The Vanguard Trails

Four promising shinobi. One selection they didn't ask for.

When Neji, Tenten, Naruto, and Hinata are chosen for the newly introduced Vanguard Trials, it seems like nothing more than another high-level evaluation.

Structured. Controlled. Familiar.

But the deeper they're pulled into the process, the more something feels...off.

Rules tighten. Questions don't make sense. And the line between test and reality begins to blur.

As pressure builds, alliances are tested, instincts sharpen, and the cost of survival becomes harder to define.

And somewhere between strategy and survival, something else begins to surface-

Unspoken feelings. Fractured control. A connection that refuses to stay buried, even when everything around them demands they let it go.

Because in a system designed to break people apart...

Choosing someone might be the most dangerous decision of all.

Author note: Hi! This is a hunger games inspired plot meets Nejiten! (and with some Naruhina sprinkled throughout) Hope you enjoy! It is still in the ninja universe. This isn't a complete alternate reality--but it is quite cute! (I might be biased lol)

Copy write disclaimer: I don't own the characters or franchise of course, just the story itself