The Shadow Wars
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A/N: I'm sorry if my note at the end of the last chapter sounded mean, but I was frustrated (finals coming up.)
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Chapter 14
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"And now, team Ambush, move into position." The examiner ordered. Team 7 immediately ran off to the valley center. "Now, team Convoy advance."
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"Ino, you sure about this?" asked Shikamaru. They had been moving toward the valley center for three hours, and were tiring out badly.
"Yes, Shikamaru. There's no way Sakura can defeat me! Chouji, Shikamaru, you guys get Naruto and Sasuke-kun. I'll get Sakura." Said Ino.
"Yes, ma'am..." Shikamaru said weakly. He was sure that a showdown at the valley center would surely mean that they would fail the exam. However, he also knew that Ino would never allow reason to interfere with her rivalry with Sakura.
"How troublesome..." thought Shikamaru.
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"They're coming now." Sasuke said. He had his Sharingan ready, scanning the horizon.
Not only was Ino insisting on a showdown at the valley center, she also wanted to make sure that Team 7 knew that they were coming. She wanted to fight Sakura one-on-one with Sakura having an advantage.
"Right." Naruto and Sasuke said together.
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Five minutes later, Ino's team had reached the valley center. Almost immediately, Sasuke set off the exploding notes. When he did that, rock debris fell down into the valley, missing the Convoy team by three inches.
As soon as the notes went off, the Ambush team jumped into the valley, throwing shuriken at their target. Immediately, Ino's team got ready, deflecting the shuriken with their kunai.
As Naruto fell, he was starting to do the hand seals for his Kage Bunshin. Approximately three inches off the ground, he finished the seals.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted. Almost immediately, twenty identical clones materialized. All twenty began charging up for Naruto's top technique, the Resengan.
Chakra began swirling in the clones' hands, growing in strength.
"I don't want to kill them, only knock them out," thought the original Naruto.
When it reached the wanted strength, all the clones attacked Chouji, judging that he would take up the most chakra (because his body would absorb most of it.) However, Chouji blocked a few, weakening the combination. Still, it knocked Chouji out. Therefore, he could no longer participate no matter what.
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Meanwhile, Sakura and Ino were exchanging taijutsu blows. The girls were whirling effortlessly, neither gaining the advantage. Suddenly, Sakura performed a powerful genjutsu that caused Ino to think that Sakura had changed into Kyuubi. At the same time, Sakura did the seals for her Ho Kunai no Jutsu.
Sakura knew that she had to finish this fast or Ino would use her Shintenshin no Jutsu, or, worse, her Shinranshin no Jutsu. While Shintenshin allowed Ino to control her target's body, it caused her to lose control of her own. If she missed, an enemy could easily kill it, causing Ino to be stuck. However, Shinranshin eliminated that problem.
"Katon: Ho Kunai no Jutsu!" Sakura shouted, as she fired a tremendous amount of fire kunai at Ino. Ino, since she was still befuddled by the genjutsu, was unable to dodge them in time. It was another knockout for Team 7.
---
However, Sasuke was having slight trouble with Shikamaru. Although Shikamaru could not use his Shadow Bind, he was still proving to be strong.
"Sharingan!" Sasuke yelled, causing his eyes to take on the familiar Sharingan pattern, red with commas.
"Now, Sasuke, I'll show you a jutsu I've never shown anyone. I wouldn't suggest trying to copy it, though. It'll burn your Sharingan out." Shikamaru began. "Shadow Coffin no jutsu!"
Almost immediately, the valley walls' shadows started expanding and contracting. Without warning, the shadow that was cast on the ground next to Sasuke wrapped around him.
A few minutes later, the shadows left, and Sasuke fell to the ground.
"You fool. You could well have surpassed me, but you focused only on revenge against Itachi. However, you assumed that, because you defeated Orochimaru, you could slack off. No one can destroy his opponent if he's not following a routine that he's been following for years!" Shikamaru taunted (he's fairly certain that Sasuke's dead.)
Suddenly, Naruto realized that Shikamaru had defeated Sasuke. In an instant, he appeared behind Shikamaru, kunai held to his opponent's throat.
"You bastard. I promise you, this fight..." Naruto began. "Will be your last."
"Foolish Naruto. Never underestimate your adversary." Shikamaru said, as he thrust his elbow into Naruto's side.
Naruto dodged, but his initial attack was ruined. In order to not holster his kunai, he threw it at Shikamaru, who dodged it.
"What now, dead last? What can you do?" taunted Shikamaru again.
In an instant, Naruto teleported behind Shikamaru. "Rock Lee taught me this move" he began. "Leaf Shadow Dance! INITIAL LOTUS!"
As Naruto did the lotus, he realized that he wasn't doing the attack on Shikamaru, who had teleported away. Naruto stopped the attack in time, but he had injured himself already.
"Fool. Don't announce your jutsus so obviously." Shikamaru said, as he teleported behind Naruto. An instant later, Naruto was in an indentation in the valley wall. Shikamaru had kicked Naruto very hard.
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Will Naruto be able to defeat Shikamaru? And is Sasuke dead?
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A/N: I hope you liked this chapter, and I'm sorry for the cliffie. As always, please read & review, and I may listen to you.
However, I have Sasuke's fate already decided, so I don't need any comments on that.
---
A/N: I'm sorry if my note at the end of the last chapter sounded mean, but I was frustrated (finals coming up.)
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Chapter 14
---
"And now, team Ambush, move into position." The examiner ordered. Team 7 immediately ran off to the valley center. "Now, team Convoy advance."
---
"Ino, you sure about this?" asked Shikamaru. They had been moving toward the valley center for three hours, and were tiring out badly.
"Yes, Shikamaru. There's no way Sakura can defeat me! Chouji, Shikamaru, you guys get Naruto and Sasuke-kun. I'll get Sakura." Said Ino.
"Yes, ma'am..." Shikamaru said weakly. He was sure that a showdown at the valley center would surely mean that they would fail the exam. However, he also knew that Ino would never allow reason to interfere with her rivalry with Sakura.
"How troublesome..." thought Shikamaru.
---
"They're coming now." Sasuke said. He had his Sharingan ready, scanning the horizon.
Not only was Ino insisting on a showdown at the valley center, she also wanted to make sure that Team 7 knew that they were coming. She wanted to fight Sakura one-on-one with Sakura having an advantage.
"Right." Naruto and Sasuke said together.
---
Five minutes later, Ino's team had reached the valley center. Almost immediately, Sasuke set off the exploding notes. When he did that, rock debris fell down into the valley, missing the Convoy team by three inches.
As soon as the notes went off, the Ambush team jumped into the valley, throwing shuriken at their target. Immediately, Ino's team got ready, deflecting the shuriken with their kunai.
As Naruto fell, he was starting to do the hand seals for his Kage Bunshin. Approximately three inches off the ground, he finished the seals.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted. Almost immediately, twenty identical clones materialized. All twenty began charging up for Naruto's top technique, the Resengan.
Chakra began swirling in the clones' hands, growing in strength.
"I don't want to kill them, only knock them out," thought the original Naruto.
When it reached the wanted strength, all the clones attacked Chouji, judging that he would take up the most chakra (because his body would absorb most of it.) However, Chouji blocked a few, weakening the combination. Still, it knocked Chouji out. Therefore, he could no longer participate no matter what.
---
Meanwhile, Sakura and Ino were exchanging taijutsu blows. The girls were whirling effortlessly, neither gaining the advantage. Suddenly, Sakura performed a powerful genjutsu that caused Ino to think that Sakura had changed into Kyuubi. At the same time, Sakura did the seals for her Ho Kunai no Jutsu.
Sakura knew that she had to finish this fast or Ino would use her Shintenshin no Jutsu, or, worse, her Shinranshin no Jutsu. While Shintenshin allowed Ino to control her target's body, it caused her to lose control of her own. If she missed, an enemy could easily kill it, causing Ino to be stuck. However, Shinranshin eliminated that problem.
"Katon: Ho Kunai no Jutsu!" Sakura shouted, as she fired a tremendous amount of fire kunai at Ino. Ino, since she was still befuddled by the genjutsu, was unable to dodge them in time. It was another knockout for Team 7.
---
However, Sasuke was having slight trouble with Shikamaru. Although Shikamaru could not use his Shadow Bind, he was still proving to be strong.
"Sharingan!" Sasuke yelled, causing his eyes to take on the familiar Sharingan pattern, red with commas.
"Now, Sasuke, I'll show you a jutsu I've never shown anyone. I wouldn't suggest trying to copy it, though. It'll burn your Sharingan out." Shikamaru began. "Shadow Coffin no jutsu!"
Almost immediately, the valley walls' shadows started expanding and contracting. Without warning, the shadow that was cast on the ground next to Sasuke wrapped around him.
A few minutes later, the shadows left, and Sasuke fell to the ground.
"You fool. You could well have surpassed me, but you focused only on revenge against Itachi. However, you assumed that, because you defeated Orochimaru, you could slack off. No one can destroy his opponent if he's not following a routine that he's been following for years!" Shikamaru taunted (he's fairly certain that Sasuke's dead.)
Suddenly, Naruto realized that Shikamaru had defeated Sasuke. In an instant, he appeared behind Shikamaru, kunai held to his opponent's throat.
"You bastard. I promise you, this fight..." Naruto began. "Will be your last."
"Foolish Naruto. Never underestimate your adversary." Shikamaru said, as he thrust his elbow into Naruto's side.
Naruto dodged, but his initial attack was ruined. In order to not holster his kunai, he threw it at Shikamaru, who dodged it.
"What now, dead last? What can you do?" taunted Shikamaru again.
In an instant, Naruto teleported behind Shikamaru. "Rock Lee taught me this move" he began. "Leaf Shadow Dance! INITIAL LOTUS!"
As Naruto did the lotus, he realized that he wasn't doing the attack on Shikamaru, who had teleported away. Naruto stopped the attack in time, but he had injured himself already.
"Fool. Don't announce your jutsus so obviously." Shikamaru said, as he teleported behind Naruto. An instant later, Naruto was in an indentation in the valley wall. Shikamaru had kicked Naruto very hard.
---
Will Naruto be able to defeat Shikamaru? And is Sasuke dead?
---
A/N: I hope you liked this chapter, and I'm sorry for the cliffie. As always, please read & review, and I may listen to you.
However, I have Sasuke's fate already decided, so I don't need any comments on that.