"Hi" - Character talking
'Hi' - Character thinking
"HI" - Character yelling
Disclaimer - See the Prologue/Recap.
Even in today's time, where there are various jutsu of mass destruction capable of destroying an entire nation in one fell swoop, fighters who only believe in sheer brute strength and selfless acts of courage alone have not gone completely out of style.
In every age, "Survival of the Fittest" has always been the absolute unspoken law, no matter how advanced the civilization might be. and so, the Annual Elemental Nations "Strongest man" Tournament was the first competition created to determine who was without a doubt, the strongest man and woman alive. The events cover every physical challenge imaginable, despite strict rules to protect the lives of these brave combatants, the fights are grueling and savage to the most extreme.
No one has ever in the tournament's entire history ever won ten whole championships in a row let alone two, however... the appearance of one tough competitor has changed the course of history for the tournament forever. Speed, Stamina, Technique, Tactics and now this invincible competitor excelling in all of these areas has won an unprecedented four tournaments in a row, she is called "The Ultimate", The strongest woman in the Shinobi World.
Gene's eyes twitched violently, straining against his bonds. Pale-faced and twitching, eyes bloodshot, he wished he HAD just let Aisha's parents hack him to pieces!
As he struggled with the bonds that held him against the padded room's wall, the former outlaw wished he could scream but due to the gag in his mouth that was impossible at the moment. Naruto was a sadist! Ok... So both Naruto and Aisha were still mad about the whole chakra cannon thing, Gene understood that. But that was months ago! This was just down-right disproportionate retribution!
Why wouldn't this harpy-gorilla hybrid with the forehead the size of a sovereign nation just SHUT UP ALREADY?!
"...Oh! Have I mentioned that Sasuke-Kun is so special! He's the most amazing man and incredible ninja. He's the last member of his clan and an incredibly deep and thoughtful person ever!" Sakura squealed as she continued to preach about how great Sasuke is.
As a matter of fact, she had mentioned it... Over and over and OVER again, it was always "Sasuke this" and "Sasuke that" all the time with this deranged obsessed stalker of the Uchiha. She even just kept on repeating her ravings about the Uchiha that she was addicted towards. Gene was sure that Sakura was just addicted to the sound of her own voice as she was addicted to the Uchiha.
It was three hours into his punishment, and the redhead doubted he'd stay sane long enough for this!
Then the door to the room opened, "Gene, Lady Tsunade has sent me to get you, apparently someone by the name of "Fred Lou" demands to talk to you and he's on urgent business.", Shizune said while freeing Gene from his bindings and cell.
'I guess there really is a God and he's saved me!', Gene blissfully thought as he followed Shizune out of his cell with Sakura following them both.
When Gene and Shizune made it to the Hokage's tower and to Tsunade's office, he was surprise that what Shizune said was true, as he saw his old friend Fred Lou and his two bodyguards, and just as Fred saw Gene he quickly rose up and hugged him as usual.
"Gene my dear friend, how I missed you! I missed you coming to visit me, but when I heard you set up shop here in Konoha, I just had to see for myself!", Fred said while hugging Gene.
Gene then pulled himself out of Fred's hug, "Yeah it's true, Konoha's my new home. So, what brings you all the way out here anyway Fred?", Gene asked with curiosity in his voice.
"I came cause I only want you to do a job for me.", Fred said as he was now in Full Business mode.
"What kind of job?", Gene asked, catching onto Fred's tone of voice.
"It'll take place in only three days. The annual Elemental Nations Strongest Man Tournament. The biggest tournament of it's kind, it will be held in the Land of Hot Water's Bamboo Village, taking place in their newly built coliseum. It's a no holds barred fighting tournament, between people who think they're the strongest person in the entire Shinobi World. The winner goes home with the World title and in addition with a purse of 100,000 ryo.", Fred said.
"And you're asking me to enter my name and win it? Are you crazy, you're fighting poster boy?", Gene asked in horror as he knew he stood no chance against those muscle bound bodybuilders.
"No, that's not what I'm asking. Actually, the problem I have has to do with the Tournament's female division.", Fred said.
"Wait... Women fight in this thing too?", Gene asked in shock. As this also drew Tsunade and Shizune's attention as they listened.
Fred then snaps his fingers as one of his bodyguards then gives Gene two pictures, Gene then looks at the first, while showing it to both Tsunade and Shizune to see what this mission will be about.
"Hey, she's pretty good looking Fred.", Gene said as he looks at the woman in the photo.
"Reiko Ando. Who has proudly held the title of the Strongest Woman in the Shinobi world for 4 years running now.", Fred said.
"You gotta be kidding me man... a cute looking babe like this?", Gene asked as he, Tsunade and Shizune looked at the picture, until he, Tsunade and Shizune notice a second picture falling onto Tsunade's desk.
Upon seeing the picture, Gene, Tsunade and Shizune gasp in surprise and look shocked upon seeing the second picture of the woman in a fighter's uniform.
"I don't care what you and the Konoha shinobi you take with you have to do Gene, I want the job done. Keep her from winning a fifth time!", Fred shouted to Gene and Tsunade in a voice that won't take "No" for an answer.
Fred had taken both Gene and Tsunade to a local bar in the village to fully discuss the details of the mission, where both Gene and Tsunade are sitting next to each other while looking at a picture of a woman, "You want me to send my ninja to participate in this tournament!?", Tsunade asked once she understood the concept of Fred's mission, Fred nodded and as this went on, Gene was still looking at the picture, "I just don't get it man... I mean, What difference does it make if this muscle chick wins the strongest woman tournament again?", the former outlaw ninja asked.
"It means I'll have to marry her...", Fred said in a low tone of voice.
"Excuse me, but what did you just say?", Tsunade asked as if she didn't hear Fred right.
"Marry...", Fred repeated.
"What do you mean? What are you trying to say?", Gene asked his friend who then rose from his seat said in a louder tone of voice, "I'm saying that if she wins, I'm gonna have to get married to that overly hormone challenged amazon, okay!?"
"You gotta marry her!?", Gene asked before both he and Tsunade then looked at the picture and then at Fred and then back to the picture about three times before they started laughing like hyenas.
"Will you both cut it out! This isn't something to laugh at here!", Fred said as he didn't like both Gene and Tsunade laughing at his situation.
"So, why are you making this sound like a big deal? Why not just get married?", Gene asked while still smiling.
"Indeed! Hell, having her around, she'll put your bodyguard's out of a job!", Tsunade added in.
"Because I don't want to, that's why!", Fred said looking annoyed about talking about this subject.
"You both simply wouldn't understand, My inquisitive nature will never be satisfied, until I explore other amorous pursuits.", Fred said as he place a hand on his chest dramatically.
"Okay... So what does getting married have to do with who wins the Strongest Woman in the Shinobi World Tournament?", Tsunade asked this time while taking some sips from her glass of sake.
"Lou family tradition says that the women we select to be our brides have to be the strongest in the entire Shinobi World.", Fred said, hearing this both caught Gene and Tsunade completely off guard, "What!? What are you talking about?" Gene asked for the both of them in a surprised tone of voice.
"Properly speaking, it means a bride who possesses mental strength and a high moral ethic. But I guess when I dictated terms to her, they seemed to be more of a general nature.", Fred said while sitting back down to his seat looking down.
Hearing this Tsunade then quickly figured out what Fred was saying, "Hmm... So you said to her that she had to win the Tournament, is that right?", Tsunade said and just before she could drink more sake, Fred jumped to her, making her throw her glass away, "I told her to win FIVE times, FIVE WHOLE TIMES IN A ROW! Oh... I figured that she'd never be able to pull it off, but she WON! And from that year onward, she has won every single damn tournament for the last four years!", Fred yelled as he began to breakdown before both Tsunade and Gene.
Gene then placed an arm and pulled Fred closer to him, "Which means, that if she wins again this year, that will make it five years running as the Champ, with you as her grand prize waiting for her at the finish line.", Gene said while Tsunade chuckled a little. Then Fred made the former outlaw release him as he had a look of outrage on his face, "I'm gonna smack you Gene, if you don't stop teasing me. I'm asking you and Konoha to help me."
Gene wanting to calm his friend down raised his hands in a surrendering motion, "Okay, Okay take it easy, but you'll pay me and the village all the money with none of your shenanigans if I win the tournament, right?", Gene asked.
"I'll pay the money in full as you know.", Fred said as he then pulls out a check book and then he writes something down in it and shows it to both Gene and Tsunade, "How does this much sound?"
Seeing the amount of money Fred was willing to pay, Gene and Tsunade couldn't help but chuckle as Fred also laughed with them.
"Hey, there's no need to be so formal with me Freddy boy, have I ever once turned you down for a favor?", Gene said with a smile on his face.
"Gene.", Fred said.
Gene grins then throws an arm over Fred's should as Fred does the same, "Okay my friend, we have ourselves a deal."
"I'm counting on you. Gene." Fred smiled, until he felt Tsunade place a strong and firm hand on his shoulder, "Yeah, That sounds really nice and all, But... Let me make something perfectly clear here to you Fred... Seeing as how we can't control the brackets of who fights who in the tournament, if you even try to pull some technicality bullshit way to weasel out of paying us, not only will we expose ourselves and our little deal, but I'll make sure you go down the isle with this women! Understand, Freddy boy?", Tsunade said to Fred with a look in her eye that dared him to try and weasel his way out of this one.
Seeing she was dead serious about this, Fred gulped and nodded his head.
After settling on an agreement, Tsunade, Gene and Fred made their way back to to the Hokage's office, and when they made it back to the tower, Tsunade had Shizune, summon Team Kakashi as the team was the only one available at the time and Tsunade remembered how occasionally both Naruto and his fiancée Aisha would continuously pester her for missions and figured this would be the perfect way to kill two birds, or tigers in this case with one stone.
After getting the mission details and getting Team 7 while filling them in, Gene, Jim, Melfina, Suzuka and Team Kakashi, they were all hopping through the trees to reach the Land of Hot Water while talking over the mission, "So, do you think you can handle it Aisha? All we need you to do, is get in the ring and defeat that muscle chick, The village is really depending on you.", Gene said to Aisha.
"Ah, just leave it to me, it'll be a piece of cake, I don't care who she is, I can beat anybody in the whole world!", Aisha said with a voice filled with confidence.
"Tsk, Yeah right, Only an Uchiha can be declared as the strongest in the world, she only got the title because of that man killing off my entire clan.", Sasuke said while Sakura fully supported her idol, "Sasuke-Kun's absolutely right! NO one is better than an Uchiha NO ONE!"
Hearing that made everybody roll their eyes as Naruto whispered to Jim and Melfina, "If there was a contest of whose the biggest "Suck up" in the world, Sakura would definitely win hands down."
Hearing Naruto's joke made both Jim and Melfina laugh, until Sakura glared at them until she felt Aisha glare at her making her stop.
"The World is a REALLY big place, so I'm sure it won't be that easy...", Suzuka said as she tried to bring the Ctarl-Ctarl's ego back down to Earth.
"You know, For someone as brave as you are, Suzu-chan, you sure sound like a worrywart.", Aisha said to the swords-woman in a taunting tone in her voice.
"For the last time, will stop calling me that name!", Suzuka said to Aisha with a voice filled with annoyance in her voice for Aisha's "Pet name" for her.
"Have no fear! Just leave everything to Aisha! I've already got a million ideas on how I'm gonna spend the prize money when we get back to Konoha! Can we pick up the here pace people, this girl is ready to rumble!", Aisha said as she with Team Kakashi along with Team Outlaw moved even faster to get her registration for the tournament.
It wasn't long before both teams arrived in the Land of Hot Water and shown their passes to the guards allowing them entry without any problems and soon they all made it to the Bamboo village, however when they made it to the coliseum to register Aisha for the female tournament...
"WHY NOT!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T ENTER!?", Aisha shouted in anger as the official refused her entry form.
"I'm sorry, but according to the tournament rules, it states that ALL members of the Ctarl-Ctarl clan are NOT permitted to enter the competition and that's final, NO exceptions.", the man said to the distraught Ctarl-Ctarl girl.
Aisha not taking "No" as answer jumped on the man's desk and scaring him while looking him straight in the eyes, "Why not!? Who made up this stupid rule that the Ctarl-Ctarl clan aren't allowed in, that's discrimination!"
"F-Fi-Five years ago, a member of the Ctarl-Ctarl clan who qualified as a contestant in the final match of tournament, suddenly got herself overexcited and then she turned into somekind of wild animal and then she... POUNCED ON HER OPPONENT, PINNING HER DOWN AND BITING HER RIGHT EAR CLEAN OFF!"
"How very un-sportsmen-like.", Kakashi said in thought. As everyone but Naruto nodded their heads at the thought.
Meanwhile, hearing this Aisha flinched back and covered her ears in horror of what the man was saying about a member of her clan doing such a thing, "N-nya-No! You're kidding me!" Then Aisha hugged Naruto and she gave him a pleading look in her eyes that were silently begging him to 'Make the mean man take it back!'
Seeing his chance, the official continued on with his story, "That's not the worst of it... She was then disqualified, but that only made her even more wild!"
"NO!", Aisha screamed in terror.
"There were nine hundred eighty four fatalities! Five thousand three hundred and thirty nine people were seriously wounded! There were so many people with wounds that we officially lost count... It was a monumental disaster that was TOTALLY UNPRECEDENTED!", The man roared making both Naruto and Aisha fall on their butts.
"And so... Ever since that day, the Ctarl-Ctarl clan have been permanently banned from ever again entering the tournament. Understand?", The man said leaving NO room for argument in his voice.
"You... You can't be serious...", Aisha whined as she still hugged on to Naruto, who was now patting her back, trying to calm his distressed fiancée down, while both team Kakashi and Gene and his gang watched the whole thing.
"Well, there goes our best option, if Aisha can't compete what can we do now?", Gene asked Kakashi who then began to think over they're remaining options.
As this happened, Sakura then smirked as she went up to registration. It felt good seeing Aisha get rejected like that, Now all she had to do was enter this tournament and win, It would then prove her strength to Sasuke-kun and let him know that she was the best option for a wife once she won, after all the Strongest woman in the Shinobi World should also be the top kunoichi of Konoha's latest generation, and it would also give her something personal to hold over Aisha's head forever.
In other words, it was absolutely perfect.
Sakura then made it to The registration manager's table, "Excuse me... I'd like to register, and no, I'm not a member of the Ctarl-Ctarl clan." She said, shooting a smug look at Aisha as the Ctarl-Ctarl glared at her as she figured out what Sakura was now up to and she gritted her teeth, fists clenched.
"Name?", The registrsation manager asked.
"Sakura Haruno, Soon to be the absolute Strongest Woman in the Shinobi World and future matriarch of the Uchiha Clan." The pinkette said confidently not seeing Sasuke look disgusted by her self-proclaimed title.
"No." The registration manager said plainly, utterly straight faced about it as he looked her over.
"Wha...WHAT?! Why not?!" Sakura demanded, shocked. "You just said it was the Ctarl-Ctarl clan who are forever banned from the tournament! and incase your either blind and/or deaf, I'M NOT A FILTHY CTARL-CTARL SHANNARO!"
"Yes... I heard you the first time... and the reason as to why you can't enter in the tournament either is because, this is the "Strongest" Woman Tournament; we've heard of you Haruno types... You're too aggressive, loud, flat chested, and just overall too scrawny to ever compete... Long story short, you're either really a boy dressed up like a girl or a futanari, so the answer is...", Before the man could finish, as an very humiliated and angry Sakura slammed her fist into his face, while Aisha laughed at it all and Naruto snickered at his ex-crush's situation.
"What are we gonna do now Gene?", Jim asked his partner who like Kakashi began to think while this happened.
"Well Jim, we don't have much choice, If Aisha can't enter in the tournament, we haven't got a... Wait Suzuka?", Gene said before looking to the swordswoman of the group.
"Are you kidding me? You want me to do a job for Fred Lou? In both yours and his dreams.", Suzuka said daring Gene to try his luck.
Gene then raised his arms in a surrendering motion, "I just thought... Who was I kidding, I knew she wouldn't go for it."
"So, I guess we're officially out of options then huh?", Kakashi asked as it looked very much so, until Melfina suggested, "I know... Why don't one of you guys just join the tournament yourselves?"
Gene, Kakashi and Sasuke looked at Melfina like she suddenly grew a second head.
Gene then turns to the girl, "Mel, What are you even thinking? Neither me, Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke don't have any qualifications for this tournament, there's no way we'd ever get away with it.", Gene said.
"Well, that's not entirely true...", Jim said before Gene planted his hand on the boy's head, "Who's side are you on Jim? Incase, you forgot I'm a man.", Gene said, until Kakashi had an idea.
Kakashi then tapped Gene's shoulder and looked at Sasuke, Gene and the others followed his gaze and seemed to get the copy nin's idea, except the Uchiha and his loyal fangirl.
Sasuke then suddenly got the idea that everyone but Sakura was getting, "Oh no... Oh NO you don't! I will not humiliate myself in a tournament for women! and another thing-", Sasuke ranted until he felt Kakashi place a hand on his shoulder, but when the Uchiha looked at his sensei, he was then placed under a genjutsu by Kakashi's sharingan to knock him out for a while, just enough time to get him registered into the tournament and buy him a dress and a wig to compete.
After Kakashi knocked Sasuke out, much to Sakura's protest, the group then lifted Sasuke up and began to take him to get prepared for their new plan, that is until Jim noticed two people missing, "Hey guys... where's Naruto and Aisha?", Jim asked as he saw both Naruto and Aisha had seemingly disappeared after the registration official denied both Aisha and Sakura's entry.
Noticing how silent the room was, everyone then looked around and realized that both Naruto and Aisha must've left while they were thinking of using Sasuke for the mission, "I'm sure they're fine... Aisha probably felt sad after being denied entry and went to calm herself down and Naruto wanting to be a good husband-to-be wanted to give her a shoulder to cry on. I'm sure, they'll be fine." Kakashi said, while Sakura who agreed with her sensei as she said with a smug tone in her voice, "Yeah, Aisha's being nothing but a big crybaby and Naruto's just giving the kitten her bottle.", Everyone else looked at them for a moment before thinking, 'They don't know those two very well, do they?'
Meanwhile, as both Aisha and Naruto were walking through town, Aisha was still sad about the whole "Ctarl-Ctarl are forever banned from the competition" thing.
"It's just not fair Naruto-kun... I would've not only dominated that tournament... But I was going to use the money to help both of our clans.", Aisha said in a depressed tone of voice.
"Don't worry about it, Aisha-chan. I'm just sorry you're not allowed to have a chance to show them how good you are, because of somebody else... I guess that's just another thing we have in common, huh?", Naruto said as he patted her shoulder.
"What do you mean Naruto-kun?", Aisha asked her fiancé with a curious tone.
In reply, Naruto grunted and jabbed a thumb at his stomach, where the seal was. "Three guesses." He muttered sourly.
Realizing what her fiancé was referring to, Aisha looked down and felt ashamed, "I'm so sorry Naruto-kun... I forgot.", Aisha felt so embarrassed as to completely forget about the Kyuubi that was sealed inside of him since birth in her moment of brooding and self pity.
"I wish that happened a lot more while I was growing up." He sighed as he continued, "It would have made my life WAY more easier. Then I would have gotten a fair chance rather than having...to...hold on!" Naruto perked up, then he grabbed Aisha's hand and rushed back to the arena building, "That's it!"
"What's "it" Naruto-kun?", Aisha asked as she wondered what her fiancé was planning.
He looked back at her, grinning, "Elementary my dear Aisha-Chan; if you aren't given a fair chance by others, then you just take one yourself!"
Aisha then realized what Naruto was implying, why should she allow the rules to never give her a chance to legitimately compete in the tournament stop her from getting in, when she can just "convince" another fighter to let her take their place instead.
"All we need is a vent or some other way into the women's locker room and to find some "Charitable soul" to lend you their fighting outfit!", Naruto said with his iconic grin on his face.
"Alright! Lead the way Naruto-Kun!", Aisha said as she followed Naruto near the stadium to find just the things Aisha needs to enter the tournament.