patreon.com/Novelmaker .
----------------------------------------------------------
Although Hinata was already performing the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms, another larger chakra pattern formed beneath her.
Neji's eyes narrowed—Hinata was also initiating the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!
"What?!" A chilling realization dawned on Neji.
"Hmph!" Hinata sneered and charged forward.
"I don't know why you think like that, but…"
"If you feel like you can't resist, just lie still and don't move!"
"Not good!" Neji's heart tightened as he struggled to move his body.
"When I become the leader of the Hyuga Clan, I'll help you break your so-called fate!"
The moment her words ended, Hinata struck out mercilessly.
"Eight Trigrams! Four Palms! Eight Palms! Sixteen Palms!"
Her palms flew like a storm, each strike precise and forceful, pushing Neji back with each blow.
Neji, caught off guard, couldn't even initiate his Sixty-Four Palms. He was completely suppressed, only able to block a few hits.
Everyone stared in disbelief. The normally soft-spoken and gentle Hinata was dominating Neji.
Neji—the reputed genius—had no way to resist Hinata's flurry of attacks!
"Thirty-Two Palms! Sixty-Four Palms!" Hinata roared.
A final blast from her palm slammed Neji into the wall.
"It's over!" Hinata declared coldly.
"Brother Neji, I'm no longer the same person I used to be," she added calmly before returning to the stands.
Clap, clap, clap!
Crisp applause echoed across the arena, snapping the spectators from their daze.
Haruto stood with a smile, arms folded, clapping.
"Well done, Hinata!"
"Thank you, Brother Haruto." Hinata smiled faintly, like a blooming snow lotus.
"That was amazing, Hinata!" Naruto cheered, throwing an arm around her neck.
"You actually beat that cataract guy!"
Although Naruto didn't fully grasp Neji's strength, judging from Hinata's performance, even he doubted he could have done better.
To everyone's surprise, Hinata—despite Naruto's close embrace—didn't faint.
Her red cheeks showed she wasn't calm, but she remained conscious and standing.
"Oh wow, Hinata, you didn't faint this time!" Kiba exclaimed in surprise.
Kurenai and Shino also stared in shock.
Previously, Hinata would pass out if Naruto even came within a meter of her. Now, being held so closely, she remained composed. It was even more shocking than her victory.
Elsewhere in the stands, Gai's team was in disbelief as they looked at Neji lying on the ground.
"Neji... actually lost?!" Tenten muttered.
"How's that possible? Neji's a genius! How could he lose so easily?!" Rock Lee was stunned.
He had always looked up to Neji, believing geniuses like him were unbeatable.
Yet against Hinata, another Hyuga, Neji had no room to fight back.
Even his clone was taken down instantly. Before he could unleash his Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, he was already defeated.
For Rock Lee, this was harder to accept than losing himself.
"So... geniuses can be defeated too..." he murmured.
Meanwhile, Gai stood frozen in shock.
"How is this possible?!"
Neji was the strongest on his team—and he lost this badly?!
"Medical team!" Gai suddenly leapt from the stands, rushing to cradle Neji in his arms and calling for help.
Neji's eyes were unfocused as two medical-nin carried him away like a lifeless doll.
"In this match, Hyuga Hinata wins!" Gekko Hayate announced without emotion.
"Next match, Rock Lee VS Gaara!"
Cough cough! Gekko Hayate coughed and stepped back.
"This is bad..." Kankuro and Temari looked at Gaara with nervous eyes.
"Watching that match got you excited?" Behind them, Baki said coldly to Gaara. "The monster inside him…"
"I didn't expect that girl who looked so weak to be that strong!" Kankuro glanced toward Hinata, who now seemed like a cold, distant figure.
"That Hyuga Neji—wasn't he the one we ran into in the forest?" Temari asked softly.
"Yeah," Kankuro replied in a low voice. "The only one who survived Gaara's hands."
Back in the Forest of Death, Gaara had gone on a rampage after being kicked by Sasuke, killing nearly everyone in sight.
Only Neji's team had escaped.
When Gaara had controlled his sand to trap them, that Byakugan boy had spun in place, repelling the sand entirely.
In the end, Gaara couldn't gain the upper hand and had to let them escape.
Kankuro had thought Neji was exceptional.
Yet today, he was crushed by a girl who looked fragile.
The realization shook them.
Especially Gaara—he trembled slightly, his expression distorted at the sight of someone he failed to defeat being overwhelmed so easily.
Swish!
In an instant, Gaara turned into a stream of sand and descended into the arena.
"Hey… Is he going to be okay?!" Kankuro asked Baki, eyes wide.
"Let's play it by ear," Baki muttered, sneaking a glance at the Third Hokage seated at the front.
Sarutobi Hiruzen remained composed, casually taking a sip of sake from an elegant purple gourd.
"Plum wine…"
Nearby, Tenten looked at Rock Lee with concern.
"I'm fine, Tenten!" Rock Lee reassured her with a bright smile.
"If Neji lost, that just proves geniuses aren't unbeatable!"
"But he's still my goal!"
"Well said, Rock Lee!"
Suddenly, Gai burst forward, wrapping Rock Lee in a tight hug, tears streaming down his face.
"This is youth!"
"Let's go, Rock Lee!" Gai shouted with fiery passion.
"Yes, Gai-sensei!" Rock Lee responded, jumping down into the arena.
"He's coming! He's coming!" Haruto exclaimed from the other side, his face full of anticipation.
"It's finally here—the pinnacle Genin battle!"
End of the Chapter.