Title: Covenant
Author: bubblytokki
Rating: PG-13
Special thanks to pyr00tje for beta-ing for me~~! :) and to tormz for being so critical with my work.
Disclaimers: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters in this story.
AU.
Pairings: Probably none. I find that pairings or focusing on them hinder my stories… so gomen nasai. ^^
Chapter 10-Main Matches
Hyuuga Neji had always seen himself as a victim of destiny. Otherwise, he wasn't able to fathom why his father had to die and why he had to serve a worthless main family. Life had dealt him a terrible card and all he could do was gripe and live with it. The Hyuuga were talented and honestly, he felt that he should have been the Main family. He should be the heir to the Hyuuga rather than the two pathetic girls who were. However, it was not to be and so he used his frustration and bitterness to drive his training. Some day he would be free of the Hyuuga clan. Or at least, he hoped to be. There seemed to be no other alternative to escaping the tragedy that was his life. He couldn't imagine living under the reign of two women when he would be in his prime. But such was his destiny… his fate. Everything was fated to be. Wasn't it?
The boy standing across from him was a reminder of his Academy days. Uzumaki Naruto. The boy who had failed the year before he himself had passed with flying colors. It was still a mystery to him how someone younger than him was allowed into the academy. Technically speaking, students were not allowed to attempt the exam unless they were twelve years old. There were special cases and Neji shrugged Naruto off as one of them. Maybe Naruto was so stupid that he needed the extra years? But then, why would Naruto be allowed to take the final exam at the age of ten? Neji hadn't been surprised when Naruto had failed. It was expected and perhaps a bit of destiny as well. What had been surprising was the disappearance. He had thought that Naruto would end up on his team when he graduated. Especially since Naruto had been dead-last.
There had been a flutter of events after the disappearance. Academy lessons had been more silent for one. Almost to the point of mindless redundancy. There were no teachers running down the halls screaming bloody murder to the 'fox boy.' Whatever that meant at that time. The halls were quiet and his final year at the Academy passed in a silent stupor.
Now the subject of said disappearance stood before him.
Uzumaki Naruto.
Dead-last. But obviously not anymore. Naruto carried himself differently. And Neji was wary of this questionable character. The once stupid-looking grin was now set in a cool, serious expression. The blindingly orange jumpsuit was replaced by a softly fluttering black cloak that hid Naruto's body from view. Shaggy blond hair hung loosely over the forehead protector and his eyes… were striking. They were blue with an incandescent shade of red. In other words, very disconcerting eyes, more so than his own blank white pupils.
Who had eyes like that anyway? They were colder than his own and almost froze him into place. What had happened to the hyper, overly rambunctious brat to make him so…intimidating?
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Neji stared at Naruto fixedly. He needed to win this battle. He needed to become a chuunin so that he could free himself from the Hyuuga family by going on higher class missions. Thinking disconcerting thoughts wouldn't help him.
Neji glanced over at the proctor, waiting for him to announce the beginning of the battle. He would win this. He had to.
"Hyuuga Neji versus Uzumaki Naruto," the proctor drawled lazily, raising his hand as if the action itself deterred him from being a convenience enthusiast. "Start."
"Byakugan," Neji whispered as he surveyed the battle ground. If anything, Naruto was fast. Straining his eyes, he darted to the left, avoiding a rain of shuriken.
Shit. His speed is amazing, Neji thought as he struggled to dodge the oncoming kick. When did he come next to me? I need to start the Kaiten.
"Kaiten." He whirled to deflect the kick, his vision segmented to ensure that he wouldn't become dizzy, and heard the satisfying crunch of contact. Naruto surely didn't expect that. He smiled as he saw Naruto fly into the air and land with a thud ten meters away.
"Hmph. You're still weak as ever, Uzumaki Naruto," Neji stated confidently as he assumed a fighting stance. "The Hyuugas cannot be beaten."
Naruto seemed to struggle to his feet and turned to face him. Neji's eyes widened in shock. There wasn't a scratch on him at all. I was sure that Naruto hit my Kaiten…
"I suppose I won't be needing this.." Naruto said coolly, as he threw off his cloak, revealing a black loosely fitting jumpsuit. The cloak landed on the ground hard, imprinting itself on the ground due to its weight.
Shit…
**
This battle was boring. Naruto leisurely sprinted around Neji, carefully kicking and jabbing at the vulnerable spots of Neji's Byakugan so his opponent couldn't start his Kaiten. To the crowd, Naruto was just a dark blur with a yellow top as he continued his assault.
I don't think I need to use any specialized attacks, Naruto thought as he stilled when Neji crumbled to the ground.
"How come you are so strong?" Neji asked weakly as he coughed up blood. He used his hand to brush the blood away.
Naruto smirked and raised his arms in an attack stance. "Does it really matter?"
Neji glared at Naruto's nonchalant response.
His grin widened as he saw the rage flit across his opponent's face. Maybe now he would be a challenge.
"I can't condone fighting against someone so carefree," Neji declared as he struggled to his feet. "I will defeat someone who has had an easy life like you."
Or maybe not so much of a challenge. Naruto groaned. This was what he had been avoiding, the angst-filled 'I will beat you because I suffered' conversations. It seemed that every opponent he faced loved to talk about their own miserable lives, extending a battle that could be over in mere seconds.
Maybe I should have just knocked him out when the battle started..
"It seems that you have had the easier life Hyuuga Neji. Now, can we stop talking and finish this battle? I'm getting hungry."
Neji lunged at him in a blind fury.
Naruto deftly dodged the attack and grabbed the oncoming punch.
Shoot. Hyuugas fight better in close range combat.
Sensing that Neji was planning on using a specialized move, Naruto gathered his chakra to push him away from Neji at the earliest opportunity.
"Yaaaaaaah!" Neji shouted as he performed a rapid set of seals. "Four…eight… sixteen… thirty-two… sixty-four points!"
Naruto winced as he felt chakra drain out of his system. So that's the Hyuuga specialty. It's a good thing my chakra is impossible to seal.
"I sealed all your tenketsus. You won't be able to access chakra anymore," Neji stated confidently, arms held out aggressively. "Dead-last. You have no background, nothing to commend you. I don't need my Byakugan to tell me that you will lose today. It is your destiny."
Naruto laughed softly, enjoying the look of surprise on Neji's face.
"Destiny? I make my own destiny thank you very much," Naruto answered coolly.
"It's not possible. Destiny is fixed and yours is to lose, whereas mine is to serve the main family." Neji glanced toward the spectators pointedly before glaring at Naruto.
"Will you shut up you destiny freak? It doesn't really determine anything."
"Yes it does," Neji refuted arrogantly. "My father was the younger brother of twins, and because of this he was placed in the Branch Family. Just as it was his destiny to be born second, cursed to die to protect the Main Family, so too was my destiny to be born into the Branch Family, cursed to serve the weaker offspring of the Main. Destiny is not something the likes of a commonor such as yourself is capable of changing. Your destiny is to lose to me. Curse fate for being born common."
Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Um... sure."
"You are beneath the dust on my shoes because you are so carefree. Although I am from the Branch family, I will defeat you because that is all that you are."
"Branch family… Main family.. it doesn't matter to me."
"You bastard. You don't know anything! Branch family members are inflicted with a seal that only the main family members can initiate."
"Seals? Fun fun… I dispelled a few of those. Seals are nothing," Naruto said casually as he clapped his hands together mockingly.
"You have never had a seal placed upon you! What would you know?!!"
"I know more than you think you pathetic whiner," Naruto replied, his voice lowering dangerously as he changed his stance.
"Enough talk. I will end your pitiful existence," Neji declared as he dashed toward Naruto.
Naruto smiled and quickly performing a set of jutsus the normal jounin eye could barely see.
"Kage bunshin no jutsu."
A hundred copies appeared in the arena, cramping the battleground.
"Impossible," stuttered Neji. "I sealed your tenketsus. You shouldn't be able to use chakra. It doesn't matter. Kaiten!"
Half the bunshins poofed away as they made contact with the defensive whirl. Naruto smiled in glee. Now this was finally something that resembled a battle. He allowed forty more of his bunshins to disappear. He appeared next to the whirl, softly whispering a counter jutsu.
"Rasengan."
The spin stopped as the ball of chakra connected with the Kaiten. Carefully controlling the strength of the ball, Naruto pushed it into Neji's shoulder. Killing a fellow leaf shinobi would be tactless after all.
Neji flew into the air to land painfully on his back. "How…?"
Naruto walked over to the defeated Neji and replied, "Because destiny isn't fixed." As an afterthought, Naruto continued, "And believing that it is.. makes you weak."
The proctor lazily announced the result, "Uzumaki Naruto is the winner!"
Cheers echoed in the stadium and Naruto laughed cheerfully. This feeling of being popular could become addicting. His eyes narrowed unnoticeably as he thought of the next battle. Gaara versus Sasuke. He could only hope that Gaara would heed his advice. Otherwise, he would have to kill him.
**
The next battle was the highlight of the chunnin examination. Uchiha Sasuke versus Gaara of the Sand; a prominent bloodline versus sand demon extraordinaire. Shiranui Genma hoped that this battle wouldn't be to the death. That result would lead to a conflict between the two villages, because both of the contestants were highly prized shinobi.
Che, Genma thought disinterestedly. Bloodlust whirled madly about both of them. They want to kill each other.
Genma cursed the fact that he was selected to be a proctor. The chuunin exams were rarely as interesting as the jounin exam. To top it off, all the contestants for this specific exam were young brats, most which have probably never killed anyone during their paltry lives.
Although the first battle had been remotely interesting, it was obvious that the Uzumaki Naruto kid would win. Experience coiled itself about him and his eyes held a depth that no normal thirteen year old kid would have. Furthermore, the kid seemed to be wise enough not to kill his opponent, which allowed Genma to relax and watch the birds leisurely soar in the skies.
He was still miffed that the Sandaime had approached him to be a proctor and paid less attention to the battle than he should have.
He had been summoned to the Hokage's office upon his return from a particularly boring A-class mission. The mission had gone well and Genma was eagerly anticipating a visit to the hot springs to relax and drink some sake, only to have a nasty little summons slapped on his door. Dutifully, he went to report to the Hokage. He was greeted by the anbu guarding the Hokage tower and formally acknowledged the Hokage as he bowed.
The Hokage cut straight to the point.
"Shiranui Genma. You are hereby selected to be the proctor for the main chuunin examination matches," the Sandaime regally ordered.
"Hokage-sama, I am not qualified for such an exalted duty," he drawled lazily, hoping to convince his superior. He didn't mind watching the exam from the spectator stands, but he didn't want to be the one standing in the midst of all the dirt and jutsus that would be more than likely enough to fly around.
"Genma, you are the only jounin available. The other jounins have their subordinates participating in the exam. Besides," continued the Hokage. "There may be an attack. You'd be able to protect the children."
"Che..."
"I leave them in your hands," the Hokage stated and dismissed him.
That evening had been frustrating enough since he lacked the authority to refuse and now he had to deal with two immature brats who didn't understand the finality of death. Resigned he gazed lazily at the two famed brats. Uchiha Sasuke was wearing a simple blue shirt with the Uchiha fan emblazoned on the back of his shirt. Black shorts covered well-trained muscles and he seemed tense, ready to take action. The Uchihas genetic dark navy blue hair graced the brat's head, held back by a forehead protector. Disdain oozed off his posture and Genma was hard-pressed not to sigh knowing that this battle would probably drag on longer than the other one, unless the Sand brat was exponentially more talented.
Arrogant, immature, and short-sighted, would be the adjectives that described the Uchiha brat perfectly.
Moving on to observe the Sand brat, Genma had a gut instinct that he would have to interfere in this battle. A disturbing tattoo with the kanji 'love' was emblazoned on the boy's forehead and the wound seemed to be continuously irritated to still remain so red. Dark lines surrounded exhausted emerald eyes, and a murderous intent was focused on Uchiha Sasuke. This kid seemed to know death very well and from the intensity of the brat's killing intent, would not hesitate to kill, making his own job more complicated.
This time, Genma couldn't withhold the sigh.
Raising his right arm, Genma stated as lazily as possible, "Uchiha Sasuke versus Gaara of the Sand, battle start."
This battle had to be watched…unfortunately.
**
Gaara had always been rejected by society. He couldn't recall a time when he had not been lonely. Orphan, monster, dirty, stupid… he heard them all and silently absorbed the barbs, knowing that he could do nothing to change their minds. Yashamaru had told him to love only himself. And the only way to do that was to make sure that everyone would die. It was a pity that love was such a fickle emotion. Yashamaru… the one person he thought acknowledged his existence did not hesitate to attempt to kill him. So who was he to hesitate in killing others? Besides, it was so easy to end human lives. Especially since they were so weak. If they were that pitiful, they frankly deserved to die.
No one had loved him. No one had acknowledged him beyond Shukaku. No one bothered to see if he ate or slept. Not that he could sleep because that bastard of a demon would devour him slowly, but surely. He followed the orders of the man who called himself his father just because it suited his purposes. He really had nothing else to do after all. And he was happy as long as he was given the opportunity to kill something.
Until that person talked to him. No one asked favors from Gaara. It just wasn't done. Yet that blond leaf shinobi sauntered up to him and ordered him not to kill Uchiha Sasuke. It was the first time he had ever felt true fear. That person was terribly stronger than him and would be more than able to stop him. So for the first time in his life, he was torn. He wanted to kill Uchiha Sasuke… but the thought of being sealed in his own body while Shukaku pranced free was…terrifying.
Glaring at his opponent, he debated on killing him or not. Surprisingly, Gaara didn't want to die. Death was reserved for those he killed, not for himself. But if he fought with Uchiha Sasuke, bloodlust would inevitably take over his body and he wouldn't be able to control himself. Technically speaking, there was to be another battle, something along the lines where the village of the Sand would attack the unsuspecting Leaf. But he could care less about that. Especially after that annoying conversation with the blond person.
He felt the piercing weighty gaze of his new tormentor. Turning his head, he turned to stare back blankly at the victor of the first battle. Those eyes narrowed in warning and Gaara was intelligent enough to bend to the stronger existence.
He could prove his existence later, Gaara decided as he turned to glare back at Uchiha Sasuke. Later, when he was strong enough to defeat the one who had that terrible killing aura that frightened even him.
"Uchiha Sasuke versus Gaara of the Sand, battle start."
Facing the proctor, he coolly stated, "I resign. I'm not interested in fighting."
The crowd was silent and then chaos ensued as the invasion of the Leaf began. Gaara glared at the sunny blond's smile and re-entered the hall where the contestants stayed. He had a feeling that if he killed, that boy would kill him easily in retribution.
Gaara grumbled like the teenager that he was for the first time in his life.
**
Naruto's smile was sunny as he looked at Gaara, ignoring the glare that was pointed his way. Gaara had listened to his advice, showing that it was possible for Gaara to be healed. Naruto hoped that some day, Gaara would find that special someone to protect. In the interim however, he would defeat the intruders. He wouldn't allow anyone to mess with the Leaf Village unless it was Itachi. Cracking his knuckles in preparation for the battle, he smirked evilly as he jumped into the fray, allowing his killing intent to finally break free.
Nothing could stop him now…
~~
AN: Thanks for waiting for the next chapter.. if you read my profile.. you would know that I was ill.. so I apologize for the late update. Hopefully this chapter wasn't too disappointing. I began working on it earlier this week when I was slowly recuperating. *huggles readers and reviewers*
Thank you very much for all your reviews and your constant support. *_*
Preview:
Chapter 11-Disillusioned
A battle, struggle to survive, unveiling of truths… betrayal.
"You're allied with Itachi?"
^_^