Chapter-35

Team 7 continued their training for the remaining time left. They hardy had a chance to see each other. And again, Sasuke was gloomy because Sakura wasn't around. He then decided to head to her home. And he peeked from the window. She stil had her back turned to him and she was still sitting on the floor. Geez. She is really annoying. Making me worry. Tch. I should go. He took one last glance at her and disappeared.

Finally, tomorrow the Chuunin Exam's final round. Team 7 met up after almost a month. They were enjoying each others company. They shared the banter of their training and their trainers. Sakura was just laughing at Naruto and Sasuke's bickering. She looked at both of them fondly. They saw Sakura looking them and shut up.

" Sa-Sakura-chan! Please don't hit me!"

"Scaredy cat," remarked Sasuke with a smirk

"Fine hit him, Sakura-chan. He needs to learn."

"oh should i? really?" asked Sakura eagerly. She knew Sasuke must be annoyed so she decided to play with him.

Sakura turned towards Sasuke and gave an evil smirk while cracking her knuckles. Sasuke slowly started getting further and further till he was standing against the wood dummies made for training.

"Hehe. I'll finish you off." Said Sakura happily.

Sasuke was actually scared now. he put his hands in front of him to stop her from advancing but the stupid pillar was he got stuck with.

"You apologize and I won't hit you. Promise." She said cheekily.

"Alright sorry." Good

"Hey Naruto you have something on your head."

"Huh what?"

"just this."

And then she hit Naruto a little harder than last time. She smiled down at him as he sat up groggily. "I cant even see straight."

"They will be fine after a few minutes. Don't worry."

"You're so mean, Sakura-chan!" Naruto said crying.

"I'm mean? You just aren't mature enough." She huffed and went back to sit next to the pillar where Sasuke was. Cool breeze flew by and it felt good. When the breeze went by, Sasuke just instinctively glanced at Sakura . she had her eyes closed but she was enjoying the breeze. Her shirt flew in breeze and her short, soft hair were flowing gracefully. She looked beautiful. Since when have I become like this. It's all her fault. She did this to me. He scowled and looked away. Nobody has ever had this kin d of effect on me.

After a while, went separate ways to their homes. Sakura was walking gracefully through the empty street it was late after all. She sensed a figure behind her but decided to act normal. Then several kunai came from a roof top. Some kunai got into her arms and leg. But she stood up and went after the attacker. He had grey hair. No it can't be… is that Kabuto? A chill ran down her spine but she still continued to follow him. They came at a standstill and Kabuto faced her. He looked like he went had already killed the previous Jonin proctor Hidate and now he was after Sakura.

"I told you I will come to take you. Its not for you decide."

He started walking towards her. Sakura took out a kunai and stood in a defensive position. As soon as he lunged forward, a large bull dog jumped and sat on Kabuto. Kabuto was trapped. Kakashi came flying and landed in front of Sakura.

"Sakura? oi Sakura. calm down."

She couldn't stop though the shivers that were ever present and reek of evil he gave was suffocating her. And she slowly lost her consciousness. He heard Kakashi scream her name as she flew back. A warm pair of hands cradled her. Please be okay, Sakura.

Next morning, Sakura woke up in a hospital bed. The nurse when entered smiled and greeted her. She checked her up and wrote the numbers on her report. Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke barreled in. they stood on either side of the bed. And they all started talking at the same time, which made her wince because of headache.

"What happened Sakura?" Asked Kakashi urgently

"Well I was attacked while walking home. But I followed him and when we stopped on that roof he revealed his face and it was… Kabuto." She clenched her sheet in frustration. " I couldn't do any thing. I don't know why but he looked like someone had possessed him. He was talking like Orochimaru and when I looked into his eyes, I felt pure fear. And I couldn't snap out of it so I just fainted. He also mentioned something about killing our previous proctor, Hayate-san." She took long breathe t calm herself down. Sasuke felt bad for her. He rested hand on her shoulder.

"You're not alone. We're here for you, Sakura." said Kakashi with his eye closed and showing that he was smiling. Sakura just looked down and started to shake. Sasuke and Naruto held her hand as to comfort her. She felt better now.

"Thank you so much" said Sakura with sincerity and a beautiful smile which made Sasuke's heart skip a beat. What is this feeling?

Suddenly Sakura jumped out of bed and started getting ready with her ninja gear.

"Sakura, what are you doing?"

"What are you talking about? The Chuunin Exam? Hello? Any of you remember that its today?"

Suddenly all of their eyes went wide.

"Damn it we should hurry we'll be late!" said Kakashi. They all panting when they finally reached the arena. Kakashi gave them a thumbs up and went off. The three of them looked at each other and entered the ground.

"We're the last ones here." Saw Sakura,

"Doesn't matter. Point is we're here!"

He started jumping up and down as he shouted ' I'm gonna become the Hokage!'

People starting insulting him as usual because he was a jinchuriki. He ignored them and went to Sakura's side. She gave him a side hug. Sasuke got pissed. Do they wait for me to do this? The proctor began announcing the rules.

Basically the rules were the same as the elimination exam. But a shocking condition was that 'If a genin is unable to fight, goes unconscious or forfeit or even die, then the person loses.'

And with that began the exam.

"you will come in the ascending order of the numbers they picked. So the first match was 'Hyuuga Neji vs Uzumaki Naruto'"

Naruto smirked." Im going to beat you and get revenge for Hinata." He said while facing Neji and went down. "good luck Naruto!" said Sakura.

"Thanks, Sakura-chan!"

Neji and Naruto started fighting with kunai first. Then Naruto made a bunch of clones but Neji had Byakugan which can see the interior chakra network and chakra flow.

Naruto talked to him about Hinata but Neji just kept nonsense about Main family and branch families. He again insulted Hinata which made his blood boil. He created 20 clones they aran and surrounded Neji.

"I'll show you how a real Hyuuga fights."

All the clones threw weapons but before they could reach Neji, Neji started releasing chakra from his whole body and twisted like a tornado creation a chakra barrier. The weapons were deflected. Naruto repeated the same attack three times and he was exhausted already.

"This match over. You cannot win against me."

"I get all that stuff about being a genius and you never have lost. But I know failure is helpful because it makes you relearn yourself. Hinata is not a failure. She's a better ninja than you!?"

Neji got enraged and attacked him with his Gentle Fist Eight Triagrams Paw. He kept blockig all of Naruto's chakra points and stood back.

"Now you cant use chakra. What will you do?"

"don't ever , ever , underestimate me!" Naruto started releasing red chakra and reopened his chakra points. He made a bunch of clone that circled Neji. Neji was almost out of chakra. The clones threw weapons and Neji rotated again to stop those attacks. The clones didn't give him a chance to counter attack. They just kept throwing weapons and Neji kept using Kaiten till he was almost out chakra. Neji spotted fa away. Oh so he's hiding his clones. Neji ran forward attacking his clones and eventually reached him he grabbed Naruto's jacket and lifted him up.

"You should have just given up. You never could have won against a genius." Neji jabbed the kunai in Naruto's heart and smiled victoriously. All the clones disappeared confiming he attacked the real Naruto. But suddenly he held in his arms also vanished. Naruto come out of the hole he made while lying unconscious. He jumped up from the hole and punched Neji in the chin really hard.

"I told you, I never go back on my word." Said Naruto while standing beside him.

Damn it. I cant move. I'm empty.

The proctor came to Neji and asked, "Can you fight?"

Neji just smiled and said, "I admit it. I lose."

Proctor nodded and declared Naruto as the winner.

"yatta! I won!" he kept screaming the whole way till he reached the top floor of the contestant area. He bear hugged Sakura who returned the hug happily. Again!

"You were amazing Naruto! That last technique was just brilliant!"

"Hehe Thanks, Sakura-chan!" said Naruto blushingly.

Sasuke came and said, " Not bad for a dobe" and smirked

"hehe, one day, you're gonna lose just like him to me."

"you wish, dobe"

They both smirked and stood on each side of Sakura.

"Nara Shikamaru and Temari. Please come down."

What a drag. I have to fight. On top of that, it's a girl. Temari just smirked at him.

"BEGIN"