Naruto VS Neji, The Underdog's Counterattack

Soon enough, the final promotion exam began.

Jimo arrived early at the observation platform and sat together with several squad leaders.

"Kakashi really... how can he be late for something like this..."

Gai complained from the side.

Perhaps because of Jimo's presence, Naruto wasn't beaten quite so badly. But the Hyuga Clan's taijutsu was no empty reputation.

Although Naruto could exchange a few moves with Neji, he was still no match for him. In an instant, Neji broke through Naruto's wave tactics.

"I remember... your dream was to become Hokage?"

Neji said provocatively, "Don't talk big... If someone can become Hokage, it's fated! Everyone... their life's path is already decided from the moment they're born..."

"Stop acting so smug! Jumping to conclusions all on your own—just whining without a real problem!"

Naruto gripped the sharp kunai tightly in his hand, his gaze fixed warily on Neji not far away.

At this moment, Naruto knew very well that the threat this guy posed was absolutely not to be underestimated—not even a bit less than Sasuke's.

Neji stood there quietly, his posture straight and firm, like an unshakable mountain.

His deep eyes flickered with a cold light, as if they could see through every move and thought Naruto made. An invisible pressure radiated from him, making the very air around them feel heavy.

Naruto took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner tension. He knew that facing such a powerful opponent, even the slightest mistake could plunge him into an irredeemable situation.

"No one can reverse fate... There's one destiny no one can escape—death!"

As the words fell, Naruto split into dozens of clones again and charged at Neji.

"Didn't I say don't treat me like an idiot?"

Neji easily blocked Naruto's attacks... his eyes locked onto the outermost Naruto.

"Afraid of getting your chakra points hit, so you attack the least? Too bad... too easy to predict!"

Neji lunged at Naruto, a knife-hand strike aimed straight at his chest.

"Pfft"

Blood sprayed from Naruto's mouth.

The clones on the field turned into puffs of smoke one by one.

"Your Clone Technique is useless against me," Neji said coldly, his voice devoid of any emotion.

"Didn't I say don't jump to conclusions? You smug jerk!"

Naruto grabbed Neji's arm, a smile on his lips.

From the corner behind them, a yellow spiky-haired figure suddenly burst out, swinging a fist at Neji's cheek.

Just as everyone thought Naruto's attack would land, Neji suddenly released a massive amount of chakra and began spinning at high speed, his palm wind forming a spherical barrier of chakra that sent both Narutos flying.

"Rotation..."

From the spectator stands, Hiashi watched Neji in surprise. The main family's secret technique wasn't meant for the branch family, but this kid had probably figured it out on his own... He was a true genius.

"Eight Trigrams... Sixty-Four Palms!"

A rain of palm strikes pounded into Naruto's body, leaving him feeling completely drained.

"Your sixty-four chakra points have been sealed... meaning you can no longer mobilize chakra in your body..."

Neji sneered, "Doesn't it feel utterly powerless? Unable to handle what's in front of you? Hokage? Just a pipe dream..."

Unexpectedly, Naruto staggered to his feet, trembling.

"That demon fox brat still wants to fight?"

"He's from the Hyuga Clan, after all."

The audience in the stands watched Naruto stand up, and even they had to admire the perseverance of someone they considered an ill-omen.

"There's no need to tough it out... There's no grudge between us."

"There is," Naruto said, his aura suddenly surging.

"You hurt Hinata!"

"That's none of your business."

"Before I met Jimo, I was always the dead last in class... No one wanted to play with me either... So after I met him, I worked twice as hard... and finally caught up to my teammates..."

"So... I know the pain of being called a dead last! I won't forgive someone like you who casually calls others dead weight and denies their hard work!"

Neji sent Naruto flying with a light palm strike.

"You think you understand everything?"

Neji pulled down his forehead protector, revealing the Caged Bird mark he saw as his inner demon, and told Naruto how his own father had died in place of the main family, and how this mark controlled the branch family.

"Going on and on about fate, fate... Someone like you who only knows how to run away can never beat me!"

A red chakra suddenly erupted from Naruto's body—a power he had accidentally awakened while training with Jimo.

Naruto's speed and power increased several times over.

A ball of light condensed in Naruto's hand.

"Jimo said, defy heaven and earth, fear no fate! Let me show you my technique!"

The red Chakra Jade was detonated by Naruto at close range, and a small cloud of dust enveloped them both.

A gust of wind blew past, and Naruto collapsed to the ground, while Neji stood shakily in place from the exhaustion of the Rotation.

"Reality is reality..."

Before Neji could finish, a fist burst out from the ground.

Somehow, Naruto had burrowed underground, waiting for this very moment.

"The power of confidence can become the power to change fate... this kid understood that from birth... Fourth Hokage, you have a fine son..."

Beside them, Genma Shiranui's gaze toward Naruto softened for some reason. The Fourth Hokage's smile overlapped with Naruto's resolute eyes.

"Clone Technique... it's the ninjutsu you're best at..."

Neji looked at the sky and spoke softly, as if letting go of something in that moment.

"You're wrong... I failed the Ninja Academy exam three times and never graduated... unfortunately, because the Clone Technique is the ninjutsu I'm worst at..."

Naruto suddenly broke into a grin.

"You're different from me. You're what everyone calls a genius... a genius shouldn't be bound by fate!"

Genma Shiranui ordered someone to carry Neji away.

"The winner is! Uzumaki Naruto!"

A wave of applause like a tsunami erupted from the spectator stands.

Even the Third Hokage hadn't expected Naruto to actually beat the youngest genius of the Hyuga Clan.

"That Fox Brat didn't do half bad!"

"Great job!" Sakura and Ino clapped happily for Naruto as well.

"You little shrimp! You were amazing!"

Though there were still people in the crowd who disliked Naruto, in that moment, everyone applauded him from the heart.

Even Ebisu, who had always looked down on Naruto, had a massive change of heart toward him.