A/N: Yes, the week is finally over! Well, not the Golden Week, that will end next Tuesday. Now, to Randomperson, your excitement will be answered soon because the Kiba versus Naruto event is coming closer. Maybe even this chapter.
"What is it, Gai-sensei?" Lee wondered keeping his gaze with Gaara.
"That Sand Kid is really strong, the three of them are," Gai said. "So prepare yourself."
Sasuke chuckled. "Naruto, if you fight that Gaara, you better not lose. Or I'll kill you myself."
Naruto grunted and turned as he heard Sakura get closer. "Sakura-chan, are you all right?"
"Don't worry, I'm fine. You should be worried about what's coming up next. Sasuke-kun and I have already done our matches, you're the only one out of the three of us left," Sakura said, joined Sasuke.
"Next match: Nara Shikamaru and Tsuchi Kin." Hayate looked at the board.
"A girl?" Shikamaru asked in disbelief as he heard Ino cheer, "Go, Shikamaru!"
"Don't fall for his stupid shadow trick, Kin," Dosu warned.
"There's no way I would," she scoffed, entering the field.
"Ready?" Hayate asked as they nodded.
This is the only thing I have to win. Shikamaru formed the seal of the rat and moved his shadow to capture hers.
It was a failed attempt as she had seen it coming. Kin ran to her right, saying, "Heh, as long I can see your shadow, I have nothing to fear!"
She automatically threw something that had chimes attached to them. He immediately ducked and turned to see that they were senbon with little bells on the end.
Shikamaru grinned. "That's a really old trick. You throw one senbon with a bell, so you think that's where I'll turn while you throw another one without a bell at when I'm not looking."
"You sure like to talk, Shadow Boy!" Kin seemed to move her arms slightly.
Just need to dodge these needles, simple enough. Shikamaru saw Kin do something as he looked over his shoulder. String!
She moved her hands so that the string had attacked Shikamaru, drawing blood and knocking him down. She smiled. "If I can dodge your shadow, I've already won. Now, I'll finish you off with…."
What's going on? I can't move my body…. Kin saw Shikamaru rise up with a smirk on his face. "I finally caught you in my Kagemane no Jutsu."
"Wha-what?" Kin wondered in disbelief.
"The shadow on your string is how I caught you. No matter how small or thin the shadow is, I can still catch it by manipulating my own," Shikamaru explained. "I can make your shadow fatter and fatter until it's easier to capture, do you understand now?"
Without another word, he pulled out shuriken from his holster, making her do the same. Kin scoffed, "We'll just be doing similar movements, so we'll both get hit."
They both threw their shuriken because of Shikamaru. "Let's see who can win!"
As the shuriken came closer, he felt his heart pound and sweat drip. He started to bend backwards, making Kin believe that he was insane.
When it came really close, he bent all the way backwards as the shuriken made her move back because the weapon hit her forehead protector. He flipped back onto his feet and smirked.
"A good shinobi must learn their surroundings and adapt to them quickly. Even if we move the same, the distance behind us was different." Shikamaru scratched his head. "I used the shuriken to distract you from the wall."
He saw her get taken on the stretcher as his teammates call, "'Shikamaru, you rule!' and 'Awesome, Shikamaru!'"
"Next match: Inuzuka Kiba versus Uzumaki Naruto!" Hayate announced.
"Finally," Naruto sighed, a smile plastered on his face.
"We can beat him, right Akamaru?" Kiba asked to Akamaru's barking 'Yes'.
"It's like we already won," Kiba taunted Naruto as they both stepped onto the field.
"Hey, Kiba, don't bring a puppy!" Naruto yelled.
"Dogs are the same as ninja tools, it's perfectly fine," Hayate said.
He set Akamaru on the ground, who was snarling at the blond. That thing is looking at me funny. Wait; is its eyes even open?
Hinata fidgeted from her area, watching the two. I-I want to cheer on Naruto-kun, but Kiba-kun is on my team so…
"Today, we'll be practicing the Henge no Jutsu," Iruka said. "How about you Naruto? Come up first."
The blond strutted between the seats to prove he could that jutsu. When he attempted, he turned into the Hokage, although it had huge, red lips.
Everybody in the class laughed at Naruto, and Iruka shook his head. Kiba was woken up by the sound of laughter as Naruto changed back and scratched his head. "I was joking! I totally did that on purpose!"
"Who is this guy?" Kiba asked himself.
"Uzumaki Naruto, this is your third year at the academy, so take it seriously!" Iruka demanded.
The children talked about how they liked how Naruto was a funny guy. This time, I have to do this right.
Naruto attempted the Henge no Jutsu a second time, still turning into the same form of Hokage as he had done before.
Everybody stifled their laughter, Kiba as well. This kid's been here for three years and can't do the Henge no Jutsu properly? What a lame loser!
Kiba sighed, "I'll end this quickly with one hit, okay?"
Naruto felt his mark react to Kiba's statement. He heard Kurama speak. Are you going to let him disrespect you like everybody else?
What?
Don't tell me you can't see it. He still thinks you're the pathetic loser you were before. Teach the dog boy a lesson!
Don't tell me what to do, Kyūbi! I got this!
"Let's see, then!" Naruto put up his fist as well.
"I'll end it gladly." Kiba started to activate a jutsu.
Shikyaku no Jutsu! Kiba was surrounded by chakra and was on all fours as he attacked Naruto front the front.
The blond was knocked back, using his hands and feet to stop himself in a cloud of smoke. Kiba smirked. "Hey, Hayate, was it? This fool won't be getting back up for a while."
The smoke dispersed, revealing the Naruto was panting and coughing from it. His teammates weren't surprised. Naruto would never give up until he attained his dream of being loved and respected as a person and shinobi.
Naruto's mouth was dripping blood as he felt the seal grow slightly. Maybe he didn't have enough willpower to keep it down. "Don't you ever underestimate me!"
"Talking big for a loser," Kiba laughed.
Sorry, Naruto, but you have to go for now.
Kyūbi, what's going on? Naruto fell back and closed his eyes.
Hayate ran to him and checked. "Winner: Inu—"
Naruto flashed his eyes open, his seal growing. "Don't finish."
"Uh…."Hayate drawled as he walked away.
Naruto went up, earning many stares and gazes from the watchers, especially his teammates' and Kiba's.
The seal covered his body as he ran to Kiba, fist thrown back. In a single hit, he knocked Kiba back.
Quickly, he used the Kage Bunshin no jutsu, ready to use an assault on Kiba. The shadow copies of him also bore the seal. They watched as he staggered back up, looking for Akamaru. "Naruto, what the hell is going on?"
Naruto was acting like a different person as he chuckled like a maniac. "Get your dog and forfeit already, Inuzuka."
Kiba-kun is under attack and I wonder what's happening to Naruto-kun. Hinata watched as the two boys clashed.
"What's wrong with you?" Kiba asked, repeatedly attacking with his kunai.
The blond didn't answer as he grabbed Kiba's kunai and disarmed him. His copy came to Kiba's side and kicked with full force.
The Inuzuka used his longer claws to stop himself from going any farther. Kiba looked at Akamaru and nodded. Akamaru ran over to Kiba, maneuvering between each of the clones to get a small pill from Kiba's hand and faced the blond.
Naruto and his clones watched in wonder as Akamaru's fur seemed to grow longer and red. "What the…?"
Akamaru growled and hopped onto Kiba's back and they both activated Jūjin Bunshin. Akamaru was now a more feral clone of his master, able to be easily noticed as he growled and snarled.
"How about this attack, Naruto?" Kiba yelled as he followed up with the Gatsūga.
They both spun at a dangerous speed to the blond and attacked his clones. Akamaru, still under the effects of what was the soldier pill and in the Gatsuga, went around attacking Naruto, spinning and moving even faster than before.
Naruto, with the power of the seal, and the slight help of Kurama, stopped Akamaru by putting his hands out and grabbing the sides of the spinning ninken.
Akamaru stopped spinning at this speed as Naruto's power was actually grabbing at the chakra, stopping his movements.
The crowd watched anxiously at the blond's next move, as Kiba went over to aid his ninken. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!
More Naruto clones appeared several of them stopping Akamaru's master. Naruto back flipped, landed on his hand in front of Kiba, doing something similar to a handstand and moved his legs to Kiba's torso and spun them like windmills.
The Inuzuka was being assaulted relentlessly by Naruto, getting no mercy. Kiba sneaked in one soldier pill into his mouth, his eyes becoming crazier, even Naruto could see it.
Kakashi's eye widened. "These two are giving their all into trying to beat each other, one might end up dead."
Naruto used his Uzumaki Rendan on the Inuzuka, although only making growling sounds as he did so. He knocked Kiba between his clones.
"What's going on, Kyubi?" Naruto growled. "Tell me!"
"I'm getting you noticed." Kurama stared at his container. "Your true side is coming into the light."
"What the hell do you mean?" the blond asked.
"All this time you've been hiding your true nature from everybody and even yourself. No matter how many times you try to keep it under, it'll eventually take its form sooner or later," Kurama said. "That seal bestowed upon you unlocks your inner beast. That's why you are now frightening even your closest friends with your recent actions. It'll be easier for you to submit to me than for you to fight back."
Naruto saw as another him arose from the water. He looked the same except for the color of his eyes. He came closer to Naruto, chuckling. "Why are you so serious?"
"Why do you look like me?" Naruto yelled.
"You look like me, not the other way around." It said. "Call me Yami Naruto or Yami for short."
"Why are you here?"
"I'm the hatred that lives within you. I take the form of it and, if I and when I, get loose, I'll take it out on whoever you face. Doesn't that sound nice?" Yami Naruto asked.
"What?" Naruto growled. "I don't have hatred!"
"Are you so sure? You resent the fact that you were ignored, deemed as a loser to everybody, with the impossible dream of being the strongest shinobi," Yami Naruto sighed. "I can give you the power to be strong. Even if you resist, you'll be overtaken by it. Right, Kurama?"
The fox only nodded, saying, "You are correct."
"Come on, let's go. I'm already fighting for you, Naruto. Let's make the deal." Yami held out his hand.
Naruto extended his arm.
Now, the clones and he were covered in Kurama's scarlet chakra, their teeth sharpening, their nails doing the same, and their eyes turning red with a slit pupil. He summoned more clones and attacked both Akamaru and Kiba until the ninken turned back into a dog, fainting from the exhaustion.
They all turned toward Kiba, disappearing except for one, the real Naruto, who rose up his fist and said, "With this one hit, I'll end this match."
What's going on with Naruto? He's gone completely crazy! Akamaru's down and I'm next! Kiba closed his eyes and rose up his fist as well.
The two boys ran to each other, throwing their fists at one another. The hits connected, although Kiba's hood came off as he fell on his back, flying.
Naruto just stood there with his head down and fist in the air. His seal retracted and Kurama's chakra disappeared. Hayate watched as Kiba went back, unconscious. "Winner: Uzumaki Naruto!"
The Jōnin went to Naruto surrounding him.
"Are you okay?" Kakashi asked.
Naruto's eyes were dull as he nodded. "Kakashi-sensei, can you let me stay for the next fight? I really want to see it."
His sensei's eyes softened, Naruto was always going to be the same. "Just one more, okay?"
This was one of the times Kakashi felt like a father to his students. Kurenai hit his arm. "Kakashi, I don't think you should—"
She was pulled back by Asuma who shook his head, saying, "Kakashi wants to make sure Naruto won't lose control. With the amount of stamina that kid has, he'll make it through the next fight. Do you understand, Kurenai?"
She nodded, watching the medic team take away Kiba and Akamaru. Kakashi carried his student to the upper level and allowed him to lean on their railing, taking Sasuke to the side.
The Uchiha looked at Kakashi. "What's going on with him?"
"It's nothing, Sasuke."
"Nothing? I just saw one of my closest friends go insane, and you say it's nothing?" Sasuke raised his voice.
"As long as you keep quiet about it, Sakura won't have to worry," Kakashi said.
"Sakura? Why is she worried about me?" Sasuke felt that question to be stupid, as she did have a crush on him.
"She's worried of what you might do if you found out. Is that hard to believe?"
His eyes dropped as he shook his head. Sasuke did care about her and he didn't want her to be sad, but he wanted to do something. "Is there anymore I can do?"
"Well, you can try to keep Naruto in the good and try not to push or provoke him. Understood?"
"Yes."
They both returned to their team and watched as the names appeared in green, making Kurenai and Gai widen their eyes.
Hayate looked at the board. "Match Eight: Hyūga Neji versus Hyūga Hinata!"
A/N: I'm probably going to update this a second time today because I was also excited to write this and the Neji against Hinata fight. I hoped you enjoyed the chapter. I also left the Yami Naruto and Naruto decision as a sort of hanger, as Kurama, in my opinion, would have forced his chakra into Naruto anyway.
I actually liked writing this chapter. Oh, and the reason why Naruto was acting different in the fight was because he was under the effects of the seal, which, as I've seen from Sasuke, makes you crazy. Also, he has Yami Naruto and Kurama forcing darkness onto him.
Translations:
Gatsūga – Fang Passing Fang
Jūjin Bunshin – Beast Human Clone
Yami Naruto – Dark Naruto
If I missed any, just tell me and I'll get to it.
Next chapter - Phase 13: Boiling Blood
