A few moments before…
"Sasuke!" Naruto called out upon sensing Shikamaru had set the kunai in motion…
"Mm?" Sasuke looked at Naruto.
"Hold my hand quick!" Naruto said.
"Hold your hand?" Sasuke found it a bit weird.
"No time to explain, get your sword ready just in case!" Naruto said as he grabbed Sasuke's right hand.
"What the he-"
(Poof!)
Before Sasuke could complete his words, the duo had teleported.
…..
(POOF!) a huge smoke appeared in place of the kunai in the middle of the field.
"Huh?"
"What is that?" Some people amongst the audience reacted.
(Wheww!) The wind blew slowly with the appearance of leaves.
(WHOOSH!!!!!!) a leaf storm suddenly evolved…
The people covered their eyes a bit to prevent any dust from getting in…
Soon…
The leaf storm slowed down to reveal two figures.
("It's those two brats!") Orochimaru grinned as he watched the scene with keen interest.
Naruto bent down and grabbed his kunai, meanwhile, Sasuke was already armed, just in case, the duo had to deal with ambush attacks…
Soon the duo stared around only to see Genma, Sakura and Shikamaru were on the field, whereas the rest stared at the to who appeared out of nowhere on the field.
"Naruto, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura stared at them with shock.
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata, Karin, Rock Lee, Ino, Chouji, Neji, and all the others stared at him.
"Those two are back safely!" Hiruzen sighed from relief.
"Good, that they are back." Rasa nodded.
"HELL YEAHH!!!!" A person from the crowd shouted following which the entire stadium started to cheer.
"We can finally continue the matches!" A voice was heard amongst the cheering.
"Hmph!" Genma smiled.
*Sound of footsteps*
"Are we late for the battle?" Naruto asked as he walked towards Genma.
"You both have barely made it in time, just barely!" Genma said.
"I understand…" Naruto scratched his head.
Genma walked towards Naruto.
"Huh?" Naruto looked towards Genma.
Genma bent down to whisper a few words into Naruto's ears.
*gulp*
A drop of sweat appeared on the side of Naruto's head as he looked towards Sasuke.
"Hmm?" Sasuke stared at Naruto.
"SASUKE-KUN!"
"I'M GLAD!" Sakura ran towards him to hug him.
("What did he say…?") Shikamaru thought as he looked towards Genma.
Genma walked towards Sasuke and Sakura…
"You both, go to the waiting room along with that guy," Genma said as he pointed towards Shikamaru.
"Shikamaru!" Sasuke stared at Shikamaru.
"Mm!" Shikamaru nodded, following which Sasuke and Sakura started to walk towards the staircase.
"Wait!" Sasuke said following which, he turned towards Naruto.
"I will fight against you!" Sasuke declared.
"Yeah!" Naruto gave a thumbs up with a grin on his face…
"Let's go!" Sasuke said, following which, Sasuke, Sakura, and Shikamaru walked towards the staircase.
"Naruto…" Haku and Zabuza stared at Naruto.
Their lives had been changed by the very boy who stood on the stage…
….
As Sasuke, Sakura and Shikamaru walked up the staircase…
"Sakura!" Sasuke called out.
"Mm?" Sakura lifted her head.
"Did you win your match?" Sasuke asked.
*Ugh!* Sakura froze, while Sasuke and Shikamaru proceeded to climb.
"Hmmm?"
"What's the matter, Sakura?" Sasuke asked.
"I….Lost…" Sakura said.
("It doesn't matter, with the upcoming battle, the exam was a setup anyways…") Sasuke thought following which he turned to climb the staircase.
"Sasuke-kun!"
"I am sorry!" Sakura apologized…
"Don't let that match bother you!" Sasuke said as he continued to climb.
"Huh?" Sakura stared at Sasuke with surprise written all across her face.
….
Sasuke and Sakura made it to the meeting room.
Sasuke looked for one figure in particular…
("There he is.") Sasuke found Gaara staring at the battlefield.
("It's my turn…") Neji thought as he looked towards Naruto.
————Flashback————
When Naruto had arrived by Hinata's side…
Kakashi, Gai, and Kurenai stopped Neji including Hayate who held his hand a small distance from Neji's forehead to dispel him if needed.
Kakashi and Kurenai each hell Neji's hand while Gai wrapped his hand around Neji's upper body.
Neji saw Naruto hold on to Hinata while he was being restrained.
"Neji, get a hold of yourself!"
"You had promised me that you wouldn't let the matter between the branch and the head family get to your head, Remember?" Gai asked in a calm voice.
Neji could not take the humiliation of having surrounded by the other jounins; thus he gritted his teeth in anger as he asked…
"Why are all the other jounin butting in?"
"What is Naruto doing here?" Neji asked in a fit of anger.
"Naruto?" Kurenai raised her head, seeing Naruto holding onto Hinata tenderly.
"Naruto?" Ino, Sakura, Chouji, and Shino also stood by the rails seeing a mere Genin making an appearance at a place the concerned jounins had gathered.
Hayate walked towards Hinata and Naruto.
(cough!)
(cough!)
(cough!)
"Uzumaki Naruto….."
"According to the rules of the Chuunin Exams you…."
"Hayate!" Anko interrupted on Hiruzen's behalf.
Hayate turned back to see Hiruzen nodding at him,
Hayate understood tacitly.
"Uzumaki Naruto, you will be excused for your interruption in this particular battle."
"If you are to interfere in any further matches, you will be disqualified."
Naruto frowned but understood the rules of the chuunin exams very well.
Only the jounins could interfere if the situation demanded it Unless the other party had fainted or surrendered the match would continue till the death of either party.
However, Naruto had already done what he needed to…
The only question that remained on his mind was how to prevent Lee from ending up in that situation.
Should he warn Gai or should he warn Lee, both were hot-blooded; thus they would not give up on the fighting even if a single breath remained.
Kurenai walked over to Naruto and Hinata.
Naruto had already healed her heart by 80%, thus leaving the surface injury up to the medics.
"Naruto!" Kurenai called as she raised both her hands towards him.
Naruto understood the gesture and handed Hinata over carefully.
Kurenai placed her hand over the injured area, trying to detect the extent of Hinata's injuries.
("Her heart rate is stable?…") Kurenai was shocked upon examining Hinata's conditions.
…
"Hey you, Failure!" Neji called Naruto, causing Naruto to look towards him
"I have two pieces of advice for you."
"First, if you want to call yourself a ninja stop that revolting cheering of yours."
"And the second…"
"A failure will always be a failure."
"There's no changing that!"
…
Naruto got angry at this moment.
"Do you want to see about that?" Naruto asked…to which Neji smirked.
Clearly, Neji was provoking Naruto.
"Don't do it Naruto!" Kakashi warned Naruto, knowing that Neji would only be picking a fight to flee from a hornet's nest.
"I know sensei…" Naruto replied…after which he started walking away from the battlefield.
"Hmph! Coward!"
Naruto stopped walking away as he looked Neji in the eye.
Naruto reached into his pocket and drew out his Kunai.
Neji smirked upon seeing Naruto take out his kunai.
"Are you really dumb?" Neji asked Naruto in a mocking tone.
Naruto did not pay any heed as he threw the kunai towards Neji.
…
"I don't even need to dodge or block your kunai," Neji said as he raised his palm towards the incoming kunai as he intended to slap it aside.
Other than Kakashi, none of the jounins thought anything of Naruto throwing a kunai, but Kakashi expected otherwise.
The kunai had approached within ten meters of Neji.
Neji aimed as he set his palm on a collision course with the incoming Kunai…
…
As the kunai approached the final two meters…
< Flying Thunder God - Second Stage! >
(BOOM!) Neji was smacked into the ground by Naruto who had appeared out of thin air
…
The whole hall had descended into silence for that moment.
Everyone from the jounins to the genins including the examiners and the Third Hokage himself became silent as they saw the jounins who were supposed to prevent the action from happening were also speechless as well.
"Hmph!" Orochimaru smirked as he saw Naruto take down Neji in one blow.
Naruto looked at Neji and said…
"If a failure like me defeats you, then what does that make you?"
"Worse than failure?"
"People can change Neji…"
"Failure can become genius, through hard work," Naruto said as he left the stage.
——-End of Flashback———-
("I may have underestimated you last time Naruto.")
("You may be stronger than me…")
("However, I have been working my ass off during the holidays!")
("And this time, I will defeat you!") Neji thought as he jumped off the balcony and landed on the ground.
"Neji…" Naruto sighed as he looked towards Neji.
No matter how immature Neji was right now, back then, he was indeed a hero who would die for someone.
Naruto felt complicated upon seeing Neji, especially after how things had ended the last time between them…
Neji stopped opposite to Naruto.
Genma looked towards both of them.
"Are you two ready?" Genma asked.
"Mm!" Naruto and Neji nodded.
"This is just too good…" a man amongst the crowd sighed as he looked at the match that was about to start with keen interest…
meanwhile, Naruto thought back to what Genma whispered.
("This will be your jounin exam, you are to battle with only Taijutsu, and a maximum exception till A-rank jutsus, which means no senjutsu or other forms of battling.") Genma said.
Naruto stared at Neji who activated his Byakugan eyes.
"THEN…"
"THE FOURTH MATCH BETWEEN UZUMAKI NARUTO AND HYŪGA NEJI OF HIDDEN LEAF VILLAGE"
>>>>>BEGIN<<<<<<
Chapter 3/7 for the week
one extra later.
As usual
comments, power stones, reviews, and likes.
Your power stones keep me motivated
If the book reaches above rank 20, I might consider releasing two chapters everyday...
Peace ✌️
"The match is already over," Choji, Ino, and Karin sighed as they thought back to how Neji received a beat down from Naruto.
"huh?" Hinata and Kiba stared at the trio.
"No!"
"It may seem like that on the surface…."
"But, Neji-san has been training a lot lately."
"He trained with Gai-sensei and the head of the Hyūgan Clan," Lee said.
Despite Lee's comment, Gai remained silent since he was aware of Naruto's power more than the group that was sitting beside him at present.
"What do you mean by the match is already over?"
"That's Neji you know, the previous rookie of the year, and he has the Byakugan to boot with," Kiba argued.
"Ah!"
"I forgot, you were sent on a stretcher after being defeated by Naruto," Karin said.
*Ugh!* Kiba felt like he was stabbed with a knife.
"Damn it!"
"Just tell me what happened back then." Kiba cursed, following which Karin explained the events that took place after Hinata fainted…
"Naruto took Neji down in one punch back then!" Karin said.
"Yeah!"
"That was cool!" Ino also chimed in.
"Naruto…" Hinata turned to look at Naruto who was opposite to Neji.
….
Meanwhile, a few columns away…
("So that boy in the orange tracksuit is Naruto…") Hanabi stared at Naruto standing against Neji.
————FlashBack———
"I am going to watch the Chuunin Exam Battle along with my Dad," Hanabi said.
"Chuunin Exam Battle?"
"Why bother?" Konohamaru asked.
"Why bother?"
"What do you mean?" Hanabi asked.
"Don't you know the boss is going to be the winner!" Konohamaru said.
"The boss?"
"You mean Naruto?" Hanabi asked.
"Mm!" Konohamaru nodded.
"Don't assume he will win, after all; there is a cousin brother of mine who will be participating in tomorrow's battle!"
"People know that Hyūga clan is the strongest clan of Hidden Leaf Village!" Hanabi declared.
"Hmph!"
"If you have seen my boss, you will understand!"
"No one can beat the boss; he defeated my sensei and even my grandfather once!" Konohamaru spoke proudly.
"Yeah right!"
"It must have been a surprise attack or something like that!"
"There's no way in hell, that he can defeat them in a real battle!" Hanabi argued.
"You'll see it tomorrow!"
"The BOSS is UNBEATABLE!"
"I'll come to battle against you on the day after the Chuunin Exam!" Konohamaru said as he walked away from the training grounds.
"We'll See!" Hanabi declared.
———End of FlashBack——
("Let's see if you are the unbeatable boss as Konohamaru said…") Hanabi thought.
"Hanabi!" Hiashi called out.
"Watch this match carefully."
"Nobody has inherited such a strong Hyūga Kekkei Genkai."
"To say nothing of your older sister, in this aspect."
"Perhaps it is stronger than yours as well," Hiashi said.
"More than Onee-chan and me?" Hanabi stared in surprise.
"Yes!"
"However, the boy in orange clothes must not be underestimated."
"He is stronger than many jounins,"
"Perhaps he is stronger than me as well…" Hiashi said.
"Stronger than father?" Hanabi turned to look at Naruto again with more curiosity shining across her eyes.
("Naruto…")
("I envy your ability to win every battle easily…") Sakura thought as she stared at the field as well.
———————————
Back on the field…
Naruto and Neji kept staring at each other, with none of either party willing to make the first move.
Neji frowned.
("I am the challenger in this case, after all!") Neji thought following which he ran towards Naruto.
("Here he comes!") Naruto thought as he saw Neji running towards him.
Neji sent a palm strike towards Naruto's chest which Naruto deflected by using his palm against Neji's lower wrist to make it exit over Naruto's shoulders…
Following which Neji sent another palm strike…
("With people from different villages here, I can't demonstrate my ability to counter the gentle fists, which is equivalent to teaching how to fight the Hyūga clan")
("If I use my shadow clones in conjunction with formations, it's the same thing as revealing secrets…")
("What should I do…?") Naruto thought as he deflected Neji's palm away once again.
"Hmph!" Neji smirked, following which he closed his palms, which smoothly transitioned into fists.
("WHAT?") Naruto stared in complete shock.
(BOOM!) Neji landed a straight right at Naruto which sent him flying.
("WHAT?") Hiashi stood up.
("WHAT?") Orochimaru felt completely humiliated
("To think that Naruto fell for such an old trick.") Orochimaru stared at Naruto with disdain.
("What was that just now?") Naruto thought as he landed on the ground.
…
("Naruto got hit?") Sasuke, Sakura, Gaara, Kankurō and Shikamaru stared in horror at Naruto who was down on the floor.
"Like I said!"
"Neji has been practicing for the past one month."
"Now his training has paid off!" Lee said.
Gai thought back to the time where he trained Neji.
———Flashback (CH 63)——-
"Please fight me at your full strength Gai-sensei!" Neji declared as he assumed his Gentle Fists stance.
"Looks like that little bout with Naruto-kun made you realize your level huh?"
"I see the flames of Fighting Spirit Burning in your eyes!" Gai said as he lowered his stance a bit to start a charge from the ground.
< Hidden Taijutsu - Dynamic Entry! >
Gai announced as he launched at high speed towards Neji.
————(added content)
(Bang!)
Neji landed on the ground.
"What was that for?" Neji asked with a swollen cheek from being at the receiving end of the surprise attack…
"Neji!"
"It is important for people to do the unexpected."
"The same thing can be said for your fighting style."
"You rely on the gentle fist style too much…"
"It's time for you to learn some good old fashioned fist fight!" Guy said.
"I see…" Neji realized that it was indeed a disadvantage to only stick to one style.
"Are you up to learn basic taijutsu?" Gai asked.
"Yes!"
"Gai-sensei!" Neji stood up.
("He's finally taking after Lee…") Gai stared at Neji who stood with a fiery hot passion for training till death.
———End of FlashBack——-
"You did well Neji…" Gai murmured.
Meanwhile, Kakashi was also staring in shock.
("Why isn't Naruto fighting at his full strength?")
("Did Genma say something?") Kakashi thought as he looked towards Hiruzen.
Rasa also looked towards Hiruzen.
"That brat should be able to defeat the boy with the Byakugan easily," Rasa said.
"Kazekage-dono,"
"I have put some restrictions in place."
"Most likely the boy will be able to fight back, given the conditions," Hiruzen said.
"Restrictions?" Rasa raised an eyebrow.
"How did he get hit by that?" Gaara murmured as he continued to watch.
Neji looked at Naruto who was on the floor…
"I knew it; he did cheat on those tests." A person amongst the audience spoke, which was followed by a few murmurs here and there about how Naruto had cheated.
("That was unexpected,") Naruto thought as he got back up.
"Naruto!" Neji called out.
"You may have become genius through hard work,"
"However, have you ever seen a genius who works hard?" Neji asked.
("Genius who works hard eh?")
("Looks like I don't need to hold back anything against this guy…") Naruto thought as a smile slowly appeared on his face.
("Why is he smiling?") Neji thought.
("It wasn't just hard work ya know…")
("The amount of work I had put in…")
("Before and after being a Hokage, can never be measured by those two simple words…") Naruto thought as he stared at Neji.
"You think one month of hard work is enough to get you to where you are right now?" Naruto asked slowly as he released a strong battle intent into the atmosphere.
"What?" Neji stared at Naruto.
"Allow me to show you, the result of my hard work," Naruto said as he raised two fingers on each hand and put them perpendicular to each other.
Neji frowned upon seeing this gesture.
< Shadow Clone Jutsu! >
Promised extra chapter.
I will try my best to reduce FlashBacks, but I wanna keep this novel going.
As usual
comments, power stones, reviews, and likes.
Your power stones keep me motivated
If the book reaches above rank 20, I might consider releasing two chapters everyday...
Peace ✌️
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