Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

"Where am I?" Tenten muttered groggily, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling above her.

"The lounge in the central tower of the Forest of Death," Kirito replied calmly from a seat nearby.

"I lost..." Tenten murmured, her voice tinged with disappointment as she realized she was lying on a sofa in the lounge. "What about you and Lee?"

"The matches haven't started yet. Right now, it's Naruto from Kakashi's team against Kiba from Kurenai's team," Kirito answered. "You passed out from chakra exhaustion, so I treated you and let you rest."

"I see..." Tenten turned her head away, burying her face in the sofa. "You guys have to work hard. Don't lose like I did."

Kirito studied her for a moment before speaking. "I have a question for you."

"What is it?"

"Did you give it your all in your match against Temari? Did you hold back or hide your strength?"

"Of course not!" Tenten replied indignantly. "I pushed myself to the limit, even to the point of chakra exhaustion. How could I have held back?"

"Then what do you think of Temari's strength?" Kirito pressed.

"She's strong... and her abilities counter mine completely. I can't beat her now."

"What about in the future?"

Tenten hesitated. "I don't know."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Kirito said gently. "If you can't beat her now, work harder and surpass her in the future. Becoming a legendary kunoichi isn't supposed to be easy."

He paused, then added with a small smirk, "Now you've seen your shortcomings. Use this as a reference—decide if you want to hone your strengths further or address your weaknesses. Either way, I'll push you in training. Be prepared."

Tenten smiled faintly. "Thank you. I feel better now. You should head back—your match is coming up, and it wouldn't look good if you're late."

"All right," Kirito said, standing. "Take your time to rest." He left the lounge, giving Tenten the space she needed.

As the door closed, Tenten turned on her side, staring silently into the distance. She had given it her all against Temari, and yet, it hadn't been enough. The thought of being the only one from her team to fail weighed heavily on her. Will I be left behind while they move forward? The fear of being outpaced by Kirito and Lee gnawed at her.

"How's Tenten?" Rock Lee asked as Kirito returned to the spectator area.

"She's fine," Kirito replied. "She's awake and resting. She wants to be alone for a while."

"That's good." Lee let out a sigh of relief, then clenched his fists with determination. "Her fight was incredible! Next time, I'll win and carry her will to the championship!"

"That's the spirit of youth!" Guy shouted, tears streaming down his face.

"I'm not dead yet!" Kirito thought, imagining Tenten's response if she were present.

Down in the arena, the match between Naruto and Kiba reached its climax. Naruto, in an unexpected move, used his infamous "fart escape" to incapacitate Kiba's sensitive nose, creating an opening to land a shadow clone-enhanced "Naruto Uzumaki Barrage." Kiba was knocked out, and Naruto advanced to the third exam.

The seventh match was announced: "Kirito vs. Hinata Hyuga."

"It's over," thought Kurenai's team. Apart from Shino, they doubted anyone from their team could win against the remaining contestants.

"Kirito, don't lose!" Lee cheered, only to notice Kirito giving him a bemused look. "What?"

"Nothing," Kirito replied, shaking his head. "You should prepare yourself. Your match is coming up."

"Of course! My blood is always boiling at 100%!" Lee declared.

I'll do my best to help him if it comes to that, Kirito thought, knowing Lee's next opponent would likely be Gaara.

Kirito and Hinata stepped into the arena. Facing each other, Kirito spoke first. "Do you know who I am?"

"Yes," Hinata answered softly. "You're the one who defeated my father, Uncle Hiashi, and my brother, Neji, last year."

"Then you must know you're not my equal. Why did you step up?"

"I..." Hinata glanced briefly at Naruto before replying, "I want to face challenges head-on. I want to change my cowardly self."

"Fair enough," Kirito said, smiling faintly. "Let's see what you've got."

From the viewing platform, Naruto turned to Kakashi. "Hey, Sensei, is there a connection between Kirito and Hinata? They both have those white eyes."

"They're both part of the Hyuga Clan, but Kirito is an exile," Kakashi explained. He proceeded to outline the Hyuga family's Main House and Branch House system, including the Bird Cage Seal.

"So he defied the Hyuga Clan? That's amazing!" Naruto exclaimed.

"He's an outlier," Kakashi admitted. "Kirito's parentage is unknown, but his Byakugan marks him as a Hyuga. He's an orphan, much like you."

Naruto looked surprised. "Really? I never knew..."

"It's true. You even shared a crib in the orphanage when you were babies," Kakashi said with a nostalgic smile.

"Begin!" Gekko Hayate announced.

Hinata activated her Byakugan and adopted the Gentle Fist stance, but before she could make her move, Kirito unleashed a wave of oppressive energy. It felt like a massive weight bore down on her, crushing her resolve and freezing her body in place. She collapsed to her knees, trembling.

"What's happening?!" Naruto shouted, alarmed. "Hinata, stand up!"

"Such intense pressure..." Gekko Hayate muttered, beads of sweat forming on his brow despite being outside the main radius of Kirito's aura.

"N-Naruto..." Hinata whispered, struggling to maintain consciousness as her body screamed at her to give up. Memories of Naruto's resilience flooded her mind, and she clenched her fist weakly. I can't lose here. Not like this.

Hinata slowly began to push herself up, her legs shaking under the strain. "I won't... give up," she panted, each step forward a monumental effort.

Kirito watched calmly, arms crossed, as Hinata staggered closer. When she finally reached him, she raised her trembling hand and gently pressed her palm to his abdomen. In that instant, the oppressive aura dissipated, leaving her mind clear and her body light.

"Remember this feeling," Kirito said softly. "That's your courage and will. They'll be the foundation for your growth."

"Thank you..." Hinata murmured before collapsing into his arms.

"She's fine," Kirito assured Kurenai as he handed Hinata over. "She's just exhausted."

As the medical team carried Hinata away, Kirito returned to the viewing platform, where Naruto glared at him. "That was too much!"

"I held back," Kirito replied flatly. "If I hadn't, she wouldn't have gotten up at all."

"You're still mean!" Naruto huffed, crossing his arms.

Meanwhile, the next match was announced: "Rock Lee vs. Gaara."

"Finally, my turn!" Lee exclaimed, his excitement uncontainable.

Kirito turned to Guy. "If it gets dangerous, can I intervene?"

"Dangerous?" Guy asked, confused.

"His opponent is strong. Too strong," Kirito said gravely.

(End of Chapter)

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