Kabuto and Team 7 made it to the tower with minimal interference. They realized that a few of the teams might scope out the towers and try to ambush weaker teams to get the scrolls they needed so they walked quietly and stealthily. Well as quiet as genin's could. Once inside the tower Kabuto split off from them thanking them for helping him get back to his team. There they came across a phrase on the wall. deciphering the phrase and opening both scrolls a chuunin appeared and congratulated them on passing the second phase of the chuunin exam. They all exhaled a breath as Naruto touched his shoulder where he was bitten. "I know this looks bad, but we shouldn't tell anyone except Kakashi-sensei." he finished. They both nodded as Naruto moved to speak again. "Also, this is too minor for me to forfiet and leave now, so no matter what I'm going to continue fighting against this thing."
It was then that Sakura took a firm stance and looked at Naruto. "You shouldn't fight in this condition Naruto, you know better than this. Don't tell me that you're going to risk that thing corrupting your ability to fight!?" she said as she took on a motherly tone. Naruto appreciated it, he really did, but he couldn't accept the fact of giving up. "I just can't do it...I can't give up this easily, not to this thing at least." he said. "I'm going to fight Sakura. I need to fight. I need...I need to see if I'm strong enough." He said as he walked off. Sasuke understood the need to prove ones strength but lately he was rethinking why he wanted to prove his strength. Naruto was becoming the closest thing to a Brother he could recognize since Itachi. He didn't want to see him hurt, but he knew Naruto was a strong individual. "I say he should fight Sakura. There's nothing we can do to persuade him out of it...might as well let him try." Sasuke said as he walked off. Sakura followed a little upset but she understood. Boy's will be boys.
Time passed in the tower that sat within The Forest of Death relatively quickly. Teams came in and at the five day marker all the teams who were going to make it, had already made it. Some teams didn't make it till the last moment though, and others made it a day before. It was then that they had to gather on the floor of the towers. "congratulations to the Genin who made it this far. " Hiruzen spoke. "You have done well so far, but I think it's time I explained the real reasons these exams are formed." He started. He explained to them that the Chuunin exams were a substitute for war. From the occasional questions he answered to the time he finished his speech it was time for them to start another round. He was about to go into explanation of what the rounds would contain but a sickly looking ninja appeared. "Excuse me Lord Hokage. But allow me to explain the round, as it is my duty to do so." he said politely. Hiruzen confirmed and nodded as the jounin coughed to clear his throat before beginning.
"Be it from the simplicity of the exams or the skill of the entrants there are too many of you to continue onto the next round, so in order to decide who goes to the final's we will have a preliminary round." he said between coughs. This elicited groans from many of the genin in the stands as one asked why they had to fight when they just came out of that god forsaken forest. The shinobi explained to them the reason and began to direct their name to the boards above. He asked if anyone would like to concede and leave the exam and only the one's who made it there that day and Kabuto rose their hands and were escorted off. "Alright it's time for the first match..." he said as the names rolled.
"Will the Two genin's enter the floor." he said as Sasuke and Yoroi made their way down. Sasuke entered a stance before Yoroi chuckled at him. "Prepare to lose kid.." he said as the prompter rose his hand. "Ready...Begin!" he said as he slashed through the air signaling the start of the match. Sasuke ran at the man as he removed shuriken from his pouch. He thew the shuriken as Yoroi took out a kunai and slashed at them knocking them away. While he was doing that Sasuke was in the middle of seals already preparing for his fire style as he launched it towards Yoroi. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" he said as small fire ball projectiles came at the genin. He dodged in between them before closing the distance between him and Sasuke as Sasuke launched a punch which the man grabbed. Suddenly, Sasuke felt weaker. "What...what is this?" he said as he realized the man was draining his chakra. He launched a kick to the man's knee forcing him to cave in and let go as he launched another kick towards the falling man, ducking down and slamming him in the chin. "Time to end this." Sasuke said as he disappeared behind the man. He launched an elbow into the man who blocked it as he kicked him in the gut. He launched a series of blows increasing the mans decent before he ended with a massive heal to the man's stomach as they collided with the ground. Sasuke used the kick and propelled himself off the man as the effects of the Shadow of the Dancing Leaf caught up with him. He fell to a knee as he panted. "Winner, Sasuke!" the prompter said before coughing.
The board flashed again as another series of names went by. They finally stopped on two names as Sakura looked at the board a little bit worried. Sakura and Oboro made their way down to the floor. "Hmph, this'll be a piece of cake." The ame genin said as the match was started. Sakura started off running at the man making clones. The genin threw shuriken which caused the clone to dispell as Sakura had changed places with them while running, confusing the order they were in. She launched a kick at the genin as he ducked under and jumped back. Obviously he wasn't a close range fighter. He suddenly sunk underground as Sakura blinked. "What.." she said before she felt a presence behind her and jumped. Luckily she dodge the slash that would have taken out her tendon and caused he to collapse. The kunai was thrown as she threw her own causing it to bounce back. Suddenly, large amounts of Oboro appeared from the ground. She launched a kunai at one of them only for it to phase through. "These are only illusions, what do you plan to do with-" she was interrupted as one slashed her. 'What was that...' she thought. She could have sworn they were illusions. There was no way they could have hit her.
She was forced to dodge back and forth as her stamina was nearing it's end. She decided a little genjutsu would be fair as well. She formed a few hand seals casting a small genjutsu around her as she vanished in a flurry of sakura petals. Oboro appeared from the ground but was unable to find her. It was at this moment Sakura saw what the man was doing and formed a few hand seals. Once she finished, a flurry of Sakura petals appeared from below the man. He didn't know what it was but he had an idea. Suddenly, he was taken by surprise as he saw a massive monster closing in on him. It was pale with yellow eyes and a body like a snake. It extended and tried to close on him with it's jaw's open. Oboro was terrified of snakes. He promptly passed out from the influx of the horror of being eaten alive by one. Sakura canceled her petal genjutsu as the clones disappeared. "Winner, Sakura" the prompter once again concluded.
The board opened up once again as two more names flashed on the screen. "Heh, I have to fight one of those weakling Kunoichi's..." Temari thought as she made her way down the stairs. "This'll be too easy" she said as she faced a girl with buns in her hair. "Ready...Begin." The prompter explained. The girl removed some shuriken and kunai from her pouches as the girl blocked them with her wind fan as she opened it up to one moon. "Hah...You'll never touch me with those tools weakling!" she exclaimed. "When three moon's are revealed, it'll be the end of you." she said. Not as a boast but as a declaration of skill. Tenten figured it was a taunt and jumped into the air as smoke appeared around her. She began summoning ninja tools at an alarming rate as she manipulated them with ninja wire causing them to rain down on the Suna Kunoichi. But none reached her as the weapons fell all around her. As Tenten fell to the ground seemingly exaughsted she smirked as she lifted her hand and the tools all went flying back at Temari who seemed unimpressed. She sent a wave of wind towards the strings causing them to fall and falter. Tenten was shocked. Temari had her fan extended as she hurled a large cyclone of wind at Tenten. Tenten was launched into the air as she was slashed multiple times by the wind. Lee looked on in horror as Tenten fell. Suddenly a blur appeared out the corner of their eye's as he caught Tenten. Lee stood looking at Temari. He had realized where she was going to land, and Temari was going to let her land brutally on her fan. "That...was most unyouthful!" he declared as he looked angry. For those who knew Lee, it was rare to see anger on his face. Tenten looked up at him. "Thanks Lee." she replied before he helped her get back up the stairs. "Whatever...Weakling." Temari said as she was declared the winner. She walked back up the stairs as the board appeared again.
This time it landed on Shino and some boy from the Sound Village. They remembered him in the room and Shino wished to see the boy's ability. "Begin" the prompter said as they stood still. "I'm gonna end this with one move!" Zaku declared as he launched his Decapitating Air Wave at Shino. Shino seemed to disappear behind Zaku as he got in close range. "Give up, you cannot win this battle." he said calmy. The voice detained no hint of sarcasm or joke. He was dead serious. "Tch, You can't beat me!" he said as he launched another wave. This Shino dissolved into bugs and began to corral around the boy. He was surrounded. Suddenly he pointed his hands at opposite ends. "Extreme Decapitating Air Wave!" He said. But when he tried to get the wave up his arm's and out his body, something was blocking it's flow. Suddenly, his arms exploded as he fell to the ground screaming in pain. "What...what just happened!?" Sakura asked. Kakashi decided to enlighten her. "When Shino was in close proximity he let some of his bugs get on the genin. He used his bugs to clog the boy's air holes in his hands. When he tried to use it, his arms...went pop." He said lightly. Sakura nodded in horror and fear of this genin. Shino was not to be toyed with. Shino made his way up to the stairs. 'I gave him a chance...He should have taken it.' he thought as the names rolled on.
In the middle of the floor stood two Genins. One with a bundle on his back and the other taking an interesting stance. "Give up, you can't win." Misumi said. "Tch, Like i'd lose to some Konoha weakling...You won't even qualify as a warm up." he said as he took the pouch off his back. He began to unwrap it as the instructor said no but Misumi appeared before him with blinding speed. Impressive for a genin, not so much to the higher ranking ninja in the room. Kankuro was caught unaware as Misumi began to wrap around him and constrict like a snake. "Give up, or I'll break your neck kid." He said as Kankuro smirked. "Like I said, I ain't givin u-" he said as his neck was broken. It hung limply before it suddenly turned around, parts of it breaking off. "Now it's your turn." he said as Kankurou's body shifted into that of a puppet. "I'll break everything but your neck." He said as the puppet began to constrict Misumi and began breaking bones, joints, and everything...but his neck. Misumi fell to the ground dead within seconds. "Winner...Kankurou" he said a bit shocked. The brutality behind the attack was something no genin should have in their body to do. Many of the genin's became sick looking at the simplicity of crushing someone so easily. Kankurou smirked as he made his way back up the stairs.
"Alright, for the next match." He began as the board began to flash. Another Genin looking like the previous genin that fought Sakura appeared. He looked at Kin with anything but interest. When the match began, he sunk under ground. He employed the same technique his teammate did wearing her down and causing her to get confused. She promptly forfeited realizing that this man was outside of her range. She couldn't utilize her senbon because he was underground, and her senbon wouldn't reach. Sure she could lay them all over the place, but he could just go under and avoid the sound. Mubi rose from the ground and went back up stairs next to his sensei.
The board rolled to show two unsuspecting names. Naruto Uzumaki and Kiba Inuzuka made their way down stairs. "Begin!" The prompter said as Kiba looked at Naruto. "Wahoo, this'll be easy! Prepare yourself Naruto...'cause I'm gonna finish this in one punch!" he said as he charged at Naruto. Naruto looked uninterested and caught the punch before forming a half hand seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu" he said as another clone appeared and launched a powerful punch underneath Kiba's jaw. The punch sent Kiba back as he fell with a thud. Kiba got up looking at Naruto with shocked eyes. "The hell?" Kiba said. Suddenly everyone was quiet. 'That was brutal.' Kakashi thought as he looked at Naruto. "I don't like being underestimated." He said as his Kage Bunshin walked towards Naruto. Using chakra was hurting like hell and the curse seal was siphoning chakra like crazy, but luckily Naruto had plenty to spare. He could use the Kage Bunshin a few times but he was going to have to stick to Taijutsu if he wanted to win here. Plus he didn't want to show off any tricks. Naruto's clone walked towards Kiba as Kiba's dog jumped infront of Kiba and barked. Kiba reached inside his pocket as he pulled something out. "Akamaru!" he said as the dog turned and opened up swallowing the food pill. Kiba took one out for himself. "Alright then...Let's get serious!" Kiba said as Akamaru then hopped on his back. "Man-Beast Clone!" he said as Akamaru turned into a clone of him. They then began running at Naruto and his clone. One began spinning as did the other. Both Naruto clones avoided it as they continued spinning around. They came to a stop as Naruto disappeared quickly with a blur of speed and rose up his hand into a fist. Kiba side stepped it and launched a kick which Naruto blocked with his other hand. Kiba brought his other leg up at an Aim at Naruto's face while Naruto brought his arm back to block it. This caused Kiba to be upside down as he used his hands as a brace and completed a hand stand. He began spinning as his legs became a blur and Naruto was forced to hop back as Kiba completed his spins. He then pushed off the ground landing on his hands as Naruto just collected himself.
Meanwhile, Kiba Clone and Naruto Clone were fighting. It was a pretty much feral attack from the Kiba clone vs a well organized taijutsu attack from Naruto. Akamaru would slash with his human hand/claw and would cause Naruto to deflect at the forearm. They exchanged punches and kicks with Naruto landing a good Kick to the Akamaru/Kiba clone and sent him back into a wall with the force of the kick. This knocked the air out the little pup causing him to transform back into Akamaru. It was spent as it was. Naruto looked at Kiba and removed a few shuriken from his pouch. 'I should be careful with this.' he said as he threw the shuriken. He threw them at Kiba as the dog user heard the whistling of Shuriken. He dodged out the way expecting them to fly into the wall but was suprised when they twisted up and began to rain down from above him. It was then that the Naruto clone formed hand seals. "Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!" it said as a rain of shuriken was above Kiba. Kiba was scraped and pelted with many shurikens but the amount was turned into a twenty instead of the usual thousands. Naruto's chakra control was off the hinges as he couldn't mold it right. Kiba stood there shaking with multiple cuts on his body. "Damn you..." he said as he tried to move but couldn't. He could barely stand and the prompter realized this. The subtle muscle twitch and the aches from moving were obvious on the Inuzuka's face. "Winner, - " "Don't you dare stop this match!" Kiba yelled out. "Kiba with all due respect you're finished here...There's nothing more you can do. If you continue then I'll have to knock you out." Naruto said in a commanding tone. "Bring it then!" Kiba said as he unwillingly took a stance. His body hurt but he'd be damned if he finished this fight conscious. Naruto nodded and rushed forward Kiba. Kiba lifted his arm to block the oncoming strike as the Naruto clone stood back. 'Damn it...I can't keep up like this. I've got to do some damage!' he though as he launched a punch. The punch missed and Kiba began spinning. He spun into Naruto and point blank range as Naruto exploded into Smoke. 'A seal-less replacement!' The prompter thought. That was advanced. Naruto stood in his clones spot as he got the memories from that attack. 'That would have taken me out the fight.' He realized. Kiba stopped spinning as he realized Naruto wasn't there. Suddenly, Naruto was before him launching a powerful knee into Kiba's chin. Kiba was launched off his feet as Naruto pushed off the ground at immense speeds shocking everyone there. He appeared over Kiba later, mid flip, and brought a leg down on Kiba. The combo was effective as the light left Kiba's eyes as he hit and he was taken out on a stretcher, completely unconcious. "Winner...Naruto." he said.
Naruto made his way back up with his hands in his pockets. "Good fight Kiba." He said out loud as Kiba was finally carted off. "Next match, Neji Hyuuga vs Hinata Hyuuga." Hinata looked at Neji as Kiba's words came to her. 'If you have to fight Neji or that Sand Ninja, forfiet immediately.' she remembered. She made her way down the stairs as she took her place infront of Neji. "Hinata-sama, You know you cannot win...Why do you task yourself with this impossible burden." he asked in a way of superiority. Hinata looked at him. "I-...I want to change myself. To prove that, that I can be a strong ninja." she stuttered. Neji activated his Byakugan as he looked at her. "These eyes of mine can see your weaknesses Hinata. The way you hold your hand up to your lips and your arm below that, trying to form a barrier from keeping me out of your mind, the way your stance portrays weakness and your unwillingness to fight. The way your eyes glance to the ground then back to yourself. Trying to steel out the doubt that you can actually put up a good fight and maybe beat me. It's all revealed to me. The truth of the fact is, it is your fate to lose here, Hinata-sama." Neji finished. Suddenly a voice came out from the balcony. "Shut the hell up will you. You sound like an idiot." the voice said as Neji glared at Naruto. "Who are you to tell someone what they can and can't be...you have no right to judge anyone, you Branch Family weakling." Naruto hit a chord. Neji became infuriated. He glared at Naruto but steeled his emotions as Hinata looked at Naruto shocked but then realized something. Naruto was right. Who the hell was Neji to tell her that she couldn't be a good ninja. Suddenly she began performing a series of hand seals as she activated her Byakugan. "Let's begin...Brother" she said as she took a stance.
She began running at Neji and launched a series of strike which Neji countered. He began launching strikes as they continued on exchanging blows and deflecting strikes. Chakra was coming off of them in small bursts and waves as they continued to battle. Neji launched a palm strike at Hinata's chest which she diverted and launched one at Neji's stomach. He hit her arm with a strike of his fingers and then launched another palm strike aimed at her stomach. Hinata took a chance and leaned into it hitting him with her own. She then coughed up blood and fell to her knee's as Neji grabbed her arm and held it up, showing holes on the arm. "I disabled your Gentle Fist from the beginning. You never stood a chance." he said as he let go of her arm. He began to walk away. "Prompter, it's over. She can no longer fight." Hinata stood up and looked at Neji. "You're wrong brother." she said before looking at Neji. Neji began to become upset. "Just stand down Hinata. You stand no chance against me. It is your fate to lose this match. You are not a competent shinobi and you have no chance against anyone of my calliber. You should just understand this and give up." he ordered. Hinata shook her head no. "I won't give up...Because it's...My ninja way!" she exclaimed. "How could you know anything about being a Ninja. A main branch ninja who despises their own family!" Neji let his emotions get to him. Hinata looked at Neji with sadness in her eyes. "I don't hate you Neji...if anything. I pity you." Neji glared at Hinata before moving at a burst of speed. Suddenly he was surrounded by all the jounin's as they restrained him and Naruto appeared in front of him before Kunai could with a claw of some sorts around his hand. The other jounin turned and looked in shock before Hinata opened her eyes and saw Kurenai infront of her. She looked around and saw Neji a hair's inch away from an Iron Claw that belonged to one Naruto Uzumaki.
"If you had taken that attack, your life would have been forfeit." he said calmly releasing a mild amount of his killing intent. They looked at him confused. Since when did the dead last of the academy make threats. His entire character was off and it was unnerving. He had moved slightly slower than the jounin's when he disappeared. The genin weren't even able of tracking his movements. It was obvious he was holding back. On the outside Naruto was ok. On the inside his chakra was burning. Using that damn shushin variant hurt like hell with the curse mark. He had kept up a tough guy routine to not look weak but he was regreting it.
"Winner...Neji Hyuuga." he said as Hinata fell to the ground exhausted. Luckily Neji didn't hit her chest but that stomach blow was strong. It hurt like hell and she'd still need medical treatment. Naruto helped Hinata up and she was escorted off by a Medical ninja. He turned and looked at Neji. "Pray we don't meet at the finals. I won't hold back against someone like you." he said as he walked up the stairs.
The final match was now upon them as it was time for Gaara of the Sand and Rock Lee to face off. Rock lee jumped off the railing landing down right after Gaara used his Sand Shushin to appear on the grounds. It was time for some blood. And Gaara was going to get it in buckets if there was anything he had to say about it. "Let us have a Most Youthful and enjoyable match!" he said as Gaara looked stoic as ever. Suddenly the match began and Lee rushed off. He launched a punch at Gaara as a wave of sand appeared and blocked it. Lee looked shocked as he launched a kick and the sand repeated the action. He tried multiple combo's even tried a few unconventional methods but the sand would just stop his attack. Gaara looked at him and sent the sand in his direction. Lee jumped back and avoided the sand as he tried once more. This time he was hit by a wave of sand which slammed him up against a wall.
He was able to regroup as the sand came once again and he appeared a small distance away from the original sands strike. He looked up to Gai who looked at him shouting down to him. "Lee! Take 'em off!" he said as Lee nodded. "Right!" he said as he disappeared to the symbol in the arena. He stood atop the hands that made the ram sign. He sat down removing the weights as he held them up at arms length. "Ah..That is much better. Now I will be able to move much faster!" he said as he let the weights go. The sudden impact of such a force hitting the earth caused the ground to crumble beneath it creating two craters. A weight dropped from that height had to weigh more than Lee himself. Lee took off literally vanishing to many of the genin there. Hell Kakashi had to activate his sharingan just to keep up and see him. He began launching attacks as Gaara began to panic for the first time in years. He couldn't see him, but his sand could barely "Boom" couldn't keep up any more. He took a blow to the head. The blow left a small cut as Temari and Kankuro were in shock. Gaara was bleeding, and that wasn't a good thing. Lee appeared below Gaara and launched a kick. Gaara went into the air but wasn't floating. He was too heavy with that gourd. Lee launched a series of kicks into Gaara's gut and got him up high enough. He then wrapped Gaara in his bandages as they began their decent down. He slammed Gaara into the ground and leapt away huffing and puffing. Gaara's body cracked away revealing a hollow sand shell. The shell disolved into sand as Gaara appeared elsewhere with an insane grin on his face. "Yes...Make me feel alive!" he said as sand rushed Lee's vulnerable form. Waves after wave of sand landed into Lee as he was smashed against the wall. Lee rose once again as he took his stance. Another wave of sand got to him and he dodged it with incredibly new vigor. Suddenly he started moving faster and dodging. Then Lee got distance as he crossed his arms.
"Gate of Pain...open!" he said as he opened the first gate. "Gate of Healing...Open!" he continued. He went up to the fourth gate as his skin turned red. He shot off at amazing speeds and launched Gaara into the air. The shockwave from the kick shattered the arena. He appeared behind Gaara launching him into the corner of the arena but appeared before him knocking him the opposite way before bouncing him at fast speeds. He then appeared above Gaara as he opened the fifth gate and launched a powerful punch into gaara's stomach. His bandages wrapped around Gaara as he pulled him in for an amazing punch/kick duo causing him to hit the ground and form a crater. Lee rolled onto the ground barely able to move. Gaara began to lift his arm as sand inched towards Gaara. Seeing that Lee couldn't move Naruto broke Gai out of his shock and amaze for his student. "You should help him...Call the match!" Naruto said alarmed. Gai disappeared and disrupted the sand as he took a defensive position over Lee. "Lee is Disqualified. Winner Sabaku no Gaara." he said as Gai picked Lee up. "Why did you stop the match Gai sensei!?" Lee asked. Inside he knew he lost but he was going to go out a ninja. "Because...I didn't want to lose a precious student." He said as he looked at Lee with tears in his eyes. "I am so proud of you Lee. So very proud." he said as he hugged Lee.
"Would all the winners of the previous matches please make your way down." He said as they appeared one by one. He told them the date for the next match would be in one month. They had the time to train and develope strategy against their opponents and they all got the idea. He held up a box with numbers and had them each draw one. After all was said they drew up the brackets for the tournament.
Round 1: Neji Hyuuga vs Naruto Uzumaki
Round 2: Sakura Haruno vs Sabaku no Temari
Round 3: Sabaku no Gaara vs Sasuke Uchiha
Round 4: Shino Aburame vs Sabaku no Kankuro
Round 5: Mabi of Ame vs Dosu of Sound
With the brackets set up and cleared they each left the tower.
