!"

"And he might be kind of cute!"

"I'm a little envious of you…" Sakura sighed as Naruto blew kisses to the audience, Kita chasing after him. "When I see you fight, it makes me think that I should try my best too. That's an amazing thing…"

"He won? Are you serious?" Shikamaru said in disbelief. "I thought he was in the 'not-so-cool group' like me."

"'Not-so-cool group'" Shino repeated, cool as ever, but not understanding.

"He's getting all those cheers, which make him a member of the 'cool group'." Shikamaru said. "Actually I probably can't beat him. I'm in big trouble. Now I feel down…"

"He can extract the power of Kyuubi without losing himself" Kurenai said in amazement.

"Yeah, everyone in Konoha is surprised" Asuma agreed taking a puff from his cigarette.

"IM THE BEST!! YATTAAAA!!" Naruto cheered bounding up and down as Kita ran around him in circles, yipping in sheer delight.

"When captured birds grow wiser, they try to open the cage with their beaks" the proctor said. "They don't give up, because they want to fly again." Neji was taken away on a stretcher as Naruto squealed and ran around. Hanabi looked around at Hiashi.

"Father…"

"You're okay, there is no damage to your internal organs."

"It looks like you've used up most of your Chaka."

Neji was only half listening to what the medic-nin's said, more wrapped up in his own thoughts.

"You're not the only special guy here."

"Why do you try to fight against your fate that hard?"

"Because you called me a dropout!"

"Those who become Hokage or born with that fate."

Neji was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of the door opening.

"Hyuuga-sama!" Looking up, Neji saw Hiashi at the door.

"I'm sorry, but could you please leave us alone a moment."

"But…!"

"It won't take long" Hiashi said walking into the room.

"Hai!" the medic-nin both left, leaving Neji alone with Hiashi. Neji forced himself to sit up and swung his legs over the bed.

"What business do you have?" Neji asked.

"That day… I came to tell you the truth of that day…" Hiashi said.

"That day…?" Neji repeated.

"Back then… I was planning to die" Hiashi said looking lost and depressed.

"What're you… What are you saying?!" Neji cried in rage. "My father was killed in your place!" Hiashi pulled out a scroll from his kimono and held it out towards Neji.

"This has the truth of that day written in it." Hiashi said.

"It just has excuses convenient for the head family right?" Neji said, refusing to take it.

"You should be able to understand it now" Hiashi said, placing the scroll beside Neji on the bed.

To Neji

"This writing is…" Neji grabbed the scroll and opened it.

Neji, I only have a short amount of time left. There is something I want to tell you in that limited time.

"Something he wants to tell me?" Neji asked.

The Country of Lightning's head ninja, that tried to kidnap Hinata-sama, was killed by Hiashi-sama. But the country of lightning would not admit that the kidnap took place. They focused only on the fact their head ninja was killed and demanded unreasonable compensation.

But I did not die to protect the head family. I chose death with my own will to protect you, my siblings and family and our village.

Just once I wanted to go against the Head family and act of my own will.

And so I chose my own destiny.

Overcome destiny Neji. Destiny has to be taken into your own hands.

Neji shoulders shook as he read the last few lines.

"Father…" Neji whispered. He looked around in surprise noticing Hiashi kneeling on the floor.

"That is the truth…" Hiashi said. "I am sorry…"

"Please raise your head" Neji said, looking back at his knees. Hiashi left him in peace and finally, Neji allowed a tear to slide down his face as he smiled.

'Father. Is destiny like a cloud that floats on a predetermined current? Or is it able to get on the current that it chooses for itself? I still don't understand. Either way, we might end up in the same place. But if it is the latter, people are able to try hard to move toward their goals in life. I think I have finally found out in this battle. That those who possess that will are the truly strong ones. And father, I have only one goal. I want to become stronger, so that I will not lose to anyone.'

"And to Kari-chan… you're considered an important person."

'And her. I want to help her become just as strong, so she won't lose either.'

Neji smiled, though his smile seemed saddened. He only hoped she could forgive him.

'I've missed her father.'