Chapter 17

Remember when you were young,

You shone like the sun.

Shine on you crazy diamond.

Now there's a look in your eyes,

Like black holes in the sky.

Shine on you crazy diamond.

You were caught on the crossfire

Of childhood and stardom,

Blown on the steel breeze.

Come on you target for faraway laughter,

Come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine!

-Pink Floyd, "Shine On, You Crazy Diamond"

[Shouldn't you be sleeping, Naruto? Us ferrets are the nighttime species, not humans.]

Naruto turned from his perch on top of a stray boulder, where he'd been staring at the darkened Uzumaki training grounds. Itachi (for that was who had spoken) scurried up the rock and onto Naruto's shoulder. The Genin turned back to the training ground.

"Just thinking. I got that fight with Neji in the morning, and with all the stuff I've been learning, from summoning to the stuff about my past, I haven't had time to plan anything out for that Hyuga punk."

[Like you would have anyway. You didn't plan anything ahead when you fought that dog guy either.]

"I didn't have advance warning I was gonna fight Kiba. Besides, it was mostly a slugfest. You can improvise in those. This guy is different. Way back when, I lost to that Rock Lee guy in a fight. Now I'm hearing Neji's not only better than Lee, he was his class's #1 rookie. Their Sasuke. Tougher fight all around. And he's got that freaky Byakugan like Hinata."

[What's the big deal? It's only a test. Mess up and you can just take it over again.]

Naruto shook his head at Itachi's dismissal of the Exam.

"I can't think of it that way. There's a lot of things I have to live up to, even if only a few people are gonna know. Everyone's been teaching me stuff, and I've been training, to get past this in one shot. Not gonna let them down."

"You also can't be killing yourself just to look good to others."

Naruto turned again and saw Setsuna walk into the training ground, just in from work, dressed in her uniform. His aunt yawned.

"My job's just acrobatic stuff all day, and I'm beat. You may be a kid, but don't think you're invincible. Sleep is just as important as training."

"One more run," he grumbled. "Just to see how I'm doing so far."

Setsuna shrugged and continued back to the house.

"Suit yourself. But I think you should know you're only grasping half the training."

"Can we quit it with the riddles? What am I doing wrong?"

The older Uzumaki just kept on walking, turning her head back when she reached the door.

"The Invisible Body is weight training and speed training. You couldn't screw that up if you tried. But the Diamond Body is about more than mindless endurance and taking a beating. It's named what it is for a reason. You have to become a diamond."

"The hell's that supposed to mean?"

Setsuna grinned.

"It wouldn't be good training if you got all the answers handed to you. Think about it."

It was lucky for Setsuna she closed the door at that instant. Naruto's roar would have deafened her.

"WHAT IS IT WITH THIS FAMILY AND RIDDLES?"

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After a restless sleep, Naruto was no closer to an answer than before. Slipping out of the house through his window (the safest way to exit), he began to stroll at a leisurely pace towards the site of the Chuunin Finals. As the Genin walked, Setsuna's riddle kept gnawing at him. Become a diamond.

"What exactly is a diamond?"

By pure chance, Naruto's route took him past the Yamanaka house. He considered trying to wake Itachi up to come with him, but thought better of it. Ino may be able to hear animals now, but waking up at six in the morning isn't the kind of new experience she'd enjoy. I'd never hear the end of it.

He was surprised to be thinking of Ino. Arashi had been letting him recover from burning himself out after summoning Deathstrike, so he didn't know how the Fourth would react to yesterday's events. Knowing his father, it wouldn't be pretty.

But did that matter? For once, there was somebody he could talk to. Somebody who, if she didn't always like him, would still understand him. For Naruto, that was well worth getting chewed out over secrecy.

"You really are insane. The Finals aren't until noon and you're already up after everything that's happened this month?"

Naruto looked up to see Ino leaning out her window.

"You're one to talk, being up with nothing to do."

The blonde girl flipped out her window and landed next to the doors of the flower shop.

"Says you. I'm the low girl in the pecking order, so watching the shop gets dumped on me. The flower deliveries always come in early."

Watch the shop? Why he felt anxious when he heard that, he couldn't really say. Scratching his head, Naruto looked over at Ino, busily unlocking the flower shop and dragging two flower-laden display carts out front.

"So, uh…you gonna be at the Finals?"

Ino kept on working, but she tossed back a comment over her shoulder.

"Someone has to be there to sprinkle a few cheers among the boos. What were you expecting?"

"I dunno," he shrugged. "Wasn't really sure what you'd do once you had time to think things over. All that stuff yesterday happened pretty quick."

Ino kept her back turned to him, which made it a little easier to concentrate. At his best, Naruto was always a little fidgety, constantly threatening to explode into motion. Right now he sounded uncertain, which meant he was probably acting all kinds of hyper. Better not to look.

It wasn't real surprising he felt that way. Naruto had family now, and a few friends, but for the most part he was still in need of emotional support. He obviously wasn't getting it from his team, or he'd never have quit. Iruka meant something to him, but he was busy pretty often. Time to make a decision, girl. If you want to call him your friend, better live up to it.

"Naruto, relax. I'll be there. Friends are supposed to support each other. Granted we haven't been friends long, but it doesn't mean I don't care. You've been through enough on your own."

"Geez," the blond boy muttered, "you make me sound like a charity case."

Ino turned to him and smiled coyly.

"You haven't heard? I offer the same services for all the socially inept."

Naruto rolled his eyes and prepared to leave Ino to her job, when it hit him. Can't ask Sakura for the answer to the riddle; according to Aunt Setsuna she was exhausted last night. But Ino's pretty smart. Maybe she'd know.

"Speaking of services…"

"Very funny," she snorted. "I don't mean that kind of service."

"Huh?"

Ino, seeing Naruto's blank expression, sighed to herself. You talk about being REALLY socially deprived…

"Never mind. You wouldn't get it."

"Uh, okay. Anyway, I had a question. What's a diamond?"

"That's a bit abrupt. Why do you want to know?"

Naruto considered lying, but Ino had seen through all of his prior attempts, so he simply gave it to her straight.

"Family riddle. You know how my dad and Aunt Setsuna get with training and stuff. I gotta jump through all these hoops to learn anything. Anyhow, Aunt Setsuna mentioned something about becoming a diamond. Can't understand that for the life of me."

Ino shrugged as she hung up the decorative curtain that went across the shop's door.

"If you don't get it after living with her, why would I?"

"Can't you give me some general info?"

She sighed and walked outside, Naruto following closely. The blonde girl knelt down and traced a five-sided shape in the dirt.

"This is what diamonds look like most of the time. They're mined out of the earth, and then cut and polished down into shapes like this, for jewelry and other things."

Naruto looked at the angles of the diamond, noting how sharp they were. Does she mean I gotta wear armor and deflect stuff off at an angle?

"What's so special about a diamond?"

"Well, they're status symbols to women, if they're in jewelry. You can also use them in tools; they're the hardest things known to man."

Naruto considered all of the things she had mentioned. If it was training-related, the status symbol thing was probably out. However… It's got something to do with angles and toughness or hardness. I just can't figure out what.

"All that fuss over a rock?"

The blonde girl threw her hands up and sighed.

"What am I, a professor? That's just the way it is. People think they're valuable because they're so rare. Go figure it out yourself and let me get to work. I'll meet you at the stadium before the fight."

"Okay, fine. What's with everyone telling me to think about stuff these days?"

Ino giggled as Naruto moved down the street, hands shoved in his pockets. Never one to miss an opportunity, she got in the last shot.

"Because they don't make idiots Hokage!"

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It was probably true, but Naruto didn't have to like it. Thinking all these things over and mastering it all would actually require him to study. Fighting had been easier when all he had to do was improvise. Now he had books and scrolls stacked on his desk, math and other assorted stuff Setsuna had dumped on him.

But as much as it sucked to have to read that junk, what was the alternative? He'd come this far, and still Kakashi had figured Sasuke was the one who would best understand his teachings. Neji loomed right ahead, and after him, maybe even that Gaara kid from the Sand. Anyone who could beat the crap out of Lee was no easy meat.

I need to buckle down and really make something of myself. Too many people's legacies are riding on this. Can't just keep using brute force and guts. If I'm going to be what my parents always thought I'd be, then I gotta be the total package.

He would just have to grit out the process of getting there.

Mulling his future, Naruto missed the sound of someone calling out to him. Eventually, the speaker tried again.

"Naruto! Stop, if you would. I've got something for you."

The blond boy turned around to see Tenten's house, Kazumasa standing at the gate. He stared suspiciously at Tenten's father.

"How'd you know it was me walking by? Aren't you supposed to be blind?"

"To normal stuff, I am blind. I can still see and sense chakra. That shows me living beings, but I'll still bump into walls and things that are inanimate. You, my boy, have the most distinct aura I've ever seen. I could pick you out of a crowd any day."

The Genin rolled his eyes. Great. One more person in on the Ninetails secret.

"Is that good or bad?"

Kazumasa shrugged.

"If you mean the Ninetails, I can't say for sure. Any good chakra reader will see that you've got two auras. There's a thin red layer visible just underneath your normal chakra."

"Great," Naruto growled. "Everywhere I go, someone's going to know about the demon."

"You say that like you ain't happy."

Naruto didn't bother making a face – Kazumasa wouldn't have seen it anyway. Instead, he simply shoved his hands in his pockets again, looking back out at the village.

"Is it wrong to want to be normal?"

"In your case? No, I guess not. But there's something you should remember, Naruto. Being normal – demonless for you – wouldn't be a perfect existence either. Look at me. Simple mission, enemies that could be dealt with easily, and I still ended up taking a sword slash in the eyes."

"What's your point?"

"My sensei used to say something to people who were doubting themselves. The measure of a man is how he carries the burdens life gives him. Everyone has problems, worries and fears. There's no rhyme or reason why one man gets more, and another gets less. That's just life. People destined for greatness are the ones who soldier on; they push the pain aside and do what has to be done. People who won't amount to much let it get to them, and are beaten down."

Naruto snorted and leaned back against the house.

"Don't bitch, tough it out, and you'll come out on top in the end?"

"Yeah," the older ninja chuckled, "something like that. Remember, kid. You've got people who'll support you. Setsuna, Iruka, Tenko and me, and from the looks of things, that Ino girl. If you learn to get along with her, I'm sure Tenten would be your friend as well. Use that support if you need it. Trying to tough things out by yourself won't get you anywhere but lonely and dead. Take this as a reminder."

Reaching behind him, the Jounin pulled out a blade, which he tossed in Naruto's general direction. The blonde boy caught it and pulled out the weapon, seeing the familiar "Suzaku" carved just above the hand guard.

"No offense, but you didn't sharpen it yourself, did you?"

Kazumasa laughed and waved a hand in negation.

"Took it to the swordsmith. It's usable now, if shorter than it should be."

"A blade's a blade."

"Yes. I'm sure Haruka would be proud to see you with it."

Naruto sheathed the repaired blade, holding it reverently.

"I'd rather she be proud of me for what I do with it."

"That'd work just fine too."

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Naruto strolled down the path to the stadium a few hours later, Haruka's sword stuffed into the belt behind his back. What Kazumasa had said about handling burdens struck a chord in him, at least when it came to Team 7. Had he overreacted, just deciding to up and leave? Probably. At the very least, Naruto figured he needed to apologize to Kakashi for using the Fourth's memory against his sensei.

The problem was, he'd made his intentions a little too plain. Passing the Exam would have split up the team anyway. Simply tossing them aside was something he shouldn't have done. But with all his frustrations over life, he'd simply boiled over. Real mature.

Did he want to go back? No. What's done is done. He hadn't been lying to himself. The three of them had so many problems being forced to get along it wasn't worth staying together. Naruto couldn't speak for Sasuke, but he was pretty happy not arguing with the Uchiha boy all the time, and not being yelled at by Sakura. But just because they couldn't be teammates didn't mean they couldn't be friends – at least in theory. First things first. Beat Neji, get your promotion. The rest can wait.

"Hi, Naruto."

When the blonde boy first heard Hinata's voice, he barely recognized it. After a second, he realized why. She's not whispering anymore. Guess somebody got a little spine after all. Turning, he took in the Hyuga girl's new hairstyle and clothes, and arched an eyebrow. And a makeover, too.

"When I said you should be what you want to be, you took that and ran with it, huh?"

"Well," she smiled back, "What do you think?"

Weighing his response carefully, Naruto answered as frankly as he dared.

"I'd say you don't look like a Hyuga anymore. To be honest, that's the best thing that's ever happened to you."

Hinata sighed and leaned back against a post in the ground.

"I'd smack you for that, if it wasn't absolutely true. Actually, that's why I was waiting for you to pass this way."

"Come again?"

Hinata hesitated, but screwed up her slowly-building courage and continued on.

"I need a favor from you when you go in there to fight Neji."

Knowing that Hinata cared about her cousin, even if Neji didn't do the same for her, Naruto squinted suspiciously.

"If you're asking me to throw the match…"

He relaxed when she started to laugh.

"No, no. Are you kidding? I know you, Naruto. You'd no more lay down for someone than you would go back on your word. I don't want you to lose on purpose. I don't want you to lose at all."

"Ooookay…" he muttered. "If you already wanted me to win the match, why ask me for a favor?"

Hinata shook her head.

"You were there when I fought him. From what you said to each other, I can tell neither one of you respects the other. When the fight starts, Neji's going to say things that will make you mad. Maybe even mad enough to try and kill him. I know you can do that, even if he doesn't. Don't kill him. That's my favor. Could you do that for me?"

It was Naruto's turn to shake his head.

"He tried to kill you. Why protect that jackass?"

Hinata hugged herself tightly, trying not to quail under Naruto's irritated gaze.

"Neji's still my cousin. I may not like him, but I don't want him dead either, not while he has time to turn things around. If I'm ever going to make the Hyugas change their ways, I need his help."

"What's that got to do with me, other than leaving him alive for you to recruit?"

"I think," Hinata said softly, "the Hyugas have been in power so long they don't care about others. They have this image of themselves that can't be broken normally. Above everyone else, so perfect they don't need to change. The only way to get their attention, maybe the only language they understand, is battle."

"Let me see if I understand. Kick his ass and he'll change his ways?"

Hinata shrugged.

"I tried talking to him, and you saw where it got me."

Naruto laughed, feeling the absurdity of the whole situation.

"Okay, beat him, but don't kill him. I gotta say, Hinata, he doesn't deserve you protecting him. You know that, right?"

"He doesn't now, but he could. That's why I asked for your help."

"All right. You got my word on it. But let me just confirm one last time. It's okay if I beat the crap out of him?"

The purple-haired Genin giggled.

"Naruto, if you're going to make him change...you'll have to beat the crap out of him."

The blonde boy cracked his knuckles, a grin splitting his face from ear to ear.

"Well, then. Everybody wins."

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Ino directed a puzzled look at Naruto as he arrived in front of the stadium, watching Hinata go inside.

"What was that all about?"

"Just doing her a favor," he grunted. "Wants me to kick Neji's ass for her without killing him."

Ino rolled her eyes at him.

"Kick last year's #1 rookie's ass without killing him, huh? Just skips right off the tongue, like you're guaranteed to do it."

Naruto grinned back, a little devilish confidence shining in his smile.

"If you think you're going to lose, you will. And I ain't here to lose today."

"Oh, I give up. Do what you like."

"Trust me, I plan to."

As the two blond shinobi were about to enter the stadium, Naruto caught sight of a group of children playing in a sandbox, singing something in that horribly out-of-tune way only the very young could. Straining a little, he just did make out what they were saying.

Four seasons comeFour seasons go

All things ebb

All things flow

It was a few seconds before the blonde boy noticed he'd frozen in place, listening to the children's song.

"You've never heard that nursery rhyme before?"

Looking back, he saw Ino turn around and come back to the doorway. Naruto shrugged.

"Hey, you've been in my memories. I didn't exactly have people to teach me nursery rhymes or pals to play with."

"It's just something that parents say to all the kids," Ino said. "My mother told me it means everything will come in time. You don't need to rush to get what you want."

"Kind of like today, you mean, with promotions in the balance?"

She smiled.

"Yeah, a little. Do Hinata her favor, but don't just go charging in. You're not a moron anymore, right?"

Naruto grinned again, Ino's support relaxing him.

"You know it, and I know it. Time to show the rest of the world."

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Sakura looked blearily out at the battlefield, where the finalists were lining up in a row. Still tired from her first day at the restaurant, she'd dragged herself to see the fights anyway. Sasuke would have expected that of her. Naruto probably would too, even if they weren't teammates anymore. In fact, it looked as if Naruto was angling to join a new team. Sakura's eyes narrowed as she caught sight of Ino leaving the floor after walking the blonde boy out there, exchanging barbs with him as she walked.

What is Ino doing with Naruto? Maybe she was hallucinating. Turning to see where the blonde girl would sit, Sakura saw another sight that threw her off. Ino had parked herself next to a Genin in trendy clothes who looked a lot like…Hinata? The pink-haired girl blinked a couple of times, but the picture was still the same.

Sakura's overtaxed brain churned for a couple of seconds, before a common thread emerged. Hinata had always been a silent admirer of Naruto, encouraging him on (even if her voice was so soft he'd never heard her). Now Ino seemed to be Naruto's friend too. He quits the team and suddenly he's hanging out with people he never noticed before?

She sighed. It wasn't so far-fetched. Naruto and Sasuke loathed each other, and Sakura had made a habit of putting Sasuke on a pedestal above Naruto at every opportunity. He left because he wanted to work with people who liked him, or at least were friendly with him.

It didn't excuse him for quitting – not fully. But Sakura at least admitted Naruto had had his reasons. Who knows? Maybe not having so many distractions helped him train.

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Naruto would have agreed, if he'd heard her thoughts. Right now he was more intent on figuring out what to do about Neji. That, and one other thing… Where the hell is Sasuke? Of all the combatants, Sasuke had the most reason to be at the stadium, even more than Naruto. Even so, the Uchiha survivor was missing in action. Looking over at his opponent, Naruto shook off his thoughts. Screw it. It's his life. I got my own problems to handle.

Genma, the Special Jounin in charge, gave all seven fighters a last hard look and issued what sounded like a standard warning.

"You oughta know how this works by now. These fights are gonna be to the death or until somebody gives up. If I think it's over, I'll step in and stop it. Simple enough, huh?"

Nobody responded, which Shiranui Genma was perfectly fine with. Waving everyone else away, he pointed at Naruto and Neji.

"Opening match'll be Uzumaki Naruto versus Hyuga Neji. Time to start the show. Everybody else park your asses upstairs and wait your turn."

As Naruto paced over to the spot Genma indicated, Lee's words from the Preliminaries came back to him. The Hyuga clan uses a special form of taijutsu, completely different from the kind that Gai-sensei and I use…the Hyugas can do it the other way, from the inside out, by pushing their chakra into the enemy's Inner Coil Pathways, and attacking internal organs directly.

Hinata had only dared to fight her cousin at close range because she had the Byakugan and at least some ability to counter the Gentle Fist. Naruto had no such advantages. If I'm going to attack, I won't be able to do much of it in close. He could call Deathstrike and let the wolf try his luck, but right now Naruto figured he'd better follow Shino's lead and use his trump cards wisely. That and keep this punk thinking I'm still the stubborn bastard who fought Kiba.

"Hey, Hyuga! Hope you've been using this month to train! I ain't got the time to sit around and get talked to death like you did with Hinata. I'm goin' places."

Neji snorted, seeing the total lack of self-doubt in his opponent's eyes.

"I will enjoy bringing you back to reality, one slow step at a time."

Naruto brought his hands together, chakra already moving for the Kage Bunshin.

"Save the high and mighty crap for someone who cares."

As Naruto finished speaking, seven clones appeared around Neji, forming a full circle around him, one Naruto for every point on the compass. The other Genin snarled as his Byakugan refused to reveal which Naruto was real. His chakra is spread evenly between each body. The Byakugan will not help to tell them apart.

"Whether you attack as one or eight will not make any difference, loser."

All eight Narutos drew forth a kunai, speaking in stereo.

"There's only one loser here – and I'm looking at him."

As he spoke, the Narutos in front of Neji charged. As the white-eyed boy sank into a defensive stance, the clones behind him threw their kunai. Naruto thought he'd gotten the drop on Neji until his opponent abruptly charged. What the hell? Does he have eyes in the back of his head? Then there was no time to think, as Neji came into the midst of the onrushing clones, feet and hands flashing out to disperse them. Naruto leaped backwards and dispelled the rest of his copies.

When he caught sight of Neji's smirk, Naruto's lip curled in disgust. All the talent in the world, the #1 rookie, eyes in the back of his head, and this is what it adds up to. A whining, sneering jackass who still has someone willing to protect him, while I was treated like an outcast for twelve years.

Neji laughed at the impotent rage in Naruto's expression.

"This is the extent of your power? This is what you will use to become Hokage with? You are a fool. You seek to take with determination what is ordained at birth, destined for a chosen, talented few. By fighting destiny, you deny reality."

Naruto snarled and tensed his body, but Hinata's memory stopped him short. He may say some things that will piss me off enough to try and kill him. If I DO, then I really will still be a moron. The goal was to change Neji, not kill him. I'll give him one shot to learn his lesson – and then my fists will do the changing.

"Fate and destiny. You know what those are? A pack of pathetic excuses. Don't like your life? So what? You haven't done a damn thing to try and change it, besides taking your frustrations out on others. Don't just assume crap like your way's the right way. I'd rather fight destiny than be like you, letting it roll all over me."

His opponent only shrugged.

"You sound like a yapping little dog. I have no need to listen to the bluster of a loser."

Naruto's vision slowly became a haze of red. You had your chance. He silently activated the Kage Bunshin again, a mob of clones forming in an instant. With a small nod, they charged.

Neji got busy dodging, but the smile on his face went from ear to ear. His tactics are like a child's. Does he think I do not know where the real body is? You cannot hide from me! Weaving his way through the crowd, Neji slammed a speared hand into a Naruto who was standing still.

"You fear having your opening points pressed, and you hold back. Did you think I would not notice?"

Naruto staggered, blood leaking from his mouth – and then spat on the ground.

"There you go assuming things again."

Neji's response died in his throat as his "wounded" opponent disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Naruto's voice rang out again, this time from behind.

"How about you assume something right for a change, like that I'm going to kick your ass so hard you'll have to clear your throat to fart?"

When Neji didn't say anything, Naruto started getting suspicious. He threw a punch anyway, since he was close enough. It didn't get him anywhere. Chakra flared as Neji began to spin, stopping the attack just before it hit. Suddenly Naruto felt himself flying through the air from the impact, his last clone disappearing. Sitting up quickly, he took in the crater that now surrounded the white-eyed Genin. What the heck was that?

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Up in the stands, someone answered his question.

"Kaiten…the Heavenly Spin."

Tenten looked down at the battlefield, watching Naruto's reaction. She was still annoyed with him, but it didn't keep her from staying curious. Her parents had always made Naruto's parents out to be almost superhuman. Was he the same? Had his life driven him to excel like his parents, or was he just a mere shadow of the Fourth and Uzumaki Haruka? This fight would probably answer her question.

Right now Naruto looked stumped. Tenten didn't blame him. It's Neji's strongest technique. Before an attack can strike him, he releases chakra from all parts of his body, something even some Jounin can't do. By spinning, he forces the attack away. You might call it an absolute defense.

The black-haired girl leaned forward, anticipating Naruto's counter. I've seen what the Hyuga bloodline is capable of. What powers does Naruto have?

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"It's over. You are within the field of my Hakke."

Naruto rose to his feet, watching Neji settle into an odd defensive stance. Before the Hyuga boy could act, Naruto snapped back at him.

"Powers, powers and more powers. Everybody's got 'em, and everybody loves to show 'em off. Sasuke, Kiba, Lee, that Sand guy, and now you. Everybody's got something to brag about, huh? Well, so do I."

Neji's eyes narrowed slightly as Naruto unzipped his jacket, removing it and hurling it violently to the ground. The blonde boy put a thumb to his mouth, biting it, and swiped it across his upper right arm.

"You may have deflected my attacks by turning into a human top. Try deflecting this. Shizen Kuchiyose no Jutsu – WHAT THE &#&!?"

A loud roar echoed through the stadium, air displaced as something huge entered the area. Looking up, Neji froze. It was understandable, considering how many forty-foot tall, bone-white ferrets had been seen in the Leaf before – absolutely none.

Across from him, Naruto stared down at his right arm, finally noticing the two characters glowing underneath the wolf tattoo; Ferret and Raven. Not only had he missed the wolf tattoo with his blood, he hadn't even seen the other two summoning seals. Looking up at Lord Yama, Naruto roared a question at the ferret chief.

"Do you mind telling me when you accept the blessing next time?"

The giant ferret shrugged. Up in the crowd, Ino slapped a hand to her forehead when she heard Lord Yama's amplified response.

[I THOUGHT YOU KNEW ALREADY.]

"Do I look prepared for giant ferrets to you?"

[LOOK, I ACCEPTED YOUR BLESSING WHEN YOU AND THE WOLVES MADE YOUR PACT. DIDN'T YOU SEE THE TATTOO?]

"My arm was burning like I stuck it in a &$#% fire! I wasn't exactly in the mood to check it. When I woke up the next morning all the damn tattoos were gone anyhow! How the hell was I supposed to know?"

[WHATCHA ASKING ME FOR? I DON'T MAKE THE RULES. ALL I KNOW IS YOU DON'T GET THE POWER TO SUMMON YOUR SUBJECTS UNLESS YOU'RE ACTUALLY IN BATTLE OR THE CHIEFS ALLOW IT. IF YOU'D COME TO FEED ME AGAIN I WOULDA TOLD YOU.]

"It's all about food with you, isn't it?"

[THAT'S A FERRET'S LIFE. SPEAKING OF WHICH…]

Lord Yama looked down at Neji, now glaring warily up at the giant ferret. The chief turned back to Naruto.

[HEY, NARUTO. ALL THIS SUMMONING STUFF IS MAKIN' ME HUNGRY. CAN I EAT HIM?]

Hinata and the entire section around her looked over at Ino when the blonde fell over, giggling hysterically. Naruto scratched his head slowly and glanced over at Genma.

"Hey, Examiner. Are we allowed to have our opponents eaten?"

Had Naruto been behind the Special Jounin, he would have seen a huge sweatdrop going down Genma's head.

"I don't think that ever crossed the minds of the Rules Committee. I guess it's okay, seeing as there aren't any rules against it…"

Naruto shook his head, remembering Hinata.

"Nah, no eating him. I promised somebody he wouldn't get killed. You can beat him to a pulp, though."

[THEN WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO EAT?]

"You'll get ramen after we get out of here, all right? Slinger owes me tons of the stuff by now."

[OH, FINE. AND HERE I WAS ABOUT TO BE THE FIRST CHIEF IN HISTORY TO EAT A HUMAN WITHOUT BEING HUNTED DOWN FOR IT.]

Genma's sweatdrop got even larger when he heard Naruto's reply.

"There's always the Jounin Exam."

Neji stood there, frozen not only in shock but also in rage. How could someone as feckless and undisciplined as Uzumaki Naruto be gifted with this kind of power? The idea of him actually being able to control such an awesome creature was ludicrous. Controlling his fear, he pointed at Naruto, who turned back from arguing with Lord Yama.

"That thing is wasted on you. How can a fool like you have been granted any such abilities?"

Naruto snorted.

"Look who's talking, you pansy. Don't call anybody a fool until this is over. Lord Yama! I tried the direct route, and he spun his way out of trouble. Hit him from underground, and we'll see how he deals with that."

[RIGHT. TUNNELS IT IS.]

Naruto and Neji both leaped back as the giant ferret's paw slashed down into the earth, and the ferret chief drilled his way down. Neji charged forward at his opponent as soon as Lord Yama disappeared, hoping his mobility would make the summoned animal miss its target. Naruto didn't bat an eye, charging to intercept the other Genin. As he moved, he shouted down the hole.

"Try to key in on the sound of my voice and come up!"

"Coming into close range? You hasten your own defeat."

"Tell that to my furry pal. Hit him, and do it now!"

Both boys were thrown backwards with the force of the ferret's resurfacing, earth and rocks flying everywhere. Naruto landed hard on his back, just in time to watch the same chakra glow surround Neji, the force of Lord Yama's impacting paw bouncing off the Kaiten, and deflecting the Hyuga boy mere feet from him. Damn it! It's like he's made of steel when he does that!

"Jyuukenpou: Hakke Rokujuuyon Shou (Gentle Fist: 64 Hands of Hakke)."

When Naruto heard Neji's voice, he kicked himself mentally, even as he staggered to his feet. Too close! It was already too late, the other Genin upon him.

Naruto felt, rather than saw, the effect of Neji's attack. Each strike was little more than a jab of a finger or two, but with each new hit, electric agony coursed through his body. Worst of all, he could feel his chakra slipping away, as though it was sealed to him, out of reach. By the time he hit the ground again, coughing up a bit of his blood, Naruto couldn't feel his chakra at all. The effects of that were immediate.

[WHOA. TALK ABOUT a letdown.]

Why had the ferret's voice changed? Naruto's question was answered when he saw Lord Yama dissolve into a puff of smoke, to be replaced by his normal-sized body. Damn it! Without chakra, I can't sustain the link. The ferret looked back at him, just managing to say something before disappearing back to his lair.

[Looks like nothing solid can get through that thing…]

Could anything get through?

--------------------------------------------------

Hinata let out a hiss of air through her clenched teeth. She didn't know whether to feel disappointed or guilty about the whole battle. I shouldn't have made him promise me. Naruto never would have killed Neji anyway; that's not the kind of person he is. Now he's too preoccupied with keeping his word to go all out.

As if sensing the other girl's plight, Ino's hand descended gently on Hinata's shoulder. For someone who she'd never seen with Naruto much, the blonde girl sounded very confident.

"He'll do what he promised. Naruto's not going to give in to this jackass so easily."

Hinata sighed, looking at Neji standing over his opponent.

"You don't know my cousin. He might be the best the Hyuga Clan's ever produced. Right now I'm not sure even Naruto has enough to beat him. I want to believe, but…I know Neji too well."

When Ino didn't say anything, Hinata looked over at her. Yamanaka Ino's expression hadn't changed. Just as she was about to ask what was wrong, Ino finally spoke, steel in her voice.

"Then you don't know Naruto as well as you thought, do you? He's survived all the crap that life and people have piled on him. This is nothing compared to all that. As soon as Naruto realizes it, your cousin is toast."

---------------------------------------------------------------

Neji's voice sounded faint, coming in and out as Naruto's consciousness swam. After a while, the words got clearer.

"…you cannot stand. Stay there, as you should. Lie before a power you cannot hope to overcome. Admit that your dreams of working your way to the top are mere illusions."

Lying there, on his back, Naruto tuned out the Hyuga boy's gloating. Looking into the sky, he stared into the clouds. That wasn't too fun, was it? Not fun at all. On top of that, something was digging into his back. Damn rocks. Even the ground's got it in for me. Reaching slowly behind him, Naruto shifted around as best he could, until his hand touched the offending object – the wrapped cord of his sword's hilt.

Mom…

He missed Haruka, even if he'd never really known her. It was stupid, but Naruto was beyond caring. He would never see her smile, never hear her praise him, scold him, nothing. Never even know her touch. All he had of her was a broken sword and a Bloodline Limit. But that was enough. He'd coped with less before. He'd won with less before.

Had Lee given up when Gaara countered his every move? Had Hinata just lain there after Neji broke through her defenses? No. And neither will I. Not as long as I've got the strength to draw a breath. Not for Hyuga Neji, Uchiha Sasuke, Gaara, Orochimaru. Not ever.

Neji stopped talking when he heard the soft rasp of steel on steel. Looking down, his eyes widened as Naruto staggered to his feet, drawing the sword at his back and using the scabbard to prop himself up. Rather than defeat and despair, the blonde boy's eyes burned with a cold, implacable strength.

"Kneel before the likes of you? Never."

Neji sneered, looking at the foot-long blade in Naruto's hand.

"Continuing will change nothing – not even if you have a weapon."

Naruto spat and sheathed the sword, pointing a finger at his opponent.

"You're not good enough to look at it, let alone touch it. People like you make me sick. What's so good about having eyes to see everything, when you can't see things like your own cousin reaching out to you, giving everything she's got? When you think effort and determination are for losers? WHAT THE HELL'S YOUR PROBLEM?"

"This," Neji snarled, tearing his forehead protector off. "This is my problem."

Naruto stared at the odd-looking seal on the other boy's forehead. What is that thing?

As if sensing his question, Neji answered.

"This is my curse. The destiny that binds me in hatred of the Hyuga Clan. A servant, no better than a bird in a cage. That is what I am, and what I will always be.

"I, and every other branch house member, including my father, have been bound this way since the Clan first split, and it will continue as long as the Clan does. They came for us all, as mere children, and took away our freedom. It is the cold march of fate, an iron hand guiding all of my house into servitude. All because my father was born mere moments after Hinata's father Hiashi. Do you see now why it is useless to fight your fate?"

"All that fuss for a decoration?"

"A decoration?" he shouted. "If it were only a design, the pain of its making would heal with time, fade into memory. It is no such thing. This 'decoration' serves no purpose but to keep the branch house in line, ruled with the fear of having your mind, your very soul destroyed with a simple hand seal. The only escape is death, and even then it violates us, destroying the Byakugan. Even in the afterlife, we are denied our birthright. We are denied even that level of dignity, in the name of protecting the Hyuga bloodline.

"And if the threat of death were not enough, the main house took my father as well."

Naruto's eyes narrowed at this.

"What did you say?"

"When Hinata was three, she was kidnapped by a masked assailant. Hiashi pursued the thief and killed him, only to discover that he was the leader of the Hidden Cloud Village, in the Leaf to cement a truce between our peoples. The Cloud demanded that Hiashi be killed to make up for breaking the alliance – and the Leaf agreed."

"So what's he doing sitting up in the stands?"

"The Hyuga Clan gave up the corpse of Hyuga Hiashi – or rather, his identical twin. My father, Hyuga Hizashi. They could not have known the difference, not with my father dead and the seal extinguished. The alliance was restored – and all it cost was an expendable member of the branch house. That had been my father's destiny, cemented in the moment he was born, seconds too late to control his own fate. As it is your destiny to fall at my hand, and has been since the moment you stepped into this arena."

Pulse thundering in his ears, Neji barely heard Naruto's retort, the blonde boy's voice shaky with the strain of doing anything.

"Never. Not while I can do what your dad did."

"What did you say about him?"

"I said it before, and I'll say it again. You make me sick. You'll take any excuse to hate someone, twist a memory to salve your pride. Did it ever cross your mind that maybe your father was the one who told them to take his body, you stupid son of a bitch? That he loved his brother so much he was willing to lay down his life to keep him safe?"

"Why?" Neji screamed, all pretense of Hyuga calm gone. "Why would he do anything for the ones who bound him to die, just because he was born too late?"

"Because he'd accepted that burden, that mission! That's why! Better to live with simple dignity and do his duty than to let his burden consume him, twist him into a bitter shell of a man!

"Get off your high horse. Who in this village doesn't have a burden to carry? Bad memories? Mental scars? You're complaining about your father dying? At least you had one! I never knew EITHER of my parents! At least you didn't have to watch your parents die! Sasuke did! We all have things in our lives that we hate, that are forced on us. Some of us just prefer to deal with them head-on instead of taking it out on everyone else."

--------------------------------------------------------------

High above the fight, the Third Hokage heard Naruto's angry rebuke. Memories flooded back to him of days gone by, when another young man had spoken in such tones. Arashi…if nothing else, he has your charisma, the sheer force of will.

To be Hokage was not a question of one's strength so much as a question of how well you could lead. Kazama Arashi had not succeeded him because he was a genius. Nor had he been chosen because he was popular. Arashi had become Hokage because his people had been willing to storm the gates of Hell itself for him, had he asked that of them.

And if his son has inherited even a fraction of his father's blood, the old shinobi smiled to himself, those people will someday do the same for him. Well, once they grow out of this irrational fear of the Ninetails.

---------------------------------------------------------------

All things aside, Naruto could have done without the shouting match he was in with Neji. The only thing it's gonna prove to people is that I can't control my temper. Problem was, without keeping the Hyuga boy verbally occupied, he wouldn't have any time to think of a counter to that spinning move. And right about now nothing was coming to mind.

The key was sight. His opponent could see any attack and react to it, even if it was from behind. And even if something slipped past his attention, the chakra shield would block it. Lord Yama was right. Nothing solid can get through.

Naruto had something that could get through and blind Neji: the Human Star Technique he'd used on Kiba. Simple light would certainly get through the shield. But that required seals and chakra – and Neji would immediately know what it was, since Naruto could only do it with one hand. If I could figure out how to vary the chakra that goes into the explosion, I could do the Human Star and the Naruto Bakudan with two hands, and leave him wondering. But how?

In an instant the answer was upon him. That stupid nursery rhyme! How did it go, "all things ebb, all things flow?" That's it! Draw in the chakra like you normally would, but stop the wave before it's fully concentrated, like what happens when water hits a tidebreak.

Now all he had to do was find some chakra. I think I got a pretty good idea where to go. Reaching down into his mind, Naruto sent a feeler to the darkest corner, the Ninetails' lair. Hey, furball! Want a chance to kick some ass with me? This guy's been calling me a weakling and a loser from the start. Last time I checked, if I'M a loser, so are you. You gonna let a mere mortal call the "Greatest of the Youkai" a loser?

HE DARES INSULT ME? HE DARES TO MAKE A JOKE OUT OF ME!? THIS TIME I WILL MAKE AN EXCEPTION, WHELP. WIPE THE SMIRK OFF THIS INSECT'S FACE. SHOW HIM MY POWER. CRUSH HIS VERY SOUL.

When he felt the demon's rage begin to stir, its fury rising, Naruto began to laugh. You picked the wrong guy to use that name on, Hyuga.

"What is so funny?"

Neji's angry expression changed to one of shock and confusion when Naruto began to glow, a faint crimson haze surrounding the blonde boy, chakra welling up where there had been none mere moments before. And all around, a feeling of menace. Pure, unadulterated evil. Naruto laughed again, eyes as cold as ice.

"You are, pal."

Before Neji had the time to blink, or ask what Naruto meant, the other boy had vanished. In his place, four Narutos reappeared, one on each side of him. But where he had expected they would all look the same, each was dressed differently, a design emblazoned on the front of his shirt. The one in front of him was all in black, a turtle on his chest. To his left, the Naruto clone wore white, a prowling tiger on his shirt. Behind him was a Naruto in red, displaying the form of a blazing phoenix. And on his right stood a Naruto in blue, a dragon coiled and ready to strike on his shirt.

"Kessen Ougi: Shiki Bakuretsu Taisei (Battle-Deciding Secret: Four Seasons Explosion Stance). This ends now."

"Explosions?" Neji spat. "Chakra will not penetrate the Kaiten any more than your fists or your animal could."

"Hey, you oughta know me well enough by now," the four Narutos shrugged in unison. "I'm just a stubborn fool who never learns his lessons. Humor me."

"Do your worst. I will not be responsible for the consequences."

"Oh, good. Can I get that in writing for Hokage-sama? I'd hate to get called onto the carpet for maiming your ass."

Before Neji could snap back at him, Naruto's hands began to move. The Hyuga began to spin, chakra flaring outwards. Stubborn is right. You are simply digging your own grave. Neji's feeling of triumph lasted exactly three seconds – before it disappeared in a flash of radiant light.

"Katon: Ningen Hoshi no Jutsu (Human Star no Jutsu). You're right, chakra can't penetrate the Kaiten. But light can."

Up in the stands, Hinata winced at the scream of agony that tore out of her cousin's throat. Compared to this version of the Human Star, Kiba had gotten off lucky. Neji had caught the full force of Naruto's light flash with the entire range of the sensitive Byakugan, on all four sides. If he shuts it off now, he might be able to see at least blurrily – if he does it now. But knowing how stubborn Neji was, that would never happen. It's over.

Trying to clear his vision, Neji barely saw the outlines of the four Narutos surrounding him, circling him. The blonde boy wasn't about to let up. You better be right about him understanding battle as a language, Hinata. I don't want to break him down to a mental pulp for nothing. For that was what he'd decided to do. The other boy was too set in his ways to change unless he was utterly, completely defeated – and Naruto would do just that. Gave my word. I'll keep it even if I have to get a little sadistic.

Forming the seals for the Naruto Bakudan again, he watched Neji's eyes close in anticipation, and was impressed for a brief moment. It was proof his opponent had saved enough of his vision to even recognize his hand movements. But a moment's relief and respect is all you're gonna get from me. For now, anyway.

As soon as he saw Naruto's hands stop moving, Neji shut his eyes, determined not to be fooled twice. But just as his vision faded to a cool, neutral black, the Naruto Bakudan slammed into him, knocking the long-haired Genin off his feet. Even as he fell, Naruto continued his verbal assault.

"Come on, you stupid bastard! You can call me a loser all you want, if you can figure out which clone is which type! Come on! Which one's gonna blind your ass, and which one'll blow it up? Which one? Which one? WHICH ONE? ANSWER ME!

"Why do I even bother asking? You'll never be able to guess right. You've dug yourself so deep a hole with hate, anger, and ignorance that you can't understand anyone's viewpoint but your own. A real one-track mind. And until you learn to accept others, to work with them and trust in them, I'll be able to beat you down every time."

"Nothing but a bunch of empty words," Neji gasped. "Is that where your power comes from? Speaking nonsense?"

Naruto looked up into the crowd, picking out faces. His family and friends. Ino, Hinata, the Third, Setsuna, Miki, Slinger…even Tenten. Okay, not Tenten. Well, maybe; he didn't know her well enough to classify her… Oh, forget it! Fine, Tenten counted.

"No way. It's from confidence, the knowledge that the stronger I get, the better I can protect my friends and family. People who I hold dear. As long as they're on my side, I'll never give up, never stop trying to grow and improve."

"You are nothing but a lucky fool."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

Neji coughed wetly, blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth.

"You talk and you talk about fighting fate, changing the world. You say that friends and family make you stronger – and yet I do not see it. The dog boy lost to you because he was overconfident. You have not defeated my Kaiten either – you simply found a way around it."

Naruto buried his face in one hand, sighing.

"Unbelievable. Un-freaking-believable. You've got a head like a rock – nothing gets through to you. You know what? Fine. I'll take you on, no flash, nothing. Force against Kaiten, one last time. And if you still don't get the point, then I'm stumped."

-------------------------------------------------------------

Ino's jaw dropped as she watched Naruto dismiss his clones, clothes changing back to normal, and step away from Neji. Naruto, what are you doing? What kind of stupid, boneheaded, macho lengths are you trying to go to just to keep a dumb promise?

"You MORON! Is your word THAT important?"

The blonde girl went bright red when she saw Naruto wink up at her and mouth the words, "Risk nothing, gain nothing."

A promotion in the palm of his hands, and he backs off? He'd better hope Neji takes care of him if he loses – or else I'll do it myself!

----------------------------------------------------------------

She's right. I AM a moron. But who wants to be a genius? Everything would come to you so easily…

Naruto could have kicked himself. He probably should have kicked himself. But what else could he have done? Neji had to be defeated – and impressed – in order to change himself. One or the other alone wouldn't work.

So…any ideas, moron?

Forget getting through the Kaiten for a moment. The bigger problem was surviving the initial collision. If I knew the secret of the Diamond Body, I MIGHT be able to survive the crash and take Neji out. He can't have much chakra left.

He had to become a diamond. What did that involve? Think. There has to be a trick to it. There's always a trick. The one time he had seen Haruka take a shot in the training ground, she'd bounced right off the incoming log without even flinching. That had never made sense to him. No human was that resistant to pain or damage. Ibiki's ruined skull had made that pretty clear, back in the First Exam. It couldn't have been armor or padding; his mother had plainly not been wearing either in the Fourth's memory.

But if she didn't feel the impact, that means she had some sort of shield or barrier, something that blunted the damage so effectively it was like it never happened. And it all had to do with diamonds. Think. Five or more sides, angles everywhere, like Ino said. The hardest thing known to man.

Angles? Angles! Son of a bitch! It can't be that simple. Chakra, produced at an angle to the point of the oncoming attack, all concentrated in a single area, so dense a barrier it would be totally impenetrable. And if you curl up, like Mom did, you don't spread it too thin. You limit the area that has to be covered, conserve a little chakra. It all fit together now. It's not so much that you look like a diamond. You just act like one, presenting one facet or two to the opponent, and making it so hard that you deflect the attack. It bounces away harmlessly.

There was just one problem. I suck at geometry. If he didn't figure out exactly the right angle to produce chakra at, he'd just slam into the Kaiten like he and Lord Yama had before. And then all bets are off.

Oh, screw it. Who wants to live forever anyway? You'd get all wrinkly.

"Hey, Neji! You wanted a big finish, didn't you? Come on! Let's give 'em all something to remember!"

"Ever the showman. This will definitely be your finale."

They both charged, chakra blazing into the air, one boy surrounded in blue, the other pulsing crimson. Seeing Neji's body begin to turn, Naruto took a deep breath. Now or never. A diamond or a pebble.

"Finale THIS!"

Both of them disappeared in a roar, light, dust and smoke exploding everywhere.

------------------------------------------------------

Tenten rushed down to the railing on her level as the dust began to clear, straining to see which boy was still standing – if either one was at all. Neji had always seemed so powerful to her, but Naruto had matched him blow for blow. I guess his parents' blood bred true after all. But there could only be one winner in a collision that large – the one who had survived. Who is it? Looking harder down at the floor of the arena, she caught sight of two new craters, each one near one of the holes Naruto's giant ferret had dug.

A hand moved weakly, dragging the attached body slowly out of its hole. When a stained, dirt-encrusted bandage peeked out into view, Tenten sighed. After all that, he lost?

------------------------------------------------------------------

Hyuga Neji staggered to his feet, every muscle in his body screaming in protest. Blinking rapidly, he made out a blurry hole in the distance and lurched toward it. When he arrived, the long-haired Genin stared down at the body lying sprawled beneath him, unmoving.

"All talk…and nothing to back it up."

He savored the moment, leaning his head backwards and drawing a deep breath – until the world exploded beneath him, something launching him into the air to smash into the ground once again. Genma and the gathered crowd watched as the "unconscious" Naruto vanished in a puff of smoke – and the real Naruto flipped out of the hole that had opened under Neji. Walking over to his fallen opponent, Naruto leaned over and waved, trying to get Neji's attention.

"Katon: Zenryoku Naruto Bakudan (Fire Element: Full-Power Naruto Bomb). Next time you gloat, try not to do it so loud. It only makes my job easier."

The Hyuga looked up into Naruto's blurred face, coming to the stunned realization that the disgustingly cheerful fool had taken everything he could give – and totally, utterly defeated him.

"Why? Why fight so hard, when nobody ever acknowledged you, believed in you?"

The Fourth Hokage's son sat down next to his beaten foe, looking up at the blue sky.

"Because it was either that or admit they were right. I wasn't going to dishonor my parents - or me - by doing that."

"Have you proved the doubters wrong?"

"I've opened a few eyes. It won't happen all at once. But every win, every accomplishment is another step. Could be the same for you, ya know."

"And how do you propose to do that?"

"You fight. Fight the image they leveled on the branch house. Make yourself the most kick-ass Hyuga that ever was. Soar so high above them, all of them, that the idea of a main house and a branch house looks ludicrous. And then THEY'LL be the ones who look foolish."

"Incredible. You actually sound like you believe that pap."

Naruto shrugged, an innocent expression on his face.

"Believe it? I know it."

"Then I hope you have some spare time. Because it seems I have some lessons I need to learn from you."

"Anytime, buddy."

"Buddy?"

"Look, shut up and shake my hand. I'll read you the dictionary definition of 'friend' later."

Hyuga Neji shook his head weakly, grasping Naruto's outstretched hand with his own.

"I must be crazy."

The blonde boy laughed, only this time it was a sound of relief, and maybe a little happiness.

"Yup. Feels good, doesn't it?"

"For once, you may actually be right."

Then Hyuga Neji closed his eyes, weariness claiming him, waiting to wake up and step into a new existence. Freedom.

A/N: Please Support Me On patreon.com/The_Alchemyst