Chapter 66- Fate of the electronic scoreboard
Hayate then said "Ummm... aren't you... Yakushi Kabuto of Konoha...? Okay you can go. Uhhh... In case I forgot to mention it, from here on in, you fight as individuals... Not as members of teams. So you can make the decision that's right for you without worrying about anyone else. So... anyone else want out? Show of hands..." I then touched the floor with both hands to emphasize I wanted deeper in, not out! Naruto yelled "Hey! Kabuto! What's up with you quitting?!" Kabuto then said "Naruto... I'm sorry... but those guys we fought beat the (c-word) out of me. And ever since my scuffle with those sound ninja prior to the first exam, I've been totally deaf in my left ear. Now they're saying this could be a fight to the death... and I don't think I'm up to that!".
Naruto then looked depressed and Anko said "...Well, there's a familiar face, eh? If memory serves me, this is about the same point at which he dropped out last time... I wonder... what on Earth could he be thinking? Yakushi Kabuto... according to his dossier... he's tried and failed six times now.". Then the Hokage said "What sort of record has he got?" Anko answered saying "Ordinary... unremarkable. In his academy days he was an average student, earning mediocre grades... it took three attempts to pass his finals and graduate. Since then. He's completed two C-ranked and 14 D-ranked missions. There's nothing noteworthy in the records of any of his battles... except...".
The Hokage then repeated the final word she spoke phrased as a question and Anko then said "...Except for something that happened before he even entered the academy. Do you remember hearing the tale... of a young boy who was brought back from that battle a Kikyo pass?" after the Hokage said "I do... yes... if I remember correctly, the story was that a jonin elite ninja of the medical corps... took in an enemy youth who had survived on the battlefield. And He's that child...?".
As Kabuto went to leave one of his cell-mates went up to him and said "... Has it become too much for you? Are you ready to snap? Is your roiling blood aching to flow free? Get a hold of yourself! Have you forgotten Lord Orochimaru's orders?" after the word Orochimaru was spoken my eyes immediately went over to where the conversation was taking place and I focused my chakra to my ears so I could hear every word perfectly, Kabuto then said "You guys can take it from here. Especially you, Yoroi... with your abilities, this next bit should be a piece of cake! It's the perfect opportunity for a real show of sheer brute strength! Considering how you resent my recent promotion, I would have thought you'd jump at the chance." then the one Kabuto called 'Yoroi' said "Hmph... you may think you're Orochimaru's favorite... but don't push it, brat." Kabuto then said "I got it... loud and clear coach!".
I then felt someone staring at me so I looked and it was the jonin instructor for the sound ninja... but this person looked eerily like Orochimaru. A few minutes later Hayate said "So, Uhhh... Looks like no one else is bailing out." Sasuke looked like he was just hit by a wave of pain and then since I still had the chakra focused on my ears I heard the Hokage say "It's just as I'd feared..." Ibiki then said "What can we do?" Anko then said "Pull him out of the exam... quarantine him under the guard of black ops agents." Kakashi then said "And you really think he'll just go along quietly if you order that?" Keep in mind... he's a member of the Uchiha clan.".
Anko the said "Don't talk nonsense! I'll stop him by force if I have to. Any attempt he makes to manipulate his own chakra... will provoke a reaction from that spell-marl, forcibly drawing out and draining all his strength. It's the mark of a forbidden art, which debilitates the body of the practitioner!" then the Hokage said "It's a miracle that a child like him is able to bear it at all. By all rights, it should have killed him already." Anko then said "My Lord!" He then continued "I am still concerned about what Orochimaru said... let young Sasuke proceed as he is, and we shall keep our eyes on him... and Sky.".
Anko then asked why he said my name and he answered saying "I believe that is who the girl he accidentally marked is... her speed would fit, in addition to her being there to witness both attacks, I also suspect she sealed the curse already... However, if either curse-mark begins to spread and cause their power to rampage, then we shall indeed take steps to restrain them." Ibiki said "Yes, sir." Kakashi just looked as aloof as he always does. Hayate then said "Ahhh... well then... We'll now begin the preliminaries... which will consist of individual combat matches, as though this were part of a tournament. As there are a total of 21 combatants remaining, we will hold a total of ten bouts. Ummm... and the victors of those bouts will advance to the third exam. This is no-holds-barred combat. Each pair of combatants will fight until one of them is dead or unconscious... or admits defeat. As soon as you since that your opponent is over powering you, immediately concede your loss... if you value your life. Uhhh... since we don't want a total bloodbath on our hands, there may be cases... where we ascertain that there is an undisputed winner and step in to end the match. But don't count on that. From here on out, the key to you fate is held in...".
Anko then spoke into her mic. Saying "Open it." Then a board high on the wall moved and Hayate said "Ummmm... this electronic-scoreboard. At the start of every round we will display the names of the two combatants competing in that match... So, ummm... not to hurry you all to the slaughter... but let's begin. We'll now announce the first two names.". The first two combatants are Sasuke and Yoroi from Kabuto's cell. Hayate then said "Will the two individuals whose names are listed on the board come forward now...? Akado Yoroi, Uchiha Sasuke... You two have been selected to compete in the first bout. Any objections." Yoroi said "None..." and Sasuke said "I'm good..."
End Chapter 66