New Soul (Naruto Various! x Reader)

Ch. 68: A Failure's True Power

3rd POV

The sun is now shining its rays downward to the arena. A flock of little brown birds flew past the two leaders who remained sitting on their chairs. The third Hokage peers down at Naruto and Neji, wondering who will be the first winner. Naruto and Neji are having a standoff with each other.

Neji's lips curled up haughtily. "It's your destiny to lose to me, and that's it."

"Oh yeah? Well, we won't know that until you beat me will we?" Naruto begins to inhale and exhale harshly.

Neji frowns and slowly ties his headband around his forehead.

"Okay, so your father was killed a long time ago and I know it wasn't fair and maybe you're upset about that. I understand, but that's got nothing to do with destiny. If you think I'm buying that, you're wrong." Naruto exclaimed.

"You will never understand." His veins start to crawl near his white eyes as he zooms in towards Naruto.

Slamming his palm against Naruto's chest again, Naruto yelps and tumbles hard on the terrain.

"Proctor," Genma turns to Neji curiously. "It's over." They both glance down at the knocked out Naruto. "Hmph, you're a failure." He turns to walk away but then stops upon Naruto's breathless voice.

"Wa-Wait, don't walk away from me." Excruciatingly, Naruto's body trembles as he stands up. "I'm not done yet. I don't quit and I don't go back on my word." He holds onto his bruised ribs. "That's my nindo, my ninja way."

Neji starts to recall his cousin Hinata practically telling him the same words during the preliminary.

He closes his eyes with a scoff. "I've heard those words before."

Naruto's legs can barely hold him up. "You and you're stupid destiny. Well, if you really believe it, why are you the one walking away?"

'Naruto...' Sakura grips on the end of her red top.

"You impudent little brat! Why waste my breath explaining it to you?" The Hyuga's veined eyes tremble as he lets his anger get in the way. "We are all given a destiny at birth, and it's pointless to fight against it."

Flashback...

Younger Neji is standing straight in front of his father, who is down on one knee.

He clamps his hand on his head lovingly. "Neji, my son... The Hyuga bloodline trait flows stronger in you than in any other member of our clan." He sends him a guilty smile. "I should have been born a few moments earlier, and made you part of the main household."

Neji looks at him, the guy he used to look up to with a saddened face.

Flashback ends...

"You don't know what it's like to be branded with a mark that sets you apart. A mark that can never be wiped away!" He points at Naruto in a judging way.

Naruto is still breathing air back into his lungs, and he can't help but remember his awful childhood. Little Naruto is crying in his right arm, not seeing the shadow of the beast in front of him nor the tremendous glares of the villagers.

He finally opens his eyes and keeps a steady gaze on his opponent. "Oh yeah, I know what that's like. Well, big deal. Who cares?"

Neji's eyes widened in fury. "You worthless little—"

"Man, you think you've got troubles? I've got news for you Neji. You're not the only special one around here. Did you ever think that Hinata might be suffering as much as you are? It's not her fault that her father was born ahead of yours, but you resent her for it. You disrespect her even when she's trying so hard to improve herself. All she wanted was your respect. That's what she was fighting for even though it almost killed her. And what was that all about anyway? I thought it was your destiny to serve the main household, not to beat it to a bloody pulp. After all you said about how you can't fight your destiny, you don't really believe in it either do you?"