Chapter 21: The Finals Begin
"I hope this is okay, Lord Hokage," said a hotel manager.
"It is great," said Naruto as he looked at the floor that the Sand had given for the visiting Leaf ninjas. Naruto and Sakura, Sasuke and Ino, Kiba and Hinata had a room for themselves. The Uchihas and Namikaze boys also had rooms along with the Inuzuka girls. Lys and Kushina shared a room next to Fugaku and Kib. Chuu and the Akimichi clan elder stayed as far away from the Uchihas and Namikazes. Shikamaru and his family were staying with Gaara in the Kazekage mansion.
"Get some rest, you'll need it for tomorrow," ordered Naruto to all the genin.
As Kushina lay down to sleep with her fox Mai sleeping next to her, Lys spoke up.
"You know, tomorrow you may fight my brother," said Lys.
"I know," said Kushina.
"Just don't give up or go easily because you have to fight him," said Lys.
"Trust me, I will not go easy on him," said Kushina.
"Good, because my brother wants to fight you and he will not hold back," yawned Lys before she started to fall asleep. In the room across the hall from them, Naruto looked at the Kyuubi as he and his mate lay on a small couch.
"Is Mai ready? We didn't have a lot of time to work with the both of them together," said Naruto as Kyuubi looked up at Naruto.
"Mai is ready, I trained her myself," said Kyuubi. "Now get some sleep, Kit."
The next morning came sooner than expected as Kushina got ready in her hotel room. "Do you have everything you need?" asked Sakura as she watched her daughter roll up some kunais and ninja stars into a scroll.
"I think so," said Kushina as she looked at her mother.
"Well then, you better get going, you don't want to be late like your father was for his exams," said Sakura as she hugged her daughter. "Good luck Kushina, and we are proud of you no matter what happens."
"Thanks, Mom. Come on Mai, let's get going," said Kushina as she and the brown fire fox walked out of the room toward the arena. Sakura disappeared in a flash of pink and reappeared next to Naruto who was in full Hokage robes as he sat next to Gaara in his Kazekage robes and his wife in the Kage's box overlooking the arena that was sunken down into the ground. People where already finding their seats.
"How is Kushina doing?" asked Naruto.
"She is fine," said Sakura as she noticed the rest of her family along with their friends enter the arena.
"So Sasuke-kun, where do you want to sit?" said Ino.
"Somewhere in the shade, I don't want to sit in the sun all day," said Lys as the boys rushed around.
"How about over there Sasuke?" said Ino. When Sasuke didn't respond she looked at him only to see that his Sharingan was on and spinning. "What is it?"
"Karin," said Sasuke as he turned around to see a red haired woman wearing a grey jacket and black pants.
"Well, well, you as good as ever Sasuke-kun," said Karin as she walked toward Sasuke.
"If you come one more step closer, I will rip off your throat and watch you bleed to death," hissed Sasuke as Karin smiled.
"As much as I would enjoy watching that, I am afraid I still need her and it looks bad if a Kage just stood there as his wife died," said a man as he walked up wearing an all-white Kage robe.
"You must be the Ice Village's Kage," said Sasuke.
"Yes, I am, now come on, woman," said the Kage as he walked away, two Hyou-Jounins with him.
"We will finish this later," said Karin as she followed her husband up to the seats.
"I so want to do what you said," said Ino as they all sat down and waited.
Meanwhile, the Ice Kage and Karin walked up and sat down next to Gaara.
"Did you get my gift, Lord Hokage?" asked the Kage as he looked at Naruto.
"If by gift you mean one of my ninjas that you have been holding for sixteen years, then yes," said Naruto.
"He trespassed in our land. I could have killed him, but I decided to let him go. So enjoy the time you now have with your lost friend, Naruto Namikaze," said the Kage.
"I see you know about me, why don't we share information?" said Naruto.
"Like I would give you any information, the less you know about me and my village the better," said the Kage.
"I know more than you think," said Naruto as Kankuro appeared in the center of the sand-covered arena. With that, Gaara stood up and stepped forward so that everyone could see him.
"I welcome you all to Suna and to the finals of the Chuunin exams. I would like to extend my welcome to the Kages of the Leaf and Ice as their ninjas along with ninjas from our village fight to earn the spot of chuunin. Now I will hand you over to my brother and head of the ANBU, Kankuro."
"Thank you, Lord Kazekage," said Kankuro. "The rules for this tournament are simple: anything goes. The winner will be determined one of three ways. First is that someone is unable to fight on. Next is when someone gives up, and lastly is I decide the fight is over. Now let's welcome the twelve genin who have made it to this arena." With that, all the genin entered through a small tunnel.
"Wow," thought Kushina as she looked up at all the faces that where looking at her.
"Now, you all know the rules," said Kankuro as they all nodded their heads. "Alright then, Fugaku and Seira stay down here. The rest go up into the genin box and wait."
"Good luck, Fugaku, stay safe," said Kushina.
"Don't worry Kushina, I will be fine," said Fugaku as he nodded.
"Alright," said Kushina as she walked up the stairs next to the tunnel into a small room overlooking the field.
"Don't worry, he will be fine," said Inner Kushina as she stood next to Aemi.
"Alright, begin," said Kankuro as suddenly the sand around Seira started to spin until soon the entire field was just one giant sandstorm. "Aemi, do you know what jutsu that is?"
"It is your basic storm jutsu, it kicks up the sand masking the entire area in cloaking sand allowing free movement," said Aemi. Meanwhile, inside the storm, Fugaku was crouching as the speed of the sand increased.
Inside the storm, Fugaku couldn't even see his hand in front of his face. He quickly reached into his pouch and pulled out a pair of glasses to protect his eyes and a Kakashi-like mask to allow him to breathe. When he finished, he pulled out his sword and held it up in a defensive position as he scanned the twisting sand for any sign of an attack that was bound to come. Suddenly, out of the sand, two kunais came flying at him, each with an explosive tag on the end. Fugaku jumped to the side to avoid the attack, crashing into the sand before standing back up. "I can't use my Sharingan here, it is useless if I can't keep my eyes open and the refection from my glasses would mean I am looking at myself. I need to break this jutsu," thought Fugaku before he grinned and started to run through hand signs.
Meanwhile, Sasuke sat next to his wife watching the spinning cloud of sand that hid his son. Suddenly, the sandstorm became a firestorm as flames filled the entire arena. "Smart move, Son, turn the sandstorm into a firestorm," whispered Sasuke as one of his sons looked at him.
"Dad, won't the flames burn him?" asked Shun.
"No, he is in the eye of the storm," said Sasuke.
Meanwhile, Fugaku was breathing out a large fire ball which was being caught up in the wind, turning everything around him into flames. The heat made sweat run down Fugaku's face as he finished the jutsu. For a minute he just stood there watching as the flames danced around him. Soon, the wind and the flames died showing Seira standing there with slightly burnt pants legs. Suddenly, Fugaku charged forward, sword in hand. Seira whipped out two kunai and got into a defensive stance watching as Fugaku charged forward. Seira blinked because now the genin was gone. The next thing she knew, she had a sword at her throat.
"I win," said Fugaku.
"I don't think so," said Seira as she stabbed Fugaku in the chest, however Fugaku exploded in a puff of smoke before going up in a huge explosion, sending Seira up into the air. Suddenly, Fugaku appeared next to her in the air. His leg spun around.
"Lion's barrage!" yelled Fugaku as his leg came crashing down on Seira's chest, sending her into the ground hard. Fugaku landed just as Kankuro was checking Seira out.
"She is out cold, Fugaku Uchiha of the Leaf Village advances," said Kankuro. The crowd broke out in cheers as Fugaku put his hands in his pockets and walked toward the stairs. "Kib Inuzuka, Sadao, get down here." Kib and the brown-haired Sand ninja named Sadao nodded their heads. Kib turned and started down the stairs.
"Good luck," said Fugaku as he looked at his friend.
"Luck is for someone who doesn't have skills," answered Kib as he walked past Fugaku and onto the field. Once Fugaku got up to the box overlooking the field, he stood next to Kushina.
"I told you not to worry," said Fugaku.
"I wasn't, I knew you would win," said Kushina as Fugaku grinned.
"Knowing I would win and worrying are two different things Kushina," said Fugaku as Kushina blushed.
"Stop flirting you two, I am trying to watch," said Aemi as Kushina's blush deepened and one appeared just for a second on Fugaku.
"Let them flirt, Nara," said Chuu as he leaned against the back wall. "Today will be the last day they will be together."
"Don't let him get to you, Kushina. I know that you will kick his fat ass all over the place. I believe in you," whispered Fugaku as the fight between Kib and Sadao began.
When the fight began, Sadao charged forward with two long curved blades in each hand. Kib responded to the attack by jumping back until his feet hit the wall. "Take this, Fang over Fang!" yelled Kib as a tornado mixed with sand charged forward. Sadao stopped dead in his tracks and ran through hand signs.
"Sand Shield!" yelled Sadao as the sand around him came up and formed a dome around him, protecting him from the tornado attack. After ten minutes of unending attack, people were starting to get bored.
"Kib is just wasting time now," said Kushina.
"No, he isn't," said Fugaku as Kushina looked at him.
"I don't see how," said Kushina.
"Then tell me, Kushina, where is Kib's dog?" asked Fugaku as Kushina raised an eyebrow. Suddenly the sand dome broke open as a second tornado tore up through the dome with Sadao on top. Then the first twister moved so it hit the second one with Sadao in the middle. Sadao screamed in pain.
"I give up!" yelled Sadao as the attack stopped and Kib and his black dog appeared out of the attacks.
"What just happened?" asked Kushina.
"Kib used his attack to distract Sadao as his dog tunneled a hole and got under Sadao and then launched an attack from below," said Aemi as she turned to head down the stairs toward her fight with Reiji of the Ice.
Here is part two of my Christmas gift to you my readers. I hope you liked it. Now please do me something. Go to my profile and vote in my poll. This will allow me to know which stories you would like me to write. Thank you. Wilkins75