Just a few moments ago, Uzumaki Naruto had defeated Inuzuka Kiba in the seventh match of the Chūnin Selection Exam Preliminary Round. It had been a hard fought match between both young shinobi, but eventually Naruto was able to prevail. Afterwards, Naruto had been given a small container of Hyūga Clan Secret Ointment by a fellow Konoha-genin named Hyūga Hinata.

"Wow, this works really well," Naruto remarked as he applied the medical ointment to a wound just above his wrist. Unlike most medical ointments, this one quickly closed the wound and the pain vanished all together. Naruto wondered if Hinata had made it herself. "Great medicine!"

"Thank you, Naruto-kun, I'm glad you think so," The Hyūga girl said, smiling at the boy, before heading down to the floor where her injured teammate was being attended to by Medical-nin.

"You wanna use it, too, Sakura-chan," Naruto asked, turning to his teammate Haruno Sakura.

You're the only one who would heal so quickly, Hatake Kakashi, the jōnin-sensei of Naruto and Sakura, thought. I'm always surprised by the power of the Kyūbi. However, it had nothing to do with the bijū sealed within the Uzumaki. The medical ointment was just that good at healing.

Hinata took out another ointment container from her ninja tool pouch and walked over to Kiba, who had just been loaded onto a stretcher by the two of the Medical-nin. The third was carrying the boy's ninken partner Akamaru in his arms. The medics stopped when Hinata approached.

"Um...this is medicine for Kiba-kun and Akamaru-kun," Hinata explained when she reached them, holding out the container of medical ointment. Kiba, who was now awake, turned to her.

"Heh...you better start worrying about yourself," Kiba told her. "The only guys remaining are you and Choji, Neji, Lee, the Oto-nin and that Suna guy. Only six people. Listen, Hinata..."

Hinata sighed and she dropped her arms to her side, as well as putting away the ointment.

"If you get the Suna-guy, then forfeit immediately," Kiba instructed his teammate. "And one more...if you get Neji, then do the same, forfeit! He's cruel to you...you'll get beaten to a pulp."

Why can't my teammates or my sensei believe in me? Hinata looked downwards. Because of her soft-spoken and polite nature, the other members of her genin squad...Team Eight...treated her like she was delicate and weak, no matter how hard she trained or worked on missions. She already got a lot of bad treatment from her own clan, who saw her as nothing but a failure and a burden. Her team was supposed to be like a second family, but sometimes they acted just as bad as the first. Hinata found herself clenching her fists and she felt very eager to prove herself.

"Now, we'll announce the next match," The proctor of the preliminary round, Gekkō Hayate, said from the center of the room. Hinata turned her attention to the video board that was above the balcony which displayed who was fighting in each match. What it showed...shocked everyone...

HYŪGA HINATA -VS- HYŪGA NEJI

Hinata felt panic start to creep in at the sight of her cousin's name up there on the board next to hers. She noticed Hyūga Neji glaring at her from the balcony and she gulped nervously, before softly biting her bottom lip. He hated her more than anything, and would surely try to kill her.

"Damn," Kiba groaned as the Medical-nin carried him. "Hinata...forfeit...please..."

"I...I'm..." Hinata stammered, but then she noticed that Naruto's attention was on her, and she couldn't help but smile. She really liked the boy, and he was an inspiration to her because of how he never gave up, even when things seemed to be impossibly difficult. She hoped that, if Naruto could see how strong and capable she was, that maybe...maybe he would like her too. "I won't."

Hinata closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, before opening them and exhaling. She saw that Neji had come down to the floor and was standing near Hayate. Hinata unclenched her fists and walked over to her cousin and the proctor. She channeled as much confidence as possible.

She knew her cousin's fighting style, so she just needed to think up a way to counter it. He would tear down an opponent with words before demolishing them. Neji merely thought he was strong because of how well this strategy worked, however he was just a weakling who would hide behind his words. So what she needed to do was keep calm and be mentally strong. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to continuously counter each thing he said so his words wouldn't work.

Besides, there were some things that she has wanted to say to Neji, and this was her chance.

"I never thought I'd be facing you...Hinata-sama," Neji said coldly, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Neither did I...Neji-nii-san," Hinata agreed, keeping her breathing study. She had an urge to grip the hem of her jacket, but she buried that urge. She had to focus on surviving Neji's first attack.

"What," Naruto exclaimed from up on the balcony shocked by the revelation. "They're siblings!?"

"They are members of Konoha's oldest and greatest bloodline," Kakashi explained to both of his students, as Sakura was also shocked. "The House of the Hyuga clan. But they aren't siblings."

"Then what are they," Sakura inquired, intrigued to know just what was going on.

"Hmm...well...they are members of the Hyuga clan 'Main House' and 'Branch House,'' Kakashi further explained to his confused yet curious genin students. "You could say..."

"Main House and Branch House," Naruto asked, confused by those terms.

"Yes," Another genin exclaimed from nearby, Rock Lee, was a year older than the genin of Team Seven and Team Eight. He and Neji were both on a team under jonin Maito Gai. "Hinata-san is a member of the Hyuga-clan Main House, while Neji arries Hyuga blood but is in a lower house."

"So they are cousins then," Sakura guessed, then sighed. "That makes fighting difficult..."

"Yes, but..." Lee replied, turning his attention back down to his teammate.

"What," Naruto asked, curious what this older genin was about to say.

"Many things have happened between the houses over the years," Lee explained to the two genin of Team Seven. "And right now they do not get along together very well."

"Hmm...why," Naruto asked, wanting to know more.

"I don't know everything, but, this is normal with old houses," Lee replied. "But in order to protect the bloodline and those of the original Hyuga family, many rules have been established to put the Main Family in an advantageous situation. Because of this the Branch House feels slighted."

"So they hate each other, then," Sakura muttered, turning her attention back to the match.

But then why did Hinata call Neji 'nii-san' if she hates him, Naruto wondered, also turning his attention back to the match at hand and decided to remain silent instead of saying anymore.

"Now, begin the match," Hayate said, before coughing. He had been coughing during the entire round, and Hinata wondered if the jōnin was doing alright. However, she didn't have time to worry about that right now. She had to prepare herself for her cousin's coming verbal assault

"Before we begin the fight," Neji began. "I would like to say something, Hinata-sama."

You always want to say something, Neji-nii san, Hinata thought to herself. She smiled to show that she was not afraid of him and chuckled too. "And what's that, Onii-san? That you...forfeit?"

"You don't make a good shinobi," Neji said, ignoring her question. "Forfeit now!"

"You mean...you forfeit," Hinata corrected him, raising her pitch to annoy her cousin. She was doing good so far, however Neji hadn't yet begun to deliver his cutting words yet. But she would be ready when he did. More than ready. Hinata continued smiling and channeling confidence.

"You are too kind," Neji continued, and Hinata laughed. To her, that was a compliment.

"Oh, thank you," She said. "I do want to be kind like Kā-san...and strong like Tō-san after all."

"Why, you..." Neji grumbled, glaring daggers at his cousin, who was beginning to get on the boy's nerves. "Look...you are too kind...to a fault, Hinata-sama. You wish for harmony and avoid conflict. You agree with others, never resisting. That is why you lost your place as clan heiress!"

There was nothing wrong about wishing for harmony and avoiding conflict. It was the trait of a good leader. But always agreeing with others and never resisting? That wasn't even true at all.

"I haven't lost my place as clan heiress," Hinata protested, looking confused. "Since when?"

"Since when you lost to Hanabi-sama in a spar," Neji reminded her. "She's the heiress now."

"Oh...that," Hinata recalled, laughing and smiling again. Two years ago, her father had begun to doubt her skill and then forced Hinata to spar her younger sister Hanabi in a decisive match for the title of clan heiress. Apparently Neji thought she had lost to her sister and wasn't the clan heiress anymore. "I am still heiress. Imōtō-chan didn't beat me. She...forfeited. Like you should."

Hinata's former classmates began laughing up on the balcony except for her other teammate Aburame Shino. However, the others were enjoying this, and Hinata was very happy that they were. Besides, who knew that the so-called "Shy Hyūga" was good at reverse psychology?

"Anyways," Neji grumbled, his teeth gritted and his fists clenched. "As I was saying...I always feel your sense of inferiority. That's why I thought it would be best for you to remain a genin."

"Um...you're not Otō-sama, Kurenai-sensei or Hokage-sama. You can't decide that."

Yūhi Kurenai, the jonin-sensei of Team Eight, had been the one to recommend Hinata, Kiba and Shino for the Chūnin Exams. Hinata supposed that maybe her father could have prevented her from entering the Chūnin Exams, but why would he? Yes, he was among those who doubted Hinata's skill, however Hyūga Hiashi always pushed her to be stronger. So that wasn't likely at all. And then the Hokage...well...he had ultimate say on who was promoted to chūnin or not.

"Ugh...do you think I care, Hinata-sama," Neji shouted, his blood beginning to boil. "My point is, the Chunin Exams can only be taken as a team of three! You couldn't turn down the request of your teammates and unwillingly entered. This...is reality. Am I wrong, Hinata-sama? Well...?"

"Mm-hmm...you are wrong, Neji," Hinata declared. "I entered to prove that I can change!"

Besides, it was actually Aburame Shino who was the "wimp" of Team Eight, even if the way he dressed and acted didn't make it seem obvious. He didn't like the idea of entering the Chūnin Exams when Kurenai-sensei informed her genin that she had recommended them for it. Shino was afraid of losing too many of his kikaichū and Kiba bribedhim to change his mind and enter.

"Hinata-sama...as I thought...you are a spoiled brat of the Main House," Neji scoffed, trying his best to calm down. He was supposed to be tearing her down, not the other way around. It was so aggravating. How did his cousin get so confident all the sudden? He needed to break her.

"You're wrong about me, Onii-san," Hinata corrected her angry cousin, shaking her head. "I am not a spoiled brat of the Main House. I am the first daughter born to a Hyūga clan head in over a century. That makes proving myself difficult. So I have to work harder than anyone in the clan!"

Yamanaka Ino, a kunoichi from Hinata's class and the heiress of her own clan, was taken aback by Hinata's words. She felt surprised at Hinata's words, possibly because she had no trouble with being the Yamanaka clan heiress. She had practically taken it for granted the way her own clan treated herself so well. From where she stood on the balcony, Ino felt a little embarrassed.

"You are delusional, Hinata-sama," Neji snapped, wanting nothing more to kill Hinata right then and there. He hated her with every ounce of his being. To him, Hinata was nothing but a weakling and a burden upon him, the clan and the entire world. However, he had a point to prove first before he either brutally or swiftly ended his cousin's short, pathetic life. "People cannot change themselves. Losers are losers. Their personality and strength will not change!"

"You do know that change is a part of growing up," Hinata reminded Neji. "Right...?"

"Would you...please...SHUT UP," Neji shouted at her. "You don't get it, do you, Hinata-sama?"

Kurenai was feeling rather puzzled, as was Shino. This did not seem like Hinata at all, that was for certain. How had she changed so quickly? The Hinata that they knew would never have the confidence to do something like defending herself against who was trying to tear her down with words. Glancing towards the Team Seven genin, Kurenai found both genin watching Hinata.

It couldn't be that...? No, that's absurd, everyone would've seen it happen, Kurenai thought, shaking her head and turning her attention back to the match. There was no way that Naruto and Hinata had switched places right before the match began...even if Hinata seemed to be acting like Naruto at the moment. Kurenai cursed herself for underestimating the young girl.

"These kids are really impressive, aren't they," Kakashi asked Kurenai, who sighed. It was as if he knew what she was thinking. Once the exams finished, she'd work on being a better sensei.

"Kakashi-sensei, why doesn't she attack him already," Naruto asked his sensei impatiently.

"I have an idea, but I don't want to spoil anything," Kakashi told his student. "You'll see."

"Looks, brains, ability, size, personality," Neji continued, hoping that he could crack whatever confidence that Hinata suddenly had. "All people judge and are judged in these values. Based on these unchangeable factors, people discriminate and are discriminated against. And they suffer within their own hands. Like how I am from a Branch House and you are from the Main House."

"We can't control who our parents are," Hinata half-agreed. "But we can change who we are."

"You are mistaken," Neji snapped. "I have seen through many things with this Byakugan—"

"Poor Tenten-san," Hinata said with concern. "I hope you have self-control around her, Onii-san."

"Take that Ero-teme," Naruto shouted down at Neji from the balcony, laughing his head off. He wasn't sure what the Byakugan was, but based on what Neji said and then what Hinata implied, he figured that it was probably something that perverts would love to get their hands on. But he was also curious about the Byakugan, so he turned to Kakashi. "What's the Byakugan, sensei?"

"They say that the Uchiha clan's origins lie with the Hyuga clan," Kakashi began, which caught Sakura's attention since she had a major crush on an Uchiha. "The 'Byakugan' is one of the advanced kekkei genkai passed down in the Hyuga house. It's an ability similar to the Uchiha clan's Sharingan, but...in terms of the ability of nsight...it surpasses the Sharingan completely."

A dōjutsu more powerful than the Sharingan, Naruto thought in amazement. He had seen first hand just what the Sharingan was capable of and how powerful it could be. However, Naruto was in awe that something more powerful than the Sharingan existed. Heheh, take that, teme...

This time Naruto was thinking of Uchiha Sasuke, the third genin member of Team Seven and a stuck-up jerk who most of the girls from Naruto's class were infatuated with. And as he thought about it, he couldn't remember Hinata ever being a Sasuke-fangirl and wondered why that was.

"I...I would do no such thing to my teammate," Neji shouted, fists clenched and his face red with embarrassment. How dare his cousin imply such a thing? "You know that I did not mean that!"

"But you didn't specify what your Byakugan has seen through," Hinata explained, giving a shrug, before suddenly realizing something. Even though she knew very well that Neji wanted nothing more than to kill her, Hinata found herself wondering if Neji had ever...no, she didn't want to think about it. The thought sickened and horrified "Neji-nii-san, you haven't...? You wouldn't dare!"

"I am above such things, Hinata-sama," Neji spat, disgusted that Hinata would suggest such a thing, especially in front of all of the other genin, the jōnin and even the Hokage himself! He was not a pervert, even if the Byakugan was capable of such acts. Even if Neji was a pervert, he would never stoop as low to peep on a failure. "Besides, I hate you too much to do that!"

"Well, that makes me feel better," Hinata said, sighing with relief. "But still...you just shouldn't."

"Oh, for the love of..." Neji groaned, his head starting to hurt from the annoyance that was his cousin. "Look...you are just acting strong. Deep inside, you just want to run away from here."

"Maybe...but only because this is getting boring," Hinata admitted, giving a fake yawn, sending her cousin over the edge. Neji was seething with hatred and anger towards his very obnoxious cousin. He activated the Byakugan, his eyes and the connecting chakra veins seeming to bulge.

There's no going back now, Hinata realized, gritting her teeth as Neji unleashed a wave of killing intent so enormous towards his cousin that Hayate took a step back from two Hyūga. Neji was breaking at least a dozen or so claws, but Hinata didn't feel like quoting them. Clan laws didn;t really matter much in the Chūnin Exams. Also, she was having too much fun antagonizing him.

"Well, Neji-nii-san, it appears that you have dug yourself too deep of a hole to escape from," The Hyūga clan heiress pointed out as she lowered into the traditional Hyūga clan fighting stance, very much ready to do battle against her cousin. And come out victorious. Neji glared at her and continued unleashing killing intent at Hinata, but she did not back down. "You are correct...in the past I may have run away from my problems, but no more! I am not running away anymore!"

"Yeah, you tell him, Hinata," Naruto cheered from the balcony.

"Kick his stuck-up ass," Sakura added, punching the air. "Cha!"

Naruto's teammate Haruno Sakura added, punching the air. "Cha!"

"You've got this," Ino called out to her former classmate and fellow clan heiress.

"I'm hungry," Akimichi Choji groaned, which got him an elbow in the ribs from Ino. "Ow!"

"What a drag," Nara Shikamaru mumbled, and Ino kicked his shin. "Troublesome..."

"That is..." Lee muttered, surprised by the stance that Hinata had just taken.

Besides, my friends are watching me, Hinata thought as she prepared to fight. Naruto-kun, Sakura-chan, Ino-chan, Shino-san, Shikamaru-san and Choji-san...I want to show them how much I've changed...how far I've come since our days at the academy. "Neji-nii-san...we fight!"