Here's Chapter 2 everyone and enjoy!

The tension in the air was palpable as the proctor, Hayate Gekko, stood before the gathered genin. His voice was gravelly but steady. "We will now select the names for the next match."

All eyes locked onto the large screen, which flickered with names, randomizing until it displayed:

Hinata Hyuga vs. Neji Hyuga

Hinata's breath hitched as her name appeared beside her cousin's. Her pale lavender eyes widened in alarm. A chill ran down her spine, her heart pounding beneath her jacket. The murmurs from other genin faded into white noise as the realization settled in that this was the moment she feared most.

On the other hand, Neji watched the board with a faint, almost imperceptible smirk. It was time. Time to prove, without a doubt, that fate could not be defied. Her calm exterior masked a quiet, cold satisfaction. She had trained relentlessly for this moment, not just to win the match but to expose her cousin's weakness to everyone, especially Hiashi Hyuga, the head of the Main Branch.

Kurenai Yuhi, Hinata's sensei, leaned in close. "Don't worry, Hinata. You can do this," she whispered, offering a soft, reassuring smile.

Hinata gave a weak nod, but fear clung to her like a heavy fog.

Beside them, Kiba Inuzuka crossed his arms and growled under his breath. "Tch. This isn't fair. She's too strong for her."

Hinata lowered her gaze but inhaled deeply, attempting to summon the courage Naruto had always talked about the courage to move forward, no matter what.

With a nod from Hayate, both girls leapt gracefully from the balcony to the arena floor, their sandals tapping softly against the stone. They stood across from each other, a perfect contrast. Hinata was tense, her hands nervously fidgeting at the edges of her jacket, while Neji stood at ease, arms folded behind her back, as if she had already won.

"Participants ready," Hayate said, glancing between them. "Begin when ready."

Hinata stepped forward hesitantly. "Hello… Big Sister, Neji-chan."

Neji's expression remained neutral, her pale eyes cold and unreadable. She did not bother to return the greeting.

Instead, her voice, soft but sharp as a blade, cut through the silence. "You should forfeit."

Hinata flinched slightly, stunned by the bluntness in Neji's tone.

"This isn't the place for you," Neji continued, her words icy and detached. "You should have known by now that someone like you, timid, soft was never meant to walk the path of a ninja."

Hinata's eyes wavered, stung by her cousin's brutal assessment. But Neji wasn't finished. Her voice dropped lower, almost mocking.

"You lack the will to fight. You feel it too, don't you? That constant doubt. That fear of failing your teammates. That fear of being a burden to everyone around you."

In the stands, Naruto Uzumaki clenched his fists. His blue eyes burned with frustration as he listened to Neji's cold monologue.

"Who the hell does she think she is, talking to Hinata like that?" Naruto muttered under his breath. He gritted his teeth. "C'mon, Hinata! Don't listen to her! You can take her down!"

Hinata's eyes widened slightly at Naruto's words, her heart fluttering with a strange warmth. She turned her head toward him, lips parting in surprise. He's cheering for me… He believes in me?

Neji's gaze flicked briefly toward Naruto, her expression twisting with mild disdain. "So, the loser cheers on another loser. How fitting." She turned back to Hinata, her stare cutting. "But that won't change anything. No amount of encouragement can make you something you're not."

Hinata swallowed the lump in her throat, her hands trembling slightly at her sides.

"But I…" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I want to prove I can change."

"Change?" Neji scoffed. "Do you truly think people can change their nature? We're born into our roles. You will always be weak."

Hinata clenched her fists, the word weak stabbing at her heart like a knife. For so long, that word had defined her and held her captive. But something inside her stirred at Naruto's voice, something she hadn't felt before: determination.

With a slow exhale, she activated her Byakugan. Veins bulge around her pale eyes as she settles into the traditional Hyuga stance, feet grounded, palms open.

Neji raised an eyebrow, intrigued. 'So she still wants to fight after all. Interesting…'

With a flick of her wrist, Neji activated her own Byakugan. "Very well," she said with a slight smirk. "Let's end this quickly."

The fight began in an instant. Both girls lunged forward, their movements fluid and precise. Palm clashed against palm in a flurry of strikes and counters. The soft thuds of open-handed blows echoed through the arena as the two Hyuga heirs engaged in a deadly dance of technique and finesse.

Hinata struck first, aiming for Neji's chest, but her older cousin twisted elegantly to the side, deflecting the blow with ease. Neji retaliated with a sharp jab toward Hinata's ribs, which the younger girl barely managed to block in time.

Each strike carried the weight of years of Hyuga tradition graceful, deliberate, and deadly.

The audience watched in stunned silence. Even Kiba and Shino couldn't believe what they were seeing. Hinata, who they had always known as quiet and hesitant, was standing toe-to-toe with Neji, matching her strike for strike.

For a brief moment, Hinata felt a flicker of hope. I can do this… I can really fight her!

But Neji's expression remained calm, almost bored. In an instant, her palm shot forward, bypassing Hinata's defenses.

Thwack!

The blow landed squarely over Hinata's heart, and a sharp pain exploded in her chest. She gasped as blood spurted from her lips, her knees buckling beneath her.

"You never had a chance," Neji murmured, standing over her cousin. "Your strikes were ineffective from the beginning. You should stop before this becomes worse."

Hinata coughed, struggling to her feet despite the pain. She wiped the blood from her mouth, her legs shaky but determined.

Neji's pale eyes narrowed in disbelief. "You're still standing?"

Hinata's breath was ragged, but she didn't back down. "I… won't give up."

Neji's expression hardened. "How foolish." She surged forward again, her palm glowing with chakra. Hinata braced herself, but Neji's hand struck like lightning, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Hayate stepped forward, ready to declare the match over. "She can no longer continue—"

"Don't you dare!" Naruto's voice cut through the arena, sharp and defiant. "Get up, Hinata! Don't let her win!"

To everyone's shock, Hinata slowly pushed herself up, blood trickling down her chin. Her knees wobbled, but she refused to fall.

Neji stared at her, wide-eyed. "What are you doing? You'll only hurt yourself more."

"I don't care," Hinata whispered. "I… I want to change. And I won't stop… no matter what."

Neji's lips pressed into a thin line, frustration flickering across her usually calm features. She activated her Byakugan again, ready to end the fight once and for all.

Hinata charged at her, throwing everything she had into a final flurry of strikes. Neji blocked each blow with mechanical precision, her face an emotionless mask. With a quick twist, she delivered one last devastating strike to Hinata's chest.

Hinata collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Blood pooled beneath her as darkness began to close in around her vision.

"Enough," Neji said coldly, turning her back on her cousin. "It's over."

Hayate stepped in just as Hinata tried to rise once more, swaying dangerously.

"That's enough!" Kurenai cried, rushing toward her student.

Neji sneered, but before she could make another move, Guy intervened, gripping her wrist. "That's enough, Neji."

Neji yanked her arm away, glaring at her uncle in the stands before storming off, fury burning in her heart.

Naruto knelt beside Hinata, his expression softening. "You did good, Hinata... You were amazing."

Hinata managed a faint smile before the darkness finally claimed her.

Naruto stayed crouched beside Hinata, hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white. Kurenai and the medical team worked quickly, but Naruto could barely hear them over the roaring in his ears. His blue eyes, usually full of mischief, now burned with fury, locked on Neji's retreating figure.

Neji was nearly at the arena's exit when Naruto shot to his feet. "Hey! Where do you think you're going?" he shouted, voice sharp as a kunai. The sound cut through the murmuring crowd, and Neji stopped, her back still to him.

"Come back here, you coward!" Naruto's voice cracked with anger as he stomped toward her. "You think you're so strong, don't you? You think you've got everything figured out talking about fate like you're some kind of all-knowing genius. But all I saw today was a bully."

Neji's eyes narrowed, her head tilting slightly in his direction. She didn't turn around fully, only gave him the faintest glance over her shoulder. "A bully?" she repeated, voice calm but with a cold edge. "I showed her mercy by letting her live."

Naruto stopped just a few steps behind her, trembling with restrained fury. "Mercy? You call that mercy?" He jabbed a finger toward where Hinata lay unconscious on the ground, medics still tending to her. "You could've killed her! And for what? Just because you think she was born to be weaker than you? You make me sick."

Neji finally turned to face him, her pale lavender eyes cool and unreadable. "You don't understand. Weak people like her… they are destined to fall. The sooner they realize it, the better."

Naruto's fists shook at his sides. "You're wrong. People aren't born weak. And even if they are, they can get stronger! Hinata kept getting back up even after everything you did to her. That's real strength, not whatever you think you've got."

For a moment, Neji's expression faltered, a flicker of doubt crossing her face. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared. "You'll never understand. Some people are born with freedom. Others, like me, are born in chains."

Naruto's lip curled in disgust. "Chains, huh? Looks to me like you just made those chains yourself."

Neji turned away again, walking off without another word. Naruto stayed behind, glaring after her until she disappeared from view, the anger still burning in his chest.

…

Konoha's streets were quiet under the moonlight, the soft rustling of leaves the only sound as Naruto wandered aimlessly. His mind replayed the fight and Neji's cruel words over and over, stoking the fire inside him.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted her: Neji, walking down the same road, her long hair trailing behind her in the night breeze.

Naruto's jaw clenched. He hadn't expected to see her again so soon, but now that she was here, he couldn't let her go without saying his piece. He stepped forward, blocking her path.

Neji stopped, her gaze meeting his without emotion. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice cool and indifferent, as if their earlier confrontation had never happened.

"I want to know," Naruto said, voice low but insistent. "Why do you act like that? Like everything's already decided before it even starts? What's the point of trying so hard if you think nothing will ever change?"

Neji's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're naïve. Life doesn't care about effort. Some people are born to be strong; others are born to serve. I learned that the hard way."

Naruto crossed his arms, scowling. "You can't just hide behind that 'fate' stuff forever. That's just an excuse not to try."

Neji's gaze sharpened. "It's not an excuse. It's reality. You wouldn't understand."

Naruto took a step closer, anger bubbling beneath his words. "Yeah? Try me."

For a moment, they stood in silence, the weight of their different worlds hanging between them. Then Neji's voice, low and edged with bitterness, cut through the quiet.

"My whole life, I've been reminded that I'm lesser. My father sacrificed himself for the main branch, and I've been expected to do the same without question. No matter what I do, I'll always be second. Always be chained."

Naruto shook his head slowly. "That's just messed up. But you don't have to live like that. If something's broken, you fix it, not just sit around blaming it."

Neji's expression twisted, part scorn and part curiosity. "And what would you know about it, Naruto? You've never been trapped like I have."

Naruto's eyes darkened, his usual goofy grin replaced with something hard and determined. "You think you're the only one who's ever felt stuck? People looked at me and said I'd never amount to anything. They still do. But I don't care what they think. I'll fight, and I'll keep fighting until I prove them all wrong."

Neji's lips pressed into a thin line. "You think you can just will yourself into changing the world? It's not that simple."

Naruto shrugged, his gaze unwavering. "Maybe not. But it's better than giving up before you even try."

For the first time, Neji had no immediate response. Naruto's words lingered in the air between them, a challenge she didn't know how to meet.

He took a step back, the fire in his eyes still burning bright. "You'll see. I'll prove you wrong. And not just for me, Hinata, too. See you in a month"

Neji watched him walk away, the moonlight casting long shadows on the ground. For the first time in a long while, a sliver of doubt crept into her mind.

Maybe, just maybe, the chains she carried weren't as unbreakable as she thought.

That's Chapter 2 everyone, leave a review and a question if you like!