Chapter 2: The Tournament

-The next day at the Stadium-

A tough looking Mist Jounin stood at the center of the field and began to explain the rules: "This tournament is just like any other tournament. The 8 winners will go on to the semi-finals. The Four will go to the finals. There will be two final winners. You do not have to win to achieve the Chuunin rank. That decision is left to your respective village kages and jounins. The two winners can decide, if they choose to, to fight each other. Both parties must consent. The winner of that fight will receive a scroll with a skill from each Hidden Village. There is no killing allowed unless we deem that it was not entirely your fault. You may surrender at any time. May the games begin.

First match: Minako Kani of Grass vs Nara Dotonko of the new Konoha. Begin!"

With that, the first rounds of the Tournament began. Unbeknownst to the Genins of Konoha, their actions could result in either peace or war. Some of the Hidden Villages were determined to beat Konoha down if their Genins proved weak.

The two opponents jumped down from their seats.

"Do not hold back because I am a girl, Nara Dotonko. In fact, I can guarantee you will have to try your best to hurt me.", Kani boasted shamelessly. Kani looked like she lived with plants. She wore a green top and a camoflouged pants. She had vines in various parts of her body. She wore her village forehead protector around her stomach. The rest of the space that the bandana couldn't reach was filled with vines.

"Hmph. Actions speak louder than words.", retorted Doto. Doto wore a brown outfit with a gray vest. He wore a bandana on his head with a shadow intermingling with a boulder.

He took out a kunai and ran toward Kani. Kani threw a few Shurikens to slow Doto and formed a sequence of seals:

Vine do no jutsu! (do means road or transfer)

A few stumps grew out of the ground. Each one was interlocked and intertwined with vines going across each other. They looked like 10 Cat's cradle's interlocked in a random order.

"These vines will strain your movement. But I can move more nimbly on these vines than I can on the ground.", explained Kani. Kani showed off her new agility as she jumped from vine to vine and stump to stump as she explained her jutsu.

Even before Kani finished her sentence, Doto's hand formed a flurry of seals.

"Doton Doryuuheki!" (Earth Rising Wall)

A huge wall of made of the ground rose up from the ground and broke through the thick vines like Gulliver did to the Lilliputin's ropes. Doto didn't waste a second:

"Kage Mane no jutsu!"(Shadow bind skill)

A shadow crept from Doto and quickly headed toward Kani. Kani noticed it and jumped back. She did not notice another shadow heading from the foot of Doto's right foot heading around toward the back of the huge wall.

"Perfect.", thought Doto.

Suddenly Kani could not move. She was bound by a quilt of unrelenting shadow.

"But how! I dodged the shadow!", cried Kani, obviously frustrated.

"Distract with one hand and act with the other. My earth wall had a dual-purpose: 1st- to break up your vines and 2nd- to create a huge shadow. My first Kage Mane was toward you, but I had a second one going all the way around the wall. The wall's shadow elongated the shadow and gave it more strength in the process.", explained Doto.

"Impressive.", thought several experienced shinobi in the audience.

"Incredible! You thought moves ahead of me! I won't feel bad losing to you. But I didn't come all the way here to lose. If I can't move, then neither can you.", exclaimed Kani.

Kani closed her eyes momentarily. Suddenly some of the vines on the ground hardened while others just elongated and shot toward Doton.

"These vines obey me! They will strangle and impale you.", said Kani,

Doton smirked. The vines flew at him like snakes and huge needles. ready to strangle and impale.

Just before the vines reached him, Doto yelled:

"Kage Do no jutsu!" (Shadow Transfer no jutsu../ do also means change so i decided to use it as transfer until I can find a japanese word that means transfer)

(Author's Note: I think transfer is either shin or jin or something but I don't know. If you know please tell me in the review. Thanks.)

Doton and Kani exchanged places through the shadow instantaneously. Kani got wrapped up by the vines, and some sharp, hardened vines hit Kani in the arm. One of the sharp vines ripped off Kani's kunai holster.

Doton moved toward her forcing her to move toward him. When they were around 6 inches apart, he reached into his holster and took out a sharp, longer kunai. Kani reached into empty air. Doton moved his kunai to her neck while Kani moved her empty fist toward the side of his neck.

"Game Over.", said Doton.

The referee shouted, "Kani is clearly unable to continue, Winner: Nara Dotonko!"

"If only the vines did not rip off my kunai holster!", Kani bitterly said.

"It would not have mattered Kani-san. I had four alternate plans to defeat you. It was a good fight. I am honored to have faced such a worthy opponent.", said Doton.

"Next Match: Uchi Katonari of Konoha vs Razekai Kanko of Hidden Rain. "

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AN: All suggestions and constructive criticism are welcome. Thanks for reading once again.