Chapter 13
The Tower; Preliminaries Begin!
Himeko's POV
It was the last day of the the second exam and it was time to open our scrolls in our designated room. I yawned as I follwed Naga and Yochimu,"So, what do you think the scrolls are for?" "Who knows. Let's just go in," Naga sighed, walking through the door. Yochimu and I follwed. The room was pretty much empty. "Sooo...open the scroll?" Yochimu asked. I nodded, "I guess." Slowly, Yochimu and Naga opened the scrolls together. "What the hell?" Naga asked. I looked at the scrolls closely,"Drop 'em! They have summoning seals on them!" They quickly tossed them aside. After a few seconds of smoke a figure stepped out, "Hiya!" "Myouri-sensei?!" We all screamed. "Ooooh, I was so worried!" Myouri scooped us into her arms and squezzed. "Can't breath!" we gasped out. "Opps! Hehe..." she let us go. "What are you doing here Youri-Sensei?" I asked. She smiled,"Congratulate and lecture. I'm glad you made it! As for lecturing...You're mind and body need to be balanced basicly...I don't fell like lecturing." I smiled as Naga smirked and Yochimu chuckled.
We were escorted into a huge room, a statue of hands in a jutsu seal sat at the other end. The Hokage and all of the remaining team's sensei's. Our team stood in-between one of the sound teams and Gaara's team. I was looking at the team's that passed when Anko spoke up, "First off, for the second test...Congratulations on passing! Listen carefully, Hokage-sama will now explain the third test. Now Hokage-sama please." "Yes," Hogake-sama acknowledged,"For the coming third test...but before I explain that...there is somthing I'd like you to know." shock registered on almost eveeryone's face. "It concerns the true reason for this exam...Why do we have all the allianced countries taking the exam together? 'To promote friendship among countries, to raise the level of shinobi.' I don't want you to be confused about the true meaning...The exam is..." Everyone was silent, waiting for the Hokage to finish. "A replacement for war among the allied counties," he countinued,"If you go back in time, the current allies were enemies who fought each other over who would rule. In order to prevent wasteful fighting, the stage that these countries chose for battle...That is the origin of this chunin exam."
The Naruto yelled out,"Why the hell do we have to do that crap? Isn't this thing for deciding who's a chunin?" "It is a fact that this exam decides which shinobis have what it takes to become a chunin. But on the other hand, this exam has another side...where each county's shinobis risks their own life to protect their land's prestige." Ino spoke up,"Prestige?" "Watching this thrid exam will be leaders and influencial individuals from many countries who make up the clients of the shinobi, and the leaders of the countries will also be there to watch each of your battles. If the strength of a country is clear, that country will recive more clients." the Hogake countinued. "He's pretty much putting a lot of preasure on us. Clients will be determined by how we fight," Naga said quietly to us."And this will signal to potential enemy countries that 'Our village has this much power.' So it will send a potential message to the outsiders." the Hogake stated. "Yeah, but yeah!? Why do we have to risk our lives in battle?!" Kiba yelled out. "The strength of the country is the strength of the shinobi, and a shinobis true stength is born only through life-risking battle," he answered.
"This exam is a place to see a country's strength and show off your own strength. It only has meaning beacause lives are at risk. And that's why those that have come before you have fought in the chunin exam for this dream that is meaningful," the Hogake explained. "If that's true, then why do you say stuff about it being for 'friendship'?" Ten-Ten asked, looking slightly pissed. I closed my eyes slowly, 'None of them were raised to become a leader, they just can't quiet understand.' "I said it in the beginning, I don't want you to confuse the purpose of this. By losing life and establishing balance. This is the shape of friendship in the world of the shinobi," he answered. I could sense that several of the ninja were surprised. "Before we begin the third test I will tell you one more thing. This is not just a test...This is a life-risking battle. With your dreams and your country's prestige on the line," Hokage explined again. I glanced at Gaara as he started to speak, "I don't care what it is...Just hurry up and tell us what this life-risking battle entails." "Yes, I'd like to now explin the third test but..." Hokage-sama started. "Actually..." someone coughed.
A ninja appeared in front of the Hokage,"I apologize, Hogake-sama...From here on, as referee will you please allow me, Gekkon Hayate..." "By all means..." the Hokage submitted. The ninja stood and turned to us,"Hello everyone, I'm Hayate. Umm...Before the third test there's somthing I'd like you to do..." The entire time Hayate spoke he coughed, he also had dark circles under his eyes. "Is he sick?" I asked my team quietly."Umm...It's a preliminary for the third test to decide who gets to participate in the main event," Hayate countinued. "Too many of us passed the 2nd exam," Naga said. "They have to narrow the numbers," Yochimu conceded. "Preliminary? What do mean?!" Shikamaru yelled out. "Sensei...I don't understand this preliminary but...why aren't all the people here allowed to participate in the next test?" Sakura asked. "Umm...because the last 1st and 2nd test may have been too easy this year...We have a bit too many people remaining...According to the Chunin Exam Rules we must have a preliminary and reduce the number of participants for the 3rd test..." 'They were right of course.' "As Hokage-sama indicated earlier, there will be many quests at the 3rd test...So the fights could take too long, we are limited in time...Umm...So anyway...those who are not feeling well...those who feel like quiting after these explanations...please come forward now. Since we will be starting the preliminary immediately..." Hayate explained. "What ?! Right now?!" Kiba yelled. We ignored everyone,"This will test our strength." "A shinobi should always be able to fight,"Naga stated. Hayate looked around as no one came forward,"Oh...umm...I forgot to tell you that from now on it will be individual battling. You may raise your hand based on your own judgement." No one raised their hand. "Um...now...Let's begin the preliminary. This preliminary will consist of one on one fighting. You will basically fight as if in a real life confrontation. Since we have exactly 28 entrants, we will conduct 14 matches and...umm...the winners will advance to the 3 test.
There are basically no rules. The fight continues until one of you dies or is knocked out or admits your defeat. Umm...If you don't want to die then quickly acknowledge your defeat. But when I decide that the winner has clearly been established...Umm...since we don't want to pointlessly increase the amount of corpses , I'll jump in and stop things. And the object that controls your destiny is..." Hayate paused. A noise was heard and a board was shown above us. "Is this...this electronic score-board will...show the match-ups for each battle. Now this is sudden but let's announce the 2 names if the first fight," Hayate continued. Names whirled past on the screen until they stopped on two. My own and Kabuto's name. Naga growled,"Be careful, Princess." "Watch him," Yochimu said. "Now, these two entrants come to the front..."Hayate said. I sighed and moved past Naga with my head high. Kabuto and I atood across from each other. "The two participants in the first fight are Izou Himeko and Yakushi Kabuto. Are you ready?" Hayate asked. "Hai," I answered. "Yes," Kabuto replied. "Now...We will be starting the first match. Will everyone except the two participants move to the upper level?" Hayate asked. I glared at Kabuto as we waited. "Now...Please begin!" Hayate yelled as he disappeared.