The road to Toad

Oh God. That title. I have no idea if it's badass, or half-assed. But whatever. And I am ashamed. Over 6 stories being written all at the same time. Damn my mind. Maybe I should just write one shots, that way, when I post something, it's over and done with. But whatever. This idea has been long in my head, so enjoy this rather stale idea, I mean, stale for me.

XxX

"Just give up, no matter what you do, fate has ordained your loss today Uzumaki." Neji Hyugga said with confidence as he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the heavily panting Naruto Uzumaki.

So far, over the course of the match, Neji had been systematically bearing down on Naruto's bravado. Naruto had tried every trick in his book, but no matter what he did; Neji was always a step ahead and had a counter to it.

"I will never give up; I never go back on my word, that's my nindo, my ninja way. I told you. I'd kick your ass to the ground, and that's what I'll be doing." Naruto said as he steadily got back up on his feet, his orange jacket open revealing the black shirt underneath, his hair dirtier and messier then usual, and his blue eyes filled with determination. He stood up straight and prepared his signature move again. Neji sighed as he got into his taijutsu stance again.

"Kage bushin no jutsu!" Naruto shouted again as the stadium floor were filled with Naruto clones again. Some were sticking to the walls, and some were in the bleachers with the watchers. Neji just remained impassive as he was charged again by the clones.

XxX

'Damn it, gotta think. How do I beat this guy? He's too strong to face head on without back up. Oh man, what do I do? I don't have any other jutsu that'll give me backup other then Kage bushin and Summoning…. That's it! All I have to do is someone boss toad Gamabunta! That'll beat his ass! He can't be as strong as a giant toad! All right. Now I just need time to gather chakra for the summoning. I'll hide behind these clones; hopefully, Neji'll take longer trying to beat these guys." Naruto smiled triumphantly at his plan as he hid among the masses of his clones. He then sat down in an inconspicuous place as he sat down cross legged and made the tiger seal. He reached down for chakra, but almost choked too find out that he had almost none left. He grew nervous, thinking that this amount of chakra can't possibly summon the boss toad. But he shook his head as he closed his eyes and started gathering chakra. It took a matter of ten seconds for him to use up all of his chakra, but his chakra didn't deplete. He didn't notice that he was gathering chakra from another source, or rather, other sources.

XxX

Three minutes and 21 seconds….

"Come on! Beat that brat already!" A spectator shouted as he booed at the show.

"Yeah! This is getting boring! We wanna see Uchiha-sama's fight now! So get on with it!" Another shouted.

"Boo!" The crowd shouted as they started getting restless at the fight.

But their complaints were landing on deaf ears in the nin's section. The spectators in the ninja section were getting restless at this repeat of a massacre of Naruto clones massacre.

"Geez, that Naruto, can't he at least think of something new? He tried this awhile ago, it didn't turn out well. So why is he doing this again?" Sakura Haruno, the pink haired member of Team 7, said exasperated at her team mates repeat strategy. Beside her, Ino Yamanaka nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. But don't you think it's weird though? I mean, this is Naruto we're talking about." She said as she turned around and looked at her friend. Sakura raised an eyebrow at that.

"What do you mean?" She asked. Before Ino could answer, she was interrupted by the sound of crunching. Ino turned to her left and glared at her team mate Chouji Akimichi. Chouji immediately swallowed what he was chewing as he quietly hid his chips from the Blonde girls glare.

"Ahehe. Sorry 'bout that Ino. As you were saying?" Chouji chuckled nervously as Ino squinted her eyes and turned back to Sakura.

"As I was saying. This isn't like Naruto. I mean, we all know what he's like right?" Ino said as she focused back on the match and saw Neji dismantle another five clones that charged at him. Sakura cocked her head at Ino's explanation, not at all getting what she meant.

"I reiterate, what do you mean?" Sakura asked again, earning a sigh from her friend.

"Geez forehead. You should know more about Naruto, isn't he your team mate? I know Sasuke-kun is irresistibly hot, but not paying attention to your team mate's abilities might lead to misunderstanding in the future. And the last thing a team needs is for one member to be underestimated by his team mates while protecting a client. What if the client was attacked by an overwhelming opponent? One where you'd need your whole team to take down. And thinking that one of your team mates will just get in the way, you send him to run with the client. That'll kill you guys, and the last thing I need is for one of my friends to die for making their team mate believe they were weak." Ino with a straight face. Sakura just looked in amazement at Ino's maturity. But before she could say anything, Ino turned back to her and stuck her tongue out.

"Don't get me wrong, I want Sasuke for myself. But I don't want to lose a friend forever just because they were incompetent as a team mate." Ino giggled as Sakura gaped at her.

"A-anyway. Really, what do you mean? What about Naruto's strategy is weird?" Sakura asked again, but before Ino could answer. Someone beat her to it.

"It's weird because it's Naruto that's using that strategy." A lazy voice sounded behind everyone. Everyone turned around and saw a slouched kid with hair shaped like a pineapple lazily approach them.

"Oh Shika! You're better already?" Ino asked the lazy kid. He nodded at her.

"Yeah, just chakra exhaustion, nothing too major. Anyway, to answer your question Sakura. It's weird because it's unlike Naruto to try something twice. Remember? All his pranks were new every time he did them in the academy. He never liked lessons that repeated, and he was always looking for something new. So for Naruto to do something again –"

" – That mean's he up to something new!" Sakura pounded her fist into her hand as she connected the dots. Shikamaru only nodded.

"Now the question is…. What is he up to?" Shikamaru asked no one as he turned his attention back into the fight.

XxX

8 minutes and 49 seconds….

Ridiculous, this was getting ridiculous. Neji thought to himself as he defeated another batch of clones. He was getting annoyed by the number of clones coming at him. He could easily dispatch sure, but he was getting worn down by their numbers. At this rate, he may end up getting too tired to even….

He shook his head at the thought. 'No, he is just stalling his fate. This match has been decided the moment I was his opponent. He cannot possibly win. All foreseeable outcomes point to his defeat.' Neji thought as he dispatched more clones.

Finally, after a few more handful of clones were dispatched, there were only six more clones standings. He eyed them warily as they seemed to be standing in a straight line, almost as if they were hiding something from him. He shook his head clear and charged at the clones. The clones charged back each with its own battle cry.

The first clone was easily dispatched by a palm on the chest. Neji pivoted as he blew through the smoke the clone left behind and struck two points into another clone, dispelling it as well. He was caught off guard however as a clone managed to grab hold of his hand and managed to swipe at his feet. But he didn't land on the ground, instead. Neji used both his feet and pushed them hard on the ground, he flew up in the air, still being held onto by the clone. As he straightened himself in the air, he threw the clone into another charging clone. Dispelling both instantly. Neji landed on his feet and was met by a punch to the face that he narrowly avoided. He hit the owner three times before it too dispelled. As the smoke cleared, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him. He pivoted on his heels and used his palm to deliver an extra powerful strike at the clone as it dispelled. The smoke following the shockwave of the hit as the smoke formed a cone from Neji's palm.

Neji smirked as he saw no other clones left on the battlefield. He then turned around to be met by a standing Naruto Uzumaki. Who was sweating profusely as he saw that attack.

"I told you. It's no use, you cannot fight fate. A loser like you cannot possibly fight an opponent that is stronger then him. Just give up and save yourself the humiliation." Neji said with confidence as he straightened himself and crossed both his arms over his chest. Naruto didn't bat an eye at this.

"Screw you ponytail. I told you, I don't give two asses about fate. Fate can go kiss my ass for all I care. All I know is that I'm gonna kick your ass into next week." Naruto shouted as he charged at Neji, who only sighed as he readied himself to counter whatever sloppy move he gave out next. He was surprised however when the boy suddenly threw two kunai at him. Neji dodged both kunai as they imbedded themselves on the ground. Neji looked mildly annoyed at that.

"Really? Stop fighting and just accept your defeat." Neji all but shouted, instead of words however. He was met with the sounds of hissing. He turned his head to see that both kunai had unfurled explosive tags from their handles, and both were ignited.

'Crap!' Neji shouted as he rapidly spun around, hoping to let the kaiten take the brunt of the damage.

The tags exploded not two seconds later, and the stadium flashed with an explosive display. Naruto had jumped out of the way and onto the wall as he watched the explosion take place. The crowd cheered at the sudden turn from boring fight, to explosive show. While the ninja in the bleachers only smiled at that move. It was so…. Naruto.

"He he. Now that's the Naruto we know. Just leave it to him for a show of epic proportions." Chouji said with a smile as he munched down on more chips. Shikamaru nodded his head in agreement, while Sakura and Ino just stared slack jawed at what happened.

"He did it! Naruto actually beat Neji!" Sakura shouted as she jumped from her seat in excitement. Ino followed suit, they were about to jump into the stadium to congratulate him, but were both stopped by a man's voice.

"Hold on there you two. The match isn't over yet. A lazy man's voice sounded. The four genins turned to see a white haired jounin teacher with his head band covering one eye looking at them.

"Kakashi-sensei! You're here! You're late though, Naruto won his match." Sakura said with pride as he looked at Naruto's form on the wall.

"That dobe hasn't won yet. Take a closer look Sakura." A cool voice sounded from behind Kakashi. Sakura muffled an eep as the owner of the voice showed himself. It was Sasuke Uchiha.

"Sasuke-kun! You're back!" Sakura shouted in surprise as she looked at his other team mate.

"Hn." Was his usual stoic reply.

Ino was about to ask what he was talking about, but before she opened her mouth. The crowed irrupted into cheers. The genins and jounin turned back to the match and saw that in the middle of the explosions crater, stood a lightly burned Neji Hyuuga.

"I admit, that caught me off guard Uzumaki. But it is as destiny foresaw. You will lose today." Neji shouted in triumph as he suddenly disappeared from the crater's center. Naruto looked around frantically from the wall, but before he could react. He heard something that made his blood run cold.

"You are in my field of divination." The voice said ominously.

XxX

9 minutes 32 seconds…

"Oh my. That poor boy. Looks like he loses this one isn't that right Hokage-dono?" The Kazekage said under his blue hat as he watched the match between Naruto and Neji. The old Hokage merely nodded his head at the truth.

"I'm afraid so. Though he may have lost this match, he has shown great heart in the face of adversary. I would gladly recommend him for Chuunin, wouldn't you agree Kazekage-dono?" Sarutobi Hiruzen said. The Kazekage merely nodded his head.

"I agree. Though the boy lacks finesse, I cannot deny the fact that this boy has shown potential, especially with the odds stacked against him." The Kazekage said sagely. Hiruzen merely nodded and turned back to the match.

XxX

9 minutes 47 seconds…..

"2 palms!" Neji shouted as he thrust two palms on Naruto's chest. Naruto couldn't hold back as his spit was ejected forcefully from his mouth.

"4 palms!" Neji repeated, doubling the attack number. Naruto nearly doubled over, but he managed to remain on the wall with Neji. But he wasn't done yet.

"8 palms! 16 palms!" Neji shouted as he quadrupled the number. Naruto was in immense pain now.

"32 palms!" Neji doubled it again. Naruto was being forced back, up towards the wall.

"Eight trigrams: 64 palms!" Neji shouted as he used the last attack to send Naruto up and over the bleachers. The crowd cheered as they saw Naruto reach the apex and started falling down towards the hard ground. With a sickening thud. He landed. The ninja's that knew him cringed at the sight of the downed Naruto. Neji only sighed he walked back down and stood over the downed Naruto. Naruto was still awake, barely though. Neji took this opportunity to finally talk to him openly.

"When I was born. My fate was to be a servant of the main branch." Neji started as he started taking off his head band.

"My father was the twin brother of my uncle. But, my father was born minutes after my uncle, making him the younger brother. And in the Hyuuga clan, if you were not of the main branch, you were branded with a special seal to suppress the full power of Byakugan. The moment you are branded with this seal, your fate as a Hyuuga was sealed. It meant that you were supposed to serve the main branch without question, blindly following them. The moment I was born, I was branded with this seal." Neji said as he removed the headband, revealing an intricate blue seal on his forehead.

"This seal meant that you were a branch member. That you were fated to serve the main branch. You cannot take it off, and you cannot question it. No man can change his fate." Neji finished as he put on the headband. He turned to the proctor.

"Proctor. Call the match. This fight is over." Neji said as he started walking away from the arena.

"Hold. The match is not over." The proctor said as he coughed. Neji turned around and quirked an eyebrow at that.

"Proctor-san, it is obvious that my opponent cannot fight back. Please call the mat-" But before Neji could finish that sentence. He saw the Naruto on the ground vanish in a puff of smoke.

"A clone!" Neji shouted alarmed as he reactivated his Byakugan and searched for Naruto. The crowd was in an uproar at the turn of events. They were all booing as they saw Naruto disappear into a puff of smoke.

While the ninja spectators were in awe at what happened.

"How did he do that?! I thought clones dispelled the moment you hit them! That clone took 64 hits!" Ino shouted as she stood up in shock at the turn of events. Shikamaru sighed at the noise.

"Quiet down woman! Your shouting is troublesome." Shikamaru said as he turned back to the match, Chouji joining him. Sasuke only smirked at what happened, while Sakura was in awe at that.

"Ne Yamanaka-chan. It's best if you look underneath the underneath. Naruto is known for surprises. So it's best to keep watching and see what happens no?" Kakashi said with an eye smile. He was proud of his student for what he did. He pumped more chakra into that one clone so it wouldn't dispel right away. That meant he was buying time. For what? Well, he'll just have to wait and see.

XxX

10 minutes…..

"Where is he!" Neji shouted as he frantically looked left and right for any chakra signature. He didn't find one however. He growled in frustration. But before he could recheck the area. Naruto jumped up from the hole in the ground caused by a previous match. He still had the tiger seal formed, but he seemed to be gathering chakra.

'Impossible! I don't see any chakra coming from him!' Neji thought as he charged at the blonde. Before he could come close however. Naruto removed the tiger seal and started doing hand seals.

'Come on! You can do this!' Naruto thought as he finished the hand seals and bit his thumb for blood. He slammed his hands on the ground and opened his eyes to reveal that it had changed. His iris was now black and was slanted to the side in a rectangle, and his whites were yellows now. As his hand touched the ground, he immediately felt a surge of power.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted praying to whatever god there is that he did it right. The field erupted into smoke. The field was covered by smoke and people were scrambling to see what kind of jutsu that was. The spectators were on the edge of their seats, including the ninja's in the bleachers. While Naruto was holding his breath as he waited for the smoke to clear.

"Well now, I din't expect to be summoned by a youngin' without Pa." A frail old voice sounded as the smoke cleared.

XxX

And that's a wrap! Honestly. This is kinda a short chapter for me. So if you like this, expect longer chapters soon. This idea was stuck in the back of my head for a long while. And I just got around to writing it. And just to warn you people, expect updates to be few and far between (maybe). I have three other stories I'm working on that need updating. Not including this one. And I have three other stories that need publishing and writing to completion. Including this one. So that makes 6 stories in my pocket. May God have mercy on my soul.

C.O.Y.L out. Peace!