"Does this guy have eyes on the back of his head?" Naruto, standing at the back, also looked a bit troubled.
From the beginning, something felt off. Attacks launched from blind spots were all caught and returned by Neji, and kunai coming from behind were dodged as if they were coming straight on.
When Naruto's last clone burst, leaving only himself and Neji in the arena, Naruto's brow furrowed: "Strange."
"What's so strange?" Neji stood his ground, seemingly scoffing with a smile, "In front of these eyes of mine, all sneak attacks and feints are useless. Do you have any other tricks up your sleeve?"
Neji had watched Naruto's fights in the preliminaries and to be honest, they were just okay. If it weren't for that fluke, Naruto probably couldn't even beat Tenten.
"Those eyes?" Naruto had never learned about the Byakugan, only knowing it was a combat-use Kekkei Genkai, clueless about its specific techniques.
Inside the sealed space, Kurama lay on the water's surface, patting his belly: "The Byakugan's basic abilities are threefold: a 360-degree field of vision, meaning no blind spots; visual range beyond that of sensory ninjas, up to tens of kilometers; and chakra detection, seeing the flow of chakra through the body and even the chakra points. Combined with the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist, it can easily seal an opponent's chakra points, blocking chakra flow."
Kurama grinned: "For you now, the Byakugan is the toughest type to deal with. After all, you've always relied on overwhelming chakra. If you got hit by Gentle Fist, your chakra would be sealed, and you'll only have taijutsu left."
"Kid, you know how weak your taijutsu is, right?"
Naruto was taken aback after hearing Kurama's words, a hint of surprise in his tone: "So, he dodges my attacks because of the Byakugan's view?"
He wasn't curious why Kurama knew so much; after all, age was telling.
"Correct." Kurama nodded, "And since you know no other ninjutsu besides Shadow Clone Jutsu, with your current strength, you can't beat Neji."
Especially since Neji had yet to use his trump card, which Naruto couldn't handle now.
"Last time, you said you wanted to be Hokage," Neji spoke to Naruto, "That's impossible."
Naruto clenched his fist.
Neji, indifferent to Naruto's feelings, spoke bluntly: "I can see, with these eyes of mine, a person's talent is set from birth. In other words, everything is predetermined from the moment of birth."
"Fate, huh." Kurama lifted an eyelid, "Sounds reasonable, but it's actually nonsense."
Fate, those who believe in it think everything is destined, while those who don't see it as an excuse for the weak. Kurama doesn't believe in fate; after all, the so-called destiny has already been broken.
The original story's fate didn't include the current him.
Hyuga Hiashi's eyes grew more pained, his hands on his knees unconsciously gripping tighter.
Clutching his fists tightly, Naruto's face uncontrollably turned to anger. "I don't believe in fate, so I will become the Hokage. And you, you'll just pathetically lie on the ground, wondering why fate has you lose here."
Kurama was taken aback. Were these words really spoken by Naruto?
Neji clearly didn't expect Naruto to be so blunt, and his face immediately darkened. "Everyone can only struggle to survive within their own fate, and your destiny is to fall right here. I'll make you understand that becoming the Hokage isn't just about effort."
Is it true that success is 70% hard work, 30% luck, and the remaining 90% is determined by one's birth?
Kurama snorted coldly. Those who are immersed in their own world, having lost the spirit to strive, can only reach the position they deem appropriate. After losing everything, they blame heaven and others, yet they never reflect on why.
The world is inherently unfair, and what everyone should do is not to lament or submit to this injustice but to become someone who doesn't need to pursue fairness in this unfair world.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, sitting in the stands, thoughtfully watched the two below after tapping his pipe.
The Kazekage sneered beside him, hinting, "Does Hokage-sama believe in fate?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen paused his smoking. "It doesn't matter whether it exists or not. As long as you do what you should, isn't that enough?"
"Heh, such a weak thought," the Kazekage's sneer grew louder. "It seems the Hokage-sama should step down and find a new Hokage."
Sarutobi Hiruzen ignored the Kazekage's sarcasm. They had been at odds for more than a day or two, and he was used to such taunts.
However, he was still curious about Naruto's answer.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Naruto lifted his face, and the anger on it gradually subsided, as if he had seen right through Neji.
"Have you... given up?" Naruto's gaze pierced Neji's heart like a long sword. "Have you already given up before the fight even started?"
Neji felt an inexplicable irritation. "I'm fighting right now. What do you mean by giving up?"
He seemed to want to say something, but Naruto interrupted him directly. "Before the fight begins, you tell yourself with your smug eyes that you can win, and then you go into battle with the face of victory. But what if your opponent is someone you can't beat? Is that the arrangement of fate? So you just accept death?"
Neji was frozen in place.
Naruto continued, "Hinata lost the fight, and you are indeed strong, but who was really fighting in that battle, you or her? You think you will win, so you keep striking with lethal force, while Hinata, knowing she would lose, kept surpassing herself. At that time, who was the real fighter?"
With that last sentence, Naruto's voice grew louder.
"It wasn't you!" Naruto roared. "You're just following your so-called fate to 'win,' while Hinata is 'fighting' in your so-called fate! That's why she wants to win, that's why she didn't give up, and you, you're just a weakling who can only see 'victory'! A coward who dares not fight without 'victory'!"
Neji: "..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen: "..."
Hyuga Hiashi: "..."
Well, all three were hit. Naruto's words were like a canon..
The majority of the ninjas present were berated.
"Only a fool would go into battle knowing they'll lose," grumbled a ninja in the stands, arms crossed in displeasure.
"Yeah, why fight if you can't win?" agreed someone nearby.
Voices of ninjas kept coming, and ordinary people also expressed their dissatisfaction. Going into battle knowing you'll lose isn't really fighting; it's seeking death.
Hanabi helplessly spread her hands: "Why would he say something so stupid? You fight because you can win."
She wasn't too pleased with her brother-in-law.
But next to her, Hyuga Hiashi's face was a mix of emotions: "Hanabi, if the Hyuga clan faced a disaster that could lead to its extinction, would you fight?"
"Of course," Hanabi said proudly, puffing out her chest.
"What if your opponent is someone you absolutely can't beat?" Hyuga Hiashi asked seriously, looking at Hanabi.
Hanabi was stunned, as if she couldn't believe what Hyuga Hiashi was saying.
"The foolish ones aren't him, but those who are eager to jump out and contradict him," Hyuga Hiashi took a deep breath, looking at Naruto as if seeing him for the first time.
Ever since the fight began, Hyuga Hiashi's gaze had been fixed on Neji, both hopeful for his performance and worried for him. Now, for the first time, he seriously looked at Neji's opponent, the one called 'the demon fox'... Uzumaki Naruto.
Sarutobi Hiruzen kept smoking, his expression somber, even the smile he shared with the Kazekage had vanished. Behind him, the ninjas serving as guards were also shocked, looking down as if they couldn't believe these words were spoken by 'the demon fox'.
There were not a few who understood the meaning behind Naruto's words, each one far from an ordinary ninja.
The Kazekage's laughter grew darker: "Hokage-sama, even a child sees clearer than you."
Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't reply.
Neji was never a fool; he was a genius, a true genius. He clenched his fists tightly, showing emotion in front of everyone for the first time.
Naruto took a deep breath, ignoring the voices of condemnation from the audience, and with his hands in seals, he stared intently at Neji: "Last night, I was also afraid of fighting you, because I knew I wasn't your match. But at that time, someone told me something, and now I'll give you these words for free, as consolation for the loser."
Neji looked up, his Byakugan filled with Naruto's figure.
"You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate." Naruto's chakra erupted, "Ninjutsu: Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Something seemed to light up in Sarutobi Hiruzen's cloudy eyes, and he forgot even to smoke, staring blankly at Naruto below. Through the golden hair, he seemed to see another golden figure, as if seeing that figure burning like a chili pepper.
Behind Naruto, they stood with satisfied and relieved smiles, holding Naruto tightly in their embrace.
"Retreat only leads to aging, and cowardice inevitably brings death," Sarutobi Hiruzen murmured with closed eyes, as more figures flashed through his mind: Hatake Sakumo, Orochimaru, Tsunade, Uchiha Itachi, Hyuga Hizashi... each one passing through his thoughts.
Has Konohagakure learned to retreat? No, it was Sarutobi Hiruzen who had learned to retreat.
Where leaves dance, fire continues to burn.
"I am really old," he said.
----
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