Author's Notes: Hey there! Sorry for the cliffy last chapter but every story needs to have one... Trust me, it won't be an everytime occurance. Anyway, enjoy the chapter and leave a review and/or a PM. It is always appreciated and it fuels me to keep writing :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

"This will be over in a flash."

Naruto closed his eyes and focused, hard. He sensed twenty seals all around the arena. He focused his chakra to the one placed directly in front of Neji and...

"Flying Raijin Jutsu!"

XXXXXXXX

The result was immidiate. Eyes widened, mouths gasped, some poor seasoned ninja from the Hidden Stone fainted at the sight. The younger generation asked their parents 'what did that kid do?' but they couldn't answer. How could they?

The Fourth Hokage was loved by many. Even before he inherited the title from the Third, people knew Minato Namikaze was a kind soul that cared about his village more than anything. He was a legend among legends. A true prodigy. The creator of the Rasengan and the Flying Raijin. People heard his stories during the war and his nickname spread like wildfire among the nations.

The Yellow Flash of The Village Hidden in the Leaves.

So seeing that, that... brat, the child they abused with glares and hatred day in, day out...

It was breathtaking, seeing the Yellow Flash reborn.

Others reacted diffirently. Not with rage, but with pure... shock.

"What is the meaning of this?" The 'Kazekage' asked Hiruzen with wide, disbelieving eyes.

The aged Hokage was choking and coughing with wide eyes as he too couldn't begin to fathom what Naruto had done right in front of everyone.

"Hokage-dono, I demand an explanation!"

"Hohohoho... It seems that Naruto is indeed the most unpredictable Ninja!" Hiruzen replied, his full attention on the arena.

XXXXXXXX

Hiashi Hyuga stood up from his feet and stared at Naruto, Byakugan activated.

"Father, what's wrong?" Hanabi asked, concerned by her father's sudden action.

Hiashi simply ignored her and stared at the fight, sweat dripping from his forehead.

XXXXXXXX

Shikamaru gripped the railing hard and stared slack-jawed at the arena.

"N-Naruto is... I didn't even see him move!"

"Like you could if you wanted to..." Shino said in a stoic manner but with raised eyebrows nontheless.

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" Shikamaru asked.

"The technique Naruto just used... I'm positive it is the Flying Raijin Jutsu."

"What?! The Fourth Hokage's? No way!"

"Think Shikamaru. We've read about this jutsu in our books during the Academy. It mentioned instant transportation through the use of seals. I'm sure Naruto spread them all around the arena through those odd looking kunai." Shino explained calmly.

Shikamru seemed to process the information for a second before looking up and nodding.

"If Naruto really gas mastered that jutsu then this fight is already over."

Shino nodded.

"It makes you wonder though..."

"Hm?"

"How did Naruto get his hands on a jutsu that made Lord Fourth a legend?"

XXXXXXXX

"That Naruto kid is..." Kurenai couldn't finish that sentence.

"N-Naruto... how did he..." Asuma wondered.

XXXXXXXX

"S-Sensei?" Kakashi asked no-one in particular as he too stared slack-jawed at his student. The student he neglected in favor of his other srudent. Sasuke was a prodigy like Kakashi when he was his age while Naruto was the dead-last. That dead-last though, somehow has learned the Shadow Clone Jutsu in an hour. Somehow, he had managed to use the Nine-Tails' chakra and not lose himself on his first attempt during the Wave mission. Somehow, Lord Jiraiya had manged too teach that dead-last the Summoning Jutsu.

Somehow, that dead-last, knows his father's jutsu, the Flying Raijin.

Even with the Sharingan, he couldn't have been more blind.

XXXXXXXX

Naruto teleported in front of Neji and instantly punched him in the gut, the blow knocking him back a few feet and crashing him to the wall behind him, the force of the impact knocking the wind out of his lungs.

Naruto tried to straighten up but failed miserably in the process, he swayed left and right before kneeling down and clutching his head.

"This fucking headache... I hope it's a temporary side-effect..." he said as he slowly stood up.

Neji tried to get up. He couldn't. He couldn't lose to him.

"But I didn't even see him move! With the Byakugan I should..." his thoughts were cut off when he noticed another tri-pronged kunai right in front of him.

"Crap."

Naruto reappeared in front of Neji in a flash of yellow light and everything the crowd could see was blurs of yellow, black and orange.

He kicked Neji in the side of his head. Hard.

Neji felt... fuck it. He couldn't feel anything at this point. His head felt fuzzy and his sight was blurry. He couldn't concentrate on his chakra and his Byakugan deactivated. His limbs felt sore and he must have some broken ribs when he crashed into the wall. Though he could still hear what Naruto was saying.

"I was called a loser, and yet I try my hardest to improve. You were hailed as a genius prodigy, so... I can't stand it that you didn't even try to change your fate for the better. My promise..."

"Wh...What do you want?! Just leave me alone!" Neji shouted.

"You can either stand still and let me fufill my promise, or you can stand up and try to make your dreams possible."

"How? How can I believe your words after everything I've suffered through?"

"Because you weren't called a loser. You can try." Naruto offered as he held his hand out for Neji.

Neji stared wide-eyed at the gesture. He searched his eyes...

"I... will... try." Neji finally replied as he took his hand.

Naruto smiled a sincere smile and helped Neji get up from the ground as he held him up from the shoulder.

"Proctor..." Neji called.

Genma turned to look at the two genin. His face still shocked from when he first saw Naruto use the Flying Raijin.

"Uhm... Proctor-san? Hello..." Naruto waved his free hand in front of Genma's face.

"W-What?"

"Proctor, I forfeit this match." Neji called once more.

"O-Oh yes. Winner is Naruto Uzumaki." Genma said lowly as he stared at Naruto still.

The medics rushed to the scene and got Neji on the stretcher.

"He's going to be fine but he propably has a mild concussion." One of the medic-nins called.

Neji was silent, merely staring up at the sky deep in thought. Naruto noticed this.

"You seem like you want to say something." he said grinning.

Neji scoffed. "I just wanted to say... thank you."

"Huh? What for?"

"It seems like your eyes can't see one's fate. But... they can see one's soul." Neji stated in a calm voice.

And then he let unconciousness take him and the medics rushed to the Medical Ward for further treatment.

Meanwhile, Genma still stared at Naruto.

"Hey, is there something on my face?" Naruto asked when he noticed Genma.

"Eh? Oh, n-no." Genma said clearing his throat.

"Once again, the winner is Uzumaki Naruto." he called out to the crowd.

Silence.

Naruto's face remained impassive as he slowly made his way to the stairs.

Clap

His eyes perked up. That sounded like...

Clap Clap Clap

He turned his head to the crowd above him.

Soon after that, the whole stadium errupted to cheers and the loudest applause the Leaf had heard in many, many years. Propably the loudest since the declaration of the Fourth Hokage.

Naruto grinned and threw a kunai on the wall next to the waiting area for the other contestants, instantly teleporting to it and using his chakra to stay on the wall and bow for everyone. That seemed to increase the crowd's applause, if that was even possible.

He jumped from the wall over the railing and next to Shikamaru and Shino.

"Hey guys! The next match is Sasuke right?" Naruto asked without a care in the world.

"N-Naruto... you..." Shikamaru pointed an accusing finger at Naruto.

"What is it? People have been staring at me a lot today."

"Well how about explaining how you know the Fourth's jutsu!" Shikamaru shouted.

"If that's the Fourth's that is?" Shino added.

"Huh? You mean Dad's Flying Raijin?" Naruto asked lazily before realizing what he admitted.

"N-Naruto... did you... just-"

"-Sorry guys c-can't here you gottagoseeNejibye!" Naruto said the last part fast as he ran off to the Medical Ward. Shino turned to look at Shikamaru with a questioning expression that Shikamaru responded with a shrug.

"Too troublesome."

XXXXXXXX

Neji woke up to the sound of beeping machines and people going about their jobs, making noise in the process. He shrugged and tried to sit sraighter only to find out he couldn't move. Everything felt sore and he still felt dizzy.

"Hyuga-sama, he's awake!" one of the nurses called, making Neji's eyes widen.

"Yes, thank you." the stoic reply came as Hiashi Hyuga walked inside. He closed the door behind him and walked slowly towards Neji. He didn't say anything, he just stood there, observing Neji with pleading eyes? Finally, Neji's patience run out.

"What do you want?" he spat.

"I want to... tell you the truth about that day." Hiashi replied looking down.

"Truth? What truth is there? What more do I need to know?" Neji asked.

"..."

"..."

"You know I..."

"Hm?"

Hiashi steeled his resolve and looked up.

"That day... I fully intended to die."

Neji's features adorned a look of shock, then rage.

"What?! That day... That day my FATHER WAS KILLED IN YOUR PLACE! SO WHAT DOES IT MATTER ANYMORE?!" Neji seethed with anger. Hiashi retained his stoic expression.

"The results may appear that way but that is not the truth."

"After all these years... just now you..."

"I'm telling you 'after all these years' because I thought you'd believe me now." Hiashi said looking down again.

Flashback

The Elders of the Hyuga Clan were all there. Also the Hokage and a few special Jonin were present along with Hizashi and myself.

I was determined and ready to sacrifice myself for the greater good of the village. The Hidden Cloud would have my body and everything would be over.

"There's no choice then. If my life will protect the village and the Clan then it's settled." I told the Hokage.

"Hold on Hiashi... The advanced blood of the Hyuga Clan is a valuable trump card to this village. Protecting that has been the duty of the Main Branch." Hideki Hyuga said.

"I know that, but before that duty, if the village is drawn into a dangerous war..."

"I know." he interrupted me and I was shocked to hear his next words.

"That's why the Main Branch exists. We will have to hand over Hizashi's body in place of yours."

"What?!" I snapped. Surely they didn't mean that, did they?

"Hizashi has already agreed to this.

I stared at my brother to shocked to say anything. I was now sure they meant every word. I had to say something!

"But what they want is the secrets of the Byakugan. With Hizashi, once he's sealed, those secrets will perish along with him. I don't see the Cloud being satisfied with that. Please reconsider..."

"That maybe their true intention but the Cloud's demand was simple and it was 'Hand over Hiashi Hyuga's body'. If we act like we agreed and hand over Hizashi's body, which is a duplicate of yours, they won't be able to complain any further" Hideki replied with a smirk that made me sick.

This couldn't happen. My brother deserved to live. It was my mistake. Mine. I had to stop this. But what could I say?

"But..."

"Hiashi, each generation has protected the Hyuga Clan in this way. You must learn to let go of a sibling if it means that you can protect your entire clan. That... is the destiny of the Main Branch and the rest of the Hyuga."

I growled with frusration. Nothing I said had any say in that matter. I turned to look at the Hokage. It seemed like Lord Third was troubled too. Hizashi just now decided to speak.

"Hmph. Whatever happened to the 'always-confident' attitude of yours, Lord Hiashi?" Hizashi asked me with a smirk.

"This vastly diffirent from anything of the past! I can't just..."

"Please let me go." Hizashi said calmly. I was stunned. For Hizashi to throw his life away for the Main Branch...

"Hizashi... you have Neji. Why for the Main Branch do you choose death?" I asked him.

"That is incorrect. I have hated the Main Family, honestly, I still do."

I flinched at this.

"That's why... I'm not doing this for the Clan Head of the Main Branch. I want to die so that I can protect my brother. Doing that is the first time I have the freedom to choose."

Everyone in the room, including me, stared at Hizashi in shocked silence.

"I have only shown my ugly side to Neji, yet here, here I finally understand my own will." Hizashi turned around.

"So please tell Neji... that I'm not doing this to protect the Main Branch, but to protect him, my brother, my family and my entire village. That is why I choose death on my own free will."

And with one last smile, he left the room.

Flashback

"This is the whole truth." Hiashi finished.

"Why should I believe a story like this? It sounds like a convenient excuse by the Main Branch to me! After all these years!" Neji shouted.

"I thought you'd say that... That's why I waited and told you now."

"Lies..." Neji said lowly.

"I wanted to, not as a member of the Main Branch, but as Hizashi's brother, I wanted to tell you my brother's final words..."

Neji turned to look at Hiashi, what he saw made him stare wide-eyed.

Hiashi Hyuga, was on his knees to him, pleading with him to believe him.
It seemed unreal. Hiashi, the Clan Head of the proud Hyuga Clan, was kneeling in front of a Branch Family member. It... This...

Tears threatened to spill from his eyes and he was on the verge of crying. He finally managed to say something.

"Please... raise your head. I-I believe you."

Hiashi looked up to Neji's face and he saw... tears. He smiled and left the room without saying another word.

Just then he heared running coming from the hallway. It was getting closer, and closer.

"I should propably wipe thebtears from my face..."

The door opened and in stepped...

"N-Naruto?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and smiled.

"Hey Neji... Hope I didn't mess you up too bad y'know?"

Neji scoffed and turned to look outside of his window. With a smile he turned to look at Naruto again.

"So... the Uchiha is fighting next?" he asked.

"Yeah, Sasuke is up next and he's fighting that psycho Gaara. He can take him down but we're running low on time-"

"Hey Naruto?"

"Hm?"

"I want you to help me... fuffil my dream." Neji said quickly.

"Oh? So everything's cool between us? No hard feelings?" Naruto asked just to be sure.

"Yes. Now, what do you say?" he asked again.

Naruto simply held out his hand and Neji shook it.

"Deal."

Both boys smiled warmly at each other, their new bond now formed.

Naruto inched closer to Neji's ear and whispered.

"Oh, and if you hurt Hinata ever again, they'll never find your body."

I hope you enjoyed the chapter :)

As always...

Andrew... out!