Even though many members of the Hyuga Branch House still supported the Main House, Neji Hyuga was certainly not one of them!
Judging from Neji's previous behavior, although he valued his comrades,
he also carried hatred—
that cold gaze came directly from his resentment toward the Hyuga Main House.
So if Hinata and Neji were to fight, Neji wouldn't hold back at all.
"But—" Hinata hadn't expected Kiba to try so hard to stop her.
She suddenly felt somewhat lost. She was the kind of girl who never wanted to hurt anyone and found it hard to say no to others' pleas.
And right now, Kiba's concern was genuine—he knew there was no way Hinata could beat Neji in a fight.
He didn't want the girl most in need of protection within their team to get hurt. Even now, the wounds on his body had been treated with the effective ointment Hinata had given him.
She had brought that medicine precisely because she wanted to be of some help when Kiba got injured.
How could such a girl be allowed to face alone that former prodigy—the one whose eyes were filled with icy coldness?
Shino Aburame said nothing, simply standing there silently. As a teammate, he wasn't sure what he should do at this moment.
"Just let Hinata give it a shot," Shiki suddenly stepped forward, facing Hinata, whose eyes slightly shifted away. "After all, until something is decided, nobody knows what might happen, right? Hinata?"
"Yeah..." Hinata nodded timidly.
"Haha, then what's there to worry about?" Shiki placed a hand on Hinata's shoulder. "But don't be like Naruto, who'd rather die than admit defeat. Being wise is important for a ninja too. After all, didn't Shikamaru earn everyone's approval as well?"
As Shiki spoke, he deliberately ignored Naruto, who was yelling at the top of his lungs behind him.
Naruto's greatest strength was that he never gave up—even if it meant risking his life.
But that same stubbornness was also his downfall.
Because having been overlooked countless times by others, he desperately longed for recognition.
However, this match wasn't something Hinata could endure enduring.
Hinata lifted her head to look at Shiki. "Thank you... Shiki-kun."
Then she turned and walked toward the arena, where her unfinished words softly echoed.
"But I should give it my all too, shouldn't I?"
Chapter 157: Mistake
Shiki stared at Hinata's retreating figure, stunned. He hadn't expected Hinata—who usually followed his lead like a younger sister—to refuse his suggestion so firmly.
That determined expression didn't seem like something this gentle girl would show.
"Is it still because of Naruto?" Shiki murmured under his breath, turning his gaze to his right, where Naruto was enthusiastically cheering for Hinata.
Although at the moment, Naruto and Hinata weren't particularly close yet, Naruto still held deep affection for this girl who always blushed whenever she saw him.
After all, just moments ago, after finishing his fight against Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata had given him medicine.
So while cheering for Hinata, he wouldn't hold back either.
"Hinata, go for it! You're gonna win!"
Naruto shouted loudly, his face beaming with a smile. It was like Hinata could beat her opponent just by never giving up and charging ahead.
But Hinata wasn't like him—every time he fell, he could always get back up thanks to the half-Uzumaki blood in his veins and the Nine-Tails sealed inside him. As long as he had the will to keep going, he'd rise every time he was knocked down.
That's why this kind of situation was pretty much standard for Shiki during battles against ninja of similar ranks. Of course, since Shiki didn't have the Nine-Tails, his actual recovery ability was far inferior to Naruto's.
"I hope Hinata listens to my advice this time and doesn't push herself like this."
Shiki let out a quiet sigh. In reality, he didn't oppose Hinata's efforts at all. But effort was something you built over time. Pushing too hard in an arena match wouldn't lead to any particularly surprising results.
Still, a faint sense of unease lingered in Shiki's heart. Although Hinata often treated him like an older brother, when it came to something like this, she might not actually listen to him.
If she really got hurt from continuing the fight against Neji…
In the end, Shiki's thoughts couldn't change the fact that both Hinata and Neji were already standing in the arena.
"Neji-niisan, let's see who's stronger."
Hinata took her Gentle Fist stance and stared at Neji.
"Very well."
Neji also assumed the Gentle Fist stance.
Thus, amid the crowd's slightly surprised murmurs, the two Hyuga clan members began their clash.
One was Hinata Hyuga, heir of the main branch of the Hyuga Clan.
The other was Neji Hyuga, a genius unlike any before in the Hyuga Clan.
No one made any announcement; as soon as they stepped into the ring, Ryuunosuke immediately stepped outside.
This place was meant solely for the Hyuga duel—an arena clash between two members of the same clan. Due to deviations from the original storyline, this match had become the final preliminary bout of the Chunin Exams.
Everyone's gaze turned toward this confrontation, observing just how powerful Konoha's most prestigious clan—the Hyuga—really was.
But Shiki was only worried about Hinata. This girl truly lived under Neji's shadow, never receiving recognition from others.
Combined with the courage Naruto gave her—the courage to defy everyone and keep going anyway—there was probably no way she'd surrender now.
"The Hyuga Clan truly lives up to its reputation; their Gentle Fist techniques are exquisite!" someone exclaimed emotionally.
Indeed, exactly as spoken, the fighting skills displayed by these two Hyuga youths had long surpassed those of regular Chunin.
Their figures moved like illusions, shifting positions with incredible speed. One moment they were here, the next gone in a blur.
Peng! Peng! Peng!
The sound of fists and palms colliding constantly echoed across the arena, like marbles bouncing off a silver tray.
"Great! Hinata has completely overwhelmed Neji!" Naruto gleefully clenched his fist tightly.
"Hinata is currently leading." Shino Aburame rarely spoke up, but he voiced his opinion this time.
In truth, aside from Shiki, he was arguably the strongest participant in this exam so far.
At least for now.
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