Eight Trigrams Palm: Spiral

In the arena, Hinata and Neji had already finished five rounds; it appeared that neither side held an advantage, nor were they at a disadvantage.

"To think she could go toe-to-toe with that Neji!?"

Kiba Inuzuka widened his eyes in surprise: "Is Hinata's skill really this good?!"

"It is normal that you are unaware. The reason is that our squad specializes in tracking and reconnaissance, so there have been few opportunities for Hinata to show her strength," Shino explained from the side. "But Hinata's strength is definitely much greater than you think."

"You're kidding, right!?"

Kiba wore an expression of disbelief: "Kurenai-sensei, did you give Hinata special training on the side?"

"I am not proficient in taijutsu, let alone the Gentle Fist of the Hyuga Clan."

Kurenai Yuhi shook her head, her gaze falling on Naruto, who was not far away: "As far as I know, when you were all still in the Ninja Academy, Hinata was often with Naruto."

"Naruto?"

Kiba followed her gaze toward Naruto, his brow furrowing: "Is that honor student close with Hinata?"

"Kiba, you should pay more attention to your teammates. Hinata likes Naruto; most people in the class know this."

Shino said in a low voice: "Furthermore, when Naruto first entered the Ninja Academy, his grades were very poor. It was only through gradual improvement that he became the honor student you speak of."

Kiba looked bewildered: "Eh, there's such a thing..."

While they were talking, the situation on the field changed.

Neji increased his attack speed, and his offensive suddenly became fierce. Hinata followed suit by accelerating, but she was not as fast as Neji, and for a moment, she was suppressed and in constant danger.

But strangely, every time Neji's attacks were about to land, Hinata was always able to react at the critical moment and deflect them in time.

Feeling the drain on his stamina and chakra, Neji suddenly stopped his attack.

Hinata also stopped at the same time, silently watching Neji.

"I have to admit, Lady Hinata, you have indeed become stronger compared to the past."

Neji changed his stance: "But it would be better to concede—the technique I am about to use next, I cannot hold back."

"There is no need to hold back; I will also give it my all."

Hinata changed her stance as well: "I have worked hard to change myself, and next, I will try to change your way of thinking, Brother Neji."

Neji did not relent: "Even if you can change yourself, and even if you can change my thinking, you cannot change the fact that you are of the Main House and I am of the Branch House."

"That is only for now."

Hinata said: "When I grow up a little more and become stronger, there will surely be a way."

"Such words..."

Neji's brow furrowed: "Wait until you can take this move before you say that—Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

A massive amount of chakra was consumed in a short time, causing Neji's speed to explode as he launched a fierce assault with both hands simultaneously!

Hinata stood her ground and recited the name of her own technique: "Eight Trigrams Palm: Spiral."

Unlike the Sixty-Four Palms Neji performed, the chakra within Hinata was not consumed in one burst, but released in a continuous, measured flow. Simultaneously, she rotated her body, her hands moving in coordination to construct a high-speed flowing layer of chakra defense around her.

Neji felt his hands strike an exceptionally tough membrane; it was not hard, but he could not penetrate it no matter what, and the same was true for the chakra released from his fingertips.

A dense series of "crackle-pop" sounds exploded, and a shockwave mixed with chakra erupted between Hinata and Neji, pushing them both apart. At the center of the impact, the floor seemed to have suffered some kind of attack, becoming pitted and uneven.

Watching Hinata, who was unscathed, Neji was momentarily dazed before immediately refocusing: "Spiral... among the Eight Trigrams Palms I know, there is no such technique. Is this a secret art known only to those of your Main House?"

"No."

Hinata replied: "This is a technique I developed myself with the help of Naruto-kun."

"Ha, haha... Hahaha!"

Neji's laughter gradually spiraled out of control: "Someone like you, who has no talent, using something created casually with an outsider—to think it could be stronger than the arts passed down in the clan to this day! Is there anything more ridiculous than this? Hahaha!"

"That's not true!"

Hinata was very serious and earnest: "I truly have no talent. Even though I received much advice, it still took me two years to complete this technique. But this result contains the heart of those who have helped me thus far, as well as my own hard work. It is by no means something created casually, as Brother Neji says!"

The voice, though not forceful, was deafening. The weak yet strong figure from her memories gradually overlapped with the person before her.

"You have indeed changed yourself, Hinata."

Neji stopped laughing, his expression gradually relaxing: "But if you want to change me, this is not enough."

He once again assumed a new stance: "Next, I will unleash my strongest attack. Try to take it; if you cannot, then this exam ends here for you."

After speaking, Neji refined his chakra to the limit, and an Eight Trigrams formation, visible only to him, unfolded beneath his feet: "Eight Trigrams Palm: Heavenly Spin."

Seeing the surging chakra within Neji, Hinata subconsciously doubted herself: Such strong chakra... can I really block it?

"Hinata!"

Naruto shouted from the spectator stands: "Believe in yourself! Your hard work will not betray you!"

Naruto's encouragement steeled Hinata's will, and she steadily outputted her chakra: "Eight Trigrams Palm: Spiral."

Neji lunged forward, and just as he was about to touch Hinata, he released chakra from his entire body and rotated at high speed, forming a rapidly spinning sphere of chakra that ground down and repelled everything it touched.

Hinata also rotated her body while releasing chakra, though her rotation speed was not as fast as Neji's; she waved her hands, creating chakra that spun in different directions, resembling an enlarged, hollow Rasengan.

The chakra of both sides collided more violently than the previous time, grinding and tearing against each other, emitting a screeching sound like an abrasive wheel cutting through metal.

At the point where the chakra intersected, the floor could no longer hold up, shattering into powder and being blown away by the strong wind whipped up by the impact.

Hayate Gekko carefully maintained his distance on the sidelines, struggling to steady himself: With this intensity of chakra and this level of power... are these two really Genin?

The intense collision did not last long; the chakra on Neji's body began to weaken first, and the speed of his body's rotation slowed down as well.

The chakra protective layer around Hinata was likewise becoming thinner and thinner, but the rate of its decline was slightly slower than Neji's.

After three seconds, the chakra of both sides was simultaneously exhausted; at the center of the collision, the unsustainable chakra contracted violently, and a moment later, it burst, scattering in all directions.

Hinata and Neji collapsed one after the other, unable to rise.

"It is a pity, but this match is a draw."

Hayate Gekko announced: "Eighth round, no winner."

With this, the preliminaries entered the final round; the only people left who had not yet taken the stage were Naruto and Rock Lee...