Hi! Sorry I stopped updating on here for a while - I've been using AO3 a lot more often now. If you want to read up through chapter 24 on there, you can!
I will continue to post chapters for this story on here now, but this will be the last story that I will be posting on this site. For any new stories after this, they will all be on AO3 instead.
Well, enjoy!
The stadium is crowded with spectators for the final battles, the noise almost enough to cover Naruto's anxiety ridden mumbles. Shikamaru barely manages to hold his sigh in. Having to go through these battles again is a drag, and his own anxiety is building the longer it takes for them to announce the first two people to come down. Naruto is fighting Neji first again, something Shikamaru is grateful for. If anyone would be able to change the other teen's thinking it'd be Naruto. Even with the knowledge and memories of their future - maybe those things will make it easier simply because fate is exactly what they are fighting against. Naruto and Shikamaru are going to erase the future and replace it with peace instead.
Shikamaru isn't really sure what Naruto's plan is, the blonde is still as unpredictable as before, so it could be anything. They didn't talk about it. Maybe they should have, but Shikamaru trusts his Hokage to know what he's doing. He looks to the side at Naruto standing with his teammates (teammates he hasn't properly been around in a month), and notices Sasuke looking at Naruto with pursed lips. Shikamaru is almost tempted to call that concern. It's similar to the look Sasuke gets as an adult when he's worried about something, or someone. Shikamaru didn't think telling Sasuke about his brother would change things that much, though.
"Shikamaru are you even listening to a word I'm saying?" Into whines beside him, lip jutting out in a pout.
This time, Shikamaru does let his sigh out. "Yes, Ino. You were talking about the new rare flower you got in the shop a few days ago."
"Which you would know about if you hadn't completely disappeared on me and Choji! Honestly Shikamaru, what did you even do during the break? We were supposed to have team training still, but then your dad shows up and says you can't join us. What gives?" Ino glares at him, but there's more curiosity than actual anger behind it.
"I have been training with my dad since I got to the finals," Shikamaru tells her. It's not a lie - he's spent the rest of the time up to now training with his dad as well as deer summons. His and Naruto's chakra has completely settled now, so no more exploding jutsu. Shikamaru never imagined a shadow could actually explode, but trying to make it go the usual speed with fluctuating chakra was a horrible idea. Shikaku made him take care of the destroyed tree by himself without the aid of jutsu. It was such a pain. That's really all he and Naruto did until now, was to get their chakra back under control and bodies used to the new reserves that came with the time travel. It's a good thing they didn't need more training than that, or they'd be in trouble.
" That's really cool, did he teach you any new jutsu? " Choji questions, curious.
" You could say that, " Shikamaru drawls, a small smirk on his lips.
"We will now be starting the final battles of the Chunin exams. Please take your seats. Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuga please come down to the platform," the words reach them easily. Shikamaru's teammates leave for the spectators' seats, Ino pulling Sakura along beside her with an excited grin.
Naruto swallows his nerves, walking down to the platform with Neji's glare boring holes into his back.
"Just be you, it always works," Shikamaru encourages, getting a small chuckle in response.
Naruto knows he will win, that's not even a question this time. It's just how he's going to get there that is making him nervous. Having to face this Neji again makes something sour curl in his stomach. He had considered not using Kurama's chakra during the fight again, but decided it would be better to do so. It had been a big part in convincing Neji the first time, because Naruto wouldn't go down and give up even with his pathways seemingly closed.
If it wouldn't be so suspicious, Naruto would avoid Neji's gentle fist entirely. It's incredibly unpleasant having Neji's finger jab into Naruto's skin like dull nails.
Naruto stands there, quiet for a moment, then thrusts his fist out towards the other teen. "I am going to win," the scowl on his face is determined, Naruto's complete faith in his abilities clear in his expression. Neji glares, gets into his stance to use his Byakugan, letting his kekkei genkai activate as easily as breathing.
"It won't be long before you realize the truth; that you couldn't hope to win against me. It is your fate to lose here, Naruto Uzumaki," Neji says, his voice blank of emotion. It grinds on Naruto's ears, making him want to cringe away.
Naruto lets his hand fall though, not responding back to the words. He has to focus on this fight, and nothing else. Not Shikamaru, nor the upcoming ambush, or even Sarutobi's death in a mere few hours. Naruto swallows down all of that, everything he has in memory of Neji in the future and stares down the Neji in the there and now. This is the moment that matters, and Naruto has to put every emotion he has available into opening Neji's eyes to the truth. That the only fate that is true, that matters is the fate that is held in your own two hands. The fate that you mold and change yourself every second of every day. Naruto and Shikamaru are living, breathing examples of changing fate and Naruto is going to prove it without getting severely injured this time.
"You know, you talk a lot about fate and destiny and life being predetermined at birth," Naruto starts, making a single hand sign for Kage-Bushin. As ten clones pop into existence, he continues talking, letting his heart slow down in his chest. "And I get it. I really do. I could have grown up with a similar mind-set, if it weren't for my precious people. But I just can't agree with you, no matter what. I am going to win, and show you that none of that is true. You can change your fate, destiny or whatever. I am going to win, and then I am going to become Hokage in the future."
"Don't lie to yourself. You can try as hard as you like, but your defeat is imminent," Neji says, just before the clones run at him. They go in different directions, kicks and punches aimed to be thrown. None of them connect, instead they turn into puffs of smoke, Neji having barely moved from his spot as he dispells them.
"You want to be Hokage? Be realistic. You will never be strong enough, you're not one of the few chosen at birth to reach that seat in the village," Neji continues once the clones are all gone, calm as he was at the start of the fight.
Naruto creates a larger number of clones, letting them surround him. Neji can't tell which one is the real him - Naruto had done this exact thing the first time they had this fight. Really, Naruto doesn't plan on changing much of what he had done originally since it had worked rather well. As long as he keeps his focus and doesn't let his mind wander, Naruto is certain he will be okay. At least, until he can relax again and everything floods back. At least Shikamaru will be there when it does. He has the clones rush towards Neji again, having one stay back for Neji to hit. Naruto hides in the crowd of bodies, watching as Neji jams his fingers into the clone's shoulder, blood immediately being choked up and falling from the clone's mouth.
Neji is smirking at his accomplishment of hitting his target, backing up slightly. "It's useless. You made it obvious by staying back while the others attacked."
"That was the plan," Naruto tells him, while he and the last clone converge on Neji. The Hyuga scowls, and Naruto braces for impact against the teen's Rotation defense. Naruto feels a faint twinge of pain, but it only lasts for a few moments before Kurama starts healing him. Naruto sends a grateful mental nudge in the foxes direction then stands up. He feels Kurama shift in the back of his mind, preparing for the next attack that will close up all of Naruto's tenketsu. Naruto has to mentally prepare himself for the inevitable pain that accompanies having this chakra routes blocked. While he knows he won't really be injured for longer than a few minutes, it is still going to hurt.
"You are now within reach of my eight-trigrams. This fight is over, as fate determined before you even stepped into the arena," Neji bends his knees into a shallow crouch, hands outstretched and flat. "Gentle fist, eight-trigrams, 64 palms."
Naruto sucks in a deep breath, watching as Neji dashes forwards and hits his first tenketsu, the chakra paths underneath Naruto's skin closing tight.
As Shikamaru watches the fight play out nearly verbatim, he forces himself to flinch when Naruto goes flying away from Neji's attacks. It makes sense, logically - the way Naruto won the first time was enough to get Neji on the right track and begin to open up properly and treat Hinata like he should have been all along. It doesn't make the ordeal pleasant to watch a second time though.
"Do you know what his plan is?" Gaara suddenly says from behind Shikamaru, nearly startling the teen.
Shikamaru frowns, cursing Gaara's silent footsteps and his own distraction by the fight below. "He's doing as he did before," is what Shikamaru says in response. He ignores the confused looks aimed at them from the others, only Temari and Kankuro calm as they stand on either side of their brother. The hardest looks to ignore though are coming from Sasuke and Lee, especially with one of them being more of a glare than anything. Shikamaru sighs heavily, eyes remaining trained on the battle.
Naruto is crouched over on himself, body shaking. Shikamaru is pretty sure Kurama has taken away the pain of the injuries, but hasn't outright healed them yet - it would be too early to do that. Neji needs to talk about his past first, about his father being killed and the seal forced upon the foreheads of every branch Hyuga.
Gaara makes an understanding grunt behind him, which Shikamaru doesn't pay much of any attention to.
"What are you planning for our fight? Since Dosu dropped out," Temari asks, genuinely curious and hoping to have an idea what to be prepared for. She isn't stupid, Temari knows she's been pitted against someone dangerous. Someone who helped Uzumaki fix her little brother's seal. Neither her or Kankuro have any idea how they knew about that, or why they fixed it to begin with. Gaara has been tight-lipped about everything besides Naruto housing the nine-tails. Temari and Kankuro had come to a semi-unspoken agreement not to push for answers. They are still trying to get used to Gaara being human to want to risk him going back to killing people because they looked at him.
Shikamaru smirks at the question, but doesn't turn away so she can see it. "That would be telling."
Temari heaves a sigh, resigned to probably losing her match against the boy. Kankuro snorts to her left, Temari shooting him a withering glare. Kankuro quickly slaps a hand to his mouth to hide his grin, but is only slightly successful. Rolling her eyes at him, Temari looks down at the fight again, though Uzumaki and the Hyuga kid are just standing there talking still. It looks like they are probably about to fight again though.
Shikamaru frowns when Naruto is once again roughly thrown back by Neji's hand, but the blonde quickly gets back up and begins talking again. He's glad this fight is coming to an end soon, and part of Shikamaru is actually looking forward to going against Temari again. Even at this age, the woman is a force to be reckoned with, and extremely good with her fan.
"Since when were you friends?" Sasuke asks, the words so unexpected Shikamaru finally glances from the fight to look at the boy beside him.
"Huh?" Shikamaru grunts.
"I said since when were you friends?" Sasuke growls, frowning as he glances between Shikamaru and the siblings behind him.
"A month ago, I guess," Shikamaru says, voice tilted up into a question towards the end. He adds in a small shrug just for the hell of it, almost smirking when Sasuke's frown deepens.
"It's been almost a month," Kankuro corrects him, sighing. Sasuke turns his glare on the older teen instead.
"Shouldn't you be in a spectator seat?" Sasuke's tone is demanding, like the teen is out of the patience he never had to begin with.
"Pft nah, this area has a better view anyway," Kankuro grins, gaze sliding towards Gaara whose face remains blank. Kankuro hopes he gets better at reading his brother's emotions, because the blank expressions still make him nervous.
Shikamaru groans softly at the bickering going on between the others, focusing back on the battle. His gaze lands on a dirty Naruto, the blonde frowning as if in thought. It seems he's about to have Kurama join, then.
"Because someone told me I was a failure, that's why!" Naruto growls towards Neji, half of his attention inwards with Kurama.
"Are you ready?" Naruto asks the fox, who has stood up in his mental space, shaking his fur after laying down for so long.
"Always, Naruto. I'll open your pathways in five seconds," Kurama answers him.
Naruto turns his full attention back on Neji, who's standing a little ways away now. Just as Naruto feels the blood red chakra run through his body, he is aware of Neji's pure shock as the teen watches his pathways open back up with the new chakra. Naruto is sure the entirety of the stadium is swathed in the feel of Kurama's overwhelming power, in the few seconds that they let it go. This time Kurama reels it safely back in, leaving enough to fill Naruto's chakra reserves with as much as he regularly has.
"What -" Neji almost stutters over the word, overwhelmed by the sudden change. Naruto smirks at him, teeth now longer and sharpened into the small fangs of a fox.
"Remember that conversation we had in the Forest of Death? When I told you about my own demon," Naruto says, watching as Neji's eyes widen with realization. After a moment, Naruto leaps into the air, now faster than he was before, and Neji has trouble following his movements. The two clash in a fast, close range, attack with kunai, until Naruto put some distance between them again.
Gathering up chakra into the palm of his hand, Naruto prepares his third jutsu to be shown during these exams. "I may not understand the tragic destiny of your clan, but if you think it's inescapable then that's fine. Stop fighting it, if that's the case! However, when I become Hokage, I will change the Hyuga clan and get rid of the caged-bird seal that's etched into your skin!" Naruto vows, voice sturdy and sure with every word. He will keep this promise, he won't fail again. Naruto never even got the chance to go through with the words last time because he was made Hokage in the middle of the war and by then the seal was one of the last things on anyone's mind.
As he talks the wind around them picks up, swirling in a small storm as the chakra continues to gather in Naruto's hand, the chakra bright red and angry looking. At least to spectators who know and understand who's chakra it is - to Naruto, the color is inviting and friendly, and full of support as well as deep bonds. It swirls faster and faster until it forms a solid sturdy ball of pure energy in his outstretched hand, then stabilizes and the wind dies down to a gentle deceiving breeze.
Neji's eyes narrow at the weird jutsu, preparing himself to shield his body with Rotation again.
"Rasengan!" Naruto shouts, leaping towards Neji and thrusting his hand out at the last moment. Naruto aims above the teen's shoulder, not wanting to do major damage to him, just knock him out, but as the ball connects with Neji's Rotation, there's an explosion that throws the both of them in opposite directions. Neji collides with the wall, a resounding twack echoing in the arena while Naruto slides across the ground, body flopping with each bump. Naruto catches himself after a moment with clawed fingers, Kurama quickly heals any damage as he stands back up.
Naruto jumps back to the middle of the arena, knees bent and fists ready for a counter attack. None come though, and once the rest of the dust settles around them, Naruto sees Neji's slumped body leaning against the wall he crashed into, a small dent the shape of his body left behind. Naruto cringes; Neji must have gotten the brunt of the backlash from the attack since it was all focused on the other teen.
The stadium is deathly silent, no one wanting to make a move in case they miss when, or if, Neji gets back up. After a minute of waiting and no movement is forthcoming, Genma walks over to check on the boy before walking back to stand near Naruto.
"Neji is unconscious and unable to continue. The winner is Naruto Uzumaki!" Genma says clearly. After another second of silence, the audience finally breaks out in a mixture of cheers and boos, all shouting various words at Naruto.
Naruto leaves the arena with a carefree grin and a hop in his steps, though neither reach the ache in his chest. There's still more battles to get through, and this was just one step closer to the ambush.
But also one step closer to finding Tsunade and going to Uzushio.
