A strange new life

3.16 – POVS

“Yosha!” Rock Lee pumped his fist again. Excitement bubbled inside him after watching Sasuke’s fight. There were no two ways about it. He was the strongest genin in Konoha, even without ninjutsu or genjutsu. He would win this preliminaries, prove to Sakura-chan how strong he was, and ask her out again. The exuberance of youth would prevail!

Rock Lee looked around. Nearby, Gai-sensei and Kakashi-san watched the fights, commenting here and there. Rock Lee’s eyes found Hinata. The girl leaned against the railing, a massive smile on her face, bobbing like a kid. Even more after Kakashi-san patted her head. A trickle of fear bubbled in his gut, but Rock Lee squashed it. He hoped to fight her in the preliminaries; Neji said it was a talisman seal she used, but Lee wasn’t so sure.

Kurenai carried an unconscious Sakura back to the stands. A gentle smile on her face. She was proud of the girl. She had grown splendidly. Kurenai was sure Sakura could have won the match had she decided to use the new jutsu she learned over the last few months, but she also knew it was a matter of pride and friendship. Not just once, they talked about her crush on the Uchiha boy, which Sakura seemed to be growing out of, and her fight with Ino over that same crush, even if the girl was too proud to admit it.

Sakura's not being able to reach the finals was something she had expected. Kurenai entered her team because they needed the experience. Maybe sooner than predicted if international tensions kept escalating.

Kurenai was satisfied with the current results. Kiba was the only one from her squad still left to fight. He had a good chance of reaching the finals with Shino.

Gai shook his head, already ready to interfere with Tenten’s match. It was a shame the pairing was so unfortunate. Any other, and Tenten probably would have a better chance, but the Suna girl countered Tenten at every step. He carried his pupil to the hospital and returned to the arena after settling her there. Just in time to see Naruto defeat Kiba.

He glanced at his rival. Naruto had trouble with chakra control, which was evident to anyone who knew how to look, but the jinchuriki host trained hard. Had his rival stopped being trendy and decided to train his squad properly? His thoughts were interrupted by Neji jumping down to the arena.

Gai glanced back at the higher stands where the Hokage observed the fights. He disagreed with this ploy. Neji was mum about the situation, but the Hyuga clan said something about Hinata that sparked a fury Gai never saw in his pupil before. Gai tried to appease Neji but couldn’t discuss the girl’s situation by the orders from the council. His hands were tied more than one way. Gai decided that if Neji went too far, he would intervene. To hell with any political backlash. If the Hyuga disagreed, they could complain to his face.

Neji glared at the impostor, the monster, the usurper. The thing that took Hinata’s place. Every time he closed his eyes, he remembered his unc—father recounting the events and the implications. But it ended here. Neji couldn’t do it in the forest; that formation prevented it, but here? There was no one to stop him. The Hokage wouldn’t interfere, not again. And Neji would prove, once and for all, that he was the heir.

The thing on the other side of the arena waved. Neji scowled. Said whatever to distract it.

“Start!” The proctor called out.

Neji didn’t rush in to attack. If the thing had one of those talismans to defend it in the forest, it might also have another here. Better make it come to him instead. “You don’t have that fuinjutsu seal to protect you here,” Neji taunted, focused on the thing’s every movement, “you have no chance.”

The impostor started with thrown weapons. One of those could be a problem. Neji had no idea what type of attack that was, but the amount of chakra inside that kunai was borderline madness. He deflected it away. It was safer that way. The rest was just child’s play. It showed how untrained the girl was.

Then, the monster disappeared.

Neji’s eyes widened. The thing appeared by his side, a punch already approaching his head. Neji didn’t have time to dodge; he lashed out, aiming for a trade to hit the thing’s meridians. He could take one blow. He would win in the end, like always.

Stars exploded in his head. White dominated all his vision. Neji couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, couldn't think. He gasped, pulling in a much-needed breath, and tried to move. A soft voice and a gentle hand held him down.

“It’s over. You are in the hospital, and you’re safe.”

Neji heard Gai-sensei’s voice, but still, it made no sense. What happened? His body hurt; he couldn’t open his eyes, move his arms, or move his legs.

Gaara, from the place where he fell after the attack, looked at the boy dressed in green across from him in the arena. Mother screamed in his head. She wanted blood. Gaara obliged. He wanted to kill them all. His fist closed in, and even through his jutsu, he felt the bones break and shatter. The agonized screaming joined with the joyful screams in his head. Yes, he would feed everyone’s blood to mother. 

Soon.