I ,Sasuke , Why Should I Defect To Konoha

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"For this round... Uzumaki Naruto versus Hyuga Hinata."

Moonlight Hayate coughed lightly, raising his gaze toward the second-floor balcony where the participants stood. His voice cut through the murmurs of the audience as he beckoned the two combatants forward.

"What? Hinata's my opponent?!" Naruto exclaimed, running his hands through his spiky hair in frustration. "Why does it have to be her? Ugh, this is such a headache!"

The young Uzumaki's boisterous complaints echoed in the arena, causing a ripple of murmurs among the spectators. For Naruto, who had always envisioned himself as a hero, the idea of fighting Hinata—a shy and gentle girl—felt more like bullying than a fair match.

Yet, deep inside, he couldn't afford to back down. His pride was on the line, and there was no way he'd let Sasuke mock him for losing.

"Naruto-kun... I-I forfeit," Hinata stammered suddenly, stepping forward timidly. Her pale eyes were filled with hesitation, and a faint blush colored her cheeks.

Hinata's words took everyone by surprise. Her soft voice barely carried through the arena, but it was loud enough for Naruto to hear.

"Nani?! Forfeit?!" Naruto's blue eyes widened as he waved his arms in disbelief. "No way, Hinata! You've come this far, so why give up now?!"

Naruto's passionate declaration caused a ripple of silence, broken only by the faint gasps of the audience.

"You've worked so hard to get here, Hinata! Don't throw away everything you've done just because we're friends or classmates. You joined this exam to prove something, right? Then show me that resolve!"

His heartfelt plea stirred something deep within Hinata. Her lavender eyes glistened as she gazed at Naruto, her idol and inspiration. Naruto's words reminded her of why she had pushed herself to take the exam in the first place.

Her hesitation wavered. For once, she wanted to stand on equal footing with him.

"That's more like it, Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed, sensing her resolve. He turned his gaze toward Sakura with a sly grin. "Hey, Sakura-chan! Watch me win this match and climb to the top! Maybe after I win, you can go on a celebratory date with me?"

Sakura's cheeks flushed with annoyance as a large vein appeared on her forehead. But before she could respond, Sasuke moved faster.

"Idiot, just shut up already," Sasuke growled, delivering a swift kick to Naruto's rear.

"Ow!" Naruto yelped, flying off the balcony and landing face-first in the arena below. He rolled over, rubbing his sore backside.

"Take this seriously, Naruto," Sasuke muttered, glaring down at him. His dark eyes flickered toward Hinata. "You better not hold back either."

Hinata nodded nervously, taking a deep breath. From the corner of her eye, she noticed her sensei, Yuhi Kurenai, offering her a small nod of encouragement.

"You can do this, Hinata," Kurenai said warmly.

Gathering her courage, Hinata descended into the arena. Though her steps were hesitant, her resolve had solidified. She couldn't let her feelings for Naruto cloud her determination.

Once both competitors stood in place, Hayate raised his hand to signal the start of the match.

"Begin!"

Naruto wasted no time, forming hand seals as he shouted, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

In an instant, over a dozen identical Narutos appeared around him, all grinning mischievously.

Hinata, unfazed, activated her Byakugan. The veins near her eyes bulged as her vision sharpened, allowing her to see the chakra flows of each clone. She steadied herself, slipping into the Hyuga clan's signature Gentle Fist stance.

"Let's see what you've got, Hinata!" Naruto called out, sending his clones charging toward her in waves.

Hinata's lavender eyes scanned the battlefield, analyzing the incoming attacks. The clones surrounded her, but she remained calm, her movements fluid as she evaded their strikes.

With precise blows, she began dispelling the clones one by one. Her palms struck with pinpoint accuracy, targeting their chakra points and causing them to vanish in puffs of smoke.

The audience watched in awe as Hinata moved gracefully, her Gentle Fist technique on full display. Even Naruto seemed taken aback by her skill.

"Whoa, Hinata's pretty amazing!" Sakura said, her initial annoyance forgotten.

"Not bad," Sasuke muttered under his breath, crossing his arms.

However, not everyone was impressed. In the stands, Neji Hyuga watched the match with a cold expression. His pale eyes narrowed as he observed Hinata's movements.

"Is this all the Hyuga clan's so-called heiress can do?" he muttered bitterly.

Neji's disdain didn't go unnoticed by his teammates, Haruto and Tenten. The tension in the air was palpable as they exchanged uneasy glances.

Back in the arena, Naruto decided to change tactics. He jumped back, creating distance between himself and Hinata.

"Alright, let's see how you handle this!" he shouted, forming more hand seals.

The remaining clones leapt into action, surrounding Hin

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