Hinata Hyuga vs. Neji Hyuga

After Naruto finished his fight, he slowly walked back to the stands. Everyone's eyes were fixed on him.

At that moment, Hinata was standing at the edge of the crowd, clutching a bottle of medicine for external injuries. Her gaze followed Naruto intently. Her heart pounded like a drum, and her palms were slightly damp with sweat as nervousness and anticipation mingled inside her.

As Naruto passed by her, Hinata could almost hear her own heartbeat. She took a deep breath and, after finally gathering her courage, softly called his name.

Her voice was so faint it was almost drowned out by the surrounding commotion. Fortunately, Naruto's hearing was exceptionally sharp, and he immediately noticed her quiet call.

Naruto turned around, his gaze falling on Hinata. Her face was bright red with embarrassment, like a bubble tea kettle, making him want to tease her.

A gentle smile tugged at his lips. He reached out and lightly patted Hinata on the head. Beneath his sunglasses, his Six Eyes gleamed as he asked softly, "What is it, Hinata?"

When Hinata felt Naruto touch her, it was as if an electric current ran through her whole body. She nearly fainted.

She bit her lower lip hard, as if trying to hold back a gasp. Lowering her head shyly, she held out the medicine to Naruto with both hands and said in a trembling voice, "Th-this is for you."

Naruto took the medicine with a cheerful smile. Seeing the sincerity and concern in Hinata's eyes, he felt a warm rush in his heart. "Thanks, Hinata."

When Hinata saw Naruto accept the medicine from her, it felt as if a happy little rabbit were leaping around inside her chest, making her heart bounce along with it.

Her cheeks grew even redder, as if they might drip blood, but this time it wasn't from embarrassment. It was pure joy and contentment.

Her gaze remained fixed on Naruto as she watched him carefully tuck the medicine into his pocket. In that moment, she felt utterly happy.

It was as if all her efforts and affection had received the best possible response. A sweet smile tugged at her lips, born of a joy she couldn't suppress.

Soon, the eighth match began.

Everyone's eyes focused on the center of the arena.

Hinata Hyuga vs. Neji Hyuga.

The two fighters, members of the same clan but different branches, officially began their match.

Neji's eyes were filled with coldness and resentment. It was as if he meant to unleash, all at once, the long-held bitterness he felt toward the Main Family.

His attacks came like a furious storm, fierce and direct, forcing Hinata to focus entirely on defense.

But as the fight continued, Neji gradually sensed that something was wrong.

Each time he attacked, it looked as though he had hit Hinata, yet he felt an indescribable hollowness—as if an invisible, transparent barrier stood between their bodies, preventing his strength from fully reaching her.

The sensation filled him with doubt and threw off his rhythm.

Meanwhile, in the stands, Naruto's blue eyes gleamed beneath his sunglasses, sly and unfathomable.

Just moments earlier, when he had gently patted Hinata's head, he had secretly inscribed a special technique on her. This was his first attempt at placing the "Infinity Technique" on someone else since he had been reincarnated as Naruto after being Gojo Satoru.

The "Infinity Technique" itself wasn't difficult. The challenge was that, without the Six Eyes to control it, it couldn't achieve the effect of "Infinity."

But Naruto had hit upon a novel idea: he could inscribe the "Infinity Technique" on a target, then keep them within range of his Six Eyes and control it himself. To his surprise, it had actually worked in this world.

Naruto was filled with excitement. This was the first real-world test of his innovation.

As the battle continued, Hinata gradually felt an uncanny sense of safety beneath the secret protection of the "Infinity Technique."

Whenever Neji's attacks seemed about to hit, they always slid away at the last moment, as if some invisible force were quietly protecting her. A trace of doubt arose in Hinata's heart. Was Neji deliberately holding back and not giving it his all?

Under that mistaken impression, Hinata wasn't as resolute when she counterattacked. She didn't want to betray Neji's "kindness," so their fight gradually became a contest of stamina and Chakra reserves.

Both of them gradually lost the desire to attack. Instead, the match became a test of each other's endurance and willpower.

The afterglow of the setting sun fell across the arena, lending the duel a gentler hue.

But as time passed, Hinata's Chakra ran out first, and the invisible protective barrier vanished with it.

With no energy left to sustain it, the Infinity Technique finally failed. Hinata's body collapsed helplessly to the ground, her face pale. She had clearly exhausted all her strength.