The names that settled on the screen for the final preliminary match made the atmosphere throughout the arena somewhat strained.
Hinata Hyuga VS Neji Hyuga
A battle between members of the same clan-and between the Main Family's young lady and a Branch Family member who was the greatest genius in Hyuga history!
Most of Konoha's ninja, especially the Jonin who knew the Hyuga Clan's circumstances, wore complicated expressions.
"That boy Neji..." Asuma sighed.
"Hinata..."
Kurenai Yuhi clenched her fists as well, her eyes filled with worry.
She knew Hinata had improved tremendously over the past year or so, but her opponent was Neji Hyuga!
The genius who had graduated at the top of his class from the Ninja Academy and was hailed as one of the strongest of the Konoha 12!
Down in the arena, Hinata did tremble when she saw the match lineup.
Facing her cousin Neji, who had always weighed on her heart like a nightmare, she instinctively felt afraid.
But that fear lasted only an instant.
She took a deep breath, remembering Ye Chuan's encouragement, her brush with death during the Land of Waves mission, and her determination to catch up to that figure!
The timidity in her eyes gave way to an unprecedented resolve!
She raised her head and looked straight at Neji Hyuga, who had already entered the arena.
"Hmph, Lady Hinata."
Neji's voice was like icy lake water.
"I never expected you to make it through the second exam."
"But your luck ends here."
"The Main Family is the Main Family, and the Branch Family is the Branch Family. That fate cannot be changed."
"I'll make you face reality here and abandon those unrealistic fantasies!"
His fatalistic words stabbed mercilessly at Hinata.
"Fate... can be changed!"
Hinata clenched her fists and argued back loudly. Though her voice still trembled a little, it was exceptionally clear.
"Neji, I'll show you through this battle that I won't run away anymore! I can take control of my own fate too!"
"Stubborn fool!" Neji's gaze turned cold. "Then let me knock some sense into you! Byakugan!"
"Byakugan!" Hinata activated her Kekkei Genkai at the same time!
"The match... begins!" Gekko Hayate announced.
The battle erupted in an instant!
Neji was incredibly fast. In a flash, he charged up to Hinata, his hands becoming a blur of palms aimed straight at the vital Chakra points on her body!
It was the Hyuga Style's signature Taijutsu-Gentle Fist!
But things were different now!
Hinata was ready. With a slight stir of Chakra beneath her feet, she nimbly slid sideways while using Gentle Fist herself to block and deflect Neji's attacks!
"Hmm?" A flicker of surprise crossed Neji's eyes.
Hinata's reactions and Taijutsu counters were far stronger than he had imagined!
"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Palm!" Hinata seized the opening and launched a counterattack!
The two immediately became locked in close combat!
Both wielded Hyuga Style Gentle Fist, their palms flying as the sounds of colliding Chakra rang out incessantly!
Neji's talent was truly astonishing. Every move was precise and ruthless, and he was far more experienced than Hinata.
But relying on the precise Chakra control she had honed under Ye Chuan's guidance over the past year or so, Hinata actually held firm against Neji's fierce assault!
At times, she even caught openings in Neji's defense and struck back!
"How... how is this possible?!"
Rock Lee and Tenten were stunned in the stands.
As far as they remembered, Hinata had always been a girl of mediocre ability. How could she possibly be trading blows evenly with Neji?!
The longer Neji fought, the more alarmed he became!
He realized that not only had Hinata's strength improved at an incredible pace, but more importantly, there was a resolve in her eyes that he had never seen before!
"Damn it! Don't underestimate me! Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
Unable to bring her down despite his sustained assault, Neji finally used his prized technique!
"I won't lose! Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
To everyone's surprise, Hinata gave a sharp cry and used the very same move!
Their figures became two white whirlwinds as countless Chakra-infused palm strikes clashed fiercely in the arena!
Striking Chakra points! Sealing Chakra pathways! This was the most fundamental contest of Hyuga Gentle Fist!
Finally-
Thud!
With a dull impact, both figures flew backward!
Neji staggered as he landed, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. Several major Chakra points on his body throbbed faintly, and his Chakra flow was clearly obstructed!
Hinata was also drained, her face pale, but she forced herself to regain her footing before Neji did, and...
Her Byakugan remained firmly locked on Neji!
"I... I haven't lost yet!" Hinata panted, taking her Gentle Fist stance once more!
As Neji looked at his younger cousin, who seemed utterly transformed, the fate he had always believed in developed its first crack.
He... had actually been pushed this far by the Main Family's young lady whom he had always looked down on?!
"...Cough, cough... the outcome has been decided!"
Gekko Hayate appeared in the arena. He glanced at Neji, whose Chakra was almost exhausted, then at Hinata, who still had the will to fight, and announced:
"The winner-Hinata Hyuga!"
The entire arena erupted in an uproar!
The biggest upset! The genius of the Hyuga Branch Family had actually lost to the Main Family's timid young lady?!
Hearing the verdict, Hinata finally relaxed her taut body and nearly fell, but she forced herself to stay upright, instinctively turning her gaze toward Ye Chuan below the stands.
Ye Chuan met her gaze and nodded calmly.
"Well done."
Those simple words, conveyed through the movement of his lips, made Hinata instantly forget all her exhaustion, and an incredibly radiant smile spread across her face.
With that, all the preliminary matches were over.
The Third Hokage stepped forward again and congratulated the Genin who had passed the preliminaries.
Next came the drawing of lots to determine the match order for the finals a month later.
The results were soon out. They were largely the same as in the original story, except that Hinata had replaced Neji, and he himself had replaced Shino.
Ye Chuan looked at the draw results with understanding.
After the match order and arrangements for the finals a month later were announced, the preliminaries officially ended. All the candidates were dismissed to return and prepare.
After returning home, Ye Chuan did not rest immediately. Instead, he began his daily physical conditioning and sword swings.
His Shadow Clone practiced sword swings with practiced ease, while his original body completed his running and strength training.
As he went through the monotonous training, he thought about what lay ahead.
The Chunin Ninja Exams finals... Orochimaru's Konoha Crush Plan... the Third Hokage's final curtain...
Should I intervene in this incident? To what extent?
Without a doubt, his presence had already caused some deviations in the plot, such as Hinata's strength and victory, and who had been assigned the Land of Waves mission.
But the broad course of events probably would not change.
Orochimaru's goals were Sasuke's body and Konoha's destruction. To protect the village, the Third Hokage would most likely still end up using the Reaper Death Seal to perish together with his own student.
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