Neji's Jealousy, Naruto's Arrogance

Neji's face turned green, then pale. The veins at his temples bulged along with the Caged Bird Curse Seal.

He stared fixedly at Hinata, the jealousy in his eyes nearly solidifying into something tangible.

"Apologize?"

As though he had heard the funniest joke in the world, he suddenly burst into shrill, piercing laughter that made everyone's scalps tingle.

"Hinata Hyuga, you actually want me to apologize to that Demon Fox?"

He advanced step by step, each footfall cracking the stone slabs beneath him as chakra surged around him into visible white whirlwinds.

"Have you forgotten who you are? You're the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Main House! And you're pointing fingers at me, a genius of the same clan, over a monster who kills without blinking?"

"Did you think I'd be grateful just because you secretly pretended to be useless and deliberately lost to me?"

Those words were like a sharp blade driven brutally into Hinata's heart.

Her face went deathly pale. She instinctively took a step back, her clenched fists trembling slightly.

So he had known all along.

Back then, she had deliberately held back during the clan matches and intentionally acted weak and cowardly, hoping her father would see Neji's talent, treat the branch family better, and delay—just a little longer—the day he branded Neji and Hanabi with that damned Caged Bird.

But in the end, she had still failed.

Neji's Cursed Seal had still been carved onto his forehead.

Hanabi's Cursed Seal had also been branded by their father's own hand during last year's coming-of-age ceremony.

That guilt had weighed on her like a massive boulder for five whole years.

"Brother Neji..."

Hinata's voice choked slightly, her eyes glistening with tears. "I never looked down on you. I just..."

"Just what? You just pitied me?"

Neji abruptly cut her off, the hatred in his eyes nearly swallowing her whole.

"Put away that fake compassion of yours! The Main House has never seen us branch family members as anything but dogs! And now, for an outsider Demon Fox, you're even throwing away the Main House's dignity!"

"Since you're so determined to protect him, I'll cripple you first, then kill him! Let's see whether the person you're desperately defending can actually save you!"

Before his words had faded, Neji vanished instantly.

"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

Pure white chakra condensed into sharp needles at his fingertips. Sixty-four palm strikes descended like a storm, every one aimed precisely at Hinata's vital points.

Every strike was lethal. He showed no mercy whatsoever.

He truly wanted to kill her.

"Hinata!"

Kurenai Yuhi abruptly rose from the stands, chakra erupting from her body as she tried to rush down and save her.

But it was already too late.

Hinata gritted her teeth, her Byakugan fully activated as she raised both hands as well.

"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

Two white figures collided in the center of the arena.

Palm winds howled as chakra shockwaves spread outward, shattering the hard stone slabs like sheets of paper.

Hinata moved quickly, every move precisely blocking Neji's attacks.

But Neji was far more experienced than she was, and every strike targeted her weak points, giving her no chance to catch her breath.

"Die!"

With a savage grin, Neji suddenly changed his move. One palm slipped around Hinata's defense and slammed viciously toward her chest.

If that strike landed, even a Jonin would die on the spot.

Hinata's pupils contracted sharply. She wanted to dodge, but it was already too late.

At that critical moment.

"Boom!"

A terrifying surge of chakra erupted violently from the stands like an exploding volcano.

The air instantly froze.

Everyone felt as if an invisible hand had clenched around their hearts, making even breathing difficult.

A golden afterimage tore through the air in an instant.

It was unbelievably fast.

So fast that even Kakashi's Sharingan could only catch a blurred flash of golden light.

"Get lost, trash!"

A frigid voice exploded beside Neji's ear.

No one knew when Naruto had appeared in front of Hinata. He raised his right leg and, with world-shattering force, viciously kicked Neji in the face.

"Bang!"

A deafening crash rang out.

Neji's prized Rotation did not even hold for a second before it was shattered by that kick.

The immense force sent his body flying backward like a cannonball. He slammed heavily into the wall at the edge of the arena, blasting a huge human-shaped crater into the thick stone wall.

Rubble flew everywhere, and dust filled the air.

The entire venue fell silent.

Deathly silent.

Everyone stood frozen in place, mouths agape as they stared blankly at the blond boy in the center of the arena.

What had just happened?

Neji's Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms had been kicked away by one foot?

Even Rotation had been broken?

"What incredible movement!"

Kakashi abruptly closed Icha Icha Paradise. Beneath his eye patch, his Sharingan instantly spun into the pattern of the Mangekyō Sharingan, his eyes filled with stunned disbelief.

"That's right! I couldn't even see your student's Body Flicker clearly!"

The teacup in Kurenai Yuhi's hand hit the ground with a clatter and shattered into pieces.

Might Guy's eyes widened as well. He clenched his fists tightly, a trace of shock in his voice. "I could make out the rough trajectory, but... that speed has already surpassed the limits of an ordinary Jonin! Can a twelve-year-old kid really possess that kind of speed?"

Kakashi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in his heart. He patted Might Guy's shoulder with feigned calm, a smug smile curling at his lips. "So? My student's impressive, isn't he?"

Though he said that, his heart was already in turmoil.

He knew Naruto was strong.

But he had never imagined Naruto was this strong.

Even he might not have been able to block that kick.

In the center of the arena.

Hinata looked at the back shielding her, and her eyes instantly reddened.

She reached out and tightly grabbed Naruto's arm, her fingertips turning slightly white from the force.

"Naruto-kun..."

Naruto's reputation had not been very good lately, and Hinata was genuinely afraid that, in a moment of recklessness, he would kill Neji Hyuga on the spot!

Her voice trembled slightly, and her eyes were full of pleading. "Don't... don't kill him."

She was afraid.

Afraid Naruto would act on impulse and truly kill Neji Hyuga.

If that happened, no matter how strong Naruto was, he would not escape Konoha's punishment.

The elders who had always been watching Naruto, along with Danzo, would never let this chance pass.

Naruto felt the force on his arm and looked back at her.

When he saw the worry and pleading in her eyes, the hostility around him receded slightly.

He gently patted the back of Hinata's hand, signaling for her not to worry.

Then he turned his head and looked toward the figure slowly climbing out of the pile of rubble.

Half of Neji's face had swollen up, blood constantly flowing from the corner of his mouth. The Caged Bird Curse Seal on his forehead throbbed wildly due to the disorder in his chakra.

He raised his head and glared venomously at Naruto, like a wild beast forced into a corner.

Naruto looked at him, his gaze as cold as ancient ice.

"Though my blade doesn't cut down the old or the young, you're not old, and your grandfather isn't young. You don't fall within the range of people I'll spare. I used to feel sorry for you, but once you've provoked me, I don't care whether you're pitiful or not. I'll show you what cruelty is."

"Just so you know, ever since I graduated from the Ninja Academy, I haven't been beaten down by the Ninja World, and I don't have a good temper. So you can smile and call me Naruto-kun, but all I can do is coldly call you a piece of trash!"

"You dared to threaten me in public today. What...? Did you take me for a three-year-old? Threatening someone isn't about your mouth, it's about your ability. Since graduating from the Ninja Academy, I've never lost a fight. If a self-righteous fool thinks he's lived long enough, he can make a move right now and see whether I can beat him straight into the ground today!"