Close to 60 people joined the full all out assault to retake their base - grouped into two companies to attack two sides.
Shikamaru stood on top of a rock, overlooking the South front with a telescope.
"So Hinata and Naruto are on this side."
In Shikamaru's calculation, Neji stood a high chance against Naruto - both of them rely on melee combat and Neji is superior. But Naruto had monstrous stamina, and as long as he used his brain to drain Neji using shadow clones and use protracted battle, keep Neji on guard constantly, Neji would lose. Neji cannot keep his Byakugan open 24/7 after all. But then again this is Naruto we are talking about so Neji had a high chance.
As for Hinata, he saw her performance overall as classmates and already considered her losing.
On Heaven side, Yuu had arranged the cannon fodders that had lost some fighting strength whether through injuries or knowing they were weak to move forward like madmen. Reveal the enemy positions and numbers and trigger any remaining trap! Take down anyone they can!
On one side, a fodder rushed straight into the nearest opponent. A tripwire is triggered all of a sudden, causing multiple kunai to flung right into the soldier's body.
And yet…
"Aarrghh!!!" He screamed in pain and still lunged forward to deliver a last stab to the enemy.
Due to shock the opponent couldn't respond fast and had his arm cut. Blood spurted from the wound on his forearm.
"F***!" He wanted to retreat, but the person in front of him actually held onto his legs even when he's heavily injured! As his position got exposed, multiple projectiles rushed to him, giving him serious injuries just the same.
The proctor quickly picks both of those soldiers and attach little Katsuyu to them before sending them to the medic tent quickly.
They are really going crazy…!
Yuu learned fast, applying Tsuyu's method to encourage people and create willing cannon fodders. Pride of Shinobi. Proving to Konoha they are real soldiers, that they have trained and worked hard as Shinobi for all this time, that they can use all of their flesh and blood to protect Konoha. That this is their chance to prove themselves! And whatever words to inject craziness into those fodders.
Tsunade already made preparations to use mass healing techniques with Katsuyu's help. The Chunin Exam has always had death each year. But this time, it's becoming serious as it involves a large number of people.
At South side, Naruto sends his shadow clones to the front. Disarming any traps there is with Hinata's Byakugan help.
Any opponent the shadow clone met along the way is beaten in a matter of seconds. Naruto's taijutsu skills are already far better than those genin that stagnated in their skill. He is closer to a one man army.
Naruto's side are getting more and more in fervor.
"We can win!"
"We are winning!"
The other squad cheered seeing Naruto's shadow clones amazingly fight at the front. And Naruto keeps making clones like it's free to make.
"We can't deal with him! Call for our elite!"
The South side managed to break the first defense line quickly thanks to overwhelming numbers advantage from the clones.
Neji received the instruction and moved out of his camp. He is in peak condition after a good rest.
Naruto… the fate that awaits you is defeat!
On the southwest side, the defense line haven't been breached yet, but already on the verge to.
Sasuke is the one who lead the charge, dealing with the opponent come his way like trash. He didn't even have to open his Sharingan.
Kiba look in awe and also sense of competition. Not wanting to be left behind, he rushed to the nearest enemy.
"Akamaru!".
"Raf!", Akamaru jump high in the air and spun fast, showering the opponent in biological weapon.
"Aahh!! No!"
"Kyaa!"
Kiba saw their weakness and finally use his strongest technique.
Fang Over Fang!
Like a tornado he blasted those two and ended them instantly.
He smirked, feeling proud of himself and Akamaru.
Tsuyu watching the situation with a telescope nods seeing his performance.
Even in medieval times they use crap to demoralise enemy. He is not shameless and that's good. It's not a warcrime and not mentioned in SCE either.
However, Kiba finally faced a real opponent.
In the recognisable green suit, Lee is already ready to face him.
"Kiba, let's have a fair fight." He said so because he really doesn't want to be peed on by Akamaru.
"Heh. Don't underestimate me!" Kiba once more use his strongest technique!
Fang Over Fa-
***
Sasuke noticed left wing had a difficulty. Lee had shown himself and beat people as easily as Sasuke beat others. Akamaru and Kiba was already sent away to the medic tent.
Lee look serious as Sasuke finally faces him.
"Uchiha Sasuke. The strongest of your class. I am looking forward to fight with the Sharingan of your clan!"
"You have to show me you are worthy first…!"
Sasuke rushed towards Lee and engaged in taijutsu fight.
Sasuke didn't even open his Sharingan, and each of his move are fluid, pushing Lee into defense.
Sasuke saw an opening and kick him right in the chest, sending him back few steps.
"Sasuke, I really can't underestimate you…! I will make you use your Sharingan…!"
Lee sudden take off something from his sleeves and from his legs.
Weights?
As he drop the weight down, it creates huge crack on the ground! Sasuke felt surprise, and he instantly becomes serious.
Flash!
Fast…! Sasuke opened his Sharingan, seeing Lee as a real opponent.
But… not fast enough!
Sasuke easily saw the incoming attacks and counter them with ease. Lee felt his heart shaken, seeing how strong the genius is. His movement unable to escape 3 tomoe Sharingan's perception.
Pow! A heavy kick sent Lee flying meters rolling on the dirt.
His breathing heavy, his body battered and bruised.
"Sensei…" Lee remembered his teacher Guy sensei. The one who supported him and believe in him.
I will win…!
Lee wipe the sweat from his face and stood in a posture.
"I will give my all…!".
Gate of Opening! Open!
This technique…! His chakra flow increasing…!
Gate of Healing! Open!
Gate of Life…
OPEN! Burst of chakra is visible in Sasuke's sharingan. Lee's skin turned red from the amount of energy his body generated.
Flash! Like the wind Lee dashed left and right, approaching Sasuke.
Sasuke's Sharingan flared. His eyes still able to see his movements. He had fought 1-tailed Naruto, so this speed is not worth mentioning!
Sasuke as if able to predict his attacks dodge barely each time. He is pushed to the defensive and unable to launch a counterattack, but Lee is unable to deal a decisive blow to Sasuke either so couldn't use his combo like Lotus unless he hit him at the right spot.
"How are you able to see with my speed…!"
"Hmph. Your movements are all straightforward. Under my eyes, I can see everything!"
"Let me show you, how you attack with your speed!"
Lightning Release: Lighting Flow Dance! Stage 1!
Arcs of lightning jumps around Sasuke.
Flash!
In Lee's shock, Sasuke's speed is close to his own!
They exchanged merely 5 moves - and seeing a gap Sasuke delivered a decisive blow right on Lee's face.
He is sent flying few meters away from the power force.
But it's not over yet-
Sasuke flashed behind Lee, lowered his body and deliver an upward kick sending Lee to the air.
Lee able to react as he's sent to the air and use his bandages on his arms to grab Sasuke. But Sasuke just as quickly cut the bandages about to tie him with a kunai.
Sasuke jumped and deliver kick after kick in a combo that Lee failed to guard against - ending it with a final axe kick towards his abdomen.
Lion Barrage!
Lee is sent down to the ground, creating a crater ending him completely.
Sensei… I am sorry… Lee's vision blurred as he lost the battle in unwillingness.
On the right wing, Sakura confronted Tenten.
"Take this…!" Tenten use the trees and branches, jumping between them as she threw projectiles after projectiles.
Sakura use the trees as a cover, moving in between them.
I need a chance to approach close to her…!
Tenten take a scroll and take out a wire connected to a heavy weight.
Seeing Sakura move out of her hiding place, she threw the weapon in hand.
The wire manage to caught her as it tie her to the tree.
"I got you!"
Poof! It turned into a log.
"Substitution…!?"
Just then Tenten felt someone behind her, she flickered backward quickly to avoid her attack.
However Sakura is already closed enough and weaved hand seals to cast her technique.
Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!
"W-what's happening!" A tree grew behind Tenten, tying her up in matter of a second. She felt herself unable to move.
"Illusion…! I will not fall here…! Kai!"
Tenten manage to break out of it just as quickly. But even the second of distraction is fatal.
"Chanaro!!" Pow! Sakura landed a fist right on Tenten's stomach, sending her flying meters away before crashing onto a tree with a loud smack.
Tenten dropped down and lose consciousness in one hit.
"I got it!" Sakura jumped jumped happily seeing that she finally able to use the strength enhancement to a small degree.
Tsunade-sama…! I finally got it!
***
"Hinata! Leave this guy to me!"
Naruto stood in front of the timid looking Hinata.
"Naruto-kun…"
Neji seeing the main branch of the Hyuga clan needing this stupid guy to protect and fight for her, sneered in disdain.
"Hinata. You are scared aren't you? You aren't even fit to become a Shinobi. The way your eyes darted to a corner, covering your mouth with a hooked finger on your right arm. A mere pampered princess."
"That's…that's no true…"
"Shut up! Damn it! Hinata is a strong person! She is not a pampered princess!"
Naruto take a kunai from his bag, tossing it to Neji. Neji casually tilt his head to dodge it.
Kage bunshin no jutsu!
Poof! Poof!
Tsuyu wanted to observe Hinata mostly and already moved her observation spot.
Tch. Idiot. If you believe in her you would have let her fight.
"Hmph. Why are you fighting for her? It only proves she's WEAK!".
"TEME!"
Neji with his gentle fist dodge and counter the clones with ease.
Naruto make more clones, and all of them attack him in all direction.
"Hinata, watch how incompetent you are…!"
Revolving Heaven!
All the shadow clones were blasted by chakra rotation, proofing them into smokes in a mere second.
He… he's able to use Revolving Heaven…!
Hinata is shocked inwardly. That technique is a secret technique passed down only to the main lineage. It means, Neji figured it out himself!
After destroying the clones, Neji rushed towards the real Naruto.
"Waste…!" Naruto dodged and deflected the incoming gentle fist, but Neji's Byakugan could see everything, even his flaws.
Now! Neji attack the tenketsu on his chest, causing blood to pool and spurt out from his lungs.
Naruto-kun…! Hinata saw the blood spurted out of Naruto, and yet her legs won't move.
This is the end!
…2, 4, 8, 16…!
8 trigram 32 palms!
"Ack…!" A final palm landed on Naruto's abdomen, sending him meters back before he rolled on the ground.
Naruto coughed out blood. And yet, his fierce gave never left Neji.
"Withdraw now. You couldn't use your chakra anymore."
"I will never go back on my words. I will teach you a lesson dammit…! Cough-"
Naruto tried to gather chakra, only for pain to fill his entire body. If it's not for Neji's mercy to only use 32 palms and not 64, Naruto would have been dead. In fact Neji using 32 palms at all show how much he respect Naruto's strength already.
Red chakra about to burst from Naruto, but-
"Naruto… leave it to me!"
Naruto looks at Hinata in surprise, the red chakra stops flowing.
"Hinata…"
"I trained hard all my life. And yet… like everyone says… I am timid… I am a coward… I…"
"No! That's not true…!"
"You are self aware." Neji mocked.
"So I will change…! And I will put everything I had now…! Brother, I will face you…!"
Hinata's voice become resolute. The veins around her eyes buldged out, her Byakugan locked onto Neji's own.
"You… at least you finally have the guts."
Neji gained a little bit of respect. But having guts at all is already the bare minimum for any Shinobi so he doesn't care much.
Rush.
Hinata launched palm after palm. While Neji deflected them and sent one of his own. Their fights seem gentle on the outside, but each of their strikes unleash waves of chakra to target their tenketsu.
Naruto can only watch in awe.
Hinata…! You can do it!
Tsuyu, still observing, has a smirk on her lips.
Nii-san, I take my words back. Your performance to get beaten up is flawless.
Naruto manages to finally push Hinata out of her comfort zone. This is what she wanted to see.
Hinata and Neji launched a palm at the same time.
Wave of chakra spread out on hit…
Naruto thought Hinata did it, but instead…
"Cough-" Hinata coughed out blood as she took steps back.
"Hmph… so much for all your training. Just like fate makes me a side branch… fate makes you weak."
"I… I know… I am weak… but I…"
"I will… not give up… I won't… go back on my words…"
Hinata stood upright, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth.
She ready her posture once more.
"It's my ninja way…!"
"You…!" Neji felt irritated seeing such a useless person still cannot accept their fate.
"Then don't blame me!"
The two fought once more, but in a matter of a few moves Hinata's tenketsu was blocked even more. She fell to her knees in defeat.
And yet, she still struggle to get up, not willing to give up.
"Why…why are you not accepting defeat…!"
"Because… I… I won't… just accept it…"
The words seemed to hit a string on Neji's heart.
Neji felt angry and mocked. He rushed in, a palm about to end Hinata once and for all. But all of a sudden, his Byakugan saw an approaching dark red mass of chakra approaching him at fast speed on his left.
Neji quickly dodged the fist almost grazing him and had to take few steps back.
"Hinata…!" Naruto holds onto her, seeing she's about to collapse.
"Naruto…kun… did I… change?"
"You did. You did good Hinata."
A proctor quickly comes over and takes Hinata away, leaving Naruto and Neji facing each other.
"You… how did you… what is that power…"
His Byakugan could see red chakra flowing inside of Naruto. In fact, his whole chakra network is unclogged and healed already. It's almost too demonic. And those red eyes…
"Damn it… I will defeat you!"
Kagebunshin no jutsu!
9 tails enhanced shadow clones rushed to Neji on all sides.
Neji can dodge and deflect their attacks, but it's clear he is putting all his effort into doing so.
What is this power…!?
Neji's Byakugan sees a mass of concentrated chakra from one of the Narutos.
What technique is that…!
As the Rasengan is formed, he rushes towards Neji, wanting to end this fight directly.
"Take this! Rasengan!"
Revolving Heaven!
The two jutsu clashed in blinding light. The shockwave blew pressure to the surrounding area.
"Grrr…!" Naruto's Rasengan pushed through slowly, pushing into Revolving Heaven's protection.
Impossible…!
Boom! Neji's absolute defense is broken, the leftover force sent Neji flying before crashing onto a tree.
"Cough…" Neji coughs a little blood from his lungs. His Byakugan lost its power. His consciousness is fading.
"How…?"
"Because I believe in myself! That I carve my own fate…!"
"..." Neji felt his heart shaken again. He had surrendered his fate as a branch of a Hyuga clan. That his existence is nothing but a mere tool for the main lineage. But hearing Naruto's words, along with Hinata's conviction, a part of his heart loosened.
Neji lost consciousness eventually.
On the southwest side, Shikamaru saw Sasuke beat Lee so easily. He was on standby to lock Sasuke down really. But-
They are moving so fast! What the hell.
Shikamaru reluctantly backs away. He can't do this anymore.
What a drag… I guess we lost…
With their elites gone, the other genins are like small fries. They can't even get out of Sakura's genjutsu, and get heavily punched like it's free target for her.
Sasuke noticed Sakura's performance, a small appreciation and acknowledgement bloomed in his heart.
She's getting stronger…
In a matter of ours, before dawn they recaptured their main base.
The Earth's soldiers being weaker overall due to lack of resources also add to their loss.
Due to Yuu's insistence to keep the River Camp where the dam was to stay protected at all times, the Earth side really cannot get any sip of water. The critical period finally passed.
Now as long as they defend their main base and River Camp, they would win.
Shikamaru noticed the situation. Night time already comes, and battle cannot be done at this time. Neji and Lee is already out of the equation.
In half a day, a lot of Earth's soldiers already fainted from dehydration.
By the next day, the Earth side declares surrender in the afternoon.
"We did it!" Naruto jumped in excitement.
"Sakura-chan~!" Naruto held his hand high up for a clap.
She just chuckled softly, and clapped it.
"We won!"
"Sasuke! Come on!" Naruto went to Sasuke next.
"Dobe…" He seemed reluctant but clap his hand anyway .
"We won! Heaven won!"
Everyone at the camp cheered. They feel like real soldiers managing to protect their land and their village.
Tsuyu suddenly raised her voice. "All of you did well! Now… let's celebrate!"
Tsuyu brought out liquors and even food she ordered prior. She had enough money so this is just a little treat. Since the atmosphere is already here, this is a good time to form a closer bond and camaraderie. These are soldiers of Konoha after all.
"Vice General…! These…!" Everyone in camp had their eyes shining.
"Cheers! Cheers to Vice General!"
"Kanpai!"
"Anyone under 16! You have some juices over there! Don't take the wrong one, brats!" Tsuyu screamed out with a smirk.
The adults genin had food and drink, the atmosphere almost too beautiful one might cry.
Jiraiya also took some drinks along with Tsunade. She had done treating those in critical needs.
"Hm… she really can bring people together…" Tsunade commented, seeing Tsuyu chatting with Yuu, seemingly commenting on his performance at the moment. The atmosphere she created is really impressive.
"Am I mistaken…?" Jiraiya wondered to himself. At first, he thought Tsuyu was a cold cruel person, her punishments were strict, and she would call people fodder and perhaps see them as chess pieces. But, she treats them well when it's due.
***