Neji and Hinata

Neji did not declare as he had in the script, "A person's fate cannot be changed, no matter what."

Empty preaching had no meaning. In the Shinobi World, preaching only became useful after defeating one's enemy. Take Naruto, for example—when had his talk-no-jutsu ever not been backed by his fists?

Hinata closed her eyes, and the image of a certain blond boy flashed through her mind. "This time, I won't run away! Let's settle this, Brother Neji!"

Thud!

"The battle is over, Lady Hinata."

Neji used only one move. He did not even activate the Byakugan before sealing the chakra pathways in Hinata's shoulder. The Hyuga excelled at the Gentle Fist; without flowing chakra, one effectively lost the ability to fight.

Hinata collapsed without a sound. The outcome of the battle was beyond everyone's expectations—it had ended far faster than they had imagined.

Without waiting for the examiner to speak, Neji turned and prepared to return to the second-floor viewing platform. He had originally drafted plenty of things to say, but when the moment came, he suddenly felt disinterested. He had no desire to preach at all, so he skipped that part.

"Cough, cough... Stop, Brother Neji. I haven't lost yet!" Hinata braced herself against the ground and struggled to her feet. She looked up at a certain blond boy on the viewing platform and could not help revealing a pure smile.

Meeting Hinata's gaze, Naruto sighed. "Hinata is actually this tenacious?"

Neji turned to look at Hinata, who had risen again, his expression cold. "Do you really want to keep fighting me, or do you just want to show off in front of the person you like? If you like Naruto, just say so. Why force yourself in a situation like this?"

Hinata's face instantly flushed scarlet, and her mind went blank.

Naruto, meanwhile, shouted without restraint, "What? Hinata likes me?"

For a moment, everyone's gaze shifted repeatedly between Hinata and Naruto, while Naruto instinctively looked toward Sakura.

—What a complicated relationship.

Sakura remained silent. She had been like this ever since encountering Orochimaru in the Forest of Death. It seemed she had... noticed something.

"Brother Neji, I won't give up!" Hinata said firmly.

"Fine. If you insist, please continue." Neji waved dismissively.

Another move, and the chakra pathways in Hinata's other shoulder were sealed as well.

Hinata fell again.

She shouldn't be able to get up this time, right? Neji thought. He had already been quite merciful.

Yet even in a state where she could not use chakra at all, Hinata still believed in Naruto's ideals and insisted on continuing the fight.

Anyone could see the vast gap between Hinata and Neji. Her teacher, Kurenai Yuhi, wanted to stop the match, but Naruto suddenly shouted, "Hinata! You can do it!"

Then Hinata stubbornly rose to her feet again...

Neji looked up at Naruto, unable to understand his actions. The gap in strength between the two sides was enormous. Did Naruto not know how disastrous the consequences of continuing could be?

The Shinobi World did not have some rule where a few passionate words could let someone break through their limits in the middle of battle!

When Hinata fell for the third time, Gekko Hayate, acting as referee, decided to halt the match. Yet Naruto shouted again, "Don't stop! Don't end the match!"

Encouraged by Naruto, Hinata stubbornly stood up once more. Was this the power of love?

Even Neji was beginning to admire her perseverance. His heart stirred for a moment, but he quickly came to his senses. How could he possess something like being moved? He firmly refused to let such disgusting emotions taint his utterly black heart!

As expected, Hinata fell yet again. This time, Neji struck without mercy and gave her no chance to stand back up. This was so damn annoying.

Then something astonishing happened. Nearly every Jonin sprang into action, forcibly stopping the match and examining Hinata's injuries.

Kurenai Yuhi even criticized Neji for hitting too hard because of Hinata's injuries.

"Bitches are always so dramatic!" Though Neji had received a fine upbringing, he truly could not suppress the resentment in his heart at a time like this.

"What nonsense are you talking about?!" Kurenai Yuhi glared furiously, and the other Jonin also looked at him with hostility.

"I'm insulting you, bitch!" Neji suddenly displayed his arrogant side. "In that situation, was I supposed to be a 'good person,' be impressed by Hinata's persistence and strength, and deliberately lose to her?"

"This is a match, not child's play. It's normal to get hurt when you're defeated. If you can't handle it, then get the hell out. Why become a ninja? Wouldn't it be better to go home and be a little princess?"

"So many contestants were seriously injured before this, and none of you showed any concern. Why are you suddenly jumping out now and pretending to be caring good people?"

Neji's mouth fired like a machine gun before he looked at Gekko Hayate. "Referee, I won this match, didn't I?"

Gekko Hayate nodded awkwardly.

Neji dramatically patted his chest as though he had been frightened. "Thank goodness. I thought with so many Jonin backing Hinata, you might rule that she won."

"Neji Hyuga, you've gone too far!" Naruto roared.

"How have I gone too far? I merely spoke a few truths..." Neji raised his chin, and for some reason, that expression looked familiar to Naruto.

It was Sasuke!

Neji's harsh, sharp-tongued manner was practically identical to Sasuke's!

No wonder they could become good friends.

Naruto still wanted to use talk-no-jutsu, but Neji could not be bothered with him, nor did he want to deal with the Jonin standing on Hinata's side.

Naruto had repeatedly interfered in the battle between Neji and Hinata. Hinata believed Naruto's words and was injured again and again. No one blamed Naruto for his poorly timed encouragement, nor did they blame Hinata for her inexplicable persistence. Instead, they blamed Neji for striking too hard.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Konoha's ninjas really were something else~

After giving them all a thorough tongue-lashing, Neji felt his mood improve immediately. Sure enough, when negative emotions arose, one should promptly redirect them elsewhere.

As he left the arena, Neji thought again of that manga. Everyone's fate was different. What right did Naruto have to demand that someone bound by the Caged Bird believe fate could be rewritten?

Just because Naruto was the protagonist, did everyone else have to believe in the ideals he believed in too?

What bullshit.

Neji calmly turned and left. The ninjas from the other villages on the viewing platform had enjoyed quite a show. They had not expected Konoha to be so riddled with internal conflict that they would openly tear into each other during such an important occasion as the Chunin Ninja Exams.

So far, most people thought Neji had been wrong. For the village's reputation, could he not have simply endured it? Why did he have to make things so ugly?

Asuma stopped Neji and wanted him to apologize to Kurenai Yuhi. Neji looked him over as though he were an idiot, raised his slender eyebrows, and immediately bowed ninety degrees. "I'm sorry. I didn't know Ms. Kurenai Yuhi was Senior Asuma's fiancée, the Hokage's future daughter-in-law. I shouldn't have called her a bitch. I hereby solemnly declare that Kurenai Yuhi is not a bitch. Calling her a bitch was merely a slip of the tongue..."