Note:

I am sorry for not updating. I know I promised to update before...but I am just too busy and can't open this account. I have few chapters already after this, but it still needs to be edited. Also, I actually kind of needed to read few chapters back to get the hang of the story again. When I open this account, I got really shock that I have so many notifications, I am really thankful and grateful for all the people who are reading this story. Thank you so so so much! I will try to update after Christmas, again. Mwahh!

Third Person's POV

Akira looks at Naruto and squints her eyes.

"What?" Naruto said looking at her, arm cross

"Nothing...really" Akira said noticing the frown on Naruto's face.

Sakura looked at Akira still wondering how she knows about Lee and his teammates including Lee's Sensei.

Sakura then averts her eyes to Naruto and chuckles noticing the frown on his face, looking very childish like someone is going to steal his ramen from him.

Naruto pouts and looks at the wound on his right hand. "Oh...I remember" He said looking at the medicine Hinata gave him.

Sakura, Akira, Lee, and Kakashi look at him as he slowly opens the medicine and applies it to his wound.

Akira can't help but get amused at Sakura and Lee's faces seeing that the wound instantly heals after the medicine got applied.

"Eh..." Sakura and Lee said dumbfounded.

"This medicine works really well-dattebayo!" Naruto said closing the medicine then he looks at Sakura.

"Here! Do you want to use it too, Sakura-chan?" Naruto said offering the medicine. Sakura blinks at him still dumbfounded.

Akira chuckles at them but stops when Naruto looks at her again with a frown. "You, you should use this too-dattebayo!" Naruto said shoving the medicine to Akira.

Akira's brows twitch "I already got treated...Naruto" Akira said shoulders dropping

Naruto squints his eyes at her. Really...Sometimes he didn't want to believe it when Akira said that she already got treated because she kind of hated it, always saying that she could do it herself later.

"You know this old man force me to, so..." Akira said pointing to their Sensei with her thumb

Kakashi sweatdrops. What? He is not that old... really…where in the world does she always get this so called nicknames

Naruto crosses his arms as if his judging every bit of Akira's existence "I see...I see" Naruto said nodding his head.

Akira deadpan at him. What's with him...being so grumpy all of a sudden

"Oh, I remember Sensei, you still didn't answer my question earlier. What's-" Akira said holding on to her chin and looking at her Sensei.

Kakashi's heartbeat almost stops, upon hearing that. He thought she had already forgotten about it...

"Ma...I just tell you when the time comes" Kakashi said cutting her off from anything she will say as he put his hand on her hair ruffling it. Well, it's not like he is going to tell her such a thing...

Akira bites her tongue to avoid smirking "I see... that's cool. I will be waiting" She said walking forward to join her teammates. Of course, she might not know the word but... maybe it is something that she isn't supposed to know.

Kakashi sighs, his shoulders relaxing. He is saved from any of that questions...maybe for now.

"Yo, my eternal rival, looking tense there!" Gai said putting his arm around his rival's shoulder.

Kakashi deadpan at him. "Yo..." He said simply. Lee, and his students talk to each other as they wait for the next match.

"Well, let's announce the next match" Hayate said making the room quiet again as the electronic signboard showed random names.

Ohh... Akira look beside their team as Lee also did the same. Neji quickly walks down the stairs as the atmosphere in the room becomes heavy.

The Hokage smoke from his pipe. This is going to be an interesting match...

Hinata positioned infront of Neji as her eyes look everywhere but Neji.

"I never thought that I would have a fight with you... Hinata-sama" Neji said making Hinata look at him.

"Neji-niisan..." Hinata said.

"Nii-san...?" Sakura said hearing that. Naruto looks at their Sensei with questioning, and Akira also looks at their Sensei even though she knows about the two.

"They're are descended from one of the most honorable old families in the Hidden leaf, The Hyuga clan. But, they're not siblings" Kakashi explained simply.

Akira looks back at the two. This is bad...she heard a lot about their clan…and the conflict inside them.

Sakura then ask another question and Kakashi quickly explained it to them. Lee also explained to them, as he knows some background about Neji's clan too.

Akira didn't listen to them, too focus at the two who's about to fight as the atmosphere thickened.

"Start the battle please!" Hayate said, making team 7 look at the two again.

Akira closes her eyes. She can even feel Hinata's nervousness and Neji's anger on the battlefield. It seems like the feud between the head and branch family is still there, and more likely it got worse.

"Just one thing before we square off against each other in the fight... I should advise you, Hinata-sama. Withdraw!" Neji said making Hinata look at him in shock.

"You're not suited to being a shinobi. You're too nice. You wish for harmony and avoid conflict, you're open to going with thinking of others. And, you have no confidence in yourself. You're always feeling inferior... You thought it's a good idea to stay a Genin..."

Akira sighs. Seems like Neji is just keeping his anger by targeting Hinata's weaknesses and forcing her to withdraw. How will this fight go?... Neji...

-skip-

Hinata... She wanted to change in her own way, she wanted to be acknowledged...

Akira's eyes look at the two brows knitted, as her eyes show a tint of worry and a questioning look in them.

Akira disagrees with what Neji said earlier to Hinata. A failure is a failure... no, she is sure Hinata will be able to- Akira's thoughts were cut off by Naruto's shout.

"Hinata! Don't listen to him. You! you don't have the privilege of deciding what is a person is like, baka!" Naruto shouts making Hinata look at him.

Neji lock eyes with Naruto. Tch... what an annoying guy!

"Give it to him, Hinata!" Naruto said clenching his fist infront of him

Akira raise her brow in amusement as a chuckle escaped her lips. Then she averts her eyes to the two when Hinata positioned, as well as Neji. Hinata's eyes showing full determination.

"Of course, the same Hyuga style..." Lee suddenly said.

Akira nodded in agreement. Gentle Fist... strongest taijutsu style in Konoha.

Team 7 looks at Lee, noticing his serious demeanor all of a sudden.

"I said it before... if not her... then the man who is most likely the strongest Genin of Konoha is on my team. That's..." Lee said as he glances at Akira, then back to the battlefield.

Naruto and Sakura perked up on that, remembering what Akira told them. Hyuga Neji...

Kakashi looks at Gai's student, Lee. Her? He is talking about... he averts his eyes to Akira who is looking at Lee as her eyes turn to look at the two Hyuga again.

All of their attention averts to the two when they both launched forward starting the fight.

Kakashi watches the fight as Hinata is on the offensive. Targeting someone's Chakra network, the Hyuga style of Taijutsu, even just a graze will definitely have dangerous damage... little by little...

A memory flashes in his mind...But for someone not from any clan or that's what he knows, to try something like that... and manage to inflict just at least a little damage to him.

Kakashi eye smiled and pats Akira's head.

"Huh? What are you doing...?" Akira said turning to look at their Sensei at the sudden contact. Her brows twitches when their Sensei just smiles down at her. What the hell...

Their attention turns to the fight again when Hinata suddenly puked blood.

Akira squint her eyes. Her chakra network has been stopped, seeing Neji's finger pointing on Hinata's right arm.

Then Hinata tried to attack again but the same thing happens to her left arm.

Neji then uses more force making Hinata fall to the ground.

Hyuga Neji... His eyes... Akira thought as her eyes widened in worry.

Neji took a step forward. With this Hinata-sama will surely-

He stops walking towards her when she weakly pushes herself up.

"I...I meant it... and I'm sticking by... every word... I said. Because that's my... Ninja Way!" Hinata said facing Neji again.

Neji looked at her in shock as his eyes filled with something.

Akira's brows knitted. This is triggering him. She can see it clearly. Everyone can see it.

Hinata activates her Byakugan again but stops as she coughs blood again, putting her palm on top of her chest.

Akira look at Hinata, as Hinata tried to stand properly. Since her chakra has been stopped. Hinata, what will she do...?

Kakashi looked at the fight with worry. This fight is good as over. But he never imagined there would be someone this powerful... He is afraid that even Sasuke having the Sharingan will be no match for that Neji.

Kakashi averts his eyes to Akira, his brows knitted as he observes her, seemingly not bothered with Lee's teammate. Judging by how Lee considered her as someone to be one of strongest genin, along with this Neji... But he still worries that even her will...

He shakes his head mentally removing the thought. He must have forgotten one fact about Akira. She is a former-

"Sensei, you okay? Did I do something wrong again?" Akira suddenly said, her eyes looking at him boredly.

Kakashi blinks and gave her an eye smile as he turns to look at the fight again. He has never seen her fight as a member of them, but the Hokage removes her memory including some of her skills meaning that even- He sighs as his thoughts keep being canceled with another thought.

Kakashi sighs. He should focus more on this guy and Sasuke. There could be a chance that Sasuke ends up fighting Neji.

Akira looks at their Sensei, what is he doing? He keeps sighing. Is the fight made him worried so much...?

Akira sighs and looks at the fight again. She likes Hinata, she is kind, and she knows that she is strong but as she observes the fight, there's one thing for sure. For the time being the winner is already clear...

-skip-

"Hinata!" Naruto shouts. He never really noticed her, but... he can't, he didn't want her to be talked down to and look down on by that guy.

"Hinata" Akira said when Neji targeted her chest again, making her cough blood. Surely this time ... Hinata will die if this fight continues... With the hidden anger in his eyes, he surely will kill Hinata at this point.

"Neji's final blow when straight for the heart. I feel sorry for her but she won't be standing again now." Gai said making Naruto clench his fist in frustration.

Hayate went forward to observe Hinata. "As further fighting is not feasible under these conditions..." Hayate said but a voice cut him off.

"Don't stop it! Don't stop the match-dattebayo!" Naruto said making everyone look at him.

Akira just look at Hinata, a smile forming on her lips, when Hinata pushes herself up, weakly

Neji looked at her. Why did she stand up? Why!? At this point, she will really get killed.

He activated his Byakugan making everyone alert. "Stop the bravado... I can tell that you're just barely standing" Neji said to Hinata when she took a step forward.

Hinata shakes her head "Neji-niisan, I can tell that you are suffering more than I... You are the one who is torn up over the faith of the head and branch family" Hinata said as she catches her breath.

Neji looked at her, and the look in his eyes intensifies

"Neji-kun, the match has been called!" Hayate said when Neji run towards Hinata, the anger in his eyes is clear.

A puff of smoke surrounded him as Kakashi, Gai, Kurenai, and Hayate stop him at the same time.

Akira's shoulder relaxed, feeling relief. Gosh... that's so…close.

Naruto jumped down along with Sakura, Lee, and Akira when Hinata falls and coughs again.

Akira just stands there looking at Neji, his eyes still looking at Hinata with anger, as Gai Sensei lecture him about remembering what he promises to his team. They lock eyes as his eyes returned to normal deactivating his Byakugan, making the other Jonin Sensei take a step backward giving him space. They just stare at each other, before Neji averts his eyes to Naruto.

Akira's brows knitted. Tch...

"You failure!" Neji said making Naruto look at him fist already clenched.

Akira raises her brow when Neji said something about someone's fate, which made Naruto irritated.

Akira notices the anger radiating from Naruto and then he suddenly runs toward Neji.

"Naruto." Akira said making Naruto stop as his fist clenched making the medicine his holding have a crack on it.

Naruto looks at Akira. Kuso...

Akira sighs, as her shoulder drops. Things becoming worse and worse...

Lee then steps forward blocking Naruto, seeing him take a step forward again.

"You!" Naruto said shocked by his sudden presence.

Akira let out a sigh again. A pat on her shoulder makes her look up.

"Tch, don't just smile there. Can't you see our team is in trouble" Akira said when their Sensei just gave her an eye smile again.

Kakashi sighs. Looking at Naruto and then Lee. He feels relief when Naruto drop the fight and walks towards their team again.

Akira looked at Naruto. Really, with all of this... she kind of wants to go to Sasuke, now. She feels worried, she doesn't have a good feeling from all of this.

-skip-

"You guys, can you stop glaring at each other" Akira said defeatedly when Neji and Naruto is still looking at each other, heatedly.

Naruto then averts his eyes to the proctor below who is cleaning the blood on the floor. Naruto looks at his hand with blood, from his previous act with Neji, promising that he will definitely not lose to him.

Akira's brows twitched, when Naruto made her jacket a rag when he suddenly wipes the blood on his hand on it.

"Hehehe" Naruto chuckles once he finishes removing the blood on his hand.

"You know, I have a handkerchief you could have told me..." Akira said still looking at Naruto unimpressed. He has so much mood today, why is she even surprise, he is always unexpected.

Sakura sigh, feeling relief. The tension slowly faded. She can't help but get worried looking at Akira, and thinking about Sasuke remembering the mark on their nape. She looks down seeing new medics come to the arena after bringing Hinata to the hospital. She hopes Hinata would be fine. She didn't expect the chunin exam to be this exhausting...

Kakashi notices the look in Sakura's eyes. Kakashi put his hand on her hair making her look up at him "Don't worry. I'm sure she is gonna be alright." Sakura sighs. Hearing that made her relieved.

Akira looks at all the examiners. All that is left are the sound ninja, Choji, Gaara and Lee. So who's gonna be next?

The silent was interrupted when Choji suddenly shouts "B-B-Q, all you can eat!"

Akira looks at their side and laughs in amusement. Then she looks to her side expecting to see Naruto but a sparkling smile meets her instead. "Oh...Where's Naruto?"

"Naruto-kun is talking with the sand guy there. Hmm, Naruto-kun is really friendly" Lee said looking at Naruto and Kankuro

"Ehh..." Akira just said as she quickly walks towards them. That's not really sound good... Naruto is kind, but he is not that friendly.

"Akira, where are you going?" Sakura said.

"Just there" Akira just said before disappearing and appearing on Naruto's side before Kankuro could speak again.

"Ohhh, Akira-san is really fast!" Lee said eyes sparkling.

"Yo!" Akira said waving her hand to them.

Tch, this bothersome girl again. Kankuro's brows furrow in annoyance.

"Akira, you know, this guy doesn't believe that I'm strong and I'm gonna crush Neji-dattebayo!" Naruto said raising his fist.

"Oh... I guess he can do it. You should believe him you know..." Akira said looking at Kankuro. She is just blinking as if she is animated.

He doesn't think so. Besides talk about winning, she losed... What's up with this two... He can't help but sweatdrop at them.

"You guys are quite funny. I like people like you" Kankuro said.

"Humph. You're dull and I don't like people like you at all-dattebayo" Naruto said with a straight face.

Kankuro stares at him with a blank face. He is going to waste this guy! He thought as his brows twitches in annoyance.

Akira raises her brow seeing the annoyance cross his face. Humph. "Catching feelings, are we?" Akira said just to add to his annoyance, Kankuro look at her with raised brow

"A-akira" Naruto said dumbfounded. Ehh... is she trying to... No way, this is disgusting...

Kankuro smirks. He's up for that game "You're cute why not?"

"Humph..." Akira smirks

"What are you doing?" Kankuro said when Akira walk towards him, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

"You know you look good..." Akira whispered "But a 'puppet boy' isn't really my type, ehh. How unlucky..." She continue to whisper, mocking him, putting a hand on his shoulder, as if giving him comfort.

"Huh... W-what?" Kankuro said dumbfounded, and annoyed.

A cough from the battle area made her look down on the proctor Hayate "Guess the next match is going to start, Well, we better go back there, ja ne" Akira said as she drags Naruto with her, who is looking like he saw a ghost.

Pu-puppet b-boy... Kankuro's face warms up as he quickly goes back to his team. A frown on his face. Kuso, I will surely come back to that Akira. Tch...annoying.

"Oh... you're here already. Here I thought you're gathering information..." Temari said with a smirk seeing the scene earlier. Whatever the brat said really made his brother flustered somehow.

"tch, nothing" Kankuro said putting his crow down with a little force than needed as it made a quiet crash.

"Oh Akira, I didn't know someone like him was your type" Lee said with surprise, eyes widening.

"I was trying to make him mad; you know. Don't... Don't misinterpret it" Akira said with a smile.

"You could have done something different to make him annoyed, if there where you're going" A voice said with disapproval.

Akira looked up meeting Kakashi's eye, brow raise as if he is accusing her. Akira stare at him blankly. She doesn't care.

"Right-dattebayo!" Naruto said with disapproval.

"You guys... Whatever makes you happy, but I already told you my purpose..." Akira said looking down at the proctor, unbothered.

"We will now resume the battle" Hayate said getting all the people's attention.

"Yoshi! You'll be up this time for sure Lee!" Gai said giving Lee a thumbs up

Lee didn't react. Humph, He can't show that he wanted to fight and be excited as the result will not be on his side. He needed to won a bet...

"No. Seeing as I've come this far, I rather be the last" Lee said shocking Gai and Team 7.

Akira looks at him. She doubts it, judging by his personality... also he chooses the number 9

The random name showing on the electronic signboard stops as a very energetic shout comes from Lee

"Yoshi! It worked and on top of that, I won our bet Akira-san!" Lee said as he looked at Akira giving her a thumbs up.

"Humph, you better go down there, the guy's impatient" Akira said seeing the sand genin looking at them with a very nasty look on him.

"Right! Lee, that's my student. To win a bet and be up to that guy, that's the power of youth!" Gai said giving Lee a thumbs up. Gai suddenly crouch down seemingly bothered.

"But... that gourd is suspicious!" Gai whispered to Lee but Team 7 can practically hear it very clearly.

What the hell? He is going to note that? Akira thought shoulder dropping.

"All right! Go! Lee!" Gai said pointing at the arena down them.

"Yeah!" Lee shouts with fire in his eyes as he quickly jumps down. He is really happy to be squaring with someone like him.

Lee, be careful, that guy... his someone not to play with. Akira thought, still remembering Gaara's chakra the first time they met.

"Now then, the 9th match begin" Hayate announce.

Lee didn't waste any time and attack Gaara.

"Leaf Hurricane!" Lee said but the sand from Gaara's gourd floated as a shield for Gaara.

What an unusual Jutsu... Kakashi thought looking at the sand as it come back to the gourd.

Lee throws punches and kicks again but just like the first time the sand floats again and shield Gaara from any of his attacks.

Akira tenses, sensing Gaara's chakra spike and sensing a little blood thirst, as Gaara uses his sand to throw Lee to the wall.

Akira looks at Lee with concern. What's up your sleeves Lee... If physical attack won't work on him and with that speed... he won't be able to hit that guy.

He needed to be faster than the sand shield... Akira turns to look at her team hearing Gai Sensei explains to Sakura how Lee only knows about Taijutsu.

Humph... I see, Akira thought, a smirk forming on her lip. With someone who specializes Taijutsu, it would be possible for Lee to be faster than that sand shield... What's keeping him from doing that...?

Lee avoids all Gaara's attacks as he jumps on the statue in front of them.

"So, he really didn't learn any ninjutsu, genjutsu other than Taijutsu, ha..." Akira whispered overhearing the rest of Sakura and Gai-sensei's talk.

"That's really cool, Lee-san!" Akira said eyes showing excitement and admiration as she looks at Lee.

Gai smirks at that "Lee is really great, much stronger I say when you guys last met." Gai said making Akira look at him

"I knew he would, I have faith in him" Akira said with an eye smile. She is really proud to know that Lee improves a lot.

"He might be much stronger than I am, eh..." Akira said with the same enthusiasm

"But that's kinda lame for my part..." Akira said with fake disappointment.

Gai chuckles at that and looks at Lee again, who's looking like he is assessing his enemy.

The rest of the team 7 look at the two with confusion. Just how much Akira knew about Lee and his team...?

"Lee take them off! It's all right! I give you permission!" Gai shouts with approval

"I see" Akira said eyes forming into an eye smile.

Lee chuckles and looks at his opponent again. He suddenly takes off the orange covering around his ankle, revealing weights.

"Are those weights?" Naruto whispered looking at it when Lee lift it to his side and standup.

Kakashi looks at Gai. That's some cliche training...

Akira watches as Lee slowly drafts the weights. Her brow twitches when the weights cause the ground to break and make the arena tremble a little. Wow... How much does those weight's weigh...?

Kakashi covers his face to avoid some of the small rock flying. A bit extreme, he's say, Gai.

"Yoshi! Now I can move easily!" Lee said as he looks at his enemy again a smile plastered on his face.

"Go, Lee!" Gai shouts making Lee's excitement go higher. Akira looks at him. What's up with this two... She feels like they were mocking her by telling her that she is still stronger than him, Akira's brow twitches at the thought.

Lee then proceeded to attack almost not being able to detect by the eyes, even Gaara's shield can't keep up with it.

Fast! One thought in all their minds.

Akira looks at Lee's movement with shock. When she said she knew Lee will improve, she never expects him to improve like that in a very short amount of time... Well, she should have expected the unexpected… knowing his determination

It's a punch to her face, but... she feels really proud...

Akira chuckles hearing Gai-sensei shout full of energy and proudness "Youth is... explosion!"

-skip-

The arena trembles a little when Gaara's sand push Lee into the wall.

Lee... Tch. Akira looks at the fight as Lee can't dodge the attacks being thrown at him, after using the Lotus.

"With Lee's speed why can't Lee avoid Gaara's attack?" Sakura said with concern

"The Lotus is a double-edged sword." Kakashi started making Sakura look at him.

"Lotus is a forbidden technique...the load it puts on a person's body is beyond imagination." Kakashi continued, he then looks at the fight again. "So, Lee's entire body is in so much pain right now, that even moving is out of question"

"But that's..." Sakura said with shock looking back at the fight.

-skip-

Akira looks at Kakashi as he lifts his hitai-ate revealing his Sharingan

The eight gates... hidden lotus... it can't be Lee's... "But if Lee uses beyond the primary lotus which opens the first gate then..." Akira said shocked. If all eight gates is open... even it can rival anyone, however... like a double edge sword, the person who uses it will die, that is. And, in Lee's case, he can already open five gates...

"I don't intend to pry into what that boy means to you or to tell you not to bring your personal feeling into play... But there is a limit. I've misjudged you... Gai!" Kakashi said sending Gai a look

Suddenly the atmosphere becomes a little heated

"What do you know... about that boy?! There is something important which that boy wants to prove and protect even if it costs him his life." Gai said as he looked at Lee, eyes showing admiration and concern.

Akira looks at Lee again. That's right Lee's always been like that. He is someone who does things recklessly and trains even if his body is already exhausted.

Naruto looks at Akira, eyes widening a little at how Akira shows concern, admiration, and attachment to Bushy Brows. Now he gets it, Akira might have told him about Lee before... 'A person that has a determination like him...' Yeah, that's it.

Naruto looks at the fight again eyes being full of excitement. He knows Lee is strong!

Suddenly a chakra burst from the battlefield made the Arena tremble as Lee's chakra become visible to the eyes.

Lee... You... Akira closes her eyes, chakra spiking just a little. She sees it now... Lee opens the fifth gate as he appears from above Gaara, his sand armor is already cracked and slowly peeling off from the previous attacks on him.

Lee then proceeded to attack, sending Gaara to the ground. Lee disappeared from his spot and appear in front of Gaara. This technique will be the last.

Note: The chapter is getting too long, lol, so I'm just gonna put the continuation on the other chapter. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, be safe everyone! Merry Christmas!