As soon as Naruto returned to the second-floor viewing platform, he was surrounded by a crowd before he could even steady himself.
"Naruto, when did you become so strong?"
"How did you train for that speed just now?"
"And that Shadow Clone, how did you know which direction Kiba would attack from?"
Ino was the first to rush in front of Naruto, firing off a barrage of questions like a machine gun.
"By the way, Ino, weren't you unconscious and resting? How come you're back?" Naruto asked, puzzled.
"It wasn't that serious. I rested for a bit and then rushed right over to watch your battle." Ino waved her hand.
At this moment, Shikamaru, with his hands in his pockets, looked Naruto up and down, then said unhurriedly, "I'm telling you, that movement method of yours, being able to calculate the trajectory of Passing Fang in advance, that's not something you can explain with just a few days of training."
Naruto smiled. "It's rare for everyone to be gathered together like this for the Chunin Exams. After the exams are all over, I'll treat everyone to a meal. When the time comes, order whatever you want."
"You said it!"
"All-you-can-eat, right? I'll remember that."
"Naruto, you're finally treating us!"
The topic was successfully shifted immediately.
This group of friends who grew up together started laughing and joking around, and even Shino, who had been silent in the corner, gave a nod.
Just as the group was arguing endlessly about ramen versus barbecue, the display board refreshed with the names for the ninth match.
Everyone's laughter and chatter stopped abruptly in the same instant.
[Hyuga Hinata VS Hyuga Neji]
The Young Miss of the Main Branch against the Genius of the Branch House.
When these two names appeared side by side on the display board, even the candidates from other villages who didn't understand the internal situation of the Hyuga Clan sensed a subtle atmosphere.
Hinata stood at the edge of the viewing platform, her hands hanging in front of her. Her breathing became somewhat unstable, but she did not step back.
Naruto walked through the crowd to her. "Hinata."
"Na... Naruto-kun."
Hinata raised her head, and the moment her white eyes met Naruto's, she began to turn red uncontrollably, but she didn't lower her head.
"If you can't win, don't push yourself. I will always be watching you."
Hinata nodded. "I will let Naruto-kun see that I can also be strong."
After speaking, she turned and walked down the stairs.
Neji stood in the center of the arena a step ahead of Hinata, his face icy cold.
Hayate raised his right hand. "The ninth match, Hyuga Hinata against Hyuga Neji."
"Begin."
Neji was in no hurry to attack. He let his hands hang at his sides and spoke, "Hinata-sama, you are not suited to be a ninja, you are too gentle. Someone like you standing on the battlefield will only put yourself and your comrades in danger."
"Give up. At least give up this match while you can, and return with dignity to the place where you, as the Young Miss of the Main Family, belong."
Hinata stood where she was, her lips pressed into a thin line. She took a deep breath and met Neji's gaze. "Neji-nii-san, please come at me."
Neji's eyes turned cold. "Stubborn."
The two of them moved at the same instant. The Gentle Fist of the Hyuga Clan against the Gentle Fist of the Hyuga Clan.
Their palms crossed in the air for over a dozen moves, every single one precise down to the sealing and counter-sealing of Chakra points.
But Hinata's palm technique was behind Neji's in terms of power and speed. Neji quickly found a gap in Hinata's defense, and an Eight Trigrams Palm sent her staggering back several steps.
Hinata regained her footing and charged ahead again.
She tried her best but Neji's movements were getting faster and faster, every palm strike hitting precisely on the nodes of Hinata's Chakra circulation.
Hinata's movements began to slow down. Every palm strike required more effort than the last, but she never stepped back. Every time she was knocked back, she stood up again.
The bruises on her body spread rapidly, and blood seeped from the corners of her mouth from the impact.
"Hinata-sama, this is my last time advising you."
Neji sidestepped to avoid a clearly distorted palm thrust from Hinata.
He pressed two fingers of his right hand together and aimed them at an acupoint in the center of Hinata's chest.
Hinata shifted her gaze toward the second floor, pausing on that yellow-haired figure, her lips moving slightly.
Naruto saw the movement of Hinata's lips and understood the general meaning.
"Naruto-kun, you saw it, didn't you?"
Immediately after, Hinata's body tilted backward.
Just at the moment she was about to fall to the ground, a flash of yellow light streaked by, and the next moment, Naruto was already crouching in the center of the arena, his arms catching Hinata's falling body.
Naruto handed Hinata over to the medical ninja who had rushed over from the sidelines, then looked at Neji.
His expression was very calm but this calmness was completely different from the polite smile he had after finishing his match against Kiba.
In the stands, when Shikamaru saw this expression on Naruto, he pulled his hands out of his pockets. He had known Naruto for so many years and had never seen this kind of calmness on his face before.