Neji smirked, standing across from Hinata with his arms crossed. "You should quit now. We both know how this will end."
Hinata stepped forward, her posture firm, her Byakugan flaring. "You don't know anything, Neji."
From the stands, Naruto clenched his fists. "Come on, Hinata! You've got this!"
Hayate glanced between them before raising his hand. "Begin."
Neji moved first, closing the distance instantly, his palm lashing out to strike Hinata's shoulder.
His fingers connected—but the second they did, his expression changed. Instead of disrupting her chakra flow, a thin layer of ice formed beneath his fingertips, stopping the attack cold.
Neji's breath hitched. "What—?"
Hinata didn't wait. She struck back, her palm slamming into his chest, sending him skidding backward.
Hiashi narrowed his eyes from the balcony. "Did… she just land a hit?"
One of the Hyuga Elders cleared his throat. "Must've been an accident."
Raven chuckled. "Oh, this is gonna be fun."
Neji recovered, his expression darkening. "Lucky shot." He rushed forward again, unleashing a barrage of Gentle Fist strikes.
Hinata dodged effortlessly, her movements fluid and precise. She weaved between his attacks like a shadow, countering with sharp, freezing strikes that left trails of ice along Neji's arms and legs.
With a flick of her wrist, she unleashed a burst of cold chakra. The ground beneath her froze instantly, the temperature in the arena dropping.
Neji stumbled slightly as his footing became unstable. His movements slowed.
The murmurs in the stands grew louder. This wasn't the same Hinata they remembered.
Neji grit his teeth. "You're nothing but a failure! You can't change fate!"
Hinata's Byakugan gleamed like polished glass. "Then I will break fate apart."
She surged forward, faster than before, her strikes landing with brutal efficiency.
For the first time, Neji was on the defensive.
He barely blocked a palm aimed at his ribs, but the second their hands connected, ice crawled up his arm, locking his muscles in place.
His eyes widened. She was controlling the temperature of her chakra.
Raven smirked. "She's been holding back for too long."
Neji's breathing became erratic, frustration replacing confidence. "No… this isn't how it's supposed to go."
Hinata exhaled slowly, her breath visible in the freezing air. "It's over, Neji."
She vanished—then reappeared behind him.
Before Neji could react, her palm slammed into his stomach.
The impact sent him flying across the battlefield, his back crashing against the far wall.
Silence.
Hayate stepped forward, eyeing Neji's collapsed form before nodding. "Winner: Hinata Hyuga."
Naruto jumped up, fists pumping. "YES, HINATA! THAT WAS AWESOME!"
Hiashi frowned. "Impossible."
One of the Elders nodded. "She must have gotten lucky."
Another coughed. "Clearly, Neji wasn't at his best."
Kurenai sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Oh my god."
Neji sat up slowly, staring at his shaking hands. He had spent his entire life believing fate was absolute. That Hinata was weak. That he was the strongest of their clan's younger generation.
Everything he had built his worldview on had just been shattered.
Hinata stood over him, her voice calm, controlled. "Your arrogance shames your father, Neji."
His fingers twitched.
She tilted her head, a slight smirk forming. "Life is like a box of chocolates… you never know what you're going to get…"
She turned to walk away.
Then she glanced over her shoulder, her Byakugan fading.
"…Until you get your ass whooped."
Neji froze.
Naruto howled with laughter.
Up on the balcony, Raven clutched her stomach. "Oh, she really went for it."
Ino smirked. "That's my girl!"
Tenten whistled. "Did she just make a joke?"
As Hinata turned from Neji, she came to a sudden halt.
Raven stood directly in front of her, smirking.
"My, my," Raven purred, tilting her head. "I knew you had it in you, but that was something else."
Hinata froze. "R-Raven…"
Raven leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "You were incredible out there."
Hinata's face immediately turned beet red.
Raven brushed a strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "Strong, beautiful, and completely ruthless. You're making it really hard for me not to fall for you, you know."
Hinata made a soft squeaking noise.
Then—she fainted.
Naruto's jaw dropped. "AGAIN?!"
Ino facepalmed. "She's never going to last at this rate."
Tenten crossed her arms, nodding to herself. "Wait… there is competition?" She grabbed her meatball hair buns. "Now I need to step up my meatball hair game!"
Kiba snorted. "I don't think that's how it works."
Raven laughed, shaking her head. "She's adorable."
Hinata lay unconscious, her face still burning red.
The screen flickered, revealing the next match.
Rock Lee vs. Gaara.
Lee grinned, stretching his legs. "Finally! My moment to shine!"
Gaara didn't move. His cold, unblinking eyes locked onto Lee.
The energy in the arena shifted.
This fight… was going to be brutal.
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