The Chunin Exam finals drew a massive crowd, Konoha's arena buzzing with anticipation. Naruto stood in the waiting area, his grin wide as he waved at the cheering spectators. "You're all here to see the future Hokage!" he shouted, earning laughs and jeers. But his eyes were on Neji, the Hyuga prodigy whose Byakugan saw through everything. Naruto's distrust was a constant hum—Neji, like Kakashi, like the Hokage, was part of the village's system, maybe even its lies. To beat him, Naruto needed power, and to get answers, he needed to win.Neji's match came first, against Naruto. The prodigy's voice was cold, his words cutting. "You're a failure, doomed by fate. You can't change what you are." The words hit hard, echoing the village's whispers—demon, monster. Naruto's grin faltered, but he forced it back, laughing. "Fate? I make my own!" Inside, he was burning. Neji's arrogance, his certainty, was everything Naruto hated about the village. He'd prove him wrong, not just for the crowd, but for himself.The fight was brutal. Neji's Gentle Fist sealed Naruto's chakra points, leaving him reeling, but Naruto summoned hundreds of shadow clones, their sheer numbers overwhelming Neji's precision. The Nine-Tails' chakra flared, unbidden, a red aura that made the crowd gasp. Naruto felt it—raw, unstoppable power—and used it to land a final blow, knocking Neji to the ground. The arena roared, but Naruto's grin hid his turmoil. The fox's power had won, but it scared him. Was he becoming the demon they feared?Neji's defeat revealed his own pain—a life bound by the Hyuga's curse seal, a fate he couldn't escape. Naruto's heart twisted. Neji was like him, trapped by others' choices. For the first time, Naruto felt a spark of connection, but his distrust smothered it. Bonds were dangerous, and power was safer. He waved to the crowd, shouting, "Told ya I'd win!" but his mind was on the scroll, the Nine-Tails, the truth. Beating Neji was a step, but the real fight was still ahead.
