The tension in the air was palpable as Naruto and Neji stood across from one another in the arena. The crowd hushed in anticipation, and the match that everyone had been waiting for was about to begin. Naruto's friends—Sakura and Hinata—stood on the edge of their seats, cheering him on.
"You can do it, Naruto!" Sakura shouted, her voice filled with determination. She clenched her fists tightly, not wanting to see her friend hurt by Neji's infamous Gentle Fist technique.
Hinata, more quietly but no less passionately, whispered, "Naruto-kun, please... be careful."
As Naruto cracked his knuckles and grinned at Neji, it was clear he had no intention of backing down. "I'm gonna prove you wrong, Neji. Fate doesn't control me!"
Neji, ever calm and calculating, simply responded, "Your fate has already been sealed, Naruto. There's no escaping destiny."
Up in the stands, Hyuk leaned back, watching the fight with his arms crossed. Sasuke sat nearby, his Sharingan eyes activated, observing every movement between Naruto and Neji. Even Sasuke had to admit that this match had him intrigued. He had fought Naruto before, but this was different. There was something about Naruto's energy now that was... stronger.
Hyuk, still aloof, glanced at Sasuke, then back to the fight. "Let's see if the idiot can back up all that talk."
As the match began, Naruto charged forward recklessly, only to be met by Neji's precise strikes, hitting his chakra points and shutting down his abilities. The battle seemed one-sided at first, with Neji dominating every exchange, his Byakugan picking apart every one of Naruto's moves.
But Naruto, as always, refused to give up.
From the corner of the stands, Ino's attention wasn't on the match at all. She had noticed something strange earlier—Kurenai. Her sensei had been sitting unusually close to Hyuk, and then... Ino couldn't believe it at first, but she saw it. Kurenai's hand had lingered near Hyuk's crotch, and the look on her face wasn't that of a normal teacher. Ino's brow furrowed, her mind racing.
"What the hell...?" Ino muttered under her breath, watching Kurenai out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't shake the image. Why would Kurenai, one of the most respected jonin in the village, do something like that? And with Hyuk?
Back in the arena, Naruto was taking a beating, but no one could deny his resilience. Even with his chakra network nearly sealed, Naruto refused to stay down. He gritted his teeth, focusing all his remaining energy.
"Come on, Naruto!" Sakura shouted, her voice filled with hope. "Don't give up!"
And then, in a moment that shocked the crowd, Naruto created multiple shadow clones, surrounding Neji. The real Naruto, using the last of his chakra, prepared his Rasengan. In one powerful move, Naruto broke through Neji's defenses, sending him flying across the arena.
The crowd erupted in cheers. Naruto, bruised and exhausted, stood tall over a defeated Neji.
Hyuk watched in silence, a faint smirk forming on his lips. "Guess the idiot pulled it off."
Sasuke, though silent, couldn't deny it either. Naruto was growing stronger, and it was starting to show.
As the arena quieted down, Naruto's victory over Neji was clear, but Ino's mind was still elsewhere. Her eyes darted between her sensei and Hyuk, a sinking feeling in her gut. Something was definitely off, and she couldn't unsee what she had witnessed.