Neji, with a complicated expression, slowly walked onto the stage, looking at Hinata opposite him. He couldn't help but recall what Sasuke had told him a few days ago.
After finishing the second test, Neji approached Sasuke, hoping he could help solve his problem. After all, the sooner Sasuke could study it, the sooner the Caged Bird Seal could be removed.
Upon activating his Sharingan, Sasuke carefully observed the Caged Bird Seal and discovered that it had deeply penetrated Neji's brain, causing him serious damage. But for Sasuke, with his incredible comprehension, this wasn't a big deal. Sasuke quickly removed Neji's Caged Bird Seal and shared his thoughts.
"Don't you think Konoha is too corrupt now? The Sannin left the village, White Fang committed suicide, and the treatment of the Fourth Hokage's son is simply inhumane!" Sasuke said gravely.
"The Fourth Hokage's son? Didn't he die during the Nine-Tails' attack?" Neji was confused, as this had been the widely accepted story in the village.
"You don't really believe that, do you? Let me ask you, have you heard of the Uzumaki clan?" Sasuke asked seriously.
"I know that the First Hokage's wife was from the Uzumaki clan," Neji replied after thinking for a moment.
"Do you know how many Uzumaki clan members are left in Konoha?" Sasuke continued.
"This… I'm not sure," Neji shook his head. He really didn't know. After all, the Uzumaki clan had been destroyed a long time ago. How could he know how many were left in Konoha?
"As far as I know, the Fourth Hokage's wife was the only Uzumaki in Konoha. But think carefully, isn't there someone else in our generation with the Uzumaki name?" Sasuke paused.
Hearing this, Neji suddenly had a revelation. "You mean… Naruto?!"
"Yes, Uzumaki Naruto. Isn't he from the Uzumaki clan? So, why was Naruto born at the same time as the Fourth Hokage's son? Why does everyone call Naruto a demon fox? Why is Naruto's surname also Uzumaki?" Sasuke asked, laying out his suspicions.
Neji was stunned. He had never considered these questions before. But now, after listening to Sasuke, he realized things weren't as simple as they seemed.
"There's only one explanation," Sasuke said, as Neji murmured, "That means… Naruto is the Fourth Hokage's son!"
Neji was shocked. He couldn't believe that Naruto, the son of the Fourth Hokage, had been scorned by the very villagers his father had protected. How ironic!
"So, I want to change Konoha. I want to change this corrupt Konoha!" Sasuke declared, his eyes filled with determination.
Even the usually composed Neji was stunned by Sasuke's ambition. Change Konoha? That seemed impossible! But Neji, now free from his curse, felt that his life belonged to Sasuke. No matter what, he would help Sasuke achieve his goal.
Neji looked at Hinata and made an important decision. He took a deep breath, raised his hand, and said loudly, "Referee, I forfeit."
This declaration was like a bombshell, shocking everyone in the audience. They couldn't understand why such a powerful and highly anticipated contender would give up so easily.
The entire audience was in an uproar, with people whispering and speculating. Everyone was astonished, unable to accept what they were seeing. They had expected a fierce battle, but reality had defied their expectations.
No one expected that Neji, the Hyuga clan's genius, would choose to forfeit. Some even speculated that the Hyuga clan had pressured Neji to lose on purpose. This rumor quickly spread, fueling further controversy and doubt.
When Neji returned to the stands, Lee grabbed his shoulders anxiously. "Why? Why did you forfeit?"
Neji frowned and replied, "I have my reasons."
In their last conversation, Sasuke had hinted to Neji that if he fought Hinata, he might hurt her. Sasuke warned that if Neji hurt Hinata, he'd have to deal with him. So, after careful consideration, Neji decided to forfeit to avoid Sasuke's wrath.
He didn't want to get into trouble for no reason, so forfeiting seemed the best way to protect himself. Although this decision surprised many, for Neji, it was the wisest choice.
Moonlight Gale in the audience announced Hinata's victory and then the matchups for the next round.
"The ninth match, Gaara vs. Rock Lee."
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