"The winner is... Temari" Genma announced and the crowd started to cheer.

However, now it was time for Sasuke's match but he was nowhere to be found. Genma started to look at his watch and Tsuki knew that Sasuke did not have much time. There were also no other matches to continue in order to bid him time. However, she was not ready to allow Sasuke's only chance to be blown away because of whatever reason he and Kakashi had to be late. She jumped over the railing, landing on the arena as Naruto rushed down from the stairs; both intending to win time by any means necessary.

"Alright, the time limit has expired. Therefore, I am officially calling this match-", he announced but stopped when from nowhere Kakashi sensei and Sasuke appeared in a tornado of leaves.

Nice entrance, Tsuki thought and smiled. Just in time.

"Huh, so you decided to show up after all. I was betting you wouldn't come, cause sooner or later you will have to face me" Naruto told Sasuke.

"So, what about you two? Did you win?" he asked.

"You know it" Naruto said with a smile.

"As I would love to, my opponent decided to quit at the last second"

He lifted an eyebrow. That's weird"

She gave a nod and then smirked. "At least I am going to keep my "tricks" for Naruto and maybe you"

"Maybe? Please I will win, unlike the dobe over there"

"Who are you calling a dobe? I won my match and the crowd loved me! Tell hi mTsuki", Naruto said.

"Huh, well don't get too full of yourself Naruto. You are still a loser" Sasuke told him with a small smile.

"Who knew that the Uchiha could smile," Tsuki pointed out and he looked at her but he did not say anything, neither dropped his smile.

"Sorry, we are late. You wouldn't believe the traffic Sorry if we get you waiting but…um… how late are we? Well, it is not as Sasuke…um… had been disqualified. Right?" Kakashi asked Genma while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Like master like pupil. Even at your sense of time"

"Well? What about it?"

"You know you were so late, that we extended the deadline for you. 2 times in fact and it is lucky for you we did it because you just made it. No, he is not disqualified"

A sigh of relief escaped his lips. "Oh!, That's a relief. You got me worried there for a minute. Sasuke we are all okay" he said as he turned to his pupil who ignored him and has his onyx eyes locked on Gaara's form who was standing on the upper level.

"Aright Gaara, come down here" Genma ordered him.

The red-haired Sand Genin glared at Sasuke before starting to walk towards down the stairs.

"Come on guys," Kakashi said but only Tsuki followed while the three boys stayed behind. "So how was your match?"

"What match? Kankuro quitted the last minute" she said, annoyance clear as day while they climbed up the stairs to the normal seats.

"That's weird"

"Tell me about it. At least I won and didn't have to use any of my chakra"

"True point"

"So, why were you late?"

"Hello, Guy. How are you feeling Lee? Are you alright?", Kakashi asked as he and Tsuki had finally climbed the stairs and with the intention of avoiding Tsuki's question.

"Kakashi," Guy said.

"Kakashi sensei!" Sakura said and you could hear the concern in her voice.

Tsuki looked at him who was just standing there and elbowed him in the ribs. He shot her a small glare but she ignored him and folded her arms in front of her tiny chest. "Right. Sorry about that. You must have been worried" he said and she rolled her eyes. "Sorry for not keeping in touch" he added and for a moment, she was certain that she was going to explode.

"I don't mind. That's okay" the pink-haired said with a small tone and with her head down.

What? You did not yell at him. I mean thank Kami but you didn't? the wolf girl wondered with a raised eyebrow

"Listen sensei"

"Hm?"

"You know that there was a mark on Sasuke's neck, right. Well is it…"

"It's nothing to worry about," he said and looked down for a few seconds before looking at her again and give her a closed eye smile.

Sakura finally after a while she smiled.

Tsuki turned her gaze on the arena but her attention went somewhere else. It went on Lee who was steel injured and he was walking with the help of crutches. She walked towards him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Hey, Lee! How are you feeling?" she asked and gave him a sweet smile.

"I am good, thanks Tsuki. I am sorry that your match your opponent quitted"

"That's okay and don't worry. I will have my chance to make all of them eat dirt on the next round"

"I am sure you will"

"Yeah and since Neji lost, you can finish him off next time"

"Yeah, I am going to show him my power of youth!"

She smiled at his enthusiasm, watching him standing proud despite his injuries. "Yeah, you will… Now let's see how my comrade will do against Gaara"

He gave a nod and they both turned their attention to the arena, the match about to start.


"Begin!" Genma shouted and jumped back as sand started to come out of Gaara's gourd making Sasuke jump back and leave a big enough gap between them.

Suddenly Gaara grabbed his head as if he was in severe pain. "Please I beg you! Do not get so mad at me mother! Earlier I … I know that I made you taste some such awful blood. I am so sorry but this time, I am sure that it will taste very good" he said practically to himself in a raspy voice. After a while, he stopped and glared at Sasuke as if nothing had taken place. "Come on!" he yelled at Sasuke, looking him at the eyes.

Sasuke easily got the bait and threw at him two shuriken that his sand stopped without trouble. Then it started to take the form of Gaara who is holding on his hands Sasuke's shuriken. The clone sent his sand at Sasuke who jumped at the air to avoid it. At the same time, he threw the two shuriken but he was quick enough and managed to block the attack with another shuriken. Sasuke then grabbed the chance and aims a punch for the clone. When his fist made contact, the clone's hand turned into sand and Sasuke flipped back and sent his fist at its throat.

Unfortunately, the sand was faster and grabbed his hand, trapping him in his place. Sasuke then punched the clone in the face and it disappeared. He aimed another one at the real Gaara who blocked it with his sand. He only smirked before in a blink of an eye disappeared. In the next second, he was behind Gaara and aimed a punch in his face that managed to make contact and Gaara face planted the ground.

"So, that's your sand armour? Come on. If you don't do it then I will" he mocked and went straight for Gaara. The sand genin not having enough time to react, he raised his shield but Sasuke did the same as before and appeared behind him. He sent his sand to attack him but Sasuke was faster and kicked him in the jaw, sending several feet away. "What's the matter Gaara? Is that all you got? I am going to tear off all your armour" the Uchiha mocked him one more time and went for the attack.

Sasuke instead of attacking Gaara immediately, he started to run around him at a fast pace. Finally, after a few good circles, he attacked from his left and punched him in the face. However, before he could fall back, Sasuke grabbed him from his shirt, pulled him forward and connected his knee with his stomach. He then jumped back, ready for an attack but Gaara was only sitting on the ground and he was trying to recover from the hit. Cracks started to appear in his armour in the places where Sasuke hit him. After catching his breath, he made his own hand signs and the sand started to surround him in a big circle.

The sand started to form a shield around him by protecting him from every angle. Sasuke then ran at him and aimed from the whole that was not covered yet. However, the sand was faster and the moment he touched it, spikes formed. Luckily, Sasuke was fast enough to jump back before being seriously wounded.


"Kakashi Sensei!" someone yelled and Tsuki could figure out that it was Naruto. She turned and looked behind her along with Kakashi, only to see the blond knucklehead running like a maniac along with Shikamaru. "Sensei, please. You have to stop this match right away. The person Sasuke is fighting is completely different from the rest of us. He's about as far as normal as you can get"

"Naruto, slow down! What are you trying to say?" Ino asked him.

"He thinks that his point in life is to kill people. Don't you see it?! If this continues, Sasuke will die"

"Naruto! Take a deep breath and listen. Even if we wanted to stop the match, you know that we can. Sasuke would never forgive us if we prevented him from battling" Tsuki told him.

"You have to believe me!"

"Relax, No need to panic. You know, Sasuke and I were not just goofing around. There is a reason why we were so late getting here" Kakashi reassured him and Naruto seemed to calm down a little bit.

Tsuki left out a sigh and looked back at the arena, putting her trust on Kakashi's words and on Sasuke but a feeling in her guts was telling her not to drop her guard; not yet.


A giant eye made of sand was floating above it, Gaara was hiding inside a giant sphere made from Sand and Sasuke had not made a move yet. Seconds later, the Uchiha threw some kunai at the shield but they did not even affect it. He disappeared again and showed up behind it. He tried to punch it but the spikes emerged one more time and managed to wound him in his hand but they missed some vital points on his chest by inches.


"Sensei?" Sakura asked him and Tsuki turned to look at her.

"Hm?"

"You said there was a good reason why you were late. What were you doing?"

"Well, it's kind of a long story"

"Oh come on. Will you please do something?! This is not the time for talking!" Naruto said while stomping his feet.

"You are right. So shut up and watch" Kakashi ordered him and they all looked back at the match. "Keep your eye on Sasuke. He is about to surprise you"


The said ninja jumped away and started to run up the wall of the arena. He was holding his left arm while making hand signs. Suddenly the chirping of birds echoed but there was not any on the sky or near. Sasuke concentrated his chakra and moved it, to its left hand. His chakra started to become visible and when he was ready, he went one more time against Gaara' shield. His attack so powerful that he was destroying the part of the wall it was touching.

Sasuke continued to run towards the shield. He managed to avoid all the spikes and punched the shield.