Naruto ~ Silent Guardians
The end of the 4th war had Naruto and Shikamaru as the only survivors, Kurama feeling the two fading acted fast, sent them back to their Genin days to make sure the war never came to pass. AU! Pairings aren't a main focus.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything related to it.
Chapter Ten
"Do you have a decent strategy to take out Kiba this time?" Shikamaru asked the blonde as they walked towards the prelim arena.
"It's a pretty basic one that won't show any of my actual skill, but it is much more dignified than last time." Naruto shuddered in remembrance and Shikamaru snickered at his expression. "You're healed enough to take out Kin right?"
"It still twinges a bit, but I can take her out easy enough and since Tou-San knows how long we have been training, I can use a more advance jutsu's from my clan." Shikamaru poked his shoulder gingerly.
Naruto nodded as they joined their teams and sensei's on the platform surrounding a tiled fighting arena. He scanned the remaining Genin's and somehow the rest of Kabuto's team had made it and were allowed to fight in the prelims. He tuned out the Sandaime's speech about how they had to have prelim fights and if anyone wanted to drop out they can, as the fights are one-on-one fights from here on out. He watched as a few people dropped out before the sensei's took their teams aside for pep talks.
"Good luck team, I will hope for your success unless you are fighting each other, than I am not taking sides… Don't die out there." Kakashi told Team Seven with an eye smile. Sakura paled at the last remark while Sasuke 'hn'ed.
"Rousing as usual Kashi-Sensei." Naruto smirked and ducked the flick that was coming towards his head from the Jounin.
The nickname brought back memories for Kakashi, memories of Minato, Kushina, Rin and Obitio. He quickly shook his head to clear his mind as Hayate stepped up with a cough to start the 1st fight as the names flashed up on the screen above him.
Sasuke Uchiha Vs. Yoroi Akoda.
"Good luck Sasuke-Kun." Sakura gushed and Naruto leaned on the railing as Sasuke passed behind him to head down to fight.
"Don't screw up Teme." Naruto sang in an answer to the cocky smirk the other preteen had on his face.
"Like I would Dobe." Sasuke shot back before he went to join Yoroi Akoda to start the fight.
Naruto and Shikamaru watched the fight with slight interest, just wanting to gauge where Sasuke's level was at without the curse seal interfering. Akoda told Sasuke that he could steal charka and Naruto stayed silent this time around; he wanted to see how the Uchiha would get out of this without the curse seal or stealing Lee's Taijutsu's move.
In the end Sasuke sent shuriken at Akoda as a distraction before he got in close with a low rank Katon jutsu and some Taijutsu moves he had learned from his training with Kakashi he sent Akoda into the wall behind him and it knocked him unconscious, making the Uchiha the winner. Sasuke smirked at the other Genin's as he made his way back to his team.
"Top that Dobe." Sasuke said in triumph to the blonde.
'It won't be that hard.' Naruto thought to himself.
"I'll do my best." He replied with a sarcastic bite, but the Uchiha didn't catch it however from the amused look Kakashi gave him the older man did.
Next was the fight featuring Zaku who had use of both arms, but had one in a sling for show. Zaku was going against Shino like before and Naruto watched the fight disinterested, as he knew how it was going to end. Just as before Shino won when he infected the wind tunnels in Zaku's arms. Disturbing but effective, a glance at Shikamaru told the blonde that the Nara was on the same wavelength.
The next match was Kankuro Vs. Misumi Tsurugi. Watching Kankuro wield his puppets once more felt good to watch, the blonde didn't even wince when the puppet master used one of his puppets to crush Misumi's bones. He had seen a lot worse in the war, Misumi should be glad it was only broken bones.
The next one was Sakura Vs. Ino. This time around they both ended up cutting their long hair off and Naruto saw a flicker of his timeline's Sakura in the young pink haired girl fighting below. Naruto smiled and spotted Shikamaru smiling fondly at the blonde as it ended in a draw like before.
TenTen jumped down to face Temari and Shikamaru leaned on the railing like he was using it to hold himself up, but he knew that he was watching Temari closely to see if his version of her was still in there and re-memorizing her movements so he would have something to go off of during the final round. Shikamaru still couldn't help, but wince at the brutal way she took out TenTen. He knew the two had become good friends during the war when TenTen inquired about Temari's giant iron fan.
The next match up was Shikamaru Nara Vs. Kin Tsuchi.
Shikamaru sighed loudly as he shoved his hands in his pockets and headed down to the arena as Kin walked down in her snake skin patterned scarf with a devious smirk on her lips. Shikamaru looked up to see Gaara give him a stiff nod and Naruto beam at him. He also took note the Sandaime, Asuma-Sensei and the others who were in the room during their debriefing were watching him closely.
"Kick her ass Shikamaru!" Ino called down, pumping her fist in the air. He raised his uninjured hand lazily.
"This is going to be troublesome…" Shikamaru groaned and he heard Naruto snort from the stands.
"Begin." Hayate coughed and stepped back out of the way as Kin pulled out a two fist full of senbon.
"I heard you killed Kabuto." Kin commented as she threw her first fist of plain senbon.
"Who?" Shikamaru dodged out of the way lazily.
"Don't play dumb with me! You took off his head!" She screeched as she threw her other senbon out of anger.
"Sorry I've never beheaded anyone before." Shikamaru ducked down to avoid the senbon attack.
"No matter, the guy was creepy as hell. I did hear you sustained some rather grievous injuries out there…" She smirked as she disappeared in a substitution, a pile of senbon lying where she stood.
Shikamaru whirled around as she appeared behind him, stabbing a senbon into his shoulder. He grunted at the new pain and hazily heard shouts coming from the stands, he took the attack and made a hand seal.
"Kage Kubishibari [Shadow Strangle]." Shikamaru grunted and a black shadow extended from his feet. It swirled around her body and landed on her neck, tightening its hold and she started to choke for air. From the vantage points around the room, no one could see the shadow that was strangling her. They just saw the two Genin locked in a close position with Kin breathing deeply.
"Give up or you die." He whispered to her, eyes hard and tone flat. She looked at him with wide-eyes and nodded the best she could, he pulled back the jutsu just enough for her to talk.
"I yield." She rasped out and Hayate nodded, accepting her surrender. Shikamaru released his jutsu and stepped out of her range.
"Your eyes… You're a killer." She muttered as she nursed her throat. Shikamaru just stared at her and pawed at the ground once with his foot before turning to head back to his team.
There was a gasp from the gathered Leaf ninja and a few 'watch out' as Kin threw poison laced senbon at his unguarded back. Shikamaru whirled around, arms going up in an X to block his face and chest.
There was no need to guard him self as the Leaf ninja present had taken their own action. Asuma was standing in front of his student with his trench knives out to protect Shikamaru, having used them to knock the poisoned senbon to the ground. Kakashi along with Gai had latched onto Kin's arms; Kurenai had a Kunai pressed against Kin's stomach.
"You yielded and yet you attack him from behind." Kakashi growled, Shikamaru looked at the gathered Jounin's shocked, a subtle glance up in the stands showed him that sand was silently returning to Gaara's gourd, arms still crossed and Naruto was putting his hands back into his pockets as he stopped making hand seals. He nodded at the two in thanks before he turned back to the scene before him.
Genma was escorting Kin out of the arena and Shikamaru let out a breath of relief, this had NOT happened during the previous timeline.
"Are you alright Shikamaru?" Asuma asked as he fell into step with his student as they headed back up to the other leaf teams.
"I'm fine, thanks for the save Sensei" Shikamaru smiled at his sensei who returned the smile before Shikamaru's friends surrounded him.
"I'm fine, don't worry you guys." Shikamaru calmed down the Genin around him. "I'm fine, even if the senbon had hit me I wouldn't have been too badly injured and the medical Nin would be able to heal the poison before it could affect me."
"Oh yeah? What if it hit you in the neck or the head?" Ino stomped up to him, anger all over her face but Shikamaru could see the worry hidden in her blue orbs.
"Ino… Ino!" He reached out and grabbed her waving hand and pressed it over his heart so she could feel it still beating and right away all the anger disappeared from her body as she felt the steady thrum under her fingers. He had done this a lot during the war for Ino, Choji, Temari, Naruto and he knew it soothed their frazzled nerves.
"I'm alive, focus on that." Shikamaru said softy. She nodded mutely and removed her hand from his chest as a medical ninja came to check on his wounds. She tsk'ed as she removed the senbon from his already injured shoulder and started to heal it with her green charka.
"What was she talking about before? About you beheading someone?" Choji asked quietly, Shikamaru noted he had all the Jounin sensei's attentions.
"I honestly have no idea, she must have said it to throw me off balance." Shikamaru lied.
"She knew about your wounds through…" Ino added.
"It's not like it was secret Naruto and I were in the infirmary when we got into the tower. That or she must have seen my bandages." Shikamaru waved his wrist to show the stark white bandage wrapped around it and a matching one sticking out from under his grey jacket.
"That makes sense." Choji nodded accepting the explanations. Shikamaru felt horrible for telling them these lies but he couldn't let them know the truth, not yet.
The next fight pairing appeared on the huge screen.
Naruto Uzumaki Vs. Kiba Inuzuka.
Naruto walked past Team Ten and made eye contact with Shikamaru who nodded, silently telling the blonde he was fine and to focus on the fight with Kiba. Hinata stammered out a 'good luck' to the blonde as he passed and almost passed out when Naruto gave her a soft smile in return.
"Man this is going to be a breeze!" Kiba said excitedly as Shino and Hinata quietly wished him luck.
"Don't underestimate him Kiba." Kurenai warned, having been there to hear the story of how Naruto and Shikamaru had fought off the Snake Sannin.
"Come on Akamaru, let's go win this!" Kiba gave his sensei a confused look before he followed Naruto down to the fighting arena with his white Niken at his heels.
"Good luck Kiba." Naruto grinned at the Inuzuka. He knew that every eye from the Leaf village that was present during the debriefing was trained on him and he knew he had to be smart about this fight, but not show any impressive skills.
"You too Naruto." Kiba said in good sportsmanship.
"Begin!" Hayate raised his hand.
"Jujin Bunshin [Beast Human Clone]." Kiba shouted, as he and Akamaru took on the same human appearance, if not a bit more feral than usual. Naruto just stood there as the two ran and leapt around him in an effort to distract him.
Thanks to Kurama being sealed in his body Naruto had tamed his heighten senses and could already tell which one was Akamaru and which one was Kiba. He quickly made a hand sign and a dozen Kage Bunshin's appeared and rushed at the two Kiba's; fighting them off while a Naruto disappeared into the floor. Moments past as the Kage Bunshin's disappeared one by one until none were left. The two Kiba's stood side by side as they look/sniffed around trying to find Naruto, they let out yells of surprise as they sank under the ground up to their necks as Naruto leapt out of the ground a few feet away.
"Doton: Shinju Zanshu [Double Suicide Decapitation]." Naruto grinned. The Kiba's growled but one sighed as the other started to wiggle around with no results.
"I yield." One shouted and Hayate accepted it, announcing Naruto the winner. The blonde grinned and made a hand sign and the two Kiba's were released from the jutsu and the Kiba on the right turned back into Akamaru who leapt up onto Kiba's head.
"Good fight Kiba, I just know that you will become one of the strongest Inuzuka's out there. Yours and Akamaru's teamwork is very unique and effective." Naruto commented to the Genin.
"Thanks man, I guess I shouldn't have underestimated you. We'll get stronger and we'll beat you one day, right Akamaru?" Kiba shook Naruto's hand and Akamaru yipped in agreement.
"I'll be looking forward to it Kiba, Akamaru." Naruto shook Kiba's hand and petted Akamaru as the two headed back up to their teams as the names for the next battle showed up.
Hinata Hyuga Vs. Neji Hyuga.
"I was dreading this one." Shikamaru confided to Naruto who came to stand with him instead of his team, Choji and Ino moving to accept the blonde to the area where Team Ten was standing.
"Me as well. Too bad we can't pump my charka into Neji and make him our Neji." Naruto commented in a very low voice as the two headed down to fight.
"I believe in you Hinata! Never give up!" Naruto shouted down at the blue haired girl who blinked and looked up at the blonde shyly.
Neji just 'hn'ed and he stood stiffly, glaring at Hinata with so much hate that she visibly flinched back.
"This is going to be painful to watch…" Shikamaru grumbled as he tightened his grip on the railing in front of him as the fight began and Neji ruthlessly attacked his cousin while verbally tearing her down. Once he disrupted the charka flow to her arms, Naruto was ready to leap in to stop Neji from killing her as he rushed forward for the final strike, but Shikamaru's hand latched onto his elbow.
"I want to go down there too, but we can't blow our cover. We aren't supposed to know this is going to happen, remember the Jounin's interfere." Shikamaru hissed and Naruto locked eyes with his ANBU commander before slowly nodding and relaxing knowing he was right. They watched tense as Hinata refused to give up even as she stared death down in the form of her cousin, but Hayate and the other Jounin Sensei's leapt in and stopped Neji and protecting her just like when Shikamaru was attacked by Kin.
Naruto kept an eye on Hinata as she was taken out of the arena on a stretcher and Neji re-joined his team who eyed him with shock and some disgust.
"I'll bring our Neji back during our battle." Naruto swore to Shikamaru as the second to last match came up.
Rock Lee Vs. Gaara.
"This should be a good fight." Shikamaru commented as Lee dropped down into the fighting area as Gaara used his sand to lower him down.
"Show off. I don't think I've ever seen him walk normally." Shikamaru muttered to Naruto who snorted and Gaara sent the two a look like he knew what they were saying. Naruto just smiled cheekily at the Kazekage before Hayate began the final fight.
Gaara crossed his arms and let his sand defend him as Lee attacked with his Taijutsu moves. Gaara kept his eyes on Lee and frowned as he saw Gai give Lee permission to open the gates, Gaara lashed out with a fist and the sand wrapped around the Genin, stopping him from opening the gates and kept him in a ball of sand, not too much pressure as he didn't want to be the reason Lee had all his limbs broken again. Time went by and Hayate had no choice but to announce Gaara the winner and the Kazekage released the green clad Genin and walked over to him.
"Good match Rock Lee." He said his tone flat like usual.
"You are a most youthful opponent Gaara-San! I look forward to fighting against you in the future." Lee bowed to the redhead who nodded back, suppressing a smile.
"Me as well." Gaara turned on his heel and strode up to his siblings, smirking at Naruto and Shikamaru who sent him their own smirks in return before they turned to Lee to offer their own encouragements.
"I'm glad you didn't use the gate's Lee." Gai said after he came back over from talking with the stand-by medical ninja. "If you did then who knows the damage it could have caused if you used it against his sand."
"I understand Gai-Sensei!" Lee snapped off a salute. "I will train harder than before to make my body strong enough to use the gates and to make you proud Gai-Sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Gai-Sensei!"
The two did their dramatic, rainbow and waterfall hug and Naruto rubbed his neck.
"I forgot they did that." He commented and TenTen snorted.
"They do it every day at the start and end of training." She rubbed her forehead annoyed.
"Ouch." Shikamaru winced in sympathy and she nodded in agreement to his statement.
The final match up appeared on the giant screen.
Dosu Kinuta Vs. Choji Akimichi.
"I don't like the looks of this guy, if he's anything like that Zaku guy I'm not sure I want to fight him." Choji turned to his team worried.
"His headband shows he's from the Sound, he must use some sort of sound vibration so be careful." Shikamaru theorized.
"More reason not to fight him!" Choji waved his arms.
"If you go and give it your best then I'll treat you to dinner." Asuma offered and Choji straightened up, suddenly full of energy as he walked down to the arena.
"Bribery, nice." Kakashi commented to the other Jounin.
"It works well with Choji, usually for Shikamaru it's cloud watching or Shogi and Ino I have to come help deliver flowers for her family shop or carry her bags while she shops." Asuma admitted to the silver haired Jounin.
"I should try that." Kakashi muttered glancing at his team. Sakura was still resting against a wall and Sasuke was leaning on the same wall a few feet down from her, not looking at her even once. Naruto was standing with Shikamaru and Ino, looking worried for Choji, but shouting encouragements anyway.
Shikamaru knew that even with his warning Dosu would win against Choji, he just really hopped Choji wasn't injured too badly. This timeline's Choji didn't see Dosu in action before, but much to Shikamaru's relief the match went the same way it did in his timeline, Choji gave a good effort, but Dosu used his sound waves to disrupt the water in Choji's body and ended the fight.
Thus was the end of the prelims and the second part of the Chunin exam. The winners stood in front of the Sandaime as the names for the next part of the exam appeared.
Naruto Uzumaki Vs. Neji Hyuga.
Sasuke Uchiha Vs. Gaara
Shino Aburame Vs. Kankuro
Shikamaru Nara Vs. Temari
Dosu Vs. Undetermined.
Dosu looked up into the stands at his sensei, who Naruto and Shikamaru had an idea that it was actually Orochimaru in disguise. The sound ninja raised his hand and the Hokage.
"Yes?" He looked at the sound ninja.
"I withdraw." He stated and the Hokage nodded accepting it.
"Then the matches are set and will take place in two weeks. Good luck to you all and good job in getting this far." Sandaime said, a clear dismissal.
The team's sensei's grabbed onto the Genin's who couldn't teleport and Shushin'ed out of the tower and the Forest of Death. All the Konoha teams appeared where they had all gathered before the five days and many families and friends were waiting for the returning Genin's.
Yoshino and Shikaku swept up Naruto and Shikamaru into tight-worried hugs when they were spotted.
"We're proud of you two." Shikaku smiled at the two, his eyes taking in Shikamaru's injuries.
"Thanks Tou-San." They said in sync.
"You have a month to train, you are coming home and you are staying there until I say you two are recovered, understood?" Yoshino said sternly.
"Yes ma'am!" The two gulped as Yoshino shot her husband a glare and the elder Nara quickly touched his wife's shoulder and in a swirl of leaves the group disappeared leaving two very amused Jounin's and one smirking Kazekage in their wake.