Hanabi was shocked, there she was defeated by Naruto. Sitting like a kid on the ground as his fist was just a few metres from her face. As he pulled his fist away she could only notice the look of indifference on his face, like it wasn't even a challenge to him. To be fair she didn't think she posed a challenge to him either, he easily dodged her attacks and the ones she thought she managed to sneak In he would just parry them. It was 3embarrassing, for someone like her, for someone with her whole shinobi identity being stated to be good at close range taijutsu to be defeated so easily by someone who hadn't experienced shinobi missions in a while or so she'd like to think. His movements were too good for him to say he hadn't undergone any missions recently or at least some sort of training.

'Looks like I went to rough' Naruto stated in his head as he looked at the girl below him. She hadn't posed much of a threat but she didn't need to be hard on herself as not everyone would either. He stretched his arm out as an attempt to help her out but she misread it and swat his hand away.

"I don't need your help" Naruto mentally sighed at the venom that was seeping with that reply. He just pulled his hand back into his pants not knowing he was portraying an image of cockiness infront of her. "okay then" he said as he walked away in the opposite direction leaving the Hyuga sitting on the ground. Hanabi watched as his figure left where they stood, she was boiling with anger as she clutched her fist and bit her lip. 'How?!' was the only word running round her head, she didn't even notice the trickle of blood that run down her lips as she replayed their fight.

"Lady hanabi" she was brought out of her thoughts as her servant run to her side, she quickly lifted her head and turned to her. "I am fine, don't worry. What is the matter?"

"your father insisted I inform you that he will be taking off with Neji and Lady Hinata if you don't arrive soon. That's when it hit her, 'dammit I completely forgot' she whined mentally as she pulled herself off the ground. "yes I was just on my way"

Hanabi couldn't catch her breath as she run and run to the Hyuga clan house. She looked around, searching for her father, sister and cousin but she didn't find them and concluded they had gone to the Event. An event she had zero knowledge on, luckily for her a servant appeared.

"Lady Hanabi, your father tells me to tell you that he wants to see you at the Anbu headquarters immediately" Hanabi groaned, of all the things. She didn't want to be brought to one of his lectures once again, she could sleep or just not go but that would incur his unnecessary wrath. She could even say training but he wouldn't listen anyway, she shook her head and bowed to the servant before moving to her room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hanabi immediately located her father, he was sitting next to Hinata not surprised but Neji was not around and an even more surprising the Hokage was sitting beside them. She slowly made her way towards them, she knew she had to be on her best behaviour after her previous showing. Upon walking up her eyes met with sister, Hinata. She shot her a little glance, it was a smile, however Hanabi frowned in her head.

"good afternoon Lady Hokage" she said bowing before turning to her father and sister. "afternoon father, Hinata" she received a nod and yet another smile from Hinata. "you're late" her father whispered to her as she took a seat. "do not repeat that" she nodded at the forceful tone of her father, it impressed her how subtle he could be when being strict, he is truly silent but deadly.

" I think she's just in time for the main event" Tsunade chimed in as they focused their eyes to the arena below them. Hiashi had a stoic look on his face as he looked down, Neji walked out from the left of the arena. 'what the hell?' Hanabi thought as the she watched her cousin walk out and then on the opposite angle she watched the Anbu from the previous time walk out.

There was a cold aura from him and it didn't seem it was just her who noticed because she saw her sister twitching in her seat. Maybe out of fear for her cousin but whatever it was it seemed like it was only their father who seemed calm and rather jittery at the situation.

"I was surprised when you said you wanted Neji to go up against one of my specials however when I asked Kitsune he didn't even hesitate. He's not one for free fights" Tsunade said looking at Hiashi and back at the stadium.

"Well I trust him very much to put up a good fight to Neji then." Hiashi commented causing Tsunade to smile at the three of them.

"then let's watch shall we"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"3 rounds. 5 minutes each. Begin" the proctor immediately left the arena and all eyes were focused on the two. Kitsune began instantly, throwing kunai at Neji who easily dodged them. 'I have to get close to him' Neji thought as he analysed his movements before he could process anything further he felt a cold presence just behind him and a kunai being held to his throat.

"round 1! End" the proctor shouted.

Hanabi and Hinata had their mouths opened agape. 'when did he? How' the two thought, similar to Neji now who was was also questioning the very same thing.

"He's fast" Hiashi said causing Tsunade to chuckle. "our fastest" A man with a ninja band covering his eye stated as he appeared beside the Hokage along with two other masked Anbu.

"Hatake Kakashi" Hiashi stated as the man waved at them non chalantly and focused his looks back to the Arena. 'so that's him, the failures sensei. He's stated to be one of the best Anbu's ever to come up and was even said to be a contender for Hokage, but all these accolades and he couldn't lead a team of 3 genin.' She shifted her gaze away from his silhouette as soon as she heard a clash of kunai coming from the center of the arena.

Neji was finding it hard to lay an attack on Kitsune, before he could land a good enough hit he would appear just behind him. It was as if he was faster than light, he would just simply dodge all the attacks and in an blink of an eye be behind Neji. He had a weird fighting style too, he seemed to always throw a kunai before each one of Neji's lunges. 'never seen anything like it' Hanabi commented as again he dodged an attack from Neji.

Moving backwards, Neji could feel the sweat all over his face. He hadn't landed a meaningful strike since the second round started and Kitsune has even tried to attack yet, he noticed after he sped behind him he never proceeded to attack to but block or simply move back again.

"Your student, he's very fast but he hasn't attacked yet. Why is that so?" Kakashi turned to look at Hiashi after his question and just gave a smile. He clapped so loudly those around the Arena could hear him.

Neji noticed that clap seemed to be more of a switch, as Kitsune appeared behind him again but this time he threw a heavy punch that almost took his head off. He just managed to send his head back in reflex and still managed to dodge another Kunai thrown at him. Neji tried to analyse his surroundings but he was not given a chance as a mass ball of flames was shot at him. Neji barely dodged the huge ball of fire but unfortunately for him he was met with a strong kick from behind by Kitsune which sent him tumbling backwards.

Hanabi watched in awe, the speed in transition from Ninjutsu to taijutsu was insane but she knew Neji, and this wasn't going to be enough to bring him down. She immediately recognised her clan stance as Neji activated his byakugan and charged at Kitsune, to her at least, the battle had slightly tilted in his favor as he did that. Now He had limited Kitsune to attack from afar, leaving his jutsus easily dodgeable. However he still wasn't connecting his attacks whenever he managed to close the distance with Kitusne.

She also noticed that he was just parrying, he fought like he was familiar with the technique. She noticed as Kakashi clapped his hands together again, Kitsune charged at Neji and was relentless in his attacks. He would manage to parry an attack and counter with either a punch or kick, the last one being the most brutal kick of all and it sent him flying backwards. Before he could even stand up he noticed he was surrounded by a group of clones each firing water directly at him. Neji jumped into the air dodging the water projectiles fired at him but Kitsune receiving a boost from his clone using the gale palm technique quickly closed the distance between them and it was then Neji waited for his demise as he saw a sphere like mass of blue chakra in his hands. Within seconds of Neji's collision with the Attack he was sent flying backwards towards the ground and was met pretty quickly by Kitsune, who again, had seemingly just appeared out of thin air to meet him with a kick.

The arena went quiet for some minutes as Hanabi and Hinata had just witnessed what had transpired in the last few seconds but it seemed to everyone around that Neji had been knocked out and most likely will not be able to participate in the last round. In a second Neji had been picked up and brought to Hiashi and others, "sorry Sir, I tried my best to withdraw" Kistune said bowing to Hyuga clan leader.

"Its nothing, rather helpful infact thanks for the good show" before Hiashi could add anything else Kitsune was gone in a swirl of leaves.

Hanabi laid on her bed still shaken up by the events she witnessed earlier at the grounds. 'Was Neji that easily disposed of?' she questioned herself as she fiddled with her hair, on the other hand, it intrigued her that there was someone who could out maneuver a hyuga in hand to hand combat. If she received training from someone like him maybe she would be able to stand a chance against her sister however she didn't think Kitsune was the teacher type and even if he was, she couldn't possibly master anything within these short hours.

"fuck everything" she muttered to herself. The next moment she could hear someone knocking at her door. She frowned her face and opened the door only to meet her sister, who in contrast had a smile on her face.

"mind if we talk?" Hanabi let her door open not bothering to answer her sister's question and just moved back to her bed. Hinata slowly made her way inside the room and closed the door behind her. She didn't bother to sit, she knew Hanabi would never grant her such a mercy. It seemed to Hinata that they had been close during their early stages in life but as soon as the clan's politics was imposed on them, they separated. But there was no need for the back and forth and senseless thoughts, she'd come to talk for a reason and she'd get her opinion out as well.

"you should forfeit the Duel" Hinata stated plainly, too plainly for her own liking even. She noticed the furrow of her sisters brow and slight bitting of her lip as well. She didn't mean it like that, she mentally cursed her bluntness as she stared at her sister who was now piercing glares at her.

Hanabi: "no way in hell"

Hinata: "you'll get hurt...I don't want to hurt you"

Hanabi: "I'll be fine...I'm not weak"

Hinata: "you're not...but you're not stronger than me as well."

Hanabi: ugh! Is this what you wanted to talk about? If it is then you're wasting your time! I'm not backing down, there's too much on the line"

Hinata: but-

Hanabi: "get out, I need to sleep"

For the first time Hinata frowned distastefully and walked out of her sister's room, upon exiting she's met with a solemn look from Neji. She sighs, shaking her head and walks up to him.

"she didn't listen...I think it's my fault though. Forgive me how are your injuries?" she asked the latter upon seeing a bandage wrapped around his right shoulder. It was not long ago he'd been attacked with that ninjutsu, she was just glad he seemed to be doing fine.

Somewhere else

Kitsune sat on the top of the Hokage heads feeling the cool breeze run through his hair, it brought him back to his younger days as Naruto Uzumaki, the knucklehead ninja. Back then he was just spamming shadow clones but now he's beating up hyuga prodigies and leading Anbu's. "come on out" he yelled into the breeze as a masked man with spiky white hair walked out of the shadows to stand beside him. Kakashi Hatake, his sensei, or former sensei at least. Now they're all just members of a special task force, they're equals. But Naruto personally preferred adding sensei to his name, as a sign of respect and gratitude.

"you're a pervert and you stalk in shadows like a creep" Kakashi faked a sound of hurt at the comment passed by the blond. Just because they didn't realise the masterpieces that were Jirayia's books doesn't mean they can judge it with their misguided opinions.

"Today, fighting Neji really made me happy. I love a good old Hyuga humbling" Kakashi smiled as the blond cracked his knuckles together, ah yes, Naruto's obsession with pissing off clans. How could he forget.

"Happy you had a fun time...just try to minimise the Rasengan usage, you wouldn't want to blow your cover now would you?" Naruto nodded, Kakashi was right. Finishing Neji with a Rasengan was risky to say the least, hopefully none of them to great notice in it.

He wanted to utter another sentence but Naruto realised that Kakashi was already gone, he sighed and continued to take in the sunset breeze.