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Neji had a way of putting people off with his belief in fate—that everything in life was predestined, and nothing could change it. Rock Lee saw this as a challenge to overcome.
Tenten, on the other hand, mostly ignored Neji's fatalistic views.
She thought he was somewhat cute, and she knew he was just echoing the strict doctrines of the Hyuga clan.
However, even Tenten had her limits.
She could tolerate Neji talking about his beliefs, but when he started attacking her character and accusing her of underhanded motives, that crossed a line.
She understood that everyone had their own views, but it was entirely different when those views were used to question her integrity.
That was something she couldn't just ignore.
"Ha, you think you can change your fate by giving your cheap products to someone as weak as Hinata-sama," Neji sneered, his voice dripping with disdain.
Tenten's face flushed with anger.
In one swift motion, she raised her hand to slap him, but Neji blocked it effortlessly. "What the hell do you even know?!" she screamed, her voice echoing across the training ground.
Neji's expression didn't waver.
"What, am I missing something? You lost to an academy student? And clearly, the last month of you doing pathetic E rank missions was just to pay off some bet. Let me guess, you scammed Hinata and Naruto by giving them your cheap products so that you don't have to finish the bet."
The accusation hit a nerve.
Tenten, barely containing her rage, was ready to lunge at Neji, but felt Lee's strong hands pulling her back.
"Tenten, please, we are a team, we must not fight," Lee pleaded, his voice a calming force.
"No, he is clearly looking for a fight. I'll give him a fight," Tenten snapped, her eyes blazing as she stared Neji down.
Neji, unphased and icy as ever, retorted, "Hmm, a loser like you is fated to be defeated by me. Dreaming of being such a great kunoichi like Tsunade, yet not being able to do anything useful. Like your delusions, you are fated to be irrelevant."
Might Gai intervened, his tone stern, "Neji, stop this unyouthful behavior right this second."
But the brief pause only gave Tenten a moment to catch her breath and retort.
"Hey, at least I am doing something for my dreams. Unlike you, fated to be a groveling servant to the main family just like your dead father—a loser who would put his life down for a family that shackled him."
The air thickened as Lee gasped and Kurenai's eyes widened in shock.
This time it was Gai who held Neji back as he lunged forward, his fists clenched. "What's wrong?" Tenten taunted, her voice harsh.
"Mad that I made the supposed loser Hinata into someone formidable? Oh, come on, let's drop this excuse about me bastardizing the Gentle Fist. You don't care about the honor of the Hyuga clan. Why would you? They shackled you, limited your talent, took away your father. So why bother defending them? Is it because you are their servant, or..."
Neji's Byakugan flared to life, the veins bulging around his temples as he tried to intimidate her into silence.
Tenten wasn't fazed by Neji's display of strength.
Her voice grew sharper, slicing through the tension.
"Or are you just upset that Hinata has changed for the better? You always preach that people can't change, that it's their fate. What about Hinata, then? She changed, she improved—so what does that say about your beliefs? They're nothing but the words of a servant too afraid to stand up for himself."
Neji's face contorted with anger, his hands trembling.
"Hinata is brave because she chose to change for the better, unlike you. You're just a caged bird, claiming to want freedom but too scared to break free. What would your father think of you now, Branch Servant Neji?"
In a burst of rage, Neji released a powerful Kaiten, breaking free from Might Gai's hold— Gai hadn't expected such an extreme reaction from his student.
Seizing the moment, Neji lunged at Tenten, who was ready; she quickly channeled chakra into a storage seal on her tongue and spat out a senbon needle towards him.
Neji's eyes widened in shock as a blur of movement filled his vision.
Before he could react, a wave of red-hot pain exploded across his face, and the world flipped upside down.
The cool, hard ground pressed against his cheek, and he realized he was down, pinned—Gai had slammed him to the ground.
As Neji tried to regain his bearings, pain throbbed through his face, his head ringing from the impact.
Gai, moving swiftly, plucked the airborne senbon from its path. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it aside just as the explosive seal ignited. A loud boom resonated through the air, accompanied by a brief flash and a small cloud of smoke. Neji felt the vibrations through the ground, adding to his disorientation and the sharp ache that now dominated his senses.
Tenten smirked slightly, her frustration evident.
"Oh, come on, sensei, let fate run its course," she taunted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Gai's foot firmly on Neji's neck kept him pinned, his eyes burning with fury but his body unresponsive to his desire to retaliate.
"I am done with this team."
Lee's grip loosened on Tenten, a mix of shock and confusion on his face.
"Tenten, please," he started, but she was already walking away.
"Tenten!" Kurenai called after her, but Tenten paused only to look back at Gai.
"I'll submit my resignation to the Hokage's office. I'm done with this team. If you want me back, sensei, he goes," she said, pointing towards Neji.
Without waiting for a response, Tenten strode off, her resolve clear.
She had her pride, her dignity, and she wouldn't compromise that to stay in an environment where she felt antagonized.
Lee looked to Gai, lost for words, but Gai simply placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Let her go. Sometimes, we all need time to rekindle our youthful spirit."
As Lee nodded, accepting his master's wisdom, Kurenai glanced upwards, a half-joking plea escaping her lips.
Oh, God, please, just give me some normal Genins to work with.
....
Tenten slumped onto a nearby sidewalk, her shoulders sagging under the weight of Neji's cutting words.
A year of teamwork, of risking their lives together on missions that could have been their last—hadn't that earned her some shred of respect from him? Yet there she sat, wondering why she had ever expected anything different.
Could it really be that in Neji's eyes, only his feelings mattered?
That he alone had the right to judge and decide what was correct?
Her hands clenched into fists on her lap as she fought the urge to cry.
No, she told herself, tears would not fall today—not for him.
Neji was not worth the pain that now threatened to spill over.
She breathed deeply, closing her eyes, the cool air brushing against her face as she worked to calm the storm inside.
Tenten was slumped on the sidewalk, her knees pulled tightly to her chest, when Naruto's voice broke through her swirling thoughts.
"Tenten, why are you here?" he asked, concern etching his features as he noticed her distress.
She glanced up, seeing him holding a carton of eggs. His expression shifted from curiosity to concern.
"What happened?" he probed gently, setting the eggs aside and kneeling beside her.
"Nothing," Tenten muttered, burying her face deeper into her knees.
But Naruto wasn't convinced.
"Then why do you look like you're about to cry?" His voice was soft, filled with genuine worry.
Tenten hesitated, then the floodgates opened.
She recounted everything—Neji's harsh words, the confrontation, her frustration. As she spoke, Naruto listened in silence, his brow furrowing.
"Neji sounds like a pompous teme," he finally said, breaking the quiet with a blunt assessment that drew a snort from Tenten.
He then gently lifted her chin, ensuring their eyes met.
"Tenten, Hinata is thankful to you because she's improving, I'm thankful because I can now pass the Genin exams, and your father is proud to have you as his daughter."
Naruto continued, his voice firm yet comforting, "The words of someone who doesn't see your value as an ally, as a friend, as a teammate, are the words of a blind man."
Tenten couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of calling a Byakugan user blind, but the truth in Naruto's words resonated deeply within her. She felt a warmth spread through her, buoyed by his belief in her.
"Don't let someone who gave up on their dreams talk you out of pursuing yours," Naruto added softly, giving her a supportive smile.
Tenten nodded, her heart lighter than it had been moments before. She took a deep breath, letting his words sink in and fortify her resolve.
"I want to lay down," she declared suddenly.
"On the sidewalk?"
"Yes, so get to it," she directed playfully.
"To what?"
"Just sit here," she insisted.
Reluctantly, Naruto sat down, and Tenten laid her head in his lap, staring up at the sky through the silhouette of his face.
They lay in comfortable silence, the world around them fading to a mere backdrop. After a few moments, Naruto broke the silence.
"Tenten, we have a party to go to," he reminded her.
Tenten opened her eyes, a playful glint appearing.
"Hey, Naruto, can I touch them?"
"Touch what?" he replied, puzzled.
"Your whiskers," she said, her fingers already reaching towards his face.
"Sure, but why?" Naruto chuckled, slightly embarrassed yet amused by her curiosity.
"I don't know, just curious," she shrugged, her fingers tracing the unique marks on his cheeks. To her surprise, Naruto purred—a sound so unexpectedly fox-like that it made her smile.
"Cute," she thought, her heart lighter than it had been all day.
________________________________________
Hanabi was quietly making her way through Naruto's apartment building when she suddenly stopped. A voice snapped her attention.
"Hey, you! Why are you spying on my niisan?"
Turning around, Hanabi was met with a peculiar sight—a camo curtain that was supposed to blend with the environment, except it was all wrong, clearly visible and awkwardly square.
The curtain dropped, revealing a boy with short, spiky brown hair and a prominent forehead protector emblazoned with the Konoha symbol. His large, round eyes and notably thick eyebrows added to his determined expression.
"You villain! I won't let you assassinate Naruto Niisan for I am the great Konohamaru of Konoha," the boy declared, hurling a shuriken with such poor aim it sailed off the balcony.
"Hey, who threw that?" came a shout from below.
Hanabi's expression remained unimpressed.
"Ha, I knew it—you are a formidable villain, so I'll use my secret jutsu," Konohamaru announced, puffing up his chest.
"Oiroke no Jutsu!" he shouted, and with a puff of smoke, transformed into a tall, curvaceous brunette shrouded in strategically placed clouds.
Without a word, Hanabi walked over and swiftly kicked Konohamaru in a way that instantly dissolved his transformation, leaving him crumpling to the ground while clutching his groin.
"Ah, demon, demon!" Konohamaru cried out in pain, tears streaming down his face as he rocked back and forth.
Hanabi just shook her head, unable to believe the absurdity of the situation, and continued on her way, leaving the would-be hero whimpering behind her.
As the door to Naruto's apartment swung open, Hinata stepped out, her expression curious about the commotion outside. From the other side, Naruto and Tenten appeared.
"What's going on here?" Naruto asked, scanning the scene.
"Naruto Niisan, help me, this demon is trying to kill me!" Konohamaru wailed from the ground, pointing dramatically at Hanabi, who stood with her Byakugan activated.
"Come at me, chakra pervert. I'll save my sister from you!" Hanabi yelled, charging at Naruto who agilely dodged, causing Hanabi to crash into the wall and knock herself out.
"Yatta, you defeated the demon!" Konohamaru cheered from his spot on the ground.
Naruto, shaking his head, picked up the unconscious Hanabi and turned to Hinata. "You know her?"
Sheepishly, Hinata nodded. "She's my little sister."
"And who are you?" Tenten inquired, eyeing Konohamaru suspiciously.
"Tenten, Hinata, this is Jiji's grandson," Naruto introduced.
"And I am going to be the next Hokage after Naruto Niisan!" Konohamaru declared proudly, causing Tenten and Hinata to exchange bemused glances.
"Konohamaru, shouldn't you be grounded?" Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, but I came to give you good luck for the exam. You will 100% pass!" Konohamaru tried to change the subject, his enthusiasm undiminished.
Naruto, Hinata, and Tenten smiled at his cheerfulness, then Konohamaru's curiosity got the better of him as he turned to the girls. "Now, who are these?"
"These are my girlfriends," Naruto said confidently, puffing out his chest.
Konohamaru's jaw dropped, while Tenten and Hinata's faces turned bright red.
"Girlfriends?!" Both thought, hearts pounding wildly.
"How did you manage to pull that off?" Konohamaru asked in awe.
"Well, these two are my friends, they are also girls, so girlfriends," Naruto explained, oblivious to the typical meaning of the term.
"You are so dumb, niisan," Konohamaru retorted.
"I'll show you dumb, you brat," Naruto threatened playfully as he handed the carton of eggs to Tenten and rolled up his sleeves, ready to chase the mischievous boy.
"I think I heard Jiji speaking," Konohamaru quickly said, darting away with Naruto hot on his heels.
Left behind, Tenten and Hinata looked at each other and burst into giggles.
....
[ Author Note:
I think everyone noticed this change from canon.
Unlike in the original series, where Naruto was introduced to Konohamaru later, Naruto knows Konohamaru from the start in this version.
The reason for this change is to give more weight to Naruto learning about the Kyuubi and then his parents.
Obviously, Naruto isn't going to trust Hiruzen, but having the background where Naruto has had more interactions with Hiruzen, Konohamaru, Asuma, and the Sarutobi clan since he was a child, adds more significance to the betrayal Naruto will feel in the next dozen chapters.
Hope you all like this change. ]