I'm mainly worried about Hinata taking Sakura's place for the parallel; with the amount of back-seatage she's been taking this arc, it wouldn't surprise me if nothing happened with her.
I wouldn't, it just doesn't fit. Think about it this way, in every chapter so far, while things are going on with Naruto, Sakura's always showing up in danger. Naruto and Sakura have both been put in predicaments these past two chapters, needing to be rescued by someone else. Naruto got hurt from a rock, Sakura got knocked back. This chapter Naruto was almost impaled by wood but Hinata jumped in front of him then Neji shielded them both. Sakura had to get pulled away by Kakashi from the wood.
The next chapter may involve another close call for them both... and I'm sadly seeing a pattern here.... I think Sai/Kiba/Shino/or Gai are at risk next chapter. I see this coming. It's scary but now no one's safe. Nobody.
Honestly, I think Hinata may die too. It's been foreshadowed by Neji saying she's willing to die for him. They all are but I think Hinata's death is coming soon...
Just reiterating my statement from another site:
"I don't know about you guys, but something just didn't feel right about that panel. She was willing to give her life away so carelessly like it was on a whim. It's like her life means absolutely nothing when it comes to Naruto. I think Hinata really wants to prove her love for Naruto by protecting him = dying for Naruto."
I agree with you. Hey, you're from NF too aren't you? It's me VioNi.
I understand your opinion but that "hinata was willing to die for you as so i" it wasnt a romantic statement but to Naruto realize that his life is important to his friends, i would be concerned if he told "she was willing to die for you because she loves you", and he did that only to protect hinata.
This is a lesson that naruto must earn that he should not be like "everyone stay behind and let me do this" he always did that.
This reminds me of sakura speech when she told that "No matter what you say we are gonna be together... not just me we all gonna fight together" reinforces this statement that everyone is there to fight for naruto.
Naruto become strong and at the same time was becoming someome arrogant like itachi told naruto.
Always trying to handle all the things by himself and forget about his friends.
Neji pretty much confirmed that Hinata's willing to die for Naruto so to protect her, he jumped in the way. While Neji died for both of them to live, his main goal was to protect Hinata from the moment he saw her jump in front of Naruto. I guess he didn't want to see her hurt like the time with Pain - because then he didn't understand her motives but he then realized she loved Naruto and was willing to die for him. In response to this, Neji - proving his 'genius' came to understand Hinata and did for her what she would for Naruto, understanding that he would be dying to protect her and the one guy who helped him to understand her and see that people can change their own fate.
In other words, Neji truly respects Naruto because helped him and doesn't bare any ill-will towards him (despite Hinata's suicidal tendencies for the guy) because he understands that she loves him and in other words...
...Whoa... Neji really did love Hinata...
I knew that NH fans were very selfish the moment they called Naruto a selfish jerk for not loving Hinata after she risked her life for him, but the display I saw in NF show me at what extend they're willing to go just to see NH becomes cannon, I mean Neji just die and people were making threads saying that Naruto should get with Hinata now.
That was the first time I did not post on a pairing thread on the telegram since I became a member, I couldn't I was so disappointed by those fans, I mean using is death to assume that NH might have a happy outcome and then happy because one of NS FC alliance (NejiHina) just died.
This is mainly why I was so angry when some user try to use Tsunade death for NS development, but a lease some of us care about Tsunade, the NH camp they only care about Naruto and Hinata character and no one else.
Hi Don-kun! It's Vio
Argh, I'm like super depressed about Neji's death so imagine how us Neji fans feel knowing that he's being used for a pairing. Neji's death didn't even point to NaruHina. I can say without a doubt it was the closest to a NejiHina moment we could get, hell for the first time in a long time, (if ever) Hinata's attention wasn't on Naruto, it was on Neji as they looked each other in the eye during his final moments. Whether Hinata feels the same, we'll have to find out but I doubt it.
Oh boy, the Neji fan is me is terribly terribly hurt...