Chunin exam finals, here it is!
Chapter 6. I hope you all enjoy!
Naruto stood inside the Arena along with the other semi-finalists.
"Sup Shika! You ready?" Naruto asked, bumping fist with his friend. The Nara heir sighed. "As ready as I'll ever be, I guess," he said, rubbing his head. Naruto looked around, noticing that Sasuke and Dosu were missing.
"Where's the other two? Sasuke's match is next after mine, and Dosu is your opponent after your fight." Naruto asked his fellow genin's whereabouts, and Shikamaru shrugged.
"I don't care about Dosu since he will be my opponent if I win my first match, but Sasuke probably got infected by Kakashi," Shikamaru said. Naruto chuckled.
"Nah, I don't think that could happen. Maybe Kakashi intentionally wants to get him late. That seems like something he would do."
Genma cleared his throat. "We can't wait for them any longer, so we will just start the matches. The rest of you, please go up to the stands. Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuga Neji, please stay." Genma announced. The genins complied, leaving Naruto and Neji standing face-to-face with each other. Hyuga glared at Naruto.
"I advise you to forfeit now. Fate has already decided that I will win this match!" The Hyuga prodigy announced with a smirk.
"Fate, this fate that will you just shut up? Hiding behind that nonsense will just eventually get you killed." Naruto commented, shaking his head. The Hyuga scoffed
"You're wearing a blindfold! I see that you are not taking this seriously! Prepare to lose! Proctor. Start the match!" Neji demanded, making Genma shake his head. "Uzumaki Naruto vs Hyuga Neji Hajime!" He announced, jumping back.
Neji darted forward, aiming a precise palm strike at Naruto's stomach. The blonde twisted to the side at the last second, narrowly avoiding the strike. Wasting no time, he retaliated with a quick kick aimed at Neji's ribs, but the Hyūga leaped back effortlessly with a smirk.
"Not gonna use that barrier of yours, huh? That will be your mistake!" Neji announced confidently.
Naruto cracked his knuckles, grinning. "We'll see about that!"
The two clashed in the center of the arena. Neji's palm strikes were fast, each one aiming for a vital chakra point, but Naruto moved with equal speed, dodging and deflecting the blows with counters. Naruto ducked under a high strike and spun on his heel, attempting a low sweeping kick. Neji hopped over it gracefully, using the momentum to deliver a quick jab aimed at Naruto's side.
Naruto twisted mid-air, avoiding the strike by inches, and retaliated with a spinning backhand that Neji narrowly blocked with his forearm.
Up in the stands, Sayuri took a seat next to Tenten and Lee. She smiled at her friend.
"Sup, Tenten!" Sayuri greeted her cheerfully.
"Sayuri! How are you doing? I hope you liked the clothes I helped you with!" Tenten replied with a smile.
Sayuri nodded, tugging slightly at her scarf. "Yeah, it's great! Thanks again for the advice. Who's this?" She gestured toward the boy in green spandex sitting in a wheelchair.
Tenten sighed. "This is Lee. He should be at the hospital, but he insisted on watching."
Lee grinned brightly, giving her a thumbs-up. "Yosh! Nice to meet you, Sayuri-chan! I'm Rock Lee, Tenten's youthful teammate! I hope we get along!"
Sayuri nodded, sweat dropping slightly. 'At least he's cheerful... but he seems a little too eccentric.'
She felt someone's gaze on her and turned to see Ino staring at her curiously. "Is there something on my face?" she asked with a slight tilt of her head.
Ino shook her head quickly, smiling apologetically. "Sorry! I haven't seen you around before. Are you new here?"
Sayuri nodded. "Yeah, I joined Konoha about a month ago. Naruto saved me from a bandit camp during one of his missions, and I decided to stay. I'm Kazehana Sayuri, by the way. I've been added to Naruto's team as his partner."
Ino's eyes widened slightly before she smiled warmly. "I'm Yamanaka Ino. Good luck with Naruto. He's a bit of a handful, but I'm sure you already know that."
Sayuri chuckled. "He's not that bad from what I've experienced so far."
Kiba, overhearing their conversation, smirked. "Trust me, the guy's ego is almost as big as the Hokage Monument!"
Sayuri laughed softly. "Maybe, but he's been kind to me ever since I met him."
Kiba chuckled, nodding. "Well, that's a first. I'm Inuzuka Kiba, by the way, and this here is my partner, Akamaru. Hope we can get along!"
Sayuri smiled as Akamaru jumped from Kiba's head into her lap. She chuckled, patting the small pup on the head.
Sakura leaned in, her expression skeptical. "You're saying Naruto hasn't driven you crazy yet? That's impressive."
Sayuri giggled. "He's actually been very respectful, though I can see how he might be... a handful sometimes."
Choji, who had been munching on a bag of chips, finally chimed in. "I still can't believe Naruto's keeping up with Neji like that. He's not even using his Infinity. I thought Neji would've overwhelmed him by now."
Ino glanced at him, rolling her eyes. "Naruto's strong, Choji. Haven't you been paying attention during his fight?"
Choji shrugged, popping another chip into his mouth. "Yeah. And it's kinda nice not seeing him rely on that untouchable thing of his for once."
Lee, watching the fight intently, clenched his fists. "Yosh! Naruto's youthful energy is incredible! But Neji is strong, too! This match is overflowing with the spirit of youth!"
Tenten rolled her eyes and bonked him lightly on the head. "Lee, calm down. You're supposed to be resting!"
"Resting while missing such youthful determination? Impossible!" Lee declared dramatically.
Naruto dodged another palm strike, grabbing Neji's wrist mid-attack. With a sharp tug, he yanked Neji forward and delivered a devastating knee to his gut. The Hyūga wheezed, his body doubling over slightly. Naruto followed up with a swift elbow to the back of Neji's head, disorienting him, before spinning into a powerful roundhouse kick that sent Neji flying across the arena.
Neji landed hard but rolled back onto his feet. "Not bad," he admitted, wiping a small trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth.
Without warning, Neji flung a barrage of kunai at Naruto. Naruto's hand shot out, snatching the first kunai mid-flight. He used it to deflect the others.
But Neji wasn't done. He surged forward, his speed increasing as he closed the distance between them. Naruto barely dealt with the last few kunai before Neji was upon him, delivering a flurry of palm strikes aimed at his chest.
Naruto twisted and dodged. Using the kunai he was still holding, he attempted to counter with a jab at Neji's arm, but the Hyūga deflected the attack effortlessly with his other hand.
Their fight turned into a deadly dance. Each move met with a counter as they exchanged blows. Naruto's strikes were powerful, while Neji's were relentless.
"Come on, is that all you've got?" Naruto taunted, a cocky grin spreading across his face as he blocked another strike. "You haven't even hit me yet, and I've even turned off my Infinity! Even Hinata managed to land a hit on me."
Neji's eyes narrowed, his strikes growing sharper and faster. "Shut up! Why are you even friends with that failure?"
Naruto's grin faded. "Because of her determination and her will to train and improve herself, even if her clan doubts her," he said coldly.
With a sudden burst of speed, Naruto delivered a brutal haymaker to Neji's jaw, the force of the punch launching the Hyūga across the arena.
Hinata, sitting quietly with the rest of the genin, heard Naruto's words and smiled shyly. "Thank you, Naruto-kun," she whispered softly.
Kiba turned to her in disbelief. "Wait, hold on. You managed to hit Naruto?"
Hinata blushed deeper, nodding hesitantly. "I-It was during one of our spars... but he was going easy on me."
Kiba shook his head, still stunned. "Man, even if he was going easy, that's still impressive. I've never seen anyone get a clean hit on him when he's serious."
Choji, munching on a bag of chips, chimed in between bites. "I'm more surprised Naruto admitted it out loud. That's not like him at all."
Ino smirked, crossing her arms. "Yeah, he's usually so full of himself. I can't believe he actually gave someone else credit for once."
Sakura nodded in agreement. "It's true, but it just shows how much respect he has for Hinata. She's worked really hard."
Sayuri smiled at the shy Hyūga. "You two must be good friends."
Hinata's blush deepened, and she nodded. "Y-yes, he has helped me train in the past. A-at first, he seemed intimidating, but you quickly learn that he has a kind heart. Th-that's what I like about him. He is strong but kind."
Sayuri chuckled, leaning in slightly. "You've got a crush on him or something?"
Hinata's face turned scarlet as she frantically waved her hands. "N-No! I-it's not like that! I only s-see him as a good friend! I admit I used to, but I've gotten over that!"
Sayuri giggled, her golden-brown eyes sparkling with amusement. 'Why do I feel relieved hearing that?' she thought, shaking her head lightly.
Across the arena, the Jonin sensei were also taking note of Naruto's comment.
Asuma smirked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "So Hinata managed to land a hit on him, huh? That's saying something, even if he was holding back."
Kurenai nodded, her lips curving into a small smile. "It just proves how far she's come. I'm proud of her. Naruto acknowledging her in front of everyone is no small thing."
Guy, his arms crossed, grinned widely. "Youthful determination at its finest! Hinata's hard work and spirit are starting to shine through!"
Asuma raised an eyebrow. "Not everything is about youth, Guy."
Guy gave him a thumbs-up, his teeth gleaming. "Of course it is!"
Random chatter erupted among the audience at Naruto's taunt about Hinata
"You hear that? Even the Hyūga heiress landed a hit on him? Isn't she supposed to be shy and weak?" a Konoha villager whispered to his neighbor.
Another villager frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe she's not as weak as we thought. If someone like Naruto says she managed to hit him, she's gotta have some skill."
A Shinobi from Kumo leaned toward his companion. "This Naruto kid really doesn't hold back with his words, does he? But that's some serious acknowledgment for someone that Hyuga calls a failure."
His companion nodded. "Still, I can't help but wonder how a seemingly weak girl like her managed to land a hit on someone like him. It makes you think she has more potential than she shows."
Back at the fight, Neji managed to land a sharp hit to Naruto's shoulder.
"Finally!" Naruto shouted, grinning wide. But before Neji could savor the moment, Naruto vanished from sight.
In an instant, Naruto reappeared behind Neji. Without hesitation, he swept at Neji's legs. Neji, ever the expert, leapt over the attack, using Naruto's shoulder as leverage. As he flipped over Naruto, he landed a quick series of Palm strikes to Naruto's back, followed by a swift kick that sent Naruto sliding back.
"Not bad, Neji!" Naruto laughed, brushing himself off. "Not bad at all! Now, it's my turn!" His voice was filled with excitement as he launched himself at Neji in a blur of speed. Neji had no time to react.
Naruto delivered a flurry of strikes. Each one came faster than the last, leaving Neji struggling to defend himself. A solid punch landed squarely on Neji's solar plexus.
Naruto delivered a flurry of strikes. Each one came faster than the last, leaving Neji struggling to defend himself. A powerful punch landed squarely on Neji's solar plexus, causing his body to jerk violently upward as all the air was knocked out of him.
Before Neji could even start to recover from the blow, Naruto clapped his hands together and vanished once more, reappearing right behind him. With a wicked grin, he enhanced his kick with Ao and sent it crashing into Neji's back. The impact sent Neji spiraling through the air, blood spilling from his mouth as he slammed into the ground with a resounding crash, a small crater forming beneath him.
Up in the stands, Kiba winced.
"Damn, Naruto's wrecking your cousin, Hinata!" Kiba whistled, leaning forward in his seat.
Hinata shook her head, her eyes full of concern.
"I-I just hope Naruto-kun doesn't hurt him too badly," she murmured, her voice trembling slightly. Sayuri, sitting beside her, sighed.
"From what he told me about your fight, Neji almost killed you," Sayuri commented, her voice tinged with coldness. "So, understandably, he's not holding back."
Hinata's face flushed with worry as she sighed.
"You're too kind, Hinata," Sakura remarked with a knowing look. "Let Naruto deal with your cousin the way he deserves." Hinata hesitated but gave a small, reluctant nod.
On another box with the Jonin sensei, Asuma whistled.
"Whoa, Naruto's really laying into your student, Guy!" Asuma chuckled, eyeing the fight.
Guy didn't seem fazed. "Neji needs this," Guy said, pumping his fist. "Naruto's youthful spirit might just be the spark that reignites Neji's extinguishing flame!" He gave a thumbs-up, clearly hoping for Neji's transformation.
Kurenai sighed, rubbing her temples.
"Could you lower your voice, Guy?" she said with an exasperated look.
Guy didn't seem to hear her as he kept his gaze fixed on the fight. Kurenai sighed, then added, "But... Naruto not using Infinity is surprising. That's a choice."
Asuma chuckled, crossing his arms. "Yeah, it's unexpected, but I think it's smart," he said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "He's not relying on it. Better to save it for when he faces someone who gives him too much trouble."
Both Guy and Kurenai nodded, agreeing.
A few spectators from other villages groaned.
"I came here to see the untouchable barrier in action, and the kid's not even using it!" a Kumo shinobi muttered in disappointment.
"But his other abilities are definitely worth noting," a Suna shinobi remarked, narrowing his eyes.
Back in the fight, Naruto watched Neji cough out some blood as he crawled out of the small crater. He smirked.
"That's all a prodigy of the Hyuga can do? I'm disappointed…" Naruto said with a sigh.
"Fate this fate that stops trying to hide behind that excuse and start facing your problems!" Naruto announced, and Neji frowned.
"You wouldn't understand the fate of the branch house!" He yelled, ripping off his headband and revealing a seal.
"This seal forces us branch members to be slaves to the main house! You got it easy, you know! Born with that bloodline and being fated to be strong! Meanwhile, branch members are treated like slaves! Even my father, the younger brother of the clan head, was treated like a slave only because he was born a minute after his brother! So don't act like you know what suffering is!" Neji yelled, glaring at Naruto.
Naruto tilted his head slightly, a grin spreading across his face. "Fated to be strong? You really think it's that simple, huh?" He chuckled, crossing his arms. "Neji, you act like I've just had everything handed to me because of my bloodline. But guess what? I wasn't born knowing how to use any of this."
He took a step forward, his grin fading slightly. "You think having a strong bloodline means everything's easy? Does it make life perfect? I've worked for everything I have. I wasn't born knowing how to use the Limitless or the Six Eyes. I had to figure it out on my own, training harder than anyone else just to make it my own. My power isn't just because of my bloodline. It's because I fought for it."
Naruto gestured at Neji with a shrug. "You talk about your seal, about fate, about how unfair life is. And you're not wrong—life isn't fair. But sitting here crying about it? That's not going to change anything. You're letting this 'fate' stuff chain you down, and you're stronger than that. You're making excuses for why you can't be great, but you've already got the strength to prove fate wrong."
He smirked again, his tone shifting back to his usual cocky self. "So, yeah, Neji, you've got it rough. But stop pretending like I've had it easy just because of my bloodline. You want to talk about suffering? Fine. But instead of letting it break me, I used it to get stronger. Maybe you should try doing the same."
Neji's eyes narrowed, and his teeth clenched. "You don't understand anything, Naruto," he spat. "You can say whatever you want about hard work, but it's easy to talk big when you've never had your life controlled by a mark that forces you to bow to someone else's will."
His gaze hardened his Byakugan flaring. "You act so confident like you know everything, but all you've ever done is rely on the power you were born with. I've fought, too, but no amount of effort can overcome the fate of the Hyūga. That's the difference between you and me. You think effort can change everything, but I know better. Fate can't be changed."
Naruto's grin returned, "That's where you're wrong, Neji. Fate is just an excuse for people who are too scared to fight back. And I'll prove it to you—right here, right now."
Neji's glare deepened. "Then show me! Let's see if your 'choice' is enough to defeat someone chosen by fate!"
"You asked for it, Neji," he said, his grin widening.
"Ao!" he called out.
In an instant, the blue orb materialized, pulling fragments of rubble from the ground as it locked onto Neji. With a swift motion, the orb sent Neji soaring into the air, trapping him in place with its gravitational force. Neji's body hung suspended, unable to move.
Naruto quickly formed another set of hand signs. His eyes focused intently on his airborne target.
"Wind Style: Air Bullets!" he declared.
Naruto exhaled, sending out a barrage of compressed air bullets. Neji had no time to react. He could only brace himself as the bullets struck him one after another. Blood spurted from his mouth with each impact as the force of the air projectiles slammed into his body in quick succession.
Naruto motioned with his hand, commanding the orb. The blue sphere obeyed, dropping Neji to the ground with crushing force. There was a loud crash as the orb hit the earth, creating yet another massive crater. The smoke and debris rose into the air, but as the dust began to settle, Neji was nowhere to be seen. Only a log remained in his place.
'A substitution at the last second, huh?' Naruto thought, narrowing his eyes as he scanned the area. Just as he did, he heard a yell from behind him. His eyes widened in surprise.
"Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms!" Neji yelled, beginning his devastating attack.
Naruto spun around just in time to see Neji launch his assault.
"Two Palms!" Neji's palm connected with Naruto's chest
"Four Palms!" Neji moved faster, striking Naruto's side.
"Eight Palms!" The Hyūga's speed became a blur as each hit landed in rapid succession.
"Sixteen Palms!" Neji's movements were a blur of motion, his palms slamming into Naruto's body.
"Thirty-Two Palms!" Neji struck again, his Byakugan flaring
"Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms!" Neji roared, slamming his palm squarely into Naruto's gut.
The impact sent Naruto reeling, and he coughed out blood as he was sent hurtling toward the arena wall. The force of the collision created a deafening boom as dust exploded outward from the impact. Neji stood with a smirk, his Byakugan still activated, watching the aftermath.
Up in the stands, Sayuri's eyes widened. "He didn't just lose, did he?" she asked, looking towards the arena in concern.
"He might have got too cocky," Tenten said, shaking her head, Ino agreed.
"Yeah, that's what he gets, but seeing Naruto lose is unexpected," Ino said, sighing.
Sakura agreed with the Yamanaka.
"Yeah, but Naruto is still one of the strongest genin, so he might get back up." The pink-haired girl said.
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata said with concern.
"It's over, Naruto," Neji said. "You've lost. No matter how strong you think you are, fate has already decided this outcome. Without your chakra, you can't fight. And without your Infinity, you're nothing."
He crossed his arms, "This is the power of a Hyūga—a power you'll never match. You should've known better than to think you could defy fate. You're just proving what I've been saying all along: no matter how hard you struggle, People born with a cursed fate can never win."
As the Dust settled, the arena was shocked to see Naruto stand up. Neji's eyes widened slightly, but he quickly composed himself. "Impossible! You shouldn't even be able to stand, let alone move. I shut down all your chakra points!" Naruto wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, flashing Neji a cocky grin despite the pain. "You really thought that was enough to stop me? C'mon, Neji, you should know by now I don't give up that easy."
But inside, Naruto's body screamed with exhaustion, and he knew he needed help.
'Hey, Kurama, I need a little help here,' Naruto said to his partner. Inside his Seal, Kurama stirred. The fox's deep voice replied with a hint of amusement.
"Tch. You really let yourself get cornered, didn't you, kid? That Hyuga really got you good."
Naruto smirked inwardly. 'Yeah, yeah, rub it in later. Right now, I need a boost—just enough to unlock my chakra points.'
"Fine. Don't overdo it, though. You're still not ready to handle too much of my power."
A red aura began to flicker around Naruto's body. The oppressive chakra surged through him, breaking through the blockages in his system one by one. Naruto felt his strength return, his chakra flowing freely once again.
Neji took a step back, his Byakugan picking up the sudden spike in Naruto's chakra. "What... What is that?!" he demanded, his usually calm demeanor cracking.
Naruto straightened fully, his grin widening as the red aura pulsed faintly around him. "This? Oh, just a little help from my partner," he said casually, cracking his knuckles.
Neji's glare deepened as he tried to suppress the unease creeping into his chest. "No matter how much power you tap into, it won't change anything. Fate is absolute!"
Naruto took a deep breath, "You keep saying that, but I'm still standing, Neji. And I'm going to show you that fate doesn't decide anything—I do."
Neji tensed as Naruto rushed forward. His eyes widened. 'He's much faster! I got no choice; I have to use it!' he thought as he started spinning.
"Rotation!" he announced as a dome of spinning chakra appeared just before Naruto could strike at him. Naruto leaped back, watching the Jutsu with interest.
"Huh, you managed to learn a main house technique." He commented as the dome disappeared.
Neji straightened. "It's a technique exclusive to the main house, but even I, as a branch member, was destined to master it. This is proof of the power given to me by fate."
Naruto raised an eyebrow, his smirk sharpening. "Fate, huh? So, you're telling me fate just handed you a main house technique, even though you're a branch member? It doesn't sound like fate to me. It sounds like you decided to take it for yourself."
Neji's eyes narrowed, his voice sharp. "Don't misunderstand. This isn't about choice. It was always my destiny to rise above and master what others thought I couldn't. Fate made it possible."
Naruto chuckled, shaking his head. "You really can twist anything to fit your little fate story, huh? Fine. If that's how you want to see it, I'll just have to show you how wrong you are."
Up in the stands, Hiashi, sitting with the rest of the Hyuga clan, watched, surprised, as Neji performed a jutsu exclusive to the Main house.
"The Rotation! This is surprising. Neji truly is a prodigy to manage to learn it just by observing," Hiashi muttered. His youngest daughter, Hanabi, looked at him.
"What's so special about that jutsu Otou-sama?" She asked, and Hiashi sighed.
"That is the Rotation, a technique only exclusive to the Main House. Neji truly is special; it is such a shame he is in the branch house." Hiashi muttered, and Hanabi nodded.
Back in the fight, Naruto rushed forward again, stopping a few meters away from Neji. "Let's see how you do against this!" he announced, making a hand seal.
"Aka!" the red orb appeared at the tip of his finger. Instead of him sending it flying, it exploded outwardly towards Neji, whose eyes widened before using Rotation to defend it, but it didn't do much as the two jutsu collided. Neji was sent flying.
Up in the stands with the genin, Kiba watched in shock as the red orb exploded.
"That's new! He didn't use that against me during our match!" he said, then winced.
"Although I guess it's good, I don't have any counter to that," he muttered, making Hinata giggle.
Sayuri smiled. "Yeah, there is not much you can do against that. It's a technique he developed during a mission with Team 7. Did you see him do that, Sakura?" She asked the only member of said team present, she shook her head.
"No, I didn't see it, but he did go missing for a little while with a guy with a black cloak and red clouds, and when he returned, Sensei looked a little shaken up." The girl said, making Sayuri nod with a thoughtful face.
'It must be that Kisame guy who could counter his Infinity. I wonder how bad his injuries are to make Kakashi look shaken up.' She thought.
With the Jonin sensei, Asuma whistled.
"Damn, that's new, and it looks quite powerful!" he said, looking at the red orb. As it exploded, he winced.
"Yeah, but he must be holding it back a lot not to injure Neji too badly," Kurenai commented while Guy observed it intently.
"Yes, it does look concentrated, but to see the Rotation fail to defend against it…" Guy muttered, and his fellow Jonin nodded in agreement.
Up in the Kage box, Hiruzen watched the fight with a proud smile.
"The rumor is correct that genin sure is powerful." The Kazekage commented, 'Hm, the brat isn't using that barrier of his. It's a shame I can't obtain it due to that Infinity of his.' He thought.
Hiruzen smiled. "Yes, he is the strongest genin in this generation. He is already on his way to a promotion to Chunin, but since it's the Chunin Exams, I entered him just to show him off to the others." The old man said, chuckling. The Kazekage chuckled.
'Soon, sensei, soon you shall watch as I razed Konoha to the ground!' he thought with a smirk.
On another side of the Arena, Hiashi and some of the Hyuga elders watched, shocked, as Aka got through their absolute defense.
'To think that such a Jutsu could even defeat the Rotation…' he thought.
Back at the fight, Neji slowly stood up with a few burns. 'That Jutsu even got through the Rotation!' he thought, wincing. Naruto smirked. "I have enough fun with you. Sleep well, Neji!" he mocked and, with a rush of speed, appeared before Neji. The hyuga's eyes widened. "Rota-" he was cut off as Naruto punched him in the gut before executing a series of strikes at his head and chest in quick succession, his hands a blur, and with a final roundhouse kick sent him crashing to the Arena wall with a loud boom as the wall cracked.
Neji fell to the ground with a pained groan and breathed heavily. He looked up at the blond, who wore a cocky grin as he stood looking down at him.
"You fought well, Neji," Naruto said. "But you let this whole 'fate' thing hold you back. All I see is someone who's strong but too scared to realize it."
Neji glared at him weakly. His Byakugan faded, and doubt flickered in his pale eyes for the first time. "You're wrong..." he muttered, his voice softer, almost uncertain. "Fate... fate determines everything. It... has to..."
Naruto crouched down, meeting Neji's gaze. "Does it really? Or are you just using it as an excuse to stop fighting? You think your destiny is to suffer, but what if you could choose something better? What if your strength isn't about fate at all, but what you decide to do with it?"
Neji stared at Naruto, his mind racing. His entire life, he had clung to the idea of fate as an unshakable truth, but now, as he looked into Naruto's eyes, filled with unshakable resolve, he couldn't help but question himself.
"...You're strange," Neji admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "You fight like you believe nothing is impossible. It's... foolish. But..." He hesitated, his fists clenching weakly at his sides. "...Maybe it's not entirely wrong."
Naruto's grin returned. "You've got it in you, Neji. You just need to stop holding yourself back. Fate didn't decide this fight—I did. And so can you."
Neji exhaled slowly, his gaze falling to the ground. "...Maybe fate isn't as absolute as I thought."
Naruto stood. "Now you're getting it. Let's call this the start of a new chapter for you, huh?"
Neji hesitated before reluctantly nodding and closing his eyes as Genma announced the winner.
"Winner Uzumaki Naruto!"
Up in the Kage box, Hiruzen smiled.
"Naruto and Neji did well. The former will be promoted to Chunin while the latter might need more experience with leading, but I'm sure he could get a field promotion." The Hokage said proudly, and the Kazekage agreed.
"Yes, that is a good choice, and I hope my children also win their match. Their abilities are no slouch either." He said, making Hiruzen chuckle.
With the genin, Sayuri cheered as Naruto won his match. Tenten smiled.
"As expected, Naruto wins." She commented, watching Naruto wave to the spectators.
"Like that guy could even get beaten. His bloodline is freakin unfair." Kiba muttered as Hinata giggled.
"Y-yes, Naruto-Kun's abilities are quite strong, but at least he is kind," Hinata said with a small smile.
"Yeah, it makes me relieved he is not an enemy," Ino commented, and Sakura nodded, slightly pale.
"Yeah, I can't even imagine how we could defeat that guy if he becomes our enemy." The pink-haired genin said as Sayuri chuckled, agreeing with them
"Good thing he's loyal to Konoha then." Sayuri said with a smile as Lee grinned.
"Yosh! Once my injuries are healed, I shall do a thousand push-ups while one hand is tied around my back and a boulder is on top of me!" Lee announced with a determined nod. Tenten bonked him over the head.
"Idiot! You might need some rehabilitation, so don't even think about it!" The bun-haired girl admonished, making Lee nod with a sweat drop. Sayuri giggled.
"He seems to be a handful. I pity you, poor girl, " she said, comfortingly patting her friend on the back. Tenten sighed.
"And what's worse is he is more annoying with Guy-Sensei around." The girl whined while Sayuri continued comforting the girl.
With the Jonin, Asuma rubbed his chin thoughtfully
"You think the kid's getting the promotion?" Asuma asked Kurenai, pulling out a cigarette and started smoking it, only for Kurenai to glare at him, rip It out of his mouth, and throw it on the ground before stomping on it, he sweat dropped.
"No smoking around me! But yes, I think he will get promoted. Keeping him as a genin will be a bad idea, as his abilities will be useful on higher-ranked missions." Kurenai said, and the man nodded in agreement.
"Yosh! It fills me with joy to watch Naruto's match I shall run around Konoha a thousand times while on my hands later!" Guy announced his fellow Jonin sweat dropped.
Naruto waved to the crowd as they cheered before teleporting to the stands where the other semi-finalists were watching.
"Nice match, Naruto," Shikamaru said as Genma called the next match
"Sabaku no Gaara and Uchiha Sasuke please proceed to the arena!" Genma announced. Gaara appeared in a swirl of sand, but Sasuke was nowhere to be seen, and Naruto sighed.
"The Uchiha might get disqualified. What is Kakashi thinking?" He muttered, shaking his head.
Up in the Kage box, Hiruzen sighed. "I might have to disqualify the Uchiha if he doesn't show up," Hiruzen said. The Kazekage shook his head.
"Please reconsider. Many people came here to see the match of the Last Uchiha, including some of the daimyo. I suggest moving his match to the last." The Kazekage suggested making Hiruzen nod before telling one of his Anbu to relay the message to Genma.
"The match between Sabaku no Gaara and Uchiha Sasuke has been moved to the last, so now will Sabaku no Kankuro and Aburame Shino proceed to the arena?" Genma announced.
"I Forfeit!" Kankuro shouted, making the spectators boo Genma sighed.
"Damn, Shino, you got unlucky or lucky depends," Naruto said, patting the Aburame on the shoulder, which shook his head.
"This is good and bad. Why? Because I got to fight at my full strength at the finals and badly because I only got to fight once, making my chance at being promoted to Chunin low," The Aburame said, making Naruto laugh.
"Nara Shikamaru and Sabaku Temari, please proceed to the arena," Genma announced.
"Good Luck, Shika!" Naruto said to Shikamaru, who walked slowly to the arena. "Troublesome, why do I always get to fight girls…" he muttered as he finally arrived.
"About time," Genma said with a chuckle. "Nara Shikamaru vs. Sabaku no Temari Begin!" he shouted, jumping back.
"Guess I don't have a choice," Shikamaru muttered, scratching his head.
Temari smirked. "You better take this seriously, or you'll regret it." She unfolded her fan slightly, revealing the first moon painted on it.
The fight began, and Shikamaru immediately retreated, taking cover behind the shade of the nearby trees. Temari opened her fan further and swung it in a wide arc, creating a powerful gust of wind that blew dust and debris everywhere.
"Running away already?" Temari called out, scanning the shadows for her opponent.
Shikamaru crouched behind the trees, carefully observing her movements. "It's not running away," he muttered to himself. "It's strategy."
Temari unfolded her fan to the second moon and sent another gust of wind toward the trees, forcing Shikamaru to dive for cover. "If you're not going to fight, I'll end this now!" she declared, readying another attack.
Shikamaru remained calm, calculating his next move. He extended his Shadow Possession Jutsu, but Temari quickly leaped back out of its range, smirking. "You'll have to do better than that. I already know how your technique works."
He sighed. "Troublesome woman…"
As the fight progressed, Temari kept her distance, sending wave after wave of wind attacks, but Shikamaru continued to dodge and retreat, forcing her to expend energy. Each time he attempted his Shadow Possession, she avoided it with ease, keeping her position in the open where shadows were scarce.
The crowd grew restless, thinking Shikamaru wasn't taking the fight seriously. Even Ino yelled from the stands, "Come on, Shikamaru! Do something already!"
But Shikamaru's eyes remained focused, his mind working through every detail. He noticed how Temari always avoided his shadow in the same direction and how she positioned herself to keep the upper hand. Slowly, he pieced together a plan.
Temari smirked. "You can't win if you don't take the initiative." She unfolded her fan to reveal the third and final moon. "Time to finish this!"
She swung the fan with full force, unleashing a massive wind blast that tore through the battlefield, scattering debris and forcing Shikamaru to duck behind a wall of dirt he had created earlier.
As the dust settled, Temari advanced, her fan ready for the final strike. But then she froze. Something was wrong.
Her gaze shifted downward, and her eyes widened in shock. Her shadow was connected to Shikamaru's.
"What?! When did you—?" Temari stammered, realizing too late that she had fallen into his trap.
Shikamaru stood. "I've been planning this from the start," he said nonchalantly.
He explained how he had used his retreat to manipulate the battlefield. The torn pieces of her fan had cast small shadows, which he connected to extend the range of his technique.
"Troublesome," he muttered, "but it worked."
With his shadow controlling her movements, Shikamaru forced Temari to walk forward and kneel, mimicking his pose.
"Damn, he's smart!" Sayuri commented, surprised at Nara's genius.
"Yeah, even if he is pretty lazy, Shika is the smartest guy I know." Ino said with a smile.
On the Jonin stand, Asuma smirked.
"Shikamaru is smart as hell but the kid's got no drive." the man said, Kurenai smiled.
"Yes, he is smarter than even most Naras. He's got a bright future, " she commented while Guy started spouting about Youth.
Up on the Kage box, Hiruzen smiled.
"Nara Shikamaru, the smartest genin in his generation. Asuma said the boy's IQ is over 200," Hiruzen commented that Kazekage's eyes widened.
"Over 200? He must be a great strategist, then your genin's are pretty special, Hiruzen-dono." The Kazekage said, rubbing his chin. 'Over 200, huh? If he had been born earlier, I would have taken him. He will be a great assistant in my experiments,' he thought with a sigh.
"Now what?" Temari asked, glaring at him.
Shikamaru sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Well, I could end this now, but…" He released the jutsu. "I forfeit. I wasted too much Chakra."
The crowd was stunned into silence.
In the Jonin box, Asuma sighed.
"Damn it, Shikamaru…" He muttered as Kurenai laughed.
"That's unexpected, but at least he knows when to quit." She commented. Guy nodded.
"It was a Youthful move! But Shikamaru might get promoted even if he forfeited! His Youthful strategies can be instrumental in the future as a chunin!" Guy said with a grin and thumbs up.
"NARA SHIKAMARU YOU ARE SO DEAD!" Nara Yoshino, Shikamaru's mother, shouted somewhere from the stands. Shikamaru sweat dropped.
"Troublesome…" he muttered
Genma blinked before announcing, "Winner: Temari!"
Temari stared at him in disbelief, but Shikamaru had already turned and was walking off the field, hands in his pockets.
"Tch, troublesome," he muttered again, ignoring the shocked reactions from the spectators.
Naruto chuckled. "Typical of him." He said, sighing before deciding to leave the semi-finalist box and join the rest of the Konoha genin
"Sup guys!" He greeted them. Kiba waved at him with a grin, and Akamaru barked in greeting.
"Sup Naruto, you really surprised me when I saw you get hit," Kiba said. Naruto chuckled.
"Well, I'm still holding back against the guy. If I really went all out, Neji would not even last long," Naruto commented, making Kiba laugh. Sayuri shook her head with a sigh.
"Still, you won. Congrats." She said, patting him on the back. Naruto smiled.
"Thanks!"
"Shikamaru is so dead once I get my hands on him…" Ino muttered, making Naruto sweatdrop. 'Poor Shika, I hope you survive, you poor bastard,' he thought.
"Where is Sasuke anyways, Sakura?" Naruto asked the only member of team 7 present, who shook her head with a sigh.
"I don't know. I haven't seen him, Sai, or Sensei even once this month," Sakura said with a frown, making Naruto sigh.
"Kinuta Dosu has been disqualified as he failed to show up, so will Sabaku no Gaara and Uchiha Sasuke proceed to the arena?" Genma announced.
Naruto shook his head as Genma started to count down from 10.
"2…1 Uchiha Sasuke has failed to show up; therefore, he is Disqua-" Genma was cut off as a swirl of leaves appeared, revealing Sasuke and Kakashi.
"Are we late?" Kakashi asked with his signature eye smile, making Genma shake his head with a dry chuckle.
"Cutting it close there, Kakashi." He said, making Kakashi chuckle as Sasuke glared at his sensei.
"Well, good luck, Sasuke," Kakashi said, patting the boy on the shoulder and receiving a grunt in response.
Kakashi appeared at the stands with the other genin. "Yo!" He greeted them. Naruto smiled.
"Sup, Kakashi! Where have you been? You almost got the Uchiha disqualified!" the blonde said, and Kakashi chuckled.
"Maa… we came across an old lady needing help with her groceries, so we decided to help her," Kakashi said, making the other genin sweat drop.
Naruto laughed. "Well, at least you still arrived. This match might be interesting." He commented, focusing his attention on the fight.
"Sabaku no Gaara vs Uchiha Sasuke Hajime!" Genma announced
Chapter End
The next chapter is the invasion, which should be uploaded at the same time as this one. Please tell me how you like it and see ya!
