Naruto VS Neji Hyuga

Against the imposing backdrop of the Hokage Rock, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, formally announced the start of the Chunin Selection final exams with his steady, powerful voice.

Sunlight pierced through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled light across his weathered face, adding a layer of solemnity to this momentous occasion.

As Hiruzen Sarutobi's words faded, the entire exam venue instantly plunged into a tense and excited atmosphere.

The first match, the center of everyone's attention—Naruto versus Neji Hyuga—was about to begin.

The two youths stood at opposite ends of the battlefield, their gazes firm, their momentum like a rising storm.

In the stands, Kiba's expression was especially complicated. He clenched his teeth, his hands balled into tight fists, his heart filled with both resentment and anticipation. Recalling his previous fight with Naruto, he still felt stifled and aggrieved, unable to figure out how he had lost.

He firmly believed that Naruto must have used some underhanded trick to win the match. Even though his teacher Kurenai had repeatedly told him that Naruto's strength was indeed above his own, Kiba's stubborn refusal to accept defeat only grew stronger.

At this moment, he placed all his hopes on Neji Hyuga, wishing that Neji could avenge his loss and defeat Naruto. So, from the stands, he cheered for Neji Hyuga with all his might, his voice ringing through the sky.

Meanwhile, Kakashi sat quietly in a corner of the stands, his gaze sharp as a blade, locked tightly onto Naruto.

For the past month, he had been busy guiding Sasuke and had hardly paid attention to Naruto's progress—after all, there wasn't much he could teach Naruto anyway.

But he knew that Jiraiya had been training Naruto, which filled him with anticipation for Naruto's changes.

He wanted to see just how much Naruto had grown under Jiraiya's careful instruction.

Hiruzen Sarutobi also sat in the stands, his expression solemn yet expectant.

As the Hokage, he understood the importance of this exam for the younger generation of shinobi.

He looked forward to seeing Naruto's brilliant performance, which would also demonstrate Konoha's profound strength to the world.

At the same time, Orochimaru, disguised as the Kazekage and seated beside Hiruzen Sarutobi, was secretly observing everything.

His gaze was as sharp as a snake's, locked firmly onto Naruto.

He had long coveted Naruto's perfect body and the power hidden within it, and he could hardly wait to accelerate his plans.

The battle was about to erupt. Behind his sunglasses, a playful glint flickered in Naruto's eyes. He decided to test the results of this month's training.

Slowly, he raised his index finger. Chakra surged within his body, gathering at his fingertip, and a small but astonishingly powerful Rasengan gradually took shape.

Seeing the Rasengan, Neji Hyuga's internal alarm bells rang loudly, and a foreboding feeling surged in his heart.

He didn't know what kind of jutsu this was, but through his Byakugan, he could see the chakra packed into the Rasengan. He dared not be careless and immediately lunged forward, unleashing the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. Palm shadows flew like scattered stars, attempting to interrupt Naruto before he could complete the technique.

However, Neji's attacks seemed to be drawn into an invisible vortex. Each palm appeared to strike Naruto but only grazed the air, not even touching the hem of his clothes.

This sight shocked Neji. He hastily retreated in panic, suddenly realizing that Naruto had been the one manipulating things during his earlier fight with Hinata.

Just as Neji was reeling in shock and hurriedly pulling back, Naruto's Rasengan had already taken perfect form.

Unexpectedly, Naruto didn't release the Rasengan in the usual way. Instead, like throwing a shot put, he hurled it toward Neji Hyuga.

This move stunned everyone present. It was common knowledge in the shinobi world that once a jutsu left the user's chakra supply, it would quickly dissipate.

But what happened next completely overturned everyone's understanding.

Unlike the cursed technique "Azure" that Naruto had used before—which would gradually weaken and eventually dissipate after being fired—the thrown Rasengan did not dissipate at all. Instead, it grew larger and larger in the air, like a falling meteor, bearing down on Neji with world-shattering force.

By the time the massive Rasengan was nearly upon Neji, its size had surpassed Neji himself. The powerful gale it released inspired sheer terror.

In his panic and shock, Neji barely managed to dodge, but he couldn't avoid it entirely. The edge of the Rasengan grazed his arm, and in an instant, the overwhelming force rendered his entire arm combat-ineffective.

As the Rasengan skimmed past Neji's body and struck the barrier at the edge of the arena behind him, a deafening roar shook the heavens, rattling the entire arena and even the surrounding space.

Under the impact of the Rasengan's power, the barrier erupted in brilliant light. A tremendous boom echoed, and ripples spread across the barrier's surface like water struck by a boulder, scattering in all directions.