Naruto; Emperor

How to Fish a Mermaid

Lightning sparked in the Hokage's booth where the strange blond noble sat in the Hokage's seat. His eyes glowed lightning gold as he stared at the event that had just transpired in the arena. His Samurai retainer has immediately interfered the moment Hyuuga Neji aimed a killing blow on his own cousin Hyuuga Hinata's chest. If one looked closely, one would notice that the arm rest of the Hokage's chair had splintered from being held tight by his hand.

When Naruto left the Shinobi system and began his journey, he realized just how messed up the Shinobi life is. As a child of Konoha, he had seen the bad part of humanity simply by being an ignorant Jinchuuriki. But as he traveled around the Hidden Continent, he realized just how protected he was. When he heard foreign Shinobi mentioned that Konoha Shinobi's children are naive to the harsh reality outside their village, it took him a while to understand and accept what they meant. For all of Hiruzen's fault, the children of Konoha actually has a childhood, which was something most children outside Konoha in other villages barely even know, let alone experience.

Chuunin Exam was the current Genin first brush with their reality. Their first brush with death and violence. This Chuunin Exam was a wake up call for them.

But even knowing all this, Naruto had believed that Hinata can get through it all. Yet listening to how her own cousin, Neji, speak down on her, battering against her emotion, sickens him. Naruto disagree with his words on how the fate was decided upon birth. Even though he knew that the weaver of fates existed, Naruto wanted to believe that the 'how' he live depends on his own choices and not because some higher power moved him like a puppet. So, recognizing the same struggle in Hinata who wanted to be more than just a hopeless disappointment of the Hyuuga Clan, Naruto had called out.

But despite it all, Hinata has little experience compared to her older and more prepared cousin Neji. All he could do was watch as she was pummeled into the ground by her cousin. He never noticed his tightening hold splintering the armrest under his hands. Only that Hinata's blood was leaving her lips. Yet she refused to stand down or give up. If anything, she pitied her cousin.

That had riled him up so much he aimed to kill her...

After she fell after Hiei stepped in to stop the fatal strike, Naruto's sharp eyes can read her lips. She was asking 'Naruto' if she had changed...

He didn't hear Neji's derisive scoff about the special treatment that Hinata get for being a Main Hyuuga. He didn't hear Hiei quietly warning he should be happy that he could go forward to the Final and that the exam isn't the place for family dispute. He didn't hear the proctor calling for the next contestants to come down to the arena. All Naruto can see was her bloody lips asking him if she had changed. Even on her possible death bed, she remembered him. He closed his eyes as his hands tightened into fists.

Lightning strike the lightning rod on the tower's roof as his emotion grew more erratic.

He whistled and Hiei knelt before him. Naruto ordered, "Send for Orihime. Tell her to attend to Hinata's injury,"

Kenshin stepped forward as Hiei disappeared with his order. Naruto calmed his temper by counting his breathing. He then stood up and left. Kenshin following close behind. Naruto no longer has any interest in the other battle as he was more concerned for Hinata. Once he quickly found the medical room, he stood outside as he listened to how the medics frantically worked to stabilize Hinata's failing heart. Times like these always left him wondering if he should love or hate his senses.

He looked to see Kurosaki Ichigo and his girlfriend arriving. Orihime gave him a curt nod before breaking into the medical room, "Step aside! I have been ordered to save that girl!" The doors closed as she strong armed her way through the medics, forcefully making her way to Hinata. Naruto knew that Orihime's happy personality was a force of nature when she wanted something.