Chapter 190: Kyubey: Neji Hyuga, It Looks Like... You Need Some Help?
"Put away your laughable pity and charity!!"
"Do you think I can't tell?! Your attack just now… you were holding back on purpose! Do you want me to win?! Do you want to use this to tell me 'Look, destiny can be broken'?!"
Neji's Byakugan seemed to burn with white flames, filled with the madness of humiliation.
"This behavior is even more insulting than if you had defeated me with overwhelming power!!"
"If I, Neji Hyuga, am to be defeated, it must be in a fair fight! I don't need charity from you, the 'Hokage's son,' the 'darling of destiny,' to prove that some bullshit destiny can be changed!"
"I know you genuinely want to help me! I know you're a simple-minded idiot who thinks this will untie the knot in my heart! But! This kind of 'help' only makes me see more clearly just how deep and bottomless the chasm carved by 'destiny' between us truly is!"
"Come on! Naruto Uzumaki!"
Neji spread his arms wide, as if embracing his cruel fate.
"Use all your power! Use all your power as the Fourth Hokage's son and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki to defeat me! Make me thoroughly realize my fate as a 'caged bird'!"
"This is the ending I, Neji Hyuga, want!"
The arena fell into a dead silence.
Naruto was completely stunned by Neji's furious roar. His face flushed red, then went white. Shame and confusion washed over him.
He hadn't expected that the "kindness" brewing in his heart would be seen as such unbearable "charity" in Neji's eyes. He also hadn't expected that this boy, who always talked about "destiny," harbored such intense pride deep in his heart.
"Neji… I… I just…" Naruto opened his mouth, but found any explanation would be pale and powerless.
In the stands, Hinata clutched the hem of her clothes, watching the arena with worry.
Just then, Naruto took a deep breath. The confusion and hesitation in his eyes faded, replaced by an unprecedented determination and solemnity.
"I'm sorry, Neji… I understand."
"I take back what I thought before."
"Then, let's decide the winner fair and square!"
"As you wish!"
The moment his words fell, Naruto's aura surged again! This time, he held nothing back! Chakra rose like a beacon, a powerful pressure sweeping through the entire arena!
Facing Naruto's stance, Neji smiled, a look of relief on his face. His eyes returned to their initial cold resolve, but there was now a strange calmness, as if he had seen through everything.
"Come." Neji whispered.
The battle erupted again! This time, it was a true, no-holds-barred death match!
Naruto pushed his Flying Raijin, Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, and Rasengan to their limits! Golden flashes zipped across the field, leaving afterimages. The Big Ball Rasengan roared like a beast, shaking the earth with every impact!
Neji pushed his Byakugan to the limit, his Rotation almost continuous! He poured all his strength, all his skill, all his will into this final battle without reservation.
He knew he had no chance of winning. But he had to fight. For the pride of the Hyuga. For his dignity that could not be trampled upon. And to… give that damned "destiny" a resounding slap in the face!
However, the absolute gap in strength was ultimately an insurmountable chasm.
"Wind Style: Rasenshuriken!"
With a shout from Naruto, a high-speed spinning chakra shuriken tore through the air! Amidst the piercing shriek, Neji's pupils contracted to pinpoints! He felt an unprecedented, lethal threat!
Rotation!
He poured all his chakra into this final defense!
BOOOOOM—!!!!
A deafening explosion drowned out the entire venue! Blinding white light erupted, and violent chakra turbulence swept out in all directions!
When the light faded and the dust settled, only Naruto remained standing in the center of the arena.
Neji Hyuga lay quietly at the edge of a crater not far away, covered in blood, his white clothes stained red. His Rotation had failed to block that final strike.
Genma Shiranui quickly went to check on him, and after a moment, raised his hand high.
"Winner! Naruto Uzumaki!"
Thunderous cheers erupted from the crowd. Medical ninja quickly loaded Neji onto a stretcher. As he was carried away, Neji opened his eyes slightly. His gaze had no focus, staring emptily at the sky.
His lips moved, uttering a barely audible whisper.
"Father… is this… my destiny…?"
"Sure enough… it cannot be changed…"
There was no anger or unwillingness left in his eyes. Only a calm confirmation of "fate." Then, he slowly closed his eyes, as if falling into an eternal sleep.
Hiashi Hyuga slowly stood up in the spectator stands. His gaze followed the stretcher being carried away, his expression complex. The dignity of the Main Family head and the emotions of an uncle warred within him. He gently took out a long-sealed scroll from his robe. It was left by Hizashi… Perhaps it could help untie the knot in Neji's heart.
Naruto stood there, watching Neji being carried away, filled with indescribable emotions. He had won. But he felt no joy. Neji's final calm gaze, that whisper of resignation, pierced his heart.
Can people with different standpoints… truly never understand each other?
These questions hung over his heart, leaving him with an inexplicable sense of loss.
On the stands, Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze was deep as he sighed softly. Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki looked at their son with complex expressions. They were proud of Naruto's strength, but worried about his current confusion.
After a short break, Genma Shiranui returned to the center of the arena.
"Next, the fourth match!"
On the screen, new names appeared.
Kin Tsuchi (Hidden Sound) vs. Gaara (Hidden Sand)
The moment the girl from the Hidden Sound saw her opponent was Gaara, her face went deathly pale. She raised her hand without hesitation, her voice trembling.
"I… I forfeit!"
The audience was in an uproar. But considering the terrifying power Gaara had shown in the preliminaries and his unstable mental state, Kin's choice didn't seem unreasonable.
"Winner, Gaara!" Genma announced crisply. "With this, the first four matches of the Chunin Exams finals are complete! Next, we will draw lots for the semi-finals!"
Soon, the semi-final matchups appeared.
Naruto Uzumaki (Konoha) vs. Gaara (Hidden Sand)
Naruto looked at the red-haired boy, the complex emotions from his fight with Neji still lingering. His next opponent was the one who had brutally defeated Rock Lee in the preliminaries—Gaara.
…
In the medical room.
Neji Hyuga stared blankly at the ceiling.
"Luckily, there's no internal organ damage." Medical ninja were treating him.
Beside him, a small white creature sat quietly. The two medical ninja seemed completely unaware of it.
A voice resonated directly in Neji's mind.
[Neji Hyuga, it looks like… you need help?]