c15 – Shadow Clone?
In the blink of an eye, the Chūnin Exam finals arrived, and the first match was Naruto Uzumaki versus Hyūga Neji. For this battle, Naruto had only one real intention: to break through Neji's fatalistic mindset and show him that destiny can be changed. Whether he could actually do that was another matter.
Neji was a man shaped by misfortune. Blessed from childhood with the most exceptional talent in the Hyūga Clan, he was nonetheless trapped within the restrictions of the Branch Family. The cursed seal placed upon him after his father's death shackled his future and forced him to confront a rigid hierarchy he had never chosen.
If someone without talent were placed in the Branch Family, they might have little room to complain, and even if they resented their position, it would hardly matter. But Neji possessed genius on par with the prodigy of the Main House, making his fate feel especially cruel. Even from Naruto's perspective now after training with Kakashi, learning to control his chakra better, and understanding the pain of loneliness Neji's situation was undeniably frustrating. Yet Naruto believed that resentment and hatred would only deepen the chains. What mattered was facing the present and choosing actions that would change the future.
The match was moments from beginning, and Naruto could clearly sense the pride and bitterness burning behind Neji's pale eyes. Neji, for his part, had heard numerous rumors about Naruto: his unexpected win against Kiba, his massive reserves of chakra, and even hints of the Nine-Tails sealed inside him. Though cautious, Neji still believed wholeheartedly that the result was predetermined. The lightning-style trick Naruto used in the preliminaries had made Neji wary, but he trusted in the Byakugan's nearly perfect perception and in the Gentle Fist, which could shut down chakra before ninjutsu could form.
Neji extended his right hand, assuming the traditional Gentle Fist stance. "Naruto, even if you are treated like some unpredictable prodigy, you cannot escape the outcome. Today you will lose. Such is fate."
In response, Naruto grinned. "Neji, you and I might both be called Konoha's geniuses, but being a genius isn't just about mastering jutsu. It's about endurance. It's about choosing your own path even when everything tries to hold you down. Talent isn't enough you need heart. And even though you have incredible skill, in my opinion, that makes you a failed genius."
He added, "When you see the difference between us, I hope you finally get it."
Neji's Byakugan activated with a surge of veins. "Enough pointless talk. I'll show you what destiny truly means."
The moment Neji lunged, Naruto charged right back, initiating a direct taijutsu exchange. At first, both exchanged probing blows, but the tempo quickly accelerated. Naruto's improved physical skills even without Lee's level of mastery surprised Neji, who secretly acknowledged Naruto's progress. Still, Neji felt confidence swelling inside him. No matter how strong Naruto's body was, the Byakugan saw everything tenketsu, chakra flow, and the openings created by even the slightest movement.
Then, with a sharp shout, Neji erupted into motion. "Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
His hands blurred into motion, each strike landing precisely on Naruto's chakra points. In an instant, sixty-four blows connected, each shutting down a tenketsu. According to Neji's expectations and everything the Gentle Fist was known for Naruto should have been completely unable to mold chakra, effectively defeated. But the smile on Naruto's face made Neji's breath catch. A heartbeat later, the body in front of him burst into white smoke.
"What?" Neji's eyes widened. "A shadow clone? When did?" The clone's solidity and accuracy meant Naruto had used it mid-exchange, slipping it into the chaos without Neji noticing.
Before he could recalibrate, several shuriken sliced through the air. Instinct took over, and Neji spun rapidly. "Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation!" The near-impenetrable sphere of chakra repelled the attack a technique supposedly restricted to the Main House.
From the stands, Hiashi Hyūga froze in shock. That Neji had self-taught the Kaiten, a technique intended for those trained directly by the clan head, proved beyond doubt that he was the most exceptional heir the Hyūga bloodline had produced in generations. Yet fate had placed him in the Branch Family, and that was something even Hiashi, despite all his guilt and regret, believed he could no longer change.
Seeing that Naruto's shuriken failed to produce any real effect, Neji remained full of confidence and said, "Even if the attack just now was only a shadow clone, you still can't break my defense. Kaiten is the Hyūga Clan's ultimate form of rotation and a true absolute defense. I'm afraid no one present can penetrate this shield. And the moment you step into my range, my Gentle Fist will seal your chakra. Uzumaki Naruto, you still have no chance of winning."
Naruto formed another shadow clone, and a surge of blue chakra began spiraling in his palm. He said, "Kaiten is indeed a powerful technique. If it were performed by Lord Hiashi in full form, it could probably send me flying in an instant. But even Kaiten from the head of the clan isn't necessarily absolute. A jutsu becomes stronger depending on the will and skill of the one who wields it." Before Naruto even finished speaking, Neji's eyes widened as he saw a dense sphere of spinning chakra forming something he had never once seen in any Hyūga archives. The chakra swirling with violent force caused the leaves on the ground to scatter in spirals. Just from the raw pressure of the sphere, one could imagine the destructive potential it carried.
Neji felt the strain in his Byakugan as he watched the power condense, and his pale eyes trembled. The stands fell silent. Even among the jōnin Gai, Hiashi, Asuma—shock spread through their faces. The concentration of chakra was so refined that even well-trained elite ninja would struggle to manifest something similar. A genin producing a jutsu that only a handful of shinobi across the world could use was beyond reason. Up in the observation box, the Third Hokage quietly reflected: only Jiraiya had ever mastered the Rasengan, and if Naruto was performing it now, then Jiraiya must have returned to the village. But the scale of this Rasengan… this child's potential was too large. Hiruzen frowned, thinking, It is best not to let Danzō get anywhere near him…
The powerful chakra sphere tore forward with a spiraling roar, engulfing Neji's position. Neji, a prodigy among prodigies, reacted instantly launching Kaiten with all the rotation he could muster. The dome of spinning chakra expanded wider than before, but even so, his Kaiten was not yet on the level of Naruto's Rasengan. The moment the two techniques collided, the explosion of chakra made the entire arena vibrate. Neji was thrown backwards, skidding across the ground. Fortunately, Naruto had withdrawn the force at the final instant; otherwise, the result could have been far more devastating.
Neji collapsed onto the ground, panting. Lifting his gaze, he saw Naruto standing upright like an immovable pillar and whispered, "I lost… was that your strongest ninjutsu?"
At that moment, another Naruto rose from the earth using the Hidden Shadow Snake Hands' burrowing method similar to Earth Release tactics and said, "No. The one that beat you was only my shadow clone."
Neji's expression surpassed mere surprise. Naruto had been hiding underground the entire time, refraining from using a surprise attack. Instead, he let a clone fight, using only its jutsu to win. What kind of strength no, what kind of resolve was that? Neji was beginning to wonder if perhaps his belief in inescapable destiny truly was flawed.
Naruto continued, "Neji, your techniques are impressive, but what limits them is not the jutsu, it's the mindset of the person using them. A true ninja genius isn't just talented. He must endure hardship, overcome every obstacle, and be willing to accept and rise above everything. Only then can he become the strongest shinobi."
Neji finally understood the meaning in Naruto's words and fell silent. Then the examiner officially declared the results. The audience erupted, the arena booming with shock and admiration.
Most of the Konoha ninja, including Lord Third, felt relieved and proud that such a powerful shinobi was growing within their village. Meanwhile, the daimyo and the foreign ninja watching from the stands felt only fear. A child capable of manifesting the Rasengan at this age might one day shape the future of nations. If he continued to develop at this pace, who knew how many would fall before him? They all silently thought of how dangerous it would be to let him grow unchecked.
Naruto's strength had drawn the attention not only of Konoha's leaders but also of its enemies. In the ninja world, a single genius could alter the balance of an entire era just as Senju Hashirama once had. And beyond the admiration came darker interests: even the shadows of Konoha were stirred. In this village, power determined influence, and for a genius like Naruto, every faction wanted to claim him for their own purposes.
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