"Naruto's taijutsu hasn't improved at all. He's still as reckless as ever."
Itsuki sighed as he watched Naruto create dozens of shadow clones, only to be easily dismantled by Neji.
In the early stages, Naruto's fighting style was plain ugly—aside from the occasional spark of creativity and trick-like tactics.
His usual routine was to charge in screaming, get beaten up, endure with his insane stamina, then rush forward again only to be beaten back.
Eventually, after wearing his opponents down through sheer persistence, he'd find an opening and land a decisive blow.
It wasn't skill—it was grit, luck, and stubbornness.
"But then again, his opponent is much stronger than him. Even if he does think of some tactics, they won't work," Yakumo said plainly.
Her health had improved a lot.
Now, she was as strong as an ordinary person, and with that came a livelier personality. Though she still only spoke comfortably around those she trusted.
"That's hard to say." Itsuki smiled faintly.
Naruto had the aura of a protagonist. No matter how strong his opponent was, they always seemed to take a debuff against him.
Sure enough, Neji thought he'd caught Naruto's real body—only to find it was another clone.
Naruto's clones swarmed him, nearly overwhelming him.
Unfortunately, Neji's Byakugan gave him near 360-degree vision. Sneak attacks were useless.
With one strike, Neji shattered Naruto's advantage and unleashed the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, leaving Naruto collapsed and unable to move.
"I've struck all sixty-four of your chakra points. You can't stand anymore."
Neji straightened, calm and confident.
"Hmph. You feel unwilling, don't you? To be defeated by a force you can't change. That powerlessness… You think dreams can be achieved through effort? That's just a delusion."
Everyone watching thought the same—Naruto was finished.
But then he staggered to his feet again.
"Didn't I tell you? I won't give up that easily!"
Neji frowned, annoyed. "Let it go. Even if we continue, the result will be the same. There's no grudge between us—"
"Shut up!" Naruto barked. "Who said there's no grudge? You're strong, but why do you look down on people with those all-seeing eyes? Why deny everyone else's efforts?"
"If I gave up as easily as you say, then yeah, I'd be a drag. But I won't lose to you, not so easily, just to prove it!"
This was Naruto's resistance—the refusal of the weak to submit.
Even without the Hinata incident from canon, Naruto would always find a reason to defy "fate."
Neji's expression hardened. He saw a reflection of his younger self—desperately struggling against destiny, only to be crushed by it again and again.
He pulled off his forehead protector, revealing the Caged Bird Seal, shocking Naruto.
"What… what is that?" Naruto asked, wide-eyed.
Neji then explained the curse of the Hyuga branch family and how his father had died in place of the main family.
The details shifted slightly from canon, but the pain behind them was the same.
This was Neji's inner demon. Perhaps deep down, he wanted to vent, to gain someone's sympathy.
"You don't understand what it feels like," Neji concluded.
"To be born with an unbreakable fate… to carry a mark you can never erase. A genius is a genius, a burden is a burden. From birth, our paths are decided."
Just like the caged bird—destined never to fly free.
"I… I get it. But so what?" Naruto spat blood, yet forced a smile.
"Do you think you're the only one cursed with something like that? And if you really believed in fate, you wouldn't resent it. You're pissed because you don't want to submit to it, right?"
Neji's anger flared.
Still, with his Byakugan, he could see Naruto was nearly spent. There was no need to be shaken.
Words meant nothing without proof.
But then—Naruto's chakra surged again.
This chakra was different. Immense. Red chakra erupted around him, forcing open the sealed points in his network.
The sight shocked the audience.
"Could it be… the Nine-Tails?" someone whispered.
The ANBU stiffened in the shadows.
Naruto, now overflowing with power, proved he wasn't someone to be underestimated.
With the Nine-Tails' chakra buff, his speed and strength multiplied many times over.
He hurled shuriken—so fast even Neji's Byakugan struggled to track. Neji was forced to use Rotation to block.
"Weren't you proud of close combat?" Naruto sneered, charging in with a kunai.
"I don't understand the Hyuga clan's cursed fate. But if you really think nothing can change, then fine—wait until I become Hokage. I'll change the Hyuga myself!"
Boom!!
Their kunai clashed, releasing an explosive burst of chakra like dozens of detonating tags going off, shaking the arena with dust and fire.
Naruto's style was still all brute force, no technique—just raw stats carried by Nine-Tails' chakra.
Even so, Neji's skill kept him alive. He diverted most of the power with experience, using Rotation again at the last moment.
When the dust cleared, Naruto was on the ground, while Neji stood unsteadily, clothes in tatters.
"You're dragging me down," Neji panted. "Sorry, but reality is reality."
Fate couldn't be changed.
Puff!
Suddenly, a fist shot out from the ground beneath him, smashing into his chin.
Naruto's Uppercut from Underground blasted Neji into the air.
The Naruto that had fallen earlier was just a clone. The real one had tunneled underground during the explosion.
Now it was Neji lying flat, and Naruto standing tall.
Neji's chakra was spent. That last hit sealed it. He couldn't get up.
"Hmph. You actually improvised with the Shadow Clone Jutsu. That's your best ninjutsu, isn't it? I was careless." Neji muttered bitterly.
"I failed the academy exam three times," Naruto said, catching his breath. "All because I got tested on the one jutsu I sucked at most. The Clone Jutsu. That's my worst skill!"
He clenched his fists.
"So don't go around with that sullen face, saying crap like fate can't be changed. You're not a drag. You're different from me."
Shiranui Genma stepped forward, confirming the result.
"The winner—Uzumaki Naruto!"
The arena erupted.
...
Author's Note:
The full completed version of Konoha Harem Chat Group: I Can Fabricate the Future (Completed) is now on Patreon!
🔥 I also have additional 18+ fanfics available for readers who enjoy exclusive mature stories. 😉
1. Dragon Ball: Oolong's Sex Adventure
2. Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
3. Doraemon: Filtering with Nobi Tamako
4. The Naive Me Who Became Someone's Everyday Secret
5. High School DxD: Rias Gremory, the Phenex Bride
6. Versatile Mage: Awakening the Succubus System
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