Chapter 81: Hinata's Despair
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The Arena
Naruto and the other Gennins watched in silence as Yugito defeated Ino. Shikamaru couldn't help but feel bad for his blonde friend; he knew the chances of Ino winning were very slim. After all, Yugito was a Jinchuuriki if Yugito was the worst possible enemy for Ino. Ino relied on her mind, Jutsus, as did every other Yamanaka; even the most powerful Mind, Jutsus, couldn't do anything to a Jinchuuriki.
Naruto swiftly leaped down from the elevated platform of the arena, gracefully landing on the ground below as he hurried towards Ino. Her once flawless skin now bore the imprints of several burn marks, serving as haunting reminders of the battle she had fought.
Although the approaching sound of medics grew louder, Naruto's instinct led him to kneel down beside Ino, his gaze filled with concern. Ignoring the impending aid, he gently placed his palm on her feverish forehead. At that moment, a radiant yellow-red glow emanated from Naruto's touch, enveloping Ino's entire being. Yugito was watching, wondering what Naruto was doing; even Matatabi was curious.
"Genin Uzumaki. We need to take care of her, please step away." The medic ordered urgently as she and three other medics were carrying a stretcher towards them. Despite the commotion surrounding him, Naruto deliberately ignores the medics and instead focuses on channeling his chakra within Ino. Meanwhile, Yugito observed the mesmerizing sight as the wounds marring Ino's delicate skin began their gradual process of regeneration, even her fractured nose showing signs of rapid healing. The display of Naruto's chakra manipulation prowess left everyone in awe.
Once Naruto was done, he stepped away; the medics looked at Naruto with astonishment; the main doctor quickly checked and could tell that Ino was stable now.
Naruto watched as they lifted her body and placed it on the stretcher, the first doctor checked her pulse and everything and could see Ino was in no danger, and needed rest and for them to heal a few small wounds that could be easily healed, as they started moving her out of the arena.
"Naruto," Yugito called him from behind as the doctors moved Ino away, her voice seeping with concern, but Naruto spoke before she could utter another word. "This is Chunin Exams, Yugito. Wounds and even Death are to be expected. You fought well, Yugito." Naruto complimented her. Yugito smiled adorably, but their moment was cut short when the instructor of the Chunin Exam told both of them to leave the arena since the next fight would start soon.
At the Jonin podium, Asuma watched as a stretcher carried away Ino. Usually, he would be more concerned for her well-being, but he knew Naruto had already healed her; most of her wounds weren't there anymore, and Asuma knew he had no reason to worry about her well-being and despite losing the match. Asuma wasn't disappointed; Ino's enemy was her worst enemy, so Asuma still gave her point for trying her tactic to blow up her enemy. It didn't work, but still, it still proved to him that Ino could one day be stronger, someone that can call themselves Kunoichi, and not be a fan girl.
"Well, Asuma, it seems you have only two of your Genins left," Kurenai commented beside him; as Asuma picked the cigarette between his lips, feeling the calming touch of the filter against his skin, he ignited the flame and brought it closer to the tip, inhaling deeply before releasing a plume of smoke from his mouth. Noticing his actions, Kurenai wrinkled her nose ever so slightly, her delicate features crinkling in discomfort. The pungent smell of cigarette smoke wafted toward her, a scent she had never quite grown accustomed to. Despite her reservations, Kurenai had always been genuinely concerned about Asuma's well-being. She had taken it upon herself to convince him to quit smoking, emphasizing the detrimental effects it could have on his health and longevity.
"We go on missions and risk our lives in all of them. If a kunai to my throat won't kill me, then this cigarette definitely won't.' Asuma had told her before lighting a cigarette right before her.
"Maybe, but we are talking about Shikamaru and Naruto. The lazy one already won, and I'm sure what he pulled during his fight has already convinced the higher-ups that he's already ready to become a Chunin. As for Naruto-" Asuma paused in the middle of his sentence, allowing himself a brief break as he brought the cigarette to his lips. Taking a deep, deliberate inhale, he gradually let the nicotine-infused smoke fill his lungs, momentarily indulging in the familiar sensation. With a sense of calm washing over him, Asuma exhaled slowly, releasing a dense puff of smoke into the surrounding air, not realizing that his words had earned the attention of all the other Jonins since everyone was very interested in seeing Naruto Uzumaki fight against the Last Uchiha.
"He's the best Genin of this new generation; he has already shown to be capable of more than just brute strength and throwing Jutsus around in hopes that one of them will achieve his victory. I bet all my money that Naruto will be the one to come up on top." Asuma said with full confidence, Kakashi who was listening from up close, seemed not to be paying attention, his face hidden by his porn book and his mask, but Asuma knew he was listening; Guy currently wasn't present; he had yet to return after what happened with Neji Hyuga.
"What makes this Naruto so special?" Asuma turned around to face a Jonin; from his emblem, Asuma knew this one was from Kumo. Kakashi narrowed his eye towards the Jonin with suspicion.
The man was a fairly tall, dark-skinned man with a slightly bulbous nose, black eyes that usually looked bored, and shaggy white hair that covered his left eye. He was wearing a high-collared, sleeveless uniform with loose-fitting pants, bandages on his wrists, and the one-strap-over-one-shoulder flak jacket of a Kumogakure shinobi.
He also has (水) and (雷) tattooed on his right and left shoulders respectively. He carried a broad, foldable, cleaver-like sword strapped to his back.
"You are?"
"Darui, a Jonin from Kumo." The man introduced himself; his Kumo accent made it a little difficult to understand, but this wasn't the first time Asuma had talked with someone from Kumo.
"Well, I think it would be better if you saw yourself what Naruto is capable of, and even I have to admit that I'm not 100% sure what exactly he's capable of, but his fight will be soon. I can only say that Naruto is more than he let others believe." Asuma said confidently; Darui seemed deep in his thoughts after hearing his words; the other Jonin looked at Asuma skeptically while Kurenai was slightly tense, something Asuma noticed immediately.
"What is it?"
"Hinata. Her fight will be soon. I hope she doesn't let her guard down. That girl can be too trusting and too kind for her own good." Kurenai's words caught Asuma off guard, leaving him perplexed and deeply engrossed in thought. Reacting instinctively, he swiftly snatched up his half-burnt cigarette, his fingertips momentarily tingling from the residual heat before inadvertently letting it slip through his fingers, causing it to plummet down toward the floor. Without missing a beat, he forcefully crushed the smoldering remains beneath the sole of his boot, effortlessly extinguishing the ember, which released a wispy tendril of smoke that slowly dissipated into the air.
"You told me you would try to change her mentality a little during the free month after the preliminary rounds, Hinata is kind, but that kind of personality will get her killed, Kurenai. Did she not listen?"
"I-I tried, but, she's not the type to be a Kunoichi." Kurenai stuttered slightly in her words, looking away from Asuma.
"On that we both agree, I still don't understand what was going through Hiashi's head when he decided to send Hinata to the Academy. She's the Heiress. On top of that, there are many other things she could have become to have a good future besides being a Kunoichi." Asuma said with a grump. Kurenai had told him more than once how Hinata was way too kind for a Kunoichi, but Asuma didn't like the way Kurenai treated Hinata.
From the beginning, Kurenai treated Hinata like her own daughter instead of a student. Asuma himself had seen how soft Kurenai was to Hinata, and Hinata did not have her mother anymore, he knew there was a chance that she too saw Kurenai as her own mother, which was a big problem in the line of work.
Asuma wondered if Hinata's lack of change in her personality wasn't because she couldn't change or because Kurenai didn't want Hinata to face the truth of the world they live in, almost like a concerned mother trying to hide just how brutal the world actually is from their children which could be considered admirable, but this put Hinata in a big risk, especially now that she would fight someone who would have no problems killing her to win. Asuma hoped Hinata would be at her best in this duel, or surrounding was a better option.
Genin Podium
"Well, that didn't take long." Shikamaru commented as Mabui won against Omoi. His strongest technique involved using a sword and sometimes a few lightning jutsus, but Mabui's body took every hit, and the sword couldn't give her a single scratch, as if her skin was made of the strongest metals in the world. Nothing could penetrate; not even Sasuke, with his Sharingan, could tell what was happening and why Mabui wasn't getting injured by the sword.
After their fight, Mabui and Omoi returned to the Genin podium, but Omoi didn't seem all that much bothered that he lost; if anything, he seemed relieved.
"I don't like fighting my friends, and there will be another Chunin Exams next year so I'm not in any hurry to be a Chunin," Omoi said with a shrug. Naruto was quiet. His eyes could detect the amount of chakra Mabui had under her skin, but the durability she had was astonishing; one way that could be used to defeat her special Kekkei Genkai would be to find out which element was her weak point or use enhanced punches to cause damage, similar to Tsunade's punches.
The following fight was between Shino and Dosu. Naruto wondered who would win. Usually, he would vote for Shino, but he knew not to underestimate the guy from Orochimaru's village, but as the instructor of the Chunin Exams called out their names for them to step into the arena, Dosu suddenly raised his hand.
"I surrender!" He shouted, his voice ringing out, reaching the ears of every person present. His proclamation elicited myriad reactions from the diverse audience surrounding him. Among the common folk, a chorus of disapproving 'Boos' emerged, their disappointment palpable. On the other hand, the Shinobi were left perplexed by the unexpected surrender of a Shinobi from the Sound Village, particularly as the fight had not even commenced.
Shino looked at Dosu, his eyes hidden behind his glasses, but Naruto knew the insect user was curious about why Dosu didn't want to fight, but all that was forgotten when the next fight was announced.
"Hinata Hyuga Vs Temari."
Amidst the crowd, there was an overwhelming roar of cheers from the people hailing from Konoha, with a thunderous and passionate response coming from the members of the Hyuga Clan. United in their support, they rallied behind Hinata, causing the entire stadium to reverberate with the thunderous echoes of their voices. Naruto fixed his gaze on Hinata, noticing a flicker of insecurity clouding her expression. It became evident to him that she was battling her own inner doubts and wavering confidence, making her reluctant to engage in combat. Meanwhile, Temari detected Hinata's unease and took great delight in it. A smug smirk danced across Temari's face as she confidently approached the duo, locking eyes directly with Hinata, who instinctively averted her gaze, unable to meet Temari's steady stare.
"You know you can always surrender, little bird, but I'm warning you if you fight with me. I will take out your beautiful eyes." Temari threatened with a grave voice, but the smile of triumph on her face made it clear she was enjoying the way Hinata shuddered in fear.
Naruto watched in silence as Temari walked towards the stairs leading to the arena below; his eyes returned to Hinata, her body shuddering. Naruto knew Hinata wasn't ready yet to fight Temari, at least not emotionally, but before any of them could tell her anything, Hinata turned to face Samui, who looked at the arena below.
"I will prove to you that our world is not as cruel as you think, it can be much better, and that can be done by showing kindness," Hinata said passionately, but Samui didn't react; she seemed as if she didn't even hear Hinata, while Shino stepped forward as he cleared his throat.
"Hinata, it is your turn to fight; keep your guard up, and if you know that you can't win. There's no shame in surrender." Shino said, his hand on her shoulder. Hinata looked at Shino with gratitude before looking at Naruto, who stepped forward, clearing his throat.
"Hinata. I wish you good luck, but don't lower your guard, and don't show mercy, because Temari won't." Naruto instructed; Hinata smiled somehow sweetly before walking away. Naruto walked over to the iron railing, his forearms resting on the iron railings. Shino walked and stood beside him, his eyes looking down at the arena below, just like Naruto.
"Naruto, do you think Hinata will win this?"
"I don't know the full extent of Hinata's moves, but if she's able to see through Temari's wind attacks, then she might win, but if she let her guard down, then she might even die." Naruto answered, his whole attention on the field below. His words caused Shikamaru to frown.
He wasn't a friend of Hinata since he barely knew her, but he didn't want to see a fellow Konoha shinobi die needlessly.
Hinata
She could feel her heart beating in her throat; a thought occurred to her: perhaps I should run away, but Hinata quickly shook her head, ignoring the voices telling her to run and hide somewhere, reminding herself why she was in this fight right now. She would prove to Samui that one doesn't need to be ruthless to survive in this world, and this world can be healed with kindness and not more war and blood.
Temari stood before her, her hand gripping her large fan; Hinata had seen her using that to create strong winds. As long as I can deflect them, I should be able to get near her to block her chakra points, Hinata thought, taking her stance, ready to fight, activating her Byakugan. She could see the blue chakra points all around her body, but Hinata quickly noticed something new: the chakra points around her right arm were moving wildly, like a raging small blue fire.
What is that? Hinata thought in confusion; she couldn't remember ever seeing something like that; the instructor got in between them; he looked at both Temari and Hinata before shouting, "Start!"
Temari spent little time taking the initiative in the intense battle. She swiftly flicked open her fan with unparalleled precision and agility, generating a powerful gust of wind that surged toward Hinata.
Hinata, startled by the sudden assault, desperately attempted to evade the impending danger by leaping to the side. Yet, despite her agile movements, Temari's wind-based technique seamlessly ensnared her, gripping her body and hurling her uncontrollably into the sky. As Hinata soared through the air, her heart raced with fear and adrenaline, the excruciating pain surging through her body upon inevitably colliding against the ground. Despite the searing agony that reverberated within her, Hinata's resolve remained unyielding, her determination evident as she resolutely clenched her teeth and forcibly bit down on her lower lip, but she remembered where she was, and she was in danger.
She quickly stood up, her legs bleeding, but Hinata ignored the pain she felt, her heart ringing in her ears like a bell; her Byakugan had seen it, the way her chakra moved when Temari had used her wind Jutsu; Hinata couldn't remember seeing that before when someone used a jutsu, but she wondered if there was more to this.
As Temari rushed towards Hinata, before moving her fan upwards, Hinata saw the chakra move inside her body again, but this time, it was different than the first, but still a little similar.
Hinata was thrown in the air, and Temari moved her arms again. Hinata suddenly was sent crashing down, but she quickly made several hand signs, letting out a wind blow from her mouth, slowing down her descent.
She quickly landed on her feet; despite negating most of the damage, Hinata's arms were aching and throbbing with excruciating pain. She gasped for breath, her heavy panting audible in the air. A stinging sensation on her forehead caught her attention as she tried to catch her breath. Surprisingly, she traced the source to a warm, wet substance trickling down her face. A mixture of confusion and concern spread through her as her breathing hitched and her heart raced in her chest. Suddenly, her vision in the right eye turned an alarming shade of crimson. Reacting promptly, Hinata urgently grabbed her sleeve and hastily wiped away the blood, desperately hoping to stem the flow and make sense of the situation.
Before Hinata could react, she saw Temari make another move. It was different again, but Hinata noticed that three moves made her chakra flow in three different ways. Hinata tried but failed to defend herself as Temari kept toying with her, sending her around the air before crashing her against walls and the ground.
Hinata managed to suppress the scream of pain that threatened to escape her lips. The excruciating agony radiated from her right hand, which throbbed intensely, making it clear that it had suffered severe injury. Blood dripped steadily from various wounds scattered across her body. Amidst the chaos, she could feel the bone in her index finger broken, adding to the unbearable sharp pain that coursed through her being. Yet, despite the immense suffering, Hinata somehow found the strength to push herself upright, refusing to let her injuries hinder her. With her Byakugan activated, her focused gaze landed squarely on Temari, who seemed to derive immense pleasure from their ongoing fight, but Hinata had seen most of her moves, and so far, she had remembered all of them, and each move had a distinct way of how their chakra moved.
"You're just a scared little girl. Just give up.." Temari mocked her as she approached her; Hinata felt tears building behind her eyes.
No, I'm not. I will prove to Samui that she's wrong. Hinata's thoughts resonated with determination as she focused her chakra, causing vibrant blue energy to radiate from her hands. Hinata's chakra manifested in the form of two Wolf heads crafted from pure energy. These ethereal entities possessed mesmerizing bright yellow eyes that exuded an air of both power and conviction.
Hinata quickly channeled her chakra in her fingertips, as Temari didn't seem to be taking her seriously and was standing several meters away from Hinata and simply watching her, trying to understand what she was trying to do.
With a fierce determination in her eyes, Hinata propelled her arm forcefully forward, unleashing a powerful gust of wind that spiraled into a wind tunnel, accelerating forward with unstoppable momentum, aimed directly at Temari. As the wind tunnel reached its target, the surprise on Temari's face was evident as her widened eyes reflected a mixture of shock and alarm. The turbulent current struck her in the stomach, eliciting a gasp of disbelief. The restless tempest continued its path, extending from Hinata's hand to Temari's back, only to hit the wall behind her. The impact reverberated throughout the air, causing the solid surface to tremble and crack under the strain of the unleashed wind's might.
Hinata saw as Temari coughed blood several times before glaring furiously at Hinata, her teeth clenching with rage. Hinata saw the way her chakra moved; it was the same way as her first Wind attack. Hinata didn't know if it could work, but she immediately dodged on her right, and just as she suspected, the attack didn't hit her, shocking Temari.
Hinata smiled in triumph before rushing towards Temari, who quickly made several new Wind moves, but all of them were familiar to Hinata, who could see them coming before they were executed. Hinata dodged as she kept running towards Temari. She stopped doing her Wind attacks for a split second, but that was enough for Hinata to launch another Wind attack of her own. Temari quickly dodged to her right but wasn't fast enough for the second one, which struck her left arm, causing it to limp down and the skin to turn a deep shade of red.
Temari's excruciating pain reverberated through the air as Hinata finally caught up with her. Hinata forcefully struck Temari's stomach with her palms, prompting a torrent of blood to erupt from Temari's mouth and ears. The sheer force of the blow propelled Temari like a lifeless puppet, her body helplessly hurdling through the arena before violently colliding against a sturdy tree. The impact left her forehead marked with a steady trickle of blood while her ears and mouth continued to leak blood.
Hinata saw Temari standing up despite the pain, her right hand gripping the fan as support. Hinata was right next to her quickly, but she didn't hit her again. She knew hitting her stomach again could result in Death.
"Give up. I don't want to kill you," Hinata said but with a hint of pleading in her voice. Her Byakugan was still activated, and Temari glared at her furiously. Hinata knew the Suna girl hated her, but she hoped she wouldn't try to fight anymore. If she did, Hinata knew she would need to defend herself, and that could cause something tragic to happen.
"Very well." Temari suddenly said with a very hushed voice; even Hinata found it a little difficult to hear, but she saw her hand letting go of her fan, which fell on the ground.
Hinata deactivated her Byakugan with a sigh of relief, closing her eyes, knowing she had won the match and hadn't needed to-"HINATA!!"
Opening her eyes, she saw the tip of a Kunai rush towards her. It happened too fast, the sharp pain in her face, and half of everything went dark.
A splash of blood flew in the air as Hinata's screams echoed in the whole stadium.
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