Chapter 15: Final exams
Flashback:
Day 202 of capture
Growling could be heard inside Naruto's cell as instead of a child there is a partially transformed nine tailed fox covered in light orange fur the only indication it's Naruto is the yellow tuff of fur on its head with the seal clearly visible on its stomach. It's red sclera eyes peer into the darkness staring at Mayuri and the spooked researchers.
"So far the seals have been holding the demon back and it's attempts to break down the cell have failed but, on the bright side the organs implanted into have taken root and the hormones injected into seem to be working although due to it being impossible to examine the demon currently to test if the implanted organs are functioning as naturally intended we've informed our benefactor of this development and he plans to meet to remedy the situation that I can only hope since the demon has grown on me probably due to its insistence on staying alive despite its own requests to die." Mayuri reports with a sense of excitement and trepidation.
Gone was Naruto only a beast filled with rage remained
Back to the present:
Naruko awakens from her nightmare the day of the finals she snuggles up with Karin in the nude. Getting up and dressed makes some food for the day including a meal for Karin as she wakes up during cooking.
"Morning Cousin." Karin says as she stretches her legs.
"Morning to you too here's breakfast." Naruko says as she lays down breakfast for Karin
"Your cooking is still amazing as ever." Karin says
"Why thank you." Naruko replies with a blush while rubbing her head.
"So do you have a plan to beat Neji and the others or are you just going to wing it." Karin asks
"Oh I have plans don't you worry but, it's a surprise." Naruko replies
"So, when are you leaving?" Karin says finishing breakfast
"Right now to get there early to meet jiji." Naruko says
"Alright then, see you at the stadium then." Karin says
"Wish me luck then." Naruko says after giving Karin a deep kiss on the lips. She heads out toward the stadium to meet the Hokage in the Kage's booth.
"Hello Naruko are ready today?" the hokage asks
"More than ready for everything that's going to happen." Naruko says with seriousness.
"Good I hope to expect some good matches from you." the hokage says in amusement
"Jiji I want you to have this." Naruko says handing a seal on a small piece of paper.
"What's this Naruko-chan?" the hokage asks
"It's a chakra storage seal. It's been filled with my chakra for the past 3 weeks. It will give a boost of strength when you need it though it only works once, so make it count in the fight ahead if you face Orochimaru you're going to need it." Naruko says with concern
"Thank you Naruko I will use it wisely." the hokage says tucking the into his shinobi clothes underneath his robes
"Just stay alive jiji I'll be sad if you die on me." Naruko says as she turns away and heads to the stadium floor to meet with the other competitors. The next couple of hours pass quickly as the dignitaries and delegates arrive to watch the chunin exams with a large crowd forming. By the time of the start of the finals seven of the eight competitors have arrived.
"Hey where is Sasuke he's going to be late if he doesn't hurry up." Shikamaru says
"I don't know Kakashi is with him so, he's probably going to be late." Naruko says
"Alright everyone let's get things started" A jonin with a senbon in his mouth says
"We're starting when one of us is missing?" Naruko asks
"That's correct if he doesn't show up for his match he's disqualified." the jonin says
"Kakashi you better hurry your ass up then." Naruko says mentally
"Alright I'm Genma Shiranui and I'll be the proctor for the third portion of the exam let's get started will the first two competitor's stay while the others go to the competitors box." the jonin says as Naruko and Neji stay behind as rest head to the competitors box. Naruko and Neji take their stances at the center of the stadium floor.
"Surrender now you have no chance of defeating me." Neji says getting into a stance
"I will show you there is no such thing as destiny." Naruko says getting into a stance
"Are both contestants ready?" Genma asks, causing both to nod.
"Good then let the first match begin!" Genma says jumping back
Naruko creates shadow clones and sends them to charge Neji. Neji activates his byakugan and begins dispelling the clones with gentle fist. While Naruko creates another wave of clones that attack Neji who plans to dispel them when they suddenly explode knocking him back. As Neji gets up off the ground Naruko begins to perform the shuriken shadow clone technique. But, Neji starts spinning using Rotation deflecting all the kunai that appear. Neji charges Naruko who pulls out a Kunai as Neji does the same and clash kunai Naruko loses her grip on her kunai and avoids a swipe by Neji and forward flips over him plant a seal on his back. Just as Neji turns to slash Naruko she dives out of way and gets on her feet and takes the gentle fist stance.
"What's with that stance do you think a non-hyuga could best one with the byakugan!" Neji says irritated Naruko responds with a shrug
"Not quite but, I should be able to give you a warm up with what I know." Naruko says with a smirk
"Fine have it your way but, don't come crying to me when you are eating dirt." Neji says
They charge with Neji attacking and Naruko parrying the move with her hand irritating Neji who aims to block the tenketsu in Naruko's arms but, as the battle progresses more it becomes apparent that the move isn't working while, the blows Naruko's make to the pressure points are right on. An Infuriated Neji focuses his byakugan on the tenketsu in the arms to find them unaffected while, analysis of his body is supported with bruises enraged he attacks again aim for Naruko's organs and hits but, Naruko isn't fazed and hits Neji in the forehead with a concentrated blast of chakra from the palm carriening his head back sending his headband flying. As he regains his balance from stumbling he glares hatefully at Naruko.
"How?! How can you keep standing with the blows I've given you!" Neji shouts in rage
"Tell me something where do you get off treating Hinata as you have." Naruko says coldly staring at Neji's forehead.
"It doesn't concern you! You wouldn't be able to understand!" Neji says bitterly
"It concerns me because I care for Hinata and she told me about what happened to your father." Naruko says sadly
"She did. Did she then, should have mentioned the cage bird seal and the suffering of the branch family!" Neji shouts
"It's true your father didn't have a choice then, doesn't mean you don't have a choice now to be a better man we make our own fates Neji whether your a good person or not depends on you and no one else our choices are our own." Naruko says calmly
"You can't possibly understand the burden having a seal dictate your life so, who are you to judge me!" Neji screams
"I have a seal too neji and like you it causes me unbearable pain but, I endure it because, It doesn't and will not control me." Naruko says firmly revealing the curse marks on her shoulders.
"Whether you have a seal or not will not allow you to win this match I'm destined to win!" Neji says with conviction as he performs the stance for eight trigrams 128 palms and begins to count them.
"2" palms
"4" palms
"8" palms
"16" palms
"32" palms
"64" palms
"128" palms
Neji aims for the vitals but, after 128 blows the tenketsu are still open to Neji's shock. Naruko begin's to channel some of the foxes chakra and a one-tailed shroud appears she then, dashes toward Neji with red slitted eyes who tosses shuriken that are easily dodged as Naruko dashes for a kunai on the ground picks it up and charges Neji who counters with rotation as the two chakra's collide a huge explosion occurs filling the area with dust. When the dust clears Naruko is lying in a crater while Neji is pretty banged up. Just Genma is about to call the match the ground beneath Neji opens up and Naruko flies out of it using earth release: rending drill fang being an uppercut to Neji's jaw sending him flying into the air and on his back. With Neji unable to move while, Naruko is standing over him looking just fine while, the Naruko lying in the crater poofs into smoke revealing to be a shadow clone covering a hole. With the winner of the match clear Genma calls it.
"Winner of the first match Naruko Namikaze!" Genma declares drawing cheers from the clouds.
"You beat me but, how?" Neji asks confused
"It's a simple really genjutsu seal I placed on your back while we fought." Naruko says
"How my byakugan can see through illusions!" Neji says
"If the genjutsu was meant to mess with your vision then, yes but, a genjutsu that affects your coordination of your hands is another story you see the gentle fist style requires extreme precision if your off by even a little bit then, they become ordinary blows annoying ones at most. So, your eyes were working fine but your hands were not." Naruko says leaning down and taking the seal off Neji's back.
"Ironic another seal dictated my fate." Neji says humorously
"No your actions dictated your fate if you knew your aim was being affected then, you could of found some other way." Naruko says
"I see" Neji says calmly as he is taken away by stretcher and Naruko makes her way to the competitors box.
"That was quite the show you put on there Naruko." Shikamaru says
"It better be if I want to be promoted" Naruko says
"What a drag I'm next I might as well forfeit." Shikamaru says
"I wouldn't have seen your mom in the stands. It looks like she was polishing up a frying pan for some reason." Naruko says with a malevolent smile.
"Geez your one scary blonde Naruko I guess I better get down there." Shikamaru says as he makes his way down the floor of the stadium followed by Temari.
"Will the next contestants step forward." Genma says as both Shikamaru and Temari appear.
"Are both contestants ready?" Genma asks, causing both to nod.
"Alright then let the second match begin!" Genma says as he jumps back
"What a drag having to fight a girl!" Shikamaru says sighing
"Got a problem with that!" Temari says heatedly as she swings her fan blowing debris away toward Shikamaru who tries his shadow possession jutsu. But, Temari jumps back just out of range. Shikamaru sighs in frustration as he takes cover behind a tree. As Temari fires off her sickle weasel jutsu at his hiding spot. Shikamaru comes up with a plan and sends his shirt into the air held together by a kunai. He jumps out of hiding and tries his shadow possession jutsu again with the extended range of his shadow from the clouds and the parachute he made, but she jumps back again out of his range. She attempts to use her fan again to perform her jutsu but, is caught by the shadow possession jutsu that is being connected to a hole in the ground Naruko made in the last match to her shadow. He walks closer to her and raises her hand but, surprises everyone when he says "I forfeit." causing boo's from the crowd.
"But why?" Temari asks curious
"Because, I'm almost out of Chakra and besides I don't want to have to fight another match too troublesome." Shikamaru says ending the shadow possession jutsu and walking away to the competitors box with Temari following behind.
"Not surprised you up and quit like that your mom is certainly going to have words with you." Naruko says to the arriving Shikamaru causing him to groan at the realization.
"Well Shino are you excited?" Naruko asks
"No why? Because, Sasuke hasn't appeared." Shino says
Up in the kage booth the kages are having a discussion.
"We should give the Sasuke-kun a chance to fight the nobles who are excited to see the last Uchiha perform." the kazekage says
"He should be disqualified if he is tardy for his own match then he doesn't deserve to be a chunin." the hokage says
"Perhaps let's make an exception for him the crowd is anxious to see him perform." the kazekage asks
"Fine we will move onto the next match." the hokage says
"Will the competitors of the fourth match please come down." Genma says as Rock Lee and Gaara head down.
"Yosh! It's once again time to fan the flames of youth!" Lee says
"Good luck Lee you will need it." Naruko says mentally
"Are both competitor's ready?" Genma asks, the two boys facing off against each other. They both nod.
"Alright let the match begin!" Genma says jumping away
Lee throws shuriken at Gaara causing his sand to catch them. Lee runs in close and tries to stab Gaara with a kunai but, Gaara sand blocks that too along with a punch and kick from Lee. The sand makes a move against Lee who quickly jumps back and quickly removes his weights when he drops them causes two craters to form. Lee disappears in a blur of speed hitting Gaara's defense so fast that it can't keep up with him. Lee quickly gets through Gaara's guard and kicks Gaara upwards and performs the frontal lotus. Causing Gaara to impact the ground but, uses his sand armor to cushion the fall allowing him to get back up relatively unscathed. Gaara creates a waterfall of sand that he aims at Lee who is in pain from using the front lotus. Getting up and dodging the waterfall of sand he gets some distance as he prepares to open the 3 of the eight inner gates. First the gate of opening, then the gate of healing, and then the gate of life before taking off to face Gaara quickly punching Gaara into the air where he is kicked up and up into air and is punched around shattering Gaara's sand armor before opening the gate of pain and the gate of limit as he uses the reverse lotus hitting Gaara with a punch and a kick simultaneously sending Gaara shooting into the ground but, cushioned by the sand of his gourd on his back. Lee falls to the ground and rolls away as Gaara sends his sand after Lee capturing an arm and a leg in sand and performs sand coffin crushing both limbs. Just as Lee is about to be overwhelmed in sand Guy interfere's deflecting the sand from his student who has fallen unconscious while standing. The match is called by Genma.
"The winner of the match is Gaara!" Genma announces to the crowd as Lee is taken away by stretcher.
Suddenly Kakashi appears with Sasuke in a swirl of leaves.
"Are we too late?" Kakashi asks Genma
"No your on time if you waited any longer Sasuke would have been disqualified." Genma states
"Will the contestants of the next match please report to the stadium floor." Genma says as Gaara makes his way up to the competitors box Shino comes down.
"Are both contestants ready?" Genma asks, the two of them nod.
"Alright let the match begin!" Genma says as he jumps back.
The two contestants stare each other down as shino sends out his bugs and sends them after Sasuke who uses Fireball jutsu on the insects and disappears using Lee's speed and hits shino in the side of the head sending Shino skidding back. But, Shino releases his bugs as a giant tidal wave swarm that tries to reach out and touch Sasuke who keeps jumping left,right, and back. This keeps up for awhile, until the swarm envelops him but, before they can drain his chakra he starts sparking as he channels his chakra into electricity and uses lightning release: overdrive to zap the bugs attempting the smother him Shino attempts to use a variation of the sand coffin using his bug to create a bug coffin but, it fails as Sasuke pushes his way through the dead bugs and charges toward Shino and quickly disappears underneath Shino and kicks him upward using the technique he copied from Lee the shadow of the dancing leaf to get behind Shino and quickly performs a series punches and finally kick that's called lion combo that knocks Shino into the ground unconscious. Allowing Genma to make the call.
"Winner of the match Sasuke Uchiha." Genma announces to the roar of the crowd. As Shino is taken by a stretcher.
"Will the semi finalists please come down to the arena" Genma says as Sasuke walks up to the competitors box. Temari and Naruko make their way down to the floor of the stadium.
"Are both combatants ready?" Genma asks, the two nod.
"Then let the first semi final match begin!" Genma says as he jumps away
"No hard feelings if you lose." Temari says with a smile
"Same can be said for you may the best woman win." Naruko says with a grin
Temari starts off by swinging her fan downward sending debris at Naruko and kicking up dust filling the arena. She sends another swing of her fan to find a wall of earth has sprung up and Clones are appearing from behind it and charging her she sends her sickle weasel jutsu toward the clones but, they simply flung about and not disappearing. She increases her sickle weasel jutsu's power at one of the clones till it dispelled into a pile of dirt revealing them to be earth clones. The remaining earth clones charge at her but, overpowers her sickle weasel jutsu and destroys the clones. The real Naruko summons more earth clones that charge Temari again. This time Temari is ready for them and charges her sickle weasel jutsu to blow them all away however, they line up as a barrier for the last clone. She blows away all but, the last clone that is still charging toward her she's about to swing her fan again just as the clone opens its palm to reveal a seal with kanji for fire on it. As Temari brings her fan down to activate her jutsu the clone activates the seal to unseal a large fireball that overwhelms the wind jutsu causing a fire twister. That lights up the stadium Temari blocks the backlash of her jutsu with her fan that is burned badly and her clothes and hair are fairly singed. When the fire dies down the clone that is actually Naruko charges towards Temari and prepares to engage her in taijutsu. Temari closes up her burned up fan and tries to use it as a club but, Naruko merely side steps the brute swing and begins using gentle fist to strike at Temari's pressure points. Disabling her arms causing the burned fan to go flying then takes out her legs and with a quick poke to the neck is rendered unconscious. With victory clear Genma makes the announcement.
"The winner of the first semi final match is Naruko Namikaze!" Genma says to the crowds cheering.
A stretcher comes for Temari and carries her away. While, Gaara and Sasuke make their way down to the area after being called. While, Naruko heads up to the competitors box.
"Are both combatants ready?" Genma asks, the two and they nod.
"Alright lets the second semi final match begin!" Genma says as he jumps back
Sasuke throws Shuriken at Gaara then, disappears using his natural speed to try and hit Gaara through his automatic defense. He tries again and again but, only manages to get in close to headbutt Gaara causing him to step back. Sasuke uses Lightning Release: Overdrive to increase his speed and and electrify his body using his increase in speed he is able to bypass Gaara's automatic defense but, can't get through his sand armor even with the help of electricity. Gaara forms a hand sign causing the sand to incase him in a cocoon of sand with spike shooting out at anything that approaches forcing Sasuke to back off. Sasuke ends the use of lightning release: overdrive and jumps back to the stadium wall and runs up it. Sasuke with his sharingan active begins to channel lightning release into his hand forming a chidori begins a running start down the wall towards Gaara's sand cocoon and pierces it with a chidori. Then comes a scream from inside the cocoon.
"Blood! It's my blood!" Gaara screams as the sand cocoon slowly fades away. At the same time feathers begin falling from the sky as the temple of Nirvana technique is activated. Causing the spectators to fall asleep.