In the crowded stands, amidst the thunder of voices and restless anticipation, a pair of clear, youthful eyes never left Naruto's figure.
Hanabi sat straight-backed, her small hands gripping the railing in front of her as her gaze burned with a mixture of awe and confusion. She watched the boy who stood so boldly opposite her cousin.
'Why… why did Onee-chan change so much?'
The thought kept echoing. Hinata, who used to shrink behind shadows, now held her head high, her heart full of courage. And the reason for that change, the spark that had turned that timid girl into a strong and fierce heiress, was standing down there.
'Uzumaki Naruto… It's all because of him.'
"Hanabi."
The commanding tone of her father pulled her out of her reverie. She turned her head quickly, facing Hiashi. His stern gaze was fixed not on her but on the battlefield, his voice low yet carrying the weight of truth.
"Watch this match carefully," Hiashi said, every syllable deliberate. "Nobody has inherited such a strong Hyūga Kekkei Genkai... in this aspect, perhaps it is stronger than your sisters as well."
Hanabi's lips parted, surprise widening her pale eyes. "More than Onee-chan… and me?"
"Yes." Hiashi's expression didn't falter, but a subtle heaviness filled his tone. Then, slowly, his gaze shifted to the blond boy below, whose stance radiated determination.
"However…" He admitted, "The child of the Fourth must not be underestimated. He is stronger than many jōnin… perhaps he is stronger than me as well."
"Stronger than Father?" Hanabi's breath hitched.
The words left her lips as barely more than a whisper, laced with disbelief and curiosity. She turned again to look at Naruto, her eyes widening with not just curiosity, but wonder.
His figure seemed to shine brighter under the sun-drenched arena.
Down in the waiting room, another pair of eyes also lingered on Naruto, though they were not filled with awe, but with quiet frustration.
'Damn it… Naruto...'
Sasuke's fingers curled around the railing until his knuckles whitened. The metal bit into his palms, but he barely noticed. His gaze sharpened, focusing only on that one figure below. 'I envy your ability to win every battle so easily. I train, I bleed, I push myself to the limit… and yet the crowd looks at you. Always you.'
His chest tightened, the familiar fire of rivalry surging stronger. Yet beneath it all, just for a heartbeat, was an acknowledgment, an unspoken recognition of Naruto's growing strength.
Around them, the crowd swelled with anticipation, cheering, whispering, shouting as the two fighters in the arena prepared to clash.
But for Hanabi, for Hiashi, and for Sasuke, the noise faded into the background. All that remained was Naruto's presence, a flame that pulled every gaze, that unsettled hearts and inspired them at the same time.
------
Back on the field, the air grew sharp with anticipation.
Naruto and Neji stood frozen in place, eyes locked like two predators circling each other.
None of them blinked or flinched as the silence of the arena was a storm waiting to break.
'He's the challenger, and yet… he refuses to make the first move?' Naruto thought, narrowing his eyes. His hand twitched, itching to move, but he held still.
'I am the challenger in this case, after all!' Neji's jaw tightened. His frown deepened before his feet slid forward, then pushed off. He bolted ahead with precision, his pale eyes gleaming like sharpened steel.
"Here he comes!" Naruto clenched his fists, adrenaline rushing through him.
A sharp palm thrust tore through the air, aimed straight for Naruto's chest.
"Haa!"
The blow was fast, deadly, but Naruto's instincts snapped into action. His hand whipped out, palm to wrist, shoving Neji's strike off-course and sending it gliding over his shoulder.
The sound of the deflection cracked like bamboo.
"Not bad," Neji muttered as his feet danced across the ground. His other arm whipped out, another palm strike whistling toward Naruto's ribs.
'Tch! He's not giving me a second to breathe!' Naruto grinned, twisting his torso and batting the strike away with the edge of his hand. Their palms clashed again, skin smacking against skin, the sound echoing through the stadium like drumbeats.
But beneath Naruto's sharp eyes, a storm brewed.
'With so many eyes here… from every village… I can't reveal too much. If I counter Gentle Fist openly, it's as good as teaching the world how to dismantle the Hyūga clan. And shadow clones? If I form up my formations here, that's another secret exposed…'
His jaw tightened as he parried another strike. 'What should I do?'
"Hmph," Neji smirked, his lips curling into something almost mischievous. The flow of his hands suddenly changed. His open palms suddenly folded into fists.
'WHAT—?!' Naruto's eyes widened in surprise, but he was too late to defend.
BOOM!
The straight right smashed into Naruto's jaw with bone-shaking force. The boy shot backward like a ragdoll, dirt exploding where his body skidded across the ground.
The stadium gasped in unison.
"WHAT?!" Hiashi Hyūga, seated with stiff composure until now, bolted upright, eyes bulging.
Under his mask, the Kazekage's lips twitched. His chest quaked once with the faintest snort of amusement. 'To think… someone like Naruto fell for such an old, simple trick.'
Naruto lay on the ground, blinking twice, his head ringing. His hand slowly touched his cheek, stunned. 'What was that just now?'
The silence cracked.
"NA-NARUTO?!" Sakura's voice split the air. Her hands shot over her mouth, her eyes wide with surprise.
Beside her, Sasuke narrowed his eyes, cold and analytical, but his fingers twitched with tension.
Gaara's brows rose, and even Shikamaru leaned forward with his mouth slightly open.
'Naruto got hit?' Shikamaru thought. 'That idiot actually let Neji tag him?'
Lee's fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. "Like I said! Neji has been practicing for the past month. Every second of training... it has all paid off!"
His voice cracked with pride and excitement.
A spark of a smile flickered across Gai's face. His chest swelled. His eyes glistened as he stared at Neji, who stood tall with fire blazing in his pale eyes, the embodiment of endless training.
'He's finally taking after Lee…'
"You did well, Neji…" Gai whispered under his breath, emotion trembling in his tone.
Meanwhile, Kakashi's single eye widened, uncharacteristically unsettled. His hands curled in his pockets.
'Why isn't Naruto using his full strength?' Kakashi's gaze flicked toward the Hokage's stand. 'Did Genma… or the Hokage… put restraints on him?'
His question was mirrored by Orochimaru, cloaked beneath the Kazekage's guise. His golden eyes, slitted like a serpent's, sharpened in interest as they slid toward Hiruzen.
"That brat," Kazekage said, his voice smooth yet laced with curiosity, "should be able to defeat the boy with the Byakugan easily. Why does he falter?"
Hiruzen's eyes didn't leave the fight. His pipe smoldered faintly between his fingers, smoke drifting into the air.
"Kazekage-dono," the Hokage said calmly, "I have put some restrictions in place."
Kazekage's brow arched under the shadows of his hat, and his eyes gleamed with dangerous intrigue. "Restrictions?"
Hiruzen exhaled a slow puff of smoke, lips tightening faintly. "Most likely… he will still find a way to fight back. It will depend on him."
For the first time, a true spark lit the Kazekage's gaze, and his lips curled faintly.
"Interesting…"
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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