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The hall quieted again as the fight intensified..
The moment Hinata activated her Byakugan, her pale eyes bloomed like a moon in the darkness, veins swelling beside her temples.
Across from her, Neji's gaze was already sharpened, calm, and unreadable.
"Byakugan... activated." Hinata's voice was quiet, but steady. The chakra around her surged like a controlled tide.
"Hmph." Neji mirrored her stance. "So you've trained more than I expected."
In a blur of motion, Neji moved again. He lunged, his palm aimed directly at Hinata's heart, swift, focused, deadly.
But Hinata was already in motion as their palms clashed in midair.
Clack!
The chakra exploded in invisible pulses.
Gentle Fist vs. Gentle Fist!
Their moves were disrupting each other's flow.
Neji smirked and complimented. "Your form's improved."
Hinata said nothing, just adjusted her stance and stepped again, shifting to Eight Trigrams Stance: Second Form.
Her fingers glowed slightly blue as she moved.
Thrust.... Thrust...
Sweep...
Neji blocked all three but barely.
"Her chakra control is tighter than his," Kakashi observed from above, one eye lazily open. "She's been training harder than most."
Below, Hinata circled to the side, measuring her breathing. The beads of sweat formed on her temple and her hand tingled from Neji's pressure.
"You haven't spoken to me in years, Neji-nii-san..." Hinata said softly.
Neji's eyes narrowed. "There was no point."
She frowned. "I missed you. You used to smile... once."
Neji didn't respond, instead stepping in again. "Eight Trigrams ā Two Palms!"
Hinata blocked and deflected.
"Four Palms!"
She spun around him, ducking under his strike.
"Six Palms!"
Their arms tangled like silk ribbons in motion. One hit grazed her side, and another skimmed her ribs.
But she retaliated.
"Gentle Palm ā Internal Wave!" Her fingertips struck at Neji's forearm, sending his chakra veering off.
Neji took a breath and jumped back.
Up in the stands, Naruto stood at the railing, his fist clenched but smiling proudly.
"She's holding her own..." He muttered.
Sakura nodded beside him. "She's so calm... Maybe everyone cannot associate her with the shy girl from a few years ago."
"She's stronger now," Naruto said. "She has her own reasons... her own path."
Kiba, lying down a row behind them with a pack of ice, groaned. "I told you guys... she's not the same anymore..."
Back in the arena, Neji dashed forward again.
"Eight Trigrams ā Eight Palms!"
"Sixteen Palms!"
His speed increased, and he forced Hinata back, his strikes whistling through the air.
Hinata twisted and pushed forward.
"Gentle Reversal!"
She diverted his momentum and landed a clean hit to his shoulder.
For the first time, Neji winced.
"You should've been the genius," Hinata said, breathlessly. "You always looked after me when we were younger..."
Neji's fists flew.
"Thirty-two Palms!"
"Sixty-fourā"
BOOM!
A cloud of chakra pulsed between them. The floor cracked beneath their feet.
Hinata spun, fingers pointed, redirecting each blow with centimeter precision. Her feet barely touched the ground as she danced around Neji's onslaught.
Their fingers were a blur, and chakra veins lit up under their skin. Every time their palms met, a shockwave burst.
Boom... Boom... Boom...
From the stands, even Shikamaru was wide-eyed. "They're both monsters in Taijutsu."
"No," Naruto said, smiling softly. "Hinata is better in control. Neji has speed and brute strength. But she's got refinement."
Tenten leaned toward Lee. "I didn't think Hinata could stand up to Neji like this..."
Lee nodded slowly. "That... is the power of love."
Tenten looked blank. "Huh?"
Lee clenched his fists. "The power of a girl striving to grow stronger for someone she believes in! That is the fire of youth!"
"Please don't start yelling again..." Tenten sighed.
Back in the ring, Neji was breathing a little harder. A tiny bruise marked his upper chest. His fingers twitched. He stared at Hinata as if trying to figure her out.
"Why didn't you fight like this before?" He asked.
"Because I was afraid of losing you," She replied, eyes flickering with sadness. "I wanted to bring back the Neji-nii-san who used to call me with affection and... not as a stranger."
Neji's expression flickered, and he shouted. "Your kindness is weakness."
She didn't argue. "Maybe."
Neji clenched his jaw and said. "Then I'll prove to you what reality looks like!"
He moved, and his strikes were even faster than before.
Eight Trigrams ā Sixty-Four Palms.
The infamous full barrage.
Hinata dodged half and parried a dozen while absorbing the rest. But the last six palms got through.
Boom! Boom!
Her legs shook and her chakra points spasmed. She dropped to one knee, panting.
"Your chakra network is blocked," Neji said coldly. "You can't even summon strength now."
Hinata looked up slowly and her eyes were soft but unyielding.
"I could have fought more... but I won't."
Neji's brow twitched. "What?"
She stood back up, slowly, painfully, and bowed.
"I concede."
The crowd gasped.
Neji took a step forward.
"Why?!" He barked. "Why run away again?! Why always quit before you finish the fight?!"
Hinata looked at him, not afraid, just... calm.
"I didn't come here to beat you," She said. "I came here... because I missed you."
Neji's face froze.
"You used to walk beside me. You used to laugh."
She stepped forward, just a few feet from him now.
"But fate... our clan... took that away. I just wanted a real spar... with my older brother."
The silence fell over the arena.
"I've already proved I can stand next to you," Hinata said gently. "That's enough for me."
Then she turned around and slowly walked toward the stairs.
Neji stood motionless.
Naruto leaned forward against the railing, eyes shining. He complimented her, whispering softly.Ā "She's... amazing."
Sakura smiled. "She really is."
Even Sasuke's eyes narrowed a little. "She didn't fight to win. She fought to connect."
Lee saluted the air with a single tear. "Truly, the flower of youth has blossomed!"
Tenten groaned at his words.
Hayate walked over, coughing lightly as usual.
"The match is over."
"Winner of Match 8 ā Hyuuga Neji."
But Neji didn't move for several seconds. He stood there, fists still clenched, staring at where Hinata had stood.
A war waged behind those pale eyes.
Finally, he turned away. He walked back to the stand in silence, his face a mask. But his steps were just a little slower.
Hinata rejoined her friends.
Kurenai rushed over with a proud, tearful smile. "You were incredible, Hinata."
Hinata just gave a tired nod and leaned gently into her teacher's embrace.
Naruto met her gaze from across the room. He didn't speak and simply gave her a thumbs up with a proud smile on his face.
And Hinata smiled back, very pleased and satisfied.
---- ā¦ ā¦ ā¦ ----
Spoilers for the next five chapters!
Chapter 206: Gaara vs Rock Lee
Chapter 207: Gaara vs Rock Lee (2)
Chapter 208: The Unyielding Lotus
Chapter 209: Guardian Angel
Chapter 210: Shocking Outcome
--- ā¦ ā¦ ā¦ ---
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