Naruto pointed at him and laughed. "I'm laughing because you're such a contradiction!"
"If you say fate is predetermined, and nothing we do can ever change it..."
"Then why do you work so hard yourself?!"
Neji Hyuga was momentarily at a loss for words.
He gave a cold snort. "You're right. No matter how hard I work, I still can't change my fate."
"Just like I'll never escape the fate of being born into the Branch House of the Hyuga Clan."
"But my talent was also predetermined by fate. You, Naruto Uzumaki, Rock Lee, and even Lady Hinata could never catch up to me!"
Naruto flew into a rage and was about to argue back, but Rock Lee stopped him.
"Forget it, Naruto. There's no point arguing. Let's prove it to him with the results of our hard work..."
"Let's show him who's really right!"
Naruto shouted angrily, "Fine!"
"Then let's make a bet!"
"One year from now, Lee, Hinata, and I will all challenge you!"
"And we'll beat you, every one of us!"
Neji blinked, then burst into a mocking laugh.
"You think you can?"
"Not in a year, not even in a lifetime. You'll never be my match!"
Naruto snapped, "Are you afraid to take the bet?!"
Neji replied coolly, "I don't care either way."
"Making me your goal to work toward is exactly the kind of thinking you'd expect from weaklings..."
"But as far as I'm concerned, you've never been worthy of my attention."
With that, Neji turned and walked away.
Naruto was about to explode again, but Lee managed to hold him back.
Watching Neji's retreating figure, Lee sighed.
"Neji's just like that, Naruto. And he's right—we aren't his match yet..."
"But what you said was great, too!"
"That one-year bet has me fired up!"
Naruto