Hyuga Clan Civil War

Choji left the arena with Shikamaru and Ino supporting him.

The Konoha staff quickly cleared the arena, but it still took several minutes.

With nothing better to do in the stands, Sasuke discussed the earlier contestants with Naruto. "That woman from Sunagakure clearly has less chakra than you, but her Wind Release was more powerful than anything you've used. Was it because of that fan ninja tool?"

"The fan was probably the biggest factor, but we can't rule out differences in physical constitution."

Naruto was certain. "But large ninja tools like that are rarely versatile. The cost of making and maintaining them is so high that even most jōnin would find it difficult to accept. And they're very different from commonly used kunai and shuriken. It takes at least several years of dedicated training to use one proficiently."

Sasuke thought it over. "If it works well, then all that effort is worth it."

"The key is that their effectiveness varies from person to person."

Naruto continued, "My master discussed it with my parents back then. They concluded that I didn't need that kind of ninja tool."

Sasuke asked, "Because you mainly rely on taijutsu in battle?"

"No. Actually, even if you rely on taijutsu, you can wear sturdy protective gear, like metal gloves, to increase the destructive power of your punches."

Naruto explained, "The problem is how sturdy the ninja tool is. Even the strongest material in the world has a lower limit than our bodies' limits when reinforced with chakra—and by a lot. We might not notice it much now, but in a few years, when we're stronger and have mastered even more destructive techniques, ninja tools won't mean much to us."

"I see..."

Sasuke nodded thoughtfully. "But can we really grow that strong?"

Naruto looked determined. "As long as we keep training the way our master taught us, we definitely can."

Sasuke didn't have Naruto's confidence. "But for now, the things our master has taught us don't seem like they'll make us that strong."

"That's..."

Naruto was about to say something when he suddenly stopped. Then he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he seemed like a completely different person. "That's because what you and Sakura are learning right now is the most basic of fundamentals. You should have started learning those things at six or seven. Since you started too late, you'll have to spend more time on them."

Sasuke knew his master had taken over. "Can't I skip them?"

"If you can't even stand steadily, can you learn to run?"

His master explained with a simple analogy. "Build a solid foundation, and you'll have an easier time growing stronger later, with a higher ceiling too."

Sasuke thought for a while, then nodded. "I understand."

"But if we're being honest, I do know a way to make someone grow stronger quickly."

His master suddenly said, "What price are you willing to pay for it?"

Sasuke froze, then thought for two seconds. His face grew resolute. "If it lets me kill a certain man, I'd accept even death as the price."

His master asked, "So you don't plan to revive the Uchiha?"

Sasuke froze again.

"Looks like you haven't thought it through."

His master continued, "Come back when you've made up your mind."

With that, Naruto took back control of his body. Seeing Sasuke lost in thought, he said nothing.

The contestants for the next match were decided:

Gaara vs. Kiba Inuzuka

Naruto was concerned about Gaara's situation and silently watched the arena.

However, the seventh match couldn't begin as planned.

Although Gaara had gone down to the arena early, Kiba and his Ninja Dog, Akamaru, had both sensed right away how dangerous Gaara was.

After a minute of hesitation, Kiba chose to forfeit.

Gaara looked up and found Akamaru and Kiba. He glanced at them expressionlessly, then returned to where he had been sitting.

Gaara's glance had left Kiba drenched in cold sweat. Clutching Akamaru, he trembled. "That guy's terrifying. I thought I was going to die..."

Before Kurenai Yuhi could comfort Kiba and Akamaru, she saw her student's name appear on the screen again:

Neji Hyuga vs. Hinata Hyuga

"How could this happen?!"

Kurenai's expression darkened.

Although they were both from the Hyuga Clan, Neji was recognized throughout the village as a genius. He had also graduated from the Ninja Academy at the top of his class.

Hinata, by contrast, was the eldest daughter of the current head of the Hyuga Clan, but she was timid and had no noteworthy accomplishments. At home, she was practically invisible.

Kurenai knew Hinata's abilities. She wasn't weak—in fact, she was stronger than most of the village's Genin. But compared to Neji, even most of Konoha's Genin seemed unimpressive.

Before Kurenai could say anything, Kiba spoke up beside her. "Hinata, give up! That guy Neji definitely won't go easy on you. He'll beat you half to death!"

"I... know,"

Hinata said softly. "But I still want to try."

She spoke so timidly that she seemed easy to bully, but her resolve was firm.

"Since you've already made up your mind, give it your best."

Sensing Hinata's determination, Kurenai reached out and straightened her collar. "If I think you're in danger, I'll stop the match myself."

"Yes!"

Hinata looked at Kurenai, her cheeks faintly red. "Thank you, Teacher Kurenai!"

Kurenai smiled faintly. "Go on."

The two contestants entered the arena.

"I never thought you'd be my opponent."

Neji spoke coldly. "Hinata... young lady."

Neji's attitude and the way he addressed her hurt Hinata a little. "Brother Neji..."

Gekko Hayate announced the start of the match expressionlessly.

"Lady Hinata, you're not suited to being a ninja. Give up the exam here."

The coldness in Neji's voice softened slightly, but he still sounded distant. "Your talent is too ordinary, and your personality is too weak. I think that if this exam hadn't required teams of three, you wouldn't even have signed up..."

"That's not true!"

Hinata suddenly raised her voice, cutting Neji off. Then she took a deep breath. The air of helplessness around her gradually faded. "I just want to work hard alongside my teammates and make myself stronger. I'm still weak, but I've improved compared to before, and I'll keep working hard to grow stronger, little by little!"

"..."

Neji's expression shifted several times before finally settling into calm. "Even so, you're still the young lady of the Main Branch."

"Brother Neji,"

Hinata asked, "what do you mean by that?"

"People have a hard time changing."

Neji suddenly activated his Byakugan. Vein-like lines bulged around his eyes, making him look rather fearsome. "Even if you think you've gotten stronger, it's only an illusion. You haven't changed at all."

"No, I have changed. I'm standing here to prove it."

Hinata activated her Byakugan too and took her stance. "Please look carefully at how I've changed, Brother Neji!"

"All right."

Neji took up a similar stance. "If you insist."

They charged at each other at the same time. Their hands moved quickly, striking each other again and again, though their blows seemed somewhat soft. After more than ten exchanges, their palms met, and they both retreated two steps...