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In the art store in Konoha, where the final pages of the volume were displaying the last scene of Hinata and Neji's fight, with Neji's harsh words still echoing in everyone's minds, the reverberations of this philosophical clash began to translate into deep and varied reactions among Konoha's shinobi.
[— Manga Scene —]
Rock Lee was standing between Naruto and Neji, placing his hand on Naruto's shoulder to calm him down.
"Naruto-kun, I can understand how you feel," Lee said quietly.
"You?!" Naruto exclaimed in surprise.
"But you have to fight in an official match.." Lee continued seriously.
"...…." Naruto fell silent, looking at Lee.
"The dropout will defeat the genius through hard work.." Lee said as he looked at Neji with determination.
'It may be me who.. will fight against him..' Lee thought as he watched Neji.
"I will not hold any grudge.. if you are the one who faces him in a match.." Lee said to Naruto.
"...…." Neji remained silent, watching them both with cold indifference.
"Damn it," Naruto muttered in frustration, grinding his teeth.
"Alright.." Naruto finally agreed, stepping back a little.
Lee gave Naruto a thumbs-up as a sign of encouragement.
"Lee..! What a man you are! So kind!" Guy said, moved to tears by his student's gesture.
Meanwhile, Hinata was suffering greatly, blood pouring from her mouth.
"Gaaah," Hinata let out a stifled cry of pain.
"!!" Kurenai, Sakura, Naruto, and Lee were all shocked by her deteriorating condition.
"This is bad.. her heartbeat has grown weaker.." Kurenai said with great concern as she examined Hinata.
'Was he trying to kill her..' Kurenai thought, glaring sharply at Neji.
"Medical team! What are you doing! Hurry.." Kurenai shouted, calling for the attendants.
"Sorry!" one of the medics said as he rushed toward her.
Neji looked at the collapsed Hinata with cold indifference.
"If you have time to stare at me.." Neji said to Kurenai.
"You would be better off using that time to look at her.." he added with cutting coldness before walking away.
[— End Scene —]
"Neji's words, harsh as they are, carry within them the bitterness of an entire generation of shinobi shackled by circumstance," Hiruzen said as he slowly turned the page.
He recalled the struggles of the past that had shaped Konoha, and saw in Naruto's determination and Hinata's unbreakable spirit a spark that might burn away the chains of old expectations and forge a new future for the village.
"Strength is everything. Neji understands that, but he lacks the logic needed to apply it properly, unlike Naruto, who looks like a reckless fool," Danzo muttered in a low voice, his eyes scrutinizing every detail on the pages.
He saw in Naruto, with all his recklessness, an unpredictable force, and he had to ensure that this power served Konoha rather than threatening its stability.
"The children of the next generation are truly interesting," Mito whispered, placing her hand over her heart after reading the pages.
She saw in Naruto and Hinata an embodiment of the Will of Fire upon which her husband Hashirama had founded Konoha, and she hoped they would be able to heal the wounds of the past and overcome the challenges ahead.
But above all else, nothing bad must happen to Hinata, otherwise she would grieve deeply.
"This conflict could destabilize the clans," Homura said, exchanging a worried glance with Koharu.
"We must ensure these ideas do not spread in a way that threatens the order," Koharu added, both of them seeing in the scene a potential challenge to the fragile balance they had maintained in Konoha.
Unfortunately for them, they had no real power to stop anything, and neither did Hiruzen or Danzo.
…
"What really happened to you, Hyuga Neji?" Hiashi whispered, tightening his grip into a fist after reading Neji's words.
Seeing Hinata on the brink of death at the hands of a branch family member, one who was supposed to serve the main family in the first place, was entirely excessive.
"He tried to kill her…"
He recognized that Neji had not yet understood the lesson Hinata had been trying to teach him, given that he had attempted to take her life.
"What happened? Why all this violence!? Is it because you harbor so much resentment toward the main house!?" Hizashi said, his eyes fixed on the manga pages with a shattered heart.
He was in agony watching his son drown in the bitterness of his circumstances, and he hoped that Naruto would be able to awaken him.
"This boy Neji… it seems he has suffered greatly, yet he chooses to spread pain rather than seek healing," Masanori said, shaking his head with sorrow after reading the scene.
He saw in Neji a victim of circumstance, and in Hinata and Naruto the same, but the latter two had chosen to forgive those circumstances, unlike Neji.
"He nearly killed her… Masanori, do not be the cause of this conflict…" his wife said with a shattered look.
"Let us see what more the manga has to offer about the future of my clan… after that, I will decide."
…
"Neji's words reflect a deeply held conviction, but one built upon pain," Minato said, turning the manga pages with piercing eyes.
"But I believe in Naruto, he will defeat him without a doubt…" Seeing Naruto touch Hinata's blood with his fist and point it in Neji's direction, challenging him with the words "I will win" , made both Minato and Kushina smile without even realizing it.
Both of them saw in Naruto a symbol of the change that the shinobi world would witness, and that true strength lies in transforming anger into determination.
"It's alright, Naruto will surely avenge Hinata now…" Kushina said as she relaxed, after Naruto had assured her he would win.
After all, she trusted her son completely.
…
[— Manga Scene —]
The electronic scoreboard displayed the next match: "Gaara vs. Rock Lee."
"Yaaaah!!" Lee shouted as he leaped with enthusiasm from the balcony toward the arena.
"I'm safe!" Choji said nervously.
"Lee-san.. what is the point of that enormous gourd that boy is carrying?" Sakura asked Kakashi with concern as she watched Gaara.
'I have a bad feeling about this..' Sakura thought as she looked at Gaara.
"You have fallen into the trap!!" Lee shouted as he kicked the air.
"This is the rule I have followed!!" Lee added with enthusiasm.
'Hmm.. who exactly tricked whom..?' Naruto thought as he watched Lee in bewilderment.
"If you want me to be the last, that will not happen!!" Lee said, directing his words at Gai.
"A rock thrown at a post will not hit.. but if you throw it without focus, it will hit the post!!"
"Lee.. let me give you some good advice," Gai said, raising his finger.
"Yes sir!!" Lee replied seriously.
'No one has noticed yet.. that enormous gourd looks suspicious and dangerous!' Kakashi thought as he watched Gaara.
"Understood.." Lee said as he listened to Gai's advice.
"Don't write it down.. you won't have time to review it during a battle," Gai said.
"Understood.." Lee repeated.
"Understood.."
"Will Lee-san be okay?" Sakura asked Kakashi with worry.
"Alright! Lee! Go!" Gai shouted in encouragement.
"Yes sir!!" Lee replied as he launched himself toward the arena.
Gaara and Lee stood face to face in the center of the arena.
"I am very glad.." Lee said with a smile toward Gaara.
"That I get to fight you early."
"Pff…" Gaara made a scornful sound as he looked at Lee with cold indifference.
[— End Scene —]
"Lee… You have shown courage that surpasses any expectation," Dai said, his eyes shining with pride as he saw his adoptive son standing confidently before Gaara.
(Author's note: For Dai, Lee is considered an adoptive son, as he is the student of his own son in the future.)
Dai saw in Lee's determination to face Gaara, despite the obvious gap in power, a courage without equal.
"Lee… what a man you are! So kind!" Gai shouted, echoing what his counterpart had said to Lee earlier, tears of pride filling his eyes as he watched his student descend into the battlefield after hearing his counterpart's guidance.
The confidence radiating from Lee made Gai certain that Lee would deliver a truly unforgettable battle.
…
In Sunagakure:
Inside the Hidden Sand Village, the manga pages were reaching the end of the ninth volume, carrying with them the echo of events unfolding in the future Konoha, and stirring entirely different reactions.
"Finally, the time has come… your first battle has arrived, Gaara," Rasa said, turning the manga pages with cold composure, his eyes watching the boy who now stood face to face with his opponent, Rock Lee.
He saw in Gaara an embodiment of his own character, and perhaps even a living weapon for the Sand Village, forged by his future counterpart.
He knew that was possible; Gaara's attitude, demeanor, and silence throughout all of this had confirmed it to him.
Gaara might well be an investment made by the future Rasa.
'I hope he wins…' Karura thought inwardly as she stared at the manga pages with a heart full of curiosity about Gaara, wanting to know who this boy was, and why looking at him in the pages of the manga made her feel the stirring of these strange emotions.
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 183: Echoes of the Ninth Volume!
Chapter 184: The Seventh Anime Episode: Assassin of the Mist!
Chapter 185: Naruto Manga Volume 10!
Chapter 186: Rock Lee Face to Face Against Gaara!
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