The arena, a circular expanse of weathered stone, fell into a hushed silence. The air, thick with the lingering scent of dust and the faint metallic tang of blood, crackled with unspoken tension. Neji Hyuga and Hinata Hyuga stepped forward, their figures stark against the backdrop of the setting sun. The weight of their shared lineage, the bitter history of the Hyuga clan, hung heavy in the air.
Neji, his Byakugan activated, his pale eyes gleaming with a cold, analytical light, regarded Hinata with a chilling detachment. His posture was rigid, his movements precise, each gesture radiating an aura of absolute control. "You know you cannot win," he stated, his voice flat and devoid of emotion, a pronouncement rather than a question.
Hinata, her own Byakugan activated, her pale eyes reflecting a flicker of fear, but also an unyielding resolve, stood her ground. Her hands trembled slightly, her breath coming in shallow, measured gasps. "I… I will not give up," she stammered, her voice barely a whisper, yet carrying a steely determination.
Neji launched a series of precise, calculated taijutsu attacks, his movements fluid and efficient, each strike aimed at Hinata's chakra points. His "Gentle Fist" strikes landed with pinpoint accuracy, disrupting Hinata's chakra flow, causing her to wince in pain.
Hinata, despite her best efforts to defend, was unable to effectively counter Neji's superior skill and knowledge of the Hyuga style.
Neji unleashed his "Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms" technique, a relentless barrage of strikes that pummeled Hinata's chakra network, disrupting her internal flow of chakra. Hinata, her body battered and bruised, her breath coming in ragged gasps, collapsed to her knees, but refused to yield.
Her eyes, though clouded with pain, still burned with an inner fire.
Naruto, watching from the spectator stands, his eyes wide with concern, saw Hinata's unwavering resolve. A surge of admiration and frustration washed over him. "Hinata! Don't give up!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the arena, cutting through the tense silence. "You can do it! I believe in you!"
Hinata, hearing Naruto's encouragement, found a surge of renewed determination. She struggled to her feet, her body trembling, her vision blurring. She attempted to continue the fight, her movements slow and clumsy, but was once again struck down by Neji's relentless attacks.
Neji, his expression a mask of cold disdain, delivered a final, devastating blow, sending Hinata crashing to the ground. Her body lay motionless, her chakra network in disarray. "You are weak," he stated, his voice laced with contempt, each word a venomous barb. "A failure. You are destined to lose. That is your fate."
Neji's words, though outwardly directed at Hinata, carried a deeper, hidden meaning. His disdain was not truly for her, but for the main branch of the Hyuga clan, the branch he believed had stolen his freedom, had imprisoned him in a cage of destiny. His words were a bitter indictment of the system that had bound him.
Hinata, her body broken and her chakra network disrupted, lay motionless on the arena floor. Despite her injuries, her eyes, though clouded with pain, still held a flicker of defiance, a testament to her unwavering spirit.
Neji observed Hinata, his expression a complex mix of contempt and a flicker of something akin to reluctant respect, a grudging acknowledgment of her stubborn refusal to yield. The crowd was silent, some watching with pity, others with a cold indifference, their faces etched with a mixture of awe and unease.
Naruto, his fists clenched, his knuckles white, watched Hinata with a burning intensity & newfound emotion inside him.
Hayate Gekko, his voice somber, announced, "Neji Hyuga wins." He then continued, his voice regaining its usual professional tone, "These preliminary matches are now concluded. The final round will commence in one month."
He then began to announce the finalists for the final round. "The finalists will be Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Gaara, Neji Hyuga, Temari, Rock Lee, Shino Aburame, and Shikamaru Nara."
The eight finalists' names hanging in the air like a promise of the battles to come, a silent testament to the brutal trials they had endured. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the arena, a stark reminder of the darkness that lurked beneath the surface of the Chunin Exams.