The Great Flight!!

Spectators cheer Naruto's upset, and seasoned shinobi marvel that he managed to draw on and steer the Nine-Tails' power. While Naruto soaks up the applause, an injured Neji is carried off to be treated. There Hiashi comes to him and lays bare the real story of how Neji's father, Hizashi, met his end.

Hiashi recounts that when tensions flared between Kumo and Konoha, the Cloud demanded his head. The village and the Hyūga leadership proposed sending Hizashi in his place. Though Hiashi balked at sacrificing his own brother, Hizashi refused to let it go, wanting for once to decide his own path by dying to save his twin rather than merely for the clan's sake. Neji rejects the account until Hiashi lowers his head to beg forgiveness. Struck by the gesture, Neji accepts the truth, casts off his rigid faith in fate, and vows instead to grow strong enough that he will never again taste defeat.

The audience recognises Naruto's growing mastery of the Nine-Tails' chakra following his victory. Hiashi visits the recovering Neji and finally explains that Hizashi chose to take his place and die willingly. Hiashi bows in apology, convincing Neji of the truth.

Moved by his uncle's honesty, Neji abandons his fatalistic worldview and pledges to become strong enough never to lose again.

This chapter concludes threads of the Chūnin Exams arc and was collected in volume 12. It marks a turning point in Neji's character. The installment first ran in issue 3 of 2002.