The center of the arena had fallen into an eerie silence.
Genma Shiranui held a senbon between his teeth as he watched the blond boy walk away, then looked at the Hyuga prodigy kneeling on the ground, his spirit utterly shattered. In the end, he raised his hand. "The winner is Naruto Uzumaki."
His announcement broke the dead silence, and two medical-nin immediately rushed into the arena. They quickly examined Neji's condition, only to find themselves confused. Aside from a few bruises on his chest and abdomen, there was no substantial damage to Neji's body or chakra pathway system.
But he had completely fallen apart.
"To live for myself..." As Neji was lifted onto a stretcher, he continued repeating those words unconsciously. His eyes were vacant, devoid of all light.
Hyuga Hiashi's expression in the stands could no longer merely be called ugly. He stared fixedly at Naruto's retreating figure as he disappeared into the contestants' tunnel. For the first time, the dignity and composure of the main family's head showed cracks. Beneath his anger was a fear he himself had yet to recognize.
That Naruto Uzumaki must have said something utterly heretical to Neji.
Hinata stood behind her father, feeling the stifling aura around him. Her emotions were incomparably complicated. She looked at Naruto's back, then at her utterly lost cousin on the stretcher, not knowing what to think.
"Cough. What a wonderful match." Genma Shiranui cleared his throat, trying to steer the atmosphere back on track. "Next, we will proceed to the second match! Kankuro of Sunagakure versus Shino Aburame of Konoha!"
Shino Aburame had already entered the arena. He adjusted his dark glasses as countless Kikaichū stirred restlessly within his body.
However, his opponent, the Sunagakure ninja with purple face paint, raised his hand.
"I forfeit." Kankuro's