As Rock Lee returned to his group, the crowd's cheers continued. His friends showered him with enthusiastic congratulations.
Neji, his closest rival and teammate, stepped forward with a look of genuine admiration in his eyes. His words struck Lee like no other: "That was an incredible performance."
"Neji… you really think so?!" Lee asked with a shaky voice.
Tears threatened to spill from his eyes as he took in the compliment. It was a moment he had longed for, knowing that rivaling Neji fueled his determination to improve. In their moment as competitors, this was the first time he felt acknowledged for his growth through their challenges.
When Arthur saw this, he remembered why this was. Lee never fought Gaara in the Chūnin Exams. Because of that, the former was never able to activate the Eight Gates and shock Neji.
"Of course," Neji confirmed, crossing his arms in a typically composed manner. "You've improved a lot since the last time we fought. I'm impressed."
Lee couldn't hold back his emotions any longer and broke into a wide smile. He felt buoyed by his teammate's sincere words. It was almost too much for him, and he blinked rapidly to fight back the tears.
In that heartfelt moment, Jada became just as happy. The players had a goal, and it was to correct the faults within this world. Seeing these two genuinely care for one another was a sign things were headed her direction.
William draped an arm around Neji's shoulders and laughed heartily, saying, "Look at you, getting all sentimental! Who knew the great Neji from the Hyūga clan would actually give compliments?"
His teasing tone lightened the atmosphere.
"Will!" Margaret scolded. Her tone was mock-serious as she placed her hands on her hips, but there was laughter in her eyes. "Stop ruining this touching moment, ya idiot!"
The group chuckled together, easing the tension from the match. It was a blissful moment, and Lee cherished it. The bonds they all shared as teammates felt stronger than ever.
Just then, the announcer took to the center stage, bringing back a sense of excitement.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Let's direct your attention to the screen for the results!" he boomed, gesturing to the monitor.
The crowd hushed as the screen displayed a snapshot of Lee with the words "ADVANCED TO ROUND TWO" boldly hanging beneath him. It then transitioned to the next fight: "Naruto Uzumaki vs. Karui."
A murmur spread through the audience, eyebrows raising in recognition as people recalled Naruto's earlier behaviour.
"Isn't that the loud kid in Group 10?" one asked his peers.
"Yeah, I think it is. I hope he doesn't wet his pants. Haha."
This matchup was more ironic than anyone who wasn't a player knew. These two characters had fought before, if one would call it that. Karui, in her blind fury three years from now, had struck Naruto repeatedly, leaving unsettling bruises on his face.
Over in the stands, Naruto leaned over to his friends and enthusiastically declared, "Alright, guys! I'll be counting on your support!" His cheerfulness endeared them right away.
"You go, Naruto!" shouted Lee with high spirits.
"Knock her out of the park!" Margaret yelled, pumping her fist.
"You got this, Naruto," Iruka encouraged.
"There's not a doubt in me that you'll win," Neji reminded him.
They all put in their heartening sentiments, believing that Naruto would win. That's when it donned on Jada: Naruto truly wasn't the same character; he had supporters and friends who were shaping him to be more likeable and mature among others—all without breaking his character, which fans enjoyed.
Over in the other group, Karui was seen stretching a little. She looked no different than her Shippuden counterpart—only younger. With dark skin and amber eyes, she was quite stunning to see in person.
Her long, sleeveless dark dress was cinched at the waist with a white obi. The absence of her forehead protector really made her spiky red hair, which was neatly combed back, look fierce. She also wore dangling earrings, despite knowing that jewelry only got in the way when being a kunoichi.
From what Arthur remembered of her, she was headstrong and had a sharp tongue, often clashing with her teammate Omoi in lighthearted yet pointed banter.
In the years to follow, she was stated to have married Chōji Akimichi. Most fans, while silent about the pairing, weren't content. That was mainly because of the reason behind Neji's death, to which the writers couldn't find anyone to pair the Hyūga with.
While controversial, something like that wasn't worth noting since Arthur had killed Chōji back in the Forest of Death.
"Hey, Karui! You ready for this?" Atsui grinned.
"Yeah, I guess," she replied, trying to sound nonchalant.
Darui leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and offered some words of encouragement: "You're tough. Remember, this isn't your first rodeo. You trained hard."
Samui looked at her and said firmly, "You've got the skills, Karui. Just stay focused. Trust in yourself like always."
"I may have lost," Omoi beamed, "but show everyone what the Cloud Village is made of."
"Right!" she exclaimed in a steady voice. "I can do this. I won't lose."
"Will the participants please enter the stage?" the announcer begged.
As the two fighters met in the center of the arena, Karui eyed Naruto with wariness and skepticism.
"I didn't expect to be going against the loudest fighter here," she remarked, arching an eyebrow at him.
Naruto smiled brightly, adjusting the headband around his forehead, and said, "That's just because my ninja way is to never give up!"
His tone alone was enough to show how much determination he was bristling with. Karui's expression hardened slightly, her brow furrowing as she tried to process where his confidence was coming from.
In that moment, something twisted in her gut. This wasn't just bravado; it felt as if his very words were aiming to inspire something within her.
That was the danger of Naruto Uzumaki—not just the power of the Nine-Tails, but the way he seemed to reach into the core of someone's heart and stir up their emotions with just a few sentences.
That was his talk-no-jutsu.
Before the fight began, he decided to remove his signature jacket and pants. A collective gasp filled the audience, especially among the females seated in the stands, who instinctively covered their eyes, unsure of what was to come.
Yet when the fabric fell away, the laughs turned into cheers as they beheld that Naruto was clad in a green jumpsuit that bore a resemblance to what Rock Lee was wearing.
"Are… are those two that close?" one spectator murmured, peering toward the arena as if looking for answers in the air.
"Couldn't tell ya," another responded, "but if he fights just as well as that last guy, this was worth my money."
Karui's face tightened as she observed Naruto's outfit. She simply couldn't identify what kind of character he was. Lee had defeated Omoi, and if Naruto dressed like Lee, surely he must possess a fraction of that strength—if not more.
She prepared herself mentally for what was to come.
As the announcer darted between the fighters to make sure everyone was ready, the thrill became evident.
"And begin!"
Naruto moved ahead with the initial thrust as he charged toward Karui. Though not as fast as Lee, he made up for it with his explosiveness.
With his fist primed, he aimed for a direct hit—but Karui was ready. She quickly sidestepped and pivoted, counterattacking with a swift kick aimed at his side.
Naruto barely managed to absorb the blow, rolling to maintain his balance. He grinned with an unmistakable expression that said he was just getting started.
"Don't underestimate... the Green Beast!" he called out, regaining his footing. His stance became sharper, to the point that Karui was forced to try.
The two fighters exchanged blow after blow as they danced around each other. Naruto continued to push forward, striking with calmness, while Karui fended him off with speed and clever counters.
The crowd watched in rapt attention, cheering loudly for each display of skill. Their expectations of the boy had turned from contempt to pure admiration. Just watching him kept everyone on the edge of their seats.
Arthur casually observed the fight with a bemused expression. He had faced Naruto previously. Seeing him now only brought him more disappointment.
'He hasn't really changed much,' he mentally noted. The energy of the clash didn't move him; he expected more from someone who was being raised by so many powerful ninjas. Specifically those who knew his story.
Back in the arena, the intensity of the match escalated. Karui, with a face steeled in concentration, began to lose pace against Naruto's persistence.
Her earlier confidence was wavering as Naruto's fists launched in the air, landing several solid hits on her guard. The crowd erupted in cheers yet again as they rallied behind the spirited main character.
"Keep it up! Go, Naruto!" yelled Lee.
"Ya got her on her toes!" Margaret continued.
"That's what I'm talking about!" William cried.
Their excitement was contagious, as they bounced slightly on the balls of their feet.
But above them all, the most impressed was Iruka. He was technically Naruto's first friend, having spent time treating him out to ramen and such. Seeing how much his student had grown moved his heart.
Karui retaliated and forced the momentum to shift back in her favour.
"You think you can take me on so easily?" she tried taunting. Almost immediately, she executed a swift series of attacks that managed to knock Naruto back.
But Naruto was no one to go down easily, not even when facing adversity. He rolled back to his feet and charged forward again, offering a battle cry.
As the match progressed, it became a nail-biting stalemate of feints and parries. The audience roared for both warriors as their admiration soared—it became a contest of will and strength.
Karui's breath grew laboured, and she began to feel the weight of her exertion. Each attack began to feel heavier, and with every swing, Naruto's relentless pressure made it harder for her to maintain composure. No matter how many hits she landed on him, he wasn't ever going down!
"Is she tiring out?" Neji remarked. He looked at Margaret, whose eyes gleamed with the same thrill that had captured everyone else in the arena.
"Yes! It looks like it!" she cheered, her nails digging into William's arm.
"Ow, Marge, that hurts!"
Naruto seized the opportunity. He launched toward Karui once more. She attempted to brace herself with a defensive stance, but his superior strength shattered her resolve.
He cried out, "With my friends by my side…" And with a final push, he slammed a fist against her side, causing her to stagger back and the wind to escape from her lungs as she landed on the ground! "I'd never lose to you!"
The referee rushed in, believing the match to be over. When he noticed Karui still on the ground, he signaled the end.
The crowd raged into applause. Karui lay there as a smile crept across her face. She had lost, but she couldn't help be in admiration.
Cheers continued to erupt around the area: "Naruto, Naruto, Naruto, Naruto, Naruto!"
With his chest heaving, he stood tall, raising an arm to solidify his victory. If there was anything anyone understood, it was that this ninja defined what it meant to be a main character.
"Nice job, Naruto!" William shouted, already rushing to the front of the stands to meet him.
Naruto brought his arms to his head and laughed in excitement while trying to acknowledge the various cheers.
"Haha. I couldn't have done it without all of you supporting me—thank you, everyone!"
The fights had proven fierce, and the tournament was just beginning. With Lee and Naruto both advancing, there was no telling how the remainder of the competition would unfold.
What did Arthur honestly think of Naruto the character? There was nothing to think about. He read almost everything about him and understood his personality quite well. It was that very reason that he didn't find any sense or empathy for the boy.
To see how far he was still trying to be the hero of, Arthur knew only one thing, and it was that he would never fall prey to Naruto.