Rivalry of the eyes

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Unedited Chapter yet again

Please read through this flashback chapter since it contributes to Neji's accumulated feelings.

The battle is going to be a realistic spar and not a regular spar so wait for the action in the next chapter.

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"Why do you compete against a loser like him?" Neji asked.

Kakashi stared at Neji without a reflection of any thought on his face.

Neji also stared silently for a moment not budging at all, showing his determination to hear an answer from Kakashi at any cost.

Kakashi stared down at Neji.

Kakashi, on the other hand, drowned in his memories.

This was the time before he became the leader of team seven.

It was also the time he was recovering from his dark days in the ANBU.

Hiruzen had just suggested that he become a teacher in charge of genin squads,

Kakashi also followed by testing many teams, only to be met with failure as none of them had a thought process like Obito did.

His heart became colder and colder losing the will to live.

He would reject interacting with anyone.

Even Gai's challenge requests were shot down.

However, Gai's personality was such that he would never give up, which made Kakashi give in to today's challenge, only to meet Neji.

Neji seemed to remind Kakashi's former existence of an aloof genius who considered everyone else to be a burden and a loser.

Kakashi hated himself for that since it lead to Obito and Rin's deaths not to mention his sensei's as well.

Kakashi slowly recovered from his painful memories.

He looked at Neji in the eyes.

("What is he thinking,") Neji felt like going nuts from the awkward silence that persisted between the two.

"You're right," Kakashi suddenly said.

"He is a loser,"

Neji frowned waiting for more answers.

"But, I am a bigger loser than him," Kakashi concluded following which he walked away, seemingly not interested in continuing a conversation.

"Huh?" Neji stared at Kakashi's departing back.

"What do you mean by that?" Neji asked immediately in a rude tone.

Kakashi stopped walking.

"I don't have the time to deal with arrogant punks like you," Kakashi said, following which he vanished.

Neji was left baffled.

He was unable to make sense of Kakashi's words.

…

Later that evening Neji walked to the edges of the hidden village to wait for Gai-sensei.

This was because the self-imposed punishment that Gai-sensei decided was to go 500 laps around the village by hand standing.

In a few minutes of waiting Gai showed up with sweat running down his nose as it pointed towards the ground while Gai concentrated on what lied ahead.

"Neji," Gai called out in a weak voice.

("To think he was still doing this from morning today…") Neji stared at Gai.

"How many laps have you done?" Neji asked.

Gai placed his left hand forth to take a step.

"Hehe,"

"I am around 219 laps in," Gai smiled.

"TWO HUNDRED AND NINETEEN?!" Neji was shocked.

"This is nothing," Gai groaned as he tried to pick up the pace.

("Should I try it too?") Neji had a fleeting thought which he had dismissed outright due to his pride.

"Why do you keep challenging him?" Neji asked.

"Oh?"

"Are you asking about my eternal rival Kakashi?" Gai asked seemingly taking pride in the fact.

"Mm," Neji nodded lightly.

"Kakashi is a once in a generation genius like you," Gai said as he stepped forth using his hand.

Neji also walked along listening to Gai taking about two laps around the village in the process.

Gai spoke very enthusiastically about Kakashi and his challenges with him.

Though Gai's explanation tended to have himself as a winner by one challenge from his perspective.

However, Neji got a much clearer picture on the entire ordeal including a bit about Kakashi's past.

"I once used to think that he was a born genius,"

"But the day I saw him climbing a hill using only one hand, I decided I must put in hundred times the effort," Gai explained after recounting the past of how he had decided to compete against Kakashi.

"I see…" Neji murmured.

"Neji," Gai looked at Neji as he continued to walk on his hands.

"Lee might not be able to defeat you now,"

"But don't underestimate him," Gai said.

"…" Neji listened silently.

"Not only Lee,"

"One day when you meet a person stronger than you in your generation,"

"Don't give up,"

"Make that person your rival,"

"Fight it till the end,"

"You will find yourself growing at an incredible rate that will overwhelm you,"

"But don't let that take you down,"

"If you act with passion,"

"Compete with rivals, and lift each other up,"

"You'll all become great ninjas," Gai said.

Neji thought back to the time the team had been formed and were introducing each other.

Gai said these same words to Lee.

…

Fast forward to the new batch,

Neji met Naruto and Sasuke.

However, there had been a difference in this timeline.

Naruto graduated at the top of the class, while Sasuke came in second place.

His first target, an Uchiha member came in second.

Neji lost his interest,

— FlashBack Chapter 20 —

"Summon!" Tenten called

(poof)

(poof)

(poof)

(poof)

(poof)

About a hundred weapons of different sorts appeared.

"Dodge!" Neji shouted.

Both Neji and Lee jumped back a few steps as the weapons landed one by one onto the grounds with some of them exploding.

"Hah!" Tenten called her weapons back using strings while Neji and Lee assumed their fighting pose.

"Hmm...Ah, Naruto-kun it's been a long time, would you like to join us for training?" Lee asked as he saw Naruto with his group.

"Hi, thick brows! , it's been a long time" Naruto greeted as his group started walking.

("So that's Naruto the number one rookie...") Neji looked towards Naruto and his group, especially Sasuke who he thought would be the elite member of the Uchiha clan.

Neji lost interest in both Naruto and Sasuke since he had heard from Lee that Naruto was as strong as Lee himself, while Sasuke was just catching up.

However, if Naruto was as strong as Lee, then what was the use?

Sasuke would be even more weaker…

"Let's go Tenten," Neji said as he left along with Tenten from the field.

("That guy seems to be strong too….") Sasuke thought as he saw Neji leaving

— FlashBack Chapter 35 —

Neji smirked upon seeing Naruto take out his kunai.

"Are you really dumb?" Neji asked Naruto in a mocking tone.

Naruto did not pay any heed as he threw the kunai towards Neji.

…

"I don't even need to dodge or block your kunai," Neji said as he raised his palm towards the incoming kunai as he intended to slap it aside.

Other than Kakashi, none of the jounins thought anything of Naruto throwing a kunai, but Kakashi expected otherwise.

The kunai had approached within ten meters of Neji.

Neji aimed as he set his palm on a collision course with the incoming Kunai…

…

As the kunai approached the final two meters…

< Flying Raijin - Second Step >

(BOOM!) Neji was smacked into the ground by Naruto who had appeared out of thin air.

…

"If a failure like me defeats you, then what does that make you?"

"Worse than failure?"

"People can change Neji…"

"Failure can become genius, through hard work," Naruto said as he left the stage.

Neji stared in defeat,

("If Naruto could take me down, then how much has that Uchiha boy trained?") Neji thought internally.

— Flashback Chapter 63 —

"Please fight me at your full strength Gai-sensei!" Neji declared as he assumed his Gentle Fists stance.

"Looks like that little bout with Naruto-kun made you realize your level huh?"

"I see the flames of Fighting Spirit Burning in your eyes!" Gai said as he lowered his stance a bit to start a charge from the ground.

("This time, I will become stronger than Naruto.") Neji thought.

— FlashBack Chapter 97 and 98 —

Naruto powered up another Rasengan in his hand as he looked towards Neji.

"Neji, You are indeed a hardworking genius" Naruto murmured.

"Come at me!" Neji raised a palm against Naruto.

Naruto nodded, following which he threw another Rasengan at Neji.

("I may be tired, but I have enough chakra to spare.") Neji thought upon seeing the Rasengan approach him once again.

< Eight Trigrams, Air Palm! >

Neji struck the Rasengan away.

(BOOM!!!!) The Rasengan destroyed one of the walls of the stadium.

"Is that all?"

"I can handle a hundred of those!" Neji shouted out of anger.

"A hundred?" Naruto blurted.

("That's not a bad idea at all") Naruto thought as he brought his hands together once again.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu again?"

"It must be your favorite jutsu!" Neji said as he continued to breathe slowly.

"Hehe…" Naruto snickered as he executed the jutsu.

(POOF!) A massive cloud of smoke occupied the entire stadium.

"You are right," Naruto said, following which the cloud slowly unveiled the scene.

("What the….") Neji stared at the scene of a hundred Naruto clones in front of him.

"IT'S OUR FAVOURITE JUTSU!" The Clones shouted together, following which the clones raised up their right hands at the same time.

(Whoosh!) a weak windstorm was summoned into being as a hundred rasengans lit up at the same time.

("SHIT….") Neji stared in horror.

"CAN YOU HANDLE A HUNDRED OF THESE?" The clones asked all together at the same time.

…

Neji felt like he had swallowed the most bitter thing in the world…

"I..GIVE UP!" Neji managed to say, following which he panted heavily…

…

Neji looked at Sasuke,

("If Naruto improved in this one month, how much has he?") Neji thought as he continued to stare at Sasuke.

However, he knew that Gaara was terrible news and he had to warn Sasuke, not to end up as Lee did.

Neji also slowly walked towards the entrance of the staircase, only to see Sasuke and Gaara walk out.

("The guy who defeated Lee…") Neji murmured as Gaara walked past him.

Gaara had noticed Neji but did not respond as Neji was a stranger to him.

"Sasuke!" Neji called out.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked in a grumpy voice as he looked towards Neji.

"Be careful!"

"I hope you remember what happened to Lee and stay within your limits," Neji warned as he walked towards the staircase.

…

Neji watched the match between Gaara and Sasuke like everyone else, but internally he had complex thoughts, especially after seeing a lot of difference in Sasuke's fighting style and speed faster than that of Lee's average speed, especially with the speed boost gained from the lightning ability.

— FlashBack Chapter 102 —

Sasuke had activated his Sharingan, which completely changed the way Sasuke responded to attacks.

It changed the fluidity in body movements and decreased reaction times completely.

Neji continued to stare in awe of the Sharingan's abilities.

…

Gaara placed both his palms on the floor.

("What is he doing?") Sasuke thought.

< Sand Tsunami! >

Gaara announced following which a vast ocean of sand, rose from the battlefield and flooded the entire stadium.

"SASUKE-KUN!!!!!" Sakura shouted at the top of her voice, afraid of Sasuke being buried alive in the ocean of sand.

(Bang!)

Sasuke flew out of the ground while he rode upon the head of a snake.

"He does summonings as well?" Neji was shocked; however, that was not all.

(bz!)

(bz!) (bz!)

(bz!) (bz!) (bz!)

(bz!) (bz!) (bz!) (bz!)

Sasuke raised his head as he looked towards Gaara.

"AAARRRGGHHHHH!!!!!!" Sasuke brimmed with battle intent as he flew towards Gaara with one hand with the chakra in the lead…

< Chidori: One thousand birds! >

Sasuke announced the name of the just, while Neji stared in awe at the amount of chakra concentrated in the jutsu, seemingly more destructive than even one ball of Rasengan that Naruto had demonstrated.

— FlashBack Chapter 141 —

"Naruto!" Neji called out.

"Hm…?" Naruto turned back.

"Thank you for saving Lee yesterday," Neji bowed towards Naruto.

"It's all right," Naruto shook his head.

"Lee wanted to know when you and Sasuke want to train along with him again," Neji asked.

"Training with Lee, huh?"

"I really don't know to be honest,"

"I have a match against Sasuke tomorrow in the morning," Naruto said.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Neji murmured.

"Naruto," Neji called out.

"hm…?" Naruto looked at Neji.

"Can you get me a battle against him?" Neji asked."

— End of FlashBacks —

Neji stared at Sasuke.

("Sasuke,")

("We are both chasing after the one we cannot defeat,")

("We are both similar, you and I…")

("I am not sure if I can challenge you like Gai-sensei challenges Kakashi-sensei,")

("But, you are more of a rival to me than anyone else can ever be…") Neji thought back to the time Naruto stood against Sasuke in the Chuunin exam stage, seemingly imagining himself in front of Sasuke instead of Naruto.

("This match should have taken place a long time ago, but it will happen today,") Neji thought.

Sasuke also stared at Neji.

The air between the two pulsed with battle intent as the duo simultaneously released it causing Lee also to be very interested in the matchup that was right in front of his eyes.

Lee looked at Sasuke and Neji.

"The battle between Uchiha Sasuke of Team Kakashi and Hyūga Neji of Team Guy,"

"…"

Lee brought his hand down which was in slow motion to Sasuke and Neji's eyes, as the leaves rustled around them due to the raging battle intent.

A sudden wind blew up to the sky as Lee's hand finally landed down.

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