If you wanna read ahead of my stories, you can check out the advanced chapters on my subcribestar, at the same username - 0Jordinio0
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'Aniki, really? 'Hanabi winced at the out cry that followed the arrogant statement said to her cousin…by her teacher.
Sitting beside her father, they were both in the front row seats in the stands dedicated to nobility. Foreign and those from the Land of Fire both. Many of her clansmen were spread throughout the stands, mingling with other nobles.
And many of them were angry. She spied her grandfather, Byakugan activated in a searing anger as he glared down at Daiki, while many of the foreign nobles from the Land of Lightning, were shouting angrily.
"Who does this arrogant upstart think he is?"
"He dares talk to the prodigy of the Hyuuga clan like that?"
"That is slander! You brat, how dare you speak of the noble Cloud like that!"
More and more poured angrily from their mouths. But surprisingly, as she looked to her side, her father didn't seem angry at all. In fact, his face was completely blank.
Not a single sign of anger or distaste to be found.
"Father?" she whispered to him.
He glanced at her, his lip quirking at one side for a moment, before he carefully schooled his face, "Do not pay attention to the rabble raging over some mere words," he told her, "Until your teacher down there proves he can back up his words, there is nothing worth reacting to."
"Yes, father." Hanabi replied, keeping her true thoughts to herself. Because, she knew, they weren't mere words. They were truth.
Nobody could stop aniki after all. He was the strongest.
If he decided the Cage Bird Seal could not exist. Then it would not exist. It was as simple as that. As goofy as he liked to act, there was no denying if he decided something, then it would be so. Because, with his strength, there were none who could oppose him.
'What did he mean by the cloud village trying to kidnap others like nee-sama though?' she wondered.
And why was that blonde woman with the pig in the back seats cackling?
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In the alcove where the other contestants were watching from above, a light airy giggle echoed.
Shikamaru was outright staring down in disbelief as he hunched over the railing, "What the hell is this crazy guy even saying?" he sputtered, looking to the outright giggling Hyuga heiress sitting demurely not far away.
If anyone should have been offended, it should have been her, and yet, she looked as if she was loving it, she even had a massive smile on her face. And a blush on her cheeks, what the hell had changed since they all graduated?!
"What an arrogant brat." Temari scoffed from where she leaned on the wall, arms crossed.
"Is it arrogance, if he can back it up?" Gaara hummed softly, making her start and stare, he'd been…different lately Calmer, nicer. It was weird. Just one day he'd went out after threatening them…and then returned, and apologised out of the blue.
She had no idea what was going on with him.
She watched as her little brother looked to the Uchiha, his opponent in the next round and she winced as he began walking over towards him and his blonde loudmouth teammate.
She tensed, expecting his killing intent to flood the waiting room as he threatened the Uchiha…
Only as they turned to him, both tense….his attention went to the blonde loudmouth?
"You," Gaara said, "You, are Naruto Uzumaki, correct?"
Both the Uchiha and the blonde stared at him as if he grew a second head, "Yeah, that's me…what is it?" the blonde asked, eyes squinting as he stared at Gaara as if he was the biggest puzzle he'd ever come across.
"After these exams, I would like to speak with you." Gaara said, and her jaw actually dropped.
What!?
"Speak to Naruto, why?" the Uchiha stepped forward, eyes narrowing, "After the crazy stuff you've pulled so far. Is he another target for you to prove your existence or whatever you go on about?"
The tone was aggressive, and in front of such a thing, Gaara would usually unleash his own aggression. Yet, he didn't even blink.
"One," Gaara said simply, pointing to himself while staring the blonde straight in the eye, before moving his hand to point down at the arena, straight at Daiki Yurei down below, "Three," he continued, before bringing his hand back to point at the blonde himself, "Nine."
The blonde stiffened, and she saw the Uchiha go wide eyed in shock, head whipping to stare at the blonde in disbelief, and something else she couldn't quite place.
She probably would have been able to discern it more, if she didn't have to hold a hand to the wall to stop herself as her legs threatened to buckle beneath her in the shock that rocked her system, 'They're like Gaara! The blonde and that arrogant Daiki down below!' she thought in horror.
Two just like Gaara! But…stronger. Because, if she remembered right, the more tails a Bijuu had, the stronger they were.
'Oh no.' she swallowed. Suddenly, the invasion didn't look like such a good plan.
The blonde loudmouth, Naruto seemed to relax though, "You to huh? I thought so," the spiky haired blonde sighed, shoulders slumping, "Alright, after these exams, we can talk."
He never noticed Sasuke looking at him in realisation, followed by guilt and shame.
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"Proctor, start the match, I want to shut his arrogant mouth already."
"Consider that nerve touched," Daiki snorted at the bloody glare aimed his way promising violence and pain. Sadly, for Daiki that was, well both of them really - Neji just wasn't capable of delivering on the violence that glare promised, "Sorry I poked at your angsty back story. You want a lolipop to make you feel better kid?"
Honestly, he was getting sick and tired of people and their angsty back stories being used as constant excuses.
Seriously, get the fuck over it already. His dad died over a decade ago, and his problem with the Cage Bird Seal? Fate, and angsty nonsense? Bitch please, he could have dedicated his time to learning the sealing arts himself and just got rid of it.
As soon as he was a genin, he belonged to the village, not the Hyuuga clan, they would have no grounds to force him to take it back without breaking the village laws.