Yeah, but, Lee is Lee.


Curse mark design, version 4.8 summary.

I would finally be willing to call this technique complete. Following is a list of all features and side effects:

-The curse mark can be applied by me personally in a ritual fuuninjutsu that I can perform relatively quickly.

-It's purpose is to mimic Jugo's ability to passively summon senjutsu chakra from the environment. (Bite me Jiraiya, you fat old asshole.)

-The curse mark stage I activates after a few days of suffering. (or it might kill you) It increases the user's physical capabilities by a flat amount, proportional to how much senjutsu chakra is absorbed.

-The curse mark requires a constant supply of the user's chakra to keep activated, and the user can vary how much power they want to provide and in turn, receive, which is visible by how far the black markings have spread across the user's body.

-Activation of the curse mark to some degree is almost certain when using chakra for any techniques. This can be mitigated by precise chakra control or putting an additional seal atop the mark (not like I'm gonna tho lol)

-Use of the mark, similarly to effects seen in Jugo, will erode the user's sense of reason without strict self control and mental discipline. Even possessing the mark will cause violent/depressive urges in the subject over time. (letting me control them easier, so you know, nice side effect)

-Through the death of the user (a situation I have made recoverable using the mind awakening pill, page 36) the user can access the Curse Mark stage II. This causes an even more dramatic increase in physical abilities, as well as a seemingly random change to the user's appearance, usually resulting in a beast-like appearance. (Also, sometimes cool extra limbs.)

-In stage II, the curse mark allows the user to enhance their traditional jutsu with senjutsu chakra, increasing their power and often applying additional affects. (Note to self, find a way to steal Jiraiya's sage mode notes.)

-Personal research handbook of Orochimaru


"Maniacs, absolute maniacs..." Jiraiya was mumbling to himself as Naruto walked in. The Sannin had apparently made base camp in the abandoned room Kakashi had first taken team seven to, and was now kneeling over Sasuke and Hinata. Itachi was pacing in the corner, mumbling to himself "Two tomoe! He got two tomoe already! That's amazing..."

"Are they going to be alright?" Naruto asked, stepping in.

Jiraiya sighed. "Yeah, they should be, despite their best efforts to the contrary. Bad enough my ex-partner put a curse mark on them both, they had to go ahead and try and ruin their bodies a bit more before I got to them."

"No ragrets." Chuckled Sasuke from the floor, getting a swat on the back of his head for his trouble.

"Listen, midgets." Jiraiya declared. "Orochimaru was almost as dramatic as I am, but he was not one for vague or fancy naming techniques. If he calls a jutsu the eight-headed serpent, it makes him turn into an eight headed serpent. If he called this thing the 'curse mark' then it isn't something you want to agitate just to progress through the exams!"

"We have to make chunin!" Sasuke protested. "All three of us have made at least five separate 'I need to get stronger' speeches since we got back from wave!"

"I could have gotten you byes you absolute morons!" Jiraiya sighed.

"...Oh."

"Whiskers." Jiraiya pinched his forehead. "Who's up next?"

"Lee is fighting that Gaara guy from Suna." Naruto shrugged. "Both are pretty cool. I don't know who I want to win, but I'm pretty sure Lee has it in the bag.

...Why are you looking at me like that."

"Gai's not-son is fighting Sabaku no Gaara and you think he'll win?" Itachi asked, incredulously.

"I mean, yeah." The blond blinked back at him. "Lee has the eight gates. He opened the first one in taijutsu training once and trounced the three of us at once." He and Sasuke shuddered. That had not been a fun session for team seven.

"And he can open like; what, four of them if he has to? He basically has this tournament in the bag, we've been brainstorming plans just for him."

"Naruto, Gaara is a jinchurikki." Jiraiya said, slowly.

"Yeah, I know." Naruto replied, nonplussed. "I'm a jinchurikki. I could throw a massive snake. Lee can probably throw...more than one massive snake."

"Genius power-scaling." Jiraiya looked across at Itachi.

The jonin sighed and moved towards the door. "I'll be there to stop them killing each other. Fix up my brother old man." Itachi body flickered and was gone.

Jiraiya took up a pot of red ink and an old fashioned quill, and began drawing on Sasuke's back. "I'm going to give you both a crash course in fuuninjutsu, just so you're not completely clueless. Kinda like how hand seals and nature transformations act as instructions for moulding chakra, seals are written instructions that mould whatever chakra touches it. Some, like the chakra activated explosive tags, are relatively simple. Others are more complicated. Seals to hold a tailed beast in your body are pretty damn complicated. Whatever Orochimaru's done to your friends...I gotta admit even I don't really know how it works."

"Reassuring." Sasuke drawled.

"I've seen it before." Admitted Jiraiya. "I think you know her, actually. Purple hair, great rack, thing for snakes?"

"Anko has a curse mark?" Naruto gaped.

"Uh-huh." Jiraiya grinned. "I was able to get pretty intimate with her...uh, with her curse mark. Now both these clan trust fund babies-"

"Hey!"

"-have different marks to each and other and to miss Mitarashi. Marks you just might recognise."

"They were the same marks as on the scrolls we carried through the forest." Naruto explained to his confused looking teammate. "I had a lot of time waiting in the cave. Sasuke has the earth symbol on his neck, Hinata has the heaven symbol."

Jiraiya nodded. "And the amount of senjutsu chakra I can sense off these is even higher than in Anko's..."

"Sen-what now?"

"Natural energy." Jiraiya extrapolated. "An extra dimension to a ninja's arsenal most people never get to learn."

"Teach me."

"Later." Jiraiya dismissed him and started muttering to himself. "I didn't think you could manage sage mode, that's what happens when you turn your body into snakes, you old shit, but apparently you've found some other crazy cheating way to do it this is just like you..."

"Are my teammates going to be okay?" Naruto interrupted.

"Yes." The toad sage sighed, going back to drawing on Sasuke's back. "I can't remove the marks, but I can put my own seal on top of them to control them. Your teammates will still be able to turn them on deliberately, although that's a terrible idea, but otherwise they won't activate unless they completely lose control." He finished, and put his hand on Sasuke's back. "Now scram."

"But I wanna stay!" Naruto complained.

"I can't concentrate while you're agonising over my every move." Jiraiya countered. "Your fight could be any minute, go back to the stands."

"We'll be fine, Naruto." Sasuke reassured.

Unhappy, the blond left.

"You sent him out because it's gonna hurt, didn't you." Sasuke concluded, once Naruto was gone.

"A lot." Jiraiya confirmed, channeling his chakra. "There will probably be screaming."

Sasuke scoffed. "Look, I don't know who you're used to dealing with, but I'm an UchihaaaAAAAAA, HOLY FUCK-"


When Naruto reached the arena he was greeted with Temari and Shikimaru stood at other sides of the arena staring at each other.

"Hey, why aren't Gaara and Lee fighting?" He asked Itachi.

"They already finished." The jonin still seemed somewhat shellshocked.

"Lee won that fast?"

"Nope."

"...Gaara won? Did he-"

"Lee went fifth gate." Itachi cut across. "It wasn't enough. Gaara's arsenal is pretty much built to take down melee fighters. And ranged fighters. And, well, I'll show you the match later."

Naruto whistled. "Okay, great. I'll just throw out all my anti-Lee plans then." He wandered over to the edge of the stands. In the arena, Temari had just blown another wind gust at Shikimaru, who had jumped behind a tree to avoid the attack.

"Anyway, I'm next? Okay." Naruto started stretching. "Better get warmed up, this could end any minute."


Forty five minutes later

"Okay, okay; one adult sized genin or one child sized jonin."

"Does the jonin have the same chakra reserves?"

"No it's like, a jonin mind; but in a normal child's body, so same chakra and fitness."

"And then the other one's an idiot but with a jonin's body and stuff?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"I mean, does the jonin-in-a-kid get standard ninja equipment? Because without a knife and some ninja wire he isn't going to-"

"Wait look something's happening!"

Down in the arena, Shikimaru's shadow darted through the shadow of a shuriken parachute he had set into the sky. The audience watched with bated breath as Temari darted backwards and juuust managed to keep away from the shadow. The audience collectively groaned.

"Come on!"

"Get it over with already!"

Sasuke and Hinata had both recovered from their curse mark sealing, and joined Naruto in the stadium. The match was still going on.

"Hey, fuck off!" Temari snapped at the crowd. "This is what real ninja battles look like sometimes!"

"She's distracted." Itachi noted.

"So what?" Naruto waved his hand dismissively, flopped back in his seat. "It's not like Shik's gonna do anything about it."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "No, he has! Look!"

While Temari had been glaring at the spectators, Shikimaru had thrown a kunai. Now his shadow stretched out towards Temari, through the shadow of the parachute, through the shadow of the still moving kunai, and tagged her.

The crowd held their breath.

Locked in his shadow possession jutsu, Temari was forced to walk towards Shikimaru until they were face to face. Shikimaru moved his hand to his crotch.

"Dude, what the fuck are you doing?" Temari asked with a heavy blush, as her own hands followed suit.

Shikimaru's hand lingered for a moment, before reaching for the (deliberately in a peculiar place) kunai holster on his inner thigh. He drew the blade.

Temari's hand came up empty, but she sighed in relief. (and a little disappointment, not that she'd ever admit it)

"Are you going to make me do this?" Shikimaru asked, boredly, holding the kunai up to her throat.

"I forfeit." Temari bit out.

"Victory to Shikimaru." Gekko drawled, from where he had been sat reading one of Jiraiya's books.

The crowd universally cheered.

"Oh shut up!"

"Final match, Naruto vs Choji."


"Finally!"

"I know right! I would have had my third lunch by now!"

Naruto looked across at Choji with a raised eyebrow. "When did you have your second?"

"Ino's leftover rations. This diet she's on is great!"

"It...doesn't really sound healthy for a ninja."

"No, it's great for me."

"Oh, got it."

"Are both contestants ready?" Gekko interrupted. They nodded. "Alright. Let the final round of the preliminaries...begin!"

Naruto grinned and put his hands together. "Null!" The training seal on his back deactivated, and he charged to meet Choji.

Despite his obviously unhealthy eating habits, Choji was one of the more genuinely competent of the Konoha genin. He was the son of a prominent ninja clan, and had always been able to completely trounce Naruto in sparring (not unlike everyone else in his class except sometimes Sakura).

But now Naruto had been training with Might Gai every day for almost two months, and the time he spent not working with that Taijutsu monster he wore the training seal that applied resistance to all his movements. The difference caused by suddenly moving through air and not cement was one not easy to calculate, but the result was obvious. Naruto blitzed forwards and punched Choji flat in the stomach, with enough force to send him skidding to a halt halfway across the arena.

Choji coughed once.

The Konoha genin (and most of their sensei) looked on in shock as the orange clad boy lifted up his fist and flexed it in front of his face with a perplexed 'huh'. This was his first time since graduation fighting a fellow genin who hadn't been through the same pain he had.

Choji got up, grimacing, and formed hand seals. "Akimichi style ninjutsu! Human bullet tank!"

His head popped inwards, his body expanded, and a giant spinning ball of human started rolling towards his opponent. Naruto held his ground. "Uzumaki style ninjutsu!" He countered. "Obey the damn laws of physics!"

This was a jutsu he had realised he possessed while fighting Orochimaru, and perfected while waiting in the cave. Around him appeared well over forty shadow clones. The first sprinted straight towards Choji and did the transformation jutsu, turning into a large metal ramp. Choji's glorified hamster ball rolled right up the ramp and into the air.

The 'obey the damn laws of physics' jutsu was, at its heart, throwing lots of shadow clones at something big really really fast so that it falls over. This is what the shadow clones did, one after the other slamming into the bullet tank, which was a lot less massive than Orochimaru's snake. The successive impacts soon bled dry Choji's forward momentum, then began to send him backwards as he fell, crashing him into the wall of the arena. Naruto grinned, and strode forwards. He was...confident. For once, not fighting with a desperate bravery, but genuine belief in his own abilities. Note to self; do more of this.

Choji sat up and glared across at him. "When did you get so strong?"

Naruto smiled back. "I dunno. About last month?"

Choji huffed. "Fair enough. I didn't wanna do this, but until you get the rep you deserve, I'm not losing a fight to you. Also Asuma-Sensei will pay for my next meal if I win."

"Oh damn, really? If my ninja way (trademark) wasn't on the line, I might let you have that."

Choji smiled back. From his pocket, he pulled out a brightly coloured pill. "You see this? Dad says that in the tournament, I can use this one if I really have to. I think this counts as an emergency." He scoffed the ball.

"What does it do?" Naruto asked, back on guard.

"Converts the calories stored in my body fat into chakra." Said Choji, smugly, as wisps of the stuff started to surround him.

"About how many calories?"

"About as much as I eat on an average night out."

"Oh SHIT-"

Choji blasted forwards and punched Naruto, who caught the strike on his forearm and skidded backwards a couple metres. Choji continued to press, throwing out a few more punches and an elbow, which Naruto blocked before countering with a hooked first that sent Choji into the air. Naruto jumped up and double kicked down at him, knocking him down to the floor, but Choji landed on his feet and turned Naruto's followup away. The following fight could be accurately described as two very strong children beating the stuffing out of each other. Choji and his food pills were stronger than Naruto, so Naruto quickly started summoning shadow clones. Choji responded by using the partial expansion technique to let him hit more of them at once, so Naruto responded by summoning more shadow clones. At this point, Naruto's willingness to get his hands dirty proved to be a problem for him, as it was easy for Choji to keep track of the only one who didn't immediately pop upon being hit, and barrel after him like a juggernaut. So Naruto made his shadow clones who weren't busy substitute with him to throw off that particular method of attack. He didn't actually know how long Choji could stay in this state, but frankly, the Akimichi didn't look like he'd be running out of calories anytime soon. So Naruto resorted to the other technique he'd been practicing in the cave. He used the swing from one of Choji's oversized hands to catapult him up into the air, then put his hands together in a variation of a familiar seal. Namely, one with a spiked star between his palms. "Shadow shuriken jutsu!"

Choji could have dodged one, two, or even five shuriken. He didn't have much to counter the hundred ninja stars that catapulted in a wide arc towards him. Choji used the expansion jutsu to put his hands up as shields, but that still meant he was getting stabbed repeatedly all over his hands, which were designed to be able to feel very acutely. He grit his teeth desperately against the pain.

In the stands, Kakashi raised his eyebrow at Jiraiya. "You taught him the Hokage's jutsu?"

"Hiruzen was my Jonin-Sensei, remember?" Jiraiya leant back, chuckling. "I picked up a few things."

"You aren't worried about the message that's going to send?" Kakashi didn't let up.

"Worried? I'm counting on it."

"Jiraiya."

"Orochimaru has already marked these two." The toad sage gestured to Sasuke and Hinata, who were watching the conversation warily. "Your kids are good. Really good. Thanks to these exams, everyone knows it, and now everyone knows whose protection Naruto is under."

"I'm sick of this political bullshit." Sasuke declared.

"Get used to it, haircut." Sighed Kakashi. "Public appearance, manipulation...it's gonna be your whole life sooner or later."

"It sounds...stifling." Hinata commented.

"That's why it's important to have people you can trust." Jiraiya told her. As one, the two genin looked at each other, then down into the arena.

Naruto's jutsu had shredded all his other shadow clones, and the shuriken themselves had dispelled after hitting their target, leaving Choji panting with numerous bleeding cuts on his palms.

Naruto was feeling really guilty. "Sorry!" He called across. "I don't want to use that any more on you, because it's like, really vicious, but I do have the chakra to do it again. Repeatedly."

Choji smiled, grimly. "Huh. Looks like you've finally grown up a little. Hey, you can apologise by buying me ramen sometime, k?"

"It's a deal." Naruto grinned back.

Choji turned to Gekko. "I forfeit."

The jonin sighed. "Thank god this is finally over...Naruto wins."

"WOO!" Naruto threw his fist up into the air. He could hear his team cheering for him. At least, Sasuke was cheering, but that was about as much as he could hope to get.

"And with that, the preliminaries are over." Gekko coughed into his fist. "Sabaku no Kankuro, Sabaku no Gaara, Uchiha Sasuke, Hinata Hyuuga, Nara Shikimaru, and Uzumaki Naruto...that's six right? Yeah, that's six...will progress to the final round of the chunin exams!"

"Yeah!"

"In one month!"

"Yeaaah... what?"


And everyone is through! Yes, just six competitors for my chunin exams round three, and next chapter, you get to see who's fighting who.

I'm pretty sure Hiruzen only summoned like three or so shadow shuriken during his fight, but if you extrapolate out what Naruto can do with normal shadow clones, the result is pretty obvious. Namely, a raining meat grinder of death. Next week, I wonder what Naruto decides to do following up this success...