Chapter 5: The Return of Uzumaki Naruto
The new and improved Uzumaki Naruto stands on top of a large red toad in the center of the tournament ring, ready to engage Sakamo in head on combat. The crowd roars with excitement as many of them know who this fighter is. The crowd chants Naruto's name and anxiously awaits his next move. In the fighters area Neji and Shino are in disbelief at the reappearance of their old comrade. An uncharacteristic smile comes over Neji's face as he seems more then happy to see a man he has fought and bled with.
On the 1st balcony, Haruno Sakura holds her hands tightly against her chest, overjoyed with Naruto's reappearance. "I can't believe it. Naruto is here! I thought he was supposed to be gone for three years?"
Tsunade answers, "Since you and Naruto played a vital part in the construction of the bridge that helped bring prosperity to this country, You were given a special invite to attend this tournament. Naruto on the other hand, was asked to participate, in hopes that he would win the tournament and have this arena named after him. It would work as another symbol of pride for the country and hopefully stimulate even more spending in the country."
"You mean they have been trying to stack the odds in Naruto's favor?"
"In a way of thinking yes. But I talked to Jiraiya, and he says that Naruto does not need any outside edge to win this tournament."
Naruto returns his focus to Sakamo, who stands across the ring in disbelief. Naruto pats the toad on the head and the toad smiles at the acknowledgment from its master.
"So, you are the renowned Uzumaki Naruto eh?" Sakamo stands up confidently and shakes his head in disappointment. "I remember seeing your picture and name on that big bridge on the way into this country. Funny, I always thought you would be taller. And well, more impressive."
With that said, Naruto throws a signature temper tantrum. "Wh-what? I go throw all this trouble to make the most dramatic, and awesome entrance possible, and you are telling me you're still not impressed?" Naruto's eyes begin to bug out of his head and his face turns deep red almost matching the color of his toad summon. As he shakes his head, he begins to regain his composure and focuses on his opponent. "Well I guess I will just have try a little bit harder, and impress you with some of my latest techniques."
Naruto then pats the toad on the head, "Well my friend, let's use a page out of your uncle's list of skills." The toad smiles and nods, and begins to gather up something in its stomach in a large bulge. As the bulge reaches the toad's mouth, Naruto starts up a jutsu. Rat, tiger, rooster, horse. He then gathers chakra into his chest and lifts his right hand up to just in front of his mouth in the shape of a "C" with his thumb, index and middle fingers.
"Katon: Shukushaku Gamayo Endan" (Fire Element: Reduced Scale Toad Oil Cannon) Naruto then breathes a steady stream of fire, and at the same time the toad spits out a large amount of toad oil. The two combine and create an enormous steady inferno of fire that thunders toward Sakamo at high speed. Sakamo leaps up high and back to his former perch on the stadium wall however, the heat is too unbearable even from many meters above the focus point of the blast. The steady stream of fire hits the wall of the arena and slowly starts to actually melt it away. Sakamo then runs along the wall in hopes of diverting the blast from the single spot and possibly getting Naruto to stop, in fear of injuring anyone in the crowd.Naruto and his toad follow Sakamo along the wall, leaving dark black burns along the wall as it hits. Sakamo then leaps off the wall as he reaches the rings' pool, and dives directly into the center. Naruto and the toad stop their fiery assault, and Naruto smiles as Sakamo is proving to be a crafty opponent.
"Well then my friend, I think I will handle this one on my own. Thanks for your help!" Naruto then hops off of the toad that then disappears in a large puff of smoke. "You have to come out of there at some point Sakamo!" Naruto watches diligently as the number of oxygen bubbles rising to the top of the pool begin to slow down steadily. Naruto stands patiently and waits to see where Sakamo will resurface. As the rising bubbles become almost non existent, Naruto readies his hand in front of his mouth, ready to ignite Sakamo as soon as he resurfaces. The bubbles then stop completely, and the crowd, referee and Naruto begin to wonder whether or not Sakamo somehow has drown in the pool.
"Uh oh. Did he get hurt when he dove into the pool?" As Naruto begins to ponder why Sakamo has not risen, a vision fills his head, of Sakamo diving into the pond and hitting his head against a rock, falling unconscious and running out of air.
As Naruto begins to fear the worst, the ground beneath him begins to crack and crumble. As Naruto looks down, he sees a foot rising up at him. The foot is Sakamo's and Naruto just barely manages to back flip avoiding the kick and landing on his feet. Sakamo too lands on his feet and immediately charges Naruto with his kunai drawn. Naruto counters by drawing his own kunai and parrying Sakamo's first couple of attacks. The two begin to run along parallel to one another staring at each other directly in the eyes, each with a smile upon their face. As they reach the wall of the ring, they both begin to scale the wall, striking at one another periodically. When they run out of the wall in a vertical direction, the then begin to run in opposite directions. As they both reach opposite sides of the ring, the two then make a dynamic leap from their respective sides, diving toward one another with kunai at the ready. The two connect kunai in the center of the ring. Both of their attacks parry one another, and the two continue on their way. Sakamo however manages to spin around just enough to catch Naruto in the faces with a spinning heel kick. Naruto then tumbles out of control to the other side of the ring flailing wildly and yelling his lungs off. Sakamo lands perfectly on the other side of the ring and begins to charge downward, hoping to catch Naruto unprepared to make a proper defense. Meanwhile Naruto hits the ring wall hard and falls to the ground. Before he hits the ground, he manages to pull off a quick technique.
"Kage Bunshin no jutsu!" Several shadow clones then appear below Naruto. The clones all link arms and create a perfect safety net for the falling Naruto. Naruto lands in the shadow clone safety net feet first. As he lands, the clones shift the position of their arms and move along with Naruto's momentum and direct him toward the oncoming Sakamo. Naruto gets into a crouched position, and with the combination of Naruto springing off, and the clones working together as a slingshot, Naruto is catapulted at high speed toward the charging Sakamo. Sakamo tries to slow himself down as quickly as possible, panicking over Naruto's unforseen recovery. However, it is too late as Naruto connects with a heavy right hook, sending both of the competitors to the ground tumbling end over end. As Naruto kicks up to his feet, Sakamo struggles to regain his vertical base.
On the 1st balcony Sakura looks on with approval, as Naruto is looking spectacular. "Wow. I never expect Naruto to seem so confident, and his techniques are so crisp. He is still the same Naruto, just much more dedicated and focused."
The cloaked Sensei looks on from just outside the fighters area. He removes his cloak as well revealing an impressed and satisfied Jiraiya. "Good work Naruto. Now finish this match off." Jiraiya then looks around the crowd and a full toothed grin comes over his face. "There are so many women in this stadium and around this city that I am sure would like to help in research for my next book!"
Back in the ring, Sakamo finally gets to his feet. His face is heavily bruised and his nose is bloody. "Well Naruto, I am sorry that I underestimated you. I think it is becoming apparent that I will not be able to defeat you." Sakamo then looks to the fighters area to see Yamu and Yukina both with Kunai drawn. The two are staring a hole through Sakamo, letting Sakamo know that forfeiting this match, is not an option. "I am sorry Naruto, but I am going to have to go all out from now on."
Naruto nods his head in approval and gets ready to continue the fight. "I wouldn't want it any other way."
The two, once again charge at one another, and connect with a series of highspeed taijutsu techniques. It becomes very obvious after a few minutes of the hand to hand exchange, that Naruto is the faster of the two. His punches and kicks are more fluent and crisp then ever before, and his movement is confident and the extent of his training after only a year becomes very evident.
Tsunade seems astounded at the extent of Naruto's progress. "After only a year, that kid has improved this much. Hmpf, well I guess I should know better then to underestimate him."
The hand to hand exchange between Naruto and Sakamo continues, with Sakamo continuously having to backup from Naruto and offer only a strong defensive. Sakamo then leaps back to put some distance between himself and Naruto and finds himself just in front of the ring's pool. After setting up his stance, he starts gathering chakra and slams his hands together and starts a jutsu. Ox, Monkey, Snake, Boar, Rooster.
"How about a technique from the most northern region of the thunder country?" Sakamo asks with a smile on his face.
"Hiton: Touketsu Gosunkugi!" (Ice Element: Frozen Spike) The pool behind Sakamo begins to churn in certain areas and then the lung out toward Naruto in large spikes which freeze almost as soon as they leave the pool. Naruto tries to dodge all of the spikes as much as he can but finds himself just barely dodging them all and getting a number of scratches doing so.
"You are doing well so far Naruto, but let's up the stakes." Sakamo offers as he changes his hand seal to the seal of the ox. "Aisu Fukyuu"(Ice spread)
As Sakamo shouts the new technique the ice spikes that had shot at Naruto before begin to all spread into multiple new and smaller spikes. The spikes amount in the hundreds and Naruto finds himself at a loss trying to dodge all of the shards that are directed toward him. One of the smaller shards then impales Naruto's left shoulder. Another does the same to his left leg and yet another through his right hand. With Naruto seriously injured and immobile, he then begins to notice all of the ice spikes have intertwined and connected with one another, creating an elaborate cage surrounding Naruto.
"STOP IT NOW SAKAMO! THAT IS ENOUGH!" The referee shouts desperately trying to keep Sakamo from finishing the job and possibly killing Naruto. "IF YOU KEEP THIS UP YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED AND ARRESTED!"
"Leave him be referee." A tired and bloody Naruto replies. "I will be ok. I don't want this match ending because he tried too hard."
The referee looks up to the tournament committee members who are standing out of their seats watching the events unfold. The head tournament official signals to the referee to remain patient and listen to what the injured Naruto has said.
"Well Naruto, this is my ultimate technique. You have seen the first two stages, and when all three are completed, you will not survive. No one ever has." Sakamo then switches to the seal of the tiger and readies the final part of his jutsu.
"SATSUJINKI!" (Devilish Homicide) All of the cages ice spikes begin to explode, sending hundreds of needles like shards in every direction and engulfing Naruto in a hailstorm of ice. The many shards pierce Naruto's body as he screams in agony. Hundreds of pin sized needles are now stuck in Naruto's flesh and as the cage crumbles to the ground Naruto is the only thing that remains standing. He is bleeding profusely with the needles stuck in his flesh all now melting causing his blood run to the ground covering the ring's floor all around him. His right hand, left arm and left leg have been seriously injured with puncture wounds. The crowd remains horrified that Naruto has been injured so badly yet is still standing. Many of the spectators wonder if Naruto is simply dead on his feet. The referee turns away from the bloody competitor hiding any emotion she may have accidently shown.
"I'm sorry Naruto. But I could not lose here. There are greater things at work. And I am afraid that you may just be too strong to simply knock out." Sakamo then lowers his hands and turns his back to Naruto.
As Sakamo turns around he can hear a faint sound coming from behind him. When he turns back around, he can see Naruto making the seal of the ram. Naruto raises his head. Still, bloodied and bruised but still able to maintain his trademark smile.
"I may have changed in a few ways this past year," Naruto says as Sakamo looks on in horror. "But one thing remains the same." As Naruto continues a red chakra begins to swirl around Naruto's feet. "I am not someone that you should underestimate."
The red chakra then begins to consume Naruto's body as the chakra from the nine-tails is clearly under Naruto's complete control. The red chakra swirls around Naruto and leaks out from almost every part of his body. As Neji looks on, he can remember the same thing happening during his own fight with Naruto. However something is different this time, when Neji fought Naruto, the nine-tails chakra was flooding out from Naruto in high amounts, unrestrained and uncontrolled. This time however Neji can see the chakra of the nine-tails coming out in small amounts, yet still wrapping around Naruto. The chakra then becomes focused around Naruto's wounds and all of his injuries instantly begin healing right before Sakamo's eyes. His puncture wounds close, and his cuts begin to seal. All of his blood begins to replenish itself and Naruto returns to his previous fighting prowess.
"Wh-what in the hell are you?" Sakamo stutters to ask
Without giving an answer, Naruto creates his favorite hand seal and five shadow clones then appear. The Naruto's then charge at Sakamo with blinding speed and before Sakamo can react five of the clones have surrounded Sakamo. As Sakamo tries desperately to make sense out of what has happened, the clones make their move and it is too late for Sakamo to make an effective defense.
"U-ZU-MA-KI" Can be heard as four of the clones all slide toward Sakamo at high speed. At the last second, the clones all direct their efforts upwards using a two-footed kick to send the helpless Sakamo rocketing into the air.
At the same time, the last remaining clone crouches down and readies his hand's one over the other in front of his stomach and as the real Naruto steps onto the clones hands, the two combine their efforts sending the real Naruto even higher into the air. As Sakamo flies helplessly higher into the air the real Naruto blocks out the sun and speeds toward Sakamo. As Sakamo gets his last look at Naruto, he ends up on the receiving end of a thunderous axe kick to the back of Sakamo's head, sending both competitors to the ground. "NARUTO RENDAN!" Naruto lands safely in a crouching position, and Sakamo hits the ground hard, face down. Naruto then lowers the nine-tails chakra level and begins to replenish his own.
The referee runs to Sakamo's aid with a look of disbelief on her face. She checks Sakamo and finds that he is unconscious. "The winner of the 2nd match of the quarter-finals: Uzumaki Naruto!" The crowd goes crazy once again chanting Naruto's name.
Naruto stands up and waves to his newly found fan base, a smile from ear to ear plastered across his face. "Thank you! Thank you! That's right. Uzumaki Naruto is back in the Wave Country. That was so fun, I can't wait for the next round of this tournament."
Meanwhile Yamu looks on from the fighters area with a stern and focused look on his face. "Neither can I Naruto. Neither can I. You may have done us a favor removed Sakamo from our path, but in the end you will fall beside him."
Naruto gallivants around the ring, basking in the crowds affection. He then returns to the fighters area where Neji and Shino congratulate him.
"You did good Naruto. It is great to see you again, and to see you so strong is a great bonus." Neji says to the still smiling Naruto.
"Thanks Neji. Sorry to cut things short but I want to meet with Sakura-chan if I can." Naruto replies as he looks to the 1st balcony. He nods to Sakura and Sakura does the same and then heads down the stairwell out of the 1st balcony level.
Naruto then makes his way out of the fighter's area and down a few flights of stairs. However, on the way down he notices a dark figure making their way up the stairs. Naruto thinks nothing of it and continues down the stairs. When he and the dark figure pass one another, a strange feeling comes over the two of them and they both stop in their tracks, staring curiously at one another. Naruto and the dark figure, who is then revealed to be Shin, continue eyeing up one another for several more seconds until they both shake it off and continue on their way slowly, periodically peering back at one another.
"Who was that guy? I had this strange feeling that I knew him from somewhere. But it was different then that, it was almost as if . . . I was afraid of him in someway. And now my stomach is churning, what is going on here? Who was that guy?" Naruto thinks to himself as he continues down the stairs and out of the arena where he waits patiently for Sakura to arrive.
As Shin reaches the fighters area he cannot help shake the same feelings that Naruto had. "I have a weird feeling about that boy. But why?"
Shin approaches' Yukina, who has been determined to fight the next match against Neji. "Listen to me very carefully Maea. This Hyuuga kid is something different. Keep your distance from him and do not try to beat him with taijutsu. His clan uses the byakugan, it's an advanced bloodline in the eyes that allows him to see 360 degrees around him as well as see all of all of your chakra holes. So I say again, don't get to close. This guy can do some serious damage if you let him, and we need you at one hundred percent when the mission starts. We may need to fight our way out of here and if you are going to fight, then I am gonna need you with all of your tenketsu's open. Got it?"
As Shin looks into Yukina's eyes with a serious glare, Yukina trembles in fear but manages to respond, "Y-yes Toshida-sama. I understand. I will have to attack from a distance."
As Yukina makes her way to the ring for her fight with Neji, a small bug is seen flying away from where the meeting with the three cloud shinobi just took place. The bug lands on the finger of a quiet and vigilant Aburame Shino. "Maea? Toshida? I thought her name was Yukina, and his name was Shin? What mission are they talking about? But more important, why would they need to fight their way out of this arena?" A concerned look comes over Shino's face as he watches Shin return to the 1st balcony. Shin then suddenly stops, and turns around slowly looking back at Shino who turns away from the threatening cloud jounin.
"Something is going on here. I should go to the hokage but, what am I going to tell her? The cloud is up to something, but I don't know what? Something is wrong and I have to take some precautions at least." Shino then looks to the female bug on his finger, and a second bug(a male) joins the female, "Follow that man wherever he goes, and report back every hour or so. And you (directed to the female) will stay with him at all times in case I need to find him." The two bugs then fly off and follow behind Shin.
As Shin returns to the 1st balcony, he takes his place beside the Raikage, ready to watch the next match. He then closes his eyes, smiles and shakes his head slightly. "Hmpf, nice try leaf genin." Shin says under his breath. With a flick of his wrist he then clenches his right hand, and when he opens it the two tracking bugs that Shino sent, fall to the ground crushed in Shin's hand.
The referee then stands between the next two competitors in the ring. "Leaf Villages Hyuuga Neji vs. The Cloud Villages Yukina. Let this third match of the quarter finals BEGIN!" The referee then swipes her hand down signifying the beginning of the match.
Immediately Neji goes on the offensive, striking at Yukina with a series of open hand thrusts and swipes. Yukina does her best to try and doge the attacks, but cannot help but be slightly affect by even the most glancing blow.
"Dammit, even the hits that don't hit hurt. I did exactly what Toshida told me not to. I have to get away from him. But he is too damn fast." As Yukina tries to avoid taking a critical, she finds herself constantly backing away from Neji's onslaught. Yukina then tries to reach for her Kunai, but suddenly loses almost all feeling in her left arm. When she looks to the affected arm, she can see Neji's middle and index fingerpressed firmly into her shoulder
"Dammit! He got one of my tenketsu's. I can't feel anything in my arm. He completely cut off the flow of chakra to my left arm."
Before Yukina can react anymore, Neji strikes with a devastating rising palm uppercut that sends Yukina into the air, and then down to the ground hard. Yukina then immediately starts crawling backwards away from Neji who stands with a stoic expression waiting for his opponent to get back to her feet. Yukina's look of panic however, begins to change into a confident smile that the spectators have seen once before.
"Well, it looks like I got careless," Yukina says as she rises to one knee. "I have been briefed on your jyuuken technique and I simply made a stupid mistake. However even with the chakra in my left arm cut off, I can still fight you. However, I think it would be best if I were back to one hundred percent."
With that said Yukina raises her left arm with her right, and places it across her left knee. She then uses her right hand and makes the seal of the ox, with her limp hand. When she takes her right hand away, it radiates with a subtle blue chakra. She then places her right hand on the damaged tenketsu point, and within a matter of seconds she rises to her feet with her left arm back intact.
"I see. You're a medical ninja." Neji deducts. "You used your knowledge of your anatomy and your chakra circulatory system to reopen the tenketsu point that I closed."
"Good job Leaf." Yukina replies with a sarcastic tone. "You know my abilities vaguely, but I know yours in detail. If I was to allow you to get a good hit in, I would be finished. If I was to attack you hand to hand, I would run a high risk of getting hit. So I suppose maybe trying to strike you with something else would be the best course of action."
With that said, Yukina reaches behind her and pulls out two black tonfa sticks, each running as long as her forearm with roughly five inches in front of her fists, and a four-inch long handle. The sticks are one inch in diameter, and made of an unknown material.
As Yukina readies her weapons, she first show boats a bit by spinning the sticks around in a hope to slightly intimidate Neji. "Well then." Yukina says as she takes an offensive position. "Lets try this again."
Yukina charges at Neji who has readied himself in the signature stance of the Hyuuga Clan. Yukina uses her tonfa sticks with ease and grace, swiping at Neji with the long side of the stick, and then pivoting the weapon around to at four extra inches in reach onto any punch she attempts to throw at the genius ninja. After a minute or two of Neji parrying Yukina's strikes and attempting to land a critical strike, Neji finds his attempts in vain.
"Whatever those sticks are made of, they are almost perfect chakra conductors." Neji uses his byakugan and sees residual amounts of chakra flowing in the tonfa sticks. The sticks become reinforced with chakra and work as perfect shields against Neji's attacks. The sticks deflect the chakra used by Neji's jyuuken techniques making it extremely hard for Neji to focus his attacks in one spot. "That combined with her exceptional skill with those weapons, is making her a crafty enemy."
The two fighters move away from one another quickly and begin to assess one another, constantly testing how the other acts and how they attack. "It seems I underestimated your ability, and for that I apologize." Says Neji, surprising the battle hardened Yukina. "You are a medical ninja, are rare thing in itself, but you are also very good in close combat. You channel chakra through those weapons, increasing their blocking radius and deflecting my jyuuken."
"I am glad to see that you are figuring it out." Replies Yukina. "These weapons however make up only an extension of my arsenal."
Yukina then lunges at Neji with the short end of her tonfa stick forward. Neji just barely manages to dodge the attack directed at his stomach. However, Yukina manages to stop her momentum very quickly with her right foot, and pushes of her foot diving backward at the startled leaf genin with the long end of her weapon. The weapon connects with Neji's stomach just barely. Enough to make contact, but not enough to do any serious damage. Suddenly, Neji notices a massive build up of chakra transferring from Yukina into the tonfa stick.
"Bodi kanden no jutsu" (Electric body shock technique) A large amount of chakra floods into Neji's body sending him back several meters where he then hits the ground hard clutching his stomach and in serious pain.
In the fighters area, Yamu comments on Yukina's move. "Hmpf she used her favorite technique. The same one she beat Sheena with. Yukina gathers up a large amount of chakra, and uses it in a medical fashion. The chakra is harnessed and adjusted just right, and is then flooded into the opponents body. The chakra works like the electric shock of a defibrillator, injuring whatever organ Yukina chooses to focus on. If she decides to attack the heart, the blow is almost always fatal. Luckily for that Hyuuga kid, Yukina focused only on his stomach muscles and the technique is diluted when focused through her tonfa stick. Otherwise that kid might not be able to digest any food for a week, and if it was the heart . . . well he wouldn't be doing anything period."
Neji tries to get to his feet, but finds that the pain is almost too unbearableand has trouble even getting to his knees. After a moment of struggling against the pain and nausea caused by Yukina's effective strike, Neji cannot fight it anymore and vomits profusely on the floor of the arena.
"Wh-what did she do to me? I can barely move without feeling sick, and when I breathe I feel like my stomach is being squeezed. I have to get up. I will not lose here!" Neji tries to stand yet again, but only finds himself throwing up yet again. Neji then begins to calm down and closes his eyes in an attempt to focus.
"Sorry leaf genin," Yukina says with a smug expression. "I know that technique must have hurt a lot, but look on the bright side, if I had attacked you with my bare hands, or attacked your heart, you would probably be dead!" Neji does not answer and remains on all fours. "What? No confident response? Well then, let us end this right now."
Yukina then charges full speed at the seemingly helpless Neji. As she gets closer and closer, Neji still shows no sign of movement. Yukina continues her charge and then lunges at Neji with the long end of her stick, which is loaded with chakra, aimed at Neji's temple. "THIS IS THE END!" Yukina screams, showing her intent to finish off the prodigy of the leafs most prestigious clan. Just as Yukina comes within meter of Neji with her stick jutted out in front of her, Neji opens his eyes and catches the point of the stick in his palm without even turning toward Yukina. The look on Neji's face shows an uncharacteristically angry Neji. His eyes are wide open and his teeth grinding together. Neji then turns to Yukina as chakra begins to fill Neji's hand, and through the view of the byakugan, it becomes obvious that the chakra Neji is flooding into the stick is far greater then that which is flowing from Yukina.
"JYUUKEN!!!" Neji shouts, only a second before the tonfa stick explodes in Yukina's hand. The blast sends Yukina reeling, but she manages to still stay on her feet. Neji then pushes off with his right foot and dives toward Yukina with his right arms extended with an open palm. The strike lands heavy against Yukina's stomach sending the jyuuken directly into her pancreas. As Neji remains still in mid air with his palm still imbedded in Yukina's stomach, chakra begins to rotate around Neji at incredible speed. In the blink of an eye Neji becomes almost indecipherable from the whirlwind of chakra.
"HAKKESHOU KAITEN!" Can be heard from the divine whirlwind as it spins in full force sending Yukina into the air and straight into the arena's walls. Yukina then hits the ground unconscious, likely not even knowing what had just hit her. As the kaiten stops, Neji's spins out of control and hits the ground still in pain from the blow of Yukina's medical jutsu.
The referee checks Yukina, and announces the winner, "Winner of the third match of the Quarter Finals: Hyuuga Neji!" The crowd then cheers in appreciation of Neji's drive to win.
"I will not lose anymore. I will not be seen as weak. NEVER!" Neji says to himself just before throwing up and deciding to just lay on the ground waiting for the medical team.
The referee then announces that the next fight will take place immediately. "Would Aburame Shino of The Hidden Leaf, and the Hidden Mist Villages Dome please report to the center of the ring."
As the two meet in the ring, Shino finds himself struggling to focus. "What are those cloud nin's up to? Something IS going on. I know it. But I have no evidence to prove it. I just have a feeling." Shino then focuses on his opponent in front of him and begins to release his bugs.
The referee decides to waste no time, and takes advantage of Shino's eagerness. "Let the final match of the quarter finals, BEGIN!"
Meanwhile, Sakura finally makes her way outside to see Naruto waiting for her. She yells out with girlish enthusiasm, "NARUTO!" And runs up, overcome with joy and gives Naruto a choking hug. As air begins to be cut off from Naruto's brain, he can't help but feel either, happy that the girl of his dreams is paying him so much attention, or begin to worry about passing out. Before Naruto can say a word, he goes limp. Sakura picks him up and apologizes for almost choking him to death.
"I am so sorry Naruto, I guess I am just excited to see you."
"Its ok Sakura-chan, I never knew you cared so much."
Before Naruto can react, he finds himself on the receiving end of a patented Sakura right hook. Showing that no matter how much stronger he has become, Sakura can still mop the floor with him. "Idiot. It's just good to see a friendly face that's all."
"OK, OK I'm sorry, I guess I just misunderstood you." Naruto says as he rubs a huge bump on the top of his head.
"You did great out their Naruto. I was thoroughly impressed. To think that you have improved so much in only a year is hard to believe. But then again you have always been a fast learner I suppose."
Naruto's head begins to inflate with the compliments from Sakura as he replies, "Thank you Sakura-chan. It was a lot of hard work, and we are only taking a break from all of my training to answer the invitation we got for this tournament."
"I see." Sakura says lowering her head in disappointment. "So after this tournament . . . "
"Up, I have to leave again and return to my training. But don't worry Sakura-chan there is still some time for us to catch up."
Sakura's expression changes and her smile then returns. "I would like that very much Naruto. Oh, I forgot to ask, what is with the new outfit? Did you just decide that you needed a change?"
"What do you mean by needed a change? You don't like my old outfit?" Naruto says with a look of distrust on his face.
"No, no, no, I just meant maybe you thought you wanted to try something different."
"Well, No this outfit was just temporary. Ero-Sensei (Pervert Sensei) just thought that it would be more dramatic with this outfit."
A large bead of sweat runs down Sakura's forehead as she realizes that Naruto really hasn't changed all that much.
"Oh, Sakura-chan I wanted to ask you something."
"Yes, what is it."
A determined look comes over Naruto's face and all playfulness seems washed away as Naruto's question is a serious one. "Who is the man in the long black jacket?"
Sakura tries to recall the named of the strange man standing next to the Raikage. "I think his name is Shin. He is the Sensei of those cloud shinobi. I don't like those ninjas Naruto. There is something wrong about them. They don't seem to be taking this tournament as a friendly exhibition, and one of them almost seriously hurt Ino. But why do you ask Naruto?"
"I can't be sure, but I think I know him from somewhere."
"Maybe he just has one of those faces"
"No, it wasn't his face, it felt as if his face wasn't his real face at all. It was the feeling I got when he passed me that is really bothering me. It only felt more intense when he looked into my eyes. I think he felt the same thing too. It was almost as if we were familiar with one another but couldn't remember where. I think we were both scared of one another too."
"Naruto I think you are looking too much into it. But if you want, I will keep an eye on him while I am up there."
"Ok, but be careful Sakura-chan. I don't trust the guy."
"All right Naruto, I will." Sakura then turns and begins to walk back up the stairs. "We should meet up again before the finals Naruto. I found of a great Ramen place just down the street."
Naruto's eyes light up at the thought of filling his stomach with his most favorite meal, and he begins to make his way back to the fighters area with his hands behind his head, and a huge smile across his face. "I really miss seeing Sakura-chan. It is such a relief to know that she is doing well. Before I leave this country, I have to tell her how I feel once and for all. I can't go another two years before I get this off my chest."
Meanwhile back in the arena, Shino stands with a look of utter confusion, and an expression of subtle embarrassmentin response to the actions of his opponent, the heavy set Dome of the hidden mist village. Dome stands across from Shino wearing a full beekeeper's outfit, with hat and mask all included.
"Well, what are you gonna do now Mr. Bugman?" Dome questions as he laughs confidently. "I saw that you are able to control bugs to do your biding, well now what are you going to do now that I have my thick layer of protection on? Ah ha ha ha ha ha, there is nothing you can do. If I wear this outfit, your bugs can't touch me can they?"
"Well I will make you a deal Shino." Dome says as he raises his right index finger. "If you just give up now, I will forego the embarrassment of me beating you in front of this capacity crowd, while you desperately try to get your little bugs to hurt me. How does that sound?"
Shino then begins to get agitated at his opponents mocking statements, and summons his bugs. The chakra eating insects begin to swarm just outside of Shino's body and begin to slowly make their way over to Dome.
"Crap. This is not good. I know of his clan's reputation and if those bugs want my chakra this stupid suit isn't gonna do anything to stop them." The deceitful Dome admits to himself. His face then brandishes a cunning yet sneaky looking smirk. "Well then, time to go to Plan B."
As Shino's bugs make their way closer and closer to Dome, Dome pulls out three palm sized spheres from his equipment pouch. "So you aren't gonna just give up eh?" Dome says, as he then begins to juggle the three spheres in his hands. "Well if you won't give up this match, then what if I impress you enough with my juggling ability?"
Dome, while still showing off a rather impressive talent for juggling, begins to get nervous at the fact that Shino is not calling off his bugs. Dome then gives up his ridiculous strategy and throws two of his spheres into the ring's pool. Dome then just begins to look at his last remaining sphere.
"Well I guess that you are pretty set on having a match then huh? That's a shame, cause I really don't wanna have to . . . HIYA!!" Dome shouts, as he throws his last remaining sphere at Shino. The bugs however intercept the sphere and begin levitating it in mid air.
"Your actions are childish and immature." The stoic Leaf genin says, as he reveals a determined and VERY annoyed glare. "It has become obvious that just like the last opponent I faced, you are not ready for this confrontation. Give up, before you get hurt."
Before Dome can respond, and before Shino can launch the first attack, the sphere that the bugs have been levitating begins to leak a thick purple smoke. Shino looks on in shock, as the sphere was actually a smoke bomb that then explodes covering the bugs and Shino in a thick smoke.
Dome says while laughing heartily, "You got too confident too fast leaf. You fell for my deception just as I planned. I had time to prepare for my match against you. I was aware of your unique ability, and I simply adjusted my strategy accordingly."
"He tricked me." Shino says to himself.
Shino then tries to send his bugs en mass, toward Dome in an effort to give the bugs their first meal of the tournament. However, Shino notices that something is wrong. The bugs are not responding to his commands. Most of the bugs are flying around aimlessly, and some are returning to their nest in Shino's body.
"Wh-what is going on here?" Shino asks, trying to located Dome through the smoke, which is now becoming only a residual fog.
As Shino looks around the ring, he notices a layer of thick fog rising out of the pool. The fog is a pale white and the bugs seem to be drawn to it as it moves closer to Shino. The two fogs mix creating a layer of mist and fog that is blue in color. The bugs go haywire when the fog passes them and they all begin to leave Shino's body. Shino looks on in disbelief as he tries to stop the bugs from leaving his body and leaving his side.
"My strategy worked perfectly." Dome says, revealing the secret as to what is happening. "Two of those spheres were filled with a chemical pheromone that most insects find irresistible."" When the chemical mixed with water it created a fog that would attract your bugs and make your connection with them very weak. That is why they are leaving your body. That third smoke bomb is filled with a strong scent gathered from some of the Wave countries most potent flowers, which is why you cannot control them, they cannot smell your commands. I suspected that your whole ability to command the bugs was chemical. Distort the chemical signals, and distort your control over them."
"I don't understand, I can't smell anything, yet those flowers are still confusing my bugs." Shino then tries desperately to leave the fog, but the fog is quickly spreading around the ring. When Shino finally leaves the smoke cloud he finds that only a small amount of his bugs have followed him. "This is only a fifth of the bugs. I fell for his strategy completely."
Dome then comes out of the smoke cloud, charging at high speed with his kunai drawn. Shino then uses what bugs he has and sends them in full force toward Dome. Dome stops in his tracks as fast as he can and pulls out a small orb or red liquid. As the bugs come within only a few meters of Dome, he smashes the vile of liquid on his chest. As the bugs are ready to strike then suddenly all turn and avoid Dome as fast as they can. Most of the bugs then get drawn in by the pheromone cloud and do not return to Shino.
Shino looks on in disbelief as the remaining bugs he had, seem to have betrayed him. "Wh-what is going on here? What was in that vile?"
"I thought you would never ask." Dome responds as he starts a jutsu. Dog, boar, rat, ram, dragon, tiger, snake, rooster.
"Suiton: Suikoudan No Jutsu" (Water Shark Blast technique) The water behind Dome erupts in the shape of an enormous shark ready to strike Shino down. "The red chemical was the scent from another flower that is poisonous to most insects. It was a stretch but I thought maybe if your insects caught a whiff of the scent of that flower, then they would avoid it at all costs. Making me virtually immune to your chakra eating bugs." Dome then controls the massive water shark, moving it closer and closer to Shino and higher into the air. "Now give up Leaf Genin, or this technique will finish you off here and now."
Shino swallows a large piece of his pride and begins to come to terms with the fact that without his bugs, he is helpless to defend himself. "All right Dome, you win. I give up."
Dome dispels the water shark blast as the referee raises his hand. "Winner of the final match of the quarter finals: DOME!"
The crowd then erupts in a cheer as Dome celebrates his victory. He is surprised however when Shino shows up behind him and offers his hand in respect. The two nod and shake hands.
"You had my number. Congratulations." Says Shino.
"Don't worry about your bugs. They are fine. You never actually lost control of them." Dome replies.
"What do you mean?"
Dome then snaps his finger and the cloud disappears. The water on the ground from the dispelled water shark disappears and the pool refills all in an instant. "Sorry about that Shino, I just honestly did not think that I could beat you honestly. So I am afraid that I tricked you this whole time."
"You mean all of this was Gen jutsu?"
"Yes I am afraid it was. From the start of the match when you first made eye contact with me I initiated my Daikibo Sakkaku (Large-scale hallucination) technique. It allows me to create an illusion on a large scale in which I can control every aspect as to what is going on in the illusion. In this case I used the whole arena as my illusion. Not even the crowd knew it was all a fake."
"Incredible. I have never seen a level of Gen jutsu so high." Replies Shino.
"Well it's not that impressive. So far I can only control the technique for ten minutes and it uses roughly all of my chakra." Dome then scratches the back of his head and smiles, "And the realism of the technique isn't that great. I can only affect one of your senses at a time."
"That is why I couldn't smell the scent of the flowers in the smoke bomb." Shino says as he smiles, finally understanding that he was simply tricked into giving up the match.
The two then return to the fighters area, just as the next two-hour break is set to begin. All fighters will once again have to wait in their locker rooms until they receive a medical exam. As soon as the two-hour gap is over, the semifinals will be set to begin.