Naruto: The Forest's Chosen (Mori Mori No Mi)

At the age of thirteen, Neji had already recognized the cruel truth of the ninja world.

Unfortunately, due to his pride, no one truly listened to him or understood his perspective.

Hinata's genius was not only reflected in her mastery of ninjutsu but also in her ability to think and perceive.

Neji's comprehension skills were undoubtedly among the top five in their generation.

A prodigy whose insight surpassed even his own abilities.

But in this world, strength determined everything.

If Neji possessed the power of certain individuals, he would have forced Hinata to change—whether she wanted to or not.

One thing was certain: he would never condone the complete annihilation of a clan.

"Miss Hinata, I admit I underestimated you before. I never imagined that your talent had been stifled simply due to a lack of proper nourishment."

"Your abilities far exceed my expectations... No one in the Hyuga clan can rival you in strength."

"But... you are too kind. When fighting against Hanabi, you always hold back. If not for Naruto's chakra, you might have been seriously injured multiple times."

Neji was about to continue when Hinata suddenly interrupted him.

This time, she did not shy away from the topic of her appetite.

"Brother Neji, there is no need to say any more."

"Naruto-kun has told me many things. Perhaps I am not truly suited to be a ninja, but I will continue to work hard."

Neji was momentarily stunned.

As he looked into Hinata's determined eyes, a small smile formed on his lips—the kind of smile an older brother would give upon seeing his younger sister grow up.

"You can open your Byakugan without even forming a seal now."

He muttered softly before activating his own Byakugan.

"In that case..."

Neji's gaze shifted unconsciously to Naruto in the stands.

"Naruto couldn't possibly have known this... Yet, he had already prepared Hinata for this moment."

"I have placed all my hopes in the future, and whether I win or lose today doesn't change that."

'Hinata's fate is already changing. There's no need for me to expose the darkness of the Hyuga clan here... Come, Miss Hinata! Let me be the final stepping stone on your path to becoming a true ninja!'

Neji took his stance. Hinata mirrored him.

At that moment, Naruto's voice echoed in Neji's mind.

"Neji, it's good to face reality, but you're too pessimistic."

"Hinata will inevitably defeat you, but the outcome will be different from Lee's match."

"I can't treat the Hyuga Clan the same way I did Konoha. During this tournament, you'll be the one to break open the doors that have remained sealed for years."

"Like you said, your eyes can see through everything. If everything is predetermined from birth, then why despair?"

Neji was taken aback.

Finally, he took a deep breath. The ice that had encased his heart for so long began to thaw.

'Yes, it has all been decided. Hinata's fate has already changed. In this era... no, in Naruto's era, she will be reborn!'

The battle between Konoha's strongest taijutsu users was about to begin!

"The match begins!"

For once, Genma Shiranui showed a rare moment of patience, waiting for them to finish speaking before signaling the start.

Whoosh—

In an instant, Hinata and Neji dashed toward each other.

Azure chakra gathered in their palms.

Their movements were identical.

Their hands moved so fast that they became a blur.

In a single breath, an exchange was completed.

And it ended with Neji's defeat.

Hinata hadn't even used her full strength yet.

They distanced themselves again.

A trickle of blood ran down the corner of Neji's lips, and red marks dotted his body where his chakra flow had been disrupted. His stance was shaken, his control slipping.

Hinata, on the other hand, remained untouched.

Neji locked eyes with her, noticing a faint purple hue forming within her Byakugan.

'No wonder Naruto once called you the White-Eyed Princess.'

"Your Byakugan... it's beginning to evolve."

"Is this the pressure of a fully developed Byakugan? Even without directly using it, I can feel its weight."

After a single exchange, Neji understood just how much Hinata had grown.

He smiled bitterly. 'You're still too kind.'

In the stands, even the Hokage couldn't hide his surprise.

He had always known that Hyuga Neji was a genius.

This match had been deliberately arranged to highlight that fact.

But now, the true genius of the Hyuga Clan had emerged.

"Hinata..." Ino's face was filled with worry.

"Don't worry, Hinata has the upper hand right now," Sakura reassured her.

Ino shook her head. "She will never lose, but she must be feeling conflicted right now... That silly girl."

Tenten patted Ino's shoulder and chuckled.

"You always need a little experience. Didn't you see Neji's smile?"

"That brother of hers actually cares about her more than he lets on."

At that moment, Shino spoke up.

"The gentle and kind Hinata just made Neji spit blood with a single exchange. Are you sure you're focusing on the right thing?"

Bang!

Just as they finished speaking, Hinata's fingers pressed into the tenketsu below Neji's throat.

Pfft—

Neji coughed up another mouthful of blood.

He tried to move, but Hinata quickly struck another acupuncture point in his arm.

For a moment, Neji's arms hung limply at his sides, completely unresponsive.

"Is this the strength of the Hyuga Clan's future leader?"

Neji sneered.

Even though he was at an absolute disadvantage, he still attempted to provoke her.

With that, Neji broke away.

The situation was completely reversed from the original Chunin Exams.

Unfortunately, Neji had no woman he liked.

If he did, perhaps a single shout from her would have made him fight with everything he had, only to be beaten half to death by Hinata.

Silly girls were indeed rare.

"Are you not going to continue?"

"You're giving your opponent a chance to recover."

Hinata closed her eyes. She knew Neji was deliberately provoking her.

The two clashed again.

The result was the same.

This time, Neji's other arm was sealed.

"Hinata is unbelievably strong!" Lee's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Even Neji can't land a hit on her... And she hasn't even used her full power yet!"

Hinata effortlessly countered all of his moves.

Neji lowered his head, his voice calm but firm. "This time, the main family doesn't need the branch family's protection."

"Show us your true abilities, Lady Hinata!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, a powerful surge of chakra erupted from Neji's body.

The tenketsu points that Hinata had sealed burst open instantly.

"This kind of gentle approach can be shattered in an instant. You've been wasting your efforts!"

Sasuke frowned from the stands, his Sharingan spinning as he analyzed Neji.

Then, his eyes widened.

'This is... Naruto's power!'

'Damn it!'

A sudden realization struck Sasuke, his concentration wavering.

"I will kill you!"

At that moment, he made a comparison.

Another brother claimed he didn't love his sibling, but his actions were full of care.

His own brother claimed to love him, yet his actions...

Hinata, observing closely, also noticed the red chakra seed within Neji pulsing as it released chakra.

From the stands, the Hokage, Asuma, and the other shinobi felt their hearts tremble for a moment.

"I see now. Neji has been hiding his true strength all this time!"

Even Orochimaru's lips curled into a smirk.

"Interesting... This Neji might be another suitable candidate."

"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

Neji charged forward, launching into a relentless assault.

Hinata met him head-on with the same technique.

"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

Their palms blurred, chakra clashing mid-air as the Hyuga techniques collided.

More blood trickled from the corner of Neji's mouth.

Just as Neji seemed to be taking control, his movements started slowing.

Hinata suddenly ceased her strikes.

No one saw what she had done.

Bang—

A palm strike landed squarely on a vital tenketsu near Neji's throat.

Hinata was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground.

Neji stood frozen, his palm still extended, his eyes widening in realization.

With a wry smile, he thought, 'So, you were waiting for me to use Naruto's power... You proved your strength and made me win at the same time.'

The entire arena fell into stunned silence.

No one had expected this outcome. It had ended too quickly, too abruptly.

Hinata had never once been overpowered by Neji, yet she lost after a single strike.

Hinata struggled to rise, her chakra flow blocked, her movements stiff and sluggish.

Rock Lee's eyes bulged.

'No... My drumstick is as good as gone!'

Moonlight Gekko immediately approached Hinata.

"Can you continue?"

"I... I forfeit."

Hinata bowed her head.

No one noticed the faint trickle of blood at the corner of her lips, or the small wound on her tongue.

"Hinata!"

Ino and the other girls rushed forward, supporting her as they helped her limp toward the stands.

Neji remained silent.

If not for the sheer presence of the proctor, he would have sighed and admitted, 'Hinata, you truly understand me.'

Instead, he turned to glare at Rock Lee.

"Hyuga Hinata forfeits! Hyuga Neji wins!"

Moonlight Gekko coughed lightly before making the announcement.

At that moment, the spectators realized just how cunning Hinata had been.

Neji remained dazed for a long time, only snapping out of it when Gekko reminded him to leave the stage.

When he looked up, he saw Hinata resting in Naruto's arms, Sakura already tending to her wounds.

As he walked back to the stands, he caught a glimpse of Hinata opening one eye and flashing him a small, knowing smile.

Neji chuckled.

"Didn't expect to be played at your own game, huh?" Tenten teased.

Neji nodded slightly. "I really didn't."

"It seems Lady Hinata isn't just improving her strength."

Sasuke watched from the sidelines, his fists clenching.

Naruto's voice echoed in his mind.

"Are you frustrated? Don't worry, your strength will undergo a true transformation once you awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan."

Sasuke didn't respond.

For once, power wasn't his primary concern.

"Now, for the final match!" Gekko's voice rang out. "Akimichi Choji vs. Dosu Kinuta! Please come down!"

Choji reluctantly put down his potato chips and beef jerky, patting his stomach.

"Shikamaru, what do you think?"

Shikamaru shot a quick glance at Naruto before muttering softly, "Just let him win."

"Don't make it too obvious."

"That guy won't make it past tonight. If he survives, there'll be complications."

"Got it."

Choji turned to look at Hinata and Rock Lee.

"Then, that drumstick is mine!"

With that, he leaped into the arena.

Fat guys were full of surprises.

For food, they could push their limits to new heights.

Just like in the original timeline, Choji transformed into a Human Boulder, but ended up crashing into the wall after Dosu's sonic attack disrupted his chakra.

"Winner: Dosu Kinuta!"

"The preliminaries are officially over!"

Moonlight Gekko looked visibly relieved as he announced the final result.

"Finally... If this dragged on any longer..."

Taking a deep breath, he concluded, "The third exam's preliminaries have concluded. Winners, please come down and draw lots to determine your matchups for the final round!"

Nine victors stepped forward.

Neji, Shino, Naruto, Kankuro, Tenten, Shikamaru, Gaara, Neji, and Dosu.

The drawing was quick.

Gekko turned to Ibiki, who immediately stepped forward to announce the matchups.

"First Match: Uzumaki Naruto vs. Hyuga Neji!"

"Second Match: Aburame Shino vs. Nara Shikamaru!"

"The third match: Tenten vs. Dosu!"

"The fourth match: Uchiha Sasuke vs. Gaara!"

"The final match: Kankuro vs. Wheel Sky!"

Gaara narrowed his eyes, glancing briefly at Neji before shifting his gaze to Naruto.

'Uzumaki Naruto... someone like me.'

'It's disappointing that you aren't my opponent.'

At this moment, Ibiki stepped forward, far more considerate than Moonlight Gale.

"Now, please allow Lord Hokage to give his final remarks."

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, smiled upon seeing someone setting the stage for him.

"First of all, congratulations to everyone who has advanced through the preliminaries."

After a long-winded speech, he finally got to the point:

"I hope you all use this upcoming month wisely, as we await the arrival of the daimyos and the leaders of the various ninja villages. Train hard and prepare yourselves."

"Any questions?"

Shikamaru raised his hand lazily. "Since this is a one-on-one tournament, only one person will win in the end. Does that mean only one of us will be promoted to Chunin?"

His smirk made the other Genin uneasy. As expected, the Hokage walked right into his trap.

"That's not necessarily the case. The outcome isn't solely about winning. This competition will be judged by myself, the Fourth Kazekage, and the daimyos and village leaders in attendance."

A long-winded explanation, but everyone understood one thing: even if you won, your promotion wasn't guaranteed. It all depended on their judgment.

"You are all dismissed."

As the sun began to set, the Hokage finally concluded the event.

On the way out, Kankuro smirked at Sasuke. "You're about to find out who the real trash is."

Sasuke glanced at him briefly, completely disinterested.

"Hah! Enjoy this month while you can. You have no idea how strong Gaara is!"

Meanwhile, Tenten and her friends went to check on Karin, while Naruto waited outside the building.

"Uzumaki Naruto, thank you."

Naruto didn't turn around. "You're still thanking me after losing?"

In the original timeline, Temari had gone easy on Tenten. Otherwise, her fate wouldn't have been much different from Lee's.

Temari's cheeks turned slightly pink. "Thank you for holding back."

Then, after hesitating for a moment, she asked, "Are you free tomorrow night? I've been in Konoha for a few days, but no one has shown me around."

Before Naruto could answer, an irritated voice interrupted them.

"You! You're trying to steal our man while we're away, aren't you?!"

Sakura stormed forward, glaring daggers at Temari.

Temari's smile stiffened. Then, with a smirk, she stood up. "I'm staying at the guest house. If you're free, I'll be waiting downstairs tomorrow night."

Then, before leaving, she flipped Sakura off.

Naruto: "…"

He could only sigh. Truly worthy of Kishimoto's writing. If Naruto had wanted to, he could have a harem covering the entire ninja world.

Meanwhile, outside Naruto's house…

"Sister Tsunade!"

The familiar long red hair made Tsunade freeze in place. Her lips trembled slightly.

The Senju and Uzumaki clans had been close for generations. Tsunade herself had personally escorted Kushina to Konoha. Before Uzumaki Mito passed away, Kushina had lived within the Senju compound.

In many ways, Tsunade had watched Kushina grow up.

Kushina, too, was overwhelmed with emotion. She hadn't aged a day—she still looked like a young girl.

"Shizune, you're here too?"

"Hello, Lady Kushina!"

Shizune lifted the pig in her arms. "This is Tonton~!"

"Oink~ Oink~"

Even the piglet cooperated, squealing twice.

"You… you're really alive?"

The situation was beyond Tsunade's understanding.

"Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade turned sharply at the sound of another voice.

"Yondaime…?"

Minato stood there, smiling gently.

Are they all alive? What kind of power…?

A glimmer of hope flickered in Tsunade's eyes.

"Come inside."

Kushina grabbed Tsunade's hand and pulled her into the house.

"Shizune, come in as well."

Minato chuckled warmly. "And Tonton, of course."

"Yes—wait, Tonton, what's wrong?!"

"Oink~ Oink~!"

"Uh… Lord Minato, your lunch…?"

Minato chuckled. "Braised pork."

Shizune gasped and lifted Tonton protectively. "Pigs are not emergency rations!"