Once More by ItsHardToFindAPenName

Chapter 14: Preliminary! Part 2

"This is bad. Very, very bad."

Naruto looked at Kiba, whose hands were gripping the rail with such strength that it might rip the metal pipe off, and faked innocence.

"What's wrong Kiba? I know Neji is powerful, but it can't be that bad, can it?"

"You don't understand, Naruto," Kiba shook his head; his knuckle had become white from squeezing the rail too hard. "I've only met that Neji guy once before, but I could literally see the hostility he had towards Hinata. And here, when we arrived at the tower, his team was here first, and it happened again. It's not normal hostility; it's killing intent. It's just like... he wanted to murder her. And now he has the chance."

"You're kidding," Sakura asked in disbelief. "They're siblings, right? Why would Neji want to kill Hinata?"

"Actually, they're not siblings," Kakashi explained. "They are both members of the Hyuuga clan, but Hinata is a member of the Main House, and Neji is in the Branch House. Many things have happened between the two Houses for years, and they do not get along very well."

"But that doesn't make sense!" Ino protested. "Even if they have some disputes, it cannot be so bad that they want to kill each other... right?"

She faltered when seeing the face of the jonin.

"I don't know much about this but," Lee said, "in order to protect the bloodline of the Hyuuga Clan, the Main House has established rules which clearly put the Branch House into disadvantages. The Branch House is always inferior, and because of that they all bear grudges on the Main House. I think that's why Neji-san hates Hinata-san so much."

"That's right," Kurenai agreed. "And I think that put Hinata in an extreme disadvantage now. She obviously doesn't want to hurt Neji, while he won't hesitate to take her down with everything he has."

Everyone looked at the arena, where the two Hyuuga were facing each other, with worried eyes.

"Before we fight, I want to say something. You will never make a good shinobi, so forfeit now before you're hurt."

Neji looked at Hinata with a glare full of hatred and loatheness.

"You are too kind. You always wish to avoid fighting, and you have no confidence in yourself. You are a spoiled brat of the Main House, and you forced yourself to enter this exam, thinking that if you can help your team pass the exam, you can change yourself. But you will not be able to do it. People cannot change themselves. In this world, there are geniuses, and there are failures. Failures will always be failures; their personality and strength will not change. Just like..."

"Please stop it, Neji-nii-san."

Neji's rant was cut off abruptedly. Hinata's words were said with such a confidence and power that even Neji himself was startled.

"It is true I don't like fighting, and I don't want to hurt people. But that doesn't mean I cannot change myself. There is someone... he used to be the dead last, the joke of the class, the one who always got laughed at by everyone... But he has never thought of giving up. He always believes that even a failure like him can someday become better, and he never stops pushing himself to the limit... He is the one who taught me that running away will not help solving any problem. If he can change himself, there is no way I cannot!"

"You don't get it at all..." Neji shook his head. "Destiny cannot be changed. You're destined to be a failure of the Hyuuga Clan, just like I'm to be a Branch member. It cannot be changed. It can never be changed. Just like how my father died because of the Main House."

The temperature in the room suddenly dropped. Everyone could see Hinata cringing when the words "my father" were said out loud.

"Very well," Neji said, lowering his stance. At the corner of his eyes, veins bulged up, signaling the activation of the Byakugan. "If you insist, I will show you the different between a genius and a failure."