Evil Uchiha Itsuki

Flying ninjas? 

Are there any? 

Yes! 

Dust Release! 

Second Tsuchikage Mu and Third Tsuchikage Onoki can both fly. 

Additionally, the full-body Susanoo unleashed by the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan can grow wings and soar into the sky. 

And beyond that, Angel Konan can also fly. 

But! 

The Hyuga clan's Byakugan doesn't include flight. 

So how exactly is Hinata flying? 

The Jonin narrowed their eyes as they looked at Hinata's hand. 

There was a faint string attached to her delicate hand. 

"I see!" 

Kakashi immediately held Naruto back from shouting and said in a low voice, "Look at her hand." 

The Genin followed his gaze, shocked. "A string?" 

"Yes!" 

Kakashi explained, "When Hinata threw her kunai earlier, some of them had strings attached. After Neji deflected them, one of them got lodged in the rooftop. Hinata used this small trick to pull off the flight." 

"I see!" 

Naruto crossed his arms, nodding heavily, as if he fully understood. 

The people around him shot him strange looks. 

Do you really understand? 

And why are you acting like this is so obvious? 

You'd never use a trick like this in your whole life. 

Hard-headed Naruto! 

All you do is charge ahead! 

"Boom!" 

Below! 

Neji was still being bombarded by explosions. 

Although he had Rotation, it couldn't last forever. 

Neji's chakra wasn't enough to keep it going for long. 

Finally, the explosions stopped. 

His Rotation technique ended as well. 

Neji, battered and bruised, emerged. 

He staggered forward, his gaze stubborn. 

Hinata held onto the string, looking down at Neji from above. 

Kneel down and call me Queen! 

"Neji brother, are you alright? Come on, as a man, shout it out loud." 

Many people twitched at the corners of their mouths. 

This Hinata had really turned into a little gangster now, a female thug. 

Uchiha Itsuki, stop corrupting her, will you? 

She used to be such a sweet, obedient girl! 

Neji glared coldly at Hinata and said, "I haven't lost." 

"Really?" 

Hinata giggled and casually threw a few more kunai. 

At this point. 

Even dodging regular kunai was difficult for Neji. 

The explosive tags had indeed injured him. 

Although there were no visible wounds, his entire body felt like it was in pain. 

Even simple movements felt like they were tearing his muscles. 

"Neji brother, you're done." 

Hinata sighed softly and said, "You probably want me to think that, right?" 

"And then, you want me to come closer and defeat you with my own hands, right?" 

"Because you still have one final attack left." 

"This is your last hope!" 

Neji's face remained cold, silent. 

"Well, alright, I'll grant you that." 

Hinata stepped forward, taking a stance for the Eight Trigrams technique. 

This sight made Neji's eye twitch. 

Hinata knows the Eight Trigrams too? 

"Neji brother, do you know?" 

Hinata looked at him and suddenly said, "I represent change, and you represent the old ways. That's why I said you accepted your father's death." 

"Shut up!" 

Neji was furious. 

When it came to his father, he could no longer stay calm. 

"Shut up?" 

Hinata chuckled softly. "Then tell me, your father died because of the Hyuga clan's rules. You're angry, but what have you done to change that?" 

Neji grew even angrier but couldn't respond. 

Could he say he wanted to kill Hinata to defy the clan's rules? 

But! 

He couldn't beat her! 

Saying it out loud would be even more embarrassing. 

How pathetic! 

As for his father, Hizashi, dying to protect his brother, that was something told to Neji by Hiashi after Neji's defeat by Naruto in the original story. 

Who knows why Hiashi waited until then to say it? 

There must've been deeper meaning! 

Besides! 

If Hizashi hadn't sacrificed himself, would he really not have died? 

Nonsense! 

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, might've taken action himself to send him on his way. 

As long as it didn't spark a war, losing a few people was an acceptable price to pay. 

"As for me!" Hinata laughed. "I used to only be a good daughter to my father, my every action restricted. Now, I want to change." 

"Huh?" 

Many people were confused. 

Hinata, isn't she being controlled? 

This sounds a lot like her real self. 

"Don't stick to the rules, Neji brother!" 

Hinata clenched her fists and shouted, "What we need is the unexpected. In this world, we shouldn't operate like we're following a fixed program." 

...To hell with your unexpected! Get over here already! I'm barely holding on, and I've got one last move to give you for free. 

Neji's face was stern, but in his mind, he was cursing like crazy. 

"I'm coming, Neji brother!" 

Hinata locked her gaze on Neji. 

Come on! 

A glimmer of hope appeared in Neji's eyes. 

And then... 

"Damn you!" 

Neji let out one final, agonized scream. 

Because Hinata didn't charge at him. Instead, she started throwing explosive tags at him like crazy. 

"Boom!" 

Another round of explosions engulfed Neji. 

This scene left everyone dumbfounded. 

Because they could all see that Neji had one last attack left. 

Hinata's posture made it seem like she was about to give him one final, dignified defeat. 

She had even taken the stance. 

It looked like she was going to defeat him head-on! 

But in the end! 

This? 

Why did you bother talking so much if you were just going to use explosive tags? 

Don't you realize this is way too anticlimactic? 

Shiranui Genma intervened. 

If he hadn't stepped in, Neji would've gone to join his father. 

With so many explosive tags, the fact that he'd have anything left of him would already be impressive. 

Genma, a former Hokage bodyguard with Jonin-level skills, swiftly nullified all the explosive tags with ease. 

"Winner: Hyuga Hinata!" 

Silence. 

There was no cheering! 

Only silence. 

Even Naruto didn't know what to say. 

If Hinata had defeated Neji with her own strength at the end, everyone would've cheered without hesitation. 

But now it just felt ridiculous. 

You gave him hope, then stomped him into the dirt, and spat on him for good measure. 

"Ah!!" 

Suddenly! 

A scream rang out. 

The screamer was none other than Hinata! 

She looked at her hands in panic, then at Neji, who was being carried away, her eyes filled with disbelief. 

Then. 

She covered her face and ran off, disappearing from everyone's sight in an instant. 

...Has the genjutsu worn off? 

Everyone thought silently to themselves. 

Indeed! 

What had just happened was far too shocking for a lady like Hinata. 

That queen-like attitude—Hinata wouldn't even dare dream of doing something like that! 

A single fight had left both combatants doubting their very existence. 

Hyuga Neji! 

Hyuga Hinata! 

Let's hope they won't have any lasting psychological damage! 

"Hehe!" 

Itsuki chuckled softly. 

Sweet, obedient girls—what kind of change will this event bring about in you? 

I'm looking forward to it. 

He looked around, and no one dared to meet his gaze. Except for the Third Hokage, their eyes locking once again. 

And then... 

Itsuki stuck his tongue out again, causing veins to pop out on the Third Hokage's forehead. 

I have to act fast and take this guy down! 

Round three! 

It's coming soon! 

Uchiha Itsuki, your death is near! 

The Third Hokage roared internally in fury. 

(End of Chapter)