= As Time Passed in The Leaf =


Disclaimer: Naruto is not owned by me. This story is purely fictional Anime fanatics/other aspiring author like me create to fill our (and other anime fanatics) desire. Other unknown characters were just invented by me.

Author's Note: This is my first fanfiction. Please read and review my fiction. If you'd like you can be harsh with the review, I think I can live with it. Thank you everybody!

I don't read my fictions twice. Thus the mistakes and loopholes, but I make sure I don't commit much of it.

Notes: (1) "talking" -means the character is speaking. (2) 'thinking' - means the character is thinking. (3) "talking" or 'thinking' - means important conversation/thoughts. (4) (words/phrase) - authors thoughts, notes or ideas.

Pairing: I still don't know but there is definitely gonna be one. You can tell me who you want to be paired up. Just keep away with the yaoi/shounen-ai for now. My little bro's gonna read this fiction after I finished this.

Date Finished: August 22, 2004 07:10pm Philippine time

Date Uploaded: August 23, 2004 02:00pm Philippine time


CHAPTER 3

2ND ROUND

SAKURA V.S. NARUTO

"FOR THE second set! The First Match: Haruno Sakura vs. Uzumaki Naruto!" After pausing for a second. He continued "Let's begin!"

At the host's signal for the start of the match, Sakura Then slowly went into her fighting stance while taking out a kunai and a pair of shurikens for each hand. Her left foot in front of the other. "Are you ready Naruto!?" She asked in full confidence.

"Sure! Ready when you are!"

Hearing this confirmation, Sakura dashed off to where Naruto is standing. Hands in a crossed position in front of her with eyes observing Naruto's movements for something peculiar.

"Kagebunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted creating four clones and allowed them to attack Sakura. However, Sakura was very apt. She instantly stopped with the help of accumulated chakra in her feet then jumped towards the nearest tree in her left.

Five Naruto followed her; she leaped again while spinning horizontally creating more force to her shurikens. The four Naruto Clones instantly disappeared in a poof when she aimed it directly and with precision to them.

The real Naruto was very surprised, initially forgetting that Sakura still have the two kunais' in her hands. He did not have the time to deflect the attack and pinning him to a tree. One of it at the left of his jacket while the other pinned his right leg immobile.

"Tree-binding Technique!" Sakura called out after some seals. The branches where Naruto was pinned warped him all over. Fortunately, before it covered him whole, he pulled out his right hand.

Sakura came towards him. Looking ready to initiate her next attack. Naruto was literally not with himself; he doesn't seem to know what to do. Sakura came closer until she was already face to face with Naruto, her hand in a sheep seal form and looked quite serious and damned enough. The crowds were really anticipating what she was going to do next with the startled blonde.

THEN... PAK!... goes her hand right across the kitsune's face leaving a mark as a sign that it wasn't just a simple slap but a really hard and uncontrolled one. Now, that's something you just don't witness everyday in a fight.

The crowds went frozen white with what they had just witnessed! Even the Kage's from the different hidden villages and Feudal Lords were left with their mouths wide open from surprise!

'Ouch! That would certainly hurt...' Shikamaru thought while watching the Match. He'd rather get beaten by punches and other stuffs than get slapped because it stings and it hurts. [1]

"Itai!! What was that for Sakura!" Naruto shouted with his eyes bulging after he had recovered from the shock. The crowds went from shock to buzzing and speculating.

"Maybe they're lovers!" a guy in the crowd shouted. Followed by laughs by everyone who heard.

"He could have dumped her and now she's here for revenge." Laughter was again heard. Speculations flowed. (A/N: Aren't they dumb or what?)

'Hmp, fools. They can't even see what's really going on.' Sasuke thought.

"Baka! You were not even a bit serious in our fight!" Sakura answered him. "Listen Naruto, I'm not as weak as I was before. Don't look down at me! You saw me in the first match right!?"

"I'm not looking down at you! It's just that I have never fought a girl and my friend for that matter." Naruto defended himself.

The crowds now went from being frozen shocked to laughing to "oohh!! That's a hard one..." and buzzing.

"Well Uzumaki Naruto-san! You'd better get used to it or you'll end up being sorry!" Sakura stated in a firm and controlled voice. Her eyes were as fierce as that of Tsunade's.

Naruto knew right then what Sakura meant. 'Alright! If she wants a real fight, I'd gladly oblige. It was my fault 'nyway.'

In an instant, he freed himself from the tree-binding technique by placing a red chakra in the kunai. He took it from the tree that was pinned in his left jacket and cut the tree apart. He then ripped off the part of his clothes that was pinned by the kunai and created four new replicas sending them towards Sakura again.

'Again? When will he get serious! I hate it!' She hit them again with shurikens. Thinking that they were all gone she stopped on her track which was a wrong move. She did not notice that one of the Replicas created another kagebunshin before it disappeared. The Kagebunshin was just hidden from her sight because of the smoke.

"Sakura! Here I go!" Giving Sakura a very hard and direct hit on the stomach. 'I wish she'd fall unconscious now. I don't want to hurt her so bad.'

SAKURA'S REFLEXES are great, even after the shock of seeing another replica; she instantly punched a small part her abdomen (much like Kabuto) making it strong to last the impact. But this moved Sakura backwards since she used more than half of her chakra for the medical technique she just used. She managed to balance herself using her right hand as a brake. 'I'll have to find an opening first before I use another ninjutsu or genjutsu at him.'

She then created a series of seals "Tiger, Sheep Dog, Pig, Horse!" Then touched the grasses where she stood. "Grass-Scales Technique!" swirling winds were created to where she touched creating a small whirlwind/hurricane-like around her. All grasses that have been torn out of their stems went swirling within it. Sakura looked fiercely at Naruto and created the final seal "Tiger!" right then the grasses that was strengthened with knife-like sharpness and charged at Naruto.

Naruto ran looking for cover, thinking that it was only aimed at one direction. However, he realized his mistake since the pins have not stopped following him even when he went round.

"Earth shield technique!" walls covered him all around and took the damage from the grass scale techniques. He learned this technique when they visited the Hidden Earth Village. He was taught by one of Jiraiya's close friends when he left him there for a month while he does another 'data gathering session'.

Sakura was now breathing heavily, she just lost a big amount of chakra for that technique in vain. Well, it was not really useless since she was really waiting for him to loose his guard as he protects himself from her offense.

She then dashed towards him again jumping high in the air and took our as many shurikens in her hands. Striking within the wall where Naruto was, she gracefully stepped onto one of the walls as the gravity pulled her back to Earth. To her surprise, no one was there, but a hole dug out of the ground as an escape route.

'Neji?...' was the only thought that came to her mind as she remembered him do the same before when he fought with Neji during the Chuunin exam in Konoha. She looked around, she was certain Naruto won't come out underneath him like he did with Neji. She jumped back to the ground certain that Naruto would come out. She had to be ready.

She already used up too much chakra. And this was the opening she has been waiting for. Provided things goes as planned. She activated another set of seals 'sense of bat technique' she shouted inside her mind, so that Naruto, where ever he was would not notice her plans. She closed he eyes and quietly observed where the digging under the ground would end, turning her head around since the technique only covers a length of 100 meters and a 45 degree angle.

'THERE!' she said silently and ran stealthily towards where the direction was then created a new seal, an illusion technique. As Naruto came out of the ground he met Sakura eye-to-eye, activating the Genjutsu.

Naruto jumped back and up, facing Sakura. He did not notice that he was now within an illusion. The place was the same, the people were still there and even Sakura and the Host of the match. He saw Sakura create new seal and cherry blossoms grew up from the ground in amazing speed wrapping all around him. He couldn't escape this time, since he was perfectly trapped.

"What!? What's happening? What kind of technique is this?" Naruto shouted. "AHH!! It's strangling me!" he shouted again as branches grew around him and strangled him in the neck.

"Wanna see another new technique, Naruto?" Sakura asked him. She created a new technique, then a new Sakura slipped out of the side of her body completely colored in black and was outlined in white. A name was written on its forehead, it said "INNER SAKURA". Naruto was shocked, another unknown technique flashed before his eyes. The Inner Sakura was smiling slyly at him creating a very scary laugh unlike the way the real Sakura laughed. This one's laugh was uncultured, scary and more like that of a monster. [2]

"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT!? Do you want me to crush you like an ant!?" The Inner Sakura shouted at him. Then it grew bigger and bigger at the size of the stadium itself. Took Naruto out of the cherry blossoms and shook him up and down and from side to side. Naruto nearly vomited but the Inner Sakura still did not stop strangling and shaking him.

"Just say I give up! Then I'll let you go!" Inner Sakura told him. "You can never escape me Naruto. No one can!" The conceited and self-appraising bitch continued as she laughed evilly.

"Nani!!! What kind of ninjutsu is that!!?" Naruto's eyes almost bulged out of his eyes!

Naruto had no idea that it was all an Illusion. It was so perfectly made. The shouting people, wide-eyed watchers, the host observing the match and even the reactions of the people... everything was the same. No one caught in this technique would notice anyway.

Sakura was so skilled in this technique taught to her by her mother. She worked with determination and skill in perfecting it. Naruto would never notice, even Kakashi and Sasuke couldn't notice it before when she had almost perfected the genjutsu.

She had played with Sasuke and Kakashi twice or thrice with it. Like making Kakashi totally insane for weeks reading "Icha Icha Paradise" and asking all ladies he sees out for dinner and stuffs. This was after she showed him an illusion of a world filled with men and gays, not even a single woman was there and even the bar was filled with homosexuals. He was really pissed off with Sakura after he knew what was going on. 'Til now Kakashi and Sasuke could still be caught dead with it.

She smiled slyly. 'You're dead, Naruto'. Some of the crowds were really confused on how Naruto was acting. At one time it seemed like something was strangling him. Then he just fell straight into the ground flipping his self over and side to side. People were laughing their wits out, watching as Naruto made some funny exhibitions as Sakura just stood there silently. Only the shinobi's watching the match knew what was happening.

'Poor Naruto, he doesn't even know what hit him.' Kakashi thought as he watched the match. 'Not that I'm under estimating Naruto but it's true that Naruto isn't so bright nor as skilled as Sakura before. Even I couldn't. How will you escape this one Naruto?'

As Kakashi thought about this something different was happening to Naruto inside. As the giant Sakura was strangling him his determination was also wavering.

"I can't take it anymore!" and raised his right hand "I..."

Suddenly the crowd grew so silent. It just went from being in maximum volume to dead silence. Sakura have loosened her guard for about a second anticipating what Naruto will say but immediately backed it up. However, in that bit of a second, Naruto already noticed what was happening.

'Hmp, nice try Sakura. That was almost perfect.' Naruto thought 'Unfortunately, It won't work anymore.'

He bit his lips to wake up from the illusion. Sakura was taken aback. Naruto was instantly right in front of her through teleport just as he did when he visited Sakura in the room. Smiled and flipped his body around until he was behind Sakura.

"WHAT!!? How did he know!? I did not even noticed it when she used it on me!" Kakashi blurted out. His eyes growing big, people around him laughed at his reaction then blushed as he realized what he just did. (I always want Naruto to be the best... LOLinanevilway!So sorry Kakashi!)

He kicked her at the back sending Sakura up in the air with great speed. In an instant, Naruto was beneath him and whispered "Gomen ne Sakura..."

He channeled his chakra to his hands but Sakura knew that he was planning to make her unconscious.

"I won't let you!" Sakura held Naruto in the neck and flipped him upside down in the air.

Both of them were now facing each other again, Naruto in a reversed position. As they were falling slowly Sakura did the same as Naruto. She channeled chakra in both hands and the two of them battled with great speed in the air. Both were aiming for each other's neck.

NARUTO WAS definitely above in speed, in no time he held both of her hands behind her and hit her directly on the neck. He was not only planning to make sure she was unconscious but to disturb her nervous system in case she still woke up. He then looked down and when he saw that he was near the ground, he embraced Sakura to make sure she avoids the impact.

His back ached from the impact. Afterwards, he removed his embrace from Sakura and stood up. Sakura remained motionless, so the host of the match went in to inspect her. He saw her twitching her fingers and moving her feet, which was very unusual, he immediately noticed that Naruto have disturbed the girl's nervous system. He stood up and announced the winner of the match "The winner for this match is Uzumaki Naruto!"

The crowds cheered, they just saw two promising shinobi fought and was indeed delighted by the match. Although it was not as good as their 1st fight, it was still good. Naruto took the initiative to carry Sakura to the clinic again and after arriving there. He allowed the medics take care of her since they already know what to do.

'Who would have thought he knows how to use medical techniques' Tsunade thought again. She was very interested in Naruto's matches since he doesn't stop surprising them with new techniques.

THE SECOND match was between Hinata and Sasuke but easily won the match since Hinata was still a little exhausted from her first match. She did put up a good fight though. She used the 64-point tenketsu to Sasuke and gave him a hard time. However, this did not stopped Sasuke's sharingan and he still found a way to turn the match around without using ninjutsu. He used genjutsu instead and gave Hinata a very hard time under his control. This forced Hinata to forfeit the match by giving up. [3]

The third match between Rock Lee (winner of the 1st round, 5th match) and the genin from the Falls (winner of the 1st round, 6th match), ended with Rock Lee as the winner.[4] Seichiro of the Water village (1st round, 8th match) won the fourth match against Temari (1st round, 7th match); In the final match, Kiba (1st round, 9th match) was against a genin from the Wave (1st round, 10th match) and won the match.

HERE IS the line-up for the winners of the Second Round:

1st Match: Uzumaki, Naruto

2nd Match: Uchiha, Sasuke

3rd Match: Rock Lee

4th Match: Seichiro of the Hidden Water Village

5th Match: Inuzuka, Kiba

The following match will follow the same outline as the match in Konoha in a reversed pattern. The winner from the match (4th match vs. 5th match) will have an excess match against the winner of the 3rd match. Then again, its winner will proceed to the 4th and Final Round.[5]


[1] I based that on experience. Almost all of the male friends I have would rather get punched in the face that getting slapped. I don't even know why!?

[2] Noticed the familiar scenery? Like when Sakura fought with Ino?

[3] I just want to express that even though Sakura's genjutsu is perfect, the Genjutsu from the Mangenkyo sharingan is still far more superior to that. We all know how scary is an illusion from the Mangenkyo sharingan without a sharingan you would have no match against it. Now, comparing it to Sakura's genjutsu... Sakura's genjutsu is just perfect in a way that she can imitate the real world. That's how she can trick Kakashi and Sasuke.

[4] Yup! I made sure Lee won against Neji in the threesome fight. In any case, superior speed is no match for perfect defense. Neji will never catch up with his speed.

[5] I think you now have a guess on who will be in the final match... Did you? I do!


SORRY: Sorry for updating too late but it was our midterm last week and I have to review well or I'll fail. Then, this week I've been burning my knees off kneeling and praying that I pass all of my exams (I'm exaggerating but it's true). Its too much pressure that I couldn't even think of a plot for the next chapter.

I might not be able to update frequently from now on but as soon as sembreak comes, I'll do my best to update frequently. It's really hard to insert writing fanfiction while studying. It takes too much of my time.

ADDITIONAL: Thank you again for the review and even though I don't thank you individually I am really greatful and I don't ignore you're comments. Honest. If the next chapter did not meet you're epectation it means it's the best that I can do.


THANK YOU FOR APPRECIATING MY FANFICTION READERS!!!