Chapter 189: Naruto, Isn't It Only Natural That You Become Hokage?
Chunin Exams, Third Round.
On the giant screen in the center of the arena, the names "Naruto Uzumaki" and "Neji Hyuga" clashed fiercely before locking in place. The atmosphere ignited instantly.
"Finally! Naruto vs. Neji!"
"This is a true battle of geniuses! One is the son of the Fourth Hokage, the new generation Yellow Flash! The other is the once-in-a-century prodigy of the Hyuga Branch Family!"
The cheers from the audience rose in waves.
Naruto Uzumaki took a deep breath, his golden hair swaying gently in the breeze. He looked at the boy across from him, dressed in white with his hair tied back—Neji Hyuga. Neji's expression was as calm as ever, but deep within those pure white eyes, something more complex seemed to lurk.
Genma Shiranui walked between them and announced loudly, "Third match, Naruto Uzumaki vs. Neji Hyuga! Begin!"
Before his voice faded, Naruto moved. His figure blurred, and in the next instant, he appeared at Neji's side!
Too fast!
"Flying Raijin Jutsu!" The Jonin watching narrowed their eyes. This speed, this application of the Flying Raijin, had already surpassed the Genin level!
"Rasengan!" Without hesitation, Naruto thrust the high-speed spinning chakra ball in his palm, screaming through the air, straight at Neji!
Neji's Byakugan clearly captured Naruto's movement.
"Rotation!" Almost at the exact moment Naruto attacked, chakra erupted from all of Neji's tenketsu points. His body spun rapidly, forming an absolute defense of chakra!
BOOM—!
Rasengan and Rotation collided violently, creating shockwaves and dust. Neji grunted, forced back several meters by the immense impact, sweat beading on his forehead. He steadied himself, his Byakugan locked onto Naruto, who was becoming clear in the settling dust.
This power, this understanding and application of jutsu… Is bloodline truly an insurmountable chasm? The Fourth Hokage's son…
The dust cleared. Naruto stood there, calm.
"Neji!" Naruto's voice rang out, carrying a boyish clarity and seriousness. "Stop obsessing over destiny! The future is something you create yourself!"
This was a heartfelt thought after learning a little about the situation from Hinata. It was also what he had learned from his father, Minato Namikaze—to pass on hope to others.
However, these words sounded different to Neji's ears. He slowly raised his head, a cold smile curling his lips.
"'Create the future'?" he repeated softly. "Coming from you, someone standing on the shoulders of giants, those words carry a lot of weight, Naruto Uzumaki!"
Naruto was slightly taken aback. He didn't expect such a fierce reaction. "I used to be a dead-last too, looked down on by everyone. But I never gave up, and I worked hard to become Hokage—" He tried to explain with his own experience.
"Dead-last?" Neji interrupted sharply, as if hearing the world's biggest joke. Veins bulged around his Byakugan due to his intense emotions. "That was just because your father's light hadn't shone on you yet! And now?"
"Working hard to become Hokage?"
"Naruto, isn't it only natural that you will become Hokage in the future?"
"The Hokage is just chosen from a limited few of you anyway!"
"And some people, from the moment they are born, have no possibility of becoming Hokage!"
Neji's voice rose sharply, filled with suppressed anger and unwillingness.
"Personally taught by the Hokage! Empowered by the Nine-Tails!"
"Naruto Uzumaki, every word you say now reminds me that there is a chasm called 'Destiny' between you and me!"
His heart was like roiling magma. His father had met a tragic end. The Hyuga Branch Family bore the eternal "Caged Bird" seal. And this boy before him had ascended to the heavens because his father was resurrected. He possessed everything Neji dreamed of but could never reach. What a cruel contrast!
"Your birthright is Hokage!"
"My birthright is the Branch Family, branded with the 'Caged Bird'!"
"You use your identity as the 'Hokage's son'? Your innate talent and readily available resources? To lecture me, a 'caged bird' bound by a curse seal? I can only look up at the sky, yet you lecture me to work hard to change my destiny?!"
"That is the biggest joke in the world!"
Neji roared, counterattacking even more frantically.
Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!
Palm strikes flew, forming an impenetrable wall, each hit aimed at Naruto's tenketsu.
However, Naruto moved like a ghost through the dense palm strikes, strolling casually.
Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!
POOF!
Dozens of Narutos appeared simultaneously, each wielding a Rasengan, attacking Neji from all directions. Neji's pupils contracted. Rotation activated again, but he was already stretched thin.
Explosions rang out continuously. Neji was forced back again, breathing heavily. He looked at Naruto, who was unharmed, not even a corner of his clothes disheveled. The light in Neji's eyes dimmed bit by bit.
Naruto frowned. His words seemed to have had the opposite effect. Neji's eyes were growing more paranoid, his resistance more reckless.
"Neji! As long as you find a way, as long as you don't give up, there's always a way! You're a genius! I used to be worse than you—" Naruto spoke again, trying to inspire Neji by showing more "possibilities."
"Worse than me?" Neji coughed up a bit of blood, his eyes colder and more resolute. "That was just your disguise when the 'dragon was in shallow water'! Naruto Uzumaki, every display of your strength, every new jutsu, proves to me how real 'destiny' is!"
"The Hokage's bloodline is destined to shine!"
"And I, Neji Hyuga, am destined to fade in your light!"
"This is my fate!"
He constantly confirmed this reality with his words, but his body fought against this predetermined fate again and again. This contradictory psychology led him to roar like a beast, pushing his chakra at any cost, unleashing moves beyond his limits. But each time, they were easily neutralized by Naruto with greater strength or superior skill.
Every failure was like a heavy hammer blow on his firmly held "fatalism."
Naruto was getting anxious. He realized his words were having no effect. The sense of utter resignation in Neji's eyes was almost overflowing.
"No! Neji! You misunderstand! I'm trying to tell you that you can too—"
Neji smiled miserably, a smile filled with deep exhaustion and complete resignation. "'I can too'?"
"I can too what? Can I suddenly have a Hokage father fall from the sky like you? Or suddenly possess the near-infinite chakra of the Nine-Tails Fox?"
"Naruto Uzumaki, keep your cheap sympathy and preaching! Your very existence is the greatest negation of me!"
Naruto looked at Neji's bloodshot yet stubborn eyes, and for the first time, he wavered. At this rate… will Neji… really give up completely? Did my words make him feel worse? If… if I lose to him once, even if it's fake, will it make him believe again that he can break the shackles of destiny?
Once this thought sprouted, it entwined around his heart like a vine.
In the next few attacks, Naruto's rhythm noticeably slowed for a moment. The power of the Rasengan in his hand seemed reserved. His footwork showed some unnatural flaws, as if deliberately creating opportunities for Neji to counterattack.
All of this was clearly captured by Neji's all-seeing Byakugan.
Neji suddenly retreated, creating distance. His chest heaved violently, his whole body trembling with an indescribable emotion.
Suddenly!
"NARUTO UZUMAKI!!!"
A thunderous roar echoed through the entire arena! Everyone was stunned by this sudden outburst.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!!!!"