Word Count: 2456


The arena buzzed with cheers as the Hokage ended his speech. The final contestants stood in the center of the arena, Akane stood between Shikamaru and Naruto. She looks down the line 'Sasuke isn't here'.

The air felt heavy.

The jonin proctor, a different one from the preliminaries, introduced himself as Genma. He was the Jonin that Michiko called sensei when they got back from the Forest of jonin stopped moving the toothpick in his mouth and began to explain the rules.

There are no rules.

The crowd roared again.

The proctor asked the first match competitors to stay and the rest walked back to the stand.

The first match was Naruto vs Neji.

Akane leaned on the concrete ledge. She clenched her jaw, she was worried. Neji hyuga was a prodigy hailing from the hyuga clan, inheriting the kekkei genkai, byakugan. After what he had done to Hinata, Naruto was determined to defeat him. For the past month Naruto has trained with the famous sannin Jiraiya. Akane wondered what training Jiraiya gave him to prepare for this battle.

The battle had begun, as always Naruto summoned his shadow clones. The clones surrounded Neji, but he quickly defeated them all with ease. Naruto spoke to Neji, but soon started attacking again. Eventually Neji was able to strike Naruto, blocking his chakra points causing him to collapse onto the ground. Naruto lays on the ground shaking, he was struggling to get back on his feet. Akane hears in the distance Sakura's cry for Naruto to stand back up. Neji spoke to Naruto again, he seemed to be mocking him for trying to prove him wrong. Akane frowns, she can hear Shikamaru releasing a sigh of frustration and worry.

Akane mumbles under her breath "Get up Naruto, don't give up! This isn't you"

As if Naruto had heard her, he slowly began to rise back on his feet.

Akane smirked, but it soon disappeared. The red chakra appeared again. She couldn't move, her body stood still in terror. The chakra spun around Naruto, moving as if it had a mind of its own. The chakra was so powerful that it created a shock wave that almost knocked her down. Once the wave that pushed her back, Akane opened her eyes to see Naruto standing his ground. She notices his wounds have healed, but what catches her attention is him being in control and not feral like the other time. 'Where is this chakra coming from?'

Neji chuckles and gets in his position. Naruto charges forward and strikes, but both genin cancel each other. A large dust cloud fills the arena and both genin are thrown back. As the clouds slowly clear up, Akane can see a standing figure. She sighs with disappointment, she can tell Neji was the one standing. The arena cleared through and she was right, Naruto laid on the ground unconscious. Neji took a step forward, he had a smirk across his face, but that changed to pain and disappointment when a fist had uppercut him in the jaw. Naruto popped from underneath Neji through a hole he dug a tunnel from the shadow clone he used to distract them.

The arena cheered as Naruto was the winner of the first round. Naruto offers his hand to help Neji get back on his feet but the Hyuga was too sore to get up. The medical nin come out with a

Naruto walks back to the stand, Akane helps him walk up the stairs. Akane congrats him on his win and for him staying true to his word.


The next battle was Shikamaru and Temari of the sand village. The battle had mostly gone to Temari's favor but then again she was going against the lazy genius Shikamaru. He caught Temari with his Shadow Possession Jutsu and from what it seemed he was going to force her to forfeit but in a turn of events he did instead. What a typical Shikamaru thing to do

As the cheering died down, Genma walked back to the center. He clears his throat " Next up, Uzumaki Akane from the Hidden Leaf Village and Miho from the Hidden Sand Village."

Akane walks to the center of the arena along with her opponent. Akane studies her, the sand shinobi has half of her face covered with bandages along with her arms and legs. Akane could only guess that she had burned herself with her kekkei genkai.

She tried to swallow her worries 'If that's the damage done to herself then what will it do to me?'

Akane stood face to face with Miho, her deep sapphire eyes met her sandy brown eyes.

Genma strikes his hand down, Akane within seconds jumps back, throwing kunais on the ground. Each kunai lands a certain amount of distance, she does this so when the kunoichi attacks she can gage how far she could attack from.

'Very good, Akane' Master Kaito smirks.

Akane watches Miho, she can tell the sand shinobi is waiting for her attack. Akane waits but she knows she can't wait too long so she throws her shurikens and she charges forward. Miho dodges the shurikens and quickly summons three small orbs that circle around her. She launches the orb at Akane but she misses. Akane jumps back but it is quickly met with another orb, she leans back to duck but she can feel the intensity of the heat the orb releases. Akane quickly falls flat on her back and rolls away quickly, the orb she ducked explodes. As soon as the explosion passed she got back onto her feet to regain distance but she was met once again with another orb. She ducks but the exploding orb burns part of her leg.

Akane screams in pain, she falls on her back clutching her leg. She hears the crowd gasp at her injury. Akane's heart is racing with the pain, she closes her eyes and uses her mind's eye. She senses Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, and the others she recognizes. She is brought comfort knowing they are there. She then sees Miho, her chakra is all over the place and it's drained but she's building it back up. Akane opens her eyes, she removes the bandages on her arm and she bites it.

"What is she doing?" Miho gasps

Akane heals her leg and stands back on her feet. She charges at Miho using taijutsu, Miho does her best to keep up but she gets hit a couple of times. Akane is able to knock her down on her feet, Miho stubbles to get back up, she gets irritated and starts to form her scorching orbs again. This time the orbs were smaller than the previous ones. Akane jumps back to gain distance once again, this time she gets close to the pound in the arena. Miho attacks, Akane dodges the orb, it falls into the water. 'She doesn't have much chakra to control the orbs. She cant make them explode, perfect'

Miho sighs with frustration, she charges forward sending her two orbs to attack Akane. Once again Akane dodges her attack, the orbs fall into the water. Miho Stops in her tracks to fall back, but Akane charges at her, catching her by surprise, she manages to push Miho into the water.

Miho catches herself and stands on top of the water, feeling the boiling water below her feet. Miho sighs, she quickly concentrates to gather more chakra but she lets her guard down.

"Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!" The redhead feels the boiling water on her fingertips as she holds the water prison. Her hand trembles with pain but she needs to hold it long enough for Miho to forfeit. Unfortunately she couldn't hold it any longer and she released the sand kunoichi.

Miho falls back into the boiling water. Akane quickly puts her arms into the water, she cries out in pain. She manages to pull Miho out of the boiling water. Akane quickly bites her wrist again healing her burned hands.

Miho takes rapid deep breaths "I-I…. I forf..uhh...feit"

Genma steps forward and declares Uzumaki Akane as the winner.

Master Kaito shakes his head and smirks "Tch, Uzumakis and their brutality"

Akane walks back to the stand, she is greeted by Naruto who runs down to congratulate her. Akane sighs, even after his fight he still has a lot of energy.

Both genin sit on the bench alongside Shikamaru.

Naruto looks around the stadium "I wonder where Sasuke is at? He's late and knowing him I doubt he will quit."

Akane nodded.


Genma calls for the next competitors. Gaara and Sasuke Uchiha.

Gaara stood in the center of the arena waiting for Sasuke but he was still nowhere to be seen.

Genma clears his throat "If Sasuke does not make it within the next 5 minuets then he will be disqualified"

Naruto grunted. "That teme picked up Kakashi's lateness"

Akane nodded " Now that you mentioned that, Kakashi sensei isn't here. I assume he may be with Sasuke, they may be getting some last minute training done"

Naruto crosses his arms, he agrees with Akane.

The 5 minutes were almost up with 1 minute being left. Michiko sighs, looking around to find any signs of Sasuke or Kakashi.

"Michiko! Stop looking so worried" A friendly voice assures her

She turns to the voice, her teammate smiles at her. "Akihiko"

The brown headed boy chuckles "Don't worry, your lil bro will be here he probably wants to make an entrance."

Michiko pouts, trying to imagine Sasuke and Kakashi entering with a flamboyant event. "You think?"

Akihiko looks down at the arena "He's going against that kid."

Michiko looks down as well "Yeah, I saw what he did to Guy-san's genin. He doesn't have any hesitation to kill. I know being shinobi means that we have to face death, but I'm still worried for Sasuke." She clenches her Uchiha and jade necklace. "I don't want to lose anymore of my family"


A small cloud of smoke appears next to Gaara. In the smoke Kakashi and Sasuke appear. Kakashi greets Genma and apologizes for their tardiness. Genma frowns, but quickly dismisses it. Kakashi thanks him and disappears.

Genma steps forward, he raises his left arm and asks the genin if they are ready. Both agree, Genma lowers his arm down and the battle begins.

Gaara began to draw out his sand from his gord, but he soon stopped. Gaara let out a scream as he held the right temple. He soon began to speak about seeking blood for mother and continues to draw more sand out.

Sasuke shifts in discomfort, he throws his shuriken at Gaara but he blocks them with a sand clone. Sasuke jumps in the air and lands blow after blow to the sand clone causing it to be destroyed. Sasuke then attempts to punch Gaara directly in the face but Gaara's sand blocks it. Sasuke smirks as he disappears and reappears behind Gaara, he proceeds to punch him square on the jaw causing his sand armor to crack. Gaara is sent flying across the arena, he lands hard against the ground.

Sasuke calls Gaara out to attack, but sits and watches Sasuke. Sasuke charges forward and Gaara draws his sand up to guard him but that does not help him for Sasuke was able to quickly maneuver the sand and strike Gaara once again. Gaara flies in the air but catches himself with his sand.

Akane watches in amazement, Sasuke taijutsu was amazing and he was quick but why was Gaara not attacked back.

Michiko held her Uchiha necklace tight. 'Why isn't the sand shinobi attacking? Something is off, what is he up to?' She looks over where the other sand shinobi were sitting, all them looks stiff and concerned. 'What the hell is going on?'

Attack after attack Gaara finally stood back on his feet, he began to surround himself with sand. He created a sphere defense to protect himself.

Sasuke watches as he catches his breath, but once it was done being made he charges forward but that was a mistake. The sand sphere patrooded sand spikes, Sasuke was near enough to injure his leg, arm, and drew blood from his cheek. He jumps back, but he throws kunais at the sand but the sand blocks them. Sasuke then proceeds to attack the sphere but when he gets close the sand begins to attack him with spikes. Sasuke dodges the spikes but they soon follow him back.

Sasuke huffs, there was no way to penetrate the sand but he had no choice but to use the next jutsu he learned. He jumps back and climbs up the wall of the arena, he soon unties the bandages on his left arm. He takes a deep breath, his right hand holds his left as if he needs the control. He soon creates lighting in his palm.

Michiko gasps. 'That jutsu, it's the chidori. Kakashi, why?'

She watches Sasuke run down the wall and leave a mark from where he held the chidori. The sound of the chirping jutsu fills the arena and everyone watches with surprise.

Akane and Naruto watch in shock. Akane couldn't believe how visible the chakra was to the naked eye. She was used to seeing it with her mind's eye or Naruto's red chakra.

Sasuke maneuvers around the sand spikes and penetrates the chidori into the sphere. He grabs Gaara from his neck. He can feel Gaara's heavy breathing and blood dripping.

Gaara screams

Sasuke tries to pull his arm out but he was not able to with no other choice he uses chidori once again. He pulls his arm out but is in complete shock to see a large hand made of sand grabbing on to his arm. He jumps back, but the hand follows him. The hand eventually stops and goes back into the sphere. Sasuke knees down in shock. He can hear the sound of something feral shuffling in the ball of sand. The ball soon began to crack.

Akane begins to feel uneasy.

Naruto notices "Akane what's wrong?" He draws Shikamaru's attention.

Akane closes her eyes and draws her mind's eye, she senses Sasuke's chakra which was down by three fourths. She moved to Gaara's and she stood in fear. The chakra felt thick and dark similar to what she had felt with Naruto's red chakra but this chakra was blood thirsty.

"I can't really explain it but something bad is going to happen"

"Like wha-hh." Naruto falls over his seat.

Akane fell as well 'A genjutsu, and a strong one too.' Akane laids next to Naruto and Shikamaru, not knowing the chaos about to unleash.