Chapter 24- He's Back

A/NA picture of Ryuugaime Kyuuji I drew. Took me an hour to finish his look. So, what do you guys think?

Alexa's POV

We went out of the hokage's building after an hour of lecture and rants from Iruka-sensei for outdoing a simple task.

"Lhexi-san! I didn't know you could throw such a powerful punch!", I just looked down slumping next to Tenten who gave me a pat on the back.

"Forget about that, Lhexi it's not like Iruka-sensei is mad at you."

"B-but...", I pouted still unsure.

"You're good at medical ninjutsu and you're strong! You might as well become the next Lady Tsunade!", Guy-sensei exclaimed and I looked towards Tenten who's eyes sparkled upon the old granny's name.

"Lady Tsunade is known for her super strength and exceptional amazing medical prowess! She's my idol!", Tenten squealed like a fangirl and I was fighting the urge to facepalm. "By the way how did you that?"

I stood up straight when the rest of the team except for Neji squirmed around me.

"You mean that punch?", Tenten nodded her head enthusiastic.

I raised my hand up to my chest before curling it into a fist then encasing it with chakra.

"I just enhanced my fist with chakra.", Guy leaned forward before placing his fingers on his chin.

"How do you even control that much chakra?", asks Tenten, bewildered.

I scratched my arm a little before responding. "Hm...maybe my whole 4 years of training in medical ninjutsu improved my chakra control. It's quite easy for me now, to be honest."

"When did you learn how to do this?"

I didn't even think for an answer for a second. "It just came to me when I was chasing the intruder earlier. Is there something wrong, Guy-sensei?", his eyes visibly widened before reverting back to normal.

"N-no! I just find it to be amazing!"

I smiled. "Is that so? Thanks, Guy-sensei!"

Tenten was watching my chakra enhanced fist with curious eyes while Lee seems to have a determined passion etched on his face as if he found another rival.

"Shall we race back to the training ground?!", asks our teacher.

"Yosh! I won't lose!", the two green beasts made a dash on the street leaving us in the dusty smoke.

"Those two...really...", I whispered.

"You're truly outstanding, Lhexi.", Tenten's eyes were one that of cast-down and her crest-fallen voice was something to be noted of. It seems like she wasn't happy at all.

"Tenten-san?"

She turned towards me tears brimming on the corner of her eyes as she tilt her head to the side while smiling at me. "Even if we're teammates and we have known each other for just a small amount of time, I don't want to lose to you and be left behind."

Her face was now that of descisiveness. Who is this person? She's Tenten, but what is this feeling as if she was different from before. Her will, seems to have grown stronger, but why?

"Tenten-san...", I trailed off.

"You will surely grow much stronger in the future but, I won't let you surpass me easily."

A deafening silence grew between the two of us. I never knew this side of her. Surely the anime had its perks but also downs of portraying of characters. Getting to know them in reality is surely too good to be true.

Neji was probably looking at the two of us with confusion in his face. Tenten broke the tension between us and hooked our hands together.

"You're my junior afterall!"

"Y-yes..."

"Anyways, let's get back to the others, don't you think?", I blinked my eyes shaking the thoughts earlier before nodding. She looked back with a smug face,"Neji, are you alright? You should take it easy. I didn't know someone with a byakugan an exceptional dojutsu would miss the target."

Neji had an angry vein popping out of his forehead, irritated and frustrated on himself for letting the criminal run loose earlier. "Shut it."

Tenten and I laughed at his embarassed face before we head back to the training ground to resume our workout only for me to passed out in the middle of the day.

Well, I've gotta admit, Guy-sensei's training really improved my taijutsu and stamina more than I could ever imagine, but I'm still out of Lee nor Neji's league when it comes to hand to hand combat. A few more days passed of constant missions and training but, never once have I forgetten about Team 7.

A strong pressure and overwhelming pain scorched through out my abdomen as I was sent a good ten meters away before I crashed against a tree, throwing up a vile of saliva.

"Neji! You're taking it too far!", Tenten yelled about to rush in between us.

"Don't!", I stopped Tenten who was equally frustrated as me.

"Lhex--!", I sent her a glare, daring her to go against me.

She looked away and stepped back, anxiousness and worry visible on her face. Lee was watching beside her who had the same thoughts as her but, chose to stay silent continuing to watch the fight.

So, I never explained how this started huh? Easy, I irked him about his so called faith and he just exploded then challenged me to a fight. If I don't accept he would label as another loser who have nothing but talk.

Standing up, I clutch my stomach and turned my eyes a little to the left to see Guy-sensei watching us from the sidelines. I leaned my back against the trunk of the tree before painfully taking my fighting stance.

His light purple eyes were menacing and ferocious as they bore holes through my soul. He once again activated his Byakugan before running towards me at such a fast speed.

He raised his hands towards me and I slid a step back, ignoring the pain in my body. Realizing he was gonna attack me in my arms, I quickly turned around and landed a spin kick on his face which he blocked using his arms.

Before I knew it, the tenketsu points in my leg were blocked and another attack was sent on my arms. I was such an idiot to think I could fight a Hyuuga genius unscathed. Flipping back with only one working leg and one working arm, I could only rely on chakra now.

Now I wished, I have the Sharingan so I could figure out the pattern of his taijutsu style. He landed several blows on me and I only managed to send him a punch on his leg then another on his chest. I encased them with a little bit of chakra holding myself back so I won't kill him.

I was never been this happy when I figured out that hurted him atleast. I could have killed him if he wasn't fast enough to dodge my attacks. No. I was just to slow to punch him because my fists were so heavy from the amount of chakra it holds. Moreover, it takes time to concentrate the needed chakra.

To think that I had this many loopholes when I thought I was strong. I still have so many categories in techniques that needed improvement.

More than that, now that I am fighting Neji, it was only when I realized I don't have a particular fighting style. They're just a series of kicks and punches that was well thought-out in split seconds but, not really something to be proud of.

Neji like his clan has a detailed fighting style for they were passed from a generation to another. Wait a minute...I'm part of the Ryuugaime clan! Which means I also have my known fighting style attributed to me...ah...how could I have forgotten about that forbidden book!

I just lost focus for one second and I was once again knocked out unconscious, talk about being clumsy and lame. I saw the shock expression on Neji's face when I slowly closed my eyes and let myself fall on the ground. He probably wasn't expecting me to go down like that.

"That's it!", I yelled sitting up only to curl up like a ball the next moment. "Ow...Ow."

I hissed at the throbbing pain on my stomach.

"You finally woke up.", I glanced towards Neji who had his arms crossed while leaning against a tree beside mine. I watched the beautiful svenery behind him, pink cotton balls floating around the red and yellow tinted sky.

I looked back at him who's eyes were twitching at the sight of me.

"Oh, Neji-san...", I let out a soft giggle before wincing in pain at the retraction in my stomach.

If I didn't looked down, I would have seen his gaze softening.

"Take a rest first.", he stated and I look up at him.

"Ah...yes...", I shifted on my seat and leaned against the roots of the tree comfortably. I closed my eyes only to open them again. "About earlier...", I trailed off and he set his eyes in defiance at me.

I squeaked a little before trying to formulate the right words to roll out my tounge. "Uhm...I'm sorry...I didn't mean it that way...I should have taken your feelings into consideration."

"If you don't understand what I feel you should have stayed silent.", his voice was cold and dark.

"But, I won't take my words back."

He stumbled a little on his own feet and looked at me like I lost my mind.

"What the hell...?", he whispered. "Do you want me to beat you again?", his words were threatening.

I'm not really a brave person who would step in the boudaries of other people but, this is a different world from my previous ones and pretty much everyone does it. I gathered up my courage before speaking.

"Neji-san. I don't know about the matters with your clan nor your fathe--!"

"Shut up!", he growled.

The atmosphere between us grew tense, if it was me back in my world I would have crawled in fear but, this time it felt like I shouldn't because if I do I might regret it later.

"I don't understand how you feel and I will never understand but--!", he took a step forward as if attempting to kill me and I swear I felt three chakra signatures spike up.

"--you should not be chained with the past nor your fate. Even just for a little, I want you to let go of those tight feelings!", I stared at him my eyes not wavering. His hand stopped an inch form my face as if assessing if there was an ounce of lies in my orbs and I hope he does not see through me.

'Way to go with your so called plan, Guy-sensei, you almost had me killed.'

I kept my gaze at him straight forward and unbent. I could see his eyes widen, my words sinking though his mind. Watching 700 hundred plus episodes of Naruto doing his talk no jutsu probably rubbed on me. I wished that atleast reached his heart no matter how cringe it is.

He looked down before standing up firm then he started walking away, his figure fading away in the shadows of the forest. I leaned backwards exhausted. That took a lot of energy than I thought.

I heard heavy trudges coming to me and I just sighed before looking to the side. Two ninjas oddly similar you could mistake them for a father and son duo in a green spandex gave me big thumbs up as they give me a bright grin.

Tenten smiled at me in gratitude and I smiled back.

"You did well! Lhexi!"

"With you're undying support for Neji and that marvelous speech surely must have moved his heart!", the duo were both crying in happiness and I just chuckled awkwardly.

I had my ribs broken just for this?

Anyways I hope Neji let goes of his hatred on his clan and breakthrough from the shackles of his fate.

"Lhexi...", I gaze towards Tenten who copied the two and beamed at me.

I sighed. I didn't expected them to notice Neji's problems, especially Guy-sensei. There really are a lot of things, the anime didn't show. They were this concerned about that boy but, they just couldn't bring themselves to help him because they probably don't know how, until Naruto does.

"Now, we can only hope for Neji to surpass the line of his limits and grow even stronger!", Guy-sensei exclaimed.

"Hm!"

"Yes!"

I let out another sigh before smiling.

I just hope he doesn't kill me later.

..........

"Hikari-san! Please be careful, you might hurt the poor animals."

"Can you shut up for a moment, Shinui!"

"Is that a question or a statement?"

"Shut up!"

Tanaka rubbed his temples before heaving a heavy sigh. He turned to the side looking at the known remaining Ryuugaime standing on the top of the wall watching over the entire village. His clothes together with his hair that was tied into a low ponytail were dancing to the rithym of the wind. He turned back towards his other students who were rather too noisy for his poor ears.

"Alright. Alright. You two. We have to go and report back to hokage-sama.", the bickers stopped and they nodded. He stretched his sore arms. "Finally, I can retire now. Going to the onsen is maybe a good idea."

..........

'If I knew that I was gonna die today, I should have at least told her what I truly feel.'

A/N

Everything's gonna get spicy starting from the next chapter.