Chapter 13: Hinata's Determination!
“That… umm…”
Hinata clutched a small box of medicinal salve and timidly approached the exit of the combat arena where the medical ninja stood.
“Th-this… this is… salve… for… for Kiba-kun… and Akamaru…”
Even though her strength had skyrocketed ever since she received the “Pikachu Card”, this painfully shy personality of hers… wasn’t something that could be fixed overnight.
“Heh~”
Kiba, who had just been carried off after losing to Naruto, couldn’t help grinning when he saw her.
“Instead of worrying about other people, you should worry about yourself first, y’know~”
“Kiba…”
“After this match, the only ones left are you, Chōji, Neji, Lee, that one Oto-nin… and that really scary-looking Suna guy.”
Kiba’s smile faded as he spoke, his expression turning dead serious.
“Listen carefully, Hinata. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYvPGe4Fpt
If you run into that Suna guy, forfeit immediately. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSDur8M8GT
And when you face Neji… same thing. Forfeit right away! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWve6gLf9P
Those two are way too dangerous for you. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlZq71hi2a
You’ll definitely end up seriously injured!”
Just as Kiba was speaking—
Over there, Gekkō Hayate suddenly raised his voice.
“Let’s move on to the next match~”
The moment his words fell, the electronic screen flickered rapidly.
A few seconds later, the display froze.
[Hyūga Hinata vs Hyūga Neji]
The four large words appeared crystal clear in front of everyone.
The entire arena fell silent for a moment.
The atmosphere grew heavy.
“Hinata! Remember to forfeit!”
Kiba shouted loudly even as he was being carried away.
But Hinata didn’t respond.
Byakuya-kun gave me such an amazing power… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7pm1YRYHVx
If I just forfeit without even fighting… I’d be letting him down so badly…
Thinking this to herself, Hinata slowly walked toward the center of the arena.
When she reached the middle, Neji also approached with an expressionless face.
The two stood facing each other.
“I never expected… I would end up fighting you, Hinata-sama.”
“Neji-niisan…”
Silence.
Both of them had extremely complicated feelings swirling inside.
“Then… the match begins!”
Amidst this tense atmosphere, Gekkō Hayate gave the starting signal.
Yet neither moved to attack right away.
“Before we begin, I’d like to give Hinata-sama some advice.”
Neji’s face was solemn.
“Forfeit. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdRAj9Yzye
You’re not suited to be a shinobi. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqW2eYDV1Wz
You’re too kind. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd48G45Uo1F
You crave peace and run away from conflict. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEFFZi03h8
You always go along with what others want. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrptplYwhSE
And above all… you have no confidence in yourself. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAvDkIdoHA
You’ve always carried this sense of inferiority. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OsKlnHpQC
That’s why I think being a genin is more than enough for you. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiftdQ4Y6M
But the Chūnin Exams require a three-man team to register. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlF8vXl2YAg
You couldn’t refuse Kiba and the others when they invited you, so you reluctantly joined, right?”
“That’s not true!”
For some reason, Hinata suddenly raised her voice.
But right after shouting that, she immediately shrank back again, speaking in a small, stuttering voice.
“I… I just… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfwKlBhzQz
I just want to change myself… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8n3slfgu1
Change the me that’s always been like that… so…”
“Hinata-sama, as expected of the main house’s eldest daughter~ 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTeVouG04F
Born protected, and so very naive.”
Neji continued calmly.
“There are some truths you probably don’t understand. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWnVTgcP37
A person’s fate… can never be changed! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLie4BRFeI
A failure will always be a failure. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vYOxCxKPd
Forever a failure. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZHQLPWtfS
Their personality and abilities have already decided they can only be a failure. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZLpzdg8UK
They can never change. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcJWw8VpgG
Precisely because people cannot change… that’s why differences exist! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKRU04FmdH
That’s why terms like ‘elite’ and ‘failure’ were created. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1pgQ4pGt6R
Everyone judges others’ value—and is judged—based on appearance, intelligence, ability, physique, personality… all those things. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡflVffgkwiJ
These factors cannot be changed. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4elmVaa2Km
They are decided the moment you are born. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡio80UFzPOH
That is fate. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGjep3Tcpw
People live on, bearing the pain that fate has assigned them. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMfANhhG4M
Just like how I am of the branch house and you are of the main house. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4f2METVvgJ
It was decided from birth. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYCj82bOma
There is no changing it. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWV22jkXqgi
Now… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡciHjiuVrZ5
With these Byakugan, I have seen through everything. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CeRyZ0vAr
So I know. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDZRD3IMiS
You’re just forcing yourself. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3OowdiWv62
Deep down, you’re definitely thinking of running away from here right now…”
“No! That’s not true!”
Hinata thought of all the guidance Byakuya-kun had given her over time. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejlwvJMyi2
All the help he’d provided. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEpZY99fna
And the “Pikachu Mythical Beast” he had given her. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlOH4QkkLT
He had been so kind, so attentive to her every need. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kIJTPn1IU
But what about her? 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXdbSv3kEl
She was still so useless, still wanting to hide the moment something difficult came up. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBdACSmiMb
A deep sense of guilt and anger at her own weakness surged in her chest.
And at this moment— 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gzwzh6Dxr
Because of the anger and guilt burning inside her, combined with the confidence granted by the “Pikachu Mythical Beast”… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDgh7QosfC0
Hinata’s entire aura suddenly changed.
“I’m not forcing myself! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8J0sf1awn
I don’t want to run anymore. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPJNGG5das
I… I want to change myself!”
With that, Hinata swiftly formed hand seals.
“Byakugan!”
After activating her Byakugan, she assumed the classic Hyūga-style Gentle Fist opening stance.
“Neji-niisan… let’s settle this once and for all!”
Neji’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
He hadn’t expected Hinata to suddenly find such courage.
But he quickly regained his composure.
“I will make you understand… fate cannot be changed.”
Saying so, he too assumed the exact same Gentle Fist opening stance.
“…As expected of the Hyūga style.”
At the same time, up in the stands—
Lee clenched his fists tightly, trying to calm his excited heart while analyzing the two figures in the distance.
“Her opening stances are identical to Neji’s!”
“Hyūga style?” 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7esyBMklnI
Sakura looked at Lee in confusion.
“That’s right~ 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YRbQ8qJE7
It’s Konoha’s strongest taijutsu school! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tqYxxI6qY
I told you before— 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5a6yWXCNM
Among all the genin in Konoha, the strongest man is in our team! 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabzvfYMukK
That’s him—Hyūga Neji!”
“The strongest genin…?”
Naruto frowned. 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKo1zgOfqpn
An extremely annoying yet handsome figure flashed through his mind.
“Lee… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqR7E2c6jB2
Actually, I think the strongest genin should be Byakuya-kun~”
Sakura smiled and gently corrected him.
“He’s way stronger than Sasuke-kun, you know~”
“Hmph.”
Sasuke let out a cold snort from the side but said nothing else.
Which was basically tacit agreement.
“Byakuya…?”
Lee looked puzzled.
“I’ve never met him before, but… 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3Yf29b9t9
I still firmly believe— 7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWu7AJprvc
Neji is the strongest!”
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